So I was reading this great book...and you should read this. ;)

So I was reading this really great book and....

it was 1 Samuel 15 and in it goes a story along these lines:

The the word of the Lord came to Samuel: "I am grieved that i have made Saul king, because he has turned away from and and has not carried out my instructions." 

Previously Saul was told to destroy ALL of the Amalekites and leave NOTHING alive. However, he saved the best of the livestock and the king from death. Apparently he intended to sacrifice the good things to the Lord, but frankly, he was disobedient to the Lord. 

When Samuel came to meet Saul, Saul blessed him and said "I have carried out the Lords instructions!" then Samuel pretty much said "liar!" God prefers obedience rather than sacrifice. Now lets think about this.

Oh to grieve God!  Ah!  How lightly we treat what God thinks1! honestly! it's ridiculous how we don't consider what God things about things. Saul thought his idea of sacrificing and keeping the best of the cattle alive could bring God more glory than doing what God told him to do. 

It makes me wonder what I have done against God's instructions. We err when we think that we can do something to make it up to God.  "oh, well, He told me to do this...but if i do it this way instead, He'll still get what He wants." How disgusting is that in our human nature? that for one, we think that we can make ANYTHING up to God. riiiight. and for two, He's God so...He kind of knows best, yeah?

Who are we kidding when we say "well, everyone! I have carried out the Lord's instructions!" when we don't even do what He tells us to. really. And he calls us His kids??? When we do that we're denying who is really in authority. we discredit what Jesus has gone through to make it so that we can have a relationship with Him. And not just some "God, I'll call you if i need something, thanks -waves-" kind of relationship. no no no. a deep, intimate, all knowing, vulnerable, trusting relationship. Geez, really! think of that. The kind of relationship you can have with the person who MADE you, know "knows your inmost being", who "formed you in your mothers womb", who designed your body down to the smallest freckle and who made you with a unique personality. that God wants to know you and wants you to know Him intimately. no secrets, a beautiful and wholesome relationship. Sounds great huh?

But when it comes down to it, we still mess up. God saw it fit in Saul to make him a king. Saul screwed that up by losing sight of obedience to God. I think that is the start. Where things reeeally start going wrong is when we disobey. after that it's just down hill from there. When we aren't accountable to others, it it sooo easy to let yourself roll down that hill, and yes. it is Very hard to maintain obedience. Fortunately (hahah, you guys are gonna not like this next statement. lol ) but FORTNATLEY God gave us parents to practice with. hahaha. Don't shoot me. And if you don't think your parents are that for you then think again. but still, if not, you have teachers, workers, mentors, friends who will kick you in the butt if you need it, bosses, older co-workers, and friend's parents that i'm sure would love to tell you what to do!  

God says "obedience is better than sacrifice"(1sam.15:22). I think He means it. Not easy, but Saul's disobedience caused God to GRIEVE. agh! I personally hate to disappoint anybody. I do when i have to, but i reeeeally don't like it. I know that sinking titanic feeling that comes with disappointment and i hate for anyone to have that. But that's how God feels when we disobey Him. When we don't follow HIS instructions. 

Frankly, God doesn't need your help in planning, decision-making, or direction. He's got it all under control, and when we take the wheel out of His hands, it doesn't do anybody any good. -especially us. Look at Saul. " Saul rejected the word of the Lord and the Lord has rejected [him] as king over Israel" (1sam15:26).

God has grace for us. Jesus' paying the price for our disobedience allows God to have grace for us. But given that grace, should we continue disobeying? if we do keep disobeying and offering out pathetic little sacrifices (that God, being who he is, does NOT need), that reflects that we think the price Jesus paid wasnt' good enough and we have become selfish, self-centered, hypocrites. 

I'm talking to myself here too. I have disobeyed God I have followed my own instruction over His when i knew clearly what God had spoken for me to do, and STILL I disobeyed. I lied. I grieved God when He made to to bring Him glory. Instead I grieved Him. He never asked me to do something I couldn't do, but I gave him less than my full attention and heart. i was a rebellious kid who deserved to be spanked(to put it lightly), but instead, God showed me love and grace and because of His love and His grace for me, I want to bring Him joy. not grief. So my prayer for myself and for you is that we be done with this disobedience crap. Do not merely listen to the word of God and deceive yourself, but DO what it says. Do not say "i am obedient" when you are not. 

SO I pray, "Father, your mercy is great! and how often I have dishonored you, yet still you love me. Help me to be pleasing. Obedience is scary, cuz

A Jargonsome Discourse on the Existence of a Higher Being (an introduction to the beauty of insanity:)

I am going to have a little fun with some jargon-ish language.

In one of the courses i'm taking at the college the words "reasonable", "intelligent", and "conclusion" crop up quite alot. I was thinking it might be fun to use such words in the same manner, but for a different purpose. One that is more clear and straighforward. An intelligent, reasonable conclusion. Sounds boring, ey? Bear with me a moment. haha! Think of it as an opportunity to laugh at people who think the way I have this worded. :) Then giive it a shot yourself. It's fun.

Here it goes mine.

Should a person ask the question "Why would a person who exhibits intelligence in some sphere of his life believe in the existence of God?" This would be the discourse (a literal discourse? ha. you had no idea what you were getting into when you started reading this note.) that would be my reply:

It is a reasonalbe and intelligent for me to approach the conclusion that there must be  in existence a higher being since 1. if there were no sense of order and control in what we see as our world, it would be much more chaotic than it's current state. 2. Chance itself is not a reasonalbe basis for knowlege.3. Because of the order exhibited, there must be a source of control. This source is not me. I am clearly not in control. 4. You aren't in control either. Admit it. Therefore, in considering all four of these things, it is reasonable for me to come to the conclusion that there is a being of superior intelligence that exists.

In following that line of thought, I must then ask that if there is a God who is higher, then there must surely be some evidence of it. For if not, this God would either be silent or dead. However, because of how he has revealed himself, it would be UNintelligent and UNresasonable [not to insult anyone's rationale here, just following a pattern like many people who make habbits of offending people. -bows-] for it to be assumed that this Higher Being were any less than living. He has revealed Himself through an exhibition of control, design, order, nature and miracles ("natural" versus "unnatural") one must come to terms with and come to the acceptane of God's existence. -Even more so for myself since one of the said miracles is how my life has been utterly transformed by this God. I have experienced something beyond human comprehention.

Therefore, it is not only intelligent and reasonable for one to accept the reality of God's existence, but it is necessary if one does not want to live his life out in a delusion.

End notes:

And still, all of this is just the beginning.

God does not need my help proving Himself to others. In being Who He is, he is in no way limitted to my inferior capabilites. He will and has revealed Himself.

None of this fully or even remotely explains a person's (aka, MY) passion and zeal for this living God. However, I must leave that to be explained for another time.

Because of the "intelligence and reasonalbeness" of my conclusion, I have zero reason to be ashamed of my belief in God.

There is so much more good news and I would love to tell you about it.

Again, I am not trying to prove that God exists. He has already taken care of that.

Lastly I want to state that the best news that we hear is news that is outside of understanding and reasonablilty. Reason and intelligence are merely tools were are given to use. They mustn't become a god to us, lest we lose sight of better things.

(I hope you have enjoyed my discouse. Feel free to comment with opinions, reactions, and whatnot.  I have rather enjoyed putting this together and would love any feedback.)