…So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.

can you pray for me?  looking for direction – and encouragement in God’s word.  pray that He speaks to me through what I read over the next 8 weeks.

-brian

2) Invest wisely.  Open a Roth IRA / review financial condition.

3) Learn more about my homeland.  Take a trip to Germany.  Learn some German. Work on my ancestry tree.

4) Take a hunter safety course.

5) Work on finding new business opportunities with technology (web/mobile).

Puppy Chow Mix!

Ingredients

9 cups crispy rice cereal squares
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Directions
In a saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate; add peanut butter and mix until smooth.
Remove from heat, add cereal and stir until coated.
Pour powdered sugar into large plastic bag, add coated cereal and shake until well coated. Store in airtight container.

-brian

I must warn you – what is being shared next won’t be emotionally satisfying and it will apply to Christians only.

As a Christian we must realize that “Knowing Why” won’t make our current pain and suffering go away, but it will help us to endure the pain that we go through.

Grab a Bible and read Romans 8:18-32 and we’ll pick up right after you’re done reading that passage.

Ready?  Ok.

Rather than thinking about pain and suffering from our viewpoint, as a Christian, we have to remember that our viewpoint is rather….small.  We need to look at God’s perspective on suffering.  There’s three main themes in the passage we just read.

Theme #1 – In the beginning, sin entered the world and the world has been cursed ever since.  

(Romans 8:20-21 – For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.)

In other words – we live in a fallen world.  We live in a world of decay.  Ever since we were born, we live in decay.  Scientists are still trying to discover the “aging gene” and admit that they are still a way off. Why do we get cancer?  We live in decay (curse/sin/corruption).  Why do we die?  We live in decay (curse/sin/corruption).

Theme #2 – In the middle, your own personal suffering is a small indication of a much larger problem since sin entered the world.

(Romans 8:22-26 – For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.)

While we as Christians, believe that God has saved us through Jesus Christ, we continue to suffer in our own physical bodies because of human depravity.

Theme #3 – In the end, all things will be made new and right.

(Romans 8:27-32 - And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?)

We as Christians should realize that we need to patiently wait as God works on us.  We live in this “gotta have it now” culture. This culture runs against what God teaches.  We should keep our focus on God’s larger perspective on suffering, and not our own smaller, limited perspective.

Genesis 1:26-27

Colossians 1:16

1 Peter 2:9-10

We often look to be valued by others. Rather we should look to God for our value.

-Brian

Finally working out and swimming 1,000 yards because I got the key fob replaced – $3.00.

Spending the precious time that I have left on this earth with my beautiful wife in an evening of hanging out, going down a water slide and just being with her – Priceless.