The Resurrection

Mmmmmm... The resurrection. What a great thing. Do we ever take time to sit down and think about what it really is? What it really was? I mean wow. Tonight I got to hear a talk from my awesome friend Brant Bonetti about the resurrection. As we close out the semester with regards to our Bible Studies, we culminate into the purpose of the whole study. Entitled "The Jesus Study" we got to delve into the characters of Jesus and what He showed us through a few stories of His life on earth. In each of these stories, John 1 and Rev 19, John 2, Luke 4, Luke 5, Luke 7, Luke 9, John 10, and John 13, we see a little bit of God in Jesus. But Jesus also points us to something that He references in one way or another at one point in each of the passages:

The Resurrection

In each of those passages (I challenge you to go and read them and find where He does this) Jesus points to His death and resurrection. He's emphasizing how important it is. But why? WHY? Because the Gospel hinges on His resurrection. Everything He said and everything the Bible says would be a lie were it not for His resurrection on the third day. The resurrection is what makes Jesus God, its what makes our lives meaningful. Its what give us hope.

It gives us hope. Hope in what though? What do you hope for day in and day out? What does the resurrection confirm in your life. How does Jesus dying on the cross give you hope? Here's what I hope for: I hope to be with God. I hope to know Him and be with Him? Why? Because I'm human. As a human I'm selfish, and I want to be loved. I want to be loved. But everything that I know from God and from the resurrection is that God is love. God loved us enough to send His son to die for us. I want to be with Him so that I can be enveloped in His love. So that I can be surrounded by His almighty embrace. Meditate on Romans 8:31-39 and tell me that that does not sound awesome!

I hope for heaven. How often do you think about heaven and the awesome things that God has promised us in that? Its a beautiful place and God is inviting us there! And Jesus' resurrection is my invitation to go with and be with Him there. Just sit and think about how glorious heaven will be. There is nothing better. I challenge you all to think of what you think of heaven. What are you hoping for? What do you put your trust in? Take some time to think about Jesus, about how He died for us, of His own will, having the power and authority to take it up again, (that one's in John 10:17-18). How He came to serve us! (John 13). You guys are awesome and I can't wait till I next get to see you all!!!

---- The Running Man

Glorifying God

Hey guys!

Just wanted to give you all an update on life and what God has been showing me lately in my life. So far, things have been pretty good with rush, but tonight it really took off. We had open chapter and we had a ton of the rushes show up and sign up for interviews! Like I've mentioned before its been something that I just have had to stress about all semester. However, I want to thank God for His awesome works. Its by His will that those men showed up tonight to witness our fraternity and unity.


Outside of rush, I've been uber busy with school. I had a test this past Wednesday as well as three homework sets, which I finished despite my decision to go see the midnight premiere of SkyFall! SO GOOD! Regardless I still have 3 tests, 2 labs, and a CS Project that stand between me and Thanksgiving Break. So what do I do? I procrastinate and blog. Judge me later guys. Don't hate for me wanting to give you guys an update!


So, onto more important stuff. God. Jesus. Yum. Just so much to digest when it comes to the Word and what God is trying to do in me. For starters like I may have mentioned in my previous post, God is just reminding me to continue holding things with an open hand. Whether that be with rush, girls, school, whatever, God wants me to remember that these things all belong to Him and that He gives and takes away according to His will, which is to further His glory.


There is just so much in that one statement. Romans 8:28 "All things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose." and

John 14:21 "He who keeps my commandments loves me, and he who loves me is loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself in him."

John 15:7 "If you abide in me, and my word abides in you, ask what you desire, and it will be done for you."

Those who love God do what He desires. He desires for us to keep His commandments. In keeping His commandments, we will desire what God desires and it will be done. So we get what we want when we follow God's law because we want what God wants. Its a complicated thought train, I'm having trouble thinking it through. But here's a question for thought:

Does God always get what He wants?

What do you guys think? I have my own opinion of the subject, which I may explain but I don't feel like imposing that on you at the moment. The point of the matter is this, when we hold things with open hands we realize that they are not the most important things in our lives. We recognize that God is more important than any of those things we have in our hands. We end up keeping the things that God knows will glorify Him, the things that WE want as well because we want to keep His commandments and glorify Him.

So to close it all off, I'll put it as simply as I can. When our life is about God, we seek to glorify Him in all things. God, sees different ways for us to glorify Him sometimes so He takes things away, but when we hold those things with the open hand we get to approach those situations and continue to glorify Him. MMMM.... Jesus just makes you think doesn't He? He causes you to think through things that just continue to deepen your understanding of Him and bring you closer to Him. Such a great thing. See you guys at Thanksgiving! Love you all!

---- The Running Man