harmless? bananas!

don't just wish
practical faith is wot we are talking about. its not just the ethereal conciousness that sometimes reveals itself. its not the stuff dreams are made of, not just the holy hocus pocus. because how many times have we wished to hold something tangible in our hands, how often do we long to please God?

the pastor today mentioned something about saying you would die for God. but when the barrel of that gun is actually staring you down into your mind's eye, will you choose God over death? in that split second, will all the justifications of eternal life after death and never being seperated from the father's love actually forget itself as one desperately holds on to his or her own life?

"whoever tries to save his own life will lose it. but whoever loses his life for me shall have eternal life."

wow, when push comes to shove "faith without works is dead".

today i've had my fair share of trials. as i was chirpily driving to church this morning, a car swerved into my lane and almost took me out. i had to react by taking the lane next to me and thank God that there was no car in that lane, if not i might not be here typing this out.

but you know how it is when people have a grivience against you, and man.. it sucked. i sooooo wanted to drive up to this guy, show him the finger and basically just show him who the boss was.

just glad i didn't. for somehow, that isn't the way that a child of God would react, to go up to someone, dish out his/her own brand of justice and then.. go to church, praying to God and praying for the nations to be saved.

oh.. it does not get anymore hypocritical than that sometimes. and by feeling that much anger in my heart, i already knew that i had committed murder in my heart.

which was why it was such a blessing, to go to church, and share with folks that i wasn't feeling alright at all. to have them pray for me, and asking God to release forgiveness into the hearts of both that driver and me.

and as i was driving to church, i realised also that the car was following me, and immediately i suspected he was a member of our church. which made it even harder to go into church feeling the way i felt.

and God teaches a practical faith, of not taking matters into your own hands without first going thru him. and it was just such a tug-of-war, between seeking forgiveness and actually just letting it slide by. but the conviction was strong, to seek out that person, and act that faith out. to not let God's lessons just be some story you hear, some piece of good advice that never gets acted upon.

and so, we talked, and by God's grace, it was surprisingly calm, and easy. no one was angry with anyone, and we both apologised, for something we don't even know if we could be angry with. because God hands out forgiveness to all, when you seek it.

and so my friends, we're called to really put this faith into action, to be real christians and not a bunch of hypocrites. to be different from this world, and the opinion they form of us. because in Christ alone, we place our trust, and find our glory in the power of the cross.

and lastly, much love goes out to napkin man who flies off to Toronto tomorrow, to experience a new life. my dude and my brother, i am praying for you, and that God will grant you journey mercies and much wisdom and friendship in a strange new land. tkae care bro! trust in our Lord!