Comments for Deep Thoughts with Matt Norman, and some times, not so deep. http://onebigg.com Thoughts and misc. ramblings of Matt Norman. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:13:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 Comment on Turn the other cheek? by jack smith http://onebigg.com/2008/07/14/turn-the-other-cheek/#comment-172 jack smith Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:10:00 +0000 http://onebigg.com/2008/07/14/turn-the-other-cheek/#comment-172 I obviously take a different look at situations like this. In a case like this I see the humanity in the pastor. I see a pastor who is human. He gets angry, gets mad and rants. I certainly do not want to be so quick to find fault with him, because after all I too am human. I have even sinned. I may have even sinned today, I think. It reminds me of a pastor who threatened to kick a guys butt because he was disgracing church property. I again do not fault this pastor. Was what this pastor was doing right? Probably not the textbook definition of Christlikeness, but I also recall a passage where Jesus "took care of business" too. Matt. 21:12 Also check out the Kinetic Church link on the blog. It shares an awesome way God used the theft of their trailer into something pretty cool. I obviously take a different look at situations like this. In a case like this I see the humanity in the pastor. I see a pastor who is human. He gets angry, gets mad and rants.
I certainly do not want to be so quick to find fault with him, because after all I too am human. I have even sinned. I may have even sinned today, I think.
It reminds me of a pastor who threatened to kick a guys butt because he was disgracing church property. I again do not fault this pastor. Was what this pastor was doing right? Probably not the textbook definition of Christlikeness, but I also recall a passage where Jesus “took care of business” too. Matt. 21:12
Also check out the Kinetic Church link on the blog. It shares an awesome way God used the theft of their trailer into something pretty cool.

]]> Comment on Story time episode 1 by Matt http://onebigg.com/2008/06/25/story-time-episode-1/#comment-167 Matt Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:52:54 +0000 http://onebigg.com/2008/06/25/story-time-episode-1/#comment-167 You are correct Sir. I enjoy Story time too. I think I will be making it a regular part of the ole' blog. You are correct Sir.

I enjoy Story time too. I think I will be making it a regular part of the ole’ blog.

]]> Comment on Story time episode 1 by Adam http://onebigg.com/2008/06/25/story-time-episode-1/#comment-166 Adam Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:46:56 +0000 http://onebigg.com/2008/06/25/story-time-episode-1/#comment-166 None other than our brother Paul, formerly know as Saul. I like story time, it should become a staple in your blog. None other than our brother Paul, formerly know as Saul. I like story time, it should become a staple in your blog.

]]> Comment on Love Your Neighbor by Matt http://onebigg.com/2008/06/09/love-your-neighbor/#comment-157 Matt Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:36:21 +0000 http://onebigg.com/2008/06/09/love-your-neighbor/#comment-157 <p>This is one of my favorite passages and it speaks to me very deeply. It is this passage that initially sparked the fire inside of me that drives me into ministry. It is also this passage that continues to motivate me in that direction. Thank you for pointing out the connection between this passage and the Great commandment. This passage illustrates how we are to "love our neighbor as ourselves" and confirms what I was saying. </p> <p>While I am very fond of this passage, it did not come to mind when I was making this original post. I don't guess there is any better confirmation then the very words of Jesus.</p> You are completely right that we must truly LOVE others. Even as Christians we tend to forget this. I feel for any Christian that thinks that love is simply a matter of not being mean to people. We love ourselves more then that and we love our family and friends more then that, but Jesus is telling us that we should love everyone this way, not just those close to us. This is one of my favorite passages and it speaks to me very deeply. It is this passage that initially sparked the fire inside of me that drives me into ministry. It is also this passage that continues to motivate me in that direction. Thank you for pointing out the connection between this passage and the Great commandment. This passage illustrates how we are to “love our neighbor as ourselves” and confirms what I was saying.

While I am very fond of this passage, it did not come to mind when I was making this original post. I don’t guess there is any better confirmation then the very words of Jesus.

You are completely right that we must truly LOVE others. Even as Christians we tend to forget this. I feel for any Christian that thinks that love is simply a matter of not being mean to people. We love ourselves more then that and we love our family and friends more then that, but Jesus is telling us that we should love everyone this way, not just those close to us.

]]> Comment on Love Your Neighbor by Jay http://onebigg.com/2008/06/09/love-your-neighbor/#comment-155 Jay Tue, 10 Jun 2008 12:40:51 +0000 http://onebigg.com/2008/06/09/love-your-neighbor/#comment-155 Jesus felt so strongly about this that he speaks to this in Matthew 25. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' 45 "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' For those that are willing to love their neighbor; give them something to eat, give them something to drink, invite them in, cloth them, care for them and visit them. The King will say to them; 34…'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For those that aren’t willing to love their neighbor….He will say, 41….'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. We probably don’t teach this enough….if we are to truly receive the fullness of God’s love for us, we MUST truly love others….if we are to truly receive the fullness of God’s forgiveness, we MUST truly forgive others. Jesus felt so strongly about this that he speaks to this in Matthew 25.

35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

40 “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

45 “He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

For those that are willing to love their neighbor; give them something to eat, give them something to drink, invite them in, cloth them, care for them and visit them. The King will say to them; 34…’Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

For those that aren’t willing to love their neighbor….He will say, 41….’Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

We probably don’t teach this enough….if we are to truly receive the fullness of God’s love for us, we MUST truly love others….if we are to truly receive the fullness of God’s forgiveness, we MUST truly forgive others.

]]> Comment on Confused by jack smith http://onebigg.com/2008/05/01/confused/#comment-81 jack smith Sat, 03 May 2008 15:53:34 +0000 http://onebigg.com/2008/05/01/confused/#comment-81 Matt, Hey Bro' Let me start by saying I have been in this situation. I know what you are talking about. My fear is that I may even know who you are talking about as well. This frustration rings all too familiar in my past. What is your friends motives? Do they have your best interest in mind? If by chance this is Kim then I would obviously say to never move forward without your wife's blessing. But if it is anyone else I would say go with the leading of God. I have made life wasting decisions because I listened to people that supposedly knew more about ministry and spiritual matters than I. Go with your gut feeling about what God is telling you to do. And never let anyone tell you that you can not do something. Your not too old, or too out of shape, or too anything to be used by God. Matt,

Hey Bro’

Let me start by saying I have been in this situation. I know what you are talking about. My fear is that I may even know who you are talking about as well. This frustration rings all too familiar in my past.

What is your friends motives? Do they have your best interest in mind?

If by chance this is Kim then I would obviously say to never move forward without your wife’s blessing. But if it is anyone else I would say go with the leading of God.

I have made life wasting decisions because I listened to people that supposedly knew more about ministry and spiritual matters than I.
Go with your gut feeling about what God is telling you to do.

And never let anyone tell you that you can not do something.
Your not too old, or too out of shape, or too anything to be used by God.

]]> Comment on Can You Add by Heidi http://onebigg.com/2008/05/03/can-you-add/#comment-79 Heidi Sat, 03 May 2008 12:37:09 +0000 http://onebigg.com/2008/05/03/can-you-add/#comment-79 Oh gosh. I'm no good at math! Let's see... Ha! Got it right!! Heidi :) Oh gosh. I’m no good at math! Let’s see…

Ha! Got it right!!

Heidi :)

]]> Comment on Confused by Heidi http://onebigg.com/2008/05/01/confused/#comment-76 Heidi Fri, 02 May 2008 20:56:41 +0000 http://onebigg.com/2008/05/01/confused/#comment-76 You're welcome. I got this in e-mail the other day and I loved it... "Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders and says, 'Oh No She's [He's] Awake'". You can BET Satan will try to derail you before you even get started. Every single time I get some Holy Spirit momentum to sow more seeds Satan shows up. Sometimes in some very weird ways. Stay strong and put on the armor. You know what that is, I'm sure! Heidi You’re welcome. I got this in e-mail the other day and I loved it…

“Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders and says, ‘Oh No She’s [He’s] Awake’”.

You can BET Satan will try to derail you before you even get started. Every single time I get some Holy Spirit momentum to sow more seeds Satan shows up. Sometimes in some very weird ways.

Stay strong and put on the armor. You know what that is, I’m sure!

Heidi

]]> Comment on Confused by Matt http://onebigg.com/2008/05/01/confused/#comment-75 Matt Fri, 02 May 2008 19:31:32 +0000 http://onebigg.com/2008/05/01/confused/#comment-75 Thank you very much Heidi. It is amazing how God can use the internet to bring strangers together in a time of need. You have become a powerful comfort to me. I know that I should take God's word over man's, but in this case the man is a strong man of God whom I respect very much. This makes me doubt if God is really speaking to me how I thought he was. I realise that this is probably just the enemy feeding me these lines. You know it is funny. I have had a conversation with my small group about spiritual warfare and the fact that the enemy attacks us during those times when we are either turning towards God, or are moving in a direction that brings us closer to God. I have the same conversation with a women at work. In fact I told the women at work that I was expecting it to come. I didn't know it was going to come so quickly. To add to this, I took a hit to my spirit today at work as well. Man, if spiritual warfare comes up when the enemy gets concerned about the direction our lives are going, then the enemey must be real scared. I am afraid to think of what he is going to do next. I think of Job and all that Satan did to him. I know that I am being attacked and as difficult as it is, I praise God for these attacks because it usually means we are doing something right. Heidi, thanks again for your prayers and continued encouragement. I am grateful that you found me on the MercyMe blog and took the time to check out my blog and that you cared enough to comment and to encourage me. Thank you very much Heidi. It is amazing how God can use the internet to bring strangers together in a time of need. You have become a powerful comfort to me. I know that I should take God’s word over man’s, but in this case the man is a strong man of God whom I respect very much. This makes me doubt if God is really speaking to me how I thought he was. I realise that this is probably just the enemy feeding me these lines.

You know it is funny. I have had a conversation with my small group about spiritual warfare and the fact that the enemy attacks us during those times when we are either turning towards God, or are moving in a direction that brings us closer to God. I have the same conversation with a women at work. In fact I told the women at work that I was expecting it to come. I didn’t know it was going to come so quickly. To add to this, I took a hit to my spirit today at work as well.

Man, if spiritual warfare comes up when the enemy gets concerned about the direction our lives are going, then the enemey must be real scared. I am afraid to think of what he is going to do next. I think of Job and all that Satan did to him. I know that I am being attacked and as difficult as it is, I praise God for these attacks because it usually means we are doing something right.

Heidi, thanks again for your prayers and continued encouragement. I am grateful that you found me on the MercyMe blog and took the time to check out my blog and that you cared enough to comment and to encourage me.

]]> Comment on Confused by Heidi http://onebigg.com/2008/05/01/confused/#comment-74 Heidi Fri, 02 May 2008 18:26:39 +0000 http://onebigg.com/2008/05/01/confused/#comment-74 Said a prayer for you. Here is a verse for you to remember: "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him..." Psalm 37:7 Also: "Be still, and know that I am God..." Psalm 46:10 And ALWAYS choose God's ways over man's -- even if the man is a close friend. God knows best. Trust in Him! Good luck! Heidi R. Said a prayer for you.

Here is a verse for you to remember:
“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him…”
Psalm 37:7

Also:
“Be still, and know that I am God…”
Psalm 46:10

And ALWAYS choose God’s ways over man’s — even if the man is a close friend. God knows best. Trust in Him!

Good luck!

Heidi R.

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