Forgiveness.....Make it right......luggage nooma rob bell

True forgiveness is hard to come by these days...and revenge is more prominetely considered then forgiveness. What is revenge? When the act that was commited against me happened God was right there when it happened right? So God knows....so revenge is telling God that I can handle the situation better than he can...which is truly an act of no faith...I know God forgave me and seperated my sins as far as the east is from the west (incase your wondering they never intercross). What a truly great burdon God lifts of his children. God says he does not keey any of my past sins against me. So God truly did forgive me of ALL my sins...and yet I cant forgive a friend or a stranger of one sin commited against me. True forgiveness is letting it go pardoning the sin but a part often left is wishing the person well...because we can very easily let it go but in our heart we still want them to pay for what they did...Im so thankful God isnt keeping tally in Heaven because if He was we all be very miserable people. Forgiveness all comes down to me. After many people have wronged me and after a while it starts effecting me more then the other person when I dont forgive. God created us to be free not to have to carry around the burdens. God wants us to stop carrying the luggage around because if we dont stop today we might not have tommorow to let the past go.

Dedication.......Rob bell nooma YOU 15

The early Church was an extremely dangerous to be associated with because in the Romans minds Caesar was god. He proclaimed to be God. That is why when Paul tells us to believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord is so significant. Back in the first century into the second century Caesar would throw party's and invite Christians and before the guest could come into the party they have to declare Caesar god. Caesar did this on purpose because he wanted the Christians to proclaim him as God. If the Christian did not identify that Caesar was God they would have been beheaded immediately. So the Christians would: we asked to confess Caesar as God, they would turn their backs to Caesar and raise there hands and shout "Jesus is LORD" by the time they finished there sentence that were already lying dead on the floor as a show of the power of Caesar. Do I have that dedication to the cause of Christ? Am I willing to give it all for Him? The early church was evidence of the resurrection themselves because would they die for something that they did not totally believe in? Do I have that same dedication.

In tune with God.....rob bell nooma rhythm

God gives each person different talents, whether is be teaching, athletics, communicating, musical abilities or any other talents God has given you. God gives each of us different talents. Think of these talents or abilities as different instruments God has given us. Jesus' life is a song playing and our job as Christians is to follow the song and play in tune with Jesus' life. God gives each of us instruments to follow along with Him. God does not ask us to know every detail about the song , key, pitch, harmony, but God gives us the tune to play. Our relationship with God is this song. Sometimes we look to much into the unnecessary details that we forget the purpose of the song is enjoyment. God wants us to enjoy following and living the life Jesus gave as an example to us. The whole goal is to play the song with God. A little sin takes us of tune with the song but God gives us a chance to confess our sin and get back in tune with the song. No matter how lost we get God will give us the notes to continue to play along. All we have to do is ask...

Anger....rob bell nooma store

Anger is an issue even the best followers of Christ struggle with daily. I struggle with it and I see others around me struggle with it. Anger is a huge issue, most of the times I over look the anger that builds up in me. I set it aside and think oh that is not a big deal. But is it? Anger in and in itself is not a sin. Jesus Himself got angry at the money changers in the temple, but did He sin? He did overturn tables and kick them out of the temple, but Jesus did not let his anger lead to sin. Anger is just simply an emotion and where the sin aspect comes in is what we do with our anger. When Jesus got angry he turned right around and healed a man. Jesus used anger to better those around Him. When I get angry I never better the people around me. It is the petty little things that anger me, why is that? It is because I am not humble, just because the outcome I wanted did not happen does not give me a right to be angry, but after all anger is not a sin right? True, but I need to focus what I do after I feel angry into something good. Other then the petty things, topics and items that mean something to us also get us angry, abortion, homosexuality, even things like family members, and many other examples make us angry. God uses that to talk to us and tell us to make a difference in that area. God is saying I made you to get angry at that topic no do something about it. Change the world, stop yourself from getting angry by eliminating the very thing that causes it. I really need to focus controlling my anger before it starts controlling me. Remember its not getting angry that is the sin, but it is what we do immediately after that causes us to sin.

Patience.....God is good! rob bell nooma 5 kickball

Do I truly believe in the goodness of God? Can He really know what is best for me? We pick an item out in the mall that we really, really, really want and God does not have that item in mind for me. God is telling me you do not want that, it will not be good. God already has something in mind for me that is way better but I do not want to wait for it. I want it now, I want it now, God is begging and pleading with me that it is not good for you, it is not good. We live in a society that we live for the cheap pleasures in life, if it will give us joy now the long term effects do not matter. Our society in general is impatient, God want's to teach us patience because it is important in a relationship with Him. If it was not important patience would not be one of the fruits of the spirit. God has a plan, the perfect plan of God. God is so good, but we need to remember that when God is not giving us the one thing we really want. God is good, oh so good. He loves us so much, but sometimes we do not think he does? The goodness of Our God is so great words can not describe it.

SILENCE!......noise 5 Rob Bell Nooma

Why is dead silence so hard to come by anymore? TV, Radio, other people there always seems like there is constant noise taking place. I never take the time to just sit in silence with God, just me and God, no other distractions. Why don't we feel like God is not speaking to us sometimes? He is speaking to us, we are not listening for God in the right places, God is not going to talk to us through the radio or TV but God wants us to just sit quietly and spend time with Him. When Jesus was on earth it says He went up on a hill early in the morning and prayed. Jesus went alone to a quiet place to meet with God. We can not be like Elijah in the OT and be looking for God in the earthquake and in the fire, when God is there in the silence. God talks to us but we just need to be in a state to listen. Just me and God no other distractions. Silence never used to be as akward as it is now. Sit down with a bunch of friends and there is three seconds of dead silence and someone will make the "awkward silence" comment. Silence is not awkward we are just so not used to being in dead silence. Silence is great, just me and God, nothing else matters. That is how it should be. The challenge is to next next time while driving or set aside an hour of one day and just sit in silence with God.

Rob Bell Velvet Elvis Jump-Springs

The springs of a trampoline are like doctrine. The springs are not God nor Jesus the springs are statements of faith. The springs just help us understand more about God. The Trinity is an example of a a spring. The word trinity is never mentioned in the Bible not even once. The term Trinity was developed by human minds but the word helps us get a better grasp about the 3 parts of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The term just helps are finite minds grasp the concept better than before. Trinity is definitely an absolute term because God creates absolutes. Moses before going to see Pharaoh asks God who shall I asy sent me? God replies "I am". Even Gods name is so hard to comprehend that God just says call me "I am". God does not have a shape, no form, He is everywhere and everything. Our minds will never be able to grasp God. No one can ever come close grasping God. The very words we use to descibe God do not even do Him justice. The closest thing we can ever come to seeing God is His back the place he last was. The moment God can be pined down is the moment we are not dealing with God anymore. The springs of the trampoline help us give words for our minds to just grasp a glimpse of God. We can not follow this doctrine but the doctrine helps us follow the Master. Just take a second to thing about how big God really is? I could spend a lifetime trying to picture God and still not even come close. Amazing to think that I can call Him Father! so powerful

Rob Bell Nooma 20 Shells

Watch Shells
I don't think anyone would argue that Jesus Christ did a lot during His ministry. Did Jesus' life have one or two purposes or did God fill His life with multiple purposes? Throughout Jesus' ministry His disciples begged Jesus to come visit the people pleeding with Jesus to come talk to these people. Jesus said one simple word "no we are going to move on towards Jerusalem". Jesus met with God daily in prayer. God had a sole purpose for Jesus Christ on this earth and Jesus was well aware that it was death on the cross. The disciples and people around Jesus did not know this purpose the disciples tried to get Jesus to do what they thought Jesus should be doing. Time after time Jesus just kept on moving towards Jerusalem because Jesus knew that is were God was going to use Him. People around my life are going to try and convince me what they want for my life but God has a purpose in my life. He is going to use all the abilities and talents He has givne me to do something for His glory. This reminds me of the game risk, that I often play at college, God doesnt want us to be busy doing little of nothing but he wants us to stack all our troops into one area and dominate it. Unlike risk where the object is to spread the troops aound and what ends of happing is single troops in many countries. We are not capable of having alot of troops in every country. Jesus came and dominated every area and won the game but God wants us to just stack the troops(talents) that we have and focus all of them in one area. Just one maybe two areas. Do I have my hands full of sand so when God presents that diamond that he wants me to have, I am unable to pick it up. God wants us to be free say yes to one direction and say no to things that will take us of course and not let us dominate the area God has for us. I need to free up time to dominate one are so I can run and grab the diamond opportunity, the purpose God has given my life. Know the calling then prepare and no to other callings that others may have for you life. God wants to use me! The only relationship that matters is the one between me and Him.

Velvet Elvis Rob Bell 1st movement Jump-Way

The open mindedness of Christianity are words not heard together very often but it is true. I believe in a totally spiritual creator that the only evidence of God's creation is creation itself. A Christians faith is based on the Bible that God is real and He is in control of all things. As much as some might argue atheist and Christians alike both have faith, everyone for that matter has faith. A Christian faith is just faith in God. Everyone is following somebody. Everyone has faith in someone or something. Whether its money, fame, parents, friends, the opposite sex or even pastors. We have to make sure we are not following God through any of the above listed things we can't follow God through the means of money. I need to look solely upon the living God to find Truth not to others. We all are believers because we all believe and have faith in something but the distinction between Biblical believers is the hungering and thirsting after Jesus Christ the one and only living God. Jesus' life is focused on many fundamental values but as we try to follow Christ and imitate His life here on earth. We realize that Christ is the reality, living the life Jesus lived is really what life is about, think of it as the example of living. Jesus was God in the physical body and we understand who God is through the example of Jesus. The real question is is not who's right? But who's living rightly? It is not who's ideas about God are true and opinions are right but it all comes down to am I living how Jesus lived? Am I an imitator or am I arguing about topics that only God knows the true answer to. Am i living according to God's reality of life. The true ultimate meaning of life.

Rob Bell Nooma 1 Rain

Watch Rain
God rescues us from the storms of life. If I have received salvation God is always with me so when the storms come not if but when He is there with me to safely guide me home. We as the Children of God might look back on the past storm and ask how can a loving God take us through the storm. God takes us through the storms so we can learn to have faith in Him and experience God's loving eternal arms wrapped around us first hand. During the journey through the storm God takes us and holds us close to Him saying "I love you" "We're going to make it" and before we know it God has guided us through the storm because there is nothing going to stop God from showing His love to his Children not even the worst of storms. God still holds on tightly to me and says " I love you we're almost there. I love you". Let this be an encouragement so when the next storm comes know that God is with you even if you don't feel His presence and He will do whatever it takes to take you through the storm and embraces us to His chest and before we know it God has brought us through the storm.

Rob Bell Nooma 10 Lump

Watch Lump
What a powerful metaphor Bell uses. The story of his son being "busted" for all the sins hes committed the shame in front of God is over whelming and all there is to do is to hide ourselves because we are not worthy at all to be in His presence. But because God is so loving and merciful he pulls us from hiding and tells me there is nothing I can do to make God love me less. Then I just surrender myself with all my junk into his eternal loving arms. God takes all my sin and reafirms there is nothing I can do to make God love me less. Nothing at all. Nothing! God is so merciful. Romans 8 nothing can seperate me from the love of God no matter what I do God still is loving me. No matter what! How amazing is that...how can I not live with joy knowing that?

A simple thought...

God has been showing me just a very simple thought. At liberty we are constantly taught about evangelism and the call God has giving each and everyone to "go out and preach the gospel to all nations". A term we often hear along with evangelism is "lost people" I have been thinking to myself "lost people" I really don't know any lost people. I kept running through my head people that I know and absolutely no one came to mind. A very said truth but still is my circumstances. According to a recent survey done by the CIA in 2007 were 51% of the U.S. population said they were indeed protestant Christians. This number is a lot higher than I would have expected and to be honest my jaw dropped when I saw this number and how high it really was. The number for different areas would obviously be different especially between Lynchburg and Philadelphia. The point of all this is really simple. Next time driving or walking around the mall or wherever just take account of how many people you see. Just think one out of every two people you see is not a Believer. 1 out of every 2 cars that go by as your driving are not driven by Christians. Anything you can think of that represents people houses or anything 50% of anything just realize how many "lost people" are in the area and how many we come in contact with every day. I once heard Penn Gillete a famouse magician who is an atheist say "how much do you have to hate someone not to prostilitize" a powerful thought. That not witnessing to the lost is not showing the love of God with them could be a sign of hatred. You might think hatred is a little strong of a word but really letting a person spend eternity in hell when you knew the truth is showing hatred to them. Thats just a thought and I just want to encourage to realize and take into account how many are lost right under our noses.

Welcome!

My name is Matt, I attend Liberty University were I am a freshman studying accounting. I feel God has been teaching me a lot and has laid some thoughts heavy on my heart and this blog is designed for me to share those thoughts so that maybe just one person could be impacted from what God is teaching me. I just want to thank God for all the blessings he has given me family, house, friends, Liberty, a church family, food, health, and most importantly the Bible. Without the Bible being a Christian would be very hard and God gives His Word to us so we can learn. The thoughts in this blog represent my opinions only and do not represent my family, church, or school. God has laid on my heart to share and if this blog impacts just one person, praise be to God!