Archive for July, 2008

I was having a conversation with some friends the other night and the topics of other religions/denominations came up.  We began discussing some of the differences and why they are there.  And it seems very simple to me in that some of them it is simply an interpretation difference where in others it is a bold faced lie that the devil has told someone and they believed.  Now this strikes up the questions of “Why did they believe it?” and that my friend is very simple.  People do not know their Bible.  They do not know what they believe or why they believe it so when something comes along that is close or is using the same language it is easy to get confused or mislead.  And in general this is an obvious problem in society, people stopped reading their Bible and began believing lies that were told to them.

For instance let me tell you a whopper that is in the main stream right now.  “There is more that one way to Heaven, what ever is good for you might not be good for me.”  This has been spread all over the place including on the Oprah Show and others.

I am sure that you have heard it and I am sure that you know people who feel that way.  This is how we get to a place where our society is in that we disregard the truths and values that we are taught in the Bible and begin to believe things that makes us “feel” good about ourselves.  And that is how we end up with individuals who are

Assembly of the United later 7^th day Jehovah episcopal Catamornduist (a friend and I made this up and had a great time doing it!!)

But I would be bold enough to say that people that follow that mentality never really find that true happiness they are searching for.  The only true happiness is found in the truth that the scriptures give us in that we live in a fashion that is acceptable to the one true God.  In all of history there is only one God who has risen from the dead to provide salvation to those who believe.

As far as Christian denominations go I heard it best actually from a pastor at a friends church.  He stated, “When we all get to Heaven we will find out that each denomination had it right here but wrong there, so what is important is that the major belief that Jesus Christ died for our sins so that we can through faith in Him have everlasting life in Heaven worshiping the the Father.”  And I would whole heartily agree with that, there are somethings in ever major evangelical denomination that I do agree with and that I don’t agree with, and that is based on not my opinion but what I feel and what I believe scriptures teach.  So here is my point in this “rant”, if you are not in your Bible daily and you are not where you know what you believe and why you believe it then you need to find that place.  You need to grab God’s word and let the Holy Spirit show you God’s truths for your life, only then will you find a place of true happiness and joy.

P.S.  Remember that does not mean things are going to be easy!!!!  But that is a whole different blog altogether.

God Bless ~ Tyler

Romans 1:16 (New International Version)
16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

For anyone who is new to my blog you may not know what the title of this means so let me very quickly break it down for you with a definition.

CarShip:  The act of unashamed singing and praise while still safely driving your vehicle.
Car + Worship=CarShip

CarShip is the ability to sing at the top of your lungs and worship God without caring who is watching and what kind of idiot you look like driving down the road singing like crazy.  Well this morning on my way to work that was me.  I was jamming and I know the people passing thought that I was crazy.  And oddly enough I am ok with that (ha ha ha).
However, a song actually grabbed me and just shook me this morning with humbleness and joy.  I know that you all have heard and probably had it even in your worship service, as have I.  And being on the praise team at church we sing it 2 or 3 times in practice and then again in service so I know it by heart and have always loved it but this morning the lyrics rocked me.  This being the case I wanted to share this with you and give you some time to reflect without the music.  There are times that we don’t take the time to listen to the lyrics and read them to really grasp what they mean. The song that I am referring to is Matt Redman’s “You Never Let Go”.  Here are the lyrics from the beginning through the first chorus:

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won’t turn back
I know You are near

And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?

Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

This is a fundamental principle of Christianity that we take for granted.  We know God is with us “in theory” but we do not act like it.  We sometimes let the day-to-day struggles affect us like we are on our own.  We forget that God in His infinite wisdom already knows the solution to our problems, and to our struggles.  He knew that I was going to have an accident on July 13, 1997 and He knew that even though the doctor said I had a slim chance of survival that I was going to not only live but also not have any noticeable problems and be back to normal (stop laughing.)  We as Christians need to remember to look back and look how God has been there for us through the past and how He never let go of us.  The thing that is even better and is so amazing and encouraging to me is that God is faithful and loving even through consequences.  Remember we as Christians are forgiven of our sins but that does not mean that they will not also carry consequences for our lives that we must go through but He stands with us through that as well.   What an amazing God that when we spit in His face with our actions, attitudes, & disobedience; He will carry us through our trials because He loves us as only He can.   I hope that you take this time to praise Him for being the Almighty that He is!!

Remember He is only a word away, call on Him!  He will not disappoint you or let go!

God Bless ~ Tyler

James 4 (New American Standard Bible)

1 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? 6 But He gives a greater grace Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” 7Submit therefore to God Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

It is so easy to fool humans.  And I dont say that will a malicious frame of mind just the fact that we as humans do it all the time.  A person from the office will ask “How’s it going?” the other person will answer “Pretty Good, How bout you?” , “Oh doing well, thanks for asking.”.  All of it being a facade when one is going through a divorce and the other is financially in jeopardy.  They are both wrestling with the fact that neither one of them have found what they are seeking in life because they don’t have the personal relationship with God that they need.  Scripture is so obvious about where our motives are to lye.   It is crystal clear about what the relationship to the things of this world will bring us.

Yet we still time after time seek the things of this world, and yet we do not do what we know we should do.  For example so many marriages have disputes over money, matter of fact it is one of the biggest causes of divorce.  So you would think that couples would take a step back and put money in its place.  God tells us that we are to rely upon Him for our needs and our wants and that we are supposed to make His work priority one and that He will provide the rest.  So as Christians I challenge us to put away the things of the world and focus on the things of God.  We need to be the best tool for Him and allow Him to work through our lives to affect the world around us.  I pray that you would be sensitive to His leadership and His cautions.

God Bless ~ Tyler

Yesterday I was talking with one of our family friends and I made a statement that made her stop and say wow you should right that down.  And I guess I should of because I don’t remember exactly what it was now…but it was something to the effect of the fact that since God works through our flaws to make the amazing happen (so that He can get the glory and not us) that He has a lot of things He could do with in my life.

And I begin to sit and think about this and how in some regards that could be taken as an arrogant statement but I truly did not mean it in that manner.  I really meant it with a heart that understands how tainted and ugly my life is in comparison to God’s standards.  I struggle with issues that I know God has been dealing with me for years on and yet I still allow sin to creep into my life.  And I know that as you read this you can probably identify that same area in your life that it is been hard for you to give up.

Well know here is the place that we need to get to and I really just began to understand yesterday.  As I was praying with my son before bedtime as I do every night, I had a joy come over me or better yet described as a peace that I knew was from God.  It came over me just as I was praying for all of the concerns that were on my heart and that God would take care of and prevail on.  The peace was not a peace that God was going to fix them instantly but yet a joy during the tribulation because I know that God is going to make me into a better person and a far better vessel that can be used for His glory.  And I believe that is what James meant with:

James 1:2 (New International Version)

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

See there is joy in trials because God is using this trial to make you into a better person…a more usable person!  And isn’t that where our heart should be as a Christian is that we want to be the best tool possible.  Have you ever gone to Silver Dollar City or Williamsburg and watched the old blacksmith work a piece of iron.  It takes a lot of fire and hammering before that iron is anything useful.  So keep your joy, the trial maybe hard and it may hurt but it is for your benefit and for God’s glory in the end!

On a side note, as you may have noticed from yesterday’s blog that I moved the website and thought I had lost all of my blogs, all my email, and all of my wife’s email, however the Lord is good and I have been able to recover it all.

So as always remember to give thanks in all and God Bless ~ Tyler