Get It Right

Our life is passing right before our eyes
A phase is over and time continues to fly

There is no doubt
That time's running out
Will we choose our destination
Before we meet our termination?

Yeah, the world is big and we are free
Future full of opportunities
But we are small and our lives are short
With only one chance to get it right

What will I be, where will I go and what will I do?
You ask yourself thinking only of you

But looking ahead
What will matter instead
Did we live our destiny
The way it was supposed to be?

Yeah, the world is big and we are free
Future full of opportunities
But we are small and our lives are short
With only one chance to get it right

Only one, only one chance
Only one, only one chance
Only one, only one chance...

To get it right

So get it right

Let's get it right

Get it right

ZONES

Sometimes it seems like life should be all about comfort. In our day and age it’s too easy to get so caught up with the conveniences of our world such as fast food, riding lawn mowers, air conditioning, and dish-washers. (That’s why so many Americans have to get buff by lifting weights—because they don’t wash enough dishes by hand) What I’ve learned is that we can also get comfortable with our routines and the places we live. Ever since I was four years old my family has lived in Mexico City planting churches this has led to a lot of changes in my life.

Now, most missionaries are required to return to the US to stay for a year every four years. If you do the math that means that I’ve lived in Mexico eleven years and only seven years in the US. Every time I’ve come back to what is supposed to be home, I’ve been hit with what is called “culture shock”. All of a sudden I’m not comfortable and to my frustration it becomes a lot harder for me to make friendships. After a year of trying to become more “American” it’s time to go back to Mexico where I have shift gears again and get back into the swing of things there. In Mexico they call me a gringo, and in America they call me a Mexican. When I’m at one place I miss the other and no matter where I am it seems like I’ll never “fit in”.

But I’ve also learned that it is so easy to go through these changes with the sulking attitude that I’m never going to become a true gringo or Mexican. Then I selfishly draw back to the dark corner where I’ll lick my wounds. It was especially easy for me to do that this year because I came up by myself to live with my grandparents and take my senior year of high school. But do you know what? It’s not very much fun to stand on the side and watch everyone else have a blast serving God and living life. I realized this quite early during the school year but once you have the selfish mentality it takes a long time to get rid of it. You see, it becomes a habit that seems to automatically take control during certain situations. For example: Ignoring people you don’t know. Or avoiding getting involved in your church. Or a rejecting an open door to share your faith to others. It took me long enough to realize where the roots of my problems where which ended up being my comfort zones.

In order to get out of my comfort zones I needed to conquer my fear of unexplored territory. One verse that has helped me tremendously is, Jeremiah 29: 11-13, “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and I will listen. You will seek me and find me when you seek with all your heart.” Several times I have had to ask myself, “How can I expect to find God when I’m too afraid to shine His light?” In Joshua 1:9 God tells Joshua, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

With God’s help I’ve been able to conquer some of my fears and reach out to others. Its not until I was actually able to do it that I realized that getting out of my comfort zone and helping someone else is one of the most fun things in the in the world to do ! If only more Christians would realize this I think the gospel would spread like a wild fire.

Of course I’m no where near being perfect in this area of my life but I’m very thankful that God is teaching me so much through the “culture shock” experience. Not everyone gets to see things the way I’ve gotten to see them and I just wanted to encourage all of you to check yourselves and see if there are any zones that you have avoided. I know that I’ve got all sorts of dark zones that I’m afraid to go in. Those zones that are full of uncertainty and full of possibilities sometimes appear to the last place that I want to go. But that’s where my Lord wants to enhance His kingdom through me. So one by one I’m stepping on to the diving board, grabbing onto Jesus’ hand, and without even holding my nose, I’m diving in head first. It’s always amazing what glimpses of God’s glory you’ll find in uncomfortable zones.

A Prayer to Abba

Gasping for air you placed yourself on those beams
Your blood flowing down in thick streams
Hatred in their eyes, the Romans seized their rusty tools
Braking through your skin, creating red pools

And as you were abused
The sky grew dark
And all were confused
When they heard your remark

"Abba, oh Abba
Please forgive their iniquities
Place their sins on my shoulders
As you turn you gaze from me"

Twenty centries later I grabbed some nails of my own
Hoping so satisfy my thirsty soul
Pain surged and blood flowed and yet I still wanted more
Although I got so sick from such gore

And as you where abused
The sky grew dark
And I was confused
When I heard your remark

"Abba, oh Abba
Please forgive his iniquities
Place his sins on my shoulders
As you turn your gaze from me"

With a guilty soul, I dropped down to my trembling knees
Doubting that you’d even hear my plea
I tried to hide my face with my blood stained hands
But there was no escape from the Lord of all lands

Then I fell at your feet
Like a dirty beggar
I wanted to be free
So made a prayer

“Father, oh, Father
Please forgive my iniquities
Take this burden from my shoulders
As you turn your gaze towards me”

Are You There?

When the monsterous clouds come rolling in
When the feirce storm suddenly begins
Are you there?
When the floods rise up so high
When they wash the twinkle from our eye
Are you there?

When I can't find shelter
When the rain gets rougher
When the forceful waves make such a wreck
When the icy water's up to my neck

Wisper in my ear
Remind me you are near
Hold my hand guide the way
Don't let me fall astray
Place my feet on a stone
I cannot do it alone
Put a smile on my face
Because I'm living by your grace

When the horrid darkness seems to win
When the blessed light shines oh so dim
Are you there?
When all things don't go the way I intend
When the tunel seems to never end
Are you there?

When I'm left in confusion
When I'm cournered by the dragon
When the pain's so great I want to shout
When my freinds tell me to tough it out

Wisper in my ear
Remind me you are near
Hold my hand guide the way
Don't let me fall astray
Place my feet on a stone
I cannot do it alone
Put a smile on my face
Because I'm living by your grace

With tears in my eyes
Lord, it's hard to realize
You are everywhere
But these tears are for my good
So help me love in the way I should
For you are everywhere

SOCIETY

Let me warn you that this is not going to be very positive until the end. But I can’t help but share what’s burdening my heart tonight:

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of god—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)”

Some list, isn’t it? Do some of these strike a bell? Do all of these strike a bell? The letter of Second Timothy was written almost two thousand years ago. Let me say that again: two thousand years ago. I’m positive they had enough evil people present in those days but Paul had a reason to speak with Timothy about the last days and I believe that it was to let Timothy know that things aren’t going to get better—they’re going to get a lot worse. Two thousand years later… how is it going?

I would say: things are getting out of control. “Lovers of themselves”— check. “Lovers of money”—check. “Boastful”—check. “Proud”—check. “Abusive”—check. Etc, etc, etc… Go down the list as you make a run to the store, as you go to school, as you go to work, as you hear world news, as you watch TV, etc… SIN IS RUNNING RAMPANT! Why is this happening?

Every day here in America, something gets added to the “Socially Acceptable” list. Can you believe there are so many that couldn’t care less for the Iraqi people? Can you believe how many stories there are now days of people getting addicted to pornography? Can you believe that divorce is literally an “everyday thing” now? Can you believe abortions are no longer murder? Can you believe marriage is no longer necessary unless you are homosexual? This is all just in America, folks! The United States is supposedly the best country in the world! Now, don’t get me wrong. I am so thankful to God for making me an American. But I know that the US is nowhere near where God wish it would be.

Does nobody see where our socially acceptability is leading us? It always has and always will lead to DESTRUCTION. Our founding fathers knew this and based our constitution on moral principles (the Bible). Does nobody see that the farther away we get from those moral principles the closer and closer we get to DESTRUCTION? –closer and closer to ETERNAL SUFFERING?

Now days it is perfectly legal to go places, do and see things that will spark a desire that will take us by our hand and deceive us into digging our own grave. The whole thing that has moved me to write this is a news report on the Lunsford girl. This girl was kidnapped by her neighbor across the street who was an old, short, balding, fragile guy. I heard a recording of his own voice say he locked her up in his closet, abused her, then buried her alive. Chills went down my spine as I saw his face and heard his statement. Darkness filled my mind as the spotlight came on and shone brightly on one horrid question that grew and grew until it was all I could think about: Can nothing be done to stop this?

The same question came up when I read of the BTK killer in the newspaper who killed ten people and recalled the murders with an indifferent, matter-of-factly voice.

A couple weeks ago I heard the heart braking story of the little girl Ayana who was abused and the cops where contacted, but no action was taken until it was too late.

Do I even have to mention Teri Shiavo?

The list goes on and on and I’m sure that there are more cases like these going on all around us and we don’t even know it. Does nobody care where our society is leading us? Can nothing be done to stop this?

On one of the nights that I heard another case about a sexual abuse and murder I desperately started thinking of ways that our government could stop this from happening so often. But no matter how hard I tried, I knew that in this world, there is nothing more that our government can do to enforce morality. As I came to realize this I began to slip into depression. Can nothing be done to stop this?

But I wasn’t depressed for long, because that is when God reminded me that this is my mission, my purpose, my life. There are no laws or organizations that can fix our countries problems. The only solution is living in a way where we reach out to others and build relationships and get involved and point towards Christ. This is the solution to our society. It will take lots of work and effort and lots of swings and misses. But this is what God created me to do. Maybe God will use me to stop some immortality and set it straight before it’s too late unlike what we see on the news.

These are the “last days”. But God can do anything. He could even cause a spiritual revival in the last days. He could use those who want to be a part of it to do it!

God, I pray that you use me to make a difference and enhance your kingdom!

But, dear friend who is reading this post, understand that I cannot do it alone….

Will you join me?