Your Last Day on Earth...

Think about your last day of your life. Or last week, year, whatever you want in order for you to think about the real and big issues of life. If you knew, like those two characters in The Bucket List, played by Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman; when you were going to die, if you knew the exact time and date of your death, if you knew when God was going to take your life, if you knew when your time was up; would you live life differently, from when you knew, til when it actually happened?


I know it’s a convoluted question, but let me put it this way. People often like to put off their own death, not to think about it until it is in fact too late. When they’re in perfect health (or so they seem!), they run and continue to do so, paying the bills, running the household, living the only way they know how, which is to avoid, avoid the fact that they are in fact going to die someday, and that when that day comes, it will hit them with vengeance. I guess always we as a human race are susceptible into not worrying about ‘eternity’; the stuff that really matter, filling our life with the most meaningful stuff when it is indeed too late. Like the bloke in his thirties who suddenly realises he has terminal prostate cancer, given 3 months to live, suddenly realising that he needs to rekindle his relationship with his dad that he’s never spoken to in more than ten years. Or how about a guy who’s just been placed on Death Row in prison, with his execution to be within a month, suddenly asking the deep and meaningful questions of why he’s here and where he’s going. I guess in my life, I’ve discovered that I don’t want to be like those people who live life, but when they are brought down to earth, they are suddenly filled with regret and anger, worried that they haven’t filled life with the most important things…they salvage what they can, but it will never be what they hope it to be. I have been encouraged, mostly by my parents, as they’ve always told me that I should live with the knowledge that yes, I’m going to die someday, and yes, I don’t know when that will be, and that only God knows. I should then live life with the mentality- how would I live my last day?


Wouldn’t I tell my parents and relatives that I love them? Wouldn’t I hang out with my friends, impart wisdom and knowledge onto them, impart lessons that I’ve learnt in my life so that they can make their lives better? Whatever you conjure up about what you know you should do on your last day; my parents have said that that mentality should be for every day; that you should live every day as if it is a gift from God. Since we don’t know the future, we don’t know when we’re going to die, it may be today, tomorrow, next week, next year, we don’t know. But I’m not saying that you should be running around worrying about death. If you do that, you won’t be living life to the fullest, as it said in John 10:10b; that Jesus came “…in order that you might have life- life in all its fullness…” This means freedom, freedom from worrying about what might or might not happen. Freedom from fear, freedom to live like the Lord intended for us to. Everyday is a day where we should wake up knowing that God has intended something new for us to learn that day.


However, I know that I am susceptible to this as well, that sometimes when we wake up from a good nights sleep, we start to worry about work, about what this person might say or what he may not say; and then we start to make sure if there is anything we can do in order for ourselves to be presented in a good way to all our superiors and bosses…when all Jesus is asking for us to do when we wake up every morning is to cast all our troubles and cares at his feet, telling us that life was not meant to be lived with us carrying those problems alone. Jesus is there to help us every day, but in the midst of this technological age, it’s hard to see the Author and Perfector of Life at work.


Sometimes we can’t enjoy the view that God has given every person, because there is a big house on the other side of the street that is blocking the view. Or you just have this pressing document that you need to get off your chest because you promised your boss that you’d have it in for him by the weekend, where you would be doing a presentation, but it’s the same weekend that your kids want to go down the coast for a camping trip, they’ve been talking about it for months. Now if I were in that same situation, I’d ask myself, ‘Now what would Jesus do?’ I know you’d laugh at my suggestion, but truly, I know in my heart that they’ll always be more work opportunities but I’ll only have my kids once. I have to go back to that mentality that how I live on my last day of life should be how I live every day.


I guess this was also evident in Dad’s life as well, and how he told me that there was a point in his life where he just couldn’t wait for the weekend, and how he wished his week of 5 days away so that he can get to the ‘Saturday’ and the ‘Sunday’ in order for him to start living. But then it dawned on him during 2008 that God didn’t wire him to only ‘live’ on the weekend, but to live every day. In theory, Dad was in fact wishing his life away. So now, his ordeal and how he’s seeing things now has rubbed off on me. And what I say is this. We don’t need to wait until we’re 50 or 60 to start doing those courses about life re-evaluation. You can start at any age, even when you’re a teenager. I know it sounds scary, and you probably think that this kinda stuff brings with it thoughts of ‘death is coming’, but sometimes we need to be reminded that God is in control of our life, and our death too. You never know when you’re going to ‘kick the bucket’, just look at those people who had come and gone that no one expected: Peter Brock, car driving legend who ‘owned’ Mount Panorama, Heath Ledger, budding actor only 28 and just finished portraying the Joker in the Batman film The Dark Knight, Steve Irwin, famous crocodile hunter and the one who pioneered Australia Zoo, and not to mention Jane McGrath, wife of Glenn, one of the worlds famous and all-time highly ranked wicket takers of the game of cricket. Slot in Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, who left this world through ‘cardiac arrest’, and then you start to think.


These people, if they had their say, would’ve wanted to die because of natural causes…but sometimes life can be unscripted. How we deal with these issues needs to be right; we need to focus on God, on the maker and star-breather of the universe, but also the one who came to Earth in order save ourselves from judgement and ultimately death itself. And so each day God is telling us ‘My child, you have so much more to unravel, so much more to fully know and understand about this planet, so much more about the depths and crevasses of my unending love that you have not even fully understood or grasped to entirety’ and every day should be the day when we make this a priority in our lives. You sit down and ask God, ‘where do you want me to head?’ And sometimes you will get an answer, but think twice before you proclaim that it was God trying to speak to you. Because God has spoken and told us that in this life, many of our decisions, though we may think that we’re basing our choices on ‘the voice of God’, we may in fact be listening to our own conscience, or sometimes even the Devil himself. Satan loves it when we are led astray, he is like the wolf in sheep’s clothing, and sometimes in this world, we as a human race cannot tell the difference between truth, and lies. It is so nice and neatly packaged that we settle for the background, we settle with the potential that we’ve been tricked into believing is right for us. We don’t recognise that God’s potential for us is far beyond our wildest dreams.


So, you think; if God is saying that we should live life to the fullest, unleashing all our God-given potential instead of settling into the seat of conformity and acceptance; how are we supposed to do what God has placed on our hearts? I guess the answer to this is to understand that we all have talents, gifts, and aspirations, goals, dreams and the like. All we need to do is to pray, read His Word and God will give us pictures, signs, conformations that the road you’re going to travel on is the right one. We don’t need to give up any hope, because God is there every step of the way, probing, asking the tough questions, so that we can make the tough calls in life. I guess for me a tough call was what major I studied at university. Another would’ve been how to maintain the friendship with a friend, yet also care about the friend as well in regards to the choices they’re making and how to approach that with the sensitivity needed in order for the friendship to still be intact after such an encounter. But I guess in whatever you do, we should do it all, live life like there is no tomorrow, as if this was our last day on Earth. God will direct you, if you’re willing to open your eyes and look at the signs. 

twitter...

I've recently joined twitter. Just today. It is so addictive.

These three short sentences are those that define the modern generation. Facebook and twitter have revolutionalised how we communicate, who we communicate to, and what we communicate about. As I've recently joined twitter, I can see how even I can get lulled into the mentality of 'following people' (having friends on facebook), or keeping track of how many people are 'following' you (who likes your page on facebook). If you eventually get all worked up about who responds to your twitter message, and worry about how many followers that you have on twitter, then you might as well deactivate your account. Twitter can be fun, but it can also show us things that we're not willing to admit about ourselves. We desperately want people to 'follow' us, like we've got something to share that should be heard...

But we do have something to share, God did place in our hearts things that only we can accomplish. But facebook and twitter have led us to indulge in the competition of who can get more 'followers' and 'followings', a competition that, if not realised, controlled and managed, can spiral out of control, and we can become someone who is self absorbed, worried about every tweet that comes through the pipeline. Twitter is just a vessel for our thoughts to get out there, not the end result.

We all know why we're here, to shine a light for Jesus. And, dare I say it, facebook and twitter can be used to do so. Not in an outright way, but subtly. We need to embrace the technological change, not too quickly, but not too slowly either, but knowing that the changes that are coming can be used, even by God, to His glory.

Going to finish soon- I've got twitter on the other tab.

Just something to think about- have you ever shared the gospel via twitter or facebook? What were the results?

Until the next blog, Jon.

Christmas...a time for celebration

I like Christmas. It is a fun time, exchanging gifts, remembering the time when God gave Jesus to us...

But don't you ever stop to think, has Christmas been commercialized? If you're in America or anywhere around the world, go to your local Wal-Mart, or Target, K-Mart or any other Westfield shop and you'd see what I'd mean. Christmas carols are starting to play when you enter November, and even when you always say every year 'I don't want to get caught up in the Christmas rush', you do. You shop and shop and shop for Christmas, when you know in your heart that shopping wasn't the heart of it. Ultimately, what was supposed to be a relaxing and reflective time, has now turned into one of the busiest times of the year, whether it's shopping for Christmas, or watching the latest blockbuster film that you think will get nominated for the Oscars, or watching the football season on TV. Whatever, you do around Christmas, afterwards, you think, 'That was so hectic, I just need a holiday from the holidays'.

So here is the challenge for this year. Like the title of my post says, Christmas is meant to be a time for celebration, relaxation and reflection. Don't try to be the one who buys everyone the most expensive or humongous gifts, just because you're known for that. Try something different. Don't get the standard DVD, CD, gaming console game or things like that. Get something unique (or you can make something too!). Whatever the case, may it be a memorable time for everyone. It is a time for celebrating. Jesus coming to earth, living, dying and ultimately, resurrecting. Christmas, is the beginning, the start of something new. Something where you look back and say 'That was the Christmas when I changed my style, from consumerist to being caught up in the moment.' Hope has come, we need to keep remembering that death as died, and that Jesus is alive.

Noel, Noel, Jesus is alive.
Emanuel, hope is here tonight.
So go, and tell, the world that death has died.
'Cause Jesus is alive. Yea Jesus is alive. 

(extract from Josh Wilson's Christmas song 'Jesus is Alive')

Hope everyone has a very enjoyable Christmas.

See you all soon.

Jon.

Are You a Comfortable Christian?

I can see that I am often close to the things of this world, more than I think and I should ought to be. Not that we shouldn’t enjoy the things we have in this world, but we should know that if something doesn’t work out, if the TV blows, or if our dishwasher leaks and is past the ‘returnable and refundable’ period, we shouldn’t get upset, and blame this person, the next guy, or in some rare cases, God. Why did you let this happen? We think. We fail to realise the basic fact that we didn’t get all of these things by ourselves anyway, and it was God who inherently gave us the abilities and skills that we have, in order for us to do work, collect our income, and therefore attain the items and material possessions that our heart desires at a particular point in time. We couldn’t have done all of this, survive, in the place called ‘Earth’ all on our own.

Whether we acknowledge that God is in control or not, we also know that we haven’t made it in this world alone, and that our friends and family have helped us along the way. But I have stopped and paused, wondered about whether our quest for materialistic gain, our quest for the perfect life in terms of comfortableness, has led us into a false sense of security, into us believing that when we see the injustice and inequality in this world, the solution would just be to ‘roll down the window and throw some cash outside’. I’ll admit it, I’m a comfortable Christian. I’ve noticed, and seen the injustice in this world...but I still like my TV, my computer, not to mention all my CD’s and DVD’s. Delirious?’s latest studio album, Kingdom of Comfort, speaks very clearly into the heart of every Christian- a comfortable Christian at that. Check out the title track- ‘...save me, from the kingdom of comfort where I am king, from my unhealthy lust of material things. I rob myself of innocence with the poison of my indifference. I buy my stuff at any cost, a couple of clicks and I pay the price coz what I gain is someone else’s loss...’ Revealing, huh? How as human beings we long for the new car, the new house, maybe even the new ‘wife’, but then we laugh and scorn when someone poses the question like- surely we should be thankful that we are even ALIVE to begin with, before we can even think about possessions.

But in this society, we never wake up with the mentality that we are alive, usually it is ‘Oh, what do I have to do at work today?’ or ‘Is that dog barking again?’ In my life, and it has been difficult, I have been trying, and it’s been working to say the least. Every day I’ve tried to get into this mentality that this story that I’m living in is not about me. It’s not about how much money I make in 10 years time, nor is it about how many possessions I own. If I behave and act like that man in Jesus’ parable that went and built a barn to hoard all his possessions, then I’ve missed the plot. My story is to be in God’s story. That’s it. Wherever he leads, I will go. That does sound like a bold statement, and you readers probably will scratch your heads and wonder whether I’ve woken up on the right side of the bed or not. But be it crazy as it sounds, I know my place in the never ending story of God. I know that my purpose goes beyond writing good blogs, it goes beyond doing well at uni; it goes beyond having a good career, a good house, a good life. Because sooner or later, if those ‘passions’ start to define us, it’ll all be for the wrong reasons, and we will, sooner or later become disappointed with it all. Sooner or later, there will be a better house on the street. There will be a better video game console. Buildings fall at the end of the day. Even books get old, and probably in a few years time, Don Bradman will be forgotten forever.

My point? If our goal is to be remembered at the end of the day, to have a legacy based on what we do- we cannot do it. Sure we will leave a legacy, based on what we do, but it won’t last to the effect that we want it to. When the last clap fades, we will be forgotten. We are born, we live, and we die, and sure we can do great things in this world, but it could be for all the wrong reasons. If our heart isn’t in the right spot, if our passion becomes our purpose, then we need a reality check. And this is what reality is- our purpose is to glorify God as much as possible considering each circumstance of the day, and to leave our story of me-centred society, our story of indifference, our story of collecting and storing, and abandoning it at the feet of Jesus, going to him and saying that we want to make a positive difference in this world, a difference that will last, that won’t stop when history fades into nothingness, a purpose that will last for eternity. 

I’ve realised that sometimes a riveting song with catchy lyrics and good music can evoke in someone something so much more powerful than listening to a boring sermon made by the most boring pastor ever alive. Music, sometimes even film, crosses national boundaries. I guess you can say that music and film are the indirect language that everyone speaks. And I guess that when you look at all the songs and music that have been created over the history of mankind, it’s no wonder it’s another language. Everything, ranging from struggles, questions, worship, praise, humanity, everything is talked about in songs, and I guess it’s almost expected that when you’re recording, to stretch musical boundaries- to pose to the listener, is this normal? Is this the way we should live our lives, and if not, how do we live it? Sure this world is in pain, and we may never understand how everything works, but we do know the One who does. And in some ways, we often are caught up in all the busyness that we miss the beauty of stories- like the Aesop fable, the ant and the grasshopper.  The ant and the grasshopper fable was one that “...[concerns] a grasshopper who has spent the warm months singing away while the ant worked to store up food for winter. After the winter has come, the grasshopper finds itself dying of hunger and upon asking the ant for food is only rebuked for its idleness...” I believe that this tale about the ant and grasshopper poses a lot of questions, for me at least. At first glance, the ant represents all the hard workers in society, and the grasshopper represents those who don't work so hard, those who sing away, even when everyone else is working. Therefore, when it is looked at in that way, I guess it is right, for the ant not to help the grasshopper, as to some extent, he brought it on himself. 

However, in James 2: 14-17, it claims that “…what good is it for one of you to say that you have faith if your actions do not prove it? Can that faith save you? Suppose there are brothers or sisters who need clothes and don’t have enough to eat. What good is there in your saying to them, ‘God bless you! Keep warm and eat well!’- If you don’t give them the necessities of life? So it is with faith: if it is alone and includes no actions, then it is dead...” Sure the ant has a right to refuse the grasshopper when he comes scabbing for food, but is it right? The western world can feel very reluctant to help those in Africa. We see ourselves almost like the ant and them the grasshopper. We say we want to help them, and according to James, we have the faith. But do we have the deeds to back it up? All we ever do is throw money at the problem, and then we just think that if we close our eyes and carry on with everyday life, things are going to get better.

I’ve seen it with my own eyes millions of companies and financial organisations give money to the South-East Asian countries when the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami hit- they also even staged a cricket match to raise funds for the cause...but that is all they do. Have you ever heard if the CEO of McDonalds flew to Sri Lanka or India, to assess the damage the tsunami gave, and then offered to help out in any way possible? It’s always been money. It’s a story that has been told from generation to generation, a story that money will and can solve everything. But everyone knows this isn't true. Money can't buy a lot of things, to name a few...a good wife/husband who loves you for the way you are as a person, not by what you do; good friends who respect you, even if they have different points of view; a great family, great children...

In this day and age, we think that the more you have, the more you will be happy. But when one looks at it, a lot of stories have been told throughout society that when you analyse it all, the more you’ll question whether anything is valid at all. I guess that is why in today’s culture, the young are noticing the trend that material things aren’t fulfilling them. Cricket matches don’t fulfil me, as I know now that money is more of an incentive for players’ right now than playing for their country. Every sports team will lose sooner or later, and that would mean that if we seriously lived our lives according to our culture today, we’d be depressed every single day because our ‘team’ lost. 

But to tell you the truth, there is something that fills us, like a cup overflowing- the story of Jesus. But you may think; this story of Jesus is cliché. Yes, it is; someone who came to save mankind from eternal destruction. Sort of like a Superman figure. But let’s get this straight- God yearns for us to understand that he is more than enough for us to live, and that if it is not the King of Kings, if it is not the Lord of Lords that we're worshipping, then it is something else. The lie and story that has been told that if we’re not religious, we’re not a worshipping kind, is totally wrong. For if we do not put our trust in a superior being, we will put our trust in something, something that we think will fulfil us. Everyone denies being a worshipper, but it is what we do all so well.

 

Labeling...we all do it.

I’m sure we all label other people. Not intentionally, but it’s in our subconscious. We look at the people that come from Manly or the Northern Suburbs of Sydney, and we immediately assume that they have a lot of money to burn, that they are the ones who ‘look down on everyone else’. We assume that it’s the Aboriginal people who are ‘below the rest’, or that if there are twins in a family, that one has to be good and the other ‘evil’. Always when my twin brother and I catch up with our friends and when we are in a bigger group with their friends too, people ask us, ‘Who’s the evil one?’ And I always answer ‘Does it matter? No one has to be evil!’ And that’s true, we don’t. Because no matter where you are, you get labeled, whether you liked it or not- how you walk, how you talk, how you present yourself; people see that, and no matter how perfect they can be, they label. And sometimes its hard to resist, you see someone with spiked hair, nose-rings, a dozen ear-rings on one ear, maybe even tattoos like no tomorrow, and so you label that they must belong to a gang, and then you also infer that they must be into drugs. But really, you don’t really know that. They could be the next Mozart, maybe even the next James Cameron or Peter Jackson, you just don’t know, but because you’ve gone ahead and boxed them in, it’s gonna be harder for you to ‘believe it’ when they do actually do something big.

You can’t judge people for being people by how they look. You look at the whole package, the picture; rather than deduce what the picture is about from just the eyes, the nose or the mouth. Because if you do focus on that, you won’t see the true representation of what Jesus wants that person to be. In fact, I’m bold enough to come out and say that yes, I in fact do label people. I’m not perfect, if I was, then I wouldn’t need Jesus, which I know I need more now than ever before. I can remember a couple of instances during 2008 and 2009 when Dad came back from picking up the pizzas at our local Dominoes Pizza joint at Mascot. He shook his head, saying something like ‘Those Indians don’t know how to cook pizza’. I know that sometimes Dad can be a little bit harsh in what he says, but aren’t we all too to some extent? 

Most people without hesitation would say people who live in the western world will have a better life than those anywhere else. But as I think about it more and more, I may beg to differ. Sure they would then have a safe and secure place to live in, compared to those in Africa, but would they have the better life if they are surrounded by a computer, a mobile phone, numerous shopping complexes, not to mention multiple cinemas, TV and electrical goods, air-conditioning at home, and a comfortable car? How-about those who are ‘struggling’ in Africa, with no running water, unsanitary hygiene and no food? Sure those who really live in Africa in poor conditions should get the water, food and medical supplies that are needed to live an adequate live, but should they then get the ‘western’ treatment?

Should we in the west think, ‘They’re not living the good life unless they are subjected to the way that we live?’ Sometimes it’s hard to believe that some people do believe that. In Australia, it happened towards the Stolen Generation, when Aboriginal Australian children were taken from their family and taught the ‘Australian’ way of life and culture. Is that right? When is enough enough? Did we label, and not even know it? Sometimes labelling is as big as what I’ve described, discrimination and just pure arrogance, that you and your way of life are more important than those around. But sometimes it can be just as small as believing that the latest i-Phone, Blu-Ray DVD player, TiVo, or maybe even Twitter or Facebook, will fill you up when it doesn’t. Just because everyone else has a Blu-Ray DVD player doesn’t mean you need it too. You can still get the player, but only that if you don’t get it, technology will rapidly expand and you will be left behind and never catch up...and also you’d like to start buying Blu-Ray DVD’s after all. Your motivation behind what you do, and how you act shouldn’t be dependent on anyone else. 

Do you do these things to get noticed? For people to accept you, to be loved? I’m telling you, sometimes you will get noticed; sometimes you will be loved, but sometimes is all the love can be for. When the next best thing comes along, people will latch onto that like a leech, and then you’d have to decide, am I getting this stuff because of the craze, the popularity, knowing that if I don’t keep it up, I may lose some friends, and maybe even lose my ‘life’ as I know it! But sometimes that’s what we need to do, lose our life. In Matthew 11:39, it says that ‘...whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it...’ You scratch your head and you think, why do I want to lose my life? I’ve got everything I need’. Everything you think you need. Let me illustrate. When Dad was in primary school he brought Nesquick to school, and during that time, a lot of people started to befriend Dad. But when the nesquick ran out, so did the friends. Ever wonder how long things last? Not that long. In fact, the average time a person can stay in the limelight is probably 2-3 years. People in the acting circle, sporting arena, even talented music stars and celebrities only have the spotlight on them for so long. Because in the end, people get older, their abilities wane, someone or something better comes along. Because of all this stuff that happens, people have been rocked from side to side. They’re yearning for someone that doesn’t change, yesterday, today and tomorrow. 

Jesus doesn't change! God “...is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine...” (Ephesians 3:20). Far beyond our comprehension of what we can even conceive of who God is, he is much more than that. Peter walked on the water when Jesus called him to. And He’s wanting everyone to walk on the water too. To step out of the boat, just like Peter did. Afraid? You bet. Scared? Immensely! Going to get out of the boat? It’s up to us. God is calling...will we answer?

A line in the popular Psalm 23 goes like this- Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for you are with me!. God is with us during the bad times, the good times, and the times in-between. 

Are you going to step out of the boat. He is waiting.

Music is the Universal Language

Music is the universal language of the soul. Everyone enjoys it. Everyone searches for a song that they can say 'This is my song, this song is speaking just to me!'. A song can be as powerful as a sermon on a Sunday morning, and can strike the very being of the soul, even when the listener has the hardest of hearts.

There are billions of songs out there in the vast space of Internet. From mainstream, to Christian, to country, to metal and folk, music appeals to various different people. A song can stir up emotions in someone that have stayed dormant for years, it can spur someone on to make a decision, good or bad, that will affect them and those around them.

For me, there are a number of songs that I've listened to in my life, where I've thought, 'This is my song.' One of these songs is by a British Christian band, Delirious?. You can read about them on Wikipedia, but the song History Maker, has struck to the core of my being, and has challenged me to take new risks, and to change the world.

What is your favourite song? Is it your favourite because it's your friend's favourite? Or has it spoken to you in ways unimaginable. Sometimes all it is is a song that can help you get through the toughest of situations. Some people may not know it, but a song carries with it a part of the person who wrote it. These artists pour their hearts and souls, and devote their time to producing an album, and their songs are what they are feeling at that particular point in time. And, to stir the pot, God can speak through anyone that He wants, even if the song is by a non-Christian. If God decides to do that, then He can.

A song is determined by its melody, lyrics, and how well the person sings. But what always sticks out to me are the lyrics- and particularly the lyrics to the chorus of History Maker:

I'm gonna be a history maker in this land
I'm gonna be a speaker of truth to all mankind
I'm gonna stand, I'm gonna run
Into your arms, into your arms again

Am I ready to be a history maker? Possibly, maybe, I'm not entirely sure. Starting this blog was very daunting, but here I am, I've done it.

So now, here is the video for History Maker by Delirious?. Listen to it, and see if it affects you like how it has done for me.

Music is indeed the universal language- over these next few blogs, I'm going to impart to you readers, my top 10 songs that mean to me the most- starting with No. 1: History Maker (normally with lists from 1-10, they start with no. 10 first, I'm doing it the other way around).

Watch the clip and enjoy, comments are encouraged.

See you all soon.

Jon.

There will probably be a moment in everyone's life where you start to think, 'Maybe it is just easier to follow everyone else.' Not to the point where you start to question your own faith but rather to the point of, 'Gee, people around me are doing x, y and z; I'm only doing this; let's see what all the fuss is about. But here's the issue here. Sometimes it's good, in fact, I think, it's encouraged; to not only live life to the full, the one life that we all keep thinking is two or three; but to live it knowing your convicitions, what you believe; and sticking by it, even if it means you're running the other way as the norm in society.

That shouldn't be a bad thing. If we believe something, and others do not, we need to know why. There are a few songs that speak about this, and I'd like to share it briefly. One is a popular song by Switchfoot, called Meant to Live. I'm sure you guys all know this song, know the lyrics off by heart, but let me dissect the song a little bit. 

The chorus is the part that really struck out for me- We were meant to live for so much more, have we lost ourselves? Somewhere we live inside... This line is definitely true of every situation everyone has. We are meant to live for more than the things on this earth. It's in our DNA to yearn for something more than the things that we don't take with us beyond the grave. And to follow Christopher Hitchens and boldly outright claim that after death is nothing is to deny the soul of something that has been there from the very start. Everyone is searching for something. And like the song says, We want more than this world's got to offer...And everything inside screams for second life. We are curious about what's beyond the grave. Life would be meaningless if it is just this life. But in our heart of hearts, possibly in everyone's heart, we know that after the grave is only the beginning.

Everyone is searching for the void to fill us. They search in drugs, sex, rock and roll, alcohol, anything they can get their hands on. But when they are suggested, 'Hey, why don't you try out Jesus? He'll solve everything!' They start to think, 'No Way! I've had so much trouble with the church...love Jesus though...' Why is it that all around the world, people love Jesus, but hate the church? They see Jesus as a prophet, but as the Son of God? The Saviour of the World? The Alpha and Omega? That is a different story for most of the world. 

That doesn't mean that Christians (myself included) should feel like we need to conform to society when it comes to our eternal destiny. We shouldn't, however, we need to sit down with the people we come into contact each day, and just talk with them, and to listen to their hearts. We need to break out of the mold that the world tries to put us in, to say that Christians are 'judgemental'. Why do people come up with that thought? Because sometimes Christians are like that. 

As I finish off this blog, I'm sure you have a lot to discuss about. Regardless of whether we are Christians or not, we are all searching  for something. Some have found it in their job, their money, others have just found it in the maker of the universe. Let me pose to you, who do you think Jesus is? Son of God? Saviour of all mankind? 

As for me, this is what I believe: Jesus did come to save the world. He died upon a cross and set people free from sin and death. All I have to do is to just believe into that. I am free because I've already been accepted. I don't need to do more, or try harder, to get to God- I live life out of the mentality that I don't need to earn my salvation...I am a stranger on Earth, because I know that this world not my home, so therefore I am an outcast. 

The journey of life isn't meant to be smooth sailing. There are questions that need to be asked, answers that need to be sought after. We need to start thinking about eternity and what happens, because it applies more to us that we think. We are meant to live beyond this life.

Hope you do enjoy the videos I've posted (these are the first...).

As you watch these two videos and mull over them, and what I've just said, feel free to comment below.

See you guys soon.

From Jon.