25 Random Facts About Me

It's from my facebook, but I thought I'd put it here too.

1. My wife and I are total opposites. I’m loud she’s quiet. I always want to run around, she’d rather stay home. If I say I like it, she probably doesn’t, and yet she is the love of my life, and I can’t think of anyone more perfect for me.

2. I was a hyper-active child, but instead of medication my parents put me on this crazy diet called the Dr. Feingold Diet…as a kid I couldn’t eat anything good. No chocolate, no cola, no artificial preserves, sweeteners, coloring ect… this rules out much more than you’d imagine.

3. In a former life I had 8 piercings including my throat, labret, eyebrow, and big holes in my ears. I took my last 2 out the day I was baptized.

4. I am a very emotional person; this week alone I have been brought to tears twice reading the news. I have cried during sermons, movies, songs, and more…and no, this is not the gayest thing I’ve ever said.

5. “The Bridges of Madison County” is my favorite Clint Eastwood movie… This IS the gayest thing I’ve ever said…but it is more of a testament to how little I like Clint Eastwood, not how much I enjoyed the movie.

6. I am a very passionate person especially about food; I love trying new foods, weird foods, cooking, experimenting, eating, and watching food network.

7. My wife and I have lived with her parents for eight years…most would shudder, but I am very thankful. They are great!

8. I am madly in love with my wife, and can’t stand being away from her. When I went on a mission trip to NYC last year for four days it was the longest I had ever spent away from her since we met. It drove me crazy!

9. I never thought I would like NYC, but I love it. I love the subway, the smell of hot dogs cooking, the beauty of the buildings, the people walking everywhere…I probably haven’t been there long enough.

10. I miss my Mom like crazy, but on Mother’s Day and my Birthday it is the worst.

11. I’ve had 8 pet snakes or lizards, an albino Burmese python named Stanley, 2 Ball pythons Adam & Eve, 1 Dumeril’s Boa named Buck Snuggles, 2 Savannah Monitors Capt. Crunch and Igor, and 2 Bearded Dragons Henry and Anias. I am still afraid of snakes.

12. For my first job I was a ceramic and silver sanitary engineer at the Brockport Diner…OK…OK…I washed dishes.

13. I love my job! I love the work I do, I love the people I work with and I love the company I work for, that is priceless to me. I worked at a place I hated for 3 and a half years and it nearly killed me. Never Again if I can help it.

14. Most of my hero’s are Missionaries, some are my friends too.

15. I snore very, very loudly. Seriously it’s ridiculous.

16. I truly believe the evolution theory is the biggest lie Satan has ever sold, I really can’t believe anyone could believe such bunk...it breaks my heart.

17. My Mom or Dad never made me feel like I couldn’t please them. If they knew I tried they were satisfied. They would encourage me to do better, but they would never make me feel like what I did was not good enough.

18. One of my favorite things to do was to go out to the Penny Arcade or some place and watch my brother play drums in his band.

19. Open air or street preaching and witnessing is one of my favorite ministries.

20. After I said how much I hated baseball, a certain un-named pastor (bald with a goatee) of mine told me that it was because “Baseball was a thinking man’s game” this insult led me to try and see what I was missing… I’ve been converted…LET”S GO METS!!!!

21. I talk waaaay too much. You’ll notice instead of 25 random facts it’s been more like 25 random paragraphs.

22. My father-in-law is the most loving, patient and humble man I know, and if ever become more like him, I will be more like Christ.

23. I believe that coffee is one of the greatest discoveries of all time, and that people who drink tea are pansies…OK not really, but they should drink coffee like a real American.

24. I wish there were more than “25 Random Facts” this is fun.

25. The most important thing that has ever happened to me happened in September of 2000. I was watching this video of a preacher kind of mockingly at first, and then more seriously as he answered each question that went through my mind. I went and borrowed the rest of the videos and spent the whole weekend realizing that every doubt I ever had about the Bible had an answer, and that every accusation I ever had about God was unfounded, and that every attempt to justify myself failed. I asked God to forgive me of my sins based on what Jesus Christ did to pay for them. I put my faith and trust in Christ and became a new man, and my life has never been the same. All Glory and Praise to the Lord Jesus Christ!

26. My greatest prayer is that everyone I know would come to a place where number 25 makes perfect sense to them.

The Reproach of Christ pt.2

Continuing on with the reproach of Christ…

Hebrews 11:24-26
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

Verse 26 says that we are to “Esteem” the reproach of Christ, which means to ascribe value and worth to this shame, scorn, and disgrace. The reproach of Christ here is precious, not just good, but better than riches and treasure.

This verse shows us Moses as the example, now I’m not quite sure about how he carried the reproach of Christ let alone value it as precious, but here’s what he did.

First of all, he refused to allow the world to define who he was. The Egyptians saw him as one of them, and he had been for years, but once he realized his identity and was convicted he cast off that identity to be called the “People of God". When we come to Christ we are to put off the old man and put on the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:21-24) we are to take on a new identity. The world no longer has claim to us, and the Devil (though we were once his) has no more claim to us… moreover once we take on this new man we no longer have claim to ourselves. We are bought with a price and we are not our own (1 Corinthians 6:20) we belong to Him.

Second, he denied the flesh. Moses had all the temptations Egypt had to offer at his disposal but he knew that it wasn’t pleasing to God. He chose rather to suffer, by denying himself the pleasures of sin. In the palace of Pharaoh he could have fared on the choicest meats, as an Egyptian he could have rested comfortably in soft raiment yet the Bible says he chose to suffer affliction for the worthiness of the reproach of Christ.

Finally, he looked toward the reward. Sure the sins of Egypt had their offer of pleasure and temporary happiness, but they were not worthy to be compared to the future reward, and Moses set his affections on things above rather on the things of this world. This hope gave him the strength to choose to suffer rather than sin, to esteem the reproach of Christ rather than the riches of Egypt, and to resist sin, knowing that great would be his reward in Heaven

The Reproach of Christ

I was reading the other day, and I got interested in the word “Reproach” it pretty much means - shame, scorn and disgrace and the Bible says we are supposed to delight in it. Many though would rather not take part in that kind of delight, but I would like to share some scriptures that have been encouraging me as I look into the "Reproach of Chirst"

Hebrews 13:12-13
Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

To “Bear” His reproach could mean to endure it, but in the context of this passage it looks like it means to willingly take it up and carry it, that is what we are enouraged to do.

The “Closet Christian” makes sure that no one would ever see him as fanatical. He blends in hoping not to make anyone feel uncomfortable or convicted. He may carry the name of Christ, but only within the camp with the others who are called by His name. Without the camp is another story… when you willingly take the precious name of Christ without the camp you quickly see that this world is no friend of grace. You quickly find that the name that is praised and revered in the camp is a rock of offence to those who don’t believe. (1 Peter 2:8)

So here’s the problem… the name of Jesus Christ that is reproached by those who don’t believe in Him is the only hope of their salvation.

Acts 4:12 - Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

…And the only way to bring that message to those that don’t believe is for Christians to willingly go without the camp bearing His reproach.

It is more comfortable to praise that worthy name of Jesus with others who do the same. It is more dignified to bridge people to the Gospel by inviting them and earning the right to perhaps speak to them about spiritual things, but this year would God help us to take the name of Christ and His reproach toward those who are without the camp and without Christ.