"And He said: 'Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.'"
-Matthew 18:3
As I mentioned earlier I have a job working at a technology store. I find it strange when people pay for computers in cash, but it does happen from time to time. Whenever someone pays in cash, the amount is almost never the exact amount of the computer. Therefore the person expects to receive change. After all, they did pay for more than the computer is worth, so I have to give them the leftover balance. So why am I talking about change? Today I want to discuss change that comes from knowing Jesus.
Suppose there are two men who are exactly the same. One man lives a normal life, just as many do in this world. Now say that the other man gets into a car crash and loses a leg. His life is now changed, even though otherwise he is exactly the same as the first man. However, because of this one life incident, he can no longer have a normal life as the first man did. He can't jump, run, or play soccer, and he has to live in a wheel chair. This man now has to live a changed life.
When we meet Jesus, our life isn't supposed to be the same. Imagine that if at the technology store I refused to give a customer their change. That would be ridiculous and I would probably get fired. Or imagine that if the man that lost his leg expects to live a life that is completely the same as everyone else. That would be a ridiculous proposition, because this man can no longer do tasks that normal people can do. Just the same, God doesn't expect us to be the same as other people, our encounter with Jesus is supposed to change us. Jesus paid for us with His life, and He expects that we reflect His life.
Why can people "meet" Jesus and still not be changed? This is a great question which I heard the answer to in a message on the radio. The answer is in the form of a story. Jesus is preoccupied in a city, with people surrounding Him and asking Him for His help. He then stops, and asks "who touched my garments"? The disciples are confused, because there are many people who are touching Jesus in the crowd they are in. A woman reveals that she touched Jesus because she wanted to be healed.
There were many people who encountered and touched Jesus that day, but not all of them were changed. In fact, only one of them was changed; the woman. She had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and had went to every doctor to try to resolve her problem. None of the doctors were able to fix her, and she ran out of options for healing. When she no longer could expect help from people, she looked to Jesus for her help. As she touched Jesus cloak, she was healed from her hemorrhage and could life a changed life.
So what was different about the woman compared to the crowd? The woman touched the edge of Jesus' cloak. What does that mean? This means that she must have been low to the ground, implying that she was humble before Jesus. As I said before, she had ran out of options for healing. The only person she could put her hope in was Jesus. The crowd was not as desperate and as humble as this woman was. She understood that she could be changed by Jesus and Jesus alone. She no longer had any faith in anything else. We too must humble ourselves and place our complete faith in Jesus. We can't expect to be changed if we are still relying on ourselves or on any human means. We have to empty ourselves of our pride, get on our knees, and then meet with Jesus- only then can we be changed.
-Smart
My First Job
So today I finally am going to talk about something other than Genesis because the Genesis Academy is over. Some of you know that I got my first job at the start of the summer at the technology store on campus. I really enjoy working there and I have learned a lot about computers and also about how to treat people. So today I thought I would share some things I have learned so far while working at the tech store. (The ones marked with asterisks (*) are mostly only applicable to my specific job.)
Be nice to people. This sounds so incredibly simple and obvious, especially in a retail environment, but it's necessary. Customers feel much more comfortable shopping when you are nice to them, and are more likely to trust your recommendations. The easiest way to be nice is to just smile at people. People will feel happier and more relaxed while they are there. At the end of the day, if you are kind to them, they will enjoy being there and will most likely come back if they need something else.
Try to address concerns before they are made. What I mean by this is that you want to try to cover as much information as possible so people don't have to ask too many questions. For example. when I am describing a computer's warranty, I also try to talk about what the warranty covers. That way, they don't have to ask me what the warranty covers, which is what they will most likely ask anyway. By doing this, you sound more professional and the customer will feel better about their purchase.
Help people choose the right computer*. People are often uninformed about the advantages and disadvantages of different computers, so it's best to ask them what they need the computer for. People often think that buying the most expensive computer is necessary, when often times it is not. I don't try to sell the more expensive computers, I try to help the customer. I judge what the person will use their computer for, then recommend one they would like.
Try to answer more than the question requires. When people ask questions, sometimes they don't quite know what they are asking. This is especially true where I work, because most people do not know as much about computers as I do. So when they ask a question, I try to find out what they are trying to learn, and then tell them what I think it is they are asking me about.
Never say "I don't know". This is a lesson that I had to learn while answering phone calls. The person asked me a question I did not have the answer to, so I said "I don't know the answer to that question". This may seem like a weird thing to not be able to say, but after my manager explained it to me, I understood why. When you say "I don't know" or anything along those lines, you sound unprofessional. Your job is to help the customer in as much as possible, which means if you don't know the answer to a question, you have to find it. What I say now instead is "let me ask my manager", or "let me look that up for you".
Visual is always better than audible. People understand things much better if you show it to them rather than if you tell it to them. One way my coworkers and I use visual aids is by giving every customer that walks in a price sheet. This way they don't have to keep asking us about prices. Another way I use visual aids is by showing customers the computers we have on display. They feel more confident in their choices if they can look at the actual computer.
Learn from other people. In my case, I try to learn how to speak and act by observing my manager when he interacts with others. He does a very good job being professional and kind to customers. I also learn from the customer when they bring up questions I don't know the answer to. If a customer asks me a question I don't know the answer to, 9 times out of 10 I will know the answer next time the question is asked.
These are just a few things I have been learning at my first job. Some are more straight forward than others, but they are all very important where I work. Most of these are applicable in daily life, such as being nice to others and learning from others. I still struggle to do all of these things, but I get better the more I practice. I hope you can learn from these tips I've learned.
-Smart
Be nice to people. This sounds so incredibly simple and obvious, especially in a retail environment, but it's necessary. Customers feel much more comfortable shopping when you are nice to them, and are more likely to trust your recommendations. The easiest way to be nice is to just smile at people. People will feel happier and more relaxed while they are there. At the end of the day, if you are kind to them, they will enjoy being there and will most likely come back if they need something else.
Try to address concerns before they are made. What I mean by this is that you want to try to cover as much information as possible so people don't have to ask too many questions. For example. when I am describing a computer's warranty, I also try to talk about what the warranty covers. That way, they don't have to ask me what the warranty covers, which is what they will most likely ask anyway. By doing this, you sound more professional and the customer will feel better about their purchase.
Help people choose the right computer*. People are often uninformed about the advantages and disadvantages of different computers, so it's best to ask them what they need the computer for. People often think that buying the most expensive computer is necessary, when often times it is not. I don't try to sell the more expensive computers, I try to help the customer. I judge what the person will use their computer for, then recommend one they would like.
Try to answer more than the question requires. When people ask questions, sometimes they don't quite know what they are asking. This is especially true where I work, because most people do not know as much about computers as I do. So when they ask a question, I try to find out what they are trying to learn, and then tell them what I think it is they are asking me about.
Never say "I don't know". This is a lesson that I had to learn while answering phone calls. The person asked me a question I did not have the answer to, so I said "I don't know the answer to that question". This may seem like a weird thing to not be able to say, but after my manager explained it to me, I understood why. When you say "I don't know" or anything along those lines, you sound unprofessional. Your job is to help the customer in as much as possible, which means if you don't know the answer to a question, you have to find it. What I say now instead is "let me ask my manager", or "let me look that up for you".
Visual is always better than audible. People understand things much better if you show it to them rather than if you tell it to them. One way my coworkers and I use visual aids is by giving every customer that walks in a price sheet. This way they don't have to keep asking us about prices. Another way I use visual aids is by showing customers the computers we have on display. They feel more confident in their choices if they can look at the actual computer.
Learn from other people. In my case, I try to learn how to speak and act by observing my manager when he interacts with others. He does a very good job being professional and kind to customers. I also learn from the customer when they bring up questions I don't know the answer to. If a customer asks me a question I don't know the answer to, 9 times out of 10 I will know the answer next time the question is asked.
These are just a few things I have been learning at my first job. Some are more straight forward than others, but they are all very important where I work. Most of these are applicable in daily life, such as being nice to others and learning from others. I still struggle to do all of these things, but I get better the more I practice. I hope you can learn from these tips I've learned.
-Smart
God tests Abraham (Genesis 22)
"Abraham said, 'God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.'"
-Genesis 22:8
This is the last lesson of the Genesis Bible Academy, and I'm really glad I decided to do it. I learned a lot about God and different characters in the Bible, and I hope you who read this blog learned something as well. This chapter discusses Abraham's "final test", where God tests his faith. God tells Abraham to take his son Issac, and sacrifice him as a burnt offering. Keep in mind that Abraham had to wait 25 years for Issac to be born, and that Issac is now about 10-15 years old now. This means that Abraham has been walking with God for about 35 years.
When God told Abraham to sacrifice Issac, Abraham was probably very confused and angry. If he felt these things, he did not show it. Instead, Abraham wakes up early the next morning to go and do as God commanded him. Issac and Abraham go to a mountain, and Abraham gets ready to kill his son. As he lifts the knife, an angel calls to Abraham and tells him to stop. The angel tells Abraham that God saw that he was willing to sacrifice Issac and that he fears God.
This is a crazy story of Abraham's faith in God. Abraham was overjoyed when Issac was born, and cherished him as he grew older. When God tells him to sacrifice Issac, Abraham immediately obeys, and he would have killed Issac if God did not intervene. Abraham had a choice to listen to God, or to ignore God's insane command. Abraham now had to prove that he loved God more than he loved Issac. Now that Abraham had seen God's power and faithfulness, Abraham chose to trust God and sacrifice Issac. Abraham believed that God could resurrect Issac, because God had promised that Abraham's descendants would be through Issac.
There are times when we will have to choose whether to obey God or ignore Him. The choice will not always be easy, as He may ask us to give up what we value the most. Issac meant the world to Abraham, and giving him up would crush Abraham. However, because Abraham trusted God, he decided it was worth giving up Issac in order to obey God. When we have to give up something we value a lot, we have to keep in mind that God is greater than everything. If something is getting in the way of us loving God, we have to make the decision to give it up. We have to trust that God loves us more than we could ever deserve.
-Smart
-Genesis 22:8
This is the last lesson of the Genesis Bible Academy, and I'm really glad I decided to do it. I learned a lot about God and different characters in the Bible, and I hope you who read this blog learned something as well. This chapter discusses Abraham's "final test", where God tests his faith. God tells Abraham to take his son Issac, and sacrifice him as a burnt offering. Keep in mind that Abraham had to wait 25 years for Issac to be born, and that Issac is now about 10-15 years old now. This means that Abraham has been walking with God for about 35 years.
When God told Abraham to sacrifice Issac, Abraham was probably very confused and angry. If he felt these things, he did not show it. Instead, Abraham wakes up early the next morning to go and do as God commanded him. Issac and Abraham go to a mountain, and Abraham gets ready to kill his son. As he lifts the knife, an angel calls to Abraham and tells him to stop. The angel tells Abraham that God saw that he was willing to sacrifice Issac and that he fears God.
This is a crazy story of Abraham's faith in God. Abraham was overjoyed when Issac was born, and cherished him as he grew older. When God tells him to sacrifice Issac, Abraham immediately obeys, and he would have killed Issac if God did not intervene. Abraham had a choice to listen to God, or to ignore God's insane command. Abraham now had to prove that he loved God more than he loved Issac. Now that Abraham had seen God's power and faithfulness, Abraham chose to trust God and sacrifice Issac. Abraham believed that God could resurrect Issac, because God had promised that Abraham's descendants would be through Issac.
There are times when we will have to choose whether to obey God or ignore Him. The choice will not always be easy, as He may ask us to give up what we value the most. Issac meant the world to Abraham, and giving him up would crush Abraham. However, because Abraham trusted God, he decided it was worth giving up Issac in order to obey God. When we have to give up something we value a lot, we have to keep in mind that God is greater than everything. If something is getting in the way of us loving God, we have to make the decision to give it up. We have to trust that God loves us more than we could ever deserve.
-Smart
Issac is Born (Genesis 20-21)
"So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him."
This passage includes a great spiritual defeat as well as a great spiritual victory. In the previous passage we see that Abraham did the right thing by welcoming God into his home and serving Him. Abraham also intercedes on behalf of the people of Sodom, learning the heart of God. This was a great spiritual victory for Abraham, but it did not last for long. When Abraham goes to Gerar in chapter 20, he lies about his relationship to his wife, claiming that she is his sister. This should sound very familiar, as Abraham has used this tactic before in Egypt. Even despite this lie, God still manages to bless Abraham.
Chapter 20 is a good reminder to us that spiritual victories can sometimes lead to compromise. After we have done something great for the Lord, sometimes we begin to get used to being victorious. When trials come our way, it is easy for us to stumble and fall. Life is full of victories and defeats, but we must not focus on either. Life will always be full of good and bad things, but we must focus on Jesus Christ. Only then will we learn to live a life that pleases God.
In Chapter 21, Abraham's son is finally born. Abraham has been waiting for 25 years for God to deliver His promise. Abraham is now 100 years old, and it seems ridiculous that he could have a son at this age. Against all human understanding and power, Issac is born to Sarah and Abraham. This must have been a great time of celebration for them, because they have been waiting for a son for a very long time.
God is a faithful God, whether or not we are faithful to Him. Abraham did not live a perfectly faithful life, as we saw in chapter 20, where he lies about his wife. However, God still delivered on His promise, and He granted a son to Abraham. Abraham must have known that it was only through God's power that he got a son, because Abraham was much too old to have a son, and Sarah was also very old. We can learn that "for nothing will be impossible for God (Luke 1:37)". God will do what He promises, because He is faithful and He has the power to do what it is He promises to us.
Even though God is faithful to us regardless of our faith, we still must have faith in Him. "Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6)", so we must put our faith in God. Sometimes this seems like a difficult task, especially when life is not going our way. When Abraham was going through those many years without his promised son, he probably doubted God many times. However, against all hope, Abraham chose to believe God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. We too must choose to believe in God, and He will credit our faith as righteousness. On our own we cannot be righteous, but through faith God will treat as if we were. This is because Jesus paid for our sanctification, and only through Him can we be saved.
-Smart
This passage includes a great spiritual defeat as well as a great spiritual victory. In the previous passage we see that Abraham did the right thing by welcoming God into his home and serving Him. Abraham also intercedes on behalf of the people of Sodom, learning the heart of God. This was a great spiritual victory for Abraham, but it did not last for long. When Abraham goes to Gerar in chapter 20, he lies about his relationship to his wife, claiming that she is his sister. This should sound very familiar, as Abraham has used this tactic before in Egypt. Even despite this lie, God still manages to bless Abraham.
Chapter 20 is a good reminder to us that spiritual victories can sometimes lead to compromise. After we have done something great for the Lord, sometimes we begin to get used to being victorious. When trials come our way, it is easy for us to stumble and fall. Life is full of victories and defeats, but we must not focus on either. Life will always be full of good and bad things, but we must focus on Jesus Christ. Only then will we learn to live a life that pleases God.
In Chapter 21, Abraham's son is finally born. Abraham has been waiting for 25 years for God to deliver His promise. Abraham is now 100 years old, and it seems ridiculous that he could have a son at this age. Against all human understanding and power, Issac is born to Sarah and Abraham. This must have been a great time of celebration for them, because they have been waiting for a son for a very long time.
God is a faithful God, whether or not we are faithful to Him. Abraham did not live a perfectly faithful life, as we saw in chapter 20, where he lies about his wife. However, God still delivered on His promise, and He granted a son to Abraham. Abraham must have known that it was only through God's power that he got a son, because Abraham was much too old to have a son, and Sarah was also very old. We can learn that "for nothing will be impossible for God (Luke 1:37)". God will do what He promises, because He is faithful and He has the power to do what it is He promises to us.
Even though God is faithful to us regardless of our faith, we still must have faith in Him. "Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6)", so we must put our faith in God. Sometimes this seems like a difficult task, especially when life is not going our way. When Abraham was going through those many years without his promised son, he probably doubted God many times. However, against all hope, Abraham chose to believe God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. We too must choose to believe in God, and He will credit our faith as righteousness. On our own we cannot be righteous, but through faith God will treat as if we were. This is because Jesus paid for our sanctification, and only through Him can we be saved.
-Smart
God meets Abraham and Lot (Genesis 18-19)
"Abraham came near and said, 'Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?'"
-Genesis 18:23
Ever since Abraham shows up in the Bible, we see how his relationship with God grows. Abraham's faith always gets stronger every chapter, even though God does have to remind him of His promise many times. Abraham has done many things in his life at this point, such as saving Lot from four powerful nations. Whenever we hear of Lot, it seems that he has not really learned to trust in God like Abraham. Lot is living in Sodom, a wicked city. Lot is surrounded by sinful people and wicked acts while living in Sodom.
In both of their lives, Abraham and Lot have both experienced God's grace. Abraham was called from Ur, as a man that had no special qualities. Abraham was chosen simply because of God's mercy on him. Lot experiences God's mercy when Abraham saves him from the four nations that had taken him captive. Also in Genesis 19, Lot is rescued from the destruction of Sodom, the place he was living. In Genesis 18, God visits Abraham in the form of a human being. Abraham immediately welcomes Him into his home, not knowing that it is God. Lot also is visited by God in human form, and he also promptly welcomes Him into his home.
When Abraham realizes that it is God that has visited him, God tells him of His plan to destroy Sodom. Abraham remembers that Lot is living in Sodom, so he pleads to God to spare the city of Sodom, if ten righteous people are found. Abraham's first thought was to help other people, even people who deserved not to be saved. Realize that Abraham did not only plead for the life of Lot, but also for the entire city of Sodom. Abraham is learning the love that God has for people, and intercedes on behalf of others.
Lot is visited by God, and when he recognizes that it is God, he is very hesitant to listen to God. God tells Lot to leave his home and to get away from the city of Sodom, because it will be destroyed. When Lot hesitates to leave Sodom, God actually has to pull Lot away from the city. Lot only ever thinks of himself, never even considering to plead on behalf of others. While this is understandable considering the situation, Lot doesn't even listen to God right away. Here we see that Lot doesn't have a good relationship with God, and doesn't understand who God is.
Both Abraham and Lot had received grace from God. However, they respond to His grace in different ways. Abraham responds to it by developing a relationship with God, and learning His heart. Abraham loves people and intercedes on behalf of them. Lot responds to God's grace by continuing to live a normal life. He makes no effort to build a relationship with God, or understand God. Lot only concerns himself with earthly matters and material gains.
We all have received amazing grace from God, and we have to choose how to respond to it. Are we going to sit around and not let it change our lives? Or are we going to develop a relationship with God and make an effort to understand His character? Building a relationship with God can only begin once we accept the grace that God has given us and respond to it. A sign that we are having a relationship with God is that we start to love others and intercede on behalf of others. Our relationship with God should make us more like Him. We cannot let the grace of God simply pass us by.
-Smart
-Genesis 18:23
Ever since Abraham shows up in the Bible, we see how his relationship with God grows. Abraham's faith always gets stronger every chapter, even though God does have to remind him of His promise many times. Abraham has done many things in his life at this point, such as saving Lot from four powerful nations. Whenever we hear of Lot, it seems that he has not really learned to trust in God like Abraham. Lot is living in Sodom, a wicked city. Lot is surrounded by sinful people and wicked acts while living in Sodom.
In both of their lives, Abraham and Lot have both experienced God's grace. Abraham was called from Ur, as a man that had no special qualities. Abraham was chosen simply because of God's mercy on him. Lot experiences God's mercy when Abraham saves him from the four nations that had taken him captive. Also in Genesis 19, Lot is rescued from the destruction of Sodom, the place he was living. In Genesis 18, God visits Abraham in the form of a human being. Abraham immediately welcomes Him into his home, not knowing that it is God. Lot also is visited by God in human form, and he also promptly welcomes Him into his home.
When Abraham realizes that it is God that has visited him, God tells him of His plan to destroy Sodom. Abraham remembers that Lot is living in Sodom, so he pleads to God to spare the city of Sodom, if ten righteous people are found. Abraham's first thought was to help other people, even people who deserved not to be saved. Realize that Abraham did not only plead for the life of Lot, but also for the entire city of Sodom. Abraham is learning the love that God has for people, and intercedes on behalf of others.
Lot is visited by God, and when he recognizes that it is God, he is very hesitant to listen to God. God tells Lot to leave his home and to get away from the city of Sodom, because it will be destroyed. When Lot hesitates to leave Sodom, God actually has to pull Lot away from the city. Lot only ever thinks of himself, never even considering to plead on behalf of others. While this is understandable considering the situation, Lot doesn't even listen to God right away. Here we see that Lot doesn't have a good relationship with God, and doesn't understand who God is.
Both Abraham and Lot had received grace from God. However, they respond to His grace in different ways. Abraham responds to it by developing a relationship with God, and learning His heart. Abraham loves people and intercedes on behalf of them. Lot responds to God's grace by continuing to live a normal life. He makes no effort to build a relationship with God, or understand God. Lot only concerns himself with earthly matters and material gains.
We all have received amazing grace from God, and we have to choose how to respond to it. Are we going to sit around and not let it change our lives? Or are we going to develop a relationship with God and make an effort to understand His character? Building a relationship with God can only begin once we accept the grace that God has given us and respond to it. A sign that we are having a relationship with God is that we start to love others and intercede on behalf of others. Our relationship with God should make us more like Him. We cannot let the grace of God simply pass us by.
-Smart
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