Missing by a Mile

I've recently got into archery as a hobby. I really want to get outdoors more especially since work and school are sucking my life away, which is frustrating. I don't want to spend my extra curricular time hiding away in my bedroom watching Netflix or whatnot. Well, this particular bow is meant for bowfishing, a sport where you spear the fishing with an arrow attached to a string. There is no catch and release. You shoot to kill. It is legal in most states and people go bowfishing for carp and gar most of the time. I know down in the flats of Florida and other saltwater states, they go for stingray, flatfish, and other fish. Enough of that boring explanation.

This particular bow is a recurve bow. I have not shot a lot of bows in my life much less a recurve but it was inexpensive ($140 with all the fishing gear included, which is extremely cheap for a bow) and I wanted to try my hand at it. Well, after I bought it at Cabela's I went to the River Raisin at some small park called West County Park close to Dundee. Well, I went fly fishing there a few weeks earlier for carp and knew that this was the end of the season for them. I wanted to get in a few catches before the season for carp in the area was over. Well, when I got to the park, I set the bow up and walked to the spot where I was last time. I saw carp and was thrilled! First shot into the water broke the string attached to the arrow and the arrow smashed into a fallen log in the water. The carp, immune to falling branches and such, were probably laughing at me. I literally NEVER shot a bow until that day! So, I had to retrieve the arrow, which was the worst part (maybe best for some of you). I stripped down to my boxers and t-shirt and went in almost chest deep water to retrieve the arrow. *sigh* After that, I practiced a couple of times shooting into the water and into a tree to see the flight path of the arrow. Needless to say, I lost that same arrow and had to go back into the water to find it searching blindly in my underwear. That was loads of fun. *sarcastic*

People who profess Christ as Lord may not be Christians. They are not hitting the mark just as I did with the bow and arrow. They try and try and try but fail every time. These people may be Catholics, Presbyterians, Baptists, or some other religious group. They may call themselves religious and not claim to be a denomination. They all claim to be children of God but may not be saved. In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus talks about these people who missed the mark by a mile. He says, "Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'" Scary...Depart from Me...I never knew you. You can do as many good works as you want yet be so far from Christ's salvation because you think you can get to heaven by doing good works. Nope, that's not how it works. Titus 3:5 states "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit...." This act of thinking you can get to heaven by works is a sin. Why? Because anything that is not following God's will is a sin. This also goes for anyone who IS a Christian but does not obey God. They keep trying it their way and fail and fail and fail. They are rebelling against God. In your life, are you hitting the target? Are you able to safely say that I am a child of God? If so, are you doing what God has commanded and following Him? Or are you "missing the mark?"

Make Me a Sandwich!

You've seen it on people's statuses on Facebook, on funny pictures on the internet, or even people will say the phrase but by now you've at least heard someone say jokingly about a female, "go to the kitchen and make me a sandwich" or "my wife/girlfriend/significant other needs to stay in the kitchen so she can cook for me all day. She belongs there." Yes, it's funny, but it's kinda rude once you think about it. I know for a fact that girls don't like to be treated like dirt. I know that's a bit harsh on guys but I am one and I know I wouldn't want to be treated like dirt!

I guess my point is all about submission in a relationship. A weird topic because usually submission happens in marriage. Well, I heard a message this morning about wives submitting to their husbands. My pastor took verses from Ephesians 5:22-24 and Colossians 3:18-19. Ephesians 5:22-24 says, "Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything." Colossians 3:18-19 says, "Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them."

It says in Ephesians 5:24 that how the church submits to Christ so should the wife submit to their husbands. Now, let's look at the underlying message there. We are not REQUIRED to submit to Christ as a church. I can be saved and be living in sin and not submit. I submit to Christ because I love Him. With this being said, the next part of the verse clearly states the answer to how a wife should submit. If the wife loves the Lord, she will submit to her husband. I need to rant for a second. Sometimes, I really hate the English language. For instance, I really have a problem using the word "submit" because we have given it such a bad definition i.e. you must do everything that your husband says you must do. We have such a narrow definition of the word submit when it has  End of rant. Going back to what I was saying, this is a very touchy subject. People in the churches these days take the verse the wrong way and want their wives to literally obey them as if they were slaves, which is wrong. I will say this though, which is very difficult to those of you who are married and have husbands who are unsaved. In 1 Peter 3:1-5, Paul says that a wife should be submissive to her husband even if he is an unbeliever so that her actions will speak louder than words to bring him to Christ. Wow! Now that is tough! Paul continues to say that you should not make yourself beautiful just on the outside but on the inside as well. Verses 3 and 4 says, "Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God." Paul nails it when he writes these two verses. So, you should not only dress well as to avoid unwanted attention from other men except for your husbands but also be kind and affectionate and godly, being Christ-like to show your unsaved husband that Christ does in fact live in you! 

I know this is not everything. I could go very in depth on this subject but I do not have time nor am I a Biblical scholar enough to write extensively on the subject. If you are in the mood or in need of more light on the subject, go here to obtain a more in-depth view on the entire chapter of Ephesians 5. 

Also, the reason why I was thinking about all of this even before my pastor spoke on this is because, Lord willing, I will be engaged soon to my girlfriend of 2 years, Lauren. I ask that you would pray for me as well as for her as we both strive to please Him but also struggle with pure thoughts even now. Pray that the Lord would help us be victorious in the battles ahead. We appreciate any prayer that you pray for us. I will keep you  all posted on the engagement. : ) God bless. 

Why Do We Go to Church?

Since all great ideas form in the shower, I was thinking this evening before work about why I go to church. As a 22 year-old guy, my parents feel as if I am not under their rule per se all that much. Now, granted, I am living at home and they EXPECT of me to do certain things, i.e. get up at a reasonable hour, don't run around the house naked, invite hippie freak girls over the house without their permission, you know, the little things.

As I started to think more and more about this idea, I realized that, sometimes, I go to church for the wrong reasons. Sometimes I don't feel like going to church to get a fulfillment from God but to have a good time with my friends. Sometimes I go to church to please my parents or to please God, which is foolish since God knows my thoughts. It then struck me that it has been a tradition of ours to go to church whenever the doors have been open. I know it is bold to say "tradition," but just think about it. I mean really, when your boss says, "Hey, what are you doing on Sunday?" Most of the time, you say, "Oh, I am going to church." Its' not, "I'm gonna sleep in, get up, mess around for a couple of hours until the football game, have some friends over for steaks and then go to bed." No, USUALLY, in a Christian home, the whole family goes to church.

What does the Bible say about going to church? If you are part of a church that you go to faithfully, even if you are not a member, like me, you are still part of the body of believers! Hebrews 10:25 says, "Not forsaking our own assemblies, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day draw near." The Bible says to be in a relationship with other believers to be encouraged and also to encourage as the last days draw near. What else does the Bible say? In Romans 12:5, we belong to each other. "So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." This is great since we need to grow in the faith, practice forgiveness, and learn how to serve others. Another great point that the Bible makes is in Ephesians 4:2. "With all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another, in love." If we didn't fellowship with other believers, we wouldn't grow as we ought. We learn gentleness, humility, and patience, developing a Christ-like spirit as we fellowship in the body of Christ. There are many more points to look at but I believe that this is the greatest. If we are to be like Christ, we should do what He did when He walked this earth. He went to church, too. Luke 4:16 states it clearly: "And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read." People, this was Jesus's CUSTOM - a normal practice of His - to go to church! I am very sure that if Jesus met with fellow believers to encourage and to also be encouraged, shouldn't we do the same, for the right reasons?