LOGOS

This is something i think would be super helpful for me to have for my ministry. it will be able to help me study, way better than i am able to do now. its so expensive though. its only something i work up to getting.

Logos Bible Software is giving away thousands of dollars of prizes to celebrate the launch of Logos Bible Software 4 Mac on October 1. Prizes include an iMac, a MacBook Pro, an iPad, an iPod Touch, and more than 100 other prizes!

They’re also having a special limited-time sale on their Mac and PC base packages and upgrades. Check it out!

Between 2nd and 3rd

i was doing my quiet time this morning. Read this section on Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) who was a monk in the monastery of Citeaux. The Section was called "Four Degrees of Love":

Out of the four degrees of love, I think I have maybe experienced 3 of the 4. I know for sure I have got the 1st Degree down to a “T”. The Love of Self for Self’s Sake. I believe that I am a master at that. “Human nature is weak and therefore is compelled to love and serve itself first.” I think we are all good at this one. I know have the 2nd degree in love, which is: Love of God for Self’s Sake. God makes himself to be loved. He blesses us with protection. And when we are free from trouble we are happy but because we are prideful we start to think that we are the reason for our own happiness. God then sends storms to humble us and makes us turn to Him in times of trouble. A big slice of Humble Pie. When we realize that we, who only love ourselves, can’t do it on our own and we need God, begin to love God. We begin to love God, even if it’s just to help our own selves out. I believe that I have this one down too.

I can easily think of many times where I am complacent where I am at in life and I start to think that I am the reason that everything is great, and then a storm comes and God rocks my face off and I realize that I need to turn to Him to help ME get out of MY situation. Even though I turn to God and start to love Him is because I am selfish and want His help. The 3rd Degree of Love is “The Love of God for God’s Sake”. This degree of love is the love by which God is now loved for his very self. This sort of love we give to Him is not based off of something we get in return. We love God because He is God. We don’t only love God with our words but with our actions. We love because we are loved; we love others because Jesus loved others. The 4th kind of love is rarely reached, according to Bernard of Clairvaux, so im not going to touch it.

I think we are really good at number 1. I think this is our default setting. We are all experts at loving ourselves and taking care of ourselves. I feel like it am mostly in the 2nd degree of love, where I love God my own sake, because I need Him. I think most of us struggle with getting out of this. I think we are in this degree of love and barely reach the 3rd degree of love of Loving God for God’s Sake. When we really should always be in the 3rd degree and rarely reach the 4th degree, which is Loving Ourselves for God’s Sake.

My prayer is that I am in the state of the 3rd degree of love, loving God for God’s Sake, and love because he has already loved me, and keep that on my mind always. Because I feel that I forget that. All the time.

Hardest Thing Ever

so i started this new devotional book. i love it already. its called "Devotional Classics" and it as selections from the great Christian minds, questions, Bible References, and tons of content. i highly recommend it.

this caught my attention as i was reading. its a selection of C.S. Lewis' "Mere Christianity":

"Christ says, 'Give me ALL. i dont want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: i want you. i have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it. no half-measures are any good. i dont want to cut off a branch here and a branch there, i want to have the whole tree down. hand over the whole natural self, all the desires which you think innocent as well as the ones you think wicked- the whole outfit. i will give you a new self instead. in fact, I WILL GIVE YOU MYSELF; MY OWN WILL SHALL BECOME YOURS."

also read: Luke 14:25-33

that to me is the hardest challenge. to truly give everything over to Christ. EVERYTHING. it says at the very end of that section in Luke 14, "So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all of your possessions." its VERY clear.

God i pray that you help me do this. die to natural self. give everything to you. EVERYTHING. so i can be your disciple.


RANDOM FACT: There are 302 characters in the movie Toy Story 3.

Human Trafficking

i got the great opportunity to share last night on the tough subject of Human Trafficking. i hope that i got to shed the light on a truly evil thing that is going on in today's world. human trafficking effects 27 million people around the world. there is more slaves today than there ever has been in the history of the world. we are to be a light to these people. there are some ways to combat this right now, even if its just a little.

START NOW!

Human Trafficking Stats

•27 million- Number of people in modern-­day slavery across the world.
•It is the fastest growing criminal enterprise in the 21st century - a nine billion dollar industry.
•1.2 million children are trafficked every year
•600,000-800,000 men, women and children are trafficked across international borders each year. Approximately 80 per cent are women and girls. Up to 50% are minors.
•Human trafficking in the second largest source of illegal income worldwide exceeded only by drugs trafficking.
•Types of recruitment; include abduction, false agreement with parents, sold by parents, runaways, travel with family, orphans sold from street or institutions
•161 Countries identified as affected by human trafficking: 127 countries of origin; 98 transit countries; 137 destination countries.

Not just in European Countries:
Human Trafficking of U.S. citizens within the U.S.:
•The United States is one of the top three destination points for trafficked victims, along with Japan and Australia. California, New York, Texas and Nevada are the top destination states in the country.
•244,000- Number of American children and youth estimated to be at risk of child sexual exploitation, including commercial sexual exploitation, in 2000.
•12-­14- Average age of entry into prostitution
•Los Angeles is one of the top three points of entry into this country for victims of slavery and trafficking. The diverse communities of this sprawling city make it easier to hide and move victims from place to place, making it very difficult for law enforcement to locate potential survivors.
•Immigration agents estimate that 10,000 women are being held in Los Angeles' underground brothels; this does not include the thousands of victims in domestic work, sweatshops or other informal industries.

Here are some great sources that i mentioned last night. get on there and get informed and create awareness!

HERE ARE SOME GREAT SITES THAT ARE ALL ABOUT STOPPING HUMAN TRAFFICKING (click on them to view them). All of these sites have information on how you can create AWARENESS around you today:

STOP THE TRAFFIK
INVISIBLE CHILDREN
LOVE 146 (the shirt i was wearing last night)
A21 CAMPAIGN
OXFAM
NOT FOR SALE CAMPAIGN

HERE ARE SOME FAIR TRADE STORE SITES TO WATCH WHAT YOU BUY:

THE HUNGER SITE STORE
Fair Trade (Where to buy fair trade items)
Global Stewards

i hope this helps to start to spark the fire to start sharing what is going on around this world!

Psalm 82:3-4 (New International Version)

3 Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless;
maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.

4 Rescue the weak and needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.