Taking care of yourself... really necessary?

I've been confronted with this issue, mainly through my own personal struggles with either over-eating or blatant disregard for my health. Do we not know that our bodies are temples for the Holy Spirit? I'm speaking as a broken, messed-up person... and it's only because I struggle with it that I feel I can address it.

There are a couple of things gluttony (overeating/overindulgence) causes:

1. Distraction from God

• Anything that is not drawing attention or praise to God is drawing it away from Him

2. Health issues

• regularly consuming an overage of calories (or the wrong kind of calories) could cause anything from simple lethargy and laziness (see Prov. 10:4-5) to heart problems and organ failure.

3. Idolatry

• Proverbs 23-talks about gluttony, drunkenness, and stinginess.

• It also speaks on being given to appetite... even mentions PUTTING A KNIFE TO YOUR THROAT if appetite overcomes you!!!

Why should I take care of myself?

• Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinth. 6:19-20)

• We should do everything for God's glory (1 Corinth. 10:31)
• 1 Corinth. 9:26-27 describes Paul as disciplining his body to win a race. This also included being self-controlled and alert (1 Peter 5:8). The Devil FEEDS on the opposite!!
• Self-control (could apply to food, etc.) is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:23)

Sorry to be long-winded, but I've got a burden in my heart for discipline, motivation, and diligence. Please join me in praying for my quest (as well as yours) for discipline and overcoming gluttony!

Love you all!
Michael Griffin

"Wait" doesn't mean "Stop"

So, here's the deal guys:

I know that God has huuuuge things (beyond my wildest dreams) planned for my life. Like most characters in the Bible, I'm having to wait for these things. What I have learned very quickly is that "wait" and "stop" mean two completely different things.

"Wait" means to "look forward expectantly." "Stop" would indicate that there is no forward motion or thought. We know not what tomorrow brings, but Matthew chapter 6 assures us that if we seek God first in EVERYTHING, the rest will follow. This means that if you don't know exactly where God has you, you can rest assured in the fact that you're about to get rocked to the point of getting out of your seat and taking the next step.

While I am in expectation of God's plan in my life, I cannot and will not be stagnant. There is no way. Too much forward momentum has been reached to the point of inertia (btw inertia doesn't always mean in a constant state of rest). I'm working at Best Buy, paying off debt, and saving for God's next big move in my life.

The thing that I'm starting to grasp is just HOW gracious and generous God is. The more I become about Him, the less I think about myself. Man, Jesus is great!

If you don't know him, please comment or email me at msgdob86@gmail.com. I'd love to talk with you about how I was rescued from myself in 2005.

<3
Michael Griffin

A Thankful Heart

This is for Christians and non-Christians alike:

Thanksgiving is a holiday of indulgence and taking pleasure in things that we have. Don't get me wrong, I love Thanksgiving... However, if we were truly thankful, we would give to others, as we have so much abundance. Don't tell me you can't give.. I've seen people who say they cannot afford to give money to either church or causes, yet it's because they bought the new iPad or XBOX 360 with Kinect. How selfish as a society are we being if we aren't personally driven to make sure that others have the abundance that we do?

If this post offends, I'm glad. It's something that has really weighed down on my heart, because I actually work somewhere which advocates spending on "toys." Of course Best Buy does good for the community, but think of the percentage of giving vs. profitability... It doesn't even compare.

So this Thanksgiving, be thankful. Love the ones you're around and be blessed by the things you have.. Just don't forget WHY you're thankful, and that we are tremendously blessed beyond our wildest dreams; more so than 95% of the world's population combined! If you live in excess as I do, consider cutting back and giving to someone who has nothing.. clothes, food, money, whatever. Give without any attachment or reserve.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving guys!!!

Michael Griffin

Not satisfied in the flesh, for a reason...

There is something so moving and disturbing to my nature about not having someone to date. Just being honest... something that yearns to be affirmed and encouraged and given attention.

I've taken a sec to look back at what really matters to me, and in the community that God has given me, I've got FRIENDS for all of that stuff. Kissing or dating or being super affectionate with someone publicly has never led me any closer to Christ. It's given me an escape from Him, or even a way to be distracted. I'm the closest to "figuring things out" with God than I feel I've ever been, and it's because I'm content being completely 100% single. This is all regardless of how old I get, because God will place me with someone made for me specifically.

One thing that's hard to do is be patient that He'll fulfill His promise... when in reality, when has He not???

Although this blog isn't necessarily a deep one or one of significant biblical proportions, it's allowing me an outlet to let you guys know what to pray for. The fields are so ripe for harvest and discipleship, but I just have to be available for God to use me on a daily basis. This includes accountability, Scripture reading, and constant prayer for GREAT things... no more mediocrity.

In closing, I'd just ask that you lift me up, whoever and wherever you are, so that I may glorify Him with my whole heart.

Thanks

Michael

Busy, but not B.U.S.Y.

Lately, I've had more things to do; things like work at Best Buy, travel to Columbia, etc. These things have been good, but one thing I'd like to say is that my spiritual journey has become even greater. I can finally see some of the things I'm meant to do and people I'm meant to do those things with. Those things are inclusive of ministry opportunities.

That being said, I have a great acronym that someone gave me: B.U.S.Y.

this is supposed to mean "Buried Under Satan's Yoke."

The question I have for us tonight is this: Do we get too caught up in this thing called life, the works that you're doing for God, or just stuff? This could be Satan's foothold. In being "busy" for God or even with other things, we can be distracted from what God wants us to see of/from Him. Just a thought that I was having, as I know that things are starting to pile up in my life again. This time, I will prayerfully put everything in its proper place; God being the absolute paramount entity in my life.

I'll keep it brief tonight guys and gals.. Don't get too B.U.S.Y. to allow Satan to use that as a distraction from God.

Sincerely,

MG

The struggle I'm faced with as of late...

Since the Columbia thing was solidified, I have been feeling okay about what's going on. What scares me though, is I'm not super happy about it. It's nothing the church has done, or anything wrong with the area in which I'll be serving; the problem becomes whether or not to go ahead and start a fellowship of believers without this church.

Last night, we had only the second Bible study on James at Jonathan Lewis's house. Instead of 2 hrs., this time it went for 3. One of the big things we were discussing is the fact that we're all so quick and easy to point out flaws and lacking characteristics of other churches, all without doing something about it. We are being called to be the church, and not merely "listen to the word, and so deceive [ourselves]. Do what it says."--James 1:22

If you look at a lot of the things James talks about, it's involving doing what the word of God says... Not only that, but to keep pure in doing so. James is only 5 chapters, but it is loaded with meat of God's word. Things to "chew on," if you will.. If you get a chance within the next couple of days, I'd challenge you to go ahead and read all of James. You may find that your feet are stepped on, not just your toes. You may hear your toes crackling as a result, but still.. it's valuable stuff.

When I said "to keep pure in doing so," this comes from James 1:27, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." To risk sounding legalistic, have you ever thought of what it would be like for us to obey ALL of the commands in the Bible? It'd almost be too much to handle, even to know what all of them are. However, Jesus laid out the most important two: to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength," and to "Love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus even went on to say There is NO commandment greater than these.--Mark 12:30-31.

John 15:13 (first of all, John 15 is a great chapter to read :) ) reads: "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." Friendship, love, and closeness requires us to sacrifice, even our LIVES, for the ones we love.

It's really difficult for me to be at peace in a place where I know there is so much to work on. Why not start out fresh? God's mercies (and even His Spirit's move) are new every single day. Let's appreciate and relish in God's love and mercy.

Love you guys!

Michael G

When things were simple... were they?

I remember being a child, not having a ridiculous amount of pressure on me to be who I am growing up to be. Goals were never unreachable, and I never got rejected from things such as jobs and such. Then I started to realize as I think about this... would I change a thing? Aren't things the way they're supposed to be?

The answer to changing anything would be "no." I've never thought twice about the things that have happened to shape me in this life. I feel as if everything has happened at the appropriate time, so that I'd depend on the love and mercy of God to get through the day. I've developed a small fellowship of Believers who have encouraged and helped me to look up when things aren't going my way. This is allowing me to see who actually cares, and who God has called to be a large part of my life.

Romans chapter 8:28-39 outlines our "destiny," if you will. God works all things for the good of those who love Him, and who've been called according to His purpose. We often forget that the Bible says more than one key verse.. It goes on to talk about Him knowing about being conformed to human's likeness, etc... We are MORE than conquerors of every hardship and famine; every danger and persecution..

I am forever challenged and broken by the fact that I don't live life as if nothing else matters but God. I cannot seriously sit here and tell you I believe the whole Bible. The reason I say that is not because I don't think it's true. It's because WHO LIVES IT OUT??? No one, to the full, would be that answer. We must believe as if God did what He said He did and is still alive and active in our hearts.

Please pray for my spiritual condition, because it's hard as mess to have a calling that God's given me for ministry. This truth is because sometimes, you have to let go of everything you have--even your own life--for the Gospel. I haven't been seeking Christ the way I should lately, and I need to pursue the One who first pursued me.

Love you guys

Michael