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jpope1979
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Name: Jason
Country: United States
State: Oklahoma
Metro: Tulsa
Birthday: 9/7/1979
Gender: Male
Interests: I've recently learned about my Love Language. Ive descovered i have a little bit of everything but my biggest one is acts service.
I apearently prefer to show my love through favors and chores and doing things for others. I feel put-upon and unappreciated when my efforts are taken for granted.
* I often feel special, significant, and useful when I help others.
* I often feel upset when others don’t help me out, much less offer to do anything.
* I show affection by doing things for other people.
* I don’t usually ask for help, but when someone does something for me, I feel really cherished.
Message: message meEmail: email me
Website: visit my website
AIM:  jpope1979
MSN: mr_anderson1979@hotmail.com
Yahoo:  seth_malkron@yahoo.com
Member Since:
8/11/2005
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| I do not claim this to be my own but its exactly how i would have written it.
-Jason
Does Faith Ever Doubt?
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1).
"Sure" and "certain" indicate lack of doubt. "Hope for" and "do not
see" indicate doubt. How can these two opposites be compatible in the
Biblical definition of "faith"?
One of the most profound statements in God’s Word is:
"Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, 'I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!'" (Mark 9:24).
Can I believe and have unbelief at the same time? Can I be sure of
something and hope for it at the same time. Can I be certain of
something, having never seen it?
We tend to think of faith as being 100% sure. But being 100% sure is having it in our hands.
Faith requires doubt in order to be faith.
I don’t have faith that I have a computer. I know I do. I’m typing
this on it right now. If I do not doubt that I have a computer, I
cannot call my knowledge of my computer faith.
However, I do have faith that if the Lord doesn’t come back tonight
I will be able to turn on my computer tomorrow. I don’t know with 100%
knowledge that my computer will come on tomorrow. I’m 98% sure. But
there is a margin of doubt, because I know things can happen to
computers
Yet how many times have I told someone, “I’ll email that to you
tomorrow.”? I live as if it is going to come on tomorrow because I
believe so strongly that it will.
I have good reason to believe my computer will come on tomorrow. It
has come on every day for the past couple years since I’ve had it. The
person I went through to purchase it said it should last me several
years and that person is a trusted friend.
Applying this same example to God’s Word:
I don’t have faith that I have a Bible. I know I do. I’m looking at it right now as I quote verses from it to you.
However I do have faith that God will provide for me everything I
need tomorrow. I don’t know with 100% knowledge that God will provide
every need. I am 99.9% sure (A bit more sure of God’s provision than
that my computer will come on!). But being human I cannot be totally
100% sure of something I have not yet seen. I have not seen tomorrow.
Yet how many times have I told someone, “God will take care of me
tomorrow.”? I live as if God is going to take care of me tomorrow
because I believe so strongly that he will.
I have good reason to believe he will take care of me. He has cared
for me daily ever since I trusted him as Savior and Lord.
God does not expect his children to have 100% faith, or even 99.5%
or 98% or 75%. He is not measuring how much faith we have.
Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"
He replied,
"Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have
faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, `Move
from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for
you. (Matthew 17:19-20).
Jesus said they had little faith, but only needed as much as a
mustard seed. Yet a mustard seed is tiny. What did Jesus mean?
Could it be that the disciples were looking at the impossibility of
driving out the demon. It is impossible. Could you drive out a demon?
They looked at the impossible and Jesus wanted them to look at the
possible.
If they had just a tiny glimmer of hope inside them that they could
drive out the demon in the power and authority of Jesus’ name that he
had given them, and applied that glimmer of hope; if they trusted with
all the little faith they had and surrendered to God, God would act on
the little faith they had and drive out the demon.
Faith is not something we call up by positive self-talk.
Faith is not wishing for something badly enough we convince ourselves it will happen.
Faith is not saying with our intellect God will do something for us just because it is something we want him to do.
"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17 NKJV)
Faith is knowing from God’s Word and from his working in our lives
in the past that he has always been faithful to us and promises he
always will be. It is placing our hopes in him that he will be true in
the future to what we have experienced of him in the past, and what his
Word promises will come to pass.
Faith is a process of growth. God does not expect us to be "there." He only expects us to be on the way.
"Until we all
reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and
become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of
Christ" (Ephesians 4:13).
Whatever amount of faith you have is enough. If you apply that
faith, God will respond to it and he will give you more faith in the
process.
How do you apply faith? It is simple. You determine to keep your
mind off of the problem and on the promises. You determine to keep your
mind off of the past failures and off of the future worries, and on the
present.
Is God sufficient for you just now? Are you fulfilling his will for
you this minute? Does he have something to say to you in his Word this
minute? Can you survive the present circumstances for just this moment?
Can you trust God to be with you in the next moment as he is now?
Great! That is faith.
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| Today
Marks 1 year to the day that mom died. Im not quite sure how to feel
about it. I mean as a whole i feel ok. I dont feel lost in it all
like i did a year ago. In my heart i know peace. God has her in his
hands. Today though we recieved a break in her case. It wasnt a
solution to it all but it is a push forward regardless.
My
family though has struggled grealty with her death. They seek answers
that no one can give. They want soo badley to know who did it and find
peace in it all. I just wish they knew the peace i know. I have
learned over the last year that God is bigger and stronger than any
obsticle life can throw at you. He really knows his stuff. I am at
peace knowing he's got it all under control.
For i know the plans i have for you, declares the lord, plan prosper you, no to harm you, plans for hope and a future.
(Jeremiah 29:11) | | |
| Its interesting to me how a cold coffee drink can taste so good on a hot day. Sounds almost wierd doesnt it?
Today i am sitting at Shades of Brown Kicking back one of those
delicious Big trains (AKA Cold Coffee). Ive really missed this place.
It almost seems a little foreign to me but its sooo relaxing. I miss
the rainy evenings and sitting here on my laptop and the words flow out
of me like a river.
I also used to hate working downtown but
now that i work downtown i have a new appreciation for it. The food
and atmosphere is amazing. And....if you plan on eating there a lot
just know that average run of the mill fast food no longer tastes as
good. I have grown a taste for the fresher foods and sanwiches that
only downtown can offer. Good thing is...it not expensive. At least
no more than a sandwich at subway. I've learned that quality is better
than quantity. The only downfall to it all is that they close @ 3pm at
the latest. Its sad....but it brings me wanting more. 
Me and Kasia went to see Prince Caspian last night. Let me just
say...WOW! it was good. Its one of those movies where you are just
lost into the story and everything around you is gone and you are in
the movie rooting for the Characters. It also left me wanting more. I
cant wait for the others. It will be good. If you get a chance go see
it. you wont regret it.
I am realizing the depth of CS
lewis now. There were so many aspects of God there i lost count. You
see regret, redemption, glory, honor...just to name a few. I found
myself in the story also. Why are we so horrible. We hurt each other
soo much. And worst is we enjoy it. I admire those with kind hearts
and gentle spirits. They see things in such a soft light just like God
does. I also see that i dont wait for him enough. I am not a patient
person....but i try. I want to glorify my God and i will do my best
every time to do so.
Well, Thats the end for me. I am back in blog and hopefully my mind will flow once again.
Peace! | | |
| Its 3am and i noticed its been a very long time since i last posted some kind of Blog post. So i thought i would take a moment and post some random thoughts that have been on my mind for a while.
A week or so ago i went to Claremore to visit the Swans Brothers Dairy to buy some raw milk. I know it sounds gross but all trust me its not. Its basically milk that came from the cow, chilled, then straight to the container. Its quite good and does not affect my allergies like store bought milk. Lets just say my Doctor suggested i try it.
Anyhoo, I thought while i was out there i would visit my grandma and aunt, But i couldn't get a hold of them at all. So since that was a no go i decided to go to the cemetery to see my Moms headstone that had recently been place where she is buried. It took me and Kasia forever to find it. It had been a year almost and i hadn't been up there yet so it was difficult.
Once we found it i was relieved. It was freezing cold, but when i walked up to it i felt warm inside. Not sure if it was relief to find it finally or what, but it was a good feeling.
Ive been thinking a lot about her lately. It will have been a year, May 26th to be exact, since her murder and theres still no leads. Its been frustrating not knowing what the detectives know. They have been helpful and so has the media but its still absurdly frustrating not knowing.
Anyway, In my class at school last Tuesday i had to bring something that had some kind of personal meaning. So i took a picture of my mom. I realized she instilled some good values, ethics, and morals in me.
She worked hard to make sure we were all going to be alright. I remember in the beginning how i felt. i know its almost been a year and all, but i still feel the way i did then. God is still my God and life is still moving forward. He is still in control and i continually grow in him. I sometimes think maybe i should feel different. But in the end i don't. My moms side of the family is still struggling though. I talk to them more now than i ever did my entire life. Its brought us closer and more aware.
Through all of it i made a decision of what i want to do. I want to become a counselor. Whether it be for families, individuals, grief, etc. I have a gift for talking with ppl and listening, plus it allows me to take my job with me anywhere. I still want to go to SIBI, then from there....who knows. I'm letting God by the potter, I'm just the clay. To mold me and make me.....his own way.
So other than that i things are good. i know some have been wondering. I'm always blown away by Gods Glory and grace. The future is blank and i like it that way. I look forward to what it holds.
This has been a awfully long blog i know. Sorry for that. But im sure if your reading this you were art least somewhat interested.
Have a blessed week y'all!
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| I read this devotional this morning. It really impacted me in that its exactly what i feel when i talk about doing things..."my way" or when i talk about "Job hunting". In general its a new perspective. Its not easy to assimilate into the way we were brought up. But if you get to that point it is rewarding. so enjoy! -Jason Pope ============================== | We Are The Created
| | | We spend a great deal of our time and energy attempting to create various areas of our life. We strive to create the ideal work environment in order to provide the necessary resources to create the ideal social and home life. We plan the details of our free time in hopes of creating the ideal leisure. We even go so far as working hard to create the ideal "religious" experience. | | | Psalm 100:3 | | "Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture." | | | No amount of our own effort will ever create the "ideal." For if we are striving to create, we are chasing after the world's elusive, ever changing, false definition of what is really ideal and fulfilling. Our only hope at finding the true ideal is in understanding we are the created, not the Creator. The absolute best in life begins with knowing whose life we really live; "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20). Our life belongs to Christ and it must be left with Him to create the life He desires. | | | Jesus is the only One who has ever truly been in the creation business; "All things were created by Him and for Him" (Colossians 1:16). We were created by Jesus for His sovereign purpose; "We are the clay, You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand" (Isaiah 64:8). Somehow we've begun to consider ourselves as the work of our own hands. We try to create a life according to the world's system and fulfill "needs" and "rights" based on this false world view. Not only is this self centered world view wrong - not only does this value system pull our heart away from God - but it can also send us into bondage as we chase a lie which will never satisfy. | | | The truth that will set us free is that our needs are extremely small and we actually have NO rights - at least not in this world; "You are not your own; you were bought at a price" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We have been purchased with the blood of Jesus and given eternal life as joint heirs with Christ in God's Kingdom. We have the "right," the privilege, and the great honor of praising Him for all eternity. We need and deserve nothing more. | | | If we truly want the ideal, we will stop trying to create our life and place every area in the Hands of a loving Creator. God defines and shapes the ideal, and it is ours for the asking. The ideal job, home, marriage, ministry, fun, and friends are all ours - but only through releasing our rights, redefining our needs, and humbly understanding that we are the created. | | | Steve Troxel | | God's Daily Word Ministries |
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