Elohim- God and His Ever-growing Family

Throughout all of Scripture, God is called by many names. Some are used for a specific time, while others are more widespread and used more commonly. From the very beginning, we get the very first name of God, Elohim. We see this in Genesis 1:1- In the beginning,{Elohim} created the Heavens and the Earth. This name for God is the most common and is used over 2500 times in the Old Testament. Here is how gotquestions.org defines this- "The basic meaning behind the name Elohim is one of strength or power of effect. Elohim is the infinite, all-powerful God who shows by his works that he is the creator, sustainer, and supreme judge of the world. 'Bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure--you, the righteous [Elohim] who probes minds and hearts' (Psalm 7:9)" 

I love that right from the start, God lays out his divine power and authority. Even before the creation of the world, God is in control and able to do great and powerful things.  

All the way through the old and new testament, Elohim describes God as one family, one kingdom, one God. According to bibletools.org, with every person who is saved, they become one with God's family, therefore Elohim is constantly expanding, continually growing. We go from being lost and orphaned to become found and Children of God. I think that is pretty cool.

Adam Semple- A Young Man on a Mission

This Verse Really Speaks to Me.

Ever hear someone talk about their "life verse?" You know, the verse that they can quote at the drop of a hat and aren't afraid to tell you how it applies to their life? There are a couple verses that I feel are like this for me, but one tends to stand our above the rest. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as if you were working for the Lord, not for man"- Colossians 3:23. If any of you know me personally, you know I strive to follow this verse. I feel blessed that in my life, I have tried to always be a good, hard worker. I strive to be dependable and keep a good work ethic. But can I be honest for a minute? Keeping a positive outlook when I am in a job that I don't enjoy anymore. It's one thing to be excited to go to work when you are in your dream job and everyone of your coworkers like having you around and the world is fine and dandy. But what if it's not? What if you are just in a job that brings zero satisfaction and you work with people who barely tolerate you? How could you possibly continue to work as for the Lord when you've got complaining customers in one ear and a pool of coworkers who don't want to be there either? Not going to lie, some days are harder than others. What gets me through the day is remembering this verse. I make it my goal to still work my hardest no matter the circumstance. I realize that for whatever reason, God has put me where I am for a reason. He gave me this job, and when he is ready for me to move on, he will open the doors that carry me to the next place. No matter how bad the job may be, God has a purpose for you to be there. Whether it is a bagger at the local grocery store or the CEO of a major company, our job is our mission field and we are precisely placed to reach a specific people group. Perhaps that coworker is always cold to you is the very person God wants you to share his son with. Maybe your boss needs to see how you work and respond to situations to know what it means to be a good worker. We might never know the impact we have by being where we are, but when we are obedient and giving it our all every day, God will show you glimpses, some big and some small, of why he put you here. So I have to ask. What is a verse that God has places on your heart that could be the copy you need to push through everyday? Because, let's be honest with ourselves for a moment. Even when we are in the perfect job, there will still be hard days and frustrating customers, but despite these circumstances, God wants us to continue to be his light and a beacon of good in a world that doesn't see that all to often.

Adam Semple- A Young Man on a Mission from God, working for God as best as I can

Just Enough "Test" for a "Testimony"

"I could never get very far on America's Got Talent because my backstory is not sad enough"- Jamie Semple, age 12

Perhaps you have watched a TV show with singers and artist and people with talent. Before each performance, there is a quick 2-3 minute video of the person's life explaining how "I was at a low place, but then I found 'fill in the blank' and now life is all good," At some point, the music will crescendo with a sad, melodic tune and the people will usually begin crying as they tell of this thing that happened to them. Almost as if their talent alone will not get them far enough, they hope the sob story will get people to vote for them week after week. Sadly, we as Christians, myself included, believe this same thought. "Clearly, because my parents are still together, I never went through a rebellious stage and I have never been addicted to any drug, my story is just a story nobody wants to hear." Because of this, less than 2% of Christians have ever shared their faith with someone else. How sad is that? You had a good life, so no one is allowed to know that? It took me several years to realize that the good life I had was the testimony in itself. I could have been a common adolescent who was drinking and smoking by the age of 16, But God.... I could have been born into a dysfunctional family, spending one night with mom and one night with day, But God..... Do you see where I am going with this? Now I am not saying that my life has been perfect in any way. Its had its ups and downs, but God has proved himself faithful through it all. From losing a brother to having to leave a house we grew up in was hard, naturally, but that didn't keep us out of God's hand and in his plan. In fact, it is because of the tests and the pain that I am the person I am today. For some people, God gets to them by giving them a hard past. For others, He shows himself in other ways, like keeping a family together through Thick and Thin. Valley and Mountaintop. Sorrow and Joy. It might be hard to comprehend, but your good life could be the very thing that someone else needs in their own life. They might not need a story of redemption, but a story full of God's grace and mercy throughout you life. Don't devalue the life you have lived just because it is not as colorful as your neighbors. We were all designed to walk our own path. God doesn't want us to focus on the path of another, but to stay the course on our own path set from the beginning of creation. God knew what he was doing when he placed you in your life. Walk in it, and be ready to share it when the time comes.

Adam Semple- A Young Man on a Mission From God

*photo credit- pinterest.com 

Got Milk?

You have probably seen it a time or two in movies. Every morning, the man in the white attire will come in his truck, drop off a gallon or small case and head on to the next house. I am referring to, of course, old fashioned milk delivery. With more and more grocery stores popping up all over the place selling more and more brands of milk, home delivery has become a thing of the past, unless you live in Southern California where it does still happen in remote areas, (or so I have read anyway). Though not as popular as plastic bottles, some companies are still using glass bottles to send there product. Working at a grocery store in the dairy department, I have noticed some things about these bottles. Usually, we will get a small shipment to come in once a week, maybe 30 bottles at a time. These bottles tend to run a little higher in price because of their container, and for this reason, people are more likely to grab the bigger container mainly because they are cheaper. 9 times out of 10, these bottles end up being marked down and scanned out because we have gone another week where it seems not a single bottle moved from the shelf. Being in the backroom of the department, I know something not a lot of people realize when it comes to buying milk. You can bring these bottles back and get some money for the container, a deposit that is included in the selling cost. So even though, you may pay $4 for a quart of milk, if you return the bottle, you can get almost half of that back. You may be wondering, "What does glass milk have to do with anything?" Let me explain. I can't help but think about Christ when thinking of these jars of cow product bottled for our enjoyment. Wait, what? How does milk and Jesus come into the same thought process? Well, back in the old days of Bible time, the name of Jesus was shared by the apostles to anyone who would hear and even to those who would not. But, just like glass milk, over time it became so commonplace that people stopped going door to door to delivery the good news because you could go to any church in any part of the country and "get Jesus". Unfortunately, not everyone comes to the store every week to get what they need, so the glass bottles of milk just stay on the shelf. When people come into the store know as church, they come in contact with the greatest tasting milk they have ever had. This is something else I have noticed about milk. The ones that come in glass taste way better those that come in plastic. If people took the time and payed a little more for their milk, they would not go back to plastic, because they have tasted the best and don't care for the rest. They don't consider that the higher cost, coming to church, accepting Christ, and living the Christian life, are worth it in the end because when they go for higher quality, the cost doesn't matter. When we accept Christ into our hearts, he makes a deposit in our hearts, almost like a seal of approval. Once Christ becomes Lord of our life, our name is deposited into the Lamb's book of Life. Then, when our life is over, we will be returned to the Father in heaven to live with him in eternity forever. One thing about the deposit, though, is the fact that if you don't bring back the empty bottle, it serves you no good. Only when you bring it back can you get refilled and continue drinking the Living water of God. Salvation is not a one time purchase that guarantees acceptance into Heaven, but it is a constant outpouring of God's grace and refilling of his mercy and love. It's time to get back to real and never go back to fake. I need more of stuff that may cost more now, because in the end it will all be worth it.

Adam Semple- A Young Man on a Mission From God  

*photo credit- thepittpulse.org 

Hot, Hot,Getting Hotter. Now your Freezing

What is the internal temperature of a tauntaun? Lukewarm.

I know, this is a really cheesy joke,(A star wars reference in case you missed it.), but what is the point of telling a joke if it is not a little cheesy. Unfortunately, this joke represents the lives of too many Christians. Lukewarm. We like to live in the middle of the road when it comes to our faith. We say we are Christians to our church friends, yet we don't act like it around our other friends. You know what I am talking about. On Sunday morning, we lift our hands and say Amen! at the right moments, but then Monday comes around and we forgo everything God in order to impress/fit in with our unchurched friends. Jesus warns us against this in the gospels. "Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’- Matthew 7:20-23

Back in Bible days, during the days of Samuel the prophet, the Philistines attacked Israel and took as a prize the Ark of the Covenant. After much suffering and torment brought down on them by God, they decided to send the ark back to Israel. So they prepared a new cart with cows that had never been yoked, attached the ark to the cart with a guilt offering and sent it on its way. Once they crossed the border from the Philistine territory into Israel, the town they came to was call Beth-Shemesh. Upon arrival, the Levites offered the cows as an offering to God and the Philistines went home. But, God was unhappy with some of the people because of the way the Ark was handled, so the people call on their friends in the city of Kiriath-Jearim to come take the ark off their hands. This city is was about the halfway point to Jerusalem. For 20 years, the ark stayed right here. Not quite in God's temple, but enough out of enemy territory. I feel like a lot of us Christians like to live in this halfway point. We are closer to God in some ways, but in other things, we can still see the surrounding territories. We can have one foot in God's temple, and one foot on the border, and yet we don't see the wrong we are doing. God doesn't want us half in/half out. He wants children who are all in no matter what. Men and women who stay with both feet in the throne room, praising him and giving him all the glory.

"So then since you are lukewarm, neither hot or cold, I will spue thee out of my mouth"- Revelation 3:16.

I don't want to be spued from the mouth of the Father because I could not fully commit to being God's child. I want to get to Heaven with absolute certainty that I did all that I could do to draw closer to God with every area of my life. That in times when I may have strayed, I always came back with true repentance and asking for complete forgiveness. I know I am a sinner, but I also know what Jesus gave for me, and I can't live halfway when Jesus didn't stop at halfway, but went all in for m and you.

Adam Semple- A Young Man on a Mission From God

*photo credit- arcaneproperties.com 

No Hablo Espanol!!

Did you know that we all use to speak the same language. No, seriously, we all spoke the same tongue several thousand years ago. So here is what happened. Noah and his family have come off the ark, Noah becomes a vineyard keeper and his sons begin having kids and their kids have kids and so on. We are not told how long after the flood that this story takes place, but we do know the descendants of Noah did what God instructed by increasing and multiplying. So, a big family reunion of Noah's bloodline settle in a city in the East and everything is fine and dandy. In their heads, they must think they are doing something pretty good. So good in fact that they come up with this notion to build a great city. A city with a grand tower in the center that is tall enough to reach the heavens. Now, don't get the wrong idea here. This tower was not intended to bring them closer to God, but rather separate them from the rest of humanity. Now remember, there was no communication barrier between them. So, they start to build this tower and pretty soon, it catches the attention of God. He realizes that together, there is nothing these people cannot do. So in order to stop them, he gives them a new language so that no two people can understand each other. Because this is a time before Rosetta Stone, building comes to a halt as the people are forced to disperse across the face if the earth. Oddly enough, the name of the structure becomes known as the Tower of Babel,(whenever someone is babbling, it is usually hard to understand what they are saying). Now let's think about the meat of this story. Get passed the prideful section of the people and look at the unity that the had. God knew that when they came together as one, they were unstoppable. Imagine if as Christians, we all came together as one unstoppable body to fight back against the oppression of darkness. There would be nothing that we could not do. And thanks to the Holy Spirit, we have no excuse of language barrier to hold us back. Through God, we can hear and understand what our neighbor is trying to say and we can then all work together to make it happen. I want to live my life in a group of people that is unstoppable against the things of this world that aren't right. Who's with me.

Adam Semple-A Young Man on a Mission From God 

Stuck In The Sand

"I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere."- Anakin Skywalker-"Attack of the Clones"

I, personally, am ok with sand. Sure, it's frustrating when it gets between your toes when you are trying to put your shoes on, or it feels like burning lava trying to get from dock to water. But, when you truly get to that place where the sand feels refreshing under your feet, there's not much that can compare to it. I realized something the other day when I was standing on the shore watching the tide come in. I was standing in the sand letting the waves wash over my feet. With each wave that came in, the sand beneath my feet would be pushed by the water and eventually, my feet were buried deep in the sand. At first, it felt like the waves were going to knock me over, but every time my feet got deeper buried in the sand, the waves seemed to have less of an effect on me. This is a beautiful picture of how we should be in the arms of the Father. When we first become saved, we might waver a little when the even the tiniest of storms come upon us. But with each trial that comes our way, our feet get better rooted and we are then able to withstand the things trying to knock us down. When we rely on God to help keep us planted when life is wavering, we become stronger in him and we don't fear the attacks from the enemy. But there is also a flipside to this. What if we have tried to plant ourselves in the wrong ground. Maybe, we put all our hope in people or things, and not God. What happens when storms hit, and we try to fall back on material possessions. At first, these things might hold us. Once the storms begin getting rougher and hitting harder. those things we have relied on go away. Friends desert you. Things fail you, and you are worse off then when you began.

This life can and will be tough at times. Do you want to spend it continually falling by the weight of it all, or do you want to be rooted, standing firm in the strength of the Father.

"He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold: I will not be greatly shaken"- Psalm 62:2

Adam Semple- A Young Man on a Mission From God.

* photo credit- dailymail.co.uk 

Read Me, Please!!!

You've seen this before in almost any movie. Main characters go into an old house, find the impressive library, and blow the dust of the cover of the one book that will lead them on a grand adventure. The problem is, we tend to have a book like this on our own shelves. This book is a pretty important book that is a guideline and a map for our lives to follow. It's called the Bible. Wait, what? The bible, as in the word of God, sitting on a dusty shelf with a layer of dust an inch thick. But, we are good christians, we read our bible on our phones, and we follow along with the Pastor's sermon if the media guy puts up the scripture verse. Sometimes, it is important to take that old worn out book of the shelf and give a big, "big bad wolf" blow. Not to say that God doesn't use the times spent in his words if we use the Bible app. But we need to be able to flip from chapter to chapter and bookmark certain spots that the Holy Spirit has put in our hearts. We need to pull out a legal pad, grab some highlighters and spend some serious time in prayer and reading.
I've got this desk that sits in the dining room. On it sits my Star Wars sith characters,(I have at least one of almost all of them). Unfortunately, we play a lot of games at the dining room table. With that being said, things tend to pile up on it and dust begins to collect. Eventually, I can't even use my desk because of all the mess that has accumulated. If it wasn't sitting in a spot that I saw everyday, I feel as if I would forget I even have a desk, let alone use it. I think our dusty old bibles sitting on the shelf can get the same way. We have good intentions of putting it to use, but things in life begin piling up. Th bible gets put back on the shelf and we justify it by reading a few chapters on our phone, check it off our to-do list and move on with our day. All the while the bible gathers more and more dust and our lives fall apart more and more. Eventually, the dust will be so thick, we can't even see what was supposed to be underneath it. I have to admit, I am guilty of this too. Some mornings, I barely even check the few chapters of my list before I begin my day. If I'm not careful, 3 or 4 days will go by and I try to catch up, skipping over the content in order to put a check mark by the chapter. That's not what God intended for time with Him. He wants people who are willing to take the book off the shelf and truly dive into what he wants you to see and comprehend. Start small, five to ten minutes a day. Pretty soon, you will be able to see God doing things in your life because you are reading his words for you and for me. No more dusty bookshelves with dusty bibles. Its time to blow off the dirt and begin reading God's word with a new revelation and a new passion to grow in your walk with Him.

Adam Semple- A Young Man on A Mission From God

10,000 Volts of Electricity

Have you ever broken a bone that required you to get an x-ray? Or maybe, your doctor requested you get one to examine a part of your body causing you pain. An x-ray is a radiation procedure that doctors use to look at the inside of someone's body without making a single incision. Isn't it cool that God is able to see the inside us, as if looking through an x-ray. By his infinite power, he can see our internal structure that makes us, us. He is able to find the things inside of us that do not belong. Whenever a doctor orders an x-ray to be done, he suspects there is something in the body that should not be. He then is able to find the abnormality and begin the process of doing what needs to be done in order to remove it. God looks inside of us and sees things that shouldn't be, and if we are willing, He will show us the steps needed to remove it. Before proceeding with any kind of x-ray, you will usually need to drink or ingest in someway this liquid that makes your bones more visible to the machine. The nerd in me thinks this is really cool. Like, Bruce Banner. Radiation running through your body, making your innards glow in the dark. But really, that is how we should be anyway. Not raging mad like the hulk, but glowing from the inside out. God's radioactive life flowing through us so much that we become a light in a dark place. If glowing in the dark is a result of God's removing things from me that shouldn't be there, then light me up and do what needs to be done. I don't want anything in my body that has no place there. Who's with me?

Adam Semple- A young light in an old dark world on a mission from God 

ps. an x-ray is not 10,000 volts, I just needed a good title.

Awkward Obedience

"So, how was your day? Did you have a good day at work?" "Oh, you know. Same ol' same ol'. I heard from God today. He told me I was to go up on this mountain and make an altar. Oh, and Isaac was to come with me. Anyway, we head out with a couple servants and when we got to the foot of the mountain I commanded them to stay there and the boy and I would go to the top. We made the altar as directed and, you're going to love this part. I began to grab hold of our son, our only son, and I tied him to the altar. Of course, I could see a little bit of fear in his eyes, but I am his father and he trusted me enough to know that I must know what I was doing. So, our son is tied altar, I raise my knife to begin the sacrifice, when suddenly, God is like, "Abraham, stop. Don't do it." I breathed a quick sigh of relief, because I really didn't want to come back without your son and explain what happened, but God had told me to do something so I had to obey. Anyhoo, we look up and see a ram who had gotten his horns stuck in some thicket. So I quickly untied Isaac and together we completed the sacrifice."

I bet you can imagine as well as I can the expression on Sarah's face as Abraham recalled this story. Good chance she got a little upset with him. "So, you were going to just kill our boy, the child who you waited 100 years for? I get that God told you to, but did you question it at all, or did you just blindly trust God's plan. You are truly a man of great faith, Abraham, to trust God with the life of your only son.

This story is a beautiful picture of what Christ would do a few thousand years later. God the Father took his son, tied him to a wooden cross, and sacrificed him as a living sacrifice for you and for me. To take away the sins of the world and to bring us back to the Father. Imagine the thoughts running through Abraham's mind as they made this difficult journey. The mountain Moriah was a distance of 3 days away. 3 days that Abraham awoke next to his son. With every morning, he could have turned around and returned home. He could probably see the excitement on Isaac's face as he was getting ready to watch his father sacrifice to God, all the while knowing this could be his last adventure. But, he continued knowing God had a plan bigger than himself. At any point during Christ's 3-year journey, he could have thrown in the towel and not completed his assignment. Yet he finished his task so that we might be able to live with him.

Has God ever asked you to do something so unbelievable that you have no option but to trust him?
Maybe it is time for you to do what he has instructed, because he can see the end of the story and he knows what steps you need take in order to get to that point.

Adam Semple- A Young Man on a Mission From God

Life is a Movie, We are just the Actors

Light. Camera. Action. Places everybody, we are about to begin filming scene one.

Everyone loves a good movie, right? One with a good cast and a well-written plot. Some good special effects usually add to the excitement as well. As a kid, I always wanted to be in a movie. So much so that we were always coming up with new video ideas that we could then film and act out. What if our lives were in fact a movie? What role would you be playing? Would you be the lead role, or the supporting character in someone else's storyline? If we think about it, God has written a great script for us to follow, even though we don't know our lines yet. He has set the scene and placed the right actors for the part to play out his plotline. Like any great movie, though, some of the greatest scenes are those are improvised and not in the original draft. Few scenarios that are coming my thoughts are, obviously, from Star Wars. Han Solo, about to be lowered into carbonite, has just been told by Leia that she loves him. According to the script, He was supposed to respond back by saying, "I love you too". Instead, he says,"I Know." The directors and producers thought that fit so well, they kept it in and it is one of the most popular lines from the movie. Another scene is in A New Hope, after Luke and Han have stolen the stormtrooper uniforms. Mark Hamill, thinking the cameras had stopped rolling, says,"I can't see a thing in this helmet." Again, the writers liked it, so it stayed. What I am trying to portray here is that sometimes, we do something off script. We turn left, when we should have turned right, and make things up as we go. When this happens, God just writes this turn into the final draft and sets up for the next scene. What do you do though if you are just the supporting friend who gives advice to the lead in times of trouble. The one who has to lift back up the Lead when things are going wrong. Are you prepared to offer tough advice to get the wheels spinning again in the mind of your buddy. The main actor doesn't need someone who isn't afraid to say the things they need to hear. In fact, these scenes usually start out pretty quiet and as you, the support, is talking, the music begins to build and you can begin to see the light bulbs go off in his eyes. I like these scenes a lot. They remind me that though I face hard situations sometimes, there will always be someone there who will help raise me back up and get me back on my feet. Naturally, that person is the writer and director of my story, God the Father himself. In times when I feel down, he restores my soul and strengthens me in areas I feel like I have failed in. He will lift me out of my slumber and place me back on solid ground. And here's the thing, I don't want to take center stage so to speak, if God has to take the back seat. I would rather have God be my Lead and I follow closely behind him. My movie will be awful if I don't have a good writer. And believe me, Spielberg or Nolan or Abrams will never come up with anything greater than the story God has for your life.

Adam Semple- A Young Man on a Mission From God.

Morning Cup of Joe

Have you ever started your morning with just an okay cup of coffee? You know exactly what I am talking about. Maybe some coffee grinds fell through the filter or the coffee was not quite strong enough or maybe a little too strong. Whatever the case, it sets off your whole morning. You have not gotten the same satisfaction from your morning joe as you usually do, and it tends to throw off your daily routine. The same thing happens when we don't start our mornings off with a little God time. When we begin our day in God's word and in prayer, are bodies are more at peace, our minds are less stressed and we have more strength to get through the day. But, when we don't start out this way, we are tired, no matter how much sleep we got the night before. We might be a little irritable and our fuse tends to be a little shorter with the people we come in contact with. God knows what are bodies and minds need to be able to push through each day. He has created our bodies with the need to refresh and recharge in the things of him. When we read our bible, or a daily devotion. We are filling our spirits with inspired words straight from the heart of God that are used to uplift us and give us a renewal of our mind. Then, when we add prayer to our morning, God is willing and able to speak directly to our hearts the things he wants us to hear. Maybe you have tried to start each day with bible time, but you don't know where to begin or how long you need to do it. Here is a good start. Begin by picking a book from the bible and reading a chapter a day, the book of John and Proverbs are good places to start, but start wherever you feel comfortable. Every morning, as you read the chapter take notes of verses that popped out for you. Get a journal and write down the verses that really hit you or something important that struck you as you read. Once you are done doing that, take it to prayer. Begin by thanking God for a new day, no matter the challenges ahead, then bring your request and desires before him. He will give you new revelations of the verses that impacted you the most and even ones you might of just skimmed over. Like I said before, He knows what your soul needs to hear and he will illuminate those things as you take it to prayer. As you start out, I am not telling you to spend 30 minutes in bible reading, then another 30 mins in prayer. Start small. 5 to 10 minutes at first and as it gets more comfortable and you have gotten used to it, extend your time with Him. Too much time with the Lord is not a bad thing. In fact, the more time you can spend each day with the Father, the more at rest your soul will be.

Adam Semple- A Young Man on A Mission From God

*photo credit- giphy.com

I need you, Right Now!!!!

I learned a few things while working at a grocery store. Cheese will fly of the shelf no matter the sale. Eggs and milk always need to be in stock, People never seem to pay attention unless they have need of you. You could say hello to them 40 times and they completely ignore you, but as soon as they see there are no gallons of chocolate milk on the shelf, suddenly they follow you until you fix their dilemma. Sometimes, we tend to do this to God. He might be calling out to us, trying desperately to get our attention, yet we only will pray if something is going wrong and we need him to fix it. If everything is going well, we tend to not even notice God. We go on with our life as if nothing is wrong and sometimes forget the things he has done. Eventually, you come to an empty shelf without the butter that is on sale, and you begin to panic. God, heal me of this cold. God I need help. God where are you? Here's the thing. God is right behind you, trying to get your attention. All you need to do is get out of your own little world and see that he is ready to help you with anything you might need. God desires to give us good things, and he wants to hear from us like a father asking his kids about their day. When there is bad news, he will be there to comfort and help get you through. And when you come to him with good news, he gets excited with you. So when you pray. tell God the good, the bad and the ugly. Thank him for all his blessings, pray for the hurting, and always rest assured that he will always be right with you wherever you are.

Adam Semple- A Young Man on A Mission From God

*photo credit- linkedin.com

Come At Me, Satan

"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written,“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up,lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him."- Matthew 4:1-11

I love this passage of scripture. Here, we see a side of Jesus that shows us he is indeed fully human on top of being fully God. It says that Jesus was in the desert for 40 days, fasting and praying, and at the end of the time period, he was hungry. It was here that Satan decides to make his move. It is important to note that Satan did not strike when  Jesus first entered the desert, but as he was preparing to come out of it. As long as we are in the desert, Satan has no problem with us staying there. It is only when we are getting ready to get back into God's paradise that he gets scared. So, Satan comes up to Jesus and tries to tempt his human side. "You're hungry, make food and quench your hunger. There is nothing wrong with a little bread right? Of course not. God wouldn't mind if you use your spiritual gifts to satisfy yourself. You haven't eaten for 40 days and you deserve this." Luckily for us, Jesus was prepared for this despite his grumbling stomach. "It is written,'Man shall not live by bread alone'" Twice more, Satan tries to tempt him, and again Jesus refutes him with scripture. Finally, Jesus sends him away and Jesus left to begin his ministry. I find it cool that the chapter immediately following this story is the Sermon on the mount, one of the most popular passages to preach in church. Satan knew something was about to begin as soon as Jesus was born, and he knew he would be defeated if he did nothing to stop Jesus from starting his ministry. Fortunately for us, Jesus has already defeated Satan and nothing he can do will stop us, but we have to do our part. Jesus was able to stand against the devil's attacks because he not only read the scriptures, he knew personally the one who inspired men to write it. He had the word hidden in his heart ready to pull it out when the moment arose. Each of us have our own "sermon on the mount" inside of us that is waiting for the right time to come out. Before that happens, Satan is going to throw everything in his arsenal to try and take you down. Stand firm and trust in the Lord with everything. Rely on his truth and he will help you refute Satan's lies.

Adam Semple- A Young Man On A Mission From God

*photo credit- Crosswalk Blog

I've Got Nothing

"I have this great thought, but I have been staring at this blank screen for hours, and nothing is coming to mind."

Writer's block happens to the best of us at some point. You are in the middle of this big project, or you are trying to start one. You're computer is on and ready, Microsoft Word is open with a new document. The title is typed out, then, nothing. No thoughts, no ideas. Your mind goes completely blank. Writing a blog every week, I deal with this a lot. I know I need to write something, but, in the words of George McFly, "Nothing's coming to my mind". What's worse is when I have a topic, but no meat to fill my sandwich. I feel like this happens to a lot of Christians sometimes. God gives us something fantastic, and then, nothing. God drops a promise in your spirit, but waits to give you details. And if you are like most people, this can get pretty frustrating. Whenever writer's block hits, here is what usually occurs. At some point, I will get frustrated. Staring at a blank screen for hours at a time it seems can be that sometimes. But, after a little frustration, I close my computer, put it down and do something else. Then, when inspiration hits, I go back to my laptop as quickly as I can and finish what I started. God never gets writer's block. He knows how are story will unravel long before he gives us the plot, and he knows that sometimes, we will get frustrated. But there are times when we need to put down whatever is blocked in our lives, focus on something else, and then, when our mind is clear, we can go back to our original thought.
"He who has begun a good work in you will carry it onto completion until the day of Jesus Christ"- Philippians 1:6

The story of our lives will be full of empty details that have yet to be filled in. Just lay it aside for a while, concentrating on something else. In due time, the writer's block will be gone, and you can finish the story God has laid out before you.

Adam Semple- A Young Man On A Mission From God

*photo credit- thestorytellingnonprofit.com

Lame man walkin'

"Silver or gold, I do not have. But what I do have I give to you, In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk"- Acts 3:6

If you have spent any time in church, you have heard this story several times. If not, here is the context. The disciples have just spent 40 days following the resurrection of Jesus praying and fasting in the upper room. The Holy Spirit comes upon the believers gathered and 3000+ people are added to the church. Peter and John go up to the temple to pray and they pass a lame man who is begging at the gate for help and or money. Peter says to the man, "Look at us". The man gives his full attention, hoping they were giving him something. "Silver and gold, I do not have. But what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Peter then takes the man by the hand, pulls him up, and the man is able to walk and leap and run. He began running through the temple square praising God for the miracle that just took place. Te bible says that the people around him recognized him as the lame beggar, and they were filled with wonder and amazement.

We, to, have this gift. The power to come up to someone in need of healing and, in the name of Jesus, they can be healed. But we have to believe that it will happen, or it is just empty words. Peter spoke these words with confidence because he knew when he stepped out and grabbed hold of the man's hand, God would swoop in and amazing things would happen. But let us back up a little bit. This Peter was the same guy who denied even knowing Jesus just a few months prior, but then he had a radical transformation that completely shifted how he saw the world. He knew that he had become empowered by God's Holy Spirit, and when he walked in faith, God would show up. We need to get back to that place of complete surrender of ourselves in order to let God move where he desires to reveal his glory. The Holy Spirit is an Amazing guide and counselor who is waiting for us to call on him when someone around us needs him. Call on the Spirit of God, and things will begin to change and shift in our lives and the lives of those we come in contact with.

Adam Semple- A Young Man On A Mission From God

*photo credit- ministry-to-children.com

But I'm (not) TIRED!!!!!!

We have all come in contact with a toddler who is in need of a nap. If you haven't, here is how it usually plays out.  First, you get to the groggy stage. The kid starts dragging behind or dozing in the stroller. If someone tries to tell them to go to sleep, the toddler will get defensive and start throwing a tantrum. This is most commonly followed by the kid saying, "But I'm not TIRED!!!" Everyone around them knows full well that they are exhausted, but something inside the child's mind convinces them otherwise and they somehow think if they fall asleep, they will miss something important. Only when they realize that they need sleep, do they finally give in and hit the hay. So where am I going with this? What does a screaming, sleepy toddler have to do with anything? Imagine if this toddler was your unsaved coworker at your workplace. Life could be going great for them. As they go along, they start to get tired on their own strength. They begin dragging through life, knowing they need something, but not sure what it is. Suddenly, you come along and tell them exactly what they need. Unfortunately, they have this idea in their head that they are just fine the way they are and nothing you say will change that. But, you don't get discouraged. You know that they might make it for awhile without Christ, but eventually, they will fall. So, you keep telling them about Him, and you keep encouraging them to come to the Father. Through your persistence, they come to Christ, and fall into a peaceful rest that they needed all along. God has put us in the places we are as spiritual mothers and fathers to the sleepy toddlers of our society. It is our job to show them a life that reflects what they are searching for, and if we stay the course, God will soften their hearts and they will rest in him. Once the toddler gives in, they will sleep and wake up with new energy and new excitement.

Get out there and be a spiritual parent to the tired toddlers of the world.

Adam Semple- A Young Man On A Mission From God

*photo credit-cbru.tk

The Power of One

Patience. Insane amounts of time. Serious amounts of stress. I am talking, of course, about dominoes. No, not the pizza place. I'm referring to the classic game of dominoes, the one where you stack them in a line, knock over the first one and watch as they all cascade on top of each other. There are hundreds of videos online of people who have set up thousands upon thousands of dominoes that form an enormous picture. Here's the thing. I don't have the time or the patience or the warehouses full of dominoes to do something like this, but my life is like one big domino effect. Domino number one is birth, then we progress to dominoes of school, college, job, and so forth. Now, imagine being a domino stuck in the middle. You can't see the beginning or the end, all you see is that the domino ahead of you was just standing, now he is currently crashing into you, and suddenly, you are doing the same to the domino behind you. The places we go, the skills we acquire, they are all dominoes to the big picture. With any good piece of art, it takes great time and tremendous patience. If the 3rd domino tries to crash into the 1500th domino, the picture will be completely changed. Instead the 3rd hits the 4th, then the 5th, and so on and so on. God has looked down from above and seen where to lay all the dominoes in our picture to create a masterpiece. Now, imagine being the domino again. If you were to be removed from the line, the domino would end before you and nothing will keep the momentum going. One little domino is all it takes to knock over big steps. It is the little guys that keep the line moving until the last domino is knocked over and you see the finished work.

So, keep in line, brace for impact and fall into the masterpiece God has set before you.

Adam Semple- A little domino stuck in the middle of God's bigger destiny.

*photo credit- youtube.com- Robots

Comedic Knock-off Of The Original

As great and amazing is the original, everyone loves a good parody version. Some artists have made a career of taking other people's songs, changing up the lyrics, but keeping generally the same beat. Sometimes, the parody version is one you remember way more than the original, yet there are other times when it doesn't even come close. Our lives can become one big parody. Imagine God speaking to you and the words He says are amazing and inspiring and grand. Now imagine that you take those words and change them into something else. You and God know what the original words were, yet the people you talk to only hear your version. We are told in Revelation 22:18-19 that if anyone one was to change the words of God, 1 of 2 things will take place. 1), If you add, plagues and curses will be added to you, and 2) if you take away, you will be taken out of the book of life. Ouch!!! God could not have made this more simple to comprehend. By changing God's word, not only are you wrongly influencing the people around you, but in the end, you are removing yourself from heaven with each word spoken. There will be people we come in contact with every day that are making a living of speaking false truth. Scripture tells us what will become of them as well, "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep."- 2 Peter 2:1-3 In fact, this whole chapter in 2 Peter tells of what will happen to false teachers and prophets. Don't be like one of these men who only live to distort God's word. Listen to what God is truly saying, and the lyrics of your heart will be pure and whole. Those are the words God wants you singing to the crowd. The original will always be better than any parody the world tries to compete with. 

Adam Semple- A Young Man On A Mission From God

*photo credit- IFC.com

But What Do I Get Out Of This?

"When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?”  Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.'".- John 6:25-26

These verses come after one of Jesus' most well known miracles, the feeding of the 5000. For those who don't know the story, here it is. Jesus was teaching by the Sea of Tiberias, and it came to the time of day that most folks began getting ready to eat dinner. So, as a test to his disciples, he asks them, "Where can we buy food for all these people?" "Master, more than a day's wage would barely satisfy a little for this crowd," was the response from his disciples. Andrew, brother of Simon Peter, came to Jesus and said, "There is a young boy who has 5 barley loaves and 2 fish, but how can that feed everyone?" So, Jesus tells the apostles to sit the people in large groups on the grass. The people sat down, more than 5000 in number. Jesus took the bread, gave thanks, and broke it until it was distributed to every person there. He did the same with the fish. After everyone had their fill, he instructed his disciples to gather the leftovers, and they collect 12 baskets of remaining food. The next day, the people seek out Jesus, getting into boats and traveling across the sea to Capernaum. Upon arrival, Jesus tells them that they were not looking for him because he was the Christ, but because they got a free meal out of his teachings. Basically, they were following Christ in order to get something out of the deal. 
Answer me this. What is the best way to get people to come to an event you are hosting? Tell them there will be food and it will be free. People will come in droves to get a free meal, no matter what you are promoting. Most of the time, they don't listen to a word you say as long as they don't have to spend any money on food. Clearly, this was the case back in Jesus day. These people saw Jesus on a daily basis doing miraculous healings and wonders, yet they only sought him out when he had filled their bellies. They didn't want any kind of serious commitment, just a money saver. be honest with yourself here. Have you ever gone to an event simply because the flyer said free food. You didn't care about the organization in the least, you just came to eat. Not gonna lie, I know I have. There is a reason America is one of the most overweight nations on the planet. Someone says food and we are there by the hundreds. But here is the issue. Most of us won't stay to hear the message because we are so focused on getting our fill physically, we have no time for spiritual talk. Jesus wanted followers, but ended up with a small band of followers, with thousands of fans. 
Here is the difference between a follower and a fan. A follower is someone who sticks with their leader no matter what. Through the good and the bad, these guys are right there. A fan is someone who only sticks around as long as they are satisfied. The moment their guy does something that makes them uncomfortable, they leave and quit. When the people came back to Jesus in this chapter, He tells them that he is the Bread of Life. Whoever believe in him will neither thirst or go hungry. "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” Wait. Are we supposed to eat his flesh, like a cannibal? That makes me uncomfortable to even think about. Jesus is not saying that we must literally eat him, but spiritually, we must be so close to him and his character, it would be like eating daily bread. It would be like eating breakfast every morning. It gives you the energy you need to get through the day and when we go without it, we end up drained and hungry come mid afternoon. The people in this story left Jesus grumbling and complaining because they were confused at his words. Even some disciples abandoned him because of his uncomfortable words. The revelation had not hit them that Jesus was who he said he was, so it was as if they had ears, but could not hear what was being said, had eyes, yet could not see-Mark 8:18. 

Are you a Christian who is only in this walk for what God will give you? If you are, it might be time to evaluate ourselves and ask," Will I stick with God with things get hard, or will I walk away because I don't understand?
Think about it.

Adam Semple- A Young Man On A Mission From God

*photo credit- memecreator.org

A Cover of Darkness

For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”-John 3:16-21

Have you ever done something in secret that you know that once it was exposed to the light, people would look at you different? It could be something as little as biting your nails, but whatever it is, you don't want people to know about it. This happened to a guy in the new testament. A Pharisee, named Nicodemus, came to Jesus under the cloak of darkness. As a Pharisee, it wasn't very commonplace for them to go against their beliefs and listen to a man claiming to be the Son of God. So, under nighttime's cover Nicodemus sneaks away to see him. It is here that we get the most quoted and most well known verse in scripture, John 3:16. But that isn't what I want to talk about. I what to discuss the verses that follow. The ones talking about doing evil deeds in the darkness. Why do you think it is most common for a criminal to break into a bank at night, rather than midday? Because not as many people will see him, and he is more likely to get away with it without out any consequences. But eventually, the criminal slips up, and attacks somewhere when the sun is shining bright and his true character is revealed. When the wicked do what they ought not to do, they are already condemned, even if they haven't been caught yet. 

Aren't you glad there is a loving God who doesn't judge us when we come to him at night to hid what we are doing. Instead he receives us with open arms and tells us how to be saved. "Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again. The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”- John 3:5-8. God sent his light to reveal our darkness. The things hidden down deep into our souls that we have forgotten about. It is our job to come to God and lay those things down at his feet, and leave behind the darkness. God has made it so easy for us to come to him. We just need to be willing for people to see what wear are hiding under. 

I'm doing what I can to come fully into God's light this year. Will you join me?

Adam Semple- A young Man On A Mission From God


*photo credit- trekearth.com

Under The Mask

 "It wasn't a real ghost. It was just Mr. Jenkins, the maintenance man."

If you childhood was as great as mine, you can probably still sing the theme songs to the old Saturday morning cartoons. Flintstones, Jetsons, Looney Tunes. One that I always loved was Scooby Doo. A group of young adults with their talking dog go out and solve mysteries in their green Mystery Machine van. At the conclusion of every episode, they would take off the mask of the "ghost" and reveal the person beneath. In costume, the villians antics seemed, sometimes, really convincing, but after their mask was removed, the gang would explain how all their tricks were nothing more than some old string and a creaky door.
There is something I need to tell you guys. We all wear masks. Its true. No matter how much we try to convince the world we are one thing, our true self is hiding under a mask of deception At some point in time, somebody is going to pull that mask right off, and expose our hidden person. When that happens, will people be amazed at what they see? Will the person you are underneath be the same, or will they see a brand new picture entirely. If you couldn't tell by the gym parking lots being full and the health food cleared off the shelf, we have entered a new year. 2017 is here, and if we are not careful, it will be over before we have even had a chance to do anything about it. Our person under the mask will never change and we will continue living a facade of outward perfection, even though our inner man is hurting and longing for something else. What if in this new year, we make it our goal to take off our own mask, and let God fix the hurt and the brokenness that is found beneath. Now, this is not a goal that we should work hard at the first month of the year, slack off the second, then forget about till next year by the third. No, this needs to be one that is always on our minds. How can our outer appearance truly reflect our inner reality? I know, for me personally, there are areas that need a little bit more of God and a little less of me. I don't want to just say I am a Christian, and not fully live like one. At times, it may be hard. i mean if getting in shape were easy, less and less people would make it their goal to get their bodies healthy. If being a fully committed Christian were easy, Jesus never would have needed to die on that cross for you and me. I'm not someone who is fond of making resolutions for myself at the start of the year, but by this time next year, I want to be closer to God than I ever thought possible. Who's with me?

Adam Semple- A Young Man On A Mission From God

*photo credit- Hanna Barbera- Scooby Doo