Nate's Faith Blog

Day 20 The way it was told to me went something like this: One fine spring day a father and his young son decide to go on a scenic hike in the majestic mountains near their home. After they had gotten up the trail a bit, the father began to tire out a bit, so the son walked on ahead- but he wasn't watching the trail too well, so he falls, hurts himself, and yells: "owwwwwwwie!" To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain: Thinking it was someone making fun of him, he yells: "Who are you?" He receives the answer: "Who are you?" Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!" He receives the answer: "Coward!" He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?" The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention." And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!" The voice answers: "I admire you!" Again the man screams: "You are a champion!" The voi...

  Day 19 Do you ever wonder why you exist? It is so easy to get caught up in the normal routine of your everyday life. It is easy wander aimlessly, without much direction, hopes or dreams. We have settled into an ordinary life, and we live the way society tells us to live. But I am here to tell you . . . there is so much more . . .   Take for example, a baby. When they are in the womb, they are perfectly content. They receive all the nourishment, warmth, and life they could ever need. They cannot comprehend life beyond the womb. Their every move and breath is dictated by the umbilical cord. In fact, an unborn fetus is fully equipped with a good set of lungs; however, they have no use for them. It is an empty void or longing within them waiting to be fulfilled. They are to be used for another life beyond their current one. Similarly, we too, are intended to live in another world beyond this one. This earth is only temporary and heaven is eternal. We are mere aliens in a s...

  Day 18 Not even a sparrow, worth only half a penny, can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows. (Matthew 10:29-31)   How many times are we feeling pretty worthless because of circumstances beyond our control? Life can sometimes be unbeatable, but other times it gives us a 'beatdown'.   Perhaps this week you know exactly what I mean.   Good thing our worth isn't based on our circumstances or behavior, if it were I would have zero hope. Check out this story and see if speaks to your heart.   A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?" Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first let me do this." He proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up. He then asked, "Who st...

  Day 17 Too often in our lives we experience the hurt of discouragement and rejection. So often we feel as though nothing else could possibly go wrong, and then it does... You fight with a friend, you fail a test, you get fired from a job, you get cut from the sports team, you loose an important relationship, and your dreams and plans fall apart before your eyes.   It is so common to encounter painful times in our lives where God feels distant. It feels as though we walk the hard road alone, and no one understands the struggles we are going through. When disappointment comes, it floods our lives all at once, and defeat slowly creeps in until we feel like giving up.   Personally, I have struggled with discouragement in my life a lot lately. Every time I turn the corner I face more rejection, or someone telling me I'm not quite good enough. At least so it seems. I know people don't intend to make me feel that way, but the reality of it is, I just can't help feeli...

  Day 16 "Do not be misled. Bad company corrupts good character." (I Corinthians 15:33)   They influence your speech, dress, and mannerisms. They are your constant mirrors. They have a firm grip on your heartstrings, and oftentimes they are the difference between success and failure in the Christian life. Good ones can nudge you to victory. Bad ones can drag you to defeat. What are they? You guessed it...friends!   The bottom line is that the type of friends who form your inner circle will most likely determine how faithfully you serve Christ, and whether or not you make a spiritual difference on your campus. When Paul wrote today's verse: "Do not be misled. Bad company corrupts good character " - he was addressing a friendship situation.   The Christians at Corinth had friends who basically denied the resurrection. In other words, their main goal in life was to try and find happiness through partying, because there would be no judgment day. So th...

  Day 15 “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with action and in truth.” ( 1 John 3:18) Love is a verb. Some of you may have heard this statement. It may not be very profound, but how often do we apply this to our daily lives? It is true that words are powerful. In James 3:4 we see that just as a small rudder determines the course of a ship, our tongues determine the course of our lives. How much more power do our actions have if actions truly speak louder than words?   United States President Theodore Roosevelt once said, It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who know...

  Day 14 "When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the Rock that is higher than I." (Psalm 61:2) Most of us should now know what it is to be overwhelmed in heart. It is as though any bright side of life has been covered over in complete darkness. It feels like our lives were as a ship gliding effortlessly on the ocean, only to suddenly collide with unseen rocks below. Our emotions may be adrift and our minds tossed about with bewilderment, but those who have trusted Christ have a remedy. Blessed be God, at such seasons we are not without an all-sufficient respite, Jesus Christ is the port for battered sails, the sickbay for cheerless pilgrims. We live in a low estate, which is why we need to look up to Him. He is higher than we are in every way. His comfort is higher than our confusion, His mercy is higher than our mistakes, and His love is higher than our hatred. It is pitiful to see people putting their trust in something lower than themselves; but our confidence is es...

  Day 13 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35) Real love. Christ-like love. It must not come must not come naturally. Otherwise, why would Jesus have to make it a command? He must have thought that somehow, someway, believers have the ability through the Holy Spirit to live a life of genuine love. Yet not only do we have the ability, we also have the responsibility. In fact, Jesus makes it clear that self-sacrificial love is the way that the world will know we are children of God. Notice that Christ did not say: "by this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you know many verses and have your theology solid..." or " by this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you attend church, speak in tongues, and avoid all sin..." He simplified it for us- love one another. So how do we show th...

  Day 12 "I have loved you with an everlasting love..." (Jeremiah 31:3)   Notice the strange combination of wording in this verse? It's not "I will love you" or "I'm going to love you"...rather I have loved you- meaning not only has God loved us a long time; He has actually loved us before time was even invented!     Maybe you thought that when the doctor held you up as a brand new baby, God looked down and said "How cute! I think I'll love that little bundle of joy forever!" Or perhaps you were under the impression that Jesus didn't smile on you until you trusted Christ as your only hope of salvation?   Well perhaps His smile got a little bigger that day, but His love was coming your way before you even came your way.   So how does that make you feel?   I don't know about you, but that blows me away. God's love for me is the most constant and unchanging thing in the universe. In fact, it will still...

  Day 11 "Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" (Galatians 3:3)   If someone asked you "what is the goal of life?"- how would you respond? Some might say that life is meaningless, so why even set goals? Deeper thinkers might respond by claiming that the goal of life is found in understanding what gives life meaning, and once that is grasped, the meaning of life becomes accomplishing that goal.   Every day we are surrounded with the message which says that the goal of life is personal pleasure. If we take on that goal, then self-gratification becomes the driving force that gives our life meaning. At that point it is easy to take on the mentality that says: "We want everything that life has to offer, and we want it now!"   However, if personal pleasure is what gives our life meaning, then life without consistent pleasure is meaningless. When we allow personal pleasure to be...

  Day 10 One day I was feeling sorry for myself (as I often do), so I decided to get into a debate with God. I made up a list of all the things that were wrong with my life, and all the excuses I had for not serving Him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Funny thing is, getting into a debate with God is not such a great idea. Here's how it went:   I said, "It's impossible for me to live for You." He said, "All things are possible." (Luke 18:27)   I said, "I'm too tired to follow You." He said, "I will give you rest." (Mt 11:28-30) I said, "Nobody really loves me." He said, "I love you." (Jn 3:16)   I said, "I can't go on facing each day." He said, "My grace is sufficient."(2 Cor 12:19)   I said, "I can't figure things out." He said, "I will direct your steps." (Prov 20:24)   I said, "I can't do it." He said...

Day 9 “Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false.” Psalms 24:3-4   Have you ever wanted something so bad, but it seemed so far away? When I played sports I wanted to be the best and get the starting position.   I would do anything to get it.    In the end, all that stood in the way of me not sitting on the bench or playing in a championship was how hard I worked for it.   Every day I asked myself if I was giving my all out on the practice field, lifting weights, or running. It seemed like there was always something more that I could do.   Isn’t that true in all life though? If you want good grades, you have to study and do homework. The outcomes we get in life depend on the energy we put into them.   God is the same way.   Sometimes we put a lot of energy into reaching God by going to church, doing g...

  Day 8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ” Philippians 4:8   The definition of purity is, “being free from foreign or inappropriate elements, clear and true.”   Purity is not from the outside in, but from the inside out. Purity isn’t necessarily just physical, it is mental first. It says in Philippians to THINK on these things.   In Proverbs 15:26 it says that the thoughts of the pure are pleasing to God.   Thoughts become actions, actions become habits, and habits shape a person’s character. Nobody becomes an addict overnight. It is choice that is made over time.   The same concept applies with thoughts. These impure thoughts get engrained into our hearts. The Word says, “out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). So thoughts spawn ...