Martyrdom

They say if you haven't found something to die for, you aren't fit to live. I believe that. What I find interesting is the opposite side of it. Those who have something they will truly die for, they've made that cause invincible. As long as there are martyrs, there will always be the cause. How can you stop a  group of people who isn't afraid to lose everything? A martyr's death brings to life something new. Conviction. Their actions combined with their motives and assurance, breeds a conviction to all those who witness it and a sinking uncertainty into those who bring forth the martyrdom.  This is why the holy wars continue on and on. Martyrs are the fuel to a cause. The only way to end such things is to break the spirits of those who believe the cause, but frankly you might as well tell fire not to burn. Martyrs are truly a marvel of the human essence.

Random Free-Write Entry...

So I've figured out my teaching style is through examples. Lately, I've been told that I make excellent analogies for explaining things. In truth, I can see that. In all I do, I try to see how it relates to everything else in life. It's funny Jesus tough in parables, much like I do analogies, which are nothing more than brief parables. Of course, Jesus taught in parables to make it tougher, I teach in analogies to make it easier. Mostly, i believe that's what the core of it is. I like to make things as easy to understand as I can. Laymen's terms are a way of life. I've been blessed with a gift for comprehension. I'm wanting to share the knowledge that comes along from that gift with others though. Many other people are far smarter and more talented than me, but I still feel like I can help others with this skill.

Better Grab a Chair....

Well, I said I would tell about my spiritual life, and while it's going to be long winded. We will dive in.

Baby Jesus = Safe Jesus

My friend Thomas brought  up a good point last Wednesday. We were having our small group Christmas party and we were going to read about the birth of Christ. He decided instead to read the the crucifixion. The reason being we get too caught up in Baby Jesus. We forget why he was born and what he would say and what would happen to him. I see a lot of truth in this. We Christians and even the secular world love Baby Jesus. It's a sweet story, there is a baby, it's all warm and fuzzy. It's also true, that it's before he shook things up.  He hasn't made demands and commands. He hasn't exposed sins, he hasn't died a horrific, bloody, excruciating (which literally means: from the cross) death, because of you, me, and everyone else. We were personally responsible for it. Instead Baby Jesus is a cute kid, who is here to save humanity, but hasn't learned to talk and be such a buzz kill. Baby Jesus to most is Safe Jesus. I suggest this Christmas you take some time to think about why we celebrate His birth, read the birth, but then go read the crucifixion. Keep things in focus this holiday season.

Much Love,
Luke

"Let us remember that the Christmas heart is a giving heart, a wide-open heart that thinks of others first. The birth of the baby Jesus stands as the most significant event in all history, because it has meant the pouring into a sick world of the healing medicine of love which has transformed all manner of hearts for almost two thousand years... Underneath all the bulging bundles is this beating Christmas heart". - George Mathhew Adams

Little Shout Out...

I want to also tell anyone who sees this to check out an awesome blog of a friend of mine. She's way better at it than me. Her blog is what got me to break my procrastination on getting mine built. Thanks Brooke!

My Life in Simple Words

Safe Jesus ≠ Real Jesus

I'm in search of the real Christ, the real faith, and the the life of salvation. I'm trying to get past all the Jesus on a stage, Jesus in the movie, Jesus on the canvas, or Jesus on the cross. I'm looking for the Jesus who lived, loved, taught, saved, freed, healed, captivated, cared, listened, spoke, died and rose again. I'm looking for what He said, HIS way. I don't want another person's interpretation of this or that, I want to know what He said, and what He meant. This requires the Spirit working in me to discern this to me through scripture and prayer. I'm looking for the the real faith. I don't want a Sundays and Wednesdays faith, I'm in the hunt for the biblical faith, the mountain moving, life changing, healing, saving holy faith. Christ showed us that faith, then we saw it passed on to his disciples. This means I know it exists, and that it's obtainable, luckily for me it's got a map to reach it: Scripture. I'm also in search of the life of salvation. Up until the moment you tell Christ your love for him, in a strange way it's easy. Surprisingly, it's after you are saved that's harder, but in a different way. I'm looking for my new potential you could say. I'm trying to see where God is asking me to go, where to follow, where to lead. I'm in essence trying trying to get down to the basics of what Christ is after. Burn away stereotypes, traditions, assumptions, fears. I want to be a part of the Kingdom of Heaven, not church. I need to let go of the things that hold me back from doing so, and I also need to help others be liberated from those things. I have to end myself as well, my issues with lust, envy, and pride. I have to find a way to cut the baggage loose or I will tear myself apart before I ever get anywhere.

Much Love,
Luke

Here's a quote to live by:

While women weep, as they do now, I'll fight; while children go hungry, as they do now I'll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I'll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I'll fight-I'll fight to the very end! --William Booth

And so it begins....

Well, never expected to finally get around to this! I've procrastinated so much it's ridiculous, however now that the semester is ending and I'm incredibly busy, I figure that's the best time to finally start....wait.
Figure I'll fill you in on some details. First the title of this blog, Forget and Not Slow Down, is taken from a recent song by Relient K.... with that title.
I feel that the chorus fits where I'm at in life and my outlook on where I'm going.

I'd rather forget and not slow down
Than gather regret for the things I can't change now
If I become what I can't accept
Resurrect the saint from within the wretch
Pour over me and wash my hands of it

Pretty sweet lyrics right? I thought so. Anyway, as for my woodrowyourboat. That's what you get when every. single. name. is. TAKEN. Honestly? You can't even be witty! So I took a very old nickname from my freshmen year. My middle name being Woodrow, I was given a long winded name by some friends. Luke Woodrowyourboatgentlydownthestream Liddell. Yeah. Got it?
This blog itself was serious shouting match in my head. I couldn't decide between a vlog or a simple blog, or whether I should even do one at all, plus a couple other doubts. While I argued with myself, I took to it to myself to write down plenty of posts in the mean time and now I feel they deserve a place here on this blog. Which means you get to be confused when, after this post, I suddenly jump BACKWARDS. Go figure.
I figure before I do so I'll give you a little background into me though. As you saw earlier, I'm Luke Liddell. An 18 year old kid from Fayetteville, AR. I've lived here my entire life, in fact, my father built the house I live in now shortly before I was born. I'm in such a hectic and crazy time right now. Since August, I've been dealing with a messy breakup, as well as coming to terms with some serious mistakes I've made along the way in my relationships, behavior, and just life in general. I was an only child up until this last May when my father remarried, and now I live with a younger step-sister and step-brother, a step-mom and my best friend, Anthony. That was up until this week actually. Just before Thanksgiving I got news that my father had accepted a job offer from a company in Conway, AR a city 3 hours away. So as of this very moment, I'm spending my last week in my childhood home. My sister and brother will down during Christmas break, it's my senior year though and I'm staying. I'll move in with my Grandma further in town after the break. Crazy huh? Like I said it's a hectic time, besides the break ups and family shifts, I'm dealing with the whole college thing. A total waste of time right? Apparently not. I'm looking to going into going to the University of Central Arkansas for two years and then transferring to Central Baptist College, both in Conway. I've surrendered to full-time ministry, so that's where my life is heading. What that exactly means I'm not sure yet, and truthfully I like it that way, I got enough to worry about for today. I'll get more into my spiritual journey, life issues and blessings, and other things before long. However now seems a good time to go back and add some of those old posts I wrote.


Much Love,
Luke

P.S. This is an awesome quote! I love quotes, you'll see lots of them. Deal with it.

"God, I pray Thee, light these idle sticks of my life, that I may burn for Thee. Consume my life, my God, for it is Thine. I seek not a long life, but a full one, like You, Lord Jesus." - Jim Elliot