Don't Fall

Sometimes when we stumble it is easier to just fall down and say we do not want to get back up. We figure that if we throw the towel in, we can just start over the next day and everything will go back to normal, not true, we must carry ourselves in our struggle just the same way that we do when things are going okay. We cannot hang our heads over the fact that we decided to be careless or give in, it is about so much more than that, its about overcoming in the face of sin and showing that the power of God in your life is stronger than anything else that could potentially have precedent. just because something is enticing does not mean that it is the best choice for you. Every time you back yourself into a corner, you have to ask God to dig you out before you convince yourself that you are in a situation you can handle. I think that the reason I sin is a result of me thinking that there is nothing wrong with it, I just get caught up in what is going on rather than what is going to happen as a result. I wish there were no sin because it would make things easier but I can make things easier myself by just simply following the rules that have been laid out before me. I know that nothing is being withheld from me when it comes to living life to the fullest because God will provide me with everything I need in order to to have joy and be successful in the areas that he wants me to be. I will stand and not be defeated just because Satan wants to have a stronghold in my life. Jesus was born in line with prophecy so that he could die and save me in accordance with another prophecy. Those who do not know about the prophecy are not able to partake in the fullness of it because they do not understand why it had to take place the way that it did. I am not ready to let it go to waste, I will not roll the stone over the grave of the man who came to save me and then proceed to say that it was nice that he did that for me but I would rather have it my way.

I can sit here and tell myself that it is action, not words that distinguishes us from those around us, that we must align ourselves with the higher calling that is in Christ Jesus. I feel like I could just sit and pound that into my head all day. Jesus needs MORE and MORE of my attention everyday and I wish I would give it to him. I will get eaten alive among the spiritual realm if i do not protect myself with what God has provided for me. When the spiritual battle for your soul is left in the hands of how prepared you are and how much the spirit lives in you, a little bit will not take you very far because you will be weak. We need a double dose of the spirit in the morning and then a continual indwelling every second of every day in order to be prepared for the attacks of Satan. Too long have I sat and said I have done my share for the day and it is in God's hands. It is great to say that you are giving God control and it is nice to pray to God and tell him that you are doing that in the morning but throughout the day you cannot retake control and try to do what is best for you. Galatians 5:24 states, "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires." As a follower of Christ, I cannot give in to what my sinful nature desires or I do not believe I have crucified my sinful nature in a manner that is distinct enough to set me apart from those who have not crucified their sinful nature. If the church is not different from the world, then the church has nothing to offer the world. I am sure I have said that in one form or another before but it needs to be driven home. There is so much collusion going on among the world and the Christian community that the fine line between the two has become distorted in some ways. Please do not accept mediocrity when it comes to being a Christian and challenge those around you to be strong and fight their flesh in the daily struggle that we face.

A couple of days off and some weird nights but I'm back on track and there are hopefully no more long hiatus' as there have been previously. I still need to keep strong in prayer and I need to keep reading a little more each day because becoming content is definitely going to hurt in the long run. Please keep me in your prayers even if I do not know you are praying for me. I have been praying for people and things in other's lives that they do not know about and I know that I am blessing them by doing so, they do not need to know what I am doing, because its not about image, its about interceding when people need it most and being there for those whom you stand next to in Christ.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Pushing Through

Tonight I thought about just moving on and not posting because it is the easy thing to do but then I realized why I am doing this and a verse popped into my head. Once again I am not doing this for the "look at me" factor but I want to strive to do something constructive for Christ and not give up on it just because I was "too busy" or "it was too late." If I cannot make time for God at any point in my day then there needs to be a shift in priorities. If one cannot find time for him late in the evening because they typically get sidetracked and then feel like they should be sleeping, then they need to devote time earlier in the day or even their first moments of the day to him so that there can be no excuses. The things that we desire most in our life are the things that are easy to point out in our life because they are the things that are at the forefront of our priority list. I have found that I will make room for sin in my life if it is what I truly desire, I will put off the things that distract me from sin or I will set myself up to fail because I know that at the time it is what I am looking to do. Making time for God is tough because we cannot see him and it is not the same as hanging out with a physical friend. It is easier to ditch out on God or stand him up because you know he will always be there later (or so it seems). The things you do with your friends may seem like a one time thing or you might be in a situation where you have to do something but with God you might miss many once in a lifetime opportunities. The time that we spend meditating on God or just spending time in his presence is time that cannot be matched by anything else in the universe, we get to spend time with our creator and our Father who has given everything just for the chance that he could spend time with us. What a great opportunity we have been afforded.

I love it when I am doing something and a scripture pops into my head that I did not expect but it makes me smile and helps me through my day. I was sitting here at the house tonight thinking about avoiding another post because it would be easier to do and I can get another hour of video games in before I go to bed but then I remembered what we have been promised. Galatians 6:9-10 states, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially those who belong to the family of believers." When I remembered, that I will reap a harvest if I do not give up, I just took joy in the fact that God will reward my faithfulness. I am not talking about receiving stuff from God but I know that I will be happier and that his strength will help me overcome the attacks of the enemy as long as I continue to strive for the change that I want to take place. Sometimes the harvest is something simple but it can mean the world to someone. I want my harvest to be that there is a renewing in my soul and that I can maybe change some lives in the process, it is not just about me or my good name, it is about what he is trying to accomplish through me. It is hard to understand everything that goes on but if you can even begin to see the will of God in your life, you will be much better off than someone who has no clue what is going on. Do not give too much merit to certain situations cause sometimes they are just setting you up for the future and it takes experiences for you to see what you should really be doing, that wisdom is a long time coming unfortunately.

I know this is kind of a late post and those who read probably will not see this until tomorrow but I hope everyone had a good day and if you need prayer just let me know. Continue to pray for me as I am on this long journey and I hope that you will walk it with me.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Molded

You know that the things going through your head are the right ones when you feel good about what you are doing and you are not afraid of the repercussions of your actions. When everything seems to fall into place just as you had envisioned. Things take time to develop but you know when there is a shift in the paradigm of your life. Things you once saw as essential become distant and you no longer want to even attempt to make them a part of your life. There is so much in life that we think we can do alone and that is so far from the truth, it is strength from our creator that carries us everyday. We must set a standard to live in accordance with his word and with his truth in all aspects of our life. We have had some incidents at sporting events this year that I would say do not reflect the values of Christ very well and people say it is just the way of sport and that it is no big deal. In some ways I agree but at the same time you have to be smart about it. Would Jesus talk trash to his opponents and play hard? You bet he would. The difference is that he knows what is appropriate and what is not. Look through the Bible and Jesus trashes Satan time and time again because he knows that in the end he is the victor. When it comes to sport today you can give someone a hard time for not playing well and you can root against them to lose but when it comes to personal attacks, you have to watch the line. Nobody likes the enemy or the jerk who plays on the other team (even if you are just watching) but as Christian athletes and Christian fans it is our responsibility to reflect the values of Christ while not being soft, we have to be tough opponents and create a tough playing environment for opposing players and still maintain our integrity.

Now that I am off my soapbox, let us dive into what God wants to convey to us today. I believe that at any moment in time we can have our whole situation changed and we must adapt to what is going on around us. We cannot settle into a moment of our life because life is dynamic and it will catch us off guard if we are not prepared. We have been placed here to accomplish something great and sometimes we are not always in the best spot to do what we need to and therefore we see some change. This usually occurs at the most inopportune time for us and we see it as a nuisance but in reality it is exactly what we need but we are too busy with the rest of life that we feel we are being overloaded. Other times we feel that we are comfortable with where we are at and change just means more work and getting out of our box that we have become accustomed to. When Jeremiah went down to the potter's house in Chapter 18 of Jeremiah, the Lord was speaking to him exactly this message, God can do anything and adaptation is key to his work. Verses 3-10 state, "So I went down to the potter's house and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me: 'O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?' declares the Lord. 'Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I wanted repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.' " I have worked with clay and other things that you mold and let me tell you that sometimes it does not always work out the way that you want it to, other times you decide to do something else, and there are even times when it just seems that it is just too stubborn to get it to do what you want. This is exactly how God feels when it comes to our lives. Sometimes things just do not turn out well because we mess them up, other times he decides he has something better for us, and yes, sometimes we are just too stubborn to allow him to work and so he changes things to make it so that we see it through his eyes and he can complete what he started. Typically the end result does not change when it comes to God and his plans, usually it involves changing how we get there and as his clay, we need to learn to accept it and let him work through us, sure the kneading can be painful but when he starts to be gentle and he uses his soft touch and fingers to mold us, it can be the most awful thing ever and it leads to some of the greatest moments of your life. I wish all of this were easier done than said but unfortunately we are human, we just need to work at being loyal and allowing God's work to move us.

I want to apologize to my baseball boys for not being as strong as I should have this past semester. Things are changing and I promise the spring will be a good time. It is going to be hard work and some days we will want to quit but we are going to push through and we will grow together but more importantly we will grow in Christ. As for the rest of you, I hope you are all doing well and I hope that this post was meaningful and challenges you. As always, comments are appreciated and welcomed. Hope to hear from some of you!

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Tangled

Tonight I do not even know where to start, I know that my heart has not been in much the last few months. This semester was not bad but I definitely wish I had cared a little more. The only thing I cared about was baseball and that was really only morning workouts for the most part but since then I have not done much. I am a team leader but I have done nothing to impact my team recently and that needs to change. I took a class this semester on leadership and teamwork and I know that there are areas in which my team can improve. We are not terrible and we are not falling apart but we can patch up some areas. In my own life, I have been crumbling. I have not read my bible outside of church or sat down and sincerely prayed in... I do not know how long. I have so many emotions and feelings going through me all the time but usually I have no idea how to convey them and I end up hurting myself or even worse, God. I wish I could come on here and say that I am doing well or say that I have been busy and that is why I do not post but in all honesty I think it is just that I am trying to hide and I am scared of being so broken. My sister tells me all the time that I am the best and every time I hear that, I cannot help but feel terrible because I do not do anything to deserve that comment from her. I feel like I am tangled in so many different situations and there is no way out, everyday, I meet someone or I make decisions with my friends and it seems like nothing is ever right or I just run into complications. I understand, it is life, things are not easy and decisions are a part of it but you would think that eventually I would just stop being an idiot and listen to what my heart is telling me instead of acting based on thinking. I guess that just goes along with maturity and someday I will achieve the level that I desire to be at and then I will continue to grow but I do not know how much longer I can last in the current situation. I can only will myself to be better and actually pray for strength to make it through.

I know I can rely on God and that he will never leave me but I have completely neglected God. I can convey the way he wants me and others to act and I can discuss his word with other people just like anyone else who knows the word, I just cannot push myself to act on ALL of it I guess for the simple lack of trust. I know how it feels to be in his presence and I know that the things of this world are temporary but I guess in someways I still feel like he is holding out on me. I know this is a lie from the pit of hell and I need to get over it and move on but it just seems so much easier to do it my way. I try to surrender myself to him but I have gotten so good at faking it now, I cannot even tell if I am being sincere. I know that there is one time in my life when I left something at the altar and it actually stayed there because I did not come back to pick it up. I need that again and I need to find a place within my heart that allows me to do that again. I am not willing to go down without a fight but I do not want to just fight, I am going to win, Satan cannot bind me forever, he can deceive me and scar me but Jesus said that by his stripes I am healed and one day these wounds will heal. Deuteronomy 30:19-20 states, "Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. NOw I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." The most important part of this verse is in the middle when it states, "You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life." Getting to this point is such a tough task but when a Christian does it, they have finally gotten what it means to have turned it all over to Christ. You cannot hold anything back from Christ and profess your love for him. This is not an earthly marriage with earthly possessions and feelings involved, it is a spiritual marriage with your heart, soul, and love on the line, you cannot keep anything from him. I really hope this sets in for me because I need something right now, I have hope and I know I am not a lost cause but I know what it is like to feel like you are and I know many people who have that feeling and if you feel that way, I want you to know that you are not a lost cause and God has something for you, everything you are experiencing and have gone through is just to build you into who you need to be fore Christ.

I am home for a few weeks and I have TONS of time on my hands, I am GOING to post everyday, I am tired of saying I am going to TRY, trying means I do not want to, I am pushing myself to be stronger and to be open over the next few weeks and see where this thing goes. It is time to takeoff again so hold on to your seats because I know God is going to wreck some people over the next few weeks. I hope you are all doing well, as always, comments are appreciated!

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Effects

I have had a few days to think about something that has been really picking at me because it was something that was revealed to me in just the past week and it has been affecting someone for the past few years. I have written about how our decisions effect people and sometimes you never know the impact of those decisions and had I not talked to a person ever again I would not have known the pain they went through and just how much I hurt them. I obviously cannot take full responsibility for the things that happened but I do know that what happened was a result of my actions and decisions. I know that in the end the decision I made was for the best but the ramifications definitely were felt for months following by others around me. Nobody ever knows how it will all work out, we just use our best judgement and hope that the road does not leave a trail of tears behind. I wish I could say things are perfect in life and it works out based on the decisions we make but unfortunately we all get caught up in stuff that is harmful and how we bounce back shows our character and leads us to new levels. I have come to learn that I cannot fix everything for those who are hurting but I can direct them towards a place where there is hope and where they will be loved forever. Sure it is a little cliche but until you experience it you cannot know what it is like and you cannot explain just how great it is to be in the embrace of one person that loves you no matter what the circumstances are. Being able to turn around after running away and having someone right there is such a great feeling and the when you find out that running just leads to more pain, you discover that you no longer want to run. For anyone who I have hurt, I know I apologized last week but I hope that you forgive me and if you have not told me what has happened as a result, I would like to know.

When you look at the Bible, there is one very strong example of how the decisions of a few led to a nation being blessed. When Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, they had no idea that he would one day be put into power over Egypt and in return bless them. This obviously was a very positive effect but Joseph did spend a few years in prison and he was accused of adultery with Potipher's wife. He was forgotten about by people but then God restored him in a way that he would have never expected. Joseph was given his position so that he could lead a nation in a rough time and so that when his family needed provision, they would be able to receive it abundantly and be blessed. His brothers had no clue that what they did would actually be beneficial to Joseph and them but they made the decision based on feeling and the jealousy that consumed them ultimately became what saved a nation during a time of famine and a loss of hope. When it seems like a situation is completely dead and everything around you is crumbling, I know it is hard but keep holding to the hope that God can do something amazing and let it happen. Doubt will just drive us away from anything of value to us at all and it makes us weaker than we really are. Trust in God and trust in yourself when it comes to doing what you think is right because the wrong road will lead to destruction.

I cannot say that I am perfect when it comes to making decisions and I cannot say that things will be better from here on out but I want to do what I can to have a positive impact on those around me. The fresh snow outside means that the season is changing and its time for something new from me, something fresh that is going to reveal a different side of me. The same story is getting old and I want to be viewed different but that cannot occur until there is a change in the way I think and the way I conduct myself. If I want things to change, I have to take the initiative and stop feeling sorry for myself, it is time to act.

I hope you are all doing well, I know it has been a week but we will see how this week goes. I am gaining momentum as the semester comes to a close and I am excited to go home for Thanksgiving in a week. I have not been this excited to go home since about this time two years ago at K-State. Please continue to pray for me and I will continue to pray for those of you who read.

Ephesians 4:29,

Joseph Robinson

Hurt

I do not know if I can go through a day without my heart being heavy for someone. Whenever I hear about a situation or think about a person who I know is dealing with stuff, I just think about the circumstances surrounding it all and wish I could do something. Most of the time I just feel helpless because I am not in prayer enough or my walk is not close enough to God for me to hear his voice and be able to impart wisdom on a person. I wish there were more I could do but I know that when the time is right, I will be able to do exactly what I am supposed to do. When I stumble I know I am not just affecting myself but those around me. As I stated last night, it appears that some people look to me as an example and what I do tends to give people a reason to validate their actions whether they act or do not act in a certain way. Sometimes I feel like it is a joke or that people are not serious and I feel like some of the time it is but other times I know that what I do or do not do really affects other people. I think for most of us we think that we have no influence on people but in the grand scheme of things we have more of an impact than we could ever think or imagine. Even the little things we do affect how people view us and how they might act just because of that. I cannot help but think that in most cases I hurt people more than I help them and it is painful to think that because the only way I can change things is by being more responsible in my own life. I am not saying that I am solely responsible for other people's actions but I do know that I can push them one way or another and most of the time it is not always in the best way. I have hurt people and in some cases not done anything which has resulted in letting people get away and do whatever they would like. An apology is not really sufficient to mend the situation but I am sorry and I hope that these people will give me another chance to be a better example and have a positive impact. The truth is that when we sin whether publicly or in private, it will affect others because sin is cancerous when it has the right environment to spread.

I used a verse a couple of weeks ago but I think it illustrates the point very well, Mark 9:42 states, " 'And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck.' " A direct quote from Jesus regarding this matter definitely is a big deal. I do not want to responsible for other people's shortcomings or for not sharing the Gospel in an appropriate way with them. I know there have been situations where I have caused people to sin but I think those are far outweighed by the times where I have allowed people to sin and not even tried to do anything about it. I am not talking about just telling someone they are clearly in the wrong but I am talking about setting an example of not doing something and then explaining why it is so. A lot of times people ask me why I do not do something and its not because I am a good moral person or because I just do not want to (which is usually my answer). It is because I believe in something greater, I believe that my savior came to earth and died for me and the way I can give back to him is by obeying his commands and those actions or that lifestyle does not line up with those commands. I sit by and be the silent killer of so many people that I cannot help but have a heavy heart everyday. If I made more of a positive impact on people, I know that those thoughts and feelings would far outweigh the sorrow and the burdens of others but until then I will keep looking to the Lord to get me through the day and hopefully turn some of this around.

I hope that all of you are doing well and I will continue to pray for those who read and those whom I wish would read this. Hopefully these will become a little more regular but for now we will just see where it goes.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Conflict

A few weeks ago I sat down with someone and I asked them what was one of the toughest challenges they have faced in regards to being a leader and what is something that you have to learn to do in order to be effective. I was told that learning to handle conflict is very tough and if it is done correctly it can be rather beneficial. Most people are afraid of conflict and in some ways people think that it always leads to more problems. Sometimes this is the case but I think this is because we go about things all wrong when it comes to confronting people or trying to resolve a situation. It is hard to go face to face with someone and tell them that you think they are wrong or that something needs to change. Nobody wants to be hated by another person and nobody wants to push people away just because of something they said to them. Conflict is a very scary thing and it can be very frustrating at times because in some cases your intention is to avoid a big situation but you accidently say or do something that sets somebody off. I tend to do this sometimes just because of the way I address things or because of my tone or just how I say things. Other times I feel like I do not want to erase the work that others have done to make a situation better just because I pushed to hard but just as I referenced the speaker from Chapel last week, "You cannot push too soon or you will hurt the baby and you will hurt yourself." I deal with lots of different situations on a daily basis and I tend to get stressed out a lot. I deal with lots of different confrontations and the conflict never seems to stop. I am not sure if this is preparing me for the future or if it is the people I am around at this point in my life, but I have learned that I need to try and make things positive when I am faced with a situation because blowing up will only make things worse and it will not even begin to bring about a solution. I try so hard to make things right sometimes though and I end up making things worse or I ruin a good opportunity because I do not know how to just sit back and let things develop, I am very proactive in making things happen now and I will run through all the possible scenarios to make it work. This is a major problem and I am working on growing in this area and hopefully making changes to this process very soon. I am tired of the same results every time something new comes into my life. It is literally the same stuff and a different day, broken record just like my Christian walk. There is a strong correlation in our lives with the way our spiritual lives are going and I can definitely attest to that based on what I have experienced and my everyday life. Things go good for awhile and then it all falls apart in a matter of minutes or hours, it is not a time to lose hope though, it is a time to look forward to how to make things better and hold on tonight.

I work hard to be a good example but it seems like people are watching me with a spotlight. If I do or do not do something, it gets picked apart, good and bad, it is nice to have a following but I just try to set an example. I am not the example or the leader that must be followed based on what I do. It seems like I am being prideful but I am just saying from my interactions with people, I hear these things and it worries me because I am not one to necessarily the one to be followed but I will help guide people, I am just not perfect and that needs to be recognized. I do not have the final say in most situations and I cannot always be looked to for answers. Ecclesiastes 7:8-10 states, "The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. Do not be quickly provoked in your sprit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. Do not say, 'why were the old days better than these?' For it is not wise to ask such questions." The resolution to conflict or to any situation is better than the end because then we know the outcome and we can move on, patience leads me to understanding and pride tears me down as much as I try to avoid it. Being reserved in spirit is a very tough thing to do but I am working at what God has for me and I hope that you will to. Being able to go back to the old days should not even be a thought because the future holds so much more joy for me and the past just makes me think of what could have been, not what is going to be.

I need to carefully consider my interactions with others especially when I meet people because I tend to push people off early if they do not meet what I feel is required of them at this point in my life and I either try to force them into that role and it turns out bad or I just do not give them a chance to develop into that role. I am sorry to those that I have done this to and I hope that if I get the chance I can make things better and have you fit right where you belong in my life.

If anyone needs prayer or just wants to talk, you know how to find me. I would like to continue to thank those of you who read these and do not be bashful when it comes to commenting or just talking about posts with me, I wish I had someone to critically think with when it comes to all of this. I hope you are all doing well.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Reconciliation

I have wrestled with myself for the past year and a half about whether to try and keep this thing going and every time I attempt to, I fail. I continue to think its all about me and what I am doing and what people see and perceive but it has nothing to do with that. My lack of being in the word is what leads me to fall away from this and in certain situations to fall down from my faith. I pushed away six months of working fervently to post because I got caught up in the wrong situation. My priorities when it came to spending time with God had completely diminished. I tried for a time to stay straight but when I realized that I wanted something more, I found ways to avoid what I knew was right. I think we tend to do that a lot of times. We find ourselves doing what is convenient over what is right and/or righteous. Its much easier to justify why you did something to your church friends than it is to justify why you did not do something to your friends who have no problem with certain behavior. In reality, doing the latter is much easier, we just do not want to deal with the repercussions. At church we might feel condemned for a bit or that people think of us differently but sooner or later we can get past that but our image to the world is such a vital part of who we are. I'm thinking of removing certain things from my life and I am not ashamed to say what they are but I feel that it is more of a personal choice and I do not want to be commended for striving towards a certain goal so I will refrain from going into specifics. Let me just say that I know there are things that influence me even though I think I can handle the situations I put myself in and the things I experience. I am trying to reach out and effect people but I cannot fully do so unless I take care of the things in my personal life first, it all affects the way that I minister to those around me because I cannot believe the things I am saying if I am not living it or at least making a conscious effort to live that lifestyle.

I have always had a heart for helping people through things and trying in some ways to lead my friends who have gone astray back to where they once where. I also try to reach the lost though not always to the extent in which I should be trying. I do tend to be a little pushy from time to time. I wonder why it is so hard for someone to see what they need, I want to help them see it but I also need to realize that it needs to be on their own terms that they can come back Persistence is one thing, being forceful or trying to pull their hand can be a huge deterrent. A former NCU student spoke in Chapel last Friday and he said that when his wife had her first kid, she kept saying she just wanted it out of her but the doctor said, "you have to wait, if you push too hard now then you could damage the baby and damage yourself." He conveyed this on a Christian level ever so eloquently by saying that if we push to hard, we may hurt someone's perception of the church and in doing so hurt our ministry opportunities. I felt like he was speaking directly to me in some ways and I really need to apply the concepts of his message.

I feel like Corinthians 5:11-15 best conveys how I am feeling and hopefully it reaches out to some of you who read this. It states, "Since then. we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in what is seen rather than what is in the heart. If we are out of our mind, it is for you. For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. " When we mess up, we are not only hurting ourselves, we are hurting those around us. Sin negatively affects our attitude, our lifestyle, and most importantly our ministry. Your feelings when you try to reach out to someone are going to affect your effectiveness and you will find yourself feeling as though you are not good enough. This is a lie from the snake pit in hell and will just amplify those feelings of inadequacy and it may even push you away from the greatest thing you have ever/could ever have known.

I hope you all take these words into consideration and reflect on how you do things in your own life. I know that I need some work but I know that God is working in me and I am continuing to get stronger, it is only a matter of time before I am knocking down every wall that Satan tries to put up because God is right there supplying my strength and pointing out the weak spots in the foundation. If you need prayer please let me know, I am growing in my passion for prayer and I would love to be interceding for you. I hope you are all doing well and as always, comments/suggestions are always appreciated.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Bad Company?

My last post addressed watching out for others by not dragging them down into your sin and I admitted that occasionally I could be guilty of that. I also have taken time in the past week to think about things in my life and where I am going. What do I truly want? Where am I willing to make sacrifices to achieve my goals? Well right now I really want to get to know people and start investing in the lives of those around me. I thought I was making a really good friend and then things fell apart for reasons beyond my control. I wish I could change things and I wish I could convey how I really feel but I know I messed up and I know I need to grow from it. I understand that patience is another thing I still need to work on and though it seems far away, I know that I can achieve it. I know that I need to sacrifice my personal comfort and wants in order to achieve my goals because everything within me tells me I should be somewhere else, chasing other things. I still believe God has me here for something more than baseball and school. I always think that I am beginning to find what that is and then it falls apart. Either I set myself back or someone else pushes me away from where I was going. Letting everything fall into place is very tough and I wish that I would allow it to happen more often. I do not let people influence my thinking but when people present things, I do question what I hear. Sometimes I do not know how to process the information and asking questions just makes it worse. I wish I had taken more time to assess the situation because I feel like I lost something great all because of selfishness and pride. I hope that I have not blown my only chance to enter this door because it seemed like God wanted me to at least take a look inside and see where it would take me. Perhaps I needed to learn a lesson first in regards to sin and temptation and that is where I was at last week. I tend to put myself in poor situations and I think I know why.

When I find myself in poor situations its because I usually disregarded what my senses were telling me and I try to manage it on my own. I need to question who I am with when I mess up or what I am letting influence me. If you think you are stronger than you are, you have too much pride and you will find yourself falling. There comes a time when you know where your strength comes from and that is when you find yourself successful in sticky situations. 1st Corinthians 15:33-34 states, "Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character.' Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God -- I say this to your shame." I need to figure out what I am doing with my time and how I am being influenced by those around me. My intentions may be good but if I am not in a situation that is for building me up then I am putting myself in harm's way. I wish it were all easier and I wish I was not stuck in between. I am finding out how to deal with things and try to eliminate drama as needed. I know that I have good morals and that I generally make good decisions but when I let myself fall into a trap then I feel like I have no way out and ultimately give in. I need to find a way to allow God to move through a situation rather than pushing him to the side. I know there is more that I can do but for now, what I am dealing with is out of my hands. I will just sit back and try to let God work. There might be some things that I can do but for the most part I have to just let it go. If the situation does not work out how I hope it does, then I guess I take it with a grain of salt and move on. Only God knows what will be and I must trust him to make the situation what I believe is right.

Please continue to pray for me. I have been lacking in prayer and try to remember everyone but my prayer time is not in the most efficient time slot and I find myself unable to finish what I started. Its time for me to grow and make some effective changes and please pray that I am able to take that step. If you have any requests please feel free to contact me and I will pray for you. Keep seeking him and never give up.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Waking Up

There comes a point when you know that the sin in your life is not just your sin but you cause other people to sin. Whether it is a sin you commit with another person or your sin influences someone else to sin, you find yourself struggling to find a way out so that the decisions you make can help other people out rather than hurt them. You can hurt a Christian by causing them to stumble but you can pick them up too if you know how to fix things between you and God and look out for them the next time around. It is one thing to make decisions that affect yourself but its a whole different feeling when you make decisions that affect other people. Being that I want to go into the business world and more specifically the sport world, the decisions that I make everyday will not only affect me but they will affect my co-workers, the players, the fans, other teams, and many more. If you find yourself having influence on people in a poor way (it may be unintended), you need to seek God and make things right because you are heading down a path that you do not want to go and you might ruin someone's life in the process. Sure they can make their own decisions, but if you know they struggle with something and you are facilitating that, you have to put the breaks on or caution them somehow. In Galatians it talks about "restoring others gently if your brother is caught in a sin but you who are spiritual should be careful or you also may be tempted." This is a very true statement because usually we go along for the ride when someone is having fun or making a destructive decision, it is human nature! We need to be careful though because not only will you be responsible for what you did, you are somewhat responsible for the action of the other(s). Eve convinced Adam that eating the apple was the best choice and he did not bother to ask any questions because he had no reason to doubt Eve. In the same way, we meet people and sometimes they think they can trust us but in the end it just leads to destruction and hurt.

I would like to say that the Bible just ends in Galatians with the verse about restoring your brothers gently but that is not the case. Mark 9:42 states, "And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone around his neck." Harsh words for our generation to hear but it is most definitely a warning to watch out for your brothers and sisters in Christ. Ephesians 4:29 is about speech and building up other Christians but I think our speech and our attitudes ultimately reflect our actions and so we need to be careful of how we talk to our fellow believers. I wish I could say I was immune to all this but occasionally I find myself in a situation in which I have to make a decision or watch my speech when it comes to fellow believers. I want to be okay and I want to stay out of situations that are potentially harmful but in order to do that, I need to be more connected with God. Finding out a balance of things every semester is one of the toughest things to do and when you unexpectedly throw in some new responsibilities and other new situations, you tend to get a little jammed and you make sacrifices in some areas that end up hurting you until you can find a more perfect balance for things. I must say that when I write on here I feel like this weight is lifted off me. I wish I burned with the passion that I once did and I know that I still can but I need to find it again, it might take some time. It is all about priorities and making smart decisions and as soon as I figure it out I know I will be happier than I have ever been. God is great and is looking out for me everyday and I am thankful for that. Just remember to look out for your brother's and sisters in Christ.

Please continue to pray for me as I have more stuff to deal with now than I had a few weeks ago. I will continue to pray for all of you and hopefully I will post a little more regularly. Lots of attacks right now but God will pull me through. Hope you all have a good night.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Friend

The best part about being at a school like NCU is that no matter who you are or what you do, at the end of the day you are just another face in the crowd. Athletics does not make you a national star or get you on ESPN, its just a part of who you are and what you do to become a better person. Its not just about building character or revealing character, its learning what it is like to fight through the hard times, to resolve conflict, to enjoy the victory, to know that you played with respect for your opponents no matter how good or bad they are. I still think it is cool how our athletes can go from competition on the road during the day to worshiping God in PG on a Wednesday night. Its not just about worship but interceding for your fellow students and student-athletes. Finding that one person you can talk to about anything and letting it all go because you know they will listen and pray for you. Our community is about more than just friends, it is support in all areas no matter what you have done. If people judge you then that is their problem but know that those who truly care about your well-being are not going to judge you, they are going to pick you up and help you when you need it most. A place like this makes it tough when people leave because those who had the most impact on you might not be there anymore when you need them most. The only thing you can do in that situation is find someone else who can fill the role and from the looks of it, there should be plenty of people. I'm sorry, I forgot I was still talking about NCU... In life, there are rough times that come your way and you are not defined by your job (hopefully) but you can be in the battlefield at work everyday and at night be worshiping God and interceding for your co-workers and family. When you need someone to talk to, you know of that one person who will just let you open up your heart to them because they can help and they will listen. Unfortunately these people move on and you are left to wonder what you are going to do but if you trust those around you, you can most definitely find someone else to step in and take the role. It is a weird feeling but something powerful is going on and you cannot let anything stop it from continuing. The pursuit of happiness is not relegated to the good times, it carries on in the rough times when you are looking for the escape.

There are many instances of people not using their fame in the and they just blend in with the crowd. Being humble is one of the most key characteristics of being a Christian. Jesus could have said that because he was the son of God, he was entitled to such and such a thing here on earth and no one could take it from him because God would strike them down. This is very well a true statement but Jesus knew that in order for everything to make some sense to the people, he had to fit in with them and just be a normal person. He used his knowledge and great spirit so that he could influence those who would listen and ultimately get them to follow him. When he felt alone, he knew that God was always there to hear his cry and get him through the tough times. Feeling like an outcast is not something that Jesus does not know about. He did not chase every women on the street and vie for their attention. Jesus tried to draw little attention to who he was because he knew how much of a controversy it would be. He wanted people to come to him and he would meet them when he knew what they were looking for. Just to be able to physically walk with Jesus and sit down with him would have been an amazing experience. To meet the one who died for me so that I could have life would be the greatest honor ever. To actually sit and discuss scripture with him and listen to how smart he was would have been so amazing. We still have the opportunity today, not so much on a physical level but spiritually we can connect and hear his still small voice. We need to eliminate the noises in our life and lend a careful ear to him and he will guide us through anything we could ever face.

I am praying for those of you that read this, if you do read it I would like to know so I can specifically pray for you especially if I know you are going through something. Continue to pray for me as my everyday struggle continues but as he continues to give me strength everyday, I can feel the tide turning.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

I got this...

Have you ever had a moment in which you did not know what to do? Someone is counting on you to come through for them and you have no idea where to start? I believe we are placed in situations like these so that we can look to the Spirit for guidance and understand how to lead someone in a time of need. Our lives are defined by what we make of the moments that we are given, its not the moments that are great but it is the people who make the moments great. Old friends, new friends, future friends, enemies, family, it does not matter what you are presented with, these people might need your help at some point in your life and there is a high probability that you will have been placed there for a purpose. We back ourselves into our own corners and have to dig ourselves out and it is hard to help people when you are buried up to your head. Never let an opportunity pass you by because you never know when it might change you. I have struggled and struggled to do the right thing countless times and I fail quite a bit. I do not consider myself a hypocrite because I am honest when it comes to telling people the way I am living. If you say that you are not doing anything wrong and then just trying to go about your business as usual, then you are crossing the line of being one of those, "do as I say, not as I do, synagogue rulers." I have been trying to connect with new people lately and reconnect with old friends and I was a little skeptical about it at first but then I figured that I might be able to help someone who is struggling or maybe they just need someone to talk to. It is sad to be lonely when everyone thinks you have it made. In my opinion, it is worse to not have anyone when people think you have everyone because they feel as though you do not need any help or that you do not need someone to talk to but really you are screaming inside for somebody to listen. Sometimes I wish someone would take the time to listen or ask me how I am really doing but I have come to the realization that most people do not care or they are not considerate enough to take time for me and that is fine because I would rather someone not try, then try because they feel like they should be nice.

Noah felt a little like an outcast when he built the ark and when he needed people the most, they just turned away from him and called him crazy. I definitely know what that feeling is like and it makes you feel useless, like you cannot make a difference. The truth is that people will see that God is doing stuff in you and in due time they will realize the mistake they have made. They will come running to you asking for help but unfortunately there will only be so much you can do at once. Some will stick around and others will leave because they do not have the time to wait or they simply feel like there are more important things than waiting to hear what is going on. Those who hear the gospel message and disregard it are ignorant because they do not understand they are passing up. Of course that is easy for a Christian to say but if someone told you that they could save you for eternity and all you had to do was have a relationship with someone you cannot even see, why would you pass up the opportunity of having an "imaginary freind?" Most of us had imaginary friends who we could talk to whenever we wanted and God is a lot like that except for he is real, he listens, and he responds! It only takes the effort of reading AND obeying his guidelines for life and talking to him everyday. Seems pretty harmless to me if you have 20 open minutes a day to devote to saving yourself and hopefully saving others along the way. Like I said last week, it is not enough to just be in it for yourself, you are in it because he is the Christ (Reggie Dabbs sermon), or you are in it because it is all about you and you are being selfish. Give time to God, work on bringing people into his kingdom, and you will have a foundation of what it is to be a Christian. Amos 5:14-15 states, "Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph." Overall, do what you need to do, reach out and take ahold of whatever is clean and close by. When they storms come, we need to know where each other are and who can help when things are falling apart (literally).

I hope that all of you have had a good day, God is doing amazing things and he is going to continue to work in the lives everyone and I pray that you continue to seek him and obey whim no matter what is going on, he will always pull you through. Please continue to pray for me. I will pray for all of you as well, even if you did not ask for it... you deserve it because of you are in going through something and I will continue to trust God's provision for you.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Watch

I am just about all settled into my apartment for the year and I think I am ready for the school year to get underway. I struggled most of the summer to live consistently for Christ because as I have stated before, it is tough to be alone if you are not firmly planted in Christ. This summer was definitely a growing experience spiritually for me and I could not be more happy with the way it is ending up. God has placed me right where I need to be for the next nine months and I know that his plans are going to significantly affect who I am and what I do. I wish I could be months and months removed from certain things I have done in the past but it is going to take time to achieve that and if I can stay away from those sinful things then I know it will be rewarding in the end. I want to stay focused on the prize because perseverance makes everything sweeter in the end. I used to say that no one said its supposed to be easy but they promised it would be worth it. I think I would like to change it and say that life is not going to be easy but if you persevere, your reward will be great. We have so much waiting for us on the other side of the cross and we can only take hold of it if we continue to seek it out and embrace what God puts in front of us. The promises of God are only accessible for those who hold up their end of the bargain and grab hold of the promises. We complain that it was not what we expected when we receive certain things but a lot of the time it is because we ruined it along the way and fail to see how we altered the greatness of the promise or the gift. I could say that I have messed up my life pretty well but then I would know that I am letting the evil one win. Satan wants me to feel defeated and think that God's promises are no longer beneficial to me because of the mistakes that I have made. I am here to say that I am better than that and though I have altered some of the promises that God had for me, he still has great things in store and he wants me to continue to head toward them and make the best of it all.

When we have great victory in an area, we tend to hold it in because we do not want people to know our past and where we came from. Victory means that you have overcome the past and that you need to use it to convey the message of the power of Christ. I understand that people need time to get over things and that some topics are hard to discuss but I also know that God uses our former pain to help people who struggle with the same things. By no means am I saying that you have to tell the world what you have been through but when an opportunity arises, do not shy away from letting someone know exactly what you have struggled with. We would like to think that people judge us a lot but in reality they tend to be more accepting of our past than most people would perceive. Psalm 66: 16-20 states, "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 my sin in my heart, 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 is love from me!" The compassion that our maker has on us is so great. We get the picture of God always being spiteful or angry at the things we have done but as long as we have repented and we are seeking him, he lets go of the past transgressions. I have been down in the gutter and been beat up and I am not afraid to tell people when I feel they need to know where I have been and what I have done. I want people to understand that I am a sinner because if you think I am perfect then you are going to think that I do not know what it is like to be you and if you think I am a hypocrite for being a sinner and telling you how to live, then you are misguided in that you think I need to be perfect when in reality nobody is perfect. I wish I could make amends for all the hurt I have experienced and for all the hurt that I have pushed on others but I am going to make a difference and I am not going to let anyone stop me.

I hope you all had a good day. I am continuing to pray for all of you and I hope that you do the same for me. If you have a request please let me know and if you have any comments then I would love to hear them. Continue to chase after him and let him transform your mind.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Consider...

I have been thinking the past week about what this year is going to mean to me. What am I going to do to make this year memorable? I do not want to just be defined by my baseball career. Everyone knows and hears about me as the great shortstop. I am not that great of a ball player, at least not great enough to be known only for my playing ability. I want to make a difference on campus and I want people to know that I am reaching out to them to make their experience better. It is only within my power to do certain things but whatever I can do to help is more than enough. I do not want to be defined by a relationship or the people I know, I want to impact people all over campus in a way in which I never thought I could. I am still trying to figure out how to do that but I know I will find some way. If I am not leaving a lasting impact on most of the people I meet in life, I apparently am unable to reflect Christ in my life effectively. If only for a moment I could experience what Paul, David, Moses, Abraham, etc... did, then I would be able to have a grasp of what it is like to do something truly great. The accolades mean nothing if you spend your whole life focused on them and forget about everything else. Your accolades can be a platform but they should not be the focal point in fact they should not even be brought up unless someone asks. We push and push to be the greatest at everything we do but I cannot honestly think of many people who aspire to be a great christian or the greatest person who helps those in need. Sure people do stuff from time to time but sometimes it is for the spotlight and only because they feel obligated to. If I cannot stand up and make changes in life to respect Christ and those that followed him, then I am failing at what it means to be a follower of Christ. How can one go their whole life trying to sneak by with little sin or a sin here and there and then on the day of judgement say, that they love God and would do anything for him? I get that we make mistakes but some people just try to sneak by and hope nobody is paying attention because it is a lot easier that way.

Moses faced a time of uncertainty in his life as he grew up and when he came face to face with God at the burning bush. If you look at Hebrews 11:24-27 it says, "By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of the Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the other people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible." Moses stepped out and desired to be remembered for what he did for God instead of being remembered for his status in the palace. It says that the pleasures of sin for a short time did not appeal to him because he had his eyes fixed on Christ and what was going to be his reward in the end if he continued to battle through. Unfortunately in our society we are consumed with technology, sports, relationships, work, etc... and we do not even have a glimpse of what heaven is going to be like for us. We claim that some experiences give us a glimpse of heaven but then we go back and continue to live the same way we did before. If you had a glimpse of heaven why would you not continue to pursue what the future holds? Is a glimpse enough for now or do you want a picture? How about pursuing it to have a smell of heaven or a taste of heaven? Moses saw him who is invisible and I believe that is still possible today. We say we want to see Christ or God but I think we have a mental block of skepticism in our head that it can really happen. I think God tries to meet with us face to face sometimes and we walk right by him because we are not looking for the invisible, we want the visible and tangible and we want it now!

For those that I have come against in my life who said I would never achieve certain things and that I will be like everyone else, I know that Christ has my day coming. It is not to rub your nose in it, but it is because God has a great plan and it will be revealed so that everyone can see his power and stand in awe of the way he moves. I know it is coming because I feel like I am finally applying some knowledge to my life and my heart is changing each and every day. I wish I could say I was walking straight everyday but I know that he is carrying me when I start to get sidetracked a little. He is not going to allow me to drift away as far as I have been before because he knows he almost has me where he wants me and I know that now more than ever, I am closer to where I have always wanted to be.

If you have any questions or comments or just want to talk, my phone and my comment/message section are always open. May God continue to guide you and lead you into his arms each and everyday. Please continue to pray for me.

God bless,

Joseph Robinson

Remember

I spent the first half of my summer moving on from a past relationship and as much as it hurt, I found out that it was possible and that I was better off in the end. I hurt myself so much over the last few years and tore down some of the structures that had been put into place for my protection and enjoyment. I wish that I had been more obedient and not made such a fool of myself but we make mistakes and we move on. As much as I try to beat myself into the ground because of it, God has placed people in my life to tell me that it will be okay and that I have left scars but those who love you will see the scars and feel remorse rather than condemn. Life is a lot easier when you follow the rules even though it seems easier to break them. I find so much joy in worshipping God outside of church and I wish I could let him use me every second of everyday but I still have not found it in myself to give him that type of authority in my life. The sooner I do it, the more likely I will be to succeed in all areas and I will make life easier for myself as well as those that I come into contact with. I am tired of feeling like everything I do leads to problems for myself and those around me. I know I am not a failure and I know that I do not cause problems but when you are constantly screwing up, it seems like you have no other option but to believe that. It is amazing how long it can take to change when you know something to be true. Why would you know the truth and believe it but not let it make a difference in who you are and what you do? You can sit on the most precious gift of all and look for joy in other places because you are too afraid to open what you have an see what it can do for you. Listening to your heart is the best thing you can do but the toughest part is finding a way to hear it because your brain likes to mix the signals and tell you other stuff. This leads to going down the wrong road because you cannot find what you truly desire. I believe that most people who do not know Christ only go down the wrong road because they do not know what they truly desire, they have an idea but what their brain tells them is not the truth they are looking for.

Romans 13 talks about loving for the end is near and how we need to be prepared for the times ahead because it is uncertain how much time is really left for us all around here. Nobody knows what tomorrow brings and too many times we dwell on what we expect to come rather than where we are now. Chapter 13 verse 11 picks up saying, "And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed The night is nearly over, the day is almost here. So let us push aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature." Now is not the time to sleepwalk for Christ and think about yourself as I said last night, we must be actively seeking His kingdom and seek to increase the numbers in His kingdom. The last verse really resonates with me in that it says do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Too many times i try to figure out how to get away with sin or I just think that I am good because I have not sinned in awhile and grace can increase for me. The opposite is true, the bible asks if we should continue to sin so that grace may increase and the answer is, "absolutely not!" I wish I were perfect but all I can do is continue to work at being the best I can so that I can continue to help those that I come into contact with. I cannot live a completely blameless life but I can do my best to follow everything that God has commanded me. If I am able to do all those things, then I will know that I have lived life to the fullest and that I have no regrets to fall back on. I sit here and think about where I have been and where I am going and all I can do is remember what Christ did for me and try to think of what I have done for him lately.

I hope you all have a good rest of the weekend. I am continuing to pray for all of you and I will do my best to keep posting daily because I really am encouraged by this blog and I hope that you are too. Please leave a comment or question if you have one because I really would like some feedback and be able to talk to people about this.

God bless,

Joseph Robinson

Ending

Well, it has been a long summer but it seems like it flew by. God has revealed things to me this summer and I am trying to work at them each and every day. He has taught me to be patient and that even when things seem like the end of the world, you will get through them on the right side of the equation. I have seen the path I have chosen based on my decisions and I know that it is going to be a real tough one. Then again, I have always chosen the tough road. I transfered after my Sophomore year in high school to make a better opportunity for myself, I moved out of state for college when I could have saved money by staying in state, I transfered after my freshman year to chase someone and to play a sport even though I found that it did not make me as happy as I thought, I made poor decisions for about 9 months from last July until April of this spring, and I spent the summer away from anyone and everyone that I knew pretty much. If I can say one thing, it is that I like to test myself and see where it leads me. I spent much of my summer busy and filling the rest of my time with pointless games and trips to six flags but I also met people who have impacted me and made me want to further myself with Christ because they see something more inside of me than I already am. I think I have said this before but the impact you have on people's life means a lot more than what you do for yourself no matter how great you think you are. In our walk with Christ, we focus too much on ourselves and saving ourselves that we leave others out in the cold. I watch To Save A Life a couple times in the past week and in the movie one of the characters named Jake asks in reference to God and church, "What is the point of all of this if you are not going to let it change you." Do we just go to church to say that we have done our good deed for the week or are we letting it transform us and are we letting our personal time with God transform us. Are the people we are closest to dying in front of our very eyes while we are caught up in ourselves and whether we are okay? I wish I could say that I am always reaching out to those around me and my friends who are dying because I care but in reality I feel like I am too big of a screw up to help them. It is not my job to help them, it is my job to point them to the answers so they can figure it out for themselves. I have to tell them that I am not perfect and that I struggle just as they do but I am willing to try and cast that aside and let Christ pick me up because of the price that he paid for me. I said today, progress is not perfection, it is working toward being the best that I could ever be."

Romans 10:14-15 states, "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!' " God understands everything that we face and he wants to help us move past being all about ourselves so he provides a way for us to share his word with people. He knows people are going to view us as hypocrites but that is because they are too ignorant to understand what it means to be a Christian. In Titus 2:7-8 we are told, "In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us." We have to believe the things we tell people otherwise they are going to think we are crazy to expect them to follow it. We all make mistakes and I do not believe that people should only listen if you "practice what you preach" especially when it comes to the bible because it is not you telling them to do something because you set the rules, it is you informing them of the rules that God has set forth and just because you do not follow them does not mean that nobody does. Once again if you are actively pursuing what God has and you are moving away from a certain lifestyle that is one thing but if you are complacent with living in sin and still try to preach against it, then you are in the wrong and you need to find yourself on one side of the argument quickly. It is not all about reputation so to speak, its about doing what is good for others and reaching out to those in need. If there is one thing I have learned this summer, it is that I need to continue working at things myself but I need to be reaching out to those who might not be as fortunate as me or might need someone to just care about them. I will not be perfect at this but I want to improve and I am going to be working at it this year because I feel that reputation is too much of a cop out for people just because they want to be perceived as "normal" or the best.

I am going to try and stay up to date with the blog but as you all see I am more sporadic than I used to be. I need to make this more of my regular routine with Christ and praying before and after I post. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to leave them. Pray for me as I am praying for those of you whom I know read this. May God continue to lead you and bless you everyday.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Beginning

I have been trying to let God speak to me lately. I have distracted myself a lot this summer and I need to spend some time alone during this last week or so that I have to myself. It is in the silence that I can grow and it is when nobody is around that I can really take a good look at who I am and what I want to become. Those feelings that you carry around come from within and when you are constantly going with the flow, it is easy to be influenced by what others want and where they are going. Just take a step back, look at what God has made and say that it is good. God's plan is bigger than anything we could ever imagine and when it begins to take place, it is the most amazing experience ever. When we try to make things happen, the situation changes and we get caught up in the big details when we need to pay attention to the small ones. Our personal interest comes to the forefront and our best interest tends to go out the window or get pushed to the side because we want to see how it all works. We ultimately get to choose what to do with our life and that is the coolest thing that I can think of when it comes to living life. We are entrusted to make the right decision by the one who created us, how many things can you say get to do that? Anything ever created is just serves a purpose and if it does not meet the standards, it is pushed to the side or discarded. God gives us the opportunity to serve our purpose, we are not broken and hopeless toys that can never be fixed, we are hopeful and persevering people who have a savior who mends the broken areas of life so that our decision can be made complete. When it comes down to it, we hold eternity in our hands and what you do with that gift sitting on the table is your choice. We have the offer of a gift that leads to life and we have no idea where exactly it takes us or we can get up and walk out the door and live a predictable and sinful life. We have the option because he trusted us from the beginning.

God created the earth and he said all of it was good. When he created man and woman, he told them that they would rule over everything. God gave Adam and Eve the power to take care of everything because he trusted that they would be wise and follow the right path. His plan was more special than we can imagine today because had the fall of man not taken place, we would be in the garden walking and talking with Jesus everyday. As it is now, we can still walk and talk with him but only in his spirit until the day of his return. In his sight, we are precious and he does not want to lose us to the one who could not destroy him. We must remain focused and grow closer to him everyday so that we can continue to take care of the home that he has entrusted to us. Do not give the devil a foothold, a man reaps what he sows...

I am a firm believer in making amends with God and living a life that reflects his nature. If you are living in sin, there is hope, just keep working at it everyday. If you are following him and walking with him everyday, then do not give up during the battle because it is no fun to have to take a step back. You have worked so hard to achieve where you are at and do not let the enemy make you believing any of his lies and get you to slip up. Just like when God created everything and it was good, you are good in his eyes and one lapse of judgement can send the whole thing into a spiral (Adam and Eve, then Cain, later on Judas, etc...). Where the road leads is up to us, it is our story to write and we cast the characters. Just because you are the star does not mean that you have to be at the center of every scene, just make sure your influence carries others in the right direction. Let the motivation for your script come from the one who put you in the situation to write this story and trust that what he brings to you is the best material that has ever been imagined. Its not about how long the story is, its about the lasting impact the story has on those who took part in it and who hear about it. It will not be the perfect story but it will be unique and it will have its great moments. The shift from the bad moments to the good are the heartfelt times in which you know something special just took place. Take these moments in and seek first everything that is good so that the story remains positive until the end.

Let God work in your life. If you need prayer, ask for it. If you need to pray, do not hesitate. Feed yourself with the wisdom of his words and act on it. Please pray for me and pray that God continues to use me. Thanks for all your support and prayer.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Sincerity

Have you ever apologized to someone just to try and clear the air or to make yourself feel like a better person? I know that people do it everyday because they feel obligated to say something to someone they feel they have wronged. It is humbling to come out and say you were wrong or that you hurt someone because your intentions were wrong. The truth is that sincerity is the only way to make things right and it is more than just the act of sounding sincere, it is showing that a change has taken place to ensure that the same scenario will not unfold in the future. If you apologize a thousand times and never are sincere about it, you are making the situation worse. Trust begins to break and over time a relationship can fall apart. I have experienced this first hand and it is a tough pill to swallow every night. What is done is done and the only way to progress is to step up and change how you handle things in the future. You cannot expect different results when the cycle is the same every time around. When you do the laundry, the only way to get a stain out is to work it out with some cleaner and maybe use a double wash cycle, you have to be careful not to dry the fabric before the stain is removed because then the stain might bond with the fabric and the reminder is left every time you put it on. When one realizes that they only way they can help themselves is by letting Him help you, then they have reached a point that could never be reached no matter how many times they talked to someone who could help them. Anyone can point you in the right direction but until you move in the right direction, they are of no value to you at all. Ultimately we control our destiny and if you make amends and are sincere, you will go further than you could have ever imagined.

Israel had tons of trouble in the Old Testament and God knew just how much they were playing with him. He tried over and over to provide them with what they needed but he ended up getting the same result from them. They would complain and turn away and then in the heat of the battle they would turn to him. Hosea 7:13-16 states, "Woe to them because they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, because they have rebelled against me! I long to redeem them but they speak lies against me. They do not cry out to me from their hearts but wail upon their beds. They gather together for grain and new wine but turn away from me. I trained them and strengthened them, but they plot evil against me. They do not turn to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because of their insolent words. For this they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt." When people do not know which side of you they are going to get, you become foreign to them and dealing with something unknown pushes a lot of people away. Other people just get sick of the same stuff over and over because they know that you are doing just enough to get by. This may work with most of your friends but God knows what is going on and if you do not straighten up and start pursuing your relationship with him and allowing him to speak into you, then you are headed for a dark path, myself included. If I have to tell myself to not force it one more time then I might lose it because I always find myself pushing the situation and then I feel left out in the dark when it is all said and done. God's plan should be all that I need but I cannot take ahold of it when I'm in a constant struggle to just be within reach of him. The war is raging, the clock is ticking and sooner or later someone wins. You cannot wait for the clock to reach zero to decide because at that point it is too late. One side is winning and there are no ties so whoever is ahead at the end is going to take possession of the most sought after prize in the universe, your eternity.

Sincerity is tough and repentance is a daily battle to overcome the sin in which you once lived. Walk everyday with him and he will give you the strength you need. Be grateful for what you have, thank him for what you receive, and never lose sight of what is in store. He is always watching not because he wants to catch you but because he loves you and wants to help you.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson

Respect

I have to a confession and God has already dealt with me about it. There are times when my respect for other people's feelings and women has been very low. When I struggled with pornography, it was degrading to women and I still remember the punishment that was poured out on me by my mother but I know it was in love and too make me understand that it is not just the act of looking at it that is bad but what it represents as a whole. An industry to make money off of people who are willing to basically commit adultery on film. I have looked at some girls in ways that I should never have and I have hung out with girls just because I thought they were good looking. Yeah maybe in some ways you would call me shallow and in most cases I would deserve it. Problem is most guys are like this and most are unwilling to admit it. I am not saying I am better than them but I think if guys would recognize a problem and address it, then we could begin to scale back the issue in our world. Women are precious gifts from God and they should be treated as such. Just because you are married does not mean that you wife immediately becomes an object because God says its okay to engage in a physical manner with her. God still has standards on fun but it is not because he wants to be mean, it is because there is a sacred aspect to the act and God wants to keep it holy but also make it enjoyable. Men, just because you do not do anything with a woman before marriage does not make you guilt free. Looking and SPEAKING about women in a derogatory manner is just as bad as the real thing because it is going through your head and you are telling others what your thoughts are. For goodness sake, have some manners and address a girl using ma'am, pull her chair out for her, open the car door, open the restaurant/building door. Talk to her like a human being and not just as someone who you "deserve" to be with. In actuality we all deserve to be alone but because of the compassion of God, we have been given companionship to build each other up and be rooted in love. "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

Another thing I am guilty of is not fulfilling promises, especially to girls. Men, if you tell a girl you will do something or will not do anything to harm her spiritually or physically, then you better follow through. Trust is one of the toughest things that humans can do for one another and when you lay out empty promises then you are just hurting yourself and the person you were committed to. First, you lose your integrity and trust because nobody can believe the things you say and they will think you are classless because you just do not know how to back the things you say you will do. Secondly, the other party gets hurt because typically your promise was something that would build strength and foundation in the relationship and now you have completely ruined it. Lastly, the other person either finds out that this is the way you are and accepts it, thus lowering their standards or they have to lose someone they possibly love because they have to stand up for their themselves and say they are not going to go through the same old stuff again. Unfortunately the case falls in the first category in which the standards are lowered and then another promise is made and it falls through, thus creating an endless cycle of "victory", defeat, and pain. "It is better not to vow than to make a vow an not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, ' my vow was a mistake.' Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God." Ecclesiastes 5:5-7. Can I take back all the pain that I have caused myself and others? No, can I ask forgiveness? Yes! I will make the necessary steps to make changes and get better but in the meantime I can only do my best to be respectful and gain the trust of others by taking care of all my business.

I hope you all had a great day and that you enjoy reading this. God is doing some amazing things in my final weeks here in Georgia and I am very excited about it. Please keep praying for me.

God Bless,

Joseph Robinson