Garbage Filters

http://www.last.fm/music/Tal%2B%2526%2BAcacia/_/Garbage+In?autostart


A couple of weeks ago we talked about filters. Filters strain our things that aren't wanted and let through what is needed.
IE: Oil filters clean out dirt so that the oil can get to the engine clean. Tea bags let the water through so that it can be flavored, but keeps the tea leaves from getting into your drink.


Check out the song above- Garbage In by Tal and Acacia.


Our world today is FULL of information, propoganda, ads, ideas, blogs, thoughts... everything anyone says --- 24/7.
Educated thinking is good, but t's really easy to just let ALL these ideas, (educated or not,) and ways of thinking influence what we believe and think, but Philippians 4 says:

“8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”


We all have filters... we decide whether or not to say things, what we agree with, what we will act on. But if we put 'garbage' into our minds, (useless or harmful thoughts and info,) our filters get dirty or clogged up. That's when things get messy. Things that we wouldn't have thought of doing or saying before are suddenly alright with us- or maybe we still think they're bad, but justify our actions by saying, 'it's everywhere, I may as well too.' Which can get you hurt.



Food for thought:
~What kind of gunk gets stuck in our filters?

~What’s the difference between a mind that’s open enough to consider new ideas, and a mind with a gaping hole that lets absolutely everything in?

~How can you clean out and clean up a clogged filter? If you took Philippians 4:8-9 seriously, how would your daily life be different?


Concluding idea -->

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." -Romans 12:2

Devo from Luke

As many of you know, Nichole (My girlfriend) and I just recently broke up. This has not been as painful as you would expect. Many have said that break-ups are one of the worst pains you can experience. Why? Because it is so damaging. It causes friends to take sides, it causes a friendship to dwindle, and most of all, it separates love. Now, I have many different paths that I could take past this. But, when we look at the bible, we find what we SHOULD do, versus what we want to do: "...but those who hope in the LORD, will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."-Isaiah 40:31. Popular artist Lincoln Brewster re-wrote this as the song "Strength Will Rise". Think about that thought for a moment: Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord. We can try to do things on our OWN strength, by acting on our own thoughts and intuitions. Or, we can get an innumerably greater strength through God, if we just...wait. No acting, no thinking. Just wait. God will give you the strength, yes, but even more important, he will give you the plan. In the novel The Crucible, a character by the name of Giles Corey is told to give up a piece of information to expose his friend of witchcraft, even though his friend was innocent. Giles Corey found the strength from God that, even unto his death, would not admit to false information. Is that you? Do you have a weight pressing down on you that you feel may crush you? We need to wait on the Lord, which doesn't necessarily mean that we sit on our hands and whistle "Zippidy Doo Dah". Waiting also meant the idea of serving one who was greater than us. We see this (mildly) in restaurants. Waiters would, well, WAIT on the customer, so that they could serve them. So, where do you need to wait on the Lord, in order to serve him? Everlasting God There's the song by Lincoln Brewster. Also, here's a song from an older group named Petra, who also did a song by that verse- More Power To Ya.

Headed Into A Storm

Jesus Walks on the Water
Matthew 14:22-33

" Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. 

But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." 

"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." 

"Come," he said.  

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" 

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"  

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." "
 
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(Okay, time to analysize this--Shephard style ;D)

In Matthew 14:22-33 is the story of Peter walking on the water. To set the scene, a storm came up while the disciples were in a ship and they were afraid when they saw Jesus walking on the water toward them. Jesus told them who He was. Then Peter, one of the disciples, walked on the water, too. Only at first, when Peter looked around and saw the storm, he became afraid and hesitated.

Sometimes there are "storms" in our lives and we become afraid or intimated--it's natural. There are times when things might not go the way we want or sometimes there can be factors that complicate our lives to a great and unwanted extent. But did you happen to see what it said just as Peter began to sink and called out to Christ?

"Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. 'You of little faith,' He said, 'Why did you doubt?'"

Although Peter was wrong for being doubtful in Christ, the Savior still extended his hand out to catch Peter. It's just like how whenever we call on Jesus, He will always be there for us as well. And even after Christ caught Peter he also walked with him until they reached the safety of the ship.

"And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down."

You see, Christ didn't just STOP the storm (even though He could have). Together, Peter and Christ walked on the water and through the storm until they reached the ship. Just like Peter, sometimes we will have to go through the storm as well. Sometimes the Lord will take the storm away, but other times we have to weather it out. Aren't you at least glad that Jesus is there every step of the way to weather it out with us? =)

An interesting aspect of this story that I saw from the beginning was how Jesus sent His disciples to the ship and told them to meet Him on the the other side of the water in the first place. If you go to the very beginning of the story, it said:

"Immediately Jesus made the disciples got into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd."

Jesus knew from the very beginning that His disciples were going to be in that boat when the storm would arrive. He sent them there. At times we may question why the Lord would tell us to do something or where he would send us, or even why we would have to deal with difficult situations because it may not seem very smooth sailing. We may question why the Lord is causing storms in our lives when all we want to do is to serve Him and obey Him. This story shows me that sometimes we can be right where God wants us wants to be and we can still have some storms come up; Even if it is right where He told us to go and even right in the center of His will. What we can take comfort in is the fact that the Lord knows all about those storms and He will be there with us to fight through them!

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I know for me, one my "storms" is called school. I am just terrified of the load of school work that will consume me in the coming few weeks. Just the thought of being flooded to my neck in homework, battered with essays after essays, and stricken with tests/quizzes every week of the month frightens me to my toes. Yet, that doesn't mean that I will give up or lose my confidence that I can overcome these obstacles. As long as I have the will of God by my side, no matter how rough the winds blows how high the water will rise, there is nothing that can prevent me from reaching what I wish to achieve in this coming school year.  With the support that my family and my friends have provided me, how could I ever complain as I follow the path that Christ has already set for me? 

Stormy weather is going to come to all of us in some form or another but I hope that everyone can remember to focus on Christ and how He takes us through those storms with His love and care.Only the Lord can take us through the stormy weather.   

I just pray as everyone heads off back to school, God will be with each of you as you face any storms that may be encountered. And just know that you are not alone! :-)

Fall kick-off!

Tomorrow is fall kick-off =D
whoo!


Washington Square, 4:00pm near the stairs at the food court.

We will have a mall scavenger hunt, games, food, friends =)

BE THERE!!!

Let me know if rides are needed etc =)
called2shepherd2@gmail.com

Check out Open Forum above!!!! ^

Open comments, polls about upcoming events, fish to feed and more =)

What!?

1 Thessalonians 5:17
"Pray continually."






Wait a minute here. I'm no Rabbi from Bible times. I can't spend hours or days praying...
or can I?

Here's the context for the verse:
16 Always have joy. 17 Pray continually. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you though Christ Jesus."

My three year old brother, JM, had a turn saying prayer before dinner. He looked a little worried and asked, "What me say?"
Dad answered, "Whatever you want to tell God. Oh, and tell Him thank you."
So we all closed our eyes and listened to JM tell God thank you for every family member and pet, then proceed to tell God how he felt about everyone and everything. Good and bad.
Eventually, we had to nudge him to say 'Amen.' so that we could eat, but that's what prayer is =)

What we say to God doesn't have to be thought out or elegant. God already knows what's going on. He just wants to hear it from us. Good or bad.

Prayer also isn't just closing our eyes etc. It's just living our lives. 'Pray continually." It means our lives are to be LIVED with God working through our everything. Our mistakes, our choices, our love... our whole lives.


---Thoughts on Praying Continually?
What would make it hard?
Challenges?
Upsides?
Questions?
Hit the Comment button!
Answer each other- no 'wrong' answers, just ideas to work out.