BIBLESTUFFBLOG

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL DOES IT AGAIN!

meltonsrock@yahoo.com (Unknown) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 22:40:00 -0500

So, I decide to spend a little extra time with God today, and I realize that I am Gabriella. In High School Musical 2, she tells Troy that even though they've been in love for a movie and a half, even though when she first met him they couldn't spend enough time together, even though she really still loves him and they may even end up together some day, he's turned into someone she doesn't know anymore. She's going to leave the summer camp they've been working at together and do her own thing.
I'm Gabriella! God had done a thing I didn't like so even though I was still a "Christian" I decided that I was "Gonna Go my own way." (song from HSM 2) Even though all that stuff that was true about Troy and Gabriella was true about me and God, I somehow stopped seeking what He wanted, His ideas, His way. Sure, I still did "God stuff" but I was more relying on myself than God.
Now, I hate when people talk like this. It doesn't even make sense to me really, but it feels so good. And somehow if I really want to help out the poor and make a difference to those who really need it, I've got to first find out if that's really what God wants me to do. Then, second, I've got to try and figure out how He wants me to do it.
Maybe, just maybe, God will be the "Music in Me" (another HSM 2 song) and I will be the Music in God. I promise, no more High School Musical references ever...ok, I can't promise that!

Happy Father's Day!

meltonsrock@yahoo.com (Unknown) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 22:34:00 -0500

So, I get into church today and they're singing a song about God (go figure) and I realize, "Oh crap, I didn't even think of God, our Father, on Father's Day!" Then, as I'm journaling today I realize that there aren't many of us who wake up every day and think about how awesome God is and the incredible things He's done....BUT WE SHOULD. Every second of every day we really should be amazed. Think about it! Really think about! I'll just give you the short list - created the world, created us, healed the deaf, made crippled folks walk, rose people from the dead. Amazing! Really, if we really thought about it every second of every day we should spend worshiping God. But, I'm not talking about singing songs or long prayers of "How great You are." After a while, I think God get's sick of those (and here comes the helping poor folks part)...and He loves to see us worship by helping others, bringing heaven to earth. And how cool would that be - we work to feed the starving or give shelter to the homeless or clothe the naked, not because we look good or because of how it makes us feel, and not even because of how it helps these folks out. What if we did that because we're like, "Whoa, God, you're awesome!"? What if we did all that just because of our thankfulness?
So, if you're looking for a Father's Day gift for our heavenly Father, I suggest this - WORSHIP HIM. And after you're done telling Him how great He is, do what you think He'd want you to do....and I bet this poor deal pops up somewhere along the way.
HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW!

meltonsrock@yahoo.com (Unknown) — Mon, 8 Jun 2009 13:57:00 -0500

So, I promised we'd talk a little about poverty over the next couple of months....and then I read in Galatians about how you reap what you sow. Crazy thought - maybe if we help out those who need it most, it does something good for our soul. And if we don't...... the Bible says, "look out for destruction." I know this, whenever I go to the homeless shelter or donate a little cash to an organization that helps the poor, it does something cool inside of me. I'm a much happier person.
I don't think it's just me. I think that's everyone - that's the way life is supposed to work. Maybe that's why Paul says at the end of Galatians, "Do not tire of doing what is good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." It's good for us, but more importantly it's good for them. And even if it seems like what you're doing is not enough - KEEP GOING! At some point, things will start to happen.

WE ALL SUCK! (Sorry I said suck)

meltonsrock@yahoo.com (Unknown) — Sat, 30 May 2009 22:39:00 -0500

1/10! 26,000! $105! 2! 5! 300! $50,000! 5.12trillion!
READ SOME SHOCKING NUMBERS THE LAST WEEK: Did you know that one in every ten people in the world is American? (that means there are a whole lot of people who aren't us) Did you know that every day over 26,000 people die basically because they don't have enough money? Did you know the average American spends about $105 a day? Did you know that half the world lives on $2 a day or less? Did you know every five seconds a child dies of hunger? Did you know we use about 300 gallons of water a day, and it would take someone in Africa 50 hours just to get that amount and bring it to their house? Did you know that if you make $50,000 a year, you are richer that 99% of the world? Did you know that Christians earn $5.12 trillion every year?
In the next couple of weeks I'm going to be talking about some things I'm going to do to be part of the solution of world poverty. It's time I at least did something. C'mon, it's ridiculous...and even more it's so not Christ! Sometimes stats are just stats, but this kind of stuff requires a response. What more proof do we need. (SEE THE POLL)

SUCCESS!

meltonsrock@yahoo.com (Unknown) — Sun, 24 May 2009 07:30:00 -0500

Ever since I decided to be a substitute teacher, a lot of people have asked me, "How could you do that?" They've worried about putting money away for retirement, college for the girls, getting stuff for the house or fixing up the many different broken parts. All those things are good, all those things are important - but in life I think we all have to decide what is most important and what will help those most important things the most.
The other day I was thinking about the end of my life, am I gonna be thinking: "I wish I would have saved more money or I wish I would have spent more time with my girls?" "I wish I would have been able to pay for the girls college or help them to make wiser choices in college?" "I wish I would have fixed up my house or created a home?"
Yeah, there's a little self-righteous cockiness in this, but I do think it's important for all of us think about what is most important and what will help those most important things the most. Jesus defined success as "loving God and loving your neighbor." If we have the chance to pay our bills, provide for our family and spend the most time possible with the people who need our love - HOW COULD WE NOT DO THAT?

LET'S JUST KILL 'EM!

meltonsrock@yahoo.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:39:00 -0500

I've been reading a lot about church history (when you're a substitute teacher, there's a lot of free time)....and it's been very interesting. It seems like after the disciples died off, they tried the love thing for a while, and then they just started killing people. Leaders of areas would make laws so that people would be forced to follow their religion, and if they didn't.....(throw in whatever signal you use for killing people). Some folks would actually go out to foreign lands and take over (aka, kill a bunch of people) to "convert" them to Christianity.
Now, as cool as this sounds...and probably a whole lot more effective in my role as Area Pastor, can you believe people, I'm talking religious people, got so mixed up in their beliefs that they would actually think God wanted to kill people to "convert" them.
This look into history has taught me two things: 1) We all make mistakes - no matter how religious or how high you've scaled in the Christian leader totem pole. 2) Our faith is always developing. God is not done yet, He is still teaching and molding us.
So, listen to Him, follow Him, see where He might lead. Just keep on loving people, and we might just learn a few things about this God we serve. Of course, if that doesn't work, we'll go back to the old war method!

I'M GETTING IT! My mom was right!

meltonsrock@yahoo.com (Unknown) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 21:18:00 -0500

Have you ever been sitting in bed thinking about Jesus and the law, and what it all means? What, you haven't! Well, I knew that God started off by giving us a bunch of rules and commandments, but then He sent Jesus. I knew that there was a whole works thing and a faith thing, however, I really didnt' get it.
But get this? My mom knew it all along. She always told us that as kids her and dad would try and teach us right from wrong. She gave us the best advice and tried to give us all the "tools" we would need to have a good life. But, when we left the house, she GAVE US OUR WINGS! Now, we had to trust them....and they needed to trust us. Same with God!
God gave us the ten commandments and a bunch of rules. But, then came Jesus....and we had our WINGS! Get it? With Jesus, we've got to trust God and God has to trust us. No longer do we have live with a checklist of things we're supposed to do. Now, we can live with the advice God has already put in us (the Holy Spirit) and He trusts us to follow His lead.
It kind of makes sense to me!

meltonsrock@yahoo.com (Unknown) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:55:00 -0500

Hello everyone!

Holy Week!

meltonsrock@yahoo.com (Unknown) — Thu, 9 Apr 2009 06:01:00 -0500

This week I have not done anything too Holy! I haven't gone to church any more than normal, haven't read anything more than what I normally read, haven't prayed or fasted any more than usual, haven't even read about Jesus' death or resurection! It doesn't sound really Holy! In fact, I have given in one of the most deadly sins of the suburb - busyness! Going from place to place, watching NCAA Championships, teaching, coaching soccer, helping out at the homeless shelter, feeding dogs, going to see family and friends.
As I was thinking about it this morning, maybe this has been a Holier Week than ever before; because it's been a week spent with people: the people that God loved so much that he went to the cross for them! In the midst of a prayerful relationship with God, that's what Jesus did during Holy Week, that's what Jesus did every week - He put people first! Holy Cow!

DO THE GOOD STUFF!!!

meltonsrock@yahoo.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 06:40:00 -0500

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." - Galatians 6:9
For all the Bible Stuffers, you might remember that we used to have a weekly Bible Stuff email. I loved doing those, but for some reason I thought about stopping. I remember my Aunt Ruby quoting me this verse, and like you do with a lot of crazy Aunt's advice, obviously I didn't listen. However, as I read this again this morning, I thought.....THAT WAS GOOD! So, Bible Stuff is back....in cool blog form! And if anyone wants to get spiritual insights from the head of Tony Melton, it's as easy as clicking on "Subscribe" below.
But, I do have one question. Is there any thing that you were doing that was GOOD, and for some reason it just stopped? Is there any reason why you wouldn't start it up again.
Feel free to comment below. Just click on "Comment" below and sign in as Anonymous.