If there's one thing that I would have to say that I don't like doing, it's reading. However, I always find that after I force myself to read a book, I end up loving it. Especially with my time here at Pottersfield, they seem to do an amaizing job of giving us books that have to do with exactly what were going to face and what we are personally going through. Throughout my life, my parents always told me that I was made for more than what I think I am. Of course I figured they were just saying that because they wanted me to strive for exellence. I now look back at my life and see how God has prepared me to face the things that He has put in my life today. Which, why my life isn't even half way over, so much more than I ever could have imagined.
I know it may sound cheesy, but the title of this book, You Were Made For More, completely says what this book is about. This book tells the stories of both men in biblical times as well the accounts of personal testimonies in how God has taken an "average" persons life and change it around and then continue to use that changed heart for the furtherance of His kingdom. In a way that, like the book is titled, that person would have never expected. While at a young age I never realized it, but the godly men in Bible times were just like the godly men of today, meaning they searched for God just like us, they grew closer to Him just like us, and they failed just like us. I guess I always looked at the men of the Bible as these devout men of God who were in a sense Holy and better than everyone else. This definatley is not the case, but I feel like at a younger age i never noticed all the sins that those men had commited back in those days. Now that I'm older, however I see that they face the same problems that we, as Christians face today.
It encourages me so much to be able to look at the lives of those who have gone before me and see how God had used them to do such great things. While I am just now starting my real walk with Christ, not resting on my parents faith, I can see already how Christ is moving through me and guiding my life with His divine plan. I would have never imagined two years ago that I would be living in Guatemala for 8 months serving and giving my all to grow closer to Christ. It's amaizing to see that God is already using me for so much more than I could have ever imagined and to know that He is just going to continue to bring me closer and closer to Him and farther and farther away from what I thought I would be doing with me life. I know understand that I was truely made for more.
About Me
- LifeOfJay
- Hi, my name's Jonathan. I am serving Christ in Antigua, Guatemala in the Potter's Field Ignite program. I'm just someone trying my best to grow closer to Christ.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Kids Club 2014 in Antigua, Guatemala
Here's just a little something something I whipped up for your viewing pleasure (hopefully) I hope to keep you updated with more videos and child stories during my field time here in Guatemala! Thank You for watching and Dios le bendiga!
I.B.S. #34
- "And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith."
As Christians live this life, we have one goal in mind, to reach the gates of heaven, to enter and hear well done, my good and faithful servant. To reach this goal, however, we need to keep in mind that if we arent being His servants here on this earth, then we aren't going to truely feel like we have done well. While theres no doubt in my mind that it is possible to believe in Christ, read the Bible, stay in your house, do nothing about it, die and still go to heaven; I do believe that that would be foolish. If we are reading His word and truely love Him, we will do as He has commanded us to do, which is to go out and be a light, go out and spread His word. Of course that includes your town, your community, your church, your workplace. We need to remember though that if we are not sacrificing our lives for Him, the people around us may not see the example that Christ set for us. If we are supposed to resemble Christ, and we do nothing about our faith, what does that tell others about Christ? I know that this is something that I have failed at doing in my own town of Vero Beach. I would like to say there were specific times where I would slack off and be a bad example of Christ but that seemed to be me all the time. And like I said last I.B.S., I truely feel like I havent been really sacrificing everything to Him daily.
I'm going to draw a steering wheel on my left hand to remind me that I need sit in the passengers seat and let God take complete control of my life.
As Christians live this life, we have one goal in mind, to reach the gates of heaven, to enter and hear well done, my good and faithful servant. To reach this goal, however, we need to keep in mind that if we arent being His servants here on this earth, then we aren't going to truely feel like we have done well. While theres no doubt in my mind that it is possible to believe in Christ, read the Bible, stay in your house, do nothing about it, die and still go to heaven; I do believe that that would be foolish. If we are reading His word and truely love Him, we will do as He has commanded us to do, which is to go out and be a light, go out and spread His word. Of course that includes your town, your community, your church, your workplace. We need to remember though that if we are not sacrificing our lives for Him, the people around us may not see the example that Christ set for us. If we are supposed to resemble Christ, and we do nothing about our faith, what does that tell others about Christ? I know that this is something that I have failed at doing in my own town of Vero Beach. I would like to say there were specific times where I would slack off and be a bad example of Christ but that seemed to be me all the time. And like I said last I.B.S., I truely feel like I havent been really sacrificing everything to Him daily.
I'm going to draw a steering wheel on my left hand to remind me that I need sit in the passengers seat and let God take complete control of my life.
Monday, March 10, 2014
I.B.S. #33
Philippians 3:8
- "Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ."
"Everything I once held dear, I count it all as loss." Everytime I think of this song, I think of all the skits that I have seen with this song. As we have seen during our training here, for the most part at least, they all have to do with a person who chases after the desires of the flesh, gets themselves hurt from those desires, Jesus saves them from death, takes thier sins, dies for them, and raises again; conquring death. This verse reminds me that everything we used to do in the flesh we gave up in order that we could grow closer to Christ. Also, that while we may not have thought it was worth it during the suffering of the loss of it all, we gained Christ and in reality all we lost is all the garbage that we carried around with us. It's kind of cool that when you look at those skits we do, the person who Jesus is dieing for, is happy committing the sin until it starts to hurt her, then they begin to cry when it hurts them and when Jesus is being hurt because of them. It's funny/sad to think we think we suffer for Christ having to face this world and thier mockery when Christ died because of us. I makes me ask myself am I really dieing for Christ? I feel like I need to be suffering more for Him.
Mike will keep me accountable to serving during the things I dont like.
- "Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ."
"Everything I once held dear, I count it all as loss." Everytime I think of this song, I think of all the skits that I have seen with this song. As we have seen during our training here, for the most part at least, they all have to do with a person who chases after the desires of the flesh, gets themselves hurt from those desires, Jesus saves them from death, takes thier sins, dies for them, and raises again; conquring death. This verse reminds me that everything we used to do in the flesh we gave up in order that we could grow closer to Christ. Also, that while we may not have thought it was worth it during the suffering of the loss of it all, we gained Christ and in reality all we lost is all the garbage that we carried around with us. It's kind of cool that when you look at those skits we do, the person who Jesus is dieing for, is happy committing the sin until it starts to hurt her, then they begin to cry when it hurts them and when Jesus is being hurt because of them. It's funny/sad to think we think we suffer for Christ having to face this world and thier mockery when Christ died because of us. I makes me ask myself am I really dieing for Christ? I feel like I need to be suffering more for Him.
Mike will keep me accountable to serving during the things I dont like.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
I.B.S. #32
1 Corinthians 9:19
- "For though I be free from all man, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more"
Having the power of Christ in our lives gives us that freedom above other men. We are not slaves to man but bondslaves to Christ. Therefore we are not forced to do anything that man tells us we must do, but to first and foremost answer to Chirst. Of course us Christians are called to respect authority, obey our parents, and obey the laws of the land but if our parents, the authority and law over us are corrupted then it is more important to follow what our Lord tells us to do. Just as we see the with apostoles while they did sometimes follow the law of the places they were, they only follow the rules of that which was in accordance with Gods word, and for doing what was right in Gods eyes they were martyrd. We must make ourselves servants to all of those who we are with, because this is where we will gain the more. I love the second part of this verse. Because while people would normally read the word gain and think, success, power, etc. Right now, for some reason, while im reading this I can only think of the word "Grow". When we become servants others, we will grow the more. While we may think that oh if we serve God will give us whatever we want, thats not the case because if there is one thing that i have learned in these past couple of years, is that God will bless us when we bless Him BUT, He will bless us in the way that He knows is best.
I will expect nothing for my service because it is whats required of me.
- "For though I be free from all man, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more"
Having the power of Christ in our lives gives us that freedom above other men. We are not slaves to man but bondslaves to Christ. Therefore we are not forced to do anything that man tells us we must do, but to first and foremost answer to Chirst. Of course us Christians are called to respect authority, obey our parents, and obey the laws of the land but if our parents, the authority and law over us are corrupted then it is more important to follow what our Lord tells us to do. Just as we see the with apostoles while they did sometimes follow the law of the places they were, they only follow the rules of that which was in accordance with Gods word, and for doing what was right in Gods eyes they were martyrd. We must make ourselves servants to all of those who we are with, because this is where we will gain the more. I love the second part of this verse. Because while people would normally read the word gain and think, success, power, etc. Right now, for some reason, while im reading this I can only think of the word "Grow". When we become servants others, we will grow the more. While we may think that oh if we serve God will give us whatever we want, thats not the case because if there is one thing that i have learned in these past couple of years, is that God will bless us when we bless Him BUT, He will bless us in the way that He knows is best.
I will expect nothing for my service because it is whats required of me.
I.B.S. #31
Luke 17:10
- "So likewise you, when you shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, we are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do."
This week of I.B.S. for me was a little frustrating, only because the verses we have been writing on were followed after the other and they are all teaching the same thing in a sense. While I'm not saying that it is a bad thing, I find it annoying that I can't seem to find a different application for these verses, but then again maybe that's what I really needed to learn this week. As our theme this week is on being a servant, these verses give a picture of that, but along with some other interns, I would agree that there might be other verses that would be better to study this week for the theme of servanthood. As we have finished this story of the master and the servant, we learn to not have a heart that only seeks profit for our service. We need to realize that all of the things what we are asked to do we are supposed to do, and we are not going to be given a pat on the back for the things that we are supposed to do. It was out duty to do so. That being said, it is our duty to die to ourselves and to serve others as Christ would serve them, so even in doing things for others that they didnt ask for we shouldnt expect an "Atta boy!" Because doing things for others that werent commanded of us is our duty.
I'm going to continue to serve meals.
- "So likewise you, when you shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, we are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do."
This week of I.B.S. for me was a little frustrating, only because the verses we have been writing on were followed after the other and they are all teaching the same thing in a sense. While I'm not saying that it is a bad thing, I find it annoying that I can't seem to find a different application for these verses, but then again maybe that's what I really needed to learn this week. As our theme this week is on being a servant, these verses give a picture of that, but along with some other interns, I would agree that there might be other verses that would be better to study this week for the theme of servanthood. As we have finished this story of the master and the servant, we learn to not have a heart that only seeks profit for our service. We need to realize that all of the things what we are asked to do we are supposed to do, and we are not going to be given a pat on the back for the things that we are supposed to do. It was out duty to do so. That being said, it is our duty to die to ourselves and to serve others as Christ would serve them, so even in doing things for others that they didnt ask for we shouldnt expect an "Atta boy!" Because doing things for others that werent commanded of us is our duty.
I'm going to continue to serve meals.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
I.B.S. #30
Luke 17:9
- "Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not."
Being employed in fast food, I know that you dont really get "thank you"s for doing your job becuase that's whats required of you. The things that they command you to do are the things that they also expect you to do. Not to say that you didn't feel apreciated as an employee, but in all honestly they have a standard that they keep you at, and you recieve recognition when you go above and beyond that standard. When we do the things that we aren't neccesarily told to do, that's when we recieve thanks from others. Why do we give thanks to God? because everything we recieve from Him is above and beyond what we deserve. We deserve death, but yet He blesses us all the time with life. We are blessed just to wake up in the mornings and for that we must give thanks to God. Christians serving other Christians on the mission field is almost like this serving circle; everyone serving everyone. So we constantly should be thanking one another for even the smallest acts of service that we do for eachother even if it is as small as taking the plate off your table. We also need to be making sure that we are serving one another and having the mindset that all that we do is for Christ and that we are not serving others so that they will say, "wow, what a servant" but because we truely have a heart to serve one another. I pray that I will continue to have a heart that wants to serve.
My application is to continue helping to serve meals.
- "Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not."
Being employed in fast food, I know that you dont really get "thank you"s for doing your job becuase that's whats required of you. The things that they command you to do are the things that they also expect you to do. Not to say that you didn't feel apreciated as an employee, but in all honestly they have a standard that they keep you at, and you recieve recognition when you go above and beyond that standard. When we do the things that we aren't neccesarily told to do, that's when we recieve thanks from others. Why do we give thanks to God? because everything we recieve from Him is above and beyond what we deserve. We deserve death, but yet He blesses us all the time with life. We are blessed just to wake up in the mornings and for that we must give thanks to God. Christians serving other Christians on the mission field is almost like this serving circle; everyone serving everyone. So we constantly should be thanking one another for even the smallest acts of service that we do for eachother even if it is as small as taking the plate off your table. We also need to be making sure that we are serving one another and having the mindset that all that we do is for Christ and that we are not serving others so that they will say, "wow, what a servant" but because we truely have a heart to serve one another. I pray that I will continue to have a heart that wants to serve.
My application is to continue helping to serve meals.
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