If I Only Had A Brain

Picture this. You have gone through life in the back of the class, never thought to amount to much, always had your other friends do the thinking for you. No one expected anything much from you. Well that is exactly how the Scarecrow muddled through life. He was placed in a cornfield by a munchkin family. He was put together by utilizing the old clothes and scraps that were not even worth wearing anymore. He could not even scare away the crows as he was intended to do. Who would have ever thought that he would accept the power as ruler over all of Oz. Well that is exactly what happened. When the wizard left in his balloon he commanded that all of Oz obey the scarecrow just as they had obeyed himself. The Scarecrow took on this calling. He didn’t think twice. He just obeyed!

Have you ever felt that calling? That little whisper? Maybe it told you that you needed to go into ministry. Maybe it told you to give of your time for a worthy cause. Well when God gives us a calling it is up to us to accept that call, just as the scarecrow accepted his.We are called for a holy and noble purpose! You were put on earth to make a contribution. You were not created just to consume resources, to eat, breathe, and take up space. God designed us to make a difference with our life.

While many best-selling books offer advice on how to “get the most out of life”, that’s not the reason God made us. We were created to add to life on earth, not just take from it. God wants you to give something back. This is God’s purpose for your life, and it is called your “ministry” or service.

You were created to serve God- the Bible says, in Eph. 2:10. God has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do. These good deeds are your service. Whenever you serve others in any way, you are actually serving God (Eph. 6:7). What God told Jeremiah “Before I made you in your mother’s womb, I chose you. Before you were born, I set you apart for a special work” (Jer. 1:5). You were placed on this planet for a special assignment.

You were saved to serve God, the Bible says. “It is He who saved us and chose us for His holy work, not because we deserved it but because that was His plan” (2 Tim. 1:9). God redeemed you so you could do His “holy work.” You are not saved by service, but you are saved for service. In God’s Kingdom you have a place, a purpose, a role, and a function to fulfill. This gives your life great significance and value.

It cost Jesus His own life to purchase your salvation. The Bible reminds us, “God paid a great price. So use your body to honor God” (1 Cor. 6:20). We do not serve God out of guilt or fear or even duty, but out of joy, and deep gratitude for what He has done for us. We owe Him our lives. Through salvation our past has been forgiven, our present is given meaning, and our future is secured. In light of these incredible benefits, Paul concluded, “Because of God’s great mercy … offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His service” (Rom. 12:1).

The apostle John taught us, “Our love for each other proves that we have gone from death to life” (1 John 3:14). If I have no love for others, no desire to serve others, and I am only concerned about my needs, I should question whether Christ is really in my life. A saved heart is one that wants to serve.

Another term for serving God that’s misunderstood by most people is the word “ministry.” When most people hear “ministry” they think of pastors, priests, and professional clergy, but God says every member of His family is a minister. In the Bible, the words servant and minister are synonyms, as are service and ministry. If you are a Christian you are a minister, and when you are serving, you are ministering.

When Peter’s sick mother-in-law was healed by Jesus, she instantly “stood up and began to serve Jesus” (Matt. 8:15), using her new gift of health. This is what we are to do. We are healed to help others. We are blessed to be a blessing. We are saved to serve, not to sit around and wait for heaven!

Have you ever wondered why God does not just immediately take us to heaven the moment we accept His grace? Why does He leave us in a fallen world? He leaves us here to fulfill His purposes. Once you are saved, God intends to use you for His goals. God has a ministry for you in His church and a mission for you in the world.

You are called to serve God. Growing up, you may have thought that being “called” by God was something only for missionaries, pastors, nuns, and other “full-time” church workers experienced, but the Bible says every Christian is called to service (Eph. 4:14; Rom. 1:6-7; 8:28-30; 1 Cor. 1:2,9,26; 7:17; Phil 3:14; 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 1:3).

Your call to salvation included your call to service. They are the same. Regardless of your job or career, you are called to full-time Christian service. A “non-serving Christian” is a contradiction in terms.

The Bible says “He saved us and called us to be His own people, not because of what we have done, but because of His own purpose” (2 Tim 1:9). Peter added, “You were chosen to tell about the excellent qualities of God, who called you” (1 Peter 2:9). The Bible says, “Now you belong to Him … in order that we might be useful in the service of God” (Rom. 7:4). How much of the time are you being useful in the service of God? We need to welcome new believers by saying, “Jesus now has a new pair of eyes to see with, new ears to listen with, new hands to help with, and a new heart to love others with.”

One reason why you need to be connected to a church family is to fulfill your calling to serve other believers in practical ways. The Bible says “All of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it” (1 Cor. 12:27). Remember, there are no insignificant ministries in the church. Some are visible and some are behind the picture, but all are valuable. Small or hidden ministries often make the biggest difference. In my home, the most important light is not the brightest light, but the little night light that keeps me from stubbing my toe when I get up at night. There is no correlation between size and significance. Every ministry matters because we are all dependent on each other to function.

What happens when one part of our body fails to function? We get sick. The rest of the body suffers. Imagine if your liver decided to start living for its own self. “I’m tired! I don’t want to serve the body anymore! I want a year off just to be fed. I have to do what is best for me! Let some other part take over.” What would happen? Our body would die. Today thousands of local churches are dying because of Christians who are unwilling to serve. They sit on the sidelines as spectators, and the Body suffers.

We are commanded to serve God-if we are saved. Jesus says “Your attitude must be like my own, for I, the Messiah, did not come to be served, but to serve and to give my life” (Matt. 20:28). Beloved, for Christians, service is not optional, something to be tacked onto our schedules if we can spare the time. It is the heart of the Christian life. Jesus came “to serve” and “to give” – and those two verbs should define your life on earth. Mother Theresa said, “Holy living consists in doing God’s work with a smile.”

Serving is the opposite of our natural inclination. Most of the time we are more interested in “serve us” than service. We say, “I’m looking for a church that meets my needs and blesses me,” not “I’m looking for a place to serve and be a blessing.” The mature follower of Jesus stops asking, “Who is going to meet my needs?” and starts asking, “Whose needs can I meet”

God wants to use you to make a difference in His world. He wants to work through you. What matters is not the duration of your life, but the donation of it. Not how long you lived, but how you lived. If you are not involved in any service or ministry, what excuse have you been using? We have a poster in our office at our church youth group it basically says something to the extent of, “Abraham was old, Jacob was insecure, Leah was unattractive, Joseph was abused, Mosses stuttered, Gideon was poor, Samson was co-dependent, Rahab was immoral, David had an affair and all kinds of family problems, Elijah was suicidal, Jeremiah was depressed, Jonah was reluctant, Naomi was a widow, John the Baptist was eccentric to say the least, Peter was impulsive, and hot-tempered, Martha worried a lot, the Samaritan woman had several failed marriages, Zaacchaeus was unpopular, Thomas had doubts, Paul had poor health, and Timothy was timid. That is quite a variety of misfits. But God used each of them in His service.” He will use you, too, if you stop making excuses.

______________________________________________________________________________

Dear Lord,

                    Wow, it seems like here lately the devil has been on a rampage! PLEASE banish any darkness that surrounds us.  First off I want to praise you! I love you so much! You have shown me why I decided to answer your call! I have seen my Cowardly Lion and Tinman (woman) both make decisions for you this past week!!!!!!!!! Dear Lord I pray for them now more than ever! They are going to be under attack now more than ever. I pray that they continue to seek you in their daily lives! I thank you for the unity that is being built within our leadership team. I pray for you to wrap your arms around this ministry and just give it your blessings. Lord I thank you so much for Josh. His obedience to your calling is a testimony to how we should also heed your call for our own lives. I pray for you to be with him and any struggles that he has to deal with. I love him so much and I am so glad he is part of my life. Dear Lord, it seems like the people that are close to us are having to fight some terrible uphill battles. You know what their burdens are, I just pray that they realize that they always have support and it is just a phone call away. I thank you so much for the new friendships that I have been cultivating. I pray for you to just continue to bless my marriage and help us always see the path that you have laid for us. I pray for our Acquire the Fire event, and that the students will just go with open hearts to be able to have that special moment with you. I ask all of these things in your precious holy name.

Amen

Yours in Christ

Jake Harper

Day 24 of 100 Days of Discipline

Day 6 Seizure Free

“find yourself a place where you won’t get into any trouble.” 3.0

Obedience Is a Choice

I doubt that many of us would consider some of the minor decisions we make each day and wonder whether they contain some hint or clue to the future. Often we make choices based on what we think or we feel is right. The interest rates are low; therefore, it must be the right time to purchase a house. We have driven our car for almost 10 years; it is time to get another one. We have just had our second child; therefore, we need another bedroom plus a home office. We have worked at the same business for years, and the new CEO is not very understanding; it must be time to move on to the next place. Some of these statements are reasonable, but only if the outcome or the choice is one that God initiates.

 Peter was faced with a life-changing decision (see Luke 5). The outcome of his choice would determine his future. Jesus had been preaching along the shore of the lake of Gennesaret (the Sea of Galilee). I imagine the crowd was quite large. His ministry was growing; word had spread about how He had healed those who were sick with various diseases (Luke 4:40). By the time Luke reached chapter 5 in his account of Christ’s earthly ministry, it was obvious that the people were hungry to hear Jesus preach and to be near Him. On more than several occasions, I have seen large groups of people be so in tuned with the speaker and watched as they began to move forward. The people in the back leaned in to hear, and in doing so, they pushed against the ones in the front. With His back to the water and the people “pressing” on Him, Jesus had no place to go (Luke 5:1). Peter the fisherman was also there, listening to some degree as he mended his nets in preparation for going back out on the lake later that evening. It was an odd request, but when Jesus asked the fisherman to allow Him to enter the boat and then to move it off shore a short distance, he agreed. That was Peter’s first step toward obedience.

The point that I want to make here is that obedience is a process. It is not a gift. Salvation is a gift. God’s grace demonstrated toward us is a gift He gives each one of us when we accept Him as our Savior. This amazing gift of unconditional love is not something we can work to achieve. Obedience is different, however. God doesn’t necessarily want us to work to achieve it; He wants it to be our first nature. We obey Him because of who He is. Partial obedience is not obedience. After all, how can we halfway obey God?

Either Peter did what Jesus requested, or he said no. Here Peter said, “Yes,” but notice what else he said: “[Jesus] got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat. When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ Simon answered and said, ‘Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets’” (Luke 5:3-5). In these verses, we are given an outline of obedience. Many times, the ways of God include specific steps, and we find some in Luke 5.

Step One: Peter was nearby listening to Jesus. The Lord knew that he was there and that he had an empty boat.

Step Two: Jesus entered Peter’s boat so He would be able to address the crowd better.

Step Three: Peter listened to Jesus’ request. He responded by explaining that he was completely unsuccessful the night before in his attempt to catch fish. Nevertheless, he obeyed the Lord, raised the sails on his ship, and headed out into deep water.

Step Four: Peter received the reward of his obedience.

What would have happened if Peter had said, “No, I spent the entire night out on the water, and if there had been any fish available, I would have caught them”? We can’t dismiss the fact that he was a seasoned fisherman. He knew the waters like we know the backs of our hands. He grew up by the lake, and he understood the components of a productive fishing business—or at least he thought he did.

 Here is what God did so that we know He meant business and was involved. The night before, Peter caught nothing—not one single fish. He came in the next morning, he had been up all night pulling and dragging nets around a small, uncomfortable boat. All he wanted to do was clean his nets and go home to take a short nap so he would have the energy to get up and go back out that evening. But Jesus showed up with a crowd of people, and the next thing Peter knew, his boat had become the Savior’s stage. That was OK. He could say, “Yes, You can use my boat while I finish doing what I’m doing.” It was not a difficult decision, but he had to agree to it. Step One was accomplished.

The next step was more difficult: not only was he tired, but his friends were close by, watching to see what he would do. When Jesus told Peter to head out into deep water where he would catch a large draw of fish, they probably rolled their eyes. A young Rabbi, whom they were sure knew nothing about fishing, was telling Peter—the master, the ace, the CEO of the shoreline—what to do.

Can’t you imagine John and James looking at each other and thinking,Oh, no, what is Peter going to say? What would you have said? You probably know the ending to the story, so you might be inclined to say, “I would have raised the sails and headed out into the deep.” But would you? Have you, when He has called to you asking that you would obey Him? Obedience looks different when He is asking us to do something that personally costs us more than we think we can afford. Scripture doesn’t tell us whether Peter scanned the scene or looked to his buddies for help. It just tells us one thing: he obeyed the Lord and stated, “Master, … I will do as You say and let down the nets.”

I can imagine that silence fell on those who were on the shore as they watched Peter release the anchor, raise his sails, and turn his rudder toward deep water. You may ask, “What motivated him to do this? Is it something that I can experience in my life?” I believe it is, but you must trust God—not pull out your calculator and add up all that you could gain and all that you could lose. This faith comes by hearing God’s voice and responding in pure obedience. People have told me, “I just don’t know whether God wants me to do this. It doesn’t make sense.” Going back out to fish during the heat of the morning did not make sense to Peter. No one went fishing then. It was hot, and the fish went to the bottom of the lake—a place where nets could not reach. At night, they were closer to the surface of the water. My obedience today prepares me for my obedience tomorrow, and tomorrow’s prepares me for the next day and for the years to come. The fish were not available the night before, but the next day, in the heat of the morning, they were right where God wanted them to be. There are no coincidences with God. Nothing “just” happens. He always has a plan, and that plan reflects His ways. If you want to walk in step with Him, then you will learn how to be obedient. Luke told us that once the nets were down, they began to fill with fish to a point of breaking. Do you realize the miracle that took place? There were no fish the night before, but at a time when none should be present, the waters were teeming. There were so many that Peter had to signal for John and the others to join him. His boat was about to sink, and he did not know what he would do. All he could utter were these words to the Savior: “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man” (v. 8).

 “Amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken” (v. 9). Not only was Peter at the hub of this miracle, but others drew near also. Many times when we are obedient, those around us join in the blessing. I’m convinced that none of these men had ever seen so many fish in their nets at one time. The nets were bursting, the boats were about to sink, and Peter fell down on his knees and worshiped the Lord. Here is one truth on which you can stake your life: if Jesus asks you to do something, you know without a doubt that a blessing will follow. Questioning, doubting, calculating—none of these build the faith that He wants you to have and exhibit. This does not mean that you will never make a mistake. It means that the motivation of your heart, to the best of your ability, is set on obeying God. Remember Abraham left his home at God’s instruction, not knowing where the Lord would lead. Moses went back to Egypt without knowing all that his new role as deliverer would involve. Esther approached the king, not knowing if she would lose her life. Rahab hid the spies who came to view the promised land. Mary heard the angel’s voice and said, “Behold, the [handmaid] of the Lord.” And Peter said, “I will do as You say and let down the nets.” The Christian life requires obedience.

You and I learn obedience. We are not born with the desire to obey God or anyone in authority. It is a learning process. When you were born, you grew to a certain age, and then you began to test how far you could go before your dad or mom gave you a warning. At first, you may have listened when your parents said no, and you stopped what you were doing. But there quickly came a point—even before your first birthday—when you decided that ignoring the word no was not a big deal. But it became a big deal when you continued to ignore their warning and rebuke. If you do not like authority, then you are going to rebel against it. Often children grow up naturally rebelling because their parents do not teach them to obey. If there is a spirit of obedience ruling your life, then you are going to willingly and lovingly choose to be obedient. There are certain rules that we have to obey. Peter did not instantly know to obey Jesus. He did know there was something in Christ’s life, and that something drew him near enough for him to know that this Man was not a typical preacher. Then when his nets filled to overflowing with fish, he dropped to his knees and proclaimed, “Lord!” Here is one of Satan’s traps: God places an opportunity before you, and suddenly you wonder whether He opened the door. You analyze the situation from a human perspective: “If this happens, then I’ll know God is involved. If I get this piece of information, it is His will and I will go forward.” That’s not obedience. If Peter had taken time to go through a mental Rolodex of information about Jesus, he might never have pushed away from shore. The Holy Spirit was the One who brought Peter to the point of obedience. Earlier we talked about how we come to know Jesus as Savior. His Spirit must draw us, and that was exactly what happened with Peter. He knew that the Man who was in his boat was much more than an everyday teacher. He was from God.

 Another way Satan can trip us is by telling us that God leaves some issues up to us. He whispers, “This is not a big deal. It doesn’t matter what you decide at this juncture. If it was something really huge, then God would let you know what you should do.” As hard as it is to believe, young people—who have married and then realized they had many differences—have come to me and said that they did not realize God had a plan in this area. Some are believers, but they never really took a serious amount of time to pray and ask God to give them the right marriage partner. Others may have married unbelievers, and their lives are miserable because suddenly they are unequally yoked (2 Cor. 6:14). We could list many, many situations where we have jumped into a situation without asking God what is best. Nothing is insignificant to God. Peter’s journey into obedience began with a simple action. Jesus got into his boat and began teaching God’s truth. Don’t be tempted to think that Peter did not have a choice. He could have asked Jesus to leave, but he didn’t; and his life was totally changed in a matter of moments.

God wants to fill your life with good things. He has so many rewards, but for the most part, they are not like the rewards of this world. You may achieve a certain level of success, but it will fade. You can earn large sums of money, but not a dime will go with you to heaven. Only God’s rewards are eternal. Only His blessings bring the peace and joy you long to have. The way He operated in Peter’s life is the same way He will operate in your life. You may not be standing on a shoreline cleaning a bunch of nets, but without a doubt there will be a time when He will come to you and say, “Move your boat out into deep water, and let down your nets for a catch.”

Not only did Peter have to move his boat away from shore, but he had to gather up all his nets—make sure they were folded and ready to go—and then he had to raise his sails so he could go back out on the water. He left the shoreline wondering what would happen next. And when something marvelous happened, he was ready to change occupations. The issue is: What is God’s will for your life? Peter realized what His will was for him, but you must come to a point where you know that you are living the life He has planned for you to live. Once He has made this clear and after you have made the decision to obey Him, the feelings of worry stop, the fretting ends, and the chatter of “what if” fades. You may face feelings of doubt again, however. And if you do, you may have to go back to God and ask Him to encourage your heart and help you recall the verses He gave you that brought finalization, hope and clarity.

How would you categorize your life? Would you say that you are committed to obeying the Lord, but you want to make sure that what you do will be best for you? Or would you say, “I just have this feeling inside every time someone tells me what to do. A wave comes over me, and I can sense this feeling building within that makes me want to say, ‘I know what I’m doing, and I know what is best’”? Someone reading this may think, My father was so demanding that I just want to say no to authority no matter what is involved. These are harsh statements, but I have heard ones like them and more, mostly from myself at a young age.

The truth is: if you do not come to a conclusion of faith and obedience—it takes both—then your life is going to be outlined by defeat, failure, disappointment, suffering and one wrong decision after another. You must believe in the One whom God has sent to you. The outcome of Peter’s faith was a new line of work—one that had an eternal purpose. Jesus said to him, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men” (Luke 5:10). What an awesome way to live the rest of your life—in the shadow of His constant care, in the light of His truth and eternal glory!

Yours in Christ

Jake Harper

Day 21 of 100 Days of Discipline

Day 3 Seizure Free

“find yourself a place where you won’t get into any trouble.” 2.0

… … …The only similarity between obedience and disobedience is that they reflect the type of lifestyle we have. If we have sincerely committed our lives to God, then we are going to obey Him; we are going to trust Him and leave all the consequences to Him. In times of disobedience, we lean on our own desires for direction. We waver back and forth between what we want to do and what we know is right.

Dorothy leaned on herself instead of trusting her family. She didn’t put her full trust in them. She became disobedient when she ran away from home. She did not trust that her family would help her and take care of her needs. Do you ever find youself wavering between needs of the flesh and God’s needs?

What We Can Expect

God never intended for us to be harassed about the decisions we make each day. Sometimes when we pray, we immediately discern the will of God. Other times, we must wait, trusting Him to show us when and how to move forward. At still other times, He spends a great deal of time preparing us to step forward through an open door. But when the opportunity comes, we hesitate with feelings of worry and doubt. Then there are situations that result from a relaxed attitude about purity and holiness.

I cannot begin to count the number of times I asked a person why he or she allowed sin to gain such a stronghold. One man confessed that he had been around a certain type of sin most of his life. He did not have a clue about its influence on him until he realized that he did not have the joy and peace that he believed a Christian should experience. He had moments of happiness but nothing that lasted. He noticed that every time he tried to pray, his mind filled with images that were sinful and wrong. The enemy knows when we have withheld our obedience to God. Like a well-trained warrior, he moves in for the attack, but often his approach is not a full frontal assault. It is subtle and hidden, like a landmine just below the surface. The mistake we make is in assuming that we can ignore God’s commandment to obey Him and not suffer harm.

The bottom line is that there is never a time when it is OK to disobey God. We should obey Him regardless of what we think or how we feel. It is a matter of choice, but one that many Christians do not yet understand or submit to. Far too often, people evaluate their circumstances according to what they perceive will profit them: How will this help me get ahead? or Will this move be beneficial to my future? We say we believe God is all-wise and knows what is best for us, but often we end up looking for advice from people around us and not from the only One who knows everything we need to know. We need to consider only one issue: Is this God’s will for my life?

Disobedience is not always wrapped in a sinful-looking package. Yes, it is sinful to disobey God because it hurts the heart of Someone who has a plan for our lives. It damages our fellowship with Him and leads to feelings of guilt and shame. But far too often when we hear the word disobedience, we think of a sexual sin or some habit that is just dead wrong. However, we disobey God when we refuse to do what He has gifted, trained and called us to do. Our refusal to be open to His plan can bring misery and regret. On our own, we do not have significant insight into the future. All we can do is make choices based on what may or may not take place. When all is said and done, only one Person has absolute knowledge, and that is the Lord. And He has promised to provide the guidance we need:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

And do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He will make your paths straight.

Do not be wise in your own eyes;

Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

It will be healing to your body

And refreshment to your bones.

(Prov. 3:5-8)

We can worry, fret and fume about an issue that God has already dealt with and has moved on to another point. But if we trust Him, we will obey Him each and every time. Being obedient does not mean that we will never face difficult decisions. It means that when we do, we will resolve that He has gone before us; and because we have committed our lives to Him, the way we travel will be straight, sure and manageable. The prophet Isaiah reassured us:

The Lord will continually guide you,

 

And satisfy your desire in scorched places,

And give strength to your bones;

And you will be like a watered garden,

And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail. (58:11)

Notice that both passages of Scripture speak of physical health and well-being. That is what obedience does for us. It disposes of the raw emotions that tie us up in knots inside.

You may be living in complete obedience, and yet you are battling a serious illness. Your situation does not mean you have done something wrong. On the other hand, if you believe in God but refuse to trust Him completely or to obey Him, then you are going to feel stressed, pressured, out of control and fearful. Disobedience can be as simple as not trusting Him to take care of your immediate need at home, in your community/school or on your job.

On many occasions I have talked with educators who confess to feeling utterly burned out. They have short emotional fuses and are tired. When I ask them if they have shared all of this with the Lord in prayer, many look surprised and comment that they felt He was already aware of their needs. Part of the obedience process is learning to open your hands to Him and give Him your deepest cries of frustration. Healing cannot take place when you are holding on to hurt or frustration. Lay it on His altar and allow Him to restore you. There are many facets surrounding obedience but only one way to accomplish it, and that is through surrender to the One who loves you and has a plan for your life and circumstances.

Friends are God-given resources, but they may provide unwise counsel and wrong information. The very thing they feel is the best for your life may not be what God wants you to do. Therefore, it is always best to listen to their counsel, especially when they are committed believers, but also to pray and ask the Lord to make His will absolutely clear so you will not take a wrong turn—mentally, emotionally, spiritually or physically. You can avoid a lot of heartache by obeying God

Yours in Christ

Jake Harper

Day 20 of 100 Days of Discipline

Day 2 Seizure Free

“find yourself a place where you won’t get into any trouble.”

Just a quick re-cap on me before we get started. I have recently been battling a horrid cold. In the days leading up to me sharing my testimony with my youth group I felt that I was being attacked from all angles. I came down with a 101 degree fever the night before, and I just knew the Devil was trying everything in his power for me not to share my story. Well Devil be damned. I shared it anyway, and it was through God that there was an amazing response from the students. The day following that I was sicker than ever. I felt a darkness trying to surround me. That night I had another Grand Maul Seizure, and ended up going back to the hospital. They kept me overnight and released me the next day.   

With Dorothy living on a busy farm, she was often required to follow specific instructions of her family. It was through her obedience towards them that she was able to build a strong trusting relationship with them. This is exactly how our relationship with Christ should work. Through being obedient towards him, we will continue to grow our relationship. This is the beginning of a three part series on obedience. I would recommend that all three be read in the order that they are posted. They will be building off of each other. I had originally planned to post this as one posting, but I fear it is too long, and has far to much meat to be taken in all at once.

Have you ever made a decision to obey God as a way of life? I’m not talking about obeying once in a while but in every area to the best of your knowledge and ability. Or do you find that there are times when you struggle to do what you know is right and in keeping with His principles? There may be times when it is easy to discern between what is right and in keeping with God’s will and what is wrong and not a part of His plan. In fact, you may actually obey Him at crucial junctures because you want His best. Other times, you may feel as if you are being pulled aside by disobedience simply because you did not do your homework in prayer and the study of God’s Word.

Solomon admonished us to “catch the foxes.” He went on to explain that it is the “little foxes that are ruining the vineyards” (Song 2:15). Often the smaller decisions bring about the biggest consequences. A decision to tell a little white lie is very costly because it leads to sin and usually the next step, which is deception. The enemy is very keen. He knows better than to tempt a seasoned believer to flat out disobey God. Obvious sin always draws a response. Friends and family members usually speak up when you are involved in something that leads to shame, failure and a damaged testimony. You may falsely believe that something perceived as being insignificant is much easier to disguise. It may be for a season, but at some point God pulls the covers back, and the truth is revealed about what you have done.

Too many people reach the point of being shattered, broken, hurting, lonely and discouraged before they seek God’s help. A Christian counselor who works with corporate executives once said me that if he can be brought into a conflict before it escalates to a serious level, he usually can show people how to solve the problem. But this rarely happens because most of us are very reserved and will not freely expose what we are feeling and thinking until much later. By then the conflict is threatening to spiral out of control. Jesus knows our hearts, and He makes it clear from page one of His Word that obedience to Him should be our central focus. Adam and Eve disobeyed God and suffered the loss of everything they knew as right and good.

However, just as you can track disobedience down through the generations, you also can trace the benefits of obedience. God provides a perfect contrast between the two in His Word:

 “If you diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the Lord your God. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. … But it shall come about, if you do not obey the Lord your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you. Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country” (Deut. 28:1-3, 15-16).

The only similarity between obedience and disobedience is that they reflect the type of lifestyle we have. If we have sincerely committed our lives to God, then we are going to obey Him; we are going to trust Him and leave all the consequences to Him. In times of disobedience, we lean on our own desires for direction. We waver back and forth between what we want to do and what we know is right.

… … …To Be Continued

Yours in Christ

Jake Harper

Day 19 of 100 Days of Discipline

Day 1 Seizure Free

Surrender Dorothy

Dorothy has finally made it to the Emerald City. She can see that her wish of going home might just come true. All of a sudden something black is seen streaking through the sky. It was the Wicked Witch of the West. Flying on her broomstick skywriting the words “Surrender Dorothy”.

In life temptation is everywhere for us. The devil is basically just putting up flashing neon signs telling us to surrender. That staying on the straight and narrow path is too hard for us. Matthew 7:13-14 tells us that “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” I find it nearly impossible sometimes to stay on this path. Temptation can come at us in so many forms- pornography, lust, lying, hate, gossip, etc. The thing is though that even when we feel alone in the battles of temptation. Jesus was event tempted by the devil. In the first eleven verses of Matthew chapter 4 we can read how when Jesus was in the wilderness. Jesus had been fasting for forty days and forty nights. He was weak and hungry. The devil tempted not once, not twice, but three times. Finally Jesus made the devil leave his presence. Can you believe that. Even the SON OF GOD went through trials of temptation. When i think of this it makes me feel like I will never be alone through the trials of temptation.

Many people think though that God is the one who tempts us. Sort of like a test. But James 1:13-15 tells us “13When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” 1 John 2:16 talks about three most fundamental means of temptation. – “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”

Satan used this devices to tempt Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden.

• Lust of the Eyes – “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye..” (Gen 3:6)
• Lust of the Flesh – “…tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye..”
• Pride of Life – “…and also desirable for gaining wisdom (like God)…” (Gen 3:5-6)

Satan use the same devices to tempt Jesus in the wilderness. (Mat 4:1-11) (Temptation of Jesus in the Wilderness)

• Lust of the Flesh – “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” (Mat 4:3)
• Lust of the Eyes – “the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.” (Mat 4:8)
• Pride of Life – “All this I will give you, if you will bow down and worship me.” (Mat 4:9)

The next thing that can often be confused is that people sometimes think that temptation is a sin. So let’s look at that. Can temptation be considered a sin?

• No, Jesus was also tempted. (Mat 4:1-11)
• Hebrews 4:15 – “but we have one (Jesus) who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.”
• Every Christian is faced with some kind of temptation.

Why is it so ‘easy’ to fall or give in to temptation? Why do we see a constant struggle with sin?

• Because there is a temporary pleasure in it.
• Hebrews 11:25 – “He (Moses) chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.”
• We are susceptible to sin because of our frailty due to sinful nature. (Gen 6:5)

What are the steps to overcome or resist temptation?

Preparation:

• Bible often picture temptation and struggle with sin as a battlefield, it is fighting against temptation and if you want to succeed in the battle, you need to prepare well.
• Ready for the battle. (Eph 6:11, 13-17)
• Watch and pray. (Mk 14:38)
• Remember Jesus used word of God to attack and overcome all three temptations in the wilderness. We are no better, so spend time in the word of God. Immerse yourself into word of God, study it, memorize it. Remember, you may not have your bible with you when Satan confronts you with some kind of temptation!
• Be alert and self-controlled (1 Pet 5:8). (For every christian, temptation can come in different form.)
• Strong in faith. (1 Pet 5:8-9)

Perseverance and Endurance:

• So often the battle goes weary, and we just give up and give in.  We need to persevere, persist and continue to resist temptation.

Planning: (Strategy)

• Remember that there is always a way to overcome temptation.
• 1 Cor 10:13 – “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
• There are two strategies, which I have discovered in bible when dealing with temptation.

1. Resist or Fightback:
   • James 4: 7: ” Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
   • There are times when you need to fight back and resist the temptation. You need to stand firm.
2. Retreat:
   • 2 Tim 2:22: “Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness…”
   • There are times when you need to flee, run away or retreat to escape temptation.
   • Joseph is an excellent example of both of this methods. He tried to resist Potiphar’s wife as much as he could, but when the time came, he chose to flee out rather than resist her. (Gen 39: 6-12) (Joseph – Bible Character Study)
   • I believe that many times, we choose wrong ways, we flee when we need to stand firm, and vice versa.

Application:

• Are you ready for the battle?
• Are you prepared? (Remember that Satan does not take your appointment for the time of temptation!)
• Is your ‘Sword of the Spirit’ sharpened and ‘Shield of Faith’ strong?

 

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Dear Lord,

Thank you so much for the family i have been given. I just want you to bless our church. Bless Josh. Bless our shack. Bless our students. I pray for the demons that are trying to make there way into the church, i pray the are banished to the corners of hell where they came from. I pray for success of this weekend. I pray for us to have fun and let loose!!!!!!!!!

Amen

Yours in Christ 

Jake Harper

Day 11 of 100 Days of Discipline

Day 7 Seizure Free

Courage

“Courage! What makes a king out of a slave? Courage! What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage! What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist, or the dusky dusk? What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage! What makes the sphinx the seventh wonder? Courage! What makes the dawn come up like thunder? Courage! What makes the Hottentot so hot? What puts the “ape” in apricot? What have they got that I ain’t got?”

Courage.

The word courage means the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc. without fear; bravery. Another definition for courage: having the courage of one’s convictions to act in accordance with ones beliefs, especially in spite of criticism.

The message that God gave to Joshua was “Be of good courage.” In Joshua 1:9 we can read “Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord God is with you wherever you go.” Some of the cares in our lives may have become familiar to us, and our bearing them became somewhat natural. That is not to say the cares have become lighter, but we have become stronger. Certain trials can break some people and strengthen other people. Sometimes it takes adversity for us to realize our blessings.

How wonderful it is when someone stands up for his or her convictions. This could be at school, an activity, a family gathering or a group of friends getting together. Granted, being courageous is not easy. It takes gumption. But stop and think of the difference it can make. Total atmospheres at gatherings have changed because of someone acting courageously.

Times when we have been or seen others being courageous often stand out in our memory. Some people may be upset and begin to whisper. But, who are we trying to really impress? Knowing that we have stood up courageously, should make all the difference in the world. The more we stand up, the firmer our convictions will be. The happier we will eventually be.

Too many Christians are unsuccessful in living a steadfast life for God. The word steadfast means immovable, constant, or enduring. They are afraid of being belittled, of humiliation, being a laughingstock, and maltreatment. They are hiding the fact they are Christians, wanting to be secretive servants for Christ.

Well the last time I checked God does not need a secret service like the President. Sometimes in life we do not realize just how courageous we can be. The Lion never thought that he would have any courage. I know I have touched on The Lion before when I spoke on overcoming our shortcomings. But I think if you look at L. Frank Baum’s character in another light you can also learn what the true meaning of courage is.

When we are courageous we may suffer.  Fear can be one of man’s worst enemies. Courage allows men to have the power to stand against all forms of persecution.  This past weekend I had the privilege of joining my youth group to see a film about Christian persecution around the world. We are so lucky as Americans that we do not have to go through the horrible things that are happening across the globe to Christians. But i feel that our freedom has caused us to become lazy in our faith. I am not saying that everyone has to serve overseas in order to be courageous for God, what I am saying is that since we have religious freedom then we need to have the courage to show everyone around us that we are Christians. Jeff Bethke once said “There is a problem if people only know you are a Christian by your facebook.” This is so true in our society today.

So I challenge all Christians, myself included. Don’t be afraid to show the world who you are. Don’t be afraid to stand up for our God. Share his love. Share his word. Matthew 28:16-20 tells us this “¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said,“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

That is my challenge. Just do it. No excuses. No tomorrows. But in the same stance don’t fret over yesterday. Focus on fulfilling it today! All of us have the ability to be courageous in our beliefs. Like The Lion in L Frank Baum’s book, we just have to reach deep down inside of us.

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Dear Lord,

                   Wow. There is so much going on right now. I pray for your wisdom and guidance. Once again I pray for my Lion. I pray for patience with loving him unconditionally. I pray for my two Tinmen (women). I can feel them longing for you. Please, I pray for the to soften their hearts so that they may seek you. I pray for Josh. It is so evident that he loves the students. I pray that he feels our love in return. He is so amazing at what he does. I love him dearly. I pray for my best friend, let him be able to make the best decisions in his life and that his family supports him for it. I pray for Nova, and for her to continue to cultivate her relationships with the girls of our group. I pray for Nick and the struggles he is facing. I pray that you wrap your arms around him so he is guided my your mercy and grace to stay on the straight and narrow road. I pray for our shack. I pray that it becomes a place of “Love and Safety.” I pray for Lindsey as she steps into our group. I pray for her strengths and talents to fit in any holes that we may have. I pray for LaDawn. I pray for you to give her peace of mind as she is without her husband, and in turn I pray for Kevin that he comes home safely. I pray for Goofy (Dave), that he is able to continue to grow with our group. He is such a wonderful asset to our team. I pray that any darkness or demons that are trying to overthrow us, I pray that they are banished. I ask you to wrap your arms around each and every one of our students. I pray that you be with them through their days. Lord I pray that in the next 30 days leading up to Acquire The Fire, that you use our testimonies to help our students know of your great power and mercy.

 Amen

Yours in Christ

Jake Harper

Day 7 of 100 Days of Discipline

Day 5 Seizure Free

Who Would Have Thought A Little Girl Like You Could Destroy My Beautiful Wickedness

Wow the past few days have just become a blur. First of all I want to apologize about missing out on three days worth of blogging. Just to fill you in. Early Friday morning around 3:00 AM I slipped into another seizure. It lasted about an hour. However, for the first time ever I was able to come out of it for the first time ever without having to go to the hospital!!!!!!!!!!! I was so excited. I then spent that day in bed and have been on the go leading my youth group ever since. So I am finding ime today to get back to the blog.

I think back to The Wizard of Oz, and how in the story Dorothy was just a little girl. In the 1939 movie version Judy Garland was much older than the books depicted the character, and Shirley Temple was actually the first choice for the role. In the story though, Dorothy’s family just wants her to stay out of the way. She was young and was not expected to be much help on the farm. I mean seriously what much can a young person do? Well if you remember the rest of the story, she ends up defeating the two main evils that Oz had at the time. Who would have ever thought that a little girl could ever defeat such wickedness. The witch even said in her last words “Who would have thought a little girl like you could destroy my beautiful wickedness.” This makes me think back to what the Bible says in regards to the situation.

1st Timothy 4:12 states “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” In society, we often don’t expect much out of the youth of our nation. But is that really fair? The thing is time and time again we are being proven wrong though. Take Ashley Qualls for example. She became a millionaire by creating a website and designing her own myspace layouts., all at the age of 17. There is also Andrew Sutherland, a 15 year old who invented a software to help him learn french, which soon turned into a successful empire. I also think of Garret Yazzie. At the age of 13 he had built a self sustainable power source that was able to provide enough electricity to power his family’s entire house. Now I am not saying that every young person is going to turn into a successful entrepreneur. I am however sating that young people should never let anyone tell them what they cannot do. 1st Timothy also tells young people to “Not neglect their gifts”.

Just like Dorothy super-exceeded all the expectations of her family and defeated the two great evil rulers of Oz, young people should heed the same advice from 1st Timothy, and always strive to set the example for leaders. I challenge all young people who read this to really take the verses in 1st Timothy to heart. Strive to set the bar of how Christians are supposed to live their lives. Learn from your mistakes, and always yearn to fulfill God’s will.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Dear Lord,

                  I thank you so much for the youth of our world. I pray for you to give them guidance and support in all of their trials and tribulations throughout life. I pray for you to lift them up and wrap your arms around them. I pray for Josh. I love him so much, and hope he realizes this. He is an amazing mentor and friend to me. I thank you for putting him into my life. I yearn for his wisdom and guidance. I pray for your hands to surround him as he leads the youth. I thank you for my friend David. I thank you for the brotherhood we are building together. I thank you for the entire leadership team. I pray for us to grow stronger and more unified. I pray for us to bond into a rock solid core, capable of fulfilling your will. I pray for the Lion in my life. He wants to know so much about you, and I have begun to start to see him making good choices in life. God I want to thank you for Nick. He is such an inspiration to me, I pray for you to show him the best path for his life. He is a warrior for you. Keep him on fire for your will. I pray for the two Tinmen (women) in my life. I pray for the bonds that are forming between us. I pray that they seek you and become saved by your grace. I can tell they want to be loved so much. Please let your live shine through me so that they will desire to have a relationship with you. Lord I thank you so much for my wife Nova. Today is our three year anniversary and if it were not for you we would have never made it thus far. I pray for 100 more years of happiness and bliss together. As I get ready to help with the small groups tonight, I pray for your glory to shine through me. I pray for the students to trust you and to grow closer through that trust. I thank you for my three divas. They all are amazing women. Their endless love is so warm. Without them I would truly be a mess. Their friendship is a testimony to the bonds and relationships you desire for all of us. 

Amen

Yours in Christ

Jake Harper

Day 5 of 100 Days of Discipline

Day 3 Seizure Free

Why You’re Nothing But A Great Big Coward

As Dorothy, The Scarecrow, and The Tinman were following the yellow brick when out of nowhere a lion jumped out at them and tried to attack. They were all terrified. The lion decided to try and go after Toto. Dorothy was not about to see her precious friend get harmed so she ran up and slapped the Lion. He then broke into tears. Come to find out he was nothing but a coward. The lion then became their friend and agreed to help in their mission of making it to the Emerald City. The lion was a coward but he was able to overcome his shortcomings to help kill The Wicked Witch of the West.

In the Bible, God asked Moses to go back to Egypt and demand the Pharaoh to free the Israelites. Exodus 4 verse 10 says “10 Moses raised another objection to God: “Master, please, I don’t talk well. I’ve never been good with words, neither before nor after you spoke to me. I stutter and stammer.”” Moses felt in adequate because of his speech problems. But God had bigger plans for him. The Lord sent Aaron to help him. Moses then went on to challenge Pharaoh. The plagues of Egypt were brought down on him, and in the end The Pharaoh freed the Israelites.

In The Wizard of Oz The Lion was able to overcome his shortcomings exactly like Moses was able to overcome his. In life this can be so true in our lives as well. I think back to last year when my wife and I moved from Georgia to Reno. My wife told me that there were two things that she would never do. She said that she would never be in the choir and that she would never be a leader in the youth group. It has been almost a year since we completed the move and she has now done both of those things. Everyone has shortcomings and insecurities. The Lion was a coward, The Tinman didn’t have a heart, The Scarecrow didn’t have any brains. They all had these things that could have easily held them back from helping complete their ultimate goal. My wife has been able to overcome so man y of her shortcomings and fears, and it was all for the glory of God. I also think of so many of my own fears that I am trying to overcome. I have a strong fear of judgement. There are so many things that I have done in my life that I am not proud of. I have been able to learn from these things, but it still scares me to share them with others.

The great part of The Lion’s story is that he was able to overcome his fears and shortcomings, just as Moses was able to stand up to the Pharaoh. I have hope that I will be able to overcome my fears as well.

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Dear Lord,

I thank you so much for challenging me to be like the Lion and to overcome my fears and shortcomings. Without you life would be hopeless. I thank you so much for my family. Without them I would not be the man I am today. I thank you for my wife. She is such an inspiration to me. She is my rock and she is so strong. Dear Lord I thank you for my friend David. He has helped reignite my fire and passion for you. I thank you for Josh (scarecrow). He is so wise. I look up to him so much, and even though I give him a hard time I really do love him. Dear Lord I pray for my 3 people. You know who they are and you know the potential they have. I thank you so much for being a part of my life. I ask all of these things in your name.

Amen

Yours in Christ 

Jake Harper

Day 3 of 100 Days of Discipline

Day 12 Seizure Free

Image via Wikipedia

Pay No Attention to That Man Behind the Curtain

After Dorothy had slain The Wicked Witch of the West, her and her friends returned back to The Emerald City to inform The Wizard of their accomplishments. As they are standing before him, he begins to shun them off saying “Come back tomorrow”. It is at this time that Toto starts to pull away a green curtain which reveals to them that The Wizard is nothing more than just a regular man hidden behind a curtain.

In life we try and hide our sins from the rest of the world. We hide them due to embarrassment. We hide them due to pride. We hide them due to guilt. However, the truth is that no matter how much we try and hide our sins from the world we cannot hide them from God. The Wizard hid behind a curtain of lies in an attempt to keep his secret of being a normal person who landed in Oz. The thing is though that no matter how guilty, or embarrassed, or prideful, or ashamed we may feel about our sin it can be forgiven. We just have to ask Christ to live in our hearts and accept him. By doing this our sins are washed away. No I want to make it very clear here that yes our sins are forgiven, but that does not give us free reign to just live a life of sin because Jesus has forgiven us. When we repent of our sins we should commit to not repeating those sins ever again. Now this is where being a christian becomes hard. No one ever said that this would be easy. You have to lay your sin at the foot of God and try to never go back to it again. Also remember that once you repent of your sin it is thrown as far as the east is from the west. Psalm 103 verses 9-12 states “9 God won’t always play the judge;
he won’t be angry forever. 10 He doesn’t deal with us according to our sin or repay us according to our wrongdoing, 11 because as high as heaven is above the earth, that’s how large God’s faithful love is for those who honor him.  12 As far as east is from west— that’s how far God has removed our sin from us.” 

Now just because God has forgiven our sins doesn’t mean that their are not earthly consequences for them. For instance if you have struggled with pornography, once you get married this can cause strife in your love towards your spouse. Also if you were to have sex outside of marriage and contracted an STD, God has forgiven you of your sin but you will have to live with the consequences of your actions for life. The same can be said for all sins.

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Dear Lord, 

                    I come to you today in prayer for the youth that I will assist in leading this evening. I pray that your light shines through me and that they are able to see that what I do is not for my own gain but for your will. I pray for you to tear down my curtains, so that I may be completely honest and open with the students. I pray that in the weeks leading up to our Acquire the Fire event, that all of us as leaders be able to be open with our students. As we share our testimonies, that we may be able to share how you have worked in all of our lives dear Lord. Lord I pray for the Cowardly Lion whom I know dear Lord. I pray that he will realize the gifts you have already bestowed upon him, and that he will seek you. Lord I also pray for The two Tinmen (women) in my life as well. I pray for their hearts to be open to you, and that they will not be afraid to love and be loved in return. Lord I pray for our youth group leader (scarecrow), he has so much wisdom to share with these students but he sometimes lets himself get in the way. I pray for you to wrap your arms around our entire group tonight and to show them your love. I pray all of these things in your precious holy name.

Amen

Yours in Christ

Jake Harper

Day 2 of 100 Days of Discipline

Day 11 Seizure Free

 

 

There’s No Place Like Home

So in The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy wants nothing more than to escape from her home and to be able to live free. This wish is then granted as she is swept to the Land of Oz. Once she arrives in Oz however, she makes it her mission to return home to Kansas. Glinda tells her that the only way for this to happen would be for her to travel to The Emerald City and speak with the wizard. This long journey turns out to have many bumps along the way. Some of them were good (meeting the Scarecrow, Tinman, and Lion) while others were more problematic (i.e. having to take on the Wicked Witch of the West). In the end however she finds that she always had the power to return home, she just had to learn it for herself. If Glinda had of told her how to get home in the first place she would not of believed her.

This so closely relates with our relationship with God. God has given all of us the free will to be able to accept him into our hearts. However so many times people over-complicate it, and fail to see that they have the ability to make that commitment all on their own. Much like Dorothy had to learn that she was always able to go home she just had to believe so, we as God’s children must also learn that we have the power to accept Christ into our hearts so that we may gain eternal life in heaven. We just have to trust and believe.

Trust is so powerful in our society today. It is hard to gain but very easy to lose. I often think back to a time right after I graduated high school. I was accepted into The School for Film and Television in New York. Everything was set up for me to begin school and at the last-minute I lost my funding and my dreams came crashing down before me. I soon lost trust in God. I was mad and angry because I believed that he did not fulfill the plan that I foresaw for my life.

Well it has been 4 1/2 years since then, and I have found out that God always has a plan for us. However, it is up to us to believe in him and chose to live our lives in his glory. In the years that have followed high school graduation, I have made wonderful friends. I married the most amazing wife in the world. I finally feel that i have started to become successful in life. The hard part of my story is that it took me a long time to realize that when one door closes God always to make sure and provide a couple of open windows for us to choose from. It is then up to us as to what we do with the situation. As Christians we have to recognize the right choices to make and to always choose what would be best for God’s glory. Much like Dorothy had to learn that she always had the ability to go home, we as Christians must learn that we always have the ability to make the choices in our life that are for the glory of God.

Yours in Christ

Jake Harper

Day 1 of 100 Days of Discipline

Day 10 seizure free

Image via Wikipedia

 

As Mayor of the Munchkin City

When Dorothy and Toto are swept up by the cyclone they are carried all the way to the Munchkin City. Her house comes to a historic halting thud in the middle of the city. Dorothy and Toto slowly make their way out of the house, and as she opens the door to leave she reveals a beautiful world of magic and mystery. After a few moments they are visited by Glinda the Good Witch of the North (in L. Frank Baum’s book this is actually the Good Witch of the South). Upon meeting Glinda they are informed that they are heroes and have killed the Wicked Witch of the East. The residents of The Munchkin City celebrate being freed from the oppression of this evil witch.

In the story The Munchkins see Dorothy as we should see God. Dorothy freed the Munchkins from The Wicked Witch of the East much like God has freed us from the price of sin. When God sent his son Jesus to die on the cross, he provided a way that all of mankind would be able to spend eternity in Heaven. Romans 6:23 says “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.” This means that we deserve to die for our sins. It doesn’t matter if you just told a lie or have been convicted as a mass murderer. James 2:10 says “For whoever keeps the whole law and stumbles at one point is guilty of breaking it all.” This means that if you are guilty of one sin you are just as equally guilty for any other sin. In America’s justice system the result of ignoring a speed limit and robbing at gun point are completely different. However all sin is equal in the eyes of God and all sin deserves the same punishment. However, even though we all deserve to spend eternity in Hell for what we have done in life God loves us so much that he sent his own son to endure the most brutal form of punishment known to man in order to save us from our sins. John 3:16 states “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” It is through our belief in Christ Jesus that we are able to gain the  privilege of spending eternity in Heaven.

With Easter quickly approaching I am reminded of the pain that Jesus endured in order to save me from an eternity of damnation. In the Tin Woodman of Oz, L Frank Baum reveals to us how The Tinman came to be. He was originally named Nick Chopper. He made his living chopping down trees in The Land of Oz. Nick was deeply in love with the girl of his dreams. However, the girl (later known as Nimmie Amee a young munchkin girl) was a slave to an old woman who did not wish for her to marry. So the old woman asked The Wicked Witch of the East to make it to where the Tin Woodsman would never be able to marry the girl he loved. The Witch then enchanted his ax to chop off his limbs one by one. Each time this happened he had to replace it with a limb made out of tin. In the end the tinsmith Ku-Klip had to replace his entire body. In doing so he forgot to replace his heart. The old woman had finally gotten her way. The Tinman never was able to be with the one he loved, even though he wanted to and even tried to pursue her later on in life. His pain he endured was for nothing. The difference between Jesus and The Tinman is simple. Jesus went through pain for the ones he loved just like the Tinman. However in the the Tinman endured pain and never was able to be with the one he loved. His pain was for nothing. Without Jesus dying on the cross we were all destined to pay for our sins. Though he wants us to be together so bad. His pain was for something. He was beaten within an inch of his life, forced to bear the weight of a heavy wooden cross as he drug it to the place where he had to die. Nails pierced his hands and feet. His joints were more than likely  ripped out of their sockets. He suffered sever dehydration and massive blood loss. His body was pierced with a spear, and in the end he died. The pain he endured was for us. It was so that we would not have to endure such pain.

I realize that in life we may endure pain. Just as the Tinman endured the pain of losing the girl he loved, we may also endure pain while on this earth. However in the end Jesus loved us so much that one day we will never again experience any pain. It is through this promise that we are able to always have hope in life.

Yours in Christ

Jake Harper

Day 9 Seizure Free

Follow The Yellow Brick Road

Do you remember Dorothy and Toto?  How about the Tin-Man, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion?  What an adventure they had, searching for their dreams along the yellow brick road.  Meeting along the way the Munchkins, Glinda the good witch from the north, and the scary wicked witch from the west, they skipped along that path.

As their journey progressed, they began to mature, to look beyond what they wanted and instead they began to look for what was good for all of them.  It was no longer just about Dorothy going back home or the Tin-Man gaining a heart, but it was about strangers becoming friends and learning to take care of each other, to mature into a selfless group looking out for the good of the group.  When their adventure was coming to a close, and the great and powerful Oz was discovered to be just an ordinary man, the true lesson of life was unfolded before their eyes.  It was pointed out to them that the heart, brains, and courage that they (Tin-Man, Scarecrow, and Lion) were searching for was within them the whole time.  And Dorothy’s search for her way back home was really inside her very own heart all along.  When I stop to think about it, this is exactly how life really is.

Okay so I admit it. I am a corny Wizard of Oz fan. My name is Jacob Matthew Harper. Most people call me Jake. On January 3rd, 2012 I started to have seizures for the first time in my life. I have lost count of how many I have had since then. The doctors really have no explanation, and I believe I have stumped some of the smartest doctors in all of Northern Nevada. I have had to go on short term disability from my career and i have lost so much of my freedom. Through this dark journey I have come to realize that I will always be careful when asking God for things. In the year leading up to the seizures, my life was always on the go. My wife and I moved across country on blind faith and had to rebuild our lives from the ground up. We learned many lessons along the way, but in the end we finally have been able to find our niche. I just always wanted more time to spend with my wife. Well I definitely have plenty time to spend with her now. I have learned that I need to slow down and enjoy this life that God has blessed me with. Since the seizures have started I have also found my way to become involved as a leader with my churches youth group. The other leaders are awesome and I feel great bonds starting to form. The students are amazing and I really want to make a difference.

God has always been there in my life but I have never been more excited about how God is using me for his glory. My wife is leading with me side by side. We have begun to grow even closer because of it. I am so excited about my relationship with Christ and how it is cultivating and growing. I want to use this blog to chronicle my journey through my seizure condition and my growth in Christ as well. I will soon be starting a devotional reading plan called 100 Days of Discipline, and I will also be documenting my journey with that as well.

As for me I am tired of just always focusing on myself. This is my yellow brick road and I have finally open my eyes to the needs of my own Scarecrow, Tinman, and Lion. I have learned that saying no to God isn’t a good idea, trying to run away from him isn’t too bright either, and in the end God’s plan will always shine brighter than any pair of Ruby Slippers.

Yours in Christ

Jake Harper

Day 8 Seizure Free