No Longer WIll I SIt and Suffer

Honestly I will no longer sit in an empty household and torture myself with television sleep or boredom. I am always on the offense I am always thinking/praying about the next way to spread the gospel. However my mind set a lot does not correlate with my actions. I am often lazy I often procrastinate and I am often to selfish sometimes it makes me sick. I just want to live a simple life, the simple life of a child like obsession with Jesus Christ. I think of so many images of Jesus come to mind from paintings to statues to other stuff. However the simple mentality of a servant, or a child, serving God is the greatest thing we can attribute to. However to have this sort of mentality or blessing as I see it takes a lot of growing. It takes a lot of giving up. Flaking out on people, lying, being selfish, is absolutely something that does not need to happen. You want to bring people to Christ? You want to have an audacious faith? You want to be that man God has called to you to be....then Eric James Burke the worldly man must die and a new man in Jesus Christ must arise and put others before himself. Every minute every hour every second. Not when I want to but when God wants me to. It is good to play golf, it is good to go on trips, it is good to do have pleasures through God's blessings but if that is all your life is, or even substitutes pleasures for sucess or work, there is no advancing in the kingdom of God. That is the purpose I live for and that is how all of my actions should revolve around that purpose.

5 weeks to go and then some more

This world can take its long lasting effect on those who take up the cross daily. Before you know it living a life of dying to your worldy desires, and putting others first before your own interests can be replaced by a hardened bitter heart. If that were to happen then the gospel and the love of Jesus Christ could not be spread.

With all of the things going on in my life and there being so much uncertainity, I have fallen short. I have become so worried about my little agenda and it has plagued some of my closet relationships and ability to be a light for others. For almost 3 days I have drove from home and work screaming and praying, God where is the man that I was a short while ago? Just because our circumstances get tough lets not let up on spreading the gospel. I have found myself even try so hard in some situations however that will get me nowhere. There are some things I need to do. Soften my heart, love endlessly, stop worrying and get a move on with life.

I am going to Haiti and even though it is costing me some criticism from my parnts, and not being able to do some personal things. I am going I leave two months from today and I honestly do not have a dollar raised. Susposviely with my parents approval I will have over half the trip paid for. I pray that they can see there is a huge opporunity for a disciple of Jesus Christ to be such a relevant and beacon of light in a broken country. They need and lots of it. Sure they are worried I am a bit nervous too but it is something God has put on my heart big time. It is something that I can and will do for all for his glory not mine.

So some might think that I am crazy. Some might think I am doing too much in such a small amount of time. Some might think that I base my life and all of its actions on some text that might be untrue to some. But my question to you, what other purpose are we to turn to? What is your purpose in life and how can you measure that?

How do you fear death? Do you as it as an ending or maybe suffering. In the book of Philippians Paul is trapped in prison and trying to write his thoughts on death. "I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed in my body, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body whether by life or death" -1 Philippians 1:20-22

I do not fear death anymore because I know that once my life is over on this world. I will be entering the kingdom of heaven. I want my funeral not to be sad but rather a celebration. A celebration of Jesus Christ. A celebration of how he worked through my life and impacted others.

A lot of this sounds crazy a lot of people think I might be losing my mind, however walking with Jesus Christ is not the most popular thing to do. I am not going to get stoned or stuff like that but this world only knows a certain life style. This world only knows so much. This world is not my home. It is in heaven when I die.

Honestly there is something about life that keeps me going. There is something about this life that keeps me pushing. There is something about serving an almighty Jesus Christ that keeps me pushing. The only reason why I can walk from one place to another, the one reason I can sometimes only breathe is because of Jesus Christ. I know I am young and full of so much but right now I am in a season that will define the next 10 years of my life. I have no idea where I will be working, living, who I will be with or what the heck I will be doing come August.

But God has EVERYTHING to the smallest of detail lined up.

Is there something up or am I just worrying

No matter if is it about life friends or even family in general I sometimes fear things. I sometimes fear that my friends do not see me as a righteous humble man of God. Lately it seems like my actions have not been lining up. I have been screwing up a lot lately when it comes to making priorities in my life. Honestly no matter what happens, happiness in the world is only temporary. Whether it is with being successful golf course, hanging out with a bunch of dudes, getting that A on that test, it lasts for a short amount of time. What makes me joyful and feel like a champ or hero is when I bring brothers to Christ. Maybe I have given up on that. Maybe I have become apathetic on taking up my cross daily. Maybe that is why that I have fallen by to old desires and feelings. The desires of my heart really dictate everything else The condition of my heart determines everything.

His People Accelerated Increase

While a bunch of bad things continue to unfold in this broken world I continue to not live a reactionary lifestyle. I do not aspire to achieve the American Dream rather I aspire to live God's dream. If that means dropping everything and moving to Costa Rica or wherever to be a life long missionary, if that means moving up north to start a church then that is what will happen. Sure I want to be successful but only through God's will. I want to live a blameless life. I want to live a life of progression. Complacency for any company or organization equals trouble. However in the eyes of Jesus Christ he never wants us to rest. BECAUSE WE ARE HIS HANDS AND FEET EVERYDAY IT IS SAD TO SAY BUT PEOPLE THAT DO NOT KNOW HIM SPEND AN ETERNAL LIFE IN A BOTTOMLESS PIT. I know its not a feel God feeling it drives me insane when I can not have the right words or actions to lead people to the gospel BUT I WILL NEVER EVER GIVE UP OR LOSE MY FIRE FOR SPREADING THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. It is not through a sermon or a ministry rather it is through close relationships with people friends family and others. If it takes 40 years of prayer, 4o years of blood sweat and tears, then it is worth it because Christ never gave up on me. God has laid this on my heart so much that whenever a conversation goes sour about bringing a friend brother or family member to Christ, it just tears me apart inside. It makes me cry. But I will continue to pray and never give up until I can no longer do so.

So I watched the news and saw the following
The Middle East on the verge of being a complete war zone

People protesting in the United States the wealthiest nation in the history of man kind

An earthquake where hundreds of people were killed

Gas prices???? 5.00 a gallon

Idiotic politicians coming up with the same fiscal policy that has not worked time and time again.


BUT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS...NO MATTER IF I AM AT HOME, WITH MY BROTHERS, SNUGGLING WITH MY GIRLFRIEND, OR ON THE BATTLEFIELD FIGHTING IN A FOREIGN TERRITORY.....TIME AND TIME AND TIME AGAIN GOD'S PEOPLE PREVAIL.....IN TIME OF FAMINE GOD'S PEOPLE PREVAIL BECAUSE THEY WALK BY FAITH AND LOVE ALONE....THEY ACQUIRE WISDOM THROUGH THE GOSPEL.....DO YOU PEOPLE REALIZE THAT WE HAVE THE SAME POWER AS JESUS CHRIST???? DO YOU PEOPLE REALIZE THAT THE EARTH IS THE LORD'S AND THEREFORE IT IS FULL OF???FULL OR RESOURCES AND THINGS WHERE GOD'S PEOPLE WILL PREVAIL......THE AMERICAN DREAM OF INDIVIDUALISM, BUYING/SELLING, AND SELFISHNESS AS CRUSHED THE DREAM OF JESUS CHRIST AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD.....I AM JUST ASKING COMPLACENT CHRISTIANS TO GET OFF THEIR BUTT AND START TRUSTING IN JESUS CHRIST.....COMPLACENCY EQUALS DEATH TO OUR FAITH....GOD WANTS US TO BEAR FRUITFUL FAITHFUL AND FULL OF LOVE