Workers in the vineyard

I love this parable in Matthew 20. Jesus says heaven is like.... A bunch of people got hired to work, one at 9, one at 11, one at 1.. When the time came to pay them they all got the same pay. Some thought that because they worked longer they should get more pay. Rather they all got the same pay as the man who worked the longest. Jesus replied, " I can do what I want with my money, are you stingy that I am generous."

This is paraphrased but you should read it yourself. This just affirms that it is not by works that we are saved. He gives us divine favor just because He loves us! What a wonderful life!

Night owl!

In recent years I have been a night owl. Many times I tried to break that habit! If I go to bed early I can wake up early and get a better start on the day. But the problem is (like tonight) when I try to go to bed on time I cannot sleep. You may have heard me say, "well Im gonna go home, do dishes and fall asleep with my computer on my chest." The thing that drives me is vision. I have so much vision for what can be. When I try to go to bed early vision passes through my mind and I am restless! I find it is easier to work until I cannot stay away. Then I just fall asleep. As usual I wake early for the kids. To much sleep in my case is futile. I know that sleep is important, but how important? I have too much to do. Vision burns in my chest. I loathe the word,"board!" A person with purpose with and vision for life can never be board! There is just to much to do for Christ! Catch vision for Christ! He has good things for you!

Martin Luther

This morning I read the "Ninety-five theses on the power of indulgences". In Martin Luthers theses he in short, points out the error of the Roman Church. As I read this I was greatly inspired. I was stirred in my passion to live the Faith as God intended. What if Martin Luther was alive today. Would he feel the need to write another thesis about the current condition of the Church today? The thing that really got me about Martin Luther is that no one but the Holy Spirit and the Word of God taught him. So he was a man, just like myself. Today I am going to examine my faith and teaching.

Here is a link to Martin Luthers Thesis

God sees

Today I saw the reflection of a plane flying over in the car window that was outside the building I was in(hope it didn't confuse you with that). I thought what are the odds of that. Will I ever see that again? It reminded me that God sees everything. He will hold me accountable to every word I say. It reminded me of how important my actions are. When I die and stand before God I want to be reminded of all the awesome things I did not the naughty things. I might forget yesterday and what happened in it but God does not.

God hasn't convicted me yet???

Recently I have run across many friends who pirate software, movies, songs, whatever they can. Before I go on let me say, I am not perfect and don't claim to be so. I am trying to be like Christ and when I identify sin in my life, with Gods power I take it captive and do it no more. So recently my friends say pirating in not against the law and it is not a sin. They following is the part that bothers me:
1) They defend what they do by asking questions of me like, "have you ever sped on the hwy this week, have you taken candy into the movie theater.......". This seems to be a wide spread way of justifying their actions. As if my sin negates theirs.
2) They say, "Judges will not punish users of pirated software. They only punish those who produce it for other to use." Does this make pirating ok? Pirating is so wide spread that law authorities have to target the dealer rather than the consumers. This also must make pirating ok.
3) They say to me, "different people have different convictions, God hasn't convicted me yet." This I don't understand. When did God need to convict us not to steal when the Bible says, "do not steal."
I hope I don't sound hostile but this topic bothers me. I wish it was okay not to pay for stuff I wanted. Someone please convince me its okay. Oh yea, one more thing. If you are going to profess the name of Christ and you are openly declaring that pirating is okay, please please find some less embarrassing reasons for justifying what is wrong.