All I Have is Christ - A song about Jesus

A song that reminds and forces me to consider how precious Jesus is and that in the ultimate scheme of things He is all I really have that is of any true worth.

I once was lost in darkest night
Yet thought I knew the way
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave
I had no hope that You would own
A rebel to Your will
And if You had not loved me first
I would refuse You still

But as I ran my hell-bound race
Indifferent to the cost
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross
And I beheld God’s love displayed
You suffered in my place
You bore the wrath reserved for me
Now all I know is grace

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life

Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone
And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands
Could never come from me
Oh Father, use my ransomed life
In any way You choose
And let my song forever be
My only boast is You

The genuineness of Jesus, Crying with His friends.

This is the true story of how Jesus relates and agrees how we feel about death and the effects of it by mourning with his friends who recently lost their friend from death.



John 11:13-38

13Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep. 14So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him.” 16Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”

17So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. 18Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off; 19and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother. 20Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed at the house. 21Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22“Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” 23Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.”

28When she had said this, she went away and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29And when she heard it, she got up quickly and was coming to Him.

30Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met Him. 31Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and consoling her, when they saw that Mary got up quickly and went out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, 34and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” 35Jesus wept. 36So the Jews were saying, “See how He loved him!” 37But some of them said, “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have kept this man also from dying?”

38So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.

Ultimately as verse 14 states, "so that you may believe" Jesus really want His friends like the disciples to see and believe who He is. Hes not simply a man, but The God-man. Not a peasant, but the King of Kings. Not simply a wise guy, but the Creator of the universe. A lot of His time was spent showing them this through conversation, miracles, and personal acts towards them like washing their feet out of a deep selfless love.

Jesus did have friends like we do. The creator of the universe did and wants human friends. In this story Lazarus, a deep friend of Jesus, falls deeply ill. Jesus who was capable of healing him even in distant location didnt. Allowed him to die. Was this cruel of Jesus? I dont think this is the right question to ask in this situation. Ill explain.

Does Lazarus deserve to live? I think thats the better question. The bible tells we dont deserve life at all, but actually the opposite (Romans 6:23). Death. Because of who we are, what we are about, and what we are asking from God. Were asking for separation from God, because we dont want God. Which has to mean death.

So I dont think it was cruel of Jesus, but actually a means to show love and grace to people who deserve death. I will show you why, hopefully you already read through the story by now to know what I am talking about. Lets zoom into a conversation once Jesus arrives to be with the people who are mourning over Lazarus.


21Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22“Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” 23Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.”

Martha was a great friend of Jesus as in this chapter makes clear to us. Pump that into your mind as we step into this. Hes not talking to a stranger or someone He doesnt know. But a close friend. They both knew and loved Lazarus. Through this conversation between Jesus and Martha we see a few issues being addressed.

Martha knew some what Jesus was capable of doing. She knew that If Jesus asked God for healing, God would heal Lazarus. But, Jesus really wants to teach her more about who He is. The fuller extent. He wanted her to have a proper view of eternal things. So He focused on telling her that He is the source of Living after death. Physical Death cannot be avoided, but Spiritual Death can be through the power Jesus gives freely by belief and trust. This reality Jesus feels is far more important to communicate compared to healing Lazarus' sickness.

Jesus ends the conversation by asking Martha if she believes that Jesus is the special Savior from God who was sent by God on a mission to save mankind from Spiritual Death. Martha admits her belief publicly even though Jesus allowed Lazarus to physically die, She knows that Jesus can stop people like herself Spiritual Death.

Afterward Jesus wants to see the tomb with these friends. To experience and remember their friend. To comfort and console one another over this issue. What a crazy picture here. Jesus sees them crying and it moves him as well. The God-man connected and related with their sorrow, for He himself knew, loved, and missed Lazarus as well.

Jesus weeps. With them, to join them, to agree with them, to be in community and connection with them, to connect completely with what just happened to Lazarus, to show his love for Lazarus he weeps. Some may say, Whats the big deal? Hes just crying. Jesus could even look weak maturely. What is so special about it?

I think a lot of things is special about this. One this shows God didnt come to earth to serve himself, but to serve us. He didnt have to cry, he didnt deserve to look weaker with his friends, He didnt deserve to become friends with peasants, He didnt deserve to care so much for a person enough to cry over their death, but He wanted to. He wants to connect and relate with mankind for their sake and benefit.

Although Jesus was completely God, he laid aside the deserving-service position of God on earth, acting like a servant of humans rather than the King of the Universe who should get human-service. Not that He lost the ability of being God, but the external benefits that naturally come from it.

It shows that Jesus isnt fake. Hes a real relational person. Just like God is a real relational person. He has feelings, He can be offended or hurt him just like we can. He can communicate, He can respond, He thinks. I feel like sometimes we believe He is some disconnected and impersonal being when He isnt at all.

It shows that Jesus can relate with the struggles, experiences, and problems of human life. He became a human to experience, connect, and relate with us. So He has friends, experienced friends dying, and had parents. He experienced rejection from people and abuse. He experienced poverty. He experienced an oppressive government and taxes. He experienced our most hated experiences in life. This gives Jesus such a footstool into our lives as we approach him seeking after help in our life experiences because He himself literally experienced them all.

Some commented on his ability to miraculously heal Lazarus, but His focus was on the death of Lazarus and the friends who were mourning. Later we know Jesus rose Lazarus from the dead. One of the most incredible miracles Jesus performs. Showing He was definitely capable of not only reversing sickness, but death.

So when you think about Jesus consider how genuine He is. He experienced what we experience, He relates with it, He cares about people, He emotionally connects to death, He sees the big problem sin creates, and He later did everything out of His power to reverse the problem of sin. On the cross He defeats Spiritual Death for those who believe and trust in Him to be the one who came for them. Will you pursue this great, worthy, and Genuine Jesus who cries with His friends over the effects of sin. Man I want to with everything in me.

Romans 12:1-2 Reflecting on Spiritual Sacrificing and Transformation

Paul begins by giving us a positive to do. Sacrifice our bodies to God in worship. Lets find out what this means.

It seems that we are completely Spiritual Beings. We treat things as eternal things. another way to put it is everyday we worship, maybe even every second. Whenever we give our body to things, we are committing in one way or another worship. As Romans 1 tells us, we either worship God or worship what God made. Paul urges the Romans to sacrifice their body to God. Not to immediately die, but a sacrifice that lives, A "living sacrifice". Not simply to do it, but in light that God is a merciful God who will actually accept our sacrifice. If he would not accept our sacrifice to him, their would seem to be no good result for us. Even though God deserves it.

Anyway. What is a sacrifice? I guess we have to go back to the Old Testament where sacrificing was a common and essential practice. Sacrificing meant giving up a living animal to be killed for the sake of a sinful human for God. God wanted blood for offending Him, instead of punishing the human, the innocent animal was killed. This is a foreshadowing of what Jesus was going to fulfill. Our sin could not be satisfied on a small animal, because it was too big a deal for God. We needed an eternal and forever valuable sacrifice for our messed up state. Jesus the God-man came to be our sacrifice. Lived and late Died for our sin so God could give us mercy. Because of this we should sacrifice ourselves alive on Earth. Because we have mercy and a future promise to live forever with God, we should worship with our bodies on Earth to God. This living sacrificing is "holy" and "pleasing" to God. God is pumped about it, it is special to Him. He gets excited about it. Its what He has wanted all along. People who would declare in their life "God is the most precious being to me and not what things on earth offer me." Sacrifice is generally the way we worship. We sacrifice time to gain something, we sacrifice comfort, we sacrifice our money, and in the end we sacrifice our life. The object to whom this sacrifice goes is God. The temptation would be something to sacrifice to something other than God. It is a willing sacrifice, not a hesitant and unhappy sacrifice to our merciful God. But a happy one. Knowing the one who is most valuable and precious should gain our complete self in service and worship.

sacrifice is spiritual worship. It is an act. It is not simply a Sunday thing, but a daily, hourly, and minutely thing. God wants our whole life in sacrifice toward Him in worship.

After giving something positive to do, Spiritual Sacrifice to God. Paul gives a negative thing to stop doing. Stop conforming to the pattern of this world. Lets look at what this means.

Stop conforming to the pattern of this world. Well its not another world, its the one were in. This text assumes that the world and its teaching is giving Advertisements to us to think, live, and act a certain way. That we should reject what it conforms to. What does the world conform to? If bodily sacrifice is what God wants because it worships God, thank anything else that doesnt worship God is what the world conforms to. So when we notice we aren't worshiping God, how can we tell were doing that?

What is our mind consumed with? What is our time consumed with? What is our efforts consumed with? What is our conversation consumed with? I think the answer to these questions will quickly expose world-conformed worship or God-conformed worship.

How do we react to this tendency to conform to this world? How do we combat that so we can be God-worshiping instead of world-worshiping. Paul continues and tells us a positive thing to do to combat and stop doing the negative conforming to the pattern of this world. This is to be transformed by renewing our mind.

The sad news Paul is telling us is this, is that we are on a negative trajectory. We are on the normal direction to love, think, and act as world-worshipers. To continue moving in that direction, that we cant simple change behavior and thinking on our own.

We need to be changed from an external source to begin and continue in God-worshiping. Now lets see how this can happen to us. This transformation happens from a new mind. A new way of thinking. How do we change our thinking?

Well we need someone to change our mind, a mind that is not our own. Maybe a Christian. But less trustfulness for this source, knowing all people are on this negative trajectory.

What about God, how can we gain the way that God sees everything which is the way we want to go. Well God wrote a book, the Bible. If we can get that into our brains and change our thinking, I think that could be a sufficient source for a renewed mind that Paul is wanting to accomplish.

When our minds are renewed or transformed. Then some spiritual benefits come from it. Were now able to test and filter in our life what things are God-worship and what is world-worship. Or as the text says, "What God's will is". Similar thinking. What God wills is God-worship. So the renewing of the mind helps us fight against world-worshiping or world-conforming so that we can sacrifice our bodies to God in God-worship. This is what God wants. What God wants is described as good, pleasurable, and perfect. In other words; It is a good thing, it should completely satisfy us, and there is no flaws in it.

So lets fight to stop world-worship and pursue violently God-worshiping.

Romans 10:13-15 God redeems sinful men. The cry to ourselves and our NonChristian friends.

Explanation and Meditation on Romans 10:13-15

Reversal Thinking. Seeing the end we want, what is the process to create the end we want, which is rescued and happy souls in the help and comfort of Jesus as their Savior and King. We want people to become Christians. But, through a practical sense that we are involved in, how?

People calling on Jesus is the most obvious way to tell if someone becomes and is a Christian. Not just saying their name like I would call someone off at a distance, but begging Jesus for spiritual and complete help of their complete helplessness and evilness. This happens by God works on the person (Joel 2:32), but is shown by them externally responding from God’s work by calling for help and trusting in Jesus.

NonChristians practically cannot call on Jesus for help and trust if they dont believe in Him as such a being. Or even believe that they are in need of a being like that, that He needs to save them because of their evil state, give them life, and direction. Believing their need for divine help and Jesus divinity and capability to help leads them to call on Him for help and trust. It is an informative message that is usually taken as an opinionated message. But by all means let us help this gospel change the minds of men from opinion of Jesus to the truth about Jesus.

NonChristians cannot believe in something they have never heard of from anyone. Growing up as a child, your parents had to tell you about Santa Claus before you would ever dream to believe in such a fantasy is the same with the true reality of the eternal God who made us and Jesus who He sent to save mankind. NonChristians must be told and compelled by Christians about the realities of their vileness and Jesus’ preciousness before the thought to believe could ever be considered. This should push all Christians to hunger to tell their unbelieved friends of the gospel. The gospel in which presents what they could believe to become a Christian. Not only presenting it once, but speaking countless times so that they may be almost forced to consider it for themselves without passing it off sheepishly like an old piece of toilet paper, but as a lost gem that was recently, joyfully, and surprisingly found.

For a NonChristian to hear from someone what they can believe about this, someone must be logically sent tell to them. Although Moses was spoken to by a bush caught on fire and not people, but indirectly by God. He is calling now the means of people for this indirect assistance to create Jesus-worship out of people who would never want to in a million years. God is directly responsible, but asks our humble and happy obedience to aid in changing people forever. This is one of the most exciting, opportune, and serious times to be a messenger of the most High God. With words speak of His excellency and of man’s frailness. Our broken and disobedient purpose and His justice and wrath towards man’s evil. Our incapability to make us right and forgiven for our sin, but God’s rich grace and mercy to punish Jesus for their sake to make men look as if the righteousness of God. To bring undeserved men from the dominion of satan to God’s kingdom and family. What a gift that no Christmas or Friend could give! God grants us this gift to speak and convince other men on this earth for such a temporary time. To be the person who is sent to tell others about this majestic message is to be beautiful themselves. This message is the most freeing and powerful message ever. Let us approach our conversations with this in mind. Praying and Laboring to put this message into our friends so that God might make them Christians which should be our end desire. If we dont share this message with others, then we really dont want our friends to be Christians, for Paul has given us this quite easily-rooted explanation. So then test your hearts, your actions and find the deep-hearted sin that has caused this evil thought to penetrate your heart and then be freed from the gospel that saves you from this sin and the gospel that is very able to save your friends.

Joy to the World, Jesus has come.

Let the words and reality of this song about Jesus push us to worship Him as we cherish the reason he came. Just like a soldier sent on a mission, Jesus was sent here via God the Father for a mission, saving, internally changing, and securing humans to glorify, worship, and magnify a glorious God they never wanted. (John 3:16-20)










Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

God-centered relationships: Learning from Jonathan and David

God-centered relationships: Learning from Jonathan and David





Jonathan and David's relationship is known as one of those "golden rule" pictures. Everyone knows their relationship was great. We know that our relationships with our friends at many times aren't great with negative conflicts, accusations, reconciliation problems, assumptions, trust issues, miss-communication, and the like.

This article aims to help us see and pick apart principles Jonathan and David did in their relationship that promoted the pursuit to obey God more and to use these principles to live out for God’s glory. This article’s focus is on our close Christian friends.

Most of when we see David and Jonathan’s relationship in action is in the passages below. I encourage you to read them if you have time.
1 Samuel 18
1 Samuel 19
1 Samuel 20


Lets look at some pictures of their relationship and pick some of the principles within them that would characterize a godly relationship. Not only that, but also barriers and lies we believe that discourage from living like it. One principle I kept seeing a lot in their relationship was:

Giving ourselves and our things to our friends so they can be better equipped and encouraged to know and follow God. Not just taking from others like a leech which isnt a healthy relationship at all, but manipulative.

(1 Samuel 18:3-5) Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul.4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. 5 And David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.

Its interesting in verse 3, The writer describes Jonathan’s relationship with David as “he loved him as his own soul.” It wasn’t simply said that Jonathan loved him like that, his actions showed it. This was shown by giving up things so David could be better equipped to fight for God and His people. We see one small reason why David was successful, he was better equipped by Jonathan’s help.

This may not seem as a big deal, because Jonathan was the King’s son, so he was naturally richer and more well off that it would of been easier for Jonathan to give things away. But, here is a passage in 1 Samuel 13 that describes the greater extent of giving those things to David.

(1 Samuel 13:19-23) 19 Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, "Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears." 20But every one of the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, or his sickle, 21and the charge was two-thirds of a shekel for the plowshares and for the mattocks, and a third of a shekel for sharpening the axes and for setting the goads. 22So on the day of the battle there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan, but Saul and Jonathan his son had them. 23And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.

So according to this, Jonathan and Saul were the only ones in the nation of Israel to have the a strong sword, because the Philistines prevented them. It wasnt a common luxury to own a sword. So this is the very sword Jonathan gave up to David. His only sword. This was definitely a sacrifice for Jonathan.

Jonathan really was thinking as if he were David himself. David was to command and lead men into battle against the Philistines. He could just go into a battle with a sharpened stick, but it would be a lot more helpful and effective to fight with a real metal sword in battle. Jonathan knew this and gave up of his stuff to ensure David was more equipped to be more obedient to God in the place he was in. If you continue reading, David’s military life really pushed forward the promise God made concerning David that he would be king over Israel. Because of Jonathan’s love and giving for David, God’s agenda for Israel was pushed forward.

The gospel promotes and encourages the principle of giving up ourselves for the benefit of others.

(Matthew 20:26-28) “It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Jesus the source of our new life and joy, even He served and gave up himself so we could have eternal life with God forever and not death like we deserved and ask for. He saw our need to be rescued from our evil state and fulfilled the need himself, by being slaughtered instead of us. Jesus wants us to imitate this lifestyle with our relationships for His glory.

For us, what could this principle look like. I think helping our Christian friends with the four spiritual disciplines can help progress and equip a Christian. The four being: Evangelism, The Word, Fellowship, and Prayer. What could we give up and sacrifice so people could be better equipped? Time? Money? If they dont have a bible, could we buy one for them? This is very convicting to think about.

What about the gospel itself, how could we help ensure that our Christian friends are continuing to run to the gospel for their source of value, purpose, and identity? How can we give up ourselves and things to help this happen?

A second principle that David and Jonathan had in their relationship was this:

The passionate pursuit of spreading the greatness of God and His plan. Not spreading the greatness of ourselves and our plan, which sets us as god.

(1 Samuel 20:30-34) 30Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, "You son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness? 31For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Therefore send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die." 32Then Jonathan answered Saul his father, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?"33 But Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death. 34And Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, because his father had disgraced him.

For a little background on this passage, David is convinced that King Saul wants him dead, as he really does. Jonathan the son of Saul as a good friend is trying to figure out if this is true and why. The only thing that David has brought is good: Winning battles for Israel, helping Saul with calming music, love for God, and respect for Israel’s leadership. Usually there would be a good reason for a King to kill. Rather, Saul is jealous, immature, and wants David’s recognition himself, so he would rather murder David rather than give honor to God and David.

Jonathan risks his own life to ensure the safety of his friend David by confronting his dad about this. Saul is convinced that David through an imaginary popularity contest is against Saul and the kingdom of Israel. Now he thinks Jonathan joined David as well. So he tries to kill his own son at this point. Jonathan and David were both pursuing and working for spreading the greatness of God by being obedient to God and his kingdom. This was through relinquishes God’s enemies and establishing the rightful King that God planned. They were indirectly against in this example, Saul, who was pursuing to spread Saul’s greatness and his own plan. Saul fought to continue to be the king of Israel after God already promised another family would be king. Jonathan knew that God wanted David to be the king of Israel (see 1 Samuel 16:1-13) as did Saul, but Jonathan pursued to promote it so that God’s kingdom and plan would be advanced, even at the risk of his life and his relationship with his father.

The passage below shows us the jealousy that stirs up in the heart of Saul as David becomes more popular.

(1 Samuel 18:7-11)7And the women sang to one another as they celebrated,
"Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands." 8And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?"9And Saul eyed David from that day on.
10The next day a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand. 11And Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, "I will pin David to the wall." But David evaded him twice.

Saul so wanted for David to lose his popularity that he wanted David dead and even tried numerous times. This is what Saul wanted, it was his plan, “I will pin David to the wall.” He was playing the role of being god. Now to see how this relates with us.

This is our own tendency and constant temptation in life. We think that we deserve recognition for things we do and if someone has more then us, they should be replaced with us. Even for good things, like spiritual disciplines (word, prayer, evangelism, fellowship). We want more recognition for doing those things and creating popularity contests with other people in our minds and hearts. This is not God-centered, but man-centered worship.

(Galatians 6:14) May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

The way to counter this is to believe the cross and its truthfulness. We shouldnt see our recognition as supreme or something to boast in. But rather Jesus, who showed his greatness by dying for us and raising to give us his good record.

A last principle to focus on here:

Trusting our close friends through transparency, accountability, and doing what we promised for God’s glory.

(1Samuel 20:1-17) 1Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said before Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?" 2And he said to him, "Far from it! You shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me. And why should my father hide this from me? It is not so." 3But David vowed again, saying, "Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he thinks, 'Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.' But truly, as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death." 4Then Jonathan said to David, "Whatever you say, I will do for you." 5David said to Jonathan, "Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit at table with the king. But let me go, that I may hide myself in the field till the third day at evening. 6 If your father misses me at all, then say, 'David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the clan.' 7If he says, 'Good!' it will be well with your servant, but if he is angry, then know that harm is determined by him. 8Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the LORD with you. But if there is guilt in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?" 9And Jonathan said, "Far be it from you! If I knew that it was determined by my father that harm should come to you, would I not tell you?"10Then David said to Jonathan, "Who will tell me if your father answers you roughly?" 11And Jonathan said to David, "Come, let us go out into the field." So they both went out into the field.
12And Jonathan said to David, "The LORD, the God of Israel, be witness! When I have sounded out my father, about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if he is well disposed toward David, shall I not then send and disclose it to you? 13But should it please my father to do you harm, the LORD do so to Jonathan and more also if I do not disclose it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. May the LORD be with you, as he has been with my father. 14If I am still alive, show me the steadfast love of the LORD, that I may not die; 15 and do not cut off your steadfast love from my house forever, when the LORD cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth." 16And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, "May the LORD take vengeance on David’s enemies." 17And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

This is a longer portion, but I felt that the principles were throughout 1 Samuel 20. David and Jonathan communicates a lot about the issues with Saul. David is really honest with Jonathan, showing a fight for better trust. David says here that Saul is wrong to kill him, David will die if left unsettled, if David is guilty then Jonathan should kill him, and Saul is hiding all this from Jonathan. Jonathan could of not believed him, but really tested them later this chapter. He was a trustworthy and faithful friend, who literally saved his life. David also fulfilled a promise Jonathan asked, by not killing his family for what Saul did.

Now to look at how to live in light of this. When we think about our relationships with our close Christian friends, Trust is a must in a relationship. If there is no trust, how could we share about problems and shame in our life that could lead to repentance?

For accountability, do we care enough about spiritual lives to make steps to grow in obedience to God. To challenge ourselves and have our friends keep us to the challenge helps push foward ourselves with the help of others. Jonathan was willing to do anything to help David. Being willing to confront your friend for the sake of holiness is avoided many of times, usually because it will be hard. But, if we really love the person we will do it, because we want what is best for them. Jonathan confronted his dad for the sake of his friend David and God, this convinced Jonathan that David was right and so Jonathan continued to help him.

When we make a promise with our friends, we must fulfill it. Because, if we dont we are really separating the trust amongst friends.

(Titus 1:7-9) 7For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, 8but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy,and disciplined. 9He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

Disciplining and controlling ourselves is a great character trait to obtain, because its one of the requirements Paul wants to see in Christian leaders. So we should get our relationships to help us in it.

I hope and pray that these thoughts wont become a checklist or a “Oh no something more to do”, but a true desire to pursue these principles because we love Jesus, want to know Him more, and want to have relationships centered around Him.

New Zealand : Comments on a short term mission trip

What a place to be. I would never imagine ever to be in such a place. My eyes are never bored to say the least.

I am currently in new zealand for a short mission trip. It is 'short' (only 7 weeks). It is a 'trip' (we had to fly 17 hours). We are on a 'mission' to help people move forward in there relationship with a personal God. I am convinced that God has make it quite clear that He exists and that He desires to have a relationship with us through His Son that He sent. that is why I am in New Zealand.

I hope to give points that I think are sweet for short term mission trips.

Here are some real benefits I see from 'short mission trip' in general.

Helps develop a heart for world missions.
Humbles and pushes you to rely on Jesus
Puts you in uncomfortable situations
Its exciting
Its fun
Its new
Its sobering
Its challenging
Helps notice complaining tendencies more often
Help you see the gospel better
Helps appreciate what God has graciously given you
Helps you notice cultural norms that can be sinful or beneficial
Shows pride issues in your native country
Unites you more closely with the people your doing it with