Spirituality – Page 2 – Nickcarnes.com

December 8, 2008

Hunting for Treasure

treasure-map

I’ve been hunting for treasure lately. It’s amazing how much I’ve already found, its only been small amounts here or there, but the amazing thing is…the more smaller ‘pots of gold’ that I find the the hungrier I get to find the big treasure chest!

This is where I have been lately…

My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands. 2 Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. 3 Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. 4 Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. 5 Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. 7 He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. 8 He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him. 9 Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go. 10 For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy. 11 Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe. 12 Wisdom will save you from evil people, from those those words are twisted… 16 Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman, from the seductive words of the promiscuous woman. Proverbs 2:1-11 (NLT)

I love this scripture, it challenges me everytime I read it…”Search for Wisdom, understanding, and insight like I would for silver or for hidden treasure.” I don’t do that…I have been lately, but I don’t want it to be a lately thing, I need it to be an everyday thing! The older I am getting (and yes it is happening…I found 3 grey hairs Saturday) the more I am realizing I need God’s wisdom, his understanding, and his insight. As a husband, a father, a Christ Follower, an employee, a church member, a citizen…you name it and I need wisdom to accomplish it or to lead in it. So I am on a treasure hunt for what I believe Solomon thought was the most valuable possession, Wisdom!

I love what scripture promises if we search for wisdom, my thought is, what if we searched for it like it was hidden treasure? I mean passionately, whole heartedly, recklessly sought after wisdom? That’s what I need to do!

[Wisdom] “I love all who love me. Those who search will surely find me…For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord.” Proverbs 8:17, 35 (NLT)

Join the Conversation: If you’ve learned one nugget of wisdom in your life that would benefit someone else, what would it be?

December 1, 2008

Would You Turn In $10,000?

Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.
Proverbs 22:6 (NLT)

Moses, the bagboy, found $10,000 in the bathroom of the grocery store where he worked. When you watch the video, you will see that he decided to turn the money into his manager so the owner of the money bag could retrieve their property. In this video, Moses attributes his decision to the lessons that he teaches young children in Sunday School, while in another video, Moses goes on to talk about the lessons he was taught to make ‘Wise Choices’ when he was also young in Sunday School.

As a youth leader, this makes me smile 🙂 – It must make this young man’s parents and youth leaders proud to see some of what they have invested in him stick. I hope as my kids get older what we are trying to teach them will stay with them.

h/t CNN

November 21, 2008

Adoption Rocks with Long Sleeves

Look what I can do!

The cold weather is coming in, and I can still wear my “Adoption Rocks” t-shirt. My white thermal long sleeve shirt fits perfectly underneath and I must say they go perfect together!

Are you looking for a way you can be a help to someone this holiday season? Looking for a great Christmas gift for that friend or loved one? The Adoption Rocks t-shirt is that perfect gift. Not only are you giving someone a great gift they can use over and over again, but you are helping provide a new home for a baby girl or for two siblings.

My friend Neely and her husband Josh are on the waiting list to adopt a little girl or siblings from Africa. She had these t-shirts made up to help raise the money its costing them to make the adoption happen. You can go to http://www.onemomtrying.blogspot.com to read about their adoption journey, but also most importantly to help them make it happen. When you go to Neely’s blog, look to the right hand sidebar and there is an order form, select your size and color and then select the “Buy Now” button to place your secure order.

Don’t let the cold weather be an excuse not to help someone! Help provide a baby girl or siblings the warmth of a home and a loving family by buying a shirt today. In fact, I think it would be ok to buy 5 for Christmas gifts too! 🙂

November 19, 2008

Can God Get A Loan?

If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord – and he will repay you! Proverbs 19:17

I found this verse interesting. People always talk about being ‘the hands and feet of Jesus’ to help those who are in need, but how about the ‘bank of Jesus?’ I think a lot of us look at giving to the poor in terms of what we have financially, we make comments like, “When God blesses me with extra, then I can give to others.” However, I get the impression that God works like this, “You give from whatever I’ve already given you, and then I’ll repay you based on your kindness.”

To me this puts a new perspective on Matthew 25:40 (MSG) where Jesus says, whatever we do to those overlooked and ignored, we do it to Him. Proverbs is saying that we are not giving our money to the poor…we are giving a loan to God, he’s just predesignated that he wants the money to go, and he wants it to go to those who are overlooked and ignored. This promise from Proverbs is not limited to “Christians.” I see tons of secular businesses that are very successful, and many times if you look behind the scenes they are highly involved in charitable giving. I just think the Church should be leading the way…

This is personally something I have to work on. My family is definitely not rich, but that cannot be an excuse! Join the Conversation…What do you think? Is God’s credit good enough at your bank?

November 12, 2008June 30, 2010

The Power of One – ESPN Video

You’ve got to watch the entire show about this young man, Adam Bender, who was born with cancer and had to have one of his legs amputated. This boy has one of the biggest hearts I have ever witnessed to overcome an obstacle that could have kept him from living life to its fullest. This is a true testament that you can do anything you put your mind, your heart, and your strength to. Between THIS story about Brandon Marshall and his huge heart to help people in need while he himself is confined to a hospital bed waiting to die and Adam Bender, I feel about an inch tall, but I can see a bright future for this generation. They definitely put a lot of the adults I know to shame, and that’s sad! What I see in these boys is pure Passion and passion can move mountains!

Join the Conversation: What are you allowing to hold you back in life?

h/t: E:60