Daily Walk
Rules!
by Jason Williams on 12/02/10
Growing up I hated rules. My Mother had a long list of them and I didn't like to follow them because they didn't allow me to do what I wanted to do. Of course in my teen years I knew everything I needed to know about life and how to make my way in this world. I did embrace a couple of her rules but for the most part I knew better then she did and me being happy was the most important thing. I spent a lot of my teenage years trying to get away with things in which I would get caught and suffer a consequence. She still loved me and eventually gave me another chance to rebel against her again. In which I did, over and over and over again.
My story growing up with my parents isn't that uncommon. As a kid I thought my Mother was overly strict but today I find myself with many of the same values that she tried to instill in me as a child. Every rule in my household served a purpose. It was ether to protect me in one way or another or to help me learn a valuable lesson in life. It was never just because she wanted to be better then me or keep me down in one way or another. 30 years later I am finally able to say,"wow Mom, you were right, and thank you so much for bring me up the way you did."
We are all God's children and he wants what is best for us, even if we don't see it at the time. I hear all the time that the commandments were nailed to the cross, or if it feels good do it. As long as we accept Jesus we can live our lives as we want to, besides we all fall under grace so he will forgive us. Well if all you care about is salvation then this is true, but don't you find that way of thinking to be rather selfesh and wrong? I think it is, Jesus didn't come to Earth for us to take advantage of him, He came so it would be possible for us to spend eternity with him.
God understands far better than we do that with every action there is a reaction. Everything we do has a consequence good or bad. He has told us what we can do to live safe healthy lives but most of us feel like we know better. God doesn't make a bunch of rules for us out of spite or because he wants us to be his puppets. God simply wants his children to live good healthy lives. Not that much unlike what any parent wants for their children. So instead of rebelling against the rules embrace them and learn from them. You won't do it perfect but thank God that He is merciful and He will forgive us, but that doesn't mean that there will not be a consequence for your sin.
Better then I Deserve
by Jason Williams on 06/01/10
I greeted a friend and I asked “How are you this weekend?”
His reply was simple but really got me thinking, “Better then I deserve.”
We had district meeting in Great Bend last Sabbath. I thought of about twenty reasons not to go. It’s too far, was number one on the list. One thing I have found when serving the Lord is that the best blessings come when we go outside our comfort zones. I really feel I received a great blessing for this extra drive. The sermon was good, and I got to chat with people I haven’t seen in a while but the best blessing was from the greeting, “better then I deserve.”
I really try to look optimistically at life but most of the time I fail miserably. I find myself just wishing Jesus would come back real soon like in the next five minutes would be great. My friend made me realize what do I deserve? I really don’t deserve much. Living in a ditch starving to death, is what I deserve. Jesus is what we are supposed to be living like and I fall so very short. Yet I have blessings every day.
Even when I turned my back on God he worked in my life. He allowed me to put myself in a situation to find him. Now he keeps me on my toes just enough for me to put my faith in him. Every month I am in awe of God that I have made it another month, but really what do I have? Ten years ago my if I was asked, “if I could have anything in the world what would I ask for?” My answer would be I would want to own my own company, have a house, a nice car, and a lot of friends. Well today I have all those things. Is it my works that got me these things? NO!!! I have done everything I can to mess it all up, but God blesses me anyway.
So how am I doing today?
“Much better then I deserve.”
Daily Walk
by Jason Williams on 02/18/10
Welcome to the LaCrosse Seventh-day Adventist blog. For our members who know me they know that I like to write. My prayer is that someone stumbles apon this web site and realizes that God is real, Jesus is real and ALIVE, and there is a church family that will welcome them into their home. So with that from time to time I will tell of my walk with Jesus.
Some of you will wonder how am I qualified for such a job, and I will tell you this. I am not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. I have given myself to the Lord and I allow him to lead my life. God had given me the opportunity to rely completely and totally on him and he has not let me down. So I have been blessed and I want to share that with you.
I am starting a new business and I am gradually building up a cliental. Not quite as fast as I would like but it is coming along. I have my Dad as a client, as well as, Pastor Jumper of whom are two people I respect very much, so I am very excited to work with them. Right now I have enough work to give me something to do, so I am grateful. It is going to be a gradual process much like our Christian walk.
Dr. Dan signed me up for the Bike across Kansas the other day. Then yesterday he made me go on a 14 mile ride with him. All I can say is that I have a lot of training to do before we embark on the BAK. I had forgotten the benefits of exercise. Believe me when I tell you there are many benefits so go out and walk around the block after reading this. You will thank me later!
The outreach Sabbath School is going well. We have a core group and I am hoping for more people to come. The next quarter we are going to begin Celebrate recovery. It will be a toned down version, but I am very excited about it. I really hope that it will take on a life of its own. The reason I love the program so much is because it meets people when they are. Much like Jesus did. Please invite anybody and everybody to this study! It really is life changing! Also in the works is a cooking school and health seminar. Our sister Church in Great Bend is doing one right now and I understand it is going very well. I just have to convince a few key people to help and we will get these programs off the ground. Bible studies are the theme for our church this year. So if you know someone who is interested please let me know. Finally, Yes, we are planning a revelation seminar with Pastor Jim this year, so a lot of great things are in the works.
Please respond to this Blog with prayer requests, outreach ideas, or just share what the Lord has done for you lately.
