Media Overload (Part 2: Fireproof)

Nikki and I went and saw Fireproof on Sunday afternoon! It was one of the best movies I've seen in a long time! It was really great! Even if you aren't married, you should still go and see this movie! It will change your life. It did mine! It has changed how I treat others, especially my wife. It's a perfect example of how Christ loves us and a guide as to how to treat your spouse!

Since I didn't finish this blog during one sitting, I've had time to think about why I loved this movie so much. I don't want to give too much of the movie away but this is what I've come up with:

I love how the movie made me think about the way I treat my wife and other people. I know that I am no where near perfect in my attitudes and actions towards people. It shows sometimes in the way I interact and treat people. Does that sound bad? Well, it sort of made me feel bad. I can be selfish. I can be hard headed. I am guilty of not listening (or not "hearing"). But this movie made me take a look at my life and see that I am like that and that that's not how God wants us to be. He wants us to be like Him. Compassionate. Forgiving. He wants us to love others the way He loves us. Even though we don't deserve His love and forgiveness, He gives it freely because that's who He is. Even though we may think that others around us don't deserve it, God commands us to love them anyway. Ephesians 4:32 says, "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."

1 Corinthians 13 is famous because it is the "Love Chapter". The following passage is from verses 4-8 and describes what God says love is and how we should display it to others. "Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.

I know the movie was fictional but the way I felt when I left was real. It was a real slap in the face. It made me want to become a better husband, a better friend and an all around better person. I really hope that you will take time to go and see this movie. I promise that you won't be disappointed and that it will change your life!

Media Overload (Part 1)

I know that I haven't written in a while and I apologize. But God really got a hold of me this weekend. I call this "media overload". Allow me to explain: God has spoken to me several times this weekend; all in "media" form. And because there are several examples, I'm doing this blog in several entries. There's a lot to write down as I've learned a lot from my Heavenly Father this past weekend. Let's start with Saturday. I was driving home from work on Saturday afternoon listening to the radio and singing my little heart out (as I always do!) I normally listen to New Life 91.9 (a local Christian station in my area). However, sometimes when I'm farther up north in the state, the signal fades a bit. So, I have another Christian station that I listen to that plays a few different songs. A song comes on that I've never heard before. And I guess because I am so drawn to music, I can tell by listening to the instrumentation of a song, if it's going to be a good one or not. Well, boy, was I right this time! The music came on and it was like God was sitting in the passenger seat of my truck with me. Even though the song was soft and slow, the rumble of the tires on the road seemed to just fade away. I felt a peace like I'd never felt before.

Now, I know that the Bible is God's love letter to us, but I would imagine that if God wrote us a quick "love note", He would chose these words to include in it:

Why are you striving these days?
Why are you trying to earn grace?
Why are you crying?
Let me lift up your face.
Just don't turn away.

Why are you looking for love?
Why are you still searching, as if I'm not enough?
To where will you go child?
Tell me where will you run?
To where will you run?

And I'll be by your side, wherever you fall.
In the dead of night, whenever you call.
And please don't fight these hands that are holding you.
My hands are holding you.

Look at these hands and my side.
They swallowed the grave on that night.
When I drank the world's sin, so I could carry you in.
And give you life, I want to give you life

Cause I, I love you.
I want you to know.
That I, I love you.
I'll never let you go.

I think this pretty much sums up what God is to us... everything! He is always with us. He is holding tight to us and He'll be there whenever we fall, whenever we call and whenever we just don't know where to turn. So many times we try to do things on our own only to end up broken down, frustrated or scared. One of my favorite lines in the song is "Please don't fight these hands that are holding you." God has us in His grip and He's never going to let us go. Romans 8:38-39 answers the question about the things that can take us out of God's hands: "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." What can separate us from God's hands???NOTHING!!! What a great feeling knowing that no matter what where we've been, what we're going through or where we'll be going, God is never going to let us go. He'll always be by our side. And I sure did feel him by my side in the truck that day!

Oh, by the way, a video for the song is posted on my Facebook page but if you don't have Facebook you can check out this link to see and hear it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J95rAr0gOFU