added a couple links to the sidebar.

1. sarah’s website
2. my sister’s photo-website
3. link to zipped chords for praise

Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.

Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.”

When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”

“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”

Peter said to her, “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”

At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

so… Wow.

I’m not going to talk about how scary this story is. Or how I now think the early Christians may have followed God purely out of fear. What this story made me think about is something I won’t call fate, but looks, smells, sounds like fate.

Were the lives of this couple made solely to become an example to others?

I think about a man a couple stories early by the name of Judas. When he was born, God already knew that this was the man that would some day betray Jesus. Are people made to fail? The notoriously bad in history; the Hitlers, Saddams, Mussolinis… Think about history without their existences. Think about the present without them.

I’m sure it’s argued that Judas wasn’t created to betray Jesus. If he hadn’t done it, someone else would have. But God knew it would be Judas.

————–

His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

“… rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.” That’s so powerful. It makes me realize how weak I am.

It’s like asking God, let me suffer for You.

It was a while ago and I can’t recall who did the sermon. It was either Joey or Elliot. He was talking about how as Christians, we’ve become tame animals. We’ve lost our wildness and our urge to want more. We’re fed gourmet foods leaving us unable to feed ourselves.

On paper, it’s a beautiful thing. To be wild for God.

But to suffer? To escape from my safety bubble? That’s terrifying.

….

Let me want to fear You. Want to be wild for You.

Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.

For so long, I’ve complained about my lack of a spiritual life. Blaming other things, I made excuses for it, but it’s time for me to stop making those excuses and look inside myself, find God in myself.

To have the amount of confidence that Peter has is incredible. How embarrassing it would’ve looked if the beggar could not walk, but Peter had no doubt. God says if I have faith, I can move mountains.

I hope to someday be confident enough to say…
Yes, God exists.
Yes, I am a Christian.
Yes, I’m Adventist.

Walk.

1.
It seems the one thing anyone can do to get another person riled up while talking online is to write a few sentences with the capslock on. for reason, this seems to infuriate people. even when i look at it, i think… why are you yelling at me? but really. what about the caps lock makes me think the other person is yelling? when i read, the little voice in my head is fairly calm. when i see something in caps, the voice raises.

2.
Gym mirrors are magical. Some how, it can make my face and body look skinnier but my muscles bigger. Even my hair looks more attractive. I come home, look through my home mirror and I think to myself… I need to go to the gym.

3.
I tend to be swayed fairly easily by the people I’m around.

Ex 1. (walking with person a)
Person A: I hate (person b)
Me: Yah, I suppose. I find it annoying when (person B) does this.

Ex 2. (walking with person c)
Person C: (person b) is great!
Me. Yah, I suppose. I like it when (person B) does this.

I need to hang out with more C’s.

4.
I think I’m going to go to a Clippers game on the 13th. I may need someone to come with me.

5.
The ever-nearing Valentine’s Day is beginning to exhaustedly consume my congested mind.

misc.
check out my sister’s site (link)