Andrey Karpitsky

Sun, stand thou still!

2012-01-11T11:31:00.001-05:00

In the recent weeks and months, I have had the privilege of reading God's word from the beginning. Two of my most recent readings are the books of Joshua and Judges. Both books are an amazing historical record of God's hand in the life of His chosen people, Israel. Similar to a romance novel (not that I ever read one...), these two books are capable of drawing both tears of happiness and despair from the reader. And although many will claim that Biblical language is difficult to read and comprehend, I found it to be perfect for the context. For instance:

"Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel." Joshua 10:12-14

Isn't that just beautiful? In this short passage, the reader feels the intensity of the situation and the magnificence of God's hand - directly impacting man. With my minuscule understanding of astronomy, upon reading that passage, I imagined the entire solar system, in all of its massiveness, just come to a halt. Earth, traveling around the sun at approximately 67,000 mph and rotating around 1,000 mph, just stopped. All of this - a result of one man's earnest plea to the Lord. These three verses take up just a few lines, yet they're capable of brewing-up a multitude of topics and discussions amongst both the Christian and non-Christian circles. Christian's can take away a mound of encouragement, while non-Christian's can witness yet another magnificent account of God's mighty hand in man's life.

Next time you pick up the Bible, don't try to just read it - experience it.

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

Answer this...

2011-08-24T12:57:00.002-04:00

Several factors, in the recent past, have compelled me to ask myself a simple question, several times. Different situations. Different incidents. Different moods. Different reasons. But in all circumstances - the same question: Are you happy with your life? To some, it may be rhetorical, as we often comfort ourselves with temporary, worldly contentment. So right off that bat we fire-off, “yes!” with a gleeful smile. But today I’d like to ask you to slow down for a minute and actually think about this one. After all, the caption below my blog title is there for a reason. ;-)

The question entails three key words: “you”, “happy”, and “life”.

In this scenario, you’ll have to use “you” in second-person, as though you’re interviewing yourself. As though you don’t know yourself, right? Don’t be surprised since we actually know less about ourselves than we think (1 John 1:8). Until you start questioning your own motives, actions, and reasoning you may not realize a whole lot of interesting things about yourself (which other’s do).
Now, “happy” is somewhat of a vague term in our days since it’s employed almost everywhere. You’re happy when you get married. But you’re also happy when you buy a new phone. Did you sense the broad gap between these two scenarios? Therefore, in our circumstance a synonym may be more suitable, such as: pleased, content, or satisfied. Try hard to reflect on what satisfaction is and whether what you find it in truly satisfies your spirit. Check out Ecclesiastes 6:1-7, it’ll give you a good sense of what I’m talking about.
Finally, “life” – that’s a loaded one. Once again, the term is used ubiquitously. We have a work life, school life, marriage life, etc. – you name it, there’s a life for everything we do. Yet the Good Book nails this one as well: see Luke 12:22-24. So to answer our question of the day, we’ll need to be sure we’re not talking about our physical being but our spiritual.

Put all of these together and you have a pretty deep and serious question to ask yourself. Once you answer it, think about what factors impact your outcome. It may be a tough time at work or school causing you to take it as a waste of time. It may also be related to family and/or church activities (or lack thereof). Either way, if your outcome is negative, it’s important to find the root of what’s keeping you down – and sometimes, the root needs to be pulled out. No, I am not implying that you go dropping everyday activities left and right because you find a level of disappointment in them. The key is to shake things up a bit in pursuit of true happiness and satisfaction. Here's a small hint: Matthew 11:28-30. :-) Yes, there’s a lot of analysis and digging involved but if you want to fix something, you need to take action, right?

It is more honorable to repair a wrong than to persist in it.
Thomas Jefferson

So, are you happy with your life?

"Follow me"

2011-08-22T13:58:00.002-04:00

For those of us living in areas of moderate peace, it’s difficult to envision a life other than our own. This especially relates to the younger generation which has barely (if ever) endured the wrath of dictators, the violence of war, the austerity of poverty, the bloodshed of terrorism, or the malice of martyrdom. Sure, we all agree that everyone on this planet has their own place in society. Directly and indirectly we may even cite Spencer’s economic “survival of the fittest” concept in an attempt to explain (or excuse) society. But this behavior all-the-more demonstrates our level of selfishness and egotism without which, it seems, the human species can’t survive a day. It’s an unfortunate way of life as it is seen on many levels – not just amongst gangs, mafias, and governments but also within the church. It surely distracts us from the life Christ wanted us to live.

Aside from the rest of the Bible of course, the “sermon on the ‘mount”, recorded in Matthew 5-7, provides us with a glorious representation of behavior which Christ would like to see in us. Most of us are very much aware of the content of those three chapters, yet often we act as though none of it pertains to us. Today, there is much confusion about what’s right and what’s wrong. Talking to some Slavic individuals at the NY evangelism this past weekend, I noticed a trend that they believe there is a God – no one denied His existence. Most of these people pointed out that every religion and denomination claims they know the truth, causing them to question the basis of each one. Seeing it would be difficult to convince any of these individuals that Christ is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6), I was heartbroken. But hearing from them that we were “not like the others” (in a good way), made-up for some of that grief as I realized that it’s not about convincing and proving anything – it’s about our way of life. Christ’s sermon on the ‘mount is the perfect guide to accomplishing a Christ-centered manner of living which is not focused on me, myself, and I – but rather focused on my brother, sister, and neighbor. Christian’s carry the responsibility of living this way so as to lessen the confusion so many people experience about the purpose of life. When they see Christ in us, what confusion or misunderstanding could there possibly be?

In John 21, we recall Christ asking Peter three times whether he loved Him. After the third time, Christ foretold how Peter’s life would end. I’m sure that these were strange words to Peter but John continues to explain the meaning of what Christ said, “This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me” (verse 19). One thing which captivates me in this is the phrase, “by what death he should glorify God”. Have you ever truly considered that your death would glorify God? I doubt many of us have as this goes back to the beginning of this entry. In our moderately peaceful lives, we rarely even consider death’s reality. We don’t want to believe that our life may end at any second. Hence, we continue living the way we live and doing the things we do. But what leads up to a death glorifying God is the life which precedes it. After foretelling Peter’s death, Christ tells Him, “Follow me”. This is essentially what brings Peter to crucifixion; a life lived for Christ. The price paid on Earth with our flesh is nothing when compared to the magnificence of eternity with our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Will you follow Him?

Life's (S)tuff

2011-04-13T14:49:00.015-04:00

People, this is harder than I thought. I have not expressed my personal thoughts here in quite some time and have to admit that it's difficult to connect everything that I have been meaning to write. With so much going on in the past few months, it's challenging to wrap my mind around recent events which have impacted me both directly and indirectly.

Nonetheless, I'm not sure about you, but things have seemed to change - and I'm not referring to the fact that I rotated my tires last week, or changed my oil, or ran out of staples in my Swingline. The fact that my front driver-side tire is now on the rear passenger-side does not impact my spiritual well-being. Nor does the oil indicator, which now displays 95% oil quality, impact my spiritual stability. And the empty stapler? Well, it's just too bad that I will no longer have the ability to ply corners of multiple sheets of paper - until the moment I go to the administrative assistant and ask for a refill. Now THAT will certainly knock me off-track in life. If you haven't sensed the sarcasm, go drink some coffee. These changes are bound to occur as materials wear out and get exhausted. They are not eternal – not even close. In fact,

...the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 2 Peter 3:10

You gotta love the straight-forward, no-joke logic of God's word. Isn't it interesting though that the modern world is all about material well-being? People today live, breathe, think, and dream about having a bunch of stuff which the Bible says will eventually "melt with fervent heat". What a great investment, huh?! This is the change I was referring to.

This is a time in which Christian's must be vigilant more than ever before. In the verse that follows Peter's warning of what to expect of "stuff" in the last days, he dives into a stern reminder of an alternate path for believers. Now, there is a great deal of controversy and plenty to say about what type of “things” are/n’t acceptable for believers, but I assume most of us are aware of the 1 Corinthians 10:23 rule. I've brought up this example in discussions with friends in the recent days and feel it fits right into the flow of this post. Google recently announced a new feature called "+1" which is similar to the "Like" button on Facebook. In short, as you "Google" something, the +1 will supposedly appear next to search results and you can click it to "like" a particular search result - so as to indicate it was a helpful link. No big deal, right? Wrong. Following Google's announcement of this feature, there was much excitement (positive and negative) in the tech press/media. Upon reading some of the feedback, I realized how ridiculous this was. Google is adding a simple hyperlink to their website and it's got people flailing their arms in the air like they're being chased by a grizzly. It doesn't end there - this announcement directly impacted Google's stock, indicating that investors too had mixed reactions to this new "feature". But come on… really? Is this seriously what throws us to the floor, kicking and screaming like spoiled children? Is this how thin and shallow life is today? Unfortunately, for those who do not know God, yes - it's that shallow. But what's even more unfortunate, it's the same for some Christian's who once had the desire to serve the Lord with all their heart! Now, their priorities have changed; the material of this world has become their idol and their sacrifice to the Lord, is weekly attendance of a church service.

To be frank, I think that more of us are engulfed by this lifestyle than we want to admit. More of us are losing the grasp of a direct relationship with our Lord, who suffered a gruesome death upon a rugged cross for our sins. Certainly, each at his own level and to a particular extent, but the main idea of 2 Peter 3:10 is so critical to our life today: all the material things of this world will one day be gone. So Peter continues:

Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation... 2 Peter 3:11-15

Does this passage not magnify the incredible need for us to stay focused on our personal walk before the Lord? It's an amazing reminder to be in holy conduct, godliness, and to be diligent, without spot and blameless. Brothers and sisters in Christ, wake up! Get back on that path of living for the Lord and not for yourselves! Turn back those days when you quenched your thirst with God's word and the material of this world was anything but tied to your heart. It is my sincere desire that anyone reading this post will consider it worthy to take it's contents into consideration - for it is God who spoke through Peter, "be diligent to be found by Him in peace".

Старый Крест (Old Rugged Cross)

2011-03-03T01:36:00.005-05:00

На далеком холме старый крест виден мне,
Знак позора, страданий и мук.
О кресте мы поем потому, что на нем
Был распят лучший грешников Друг.

Старый крест осудил суету,
Дал покой для усталых сердец.
Я душою прильнул ко кресту,
Чрез него обрету я венец.

Старый крест позабыт. Мир в погибель спешит.
Крест Христов - наша сила и честь.
Вечный с неба сходил, на земле в теле жил,
Чтоб его на Голгофу отнесть.

Старый крест обагрен, но не страшен мне он,
В нем открылась нам Божья любовь:
Кровь Иисуса Христа пролилась со креста,
Чтоб меня искупить от грехов.

Старый крест возвещать и к Христу призывать, -
Вот на что я себя отдаю.
По скитаньи земном перейду в вечный дом,
Он меня примет в славу свою.

Песнь Возрождения № 419

2010-12-05T22:24:00.003-05:00

В багрянице стоишь Ты в терновом венце,
Туго спереди связаны руки; Сколько скорби глубокой на бледном лице,
Сколько жалости к людям и муки.

Но не телом скорбишь Ты, Спаситель людей,
Хоть позорная пытка ужасна; В страшный час для
Тебя несравненно больней Знать, что жертва для многих напрасна.

Взор любовью горел, озаряя врагов, Сердце
нежно обнять всех стремилось; Но не многим понятна Христова любовь,
И толпа над Ним злобно глумилась.

"Дайте скипетр Ему, на колени скорей! Здравст-
вуй, Царь Иудейский!" - кричали И в затекшие руки
Царя всех царей Тростниковую палку давали.

Били ею Его по колючкам венка, И по впалым
ланитам хлестали, И плевали в лицо. Кровь стекала с чела.
А они все сильней насмехались.

Так страдал и томился Спаситель людей; Мир порочный над Богом глумился.
За тебя, о мой друг, твой Спаситель страдал,
За тебя Он так тяжко томился.

Make Time for Him

2010-05-01T19:41:00.021-04:00

At my workplace, I have the privilege of working with a diverse group of people. One of them is a lady who has been with the company for many years and is considered to be a devout Christian. Her actions may indeed support this consideration as she daily (twice-a-day) hands out devotionals to everyone who accepts them. On Thursday, the devotional she laid on my desk said something many of us can relate to in the modern world; it's titled, Our Demanding Schedules. You can read the full devotional by clicking here if you'd like. The author refers to a passage in Mark 1:32-34:

At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.

In this passage, Jesus is described to have been busy all night healing the sick and casting out demons. We don't know if he attended to the sick and demon-possessed one-at-a-time or if he healed many at once. Either way, we can tell from the passage that He had a long night ahead of Him and His days were filled with similar activities. But in verses 35-39 we read:

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.” And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.

This is where we must follow after Christ's set example. The strength He got in His busy schedule was acquired through His quiet time with the Father. Yes, even if that meant getting up before daylight. Let's pray for the strength and desire to do so in the demanding schedules we face today. May the Lord bless each and every one of you.

Repent Like a Prophet

2010-03-05T23:30:00.001-05:00

In our church, Friday is intended to be a day of fasting and commitment to pray for those who do not know Christ or have fallen away. Today, during our regular Friday Bible study/prayer meeting, we read a passage from Daniel chapter 9 that caught my otherwise fading attention. Why fading? A long day at work and lack of sleep results in a lack of proper attentiveness, therefore, I was entering "zone-out" mode. Fortunately, God has a way of keeping us on our toes. The ninth chapter in the Book of Daniel is an account of history many do not wish to see to this day. But it's not the history that caught my attention. When Daniel realized his (and Israel's) position before the Lord, it says he set his "face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes". The remaining verses in the chapter mostly make up his prayer and the appearance of an angel of God, Gabriel. Near the end of his prayer, in verse 19, Daniel says the following:

O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.

Can you feel the stress level of this man when you read those lines? On Friday night, I did. When was the last time I came before God, fell on my knees and cried out for myself and my people? "But you're already a member of the Church!", you say. Yes, but was Daniel not already a servant of the Lord? What did he have to repent about? This is where we must come to a very grim conclusion... we do not repent the way we ought to. We do not admit our sinfulness before the almighty, sinless God. Why would Daniel, a man of strong faith and works need to pray a prayer of deep repentance? Because he saw his own heart. Brother/sister in Christ, take a few moments out of your day to think about your position before the Lord. Is everything well with your soul? Are all of your words living up to your actions? Are you cleansed by the power of Christ's blood? Do other's see His image in you? If you answered no to at least one of those questions, stop reading this and pray the prayer of repentance. It is a most urgent action you must take! May the Lord be with you!

Love = Cold

2010-02-16T20:38:00.007-05:00

It's Winter. Yes, I know it's almost Spring but it's still winter. And with the cold weather usually come cold, eerie feelings of loneliness and despair. As if you're the only one alive on this planet and even the imaginary beings on the farthest known planet despise you for living so close to them. Maybe it's not that extreme but it's a proven fact that people become more depressed during the colder seasons of the year and it makes sense. The problem with those feelings is not that they are annoyingly difficult to get over. Rather, the problem is quite the contrary. The problem is that there is a lot of love. As a matter of fact, there's way too much of it. Too much love towards yourself. Ouch, bet you didn't see that one coming! Haha, I tricked you! I will now go eat a bowl of cereal as a reward to myself.

On a more serious note, that little trick of mine parked my thoughts exactly where they need to be for the remainder of this post. It's a thought my brain's been churning for the past couple of weeks. Feelings of loneliness [usually] arrive thanks to our self-propelled trait called, "pride". For the purposes of this post, I prefer the Russian Biblical term, "самолюбие" or "self-love". Though modern society claims that self-love is 'oh-so-necessary' for the survival of the human race, we see the opposite in action. With the rise of humanism and many other "bright" ideas, people have become more independent, self-loving, and cold. In turn, it results in a race where fulfilling personal desires is top priority. These personal desires are in no way approved by God's word.

In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 1 John 3:10-11

The most simple of all commandments is to love those around us. If we do, feelings of loneliness will no longer swarm our minds. It's when we set our pride aside and begin to love others that we will see warmer winters. :)

With what?

2010-01-05T01:24:00.004-05:00

With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6-8

I recently ran accross this passage and it reminded of a question posed by many people today: "How do I know the will of God in my service before Him?". Christian's today are so rooted in their lifestyles consisting of materialism, relationships, issues, and so on that their knowledge of God's will in their life is down to a minimum. This passage has a clear answer to all who ask the above question: "what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?". Nothing more - nothing less. Note: nothing less. The word of God has an answer to all of our questions.

Голгофа

2009-12-20T02:00:00.005-05:00

И был там стон и плач великий,
И звон, и гул, и хохот дикий.
Тяжелый крест дрожал, трещал,
И грозно молот упадал

На пригвождаемые руки,
А Он, приемля эти муки,
Он был все Тот же, дивный взор
Ушел в таинственный простор

Туда, за грань веков далеких.
И за врагов, и за друзей,
За виноватых и невинных,
За целый мир, за всех людей

Молился Он душой скорбящей,
И от мучителей Своих
В немую глубь небес святых
Он устремлял Свой взор молящий,

И был Он скорбью объят,
Когда в печали бесконечной
Молился Он: Прости, Предвечный,
Они не знают, что творят.

Улыбнись!

2009-12-07T13:56:00.001-05:00

Пока в домах тепло - и пахнет хлебом,
И мама есть и небо голубое,
И утром будят солнышка лучи,
О том что плохо жить - не говори!

Я Мудреца Спросил

2009-12-05T19:55:00.004-05:00

Я мудреца спросил о смерти.
Он долго смотрит на меня.
"Что значит смерть?
Я так отвечу-
стрела, что пущена в тебя."
"Но что же жизнь тогда такое?"
Мудрец с ответом не спешит.
"А жизнь, мой друг,
лишь то мгновенье, пока стрела
в тебя летит.

No Fun!

2009-09-24T16:07:00.009-04:00

Okay, so a lot of you might wonder why I'm always 'so serious' in everything I write. For those folks I say: the circus will be in town later this year, you can have some fun there. The goal of my blog is not to entertain but rather to share, educate, and possibly encourage the readers to pursue God's word not only for the sake of checking it off on your daily task list. Believe it or not modern Christianity directly and indirectly encourages forgetting about the works we do as Christians (James chapter 2 disagrees). Guess what this does to a persons mentality? Yup, you guessed it! "Woohoo! I believe in Jesus! I am saved! I am free! Alright... back to my favorite Metallica CD." Of course that sounds like a gross exaggeration but it's true. Maybe not to that extent but in smaller, less-vivid forms, it is still a normal way of life for many "Christians". The Bible is read by few and those who read do not always read and obey.

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

I don't know what runs through your head when you read that verse, but it seems pretty serious to me. We take God's word very light-heatedly (to say the least) in our lives and do not understand the power it contains. The word of God is God (John chapter 1). Do we not see what we're dealing with? I say the fun and games must be over with. His word is not to be messed around with and treated like any other book. If we treat His word with respect, our lives will not be about fulfilling our fleshly desires.

Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity. Ecclesiastes 11:9-10

I'm not condemning fun. But there must be limits. Per the passage above, we can rejoice, we can cheer, etc., but in the end, God will bring us to judgment. The word of God is primary and the rest is secondary. So what do you say? You're either in - or you're out.

An Urgent Message

2009-09-18T13:40:00.007-04:00

I know that many of you might think that this is yet another one of those conspiracy theorist attempts to scare the public. I'm not sure of the validity of these claims but I have found several sources from completely different locations of the U.S. claiming the exact same processes are in the works in their area. This shook me up and I hope it will yet again remind all of us of our need to be prepared; prepared for possible separation from our close-ones, to stand for our faith, and to endure until the end.

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Revelation 2:10

UPDATE! Please read this article from 2008: Click Here

A Grand Plan

2009-08-28T12:25:00.015-04:00

It was another one of those weeks. Another week where people lost their jobs. It has been confirmed that more than 550 people will be laid-off by the end of this year in my company and about 750 total should be gone by the end of 2010. They call it workforce reduction, financial adjustment, restructuring, and etc. But I say don't blame it on the economy or the management. In all honesty, I don't believe that those are factors which decide the futures of individual's on the planet. God does. You see, a companies management is simply the executor of God's plan (whether they know it or not). By the way, if there are any managers out there reading this, sorry to break it to you but, it's true. He overlooks each and every living/non-living soul. He executes His plans via believers and non-believers. Check out the following passage:

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 2:1-4

Paul reminds us that we must always pray for all authority standing above us. That includes the government as well as supervisors and managers at work. Praying for them is pleasing in the sight of God and will therefore play a role in the day-to-day operations and actions of the authority. Through my 3.5+ years working here, it was like watching fiery arrows dart past me every now and then. And it was in God's interest that I stay where I am. It may also be in His interest to have all of that changed tomorrow. Either way, we must accept such occurrences as part of God's grand plan. It's through hardships and difficult times that man stops to think about where he is headed. This accomplishes God's desire to save man. Let's pray for ourselves and others that we may overcome difficult times, such as lay-offs, with Him on our minds and in our hearts.

It's me again...

2009-08-25T16:42:00.008-04:00

I know I know... it's been more than a month since I last posted an entry. But you know, I have an excuse; it just shows that I was busy - or lazy. Actually, I prefer the term "work-shy". I was simply too shy to use my brain for superfluous activities. This was a perfect time to prepare myself for vacation next week. I have been waiting for this moment since the fall of Berlin. At least that's what it feels like. Trust me; it really is a well-earned vacation. No, really - you can trust me on this one. Okay, maybe not.

Alright, enough with the nonsense... I want to use a few more lines of this entry to ask all of you for a favor. There's a young man, a friend of mine, who recently repented. For some reason, he's been on my mind since that day. I always have an urge to pray for him! The Holy Spirit works wonders in people's hearts and I know that this young man is in a profound spiritual state as he seeks every possible form of communication with brothers and sisters in Christ. Please keep him in your prayers!

Hope or Frenzy?

2009-07-15T16:36:00.007-04:00

It was a long day at work. It started with a few meetings and ended with... me writing this post. As I watched the stock market today, I couldn't help but wonder what will happen with the future of the economy. At the point where it's at right now, it's difficult to foretell what will happen by year-end. Some say it'll recover, others say it won't. In the beginning of the year, some said it would recuperate by June, others - by July. But some of us know that the end of June and beginning of July proved otherwise. The markets dove hundreds of points into the red, causing an outcry of panic. So maybe the markets were not ready for a recovery? Now, through the week of the 12th, the Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq, and any other fancy acronym out there, was shining green. Reading the news today, guess what I found? Yup, "hope for the economy".

So the moral of my post today is this: have faith in God, not man. From my experience with the market this year, it seems that man really does not know what he is talking about. No matter his title or accomplished college degree. The predictions made are okay if people accept them as mere predictions. But we don't. We listen to "the experts" and expect certain results. When true results arrive, we get disappointed, cry, and kick. Of course, professionals know what they are talking about. They know their stuff. But I also know my stuff: "as for me, I will watch expectantly for the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation, my God will hear me." Micah 7:7 (NASB)

Whether the economy goes up or down, I know not. But I know that I have the Lord with me whichever way it goes.

Windows Live Writer

2009-07-11T17:06:00.001-04:00

I just downloaded this neat program called Windows Live Writer. It is created for bloggers in order for them to have quick access to their blogs. Aside from just being able to write a blog from this program, you can add all sorts of cool features such as videos, photo albums, etc straight from the program. I attached the below sample video from YouTube to demonstrate how this works.

I created this video in 2005 after my missions trip to Russia.

Since I’m still getting to know the program, I don’t know all of the bells and whistles but looks like we’ve got a lot here! Of course, like any other Windows application, Windows Live Writer comes with the abundance of text editing features. This makes creating blogs quicker and more fun. Right after I finish typing this sentence, I’m going to click the preview tab and it will show me how my blog looks even before publishing the post. This was a bit tricky to do from Blogger’s web editor. I’m really starting to like this app!

Anyway, all you bloggers out there, if you’re interested, you can download it from the Windows Live website.

Time to Think

2009-07-06T16:30:00.015-04:00

It's July 6th, two days after July 4th (duh!) and I'm sitting here analyzing how I spent my weekend. The reason for such an analysis? Well, it was a three-day weekend since my office was closed on Friday in recognition of Independence Day. So I thought maybe I should sit here and think about how I spent (and spend) my time; wisely or not? Someone once told me that after the age of 20, time will fly! Ever since I 'rolled' over that hill, I'd say I completely agree with whoever that was. See, it seems like it was so long ago I cant even remember who it was.

Take a moment and think how long ago you celebrated the New Year. Would you agree that it seems like it was just yesterday? For me it does. And it seems like this upcoming New Year is nearing so quickly that we might as well start preparing for it now. Well, now try to imagine this: the time you lived between last summer and this summer went by so quickly... how many more of these short years do you have to live? 60? 40? 15? Maybe 0.5? We don't know. Even if it's 60 years, time will fly by so quickly, you won't even realize it. And this brings me to my reason for posting.

Sometimes God wants us to stop and think; to think about where we are headed. And that is what I am doing today. Out of my entire weekend, my most precious moments were those spent with God in prayer and reading of His word. Those were the most useful minutes/hours of my weekend. All else? Vanity.

My friend, use your time wisely.

John 3:16

2009-07-03T16:16:00.004-04:00

Many of us have heard of the arguments about Calvinism. Some of us are probably even annoyed by all of the discussions. Everywhere you go, someone's talking about it. Nevertheless, I'd like to share what seems to be a pretty good summary of the entire teaching. As we know, John 3:16 clearly states that whosoever believes in Christ, receives everlasting life. Though the verse summarizes the salvation theory as clearly as possible, some like to distort its meaning. Therefore, it comes out to sound something like this:

Иоанна 3:16 по кальвинистски:
Ибо так возлюбил Бог мир кальвинистов которых Он любил извечно и возненавидел Исава и остальных некальвинистов которых Он ненавидел извечно что отдал Сына Своего Единородного дабы всякий кальвинист которому Бог дал насильно веру не погиб потому что он никогда не может погибнуть но имел жизнь вечную которую он уже и так имел прежде сотворения мира

No Joke

2009-06-23T13:12:00.015-04:00

Today I read all of 1st Timothy during lunch and out of the 6 chapters, verse 8 from chapter 5 stuck out as if it was written in font 72. Here's what it says:

But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Talk about being straightforward? Though in this first section of the chapter Paul talks about widows, I am positive that this verse applies to all of us who have some sort of relation to a personal household. No, it does not apply only to the parents or grandparents of a household, but to anyone who lives within. We all have the responsibility of taking care of those with whom we live. This verse is a grave warning of what one can be considered if he does not take care of his household. Not only has the person denied their faith but they are worse than an unbeliever. That, my friends, is some serious, potent talk. No joke.

I'm in Love!

2009-06-17T14:00:00.003-04:00

... kidding, I was just trying to get your attention. Or maybe I'm not kidding, but we won't discuss that here. :) As odd as it sounds, it is something I wish to write about in this post. Never thought you'd see me write anything on this topic, huh? Observing a few young couples in our church and at work, I've been trying to understand how/if it would be possible to learn off of their actions in order to build a strong, God-fearing family. Though my years are young, I believe it is imperative to start praying and taking some sort of action within yourself even from an early age.

As much (or as little) as I comprehend the concept of marriage, it is a commitment in which you are willing to go through any fire with the one you love and still come out alive. Most young couples would probably feel worried before making such a vow. Commitment is a matter of promise. Once you're in, there is no turning back (except for in the case of Matthew 19:9). But there is more to commitment than simply tying yourself to someone even if you two absolutely despise one another. A couple committing themselves to one another must first and foremost commit to the Biblical standards (1 Corinthians 7, Ephesians 5, etc). Remember that marriage between a man and a woman is symbolic of Christ and the church. It is critical to keep this fact in mind at all times.

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. Ephesians 5:22-33

Once these Biblical standards are met within the family, it will truly be a blessed marriage. It is when we lose sight of our spiritual beacon that we begin to drift away. In your prayers for your future (or current) spouse, pray that God gives you the strength and desire to commit yourself primarily to His living Word. It will help guide you through all of your questions and confusion concerning any of life's most difficult decisions. As it often happens, you might think, "easier said than done". This is actually where my role as a potential future husband comes into play. If I put all of my strength into building a spiritually-healthy family, with the help of the Lord, it will be done. I am challenging myself to give what it takes in order to watch, listen, learn, and then fulfill.

Oh so needy!

2009-06-04T10:44:00.014-04:00

A recent event in my life made me realize a few things:

You don't always get what you want.
You don't always need what you want.
You don't always want what you get.

There's a thing about human nature where we always long for something. If you haven't noticed that, just take a couple minutes to think about it. How many desires fill our hearts on a daily basis? It all ranges from wanting a coffee in the morning, to buying a luxurious item (computer, car, etc), and even to wanting someone special to be next to you. But most of our desires are driven by our fleshly mind, which continuously seeks to fill a gap which doesn't always necessarily exist. It makes us think that we need something when we really don't.

There's a verse in Proverbs that says "The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give." (Proverbs 30:15a). Though, interestingly the word 'horseleach' is used in KJV (leech in NKJV), the Russian version uses the word "ненасытимость" which simply means: incompleteness, need, void, etc. As mentioned earlier, when we feel a void in our life, we try to fill it with something just for the sake of filling it. But where do we get these feelings that something is constantly missing? And I'm not talking about the coffee here. I'm talking about things we really don't need in order to survive. Okay, sometimes I need coffee to survive, but I'm referring to spiritual possessions.

"When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." Colossians 3:4

My opinion is that a person who lives a Christ-filled life will always be in abundance of everything. He will not have a constant need. And the only time a person should truly need is when Christ is missing from their life. When He is in our life, then we will have the right desires, the right needs, and we will be ready to receive anything that is given to us. Consider this thought. Blessings!

Love Endures

2009-06-01T12:22:00.010-04:00

Oh bad, bad, very bad; little sleep is bad for you… and me too of course. That’s why y’all should be patient while reading this post. The 20 oz. coffee did not help and neither did that gigantic, sugary donut. Though, I cannot refute that the marvelous savor of the combination helped me sit through my first meeting. Oops, I’m blogging on serious topics here… alright, listen up everyone!

This is meant to be a small analysis of the image below. At first glance, I accepted it as just another image with no real point but to draw giggles and grins. And though it is very amusing, I would like to take from it a very important lesson.
In life, we all meet people who differ from us so much that at first glance, we automatically reject putting their names into our white book of acquaintances. This unfortunately spreads not only to people who differ from us oh so drastically but also unto those with whom we might have the slightest of disagreements. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not condemning those who make wise choices as far as who to make friends with. Since the Bible clearly instructs us that the light has no relation with the darkness, so do I accept the fact that we must not tie ourselves to people who rebuke or blaspheme the word of God. But this does not indicate that we have no reason to spread the truth of God’s word even unto them.

My main focus, though, was intended to be on those around us in church, work, or even in our family. Analyzing the image above, I think that it draws a very critical double-edged sword. Most would show this image to the person who “criticizes” someone with a different opinion, intentionally hinting at the fact that they are not acting as they should. But I think it has a lesson to teach both parties. The turtle, for the sake of peace and love, altered itself to make the porcupine happy. It was willing to take that extra step. And the porcupine, accepts even the not-so-subtle of alterations which the turtle has made to itself. It’s a matter of compromise. Though not mentioned on the picture, the verse at the bottom caries a deep meaning; it actually goes as so: “[love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:7

May we all love one another with the love which bears, endures, believes, and hopes all things. Easy to say – hard to do. But with God, anything is possible!

Quenching a Thirsty Soul

2009-05-29T12:09:00.012-04:00

It is always a blessing to be around our friends and family. We as Christian’s can rely on one another for spiritual and even material help when a need arises. By His mercy, we have the ability to be in the presence of one another and the almighty God 24/7. But there is one thing that troubles me when it comes to living in such an ideal environment: we get so used to one another and our nearly trouble-less lives that we forget about the world around us.

Although the devil works actively even amongst Christian’s, he’s already got a strong hold on a huge population of the world. And these are the people we should be most concerned about. I started to think about this more critically after meeting a young lady yesterday who did not know Christ. She told me about her large family where almost no one knows God, where her mom cries day and night for her lost, grown children. As a result of all of these worries, her mother was diagnosed with heart problems and is soon about to leave her job. Her father, a victim of cancer; a brother in jail; another out and about enjoying the world… shall I continue with the rest?

All of this leaves her to seek nothing else but help; a soul, hungry for God’s word, desiring to consume and understand it.

Isaiah 55:1-3a
1 Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.
3 Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live…

We as Christian’s need to be enthusiastic about serving a soul like this by giving them a hand, providing the Word to them, answering questions, and guiding them along the way. Recalling my post from yesterday, I want to remind everyone of the joy of helping a person grow in Christ. Please also pray for this young lady and her family.

No greater joy!

2009-05-28T09:44:00.014-04:00

So last night I stopped by my brother's house to visit my first (and so far only) nephew. He is now 17 days old and is evidently growing quickly. Though I stopped in just to take a peek at him, I ended up staying for awhile, holding him in my arms. That's where he fell asleep. I can't even begin to describe the incredible feelings I had while he was laying in my arms. A tiny creation of God can make a grown man's heart overflow with tears.

When considering all that surrounds this guiltless soul, I could not help but worry about him. Though he is being raised in the ideal home with magnificent parents, he will still be facing the same gruesome thing every person faces as they go through life; sin. May God save Him. That being said, I remembered the following passage:

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. 3 John 1:4

Of course, in this passage John is not referring to his own physical, young kids. But this passage brings out the true love of a person who helped form someone's spiritual being. Please consider the depth of this passage. What does it mean to raise a child? You feed, cloth, teach, tuck him in to bed, and etc. And you do this throughout the child's entire life until they are capable of doing the same with their own children. Now let's make the connection between the physical and spiritual raising of a child. Spiritually, you feed, pray, nurture, and care for a person until they are able to stand on their own two feet. After accomplishing such a feat, John is saying he has no greater joy than to hear that those whom he helped spiritually, continue to walk in truth.

How often do we have the joy of seeing God's children, especially those whom we helped, continue to walk in the light of the Word? Just a thought to consider... blessings!

Na-Sho-Pa 2009

2009-05-27T11:04:00.017-04:00

Alright, I'll try to make this one short and sweet. I don't know why but sometimes I have a hard time doing so because of the immense amount of thoughts flowing through my tiny brain at the same time. It causes me to sidetrack too often... see what I'm talking about? Maybe I should try quad-core?

Anyway, this past weekend I had the blessed opportunity of going to a youth conference in New York. The topic of the conference was "стремлюсь к цели" (pressing towards the mark) - Philippians 3:14. In all honesty, when I first found out what the topic was going to be, I was perplexed regarding what the preachers had to offer us for 3 days at a camp, surrounding that one verse from Philippians.

Of course due to my incredulous human nature, God always has a point to prove. So He showed me that the riches of His word are deeper than what my unbelieving heart could ever imagine; no pun intended but the topic was so "on target" that I can't even imagine it being anything else. It was the perfect topic sent to us at the perfect time of our lives, when people tend to lose sight of their target. In the wake of the 21st century, Christianity [as a religion] has been knocked so far off track that there is no question about it missing its initial target. And until each one of us changes our own selves, modern Christianity as a whole will continue to miss the bull's eye.

Trading - Intro

2009-05-27T09:11:00.019-04:00

Before we get into any of the technical details of financial trading, it's important for each Christian to understand the reason behind why they are trading in the public markets. There's a common perspective, especially in the midst of some very conservative organizations, that trading stocks is unnecessary due to the similarity between the stock exchange and gambling. For those, I wish to say it is true - if you don't know what the stock exchange is. Per Wikipedia, the definition of 'Stock Exchange' is as follows:

"A stock exchange, (formerly a securities exchange) is a corporation or mutual organization which provides "trading" facilities for stock brokers and traders, to trade stocks and other securities. Stock exchanges also provide facilities for the issue and redemption of securities as well as other financial instruments and capital events including the payment of income and dividends. The securities traded on a stock exchange include: shares issued by companies, unit trusts, derivatives, pooled investment products and bonds."

Please notice how many times the root word "trade" appears in that short definition. In plain English, a stock exchange is the trading of funds. Though that is very high-level, it's a good way of looking at it for those who do not understand the reason behind and the functionality of the stock markets. Really, there is little to no difference between this and trading apples for oranges between two countries. Let's say one country owns hundreds of apple fields and another does not but rather owns thousands of orange fields. The first country may willingly give up several million apples in exchange for a few hundred thousand oranges. That being said, the two countries have a mutual exchange of products. If one country decides they wish to refrain from trading, they may do so. Similarly, each individual or organization willingly participates in the exchange of funds within the open market.

Some of you, though, may say, "but it's still similar to gambling because you never know which way the market will go". Not true. With our current technological advances and the stock exchange being controlled 100% by complicated computer systems, it is possible to predict (if not know) exactly what is happening to the company(s) in which you invest money. Doing extensive research is a critical part of being a responsible trader. If you do not take on the responsibility of researching and simply throw your money in hoping for the best, then yes, the floor of the NY Stock Exchange for you is exactly like the floor of the Cripple Creek Casino.

Example of how the floor of a Stock Exchange looks (Malaysia):

Blogging

2009-05-26T13:28:00.005-04:00

I never considered blogging before. It was always one of those strange, geeky things people would do when they're lonely. No, I have not yet hit that level of depression. But I hope to use blogs to encourage people with the thoughts and feelings in my heart. The Lord has showered me with an abundance of blessings and the least I could do is pass them on to those around me (whether online or off).

The beauty of blogging is that it gives you the freedom of expressing your inner-self publicly without having to pay for a website or the rental of an auditorium. Yes, they say our blood contains a few drops of Jewish wisdom.

By the way, for those of you who do not know Russian, go learn it. That is if you wish to continue reading my posts. At times I shall convey my thoughts in Russian and trust me, Google Language Tools won't help you much if you think you're so tricky.

A new beginning

2009-05-26T11:33:00.003-04:00

I am a well-rounded (actually, quiet slim physically) young man with interests in many of life's intriguing categories. I was born and raised in a Christ-centered home with a family of six. Though I may not be as expressive emotionally on the outside, on the inside I love my family with all of my heart. Given the choice to leave the family for trillions of dollars, 3/4's of the planet, and a few stars in the sky, I would choose my family without a doubt.

Aside from loving my family so much, I also have a few hobbies, interests, and goals I wish to accomplish. With the Lord's help, I hope to get into music recording. Having written a few poetic lines and some melody lines, I have an urge to record at least one CD before I leave Earth for good. Music is a passion for which I hope to make more time because it opens the depths of my heart as well as the listeners'. I aspire to finish my remaining semester of college so that I could get my hands on my guitar, violin, and possibly the lonely piano which I must learn to play.

I thank the Lord for all that I have; for all of the situations in life which set me straight. If at first something seems to be going wrong, stop and think. What is He trying to tell you? Are you listening? Are you accomplishing His will in your life? This may sound like nonsense to those of you who do not yet know God. For you, I pray and desire that He opens the eyes and ears of your heart so that you would have the salvation He grants us through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Revelation 3:19

Sincerely,

Andrey