Sufficiency

So I must say that the past 24 hours have been rather eventful and I have had a lot to think about. Sometimes we make decisions that do not have an immediate affect on us but soon enough will show what is really going on. We tend to find distractions that keep our mind off of things we do not want to think about I know that I tend to get carried away sometimes. I let my emotions get the best of me without thinking about the repercussions of what I am doing at the time. It is not that I am looking for love in the wrong places or I am just looking for a fix, but it is just that sometimes its easy to take something that is accessible and run with it even when you know that there is a good chance that nothing will ever result from it. I have found in recent months that God is sufficient for me and he has everything I need, I am still trying to hold on to that everyday and to make it evident that he is working in me and that I am living for him. I am not doing it for a pat on the back or for people to see that I am a good person, but I am doing it for myself and so that God can use me to reach others out there so that they do not have to be lost in such a broken world in which people look in all the wrong places for fulfillment as well as solutions to their problems. God is sufficient for all of our needs because he has the power over everything and has given us the freedom to obtain grace as well as everything else he has set before us. There are no limits to God, he is the only one who is infinite in his might, knowledge, power, and love. God is everything we could ever hope to be but are never able to become because we are all sinners and he is pure and blameless. We can never understand everything about God because he is that great, but what we know about him and what we can learn through his word is enough because of his sufficiency.

By doing everything we have been commanded, we can enter into his presence with thanksgiving and with a pure heart because he has provided grace and wisdom to us. We see in Psalm 37:4-7, "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes." What I get from this is that as we find happiness in the Lord and give back to him, he will give us everything we want. If we want to be happily married, he will bring someone along that will be sufficient and perfect for us but we must be patient and not push for things to be done on our time. When we force things and look to find solutions on our own, we start to become last and wonder why things are not playing out as we thought they would. The reason is that God can only do so much to influence us and if we feel the need to star from his plan, then we will find that we do not believe that he is sufficient. What I am saying is that if I do not practice the things I say on here, then I am saying that the Lord is not sufficient for me and I am not really following what he has planned for me as I move forward. It is a refusal to accept what he has because my way is better and more convenient. Nowhere in God's word does he say that things will be convenient, but he does talk a lot about sacrifice and things being worth it in the end. When we feel like we are have to give up time on earth because of things we "have" to do for him, then we are not being servants and we are just going through the motions. It shows great strength and integrity to attack the desires of this world and to overcome anything that might hinder us because it shows that no matter what the circumstances, we can stand firmly upon his word. The benefits of our choices are going to be so much greater if we stand by the word and do not give up. I made some decisions last night that were not bad or over the top but I definitely could have been more reserved in what I was doing. I struggle just as everyone else and I hope that you will continue to pray for me and to trust that God is going to use me in spectacular ways.

I am continuing to pray for all of you and I am working at standing strong. Being in the word is definitely a benefit to me and is keeping me going. I am encouraged by those around me and I am held in check by the power of the Spirit when I get into situations that are tough. He is watching over me for sure and I know he cares for me and he keeps me going everyday, nothing else. If you need anything, you know what to do, feel free to contact me any time and do not be afraid to jump in.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Free Children

It was rather funny today as I sat in the union waiting to meet a friend for a bible study, a lady came in and sat down where we were going to meet and I did not want to bother her. She began reading a book so I figured when my friend showed up, we would just go elsewhere since it was a public place and it would be rather rude to ask her to leave. Well we got to talking and I opened my bible and just as I started flipping she asked "Looking up some scripture huh?" which I responded that we were doing a bible study through Romans and so I was just turning there. Turns out this lady brought some students from a high school in the state to look at the school and she was a Christian. She asked if she could join in and we had a nice little discussion over Romans 3. I talked to her about Ravi Zacharias and she mentioned that she listens to him on the radio all the time and was bummed she had not heard about his visit to KSU. She also said she would be seeing Dave Roever this Sunday night in a nearby city, but Dave will also be at the church I attend Sunday morning so it was a coincidence that she said they were going to go see him in the evening. One thing she said she has realized over the years is that people do not really understand that the Christian walk is initiated by the grace of God and the relationship we have with him. She stated a somewhat known fact that most people who are going to be saved are saved before the age of 14 or so. People need to realize that kids can make a choice and it all starts with what we teach them and how they are raised.

I know of a section in Galatians that addresses this matter though not directly talking about children but the church as a whole, we see in Chapter 4 verses 28-31, "Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. But what does the Scripture say? 'Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son. Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman." This shows us that even though we are persecuted for our beliefs, it is okay and it will continue, therefore, we cannot be discouraged. It is imperative that as sons and daughters of the spirit, we need to hold fast to the grace that we have been given and we need to seek the guidance of those who are free as well as the Lord so that we can prosper. We need to children at a young age that they are born by the power of the Spirit that they are free and they have a choice to grow up and become who they want to be. Christ will lead them and take them to places that they could never even imagine as long as they hold to the foundation that they were given. Life does not have to suck as some people put it and we do not always have to be down because in Christ, he lifts us up and provides for us so that we can continue to do his work. We should not be worried about those of the slave woman's son or those or are non-believers because the one thing they cannot take from us is our salvation and faith. If we hold firmly to the faith we profess then nothing can come against us and no weapon shall prosper. God just works in great ways like that and he opens up so many doors for us. Just like in the union today, we could have moved and not done a thing or we could take a chance and make a new friend who would be encouraged by what we are doing. Remember how I said that people are watching? Well it is true and we need to make sure that we are doing everything in the name of the Lord and for his glory so that we do not miss an opportunity.

I hope you all had a great Friday and are continuing to just take one day at a time. God is still moving and he is still teaching me, please be praying for me and I will be praying for you. Keep seeking him in all his glory and do not ever give up.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Response

Over the last few weeks I have had to make some decisions and I have had to trust God in where he is leading me and with everyday I become more sure of what he has for me and where I am going. God brings people to us so that we can be reassured as well as grow through what others see in us and not just what we see ourselves doing. God uses people to confirm to us certain things and it is amazing how much he works even when we do not see what is going on. Sometimes it takes us a while to reach that potential and we stumble and fall every so often in our attempt to achieve the highest prize. The only thing we can do is move past what is not beneficial to us and keep pressing on because one day we will get past the rough stages as long as we persevere and strive to make changes everyday. Change takes time and work and it is our job to ensure that we make the changes in our lives and in our world. No one else can make the changes in our lives for us, we have to make a conscious decision to get better and to make things better with the help of God. We have support because we cannot do it on our own and God will answer when we ask him for things but we have to remember that it is done on his timing, not ours. I know this is hard to deal with but when we let him take care of things, all of our struggles are washed away and he works in us.

David is a man who struggled in many areas of life at many different times and there were times when we wondered if he would ever figure it out. David faced so much adversity in life and made many mistakes but he still held to God in the end. I do not know exactly who wrote Psalm 66 but in verses 16-20, we see a man seeking God wholeheartedly and I think this is great for all who are struggling and even if you are not, it is very uplifting to see what type of praise is given to God in times of need. The verses state, "Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin with my heard, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!" This verse brings to mind a question that a student had for Ravi the other night and he asked "You talk about this love that God has but why can I not find this fulfillment of love among my fellow people on this earth"  The truth is that God's love is unique and it is never failing but the love of this earth will fade and will be non-existent at times. In Christ, he will love us forever no matter what, he has an unfailing love that is sufficient for all and he will respond when you call on his name. On earth, even people that love us might not always be there for us or they will go through a time when they treat us as if they do not love us. With God, he always answers and never stops loving us because he is a loving and caring God that cherishes his creation and loves his creation with compassion and grace. God will never turn a deaf ear to you because he is always watching and listening but sometimes it just takes time for him to respond and he is sometimes just teaching us patience and perseverance. I struggle with this sometimes and wonder why but really it comes down to continuing to gain full understanding of all that we have in Christ and taking ahold of the things which we have already been given.

Today was tough, still struggling, still battling to get over the top of the hill and love God 100% of the time but I am progressing and I am not going to give up. Never give up on the ones you love because if you love them, then you will always wonder why you let them go. Keep praying for me as I am praying for you and if you need prayer about anything specific, please ask and I will make sure to keep you in my prayers.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Draw the Line

So this post is not intended to scare anyone or make people think that the end is here but Ravi made some statements last night that have pretty compelling evidence that the end times are near. Ravi has heard that a man who has gone around the world denouncing Christ is coming to America this fall and he is going to unbaptize people. Sounds pretty crazy if you ask me but if people come forward, they are blotting their name out of the book of life and essentially saying that they want no part in Christ. This is because being baptized is a formal confession of Christ in your life and saying that you have died to your self and have risen in a new form as a follower of him. Personally I think that the idea of unbaptizing people is absolutely absurd and it would be crazy for anyone to even think about going through with something like this. Then I thought about how things would be in the last days and how people will be coerced into turning from God because they have not rooted themselves in their beliefs and they have not pursued the type of relationship they need with him in order to sustain what they have. Our world is going to experience things they have never experienced and things will get worse before they get better. This is why we need to prepare and denounce things such as unbaptizing people because the wrath of God will be soon to follow at this rate.

You may wonder where I am getting these ideas and wonder if I am just saying that this unbaptization is bad because obviously it means that people are turning away from God. We see in Revelation 13 in the section titled, "The Beast out of the Earth" that the beast will deceive the people of the earth and he will give the first beast the power to kill all those who do not worship his image. Then it goes on to talk about the mark of the beast which is man's number 666. Without this mark, people will be unable to do simple things such as buying groceries unless they have the mark. I believe that this unbaptizing process is just the beginning of the deception that people are going to be subject too and it is all leading to the eventual rapture and then the appearance of the beast and the creation of the mark. In the previous section, "The Beast out of the sea, there is a message given to those who are still here and have turned to the Lord. In Chapter 13 verse 9, it is stated, "He who has an ear, let him hear. If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints." Times are growing dark and the future looks rather grim but now is not the time to panic for the Kingdom of heaven is near, for now is the time that we should do all that we can and stand up for Christ because the people need us now more than ever. People are going to make choices one way or the other that affect them for the rest of eternity. We do not know the day or the hour but all things point to the sky as we should always be watching and listening to the guidance of God so that we can stand firm. We must take action for sitting around is not going to get anything done, we must work collectively to get things done.

I hope everyone is doing awesome and I hope that you have all had a great day. I am excited for what God is doing and am anxious to see where he is going to move next. One day at a time though as we are never promised tomorrow. Cling to the hope that is Christ and never lose hope. I am continuing to pray for you and hope that all is well in your lives.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Outreach

Tonight was one of the most encouraging and uplifting nights I have ever had in my life. On top of all the worldly highs I have had, this one hit home for my soul. Ravi Zacharias very subtly brought the house down on the K-State Student Union tonight by mixing logic with philosophy and being lead by the Spirit. There is no doubt in my mind that I could sit for hours or possibly even days and never lose sight of his thinking. He thinks on a level far above what many of us think and what many of the people in our world think. I heard countless people say that he got them thinking in a way in which they hardly ever think. It is almost as if trying to think on the highest intellectual level possible is no longer valid. If we do not accept others and the way they think, then we are labeled as arrogant and selfish in regards to our beliefs. The problem is that when you have evidence that strongly supports an idea and it is believed to be absolute truth then why not run with it? The only way that our nation and our world will turn back to God is if we get them thinking critically again on all aspects of life. We can no longer accept the fact that people are going to just do as they are told and think like robots because it eliminates diversity in our world and teaches people that they must conform to the world and it's ways of thinking in order to get by. We should be embracing the idea that people could formulate thinking that is supported by facts and logic instead of thinking that is just widely accepted because it is labeled as "correct".  Ravi stimulates the minds of people so that they will not just go away from this and think they are stupid or that they are wrong. but that they will search for answers that are true and they will research their beliefs so as to find the absolute truth and the one thing that fills the hole that so many people have.

Ravi's Ministry is not to be motivational or to tell people they are sinners and they need to repent, but it is more that he is telling people that there is hope and there are answers and if you find God then we can talk about you getting your life turned around but the first step is to believe that he not only exists but that he is the Christ and he is the Savior. 2nd Corinthians 4:1-6 states, "Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly, we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." Ravi uses the Bible and his philosophy to formulate truth that is understandable and that people can relate to. He does not distort the truth but rather tells the truth as it is rather than making it something that everyone wants to hear. Now you might say that people would want to always hear the truth but in reality, people only want to hear the truth when it is what they want to hear. Hence the reason why we have things that are politically correct and people who only think that what they believe is true with no foundation or support that can verify and provide validity to their ideas and thinking. Outreach is definitely something that needs to be done and it can be done in a variety of ways, there is the way in which Ravi does it through proving the existence of God, and there is preaching the gospel straight up and inviting them into a relationship with him. There are other outreach opportunities and whatnot but these are the major groups that can be broken down into other activities and ideas to achieve these goals. One thing that caught my attention tonight is when it was stated that it is not that people do not see the light, they just are afraid to become a part of it, verse 5 states, "Let light shine out of darkness," and that will hold true until the day of redemption because we will change lives and we will pull people from Satan's reach because God is all powerful, all mighty, he is faithful, loving, and compassionate.

I believe that outreach is an important tool because it not only gets other people thinking but it stimulates us to use our knowledge in Christ and allows us to utilize who we are in him so that we can grow in understanding and faith by seeing that he does help us and gives us words to speak when we are talking to others because he cannot be defeated.

I hope you all had a great day, i had a very busy one and am ready for rest but I am truly blessed to have been a part of this great event that took place here at KSU. I am praying for all of you and I hope you continue to pray for me. Please feel free to ask if you need prayer and I will make sure to pray for you specifically. Keep seeking his glory and keep fighting the good fight.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Restoration

This morning I got up and was thinking about when I could spend time with God because I knew I was going to have a busy day filled with homework and with studying for my test tonight as well as the fact that I have a basketball game tonight. I figured I could do it before bed but that just would not have been good enough for me because I need to spend time with him before the evening. I prayed before I got in the shower and just asked him to guide me through the day and let him know that I would be seeking him and I would find time for him. Surely enough, he has given me a good day and I have had plenty of time to do everything and when I finish this, I will have even more time to study for my test. His promise that he will take care of us never fails and even though it seems as if things never look good, sometimes we are just being tested to see just how far our faith takes us. Sometimes God has to make sure we are in for the long haul and not just when times are good. It is the same way in relationships but I will not go into detail about that. All that needs to be said is that when things get bad, it is helpful to remember that things are not always easy but if you stick it out and work to make it better, good things can happen and it will be worth it. This seems like a recurring theme in my posts but I think it is something that a lot of people struggle with (myself included) and we need to remind ourselves of it daily. God will not leave us in pieces because we do not do well when we are in pieces, he will hold us together and help us stand strong when everything appears to have shattered.  If it seems like there is no hope and you have not been living your life for him, there is probably a correlation as he is calling you back. It will take you showing that you have faith and that he can trust you in order for that to be restored and for him to be able to pour his blessing on you.

We see an example of people who turned from God because they lost hope and wondered if he was even there for them at all. God decided to show them that he was still there and that he was going to watch over them as long as they stayed true to him. This is seen when the Israelites were in the desert in Numbers 21:5-9 and it states, "They spoke against God and against Moses, and said, 'Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!' Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, 'We have sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.' So Moses prayed for the people. The Lord said to Moses, ' Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live' So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived." God is a loving God who cares for us but he cannot stand sin and he pours his wrath on those who deny him. Some people believe respect is earned, not given and most people want to know why God demands respect; however, it is not so much that he demands our respect, he has already earned it through creating us, providing for us, and sending his only son to die for us. God shows us here that even when he pours his wrath out, there are times when we have a chance to return to him. A good portion of the time I am willing to bet that we are not going to be so lucky but when God has a plan for you, he tries to make you see it, even if it means having to pound it through our thick skulls. God restores our faith and our souls in ways that we would never think of because we think they are too harsh or they are unjust but just as the thief on the cross, we only deserve eternal death but because of the atonement, we have new life if we choose to accept it so any other punishments we receive are rather mild in my opinion. God takes care of us and he watches over us, leading us so that we can prosper and not fall.

I hope you all had an amazing day and are continuing to seek the Lord. It is hard to believe that it is already March, it seems as if time is going by very fast. Life is short so do not waste it. Keeping giving your all and pursuing what God has for you. I am still praying for all of you and I hope you are praying for me.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Something out of Nothing

I have been thinking recently about where I was last october and where I am today with my walk in Christ and I can say that things have changed drastically. I sometimes feel like I am going through the motions still even when I read my daily bread but I find that when I go deeper and find more meaning then I feel fulfilled and know that I have reached a connection with God which is what he is looking for. Sometimes I get focused on the technicalities of spending time with God but I need to stay focused on actually getting to know him and growing through talking to him just as I do with my other friends. I feel as though I think I have done what I need to do just by reading my Bible but it is so much more than that, it is meeting him and spending time in worship with him and telling him how great he is. Just as you do when you are holding the one you love in your arms.  The thing I think we do not realize is that sometimes we forget that he is holding us at the same time and telling us that he cares for us and he has it all under control. He tells us that he loves us and wants to spend time with us but sometimes we put him on hold because other people take a higher priority. I have learned so much in recent months and I know I need to do more to share what he has been doing to to actually utilize the tools he has given me as a result of me seeking him. I say it a lot but he works in mysterious ways and we need to recognize him and follow his lead.

I was thinking about how I was able to answer the call to achieve the status this blog has achieved and where I was in even thinking about God everyday when I was not at church. God has literally built my relationship with him from the ground up because there was nothing there last year. My days tend to go more smoothly, my worries are few, I tend to be happy more often. He has made so much out of nothing and even though I am still learning and battling through my struggles, progress has been made and I will not let Satan bring me down. We see in Genesis 1:7 one of the most amazing things (besides the creation of the whole earth) to take place in history. The verse states, "The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being." This is essentially what God has done in me in a Spiritual sense, I have not only put off the old self but something new was created and he has given me a new passion in him. The next time you doubt if God can do something, think of the beginning and his awesome power. He made one of the most complex things (a human) from the dust of the Earth because HE is THAT great. If you wonder what God can do with you, think of the dirt and what God made of it, you might think that you are the tiniest thing in the universe (which is far from true) but God CAN and will use you if you let him and he has the power to make you one of the greatest people this Earth has ever known. Do not let Satan get the best of you and do not let him think he is superior to God. He is at the opposite end of the spectrum and deserves nothing except for the punishment that will be imposed on him in the end. Continue to embrace who you are and let God transform you in every single way possible. 

I continue to pray for all of you and I hope you all had a great day. The Spirit of God is moving daily and he is stirring up the hearts of many for something great. Do not lose hope, do not lose hope, and do not ever give up on him. Seek him with all that you are and all that you have. Please continue to pray for me.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson