Pay-off

So Sal and I have accrued a bit of credit card debt due to our trip to the Philippines (plane tickets) and our wedding. It's nothing worth freaking out over, but it IS a pain in the butt. I am a little excited because I have a plan....to have my card paid off by November 2012. Ready, set, go! :D

That still leaves Sal's cards, but he's getting 2 jobs this summer and hopefully he can use his earnings to knock his out. I wanna be credit-card-debt-free by 2013. Yes we can! lol

the fruit

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.
He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife bhid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

The location of the Garden as said in Genesis is described in reference to the Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, Euphrates rivers; and three regions of Havilah, Assyria, and Kush. There are hypotheses that place Eden at the headwaters of the Tigris and Euphrates (northern Mesopotamia), in Iraq (Mesopotamia), Africa, and the Persian Gulf.

All of this being said, I find it odd and funny that we often picture Adam and Eve eating an apple as the "forbidden" fruit. Why, though? If we look at a map of the general location of what is described in Genesis, it's not hard to see what kind of food will thrive there: dates, grapes, figs, grapefruit, oranges. Not sure we'd find an apple there. Granted, it was the perfect garden with no blemish, all the animals of the earth were there for Adam to name. So even if the Garden was conducive to grow an apple at the time, I wonder why so many people just assume it was that? And if the fruit is from the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, the only tree not to eat from or touch, then how can we even assume there are more of this fruit still on earth? Maybe that was the only tree that bore that specific, special type. Or maybe since Adam and Eve's fall it doesn't matter if we're exposed to said fruit.

I know what kind of fruit it is has no importance or implication on the Gospel, but I just found it very interesting how over the centuries it became an apple.

healing

Getting migraines really sucks. It is a rough day when there is no medicine to take to help. However, it's odd how I feel after I make it through another monstrous headache. When I take medicine that relieves the headache it is awesome because I can continue on with my day and my life. It is awful to live with a migraine for hours or even days on end. But there is something different about not taking meds and just weathering the storm. My body feels weak and tired, but stronger. Like I have just overcome something great (which I did). I don't know, I don't really know how to explain it. It's a feeling I get that no medicine gives me. A power to know I can make it through with myself and God, not depending on anything else.

speed

It's funny to me how much of a rush we're always in, and this is apparent to me when people talk about internet speeds. Now, I understand the major difference between say old school AOL dial-up vs DSL or something. But when it comes to minute changes that will complete your search in 0.1 seconds vs 0.4 seconds and that's why people upgrade, it just blows my mind. I don't even notice a difference. I don't mind waiting for a page to load as long as it isn't something timed/urgent. Most things on the internet for most people aren't. idk, just a random thought of the day.

Believe in Christ's victory

...Sin [can’t] be managed, but rather [has] to be defeated. Thankfully, we don’t have to defeat our sin because Christ has already done it for us.

One of my biggest revelations was that I didn’t do anything to conquer my problem. In fact, my self-effort was the reason I fell over and over again. I couldn’t conquer the problem and couldn’t manage my sin.

As Christians, our victory is in Christ Jesus alone. As 1 John 2:1–2 says:

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

That’s not to say that practical steps aren’t prudent. But they become a problem if we trust in them instead of trusting in the saving work of Christ. Sin management doesn’t change our sinful hearts. Unless our heart is changed, our idols won’t be torn down—and we will fall again.

Often we’re so focused on avoiding temptation that we fail to realize that the problem isn’t temptation. Even Christ was tempted (Hebrews 4:15), and we’re promised that we won’t be tempted beyond our ability (1 Corinthians 10:13). The problem is that we’re sinners in need of a Savior. Avoiding temptation doesn’t change our hearts, but a changed heart, something that can only be accomplished by Christ’s work on the cross and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, allows us to overcome temptation.

I found these verses particularly helpful as I moved from avoiding temptation to trusting in Jesus to help me overcome temptation.

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” – Romans 12:21

“I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God [Jesus] abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” – 1 John 2:13–14

“Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” – 1 John 4:4

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” – 1 John 5:4

In light of this, if you’re struggling with [anything], I encourage you to stop trying to just manage your sin and avoid temptation. Stop working in your own strength. Admit to yourself the severity of your sin and idolatry. Admit to those whom you love the darkness of your heart and sins, walking from now on in the light. And finally, trust in Christ Jesus as your righteousness and overcome evil by the faith you have placed in him—not in your own actions and righteousness.

Only then will you be free.

God Loves You
Finally, I want to remind you that God loves you. His desire is to redeem you and bring you back into full relationship with him. You cannot achieve this for yourself. That is why he sent Jesus to accomplish this for us.

“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.” – 1 John 4:14–19

Meditate on this and realize what a life-changing concept it is.

God’s intentions for you are restoration, not judgment. That judgment has been handed down to Christ as your propitiation, and Christ’s righteousness has been given to you.

You are free. Walk in that freedom.

-Jake Johnson
http://pastormark.tv/2012/03/06/how-jesus-overcame-my-porn-problem