Thanks!

Thanks so much for all the support! I appreciate it a lot. I honestly wasn't expecting that much support. It's really great to see that people are enjoying this. I'm trying some new stuff for the end of the post in order to try to motivate myself to post regularly. Let me know by comment, or message, or email, or smoke signal if you have any suggestions for what I should, or shouldn't put in my blog and I'll consider it!

Today, it's a more 'controversial' topic. Or at least, I think it is. So, if anyone has a quality rebuttal, I am more than open to hearing it. I am more than capable at changing my mind. Anyways, today (Sunday) a lady gave a sermon from the perspective of temptation. She talked about how sometimes we aren't always tempted to do the wrong thing, but to do the seemingly right thing. Her basis for this
is when Jesus was tempted in the desert. So, I thought of what the 'seemingly right' thing that Satan could tempt me to do. What came to mind was Satan saying, "If you kneel before me, then I will let everyone else go to heaven." It was then that I realized that Satan doesn't have the final say as to whether people go to heaven or not. Ultimately, it's a choice that each of us makes. I mean, some people are not presented with the choice (i.e. those who haven't heard the gospel), but isn't that why Jesus gave us the Great Commission?

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
-Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)

Maybe this is where God is pulling my heart, but I think that it's really meant for all of us. The gospel needs to be spread. It's terrifying to think about spreading the gospel. The offensive nature of the gospel, and polarizing character of Jesus mean that the journey will be hard, and include loss. However, Jesus knows this and comforts us. Jesus has been given ALL authority, and promises to be with each of us always. So have no fear!

Tim's Song of the Week: Haha, get it? It's a pun, based on my last name... because my last name is Song, and I'm... nevermind. Anyways, this week it's Reign in Us by Starfield. Introduced to me by a great friend during worship one day, it's been one of the songs that's stuck with me from last year. I really enjoy the chorus, and often find myself singing/humming it during a run, or on the way to class.

Challenge (Accepted): Here I'll put something new that I'm trying each week. Maybe there won't be a new challenge here each week, but if that's the case, then I will at least put an update on the previous week's update. Perhaps if I put it here, then I'll be motivated to do it. If you see me, be sure to hold me accountable! This week I'm trying to get in shape, so I'm doing some running. "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." -1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV) If this body doesn't belong to me, then I really want to take good care of it! I'm using the Nike Running app right now to track my progress. I'm going to start with running around 3 miles each day, and maybe next week I'll muster up the courage to go to the rec center a few times.

The Quest(ion) for an Answer: What book are you reading right now? (Bible is fair game also!) or you can put down a book that you learned a lot from. One of my dreams is to have a library full of books when I grow up. Right now, I'm reading Emancipating the World by Darrow L. Miller. It's an interesting book with insight into the proper Christians response to Atheism, and Islam.

Again, thanks so much, and hopefully you'll hear more from me next week!