The vision of him was the death of me

Sometimes I wish it were easier to follow Christ. I wish the cost were less.

John 6 was important for me today.

v.60 "When many of his disciples heard it, they said, 'This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?'"

Jesus then essentially calls his disciples out, saying that "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe." (63-64a) Notice that Jesus doesn't coddle them, softening his stance and accomodating their needs so that he won't lose numbers.

The disciples reaction is predictable "After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him." (66) Following Jesus is hard. It requires absolute committment. Many (not a few) of his disciples weren't up for it. Bummer. Bigger bummer that I can relate.

But I can relate to this next part as well. "So Jesus said to the Twelve, 'Do you want to go away as well?' Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God.'" (67-69)

Yeah, I could walk away from it all. But this world does not compare to what I've tasted and seen in Christ. You could say that Christ has ruined me. In such a good way.

Jim Koczur and sanctification

Sanctification is a process. I hate this. I would much rather it were an immediate, one time thing. Unfortunately that is reserved for justification.

In elementary school, I learned how to polka. God bless Upsala Elementary. As any self-respecting fourth grade boy can attest, this was the worst possible way to spend your gym class. I would much rather play indian pins (political correctness was not on the radar), big base, or floor hockey. But to have to learn the dish rag, the waltz, and other dances that I can't remember was sheer torture. Especially when you consider that we performed at halftime at a high school basketball game. I was so embarassed.

As I was thinking about how frustrating it is to be a saint but still a sinner, I thought back to the only dance Jim Koczur taught me that I didn't hate: the bunny hop. All I remember of the bunny hop is lining up with my classmates and "heel toe heel toe, heel toe heel toe. Forward, back, one, two, threeing" my way across the gym floor. A few steps forward, one step back.

A lot like sanctification. Sometimes I get it right. Other times I feel like I have my hands on the hips of the class smelly kid listening to polka from a cassette in a tinny-sounding boombox borrowed from Ms. Busman in the music room.

I need a God who works for me. And...done.

Jeremiah 32:37-41
"Behold, I will gather them from all the countries to which I drove them in my anger and my wrath and in great indignation. I will bring them back to this place, and I will make them dwell in safety. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make with them an everlating covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul."

That's good enough for me.

Yep, I'm a one issue voter

A) I said I wouldn't post on politics often
B) I should be writing my paper
C) Get over it

The election is in a few days. I already voted by absentee ballot. Honestly I hate politics. But I ran across something that I think is worth drawing attention to.

I have read Randy Alcorn's blog since I heard him speak at the Desiring God Conference in 2007. He is a pastor and an author. I have heard that some of his books are cheesy, but he is spot on with a lot of subjects. He is passionate about the pro-life movement, and I highly recommend his book "Why Pro-Life?" (I will post about it more later)

Today he made a post about the upcoming election, and I think he does a very good job of voicing how I feel on the subject.

http://randyalcorn.blogspot.com/2008/10/im-not-voting-for-man-im-voting-for.html

Please read it before you vote, if for no other reason than to know why I vote the way I do.

Especially you, Guytano.

Guytano part 2

It was great to have Guy here. I've already been over that. If there are 5 good things about having him here, of course there are also 5 bad things.

5) It seemed like every ten minutes I got a text that said "Entertain me." For reals. I just counted. There were nine of them.
4) My dorm is honestly only big enough for one person. Two people is crowded. Especially when one is the biggest dummy I know.
3) Going to bed to the Lawrence Welk Show.
2) His visit came at the beginning of the hardest stretch of my semester, and overlapped for a day with my parents visiting, so I was being pulled in multiple directions, unable to spend as much time in each area as I wanted. I could have easily hung out with Guy all week, but just couldn't. It was a bummer.
1) It's hard to have one of my closest friends here, and then have them leave. I got spoiled.

Guytano part 1

My dear friend and brother Guy Magno came back from Minnesota to Kentucky with me to spend a week hanging out with me and looking at Southern Seminary. Regarding this visit, I have a few thoughts.

5 best things about Guy Magno visiting:

5) Pillow talk.
4) Playing disc golf with two pot heads, with whom we sowed some seeds, Lord willing.
3) Threatening to force feed him summer sausage, then getting a care package from my Grandma which included a 3-lb. log of summer sausage. It was epic.
2) Finding out Kyle was engaged and not reacting appropriately.
1) Iron sharpens iron. Guy is one of my closest friends, and challenges me in a lot of ways. Spending a week with him is good for my soul.

Sorry

I haven't posted for a while. I'm at home for the week. I'll post more when I get back to school this week.

Right now I'm hanging out with my girlfriend.

Priorities.