Hello everyone,
I just wanted to let everyone know The Beginning of Wisdom has moved to a new home with a new look. Check it out at justinjantz.com and subscribe to get my blog updates via email. Thank you for keeping up with my blog and I hope you continue to stay connected and continue to let me know what you think. I also have a new email if you have any questions or comments, justin@justinjantz.com. See you guys there.
Justin
This morning I can’t get this instance out of my mind.
Last week I was sitting in Carmax selling my truck, and I missed my chance. Not my chance to get a good deal, not my chance to save money, but my chance to show God to people. And I wish I would have just opened my spiritual eyes to see what God was doing.
It was cold and rainy outside. A homeless man came in with a basket of banana nut bread ( which is the best gift known to man). He came in to sell it to raise money for his shelter, which could or couldn’t be real, but that’s not the point. He began to share his story of how God helped him over come his addiction and had saved his life. I sat there listening intently, and these stupid words came out of my mouth:
“Sorry man, I don’t have any cash on me…”
And that was how I left it. As soon as the man left, I knew I had missed the opportunity to just simply pray for a hurting human.
This morning don’t miss your chance to show people God. Don’t miss your chance to build a relationship and speak life today.
How can we not see what God is doing?
How can we not feel God’s love?
How can we not encounter the grace of God every morning?
How can we not rejoice when we see God’s beauty around us?
How can we not realize that we are apart of something so much bigger than ourselves?
How can we not be so consumed by the Spirit of God that we only focus on Him?
How can we not worship God with everything we are when He has made us everything we are?
How can we not want a relationship with the greatest artist of all time?
How can we not be amazed that the God of all creation took the time to form us, to create us, to love us, sent His son to die for us?
How can we not realize how unworthy we are of all of that?
There are some who have never encountered the love that God freely gives. We need to realize that God is longing, He is yearning to just be with us. Christ died for us to have a direct relationship with God. So how can we not pursue that same relationship?
We consume ourselves with everything around us when we should be consumed by the Spirit of God inside of us.
Let God consume you with His never ending, never failing, never leaving love.
How can we not be so consumed with the love of God that the people around us can’t help but believe in Him?
We lose track.
We lose track of time, we lose track of people, we lose track of life, we lose track of God. We get so caught up in ourselves and what we have going on, we miss what God has blessed us with.
Short and sweet version: We need to stop worrying about everything that is wrong with everything else and focus on everything that is right about everything God is doing in us and through us.
Not as short, but still sweet version: We put so much focus on fixing what is wrong around us and we miss everything that is right. I can say this because I constantly catch myself doing it. I have found I am focused more on what God has blessed me with rather than focusing on the God that blessed me to begin with.We lose track of how great God is, everything He is constantly blessing us with. If we took more time to realize how much we don’t deserve God’s love but how graciously He gives it, we would be better for it.
Be better for it.
Most people tend to be ok with the thing that “looks” good. Most people tend to go after what they think they want, instead of what God says they need. People have let society tell them what it thinks they need. People lose sight of what is around them because they are focused on themselves.
We forget that God has the last word. We need to, especially in America, become more aware of what God is saying. We need to stop living to build up ourselves, build up our church, build up our denomination, build up our religion, and build up the Kingdom of God. We are losing sight of the big picture. We, not God, are making the picture of life smaller and smaller. Many have acquired the mentality that life is about making their name known, making money in their name, doing things for themselves. We need to regain the mentality that everything we do is about God and His purpose for us. We need to see life, people, events, everything the way God intended for us to see them.
New Living Translation (NLT)
16 We can make our own plans,
but the Lord gives the right answer.
2 People may be pure in their own eyes,
but the Lord examines their motives.
3 Commit your actions to the Lord,
and your plans will succeed.
4 The Lord has made everything for his own purposes,
even the wicked for a day of disaster.
5 The Lord detests the proud;
they will surely be punished.
6 Unfailing love and faithfulness make atonement for sin.
By fearing the Lord, people avoid evil.
7 When people’s lives please the Lord,
even their enemies are at peace with them.
8 Better to have little, with godliness,
than to be rich and dishonest.
9 We can make our plans,
but the Lord determines our steps.
We are quick to forget how much God truly loves us. We know he loves us, but we don’t always realize how much.
I am not a Catholic, but this statement is still just as true.
“Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” – Francis of Assisi
I challenge you to dive into the book of Hosea and see what God speaks to you. It is some awesome stuff.
I love thanksgiving. I get to eat awesome food all day, sleep in between, and watch football, spend time with family and friends. What’s not to love?
Take advantage of the time God has given you with the people He has given you.
Happy Thanksgiving!
-Justin
First off I want to start off by thanking an amazing family friend, Katie Reine, who yesterday took Lauren and I’s engagement pictures. Look for kvrphotography on Facebook and #kvrphotography on Instagram. She’s pretty awesome.
So I have never been one to like taking pictures. I usually take one and then I’m done. Yesterday was a little differenent. I think it was because I realized the person I was taking them with was the very person God thought of when I was formed. We take what God does for granted so often. We look at circumstances as just that, circumstancial. When infact the things God has laid in front of us are precise and accurate.
We schew the things God intended us to see becasuse our vision is bad, not God’s. We forget the perfection God offers us. We need to stop blaming God for what we can’t see going on around us, and thank Him for what we do see. It all changes when we change our perspective. When we take on a godly view of this life, it looks different then our own. When we stop taking the little things for granted, and see them blessings, we begin to love our lives again.
Look for the beauty that is all around you, and begin to love the life you’re living.
Proverbs 13:19 NLT – It is pleasant to see dreams come true, but fools refuse to turn from evil to attain them.
To answer the main question, I think you have to hit a few other points. First, what are dreams? Second, what are YOUR dreams compared to God’s dreams for your life? Third, what is stopping you from dreaming outside the box?
What is a dream to begin with?
Dictionary version: A strongly desired goal or purpose.
My version: The desire to do, go, and chase something that is outside of your current standing. To go beyond your current limitations to reach a place with no limitations. To desire more.
What are YOUR dreams compared to God’s?
You have to find where your heart is being called. You have to open your eyes to God’s plan for your life and the dreams He has set in front of you. I don’t know if you know, but God dreams bigger and a lot more creative than we ever will. Now you know.
What is stopping you from dreaming?
Is what you’ve done, where you’ve been, your relationships, your thoughts, your job, just your life that is holding you back? Find the thing(s) that you think are stopping you from dreaming. There are so many things we let get in the way of dreaming. The one I have heard a thousand times… life. We let “life” hold us back from dreaming, when we should be dreaming about what we can do with the life we were given.
Dream bigger than you have ever dreamed. Start letting God take those dreams and make them even bigger. Make you dreams avaliable to God’s creativity, passion, love, and power and watch what happens. Let God set your heart on fire, and let your love and desire consume those around you. Dream to make a difference.
The Beginning of Wisdom 