The word Deuteronomy literally means 'second law' coming from the Greek words nomos (law) and deutero (second). In Deuteronomy Moses is essentially preaching to the Israelites or restating the Law to the new generation who had arisen during the 40 years in the wilderness. This he did prior to their entry into the promised land.
"The book of Deuteronomy is a call to remember what God has done for you and then respond with a renewed commitment to love, trust, and obey him completely. This book was Moses last chance to remember the people of Israel, who they were, where they came from, and how they got where they were" ~an Excerpt from my Revolution Young Men Bible
This is a restatement of my spiritual life, I don't add date stamps in anyways but this has occurred over the last 5 years . Mainly reprints from journals and some added touches. Who was I in the beginning and who am I now?
Teenage boy at Sophomore year, I dated numerous girls none ever lasting more than two weeks. Seeking a reason as everyone, getting over my fated Christmas break contemplating the dark sides of life constantly, since my mind was not bothered by everyday things like school. The reason never hit. Some amazing girl, that I can not believe was a close friend once, and actually an ex-girlfriend, pushed me in the greatest direction of my life. Not listening and rebelling to seek any further into what she told me was happening. I did not become a christian quite than but I showed more interest in it, more interest in God
Then I got my drivers license. I went in to sort of I guess a date freak stage. I dated a girl, depression afterwards till I dated another, and after about three relationships I found myself unhappy and happy in all of them and they never lasted a week. I blamed my problems on false emotions and degraded myself as a way to say sorry, maybe not the best way to do it but it worked at the time, even if it was in my mind. I felt then that I should try to be single and not so dependent on relationships. I was not in relationship but I started flirting with almost any girl that would respond back to me. I kind of think this is the same or even worser then just dating one girl. I was sort of disgusted with myself.
Junior Year, I felt more reasoned, more secure with life, it being filled with more friends and homecoming was coming up. Never being to a dance before, I started flirting, and ultimately asking a girl to the dance. The way the person was used without her knowing. Not officially going out before the dance, we seemed to talk more and more. Messing with each others minds, and she invites me to Church. Oh josh, God, how I wanted to really know him and learn about that scene. I decided to go.
So I did yes to be with her but slightly, mainly to answer some of my questions. Know how I said I felt judged. I feel it even now but my youth leader told me once to not worry about people judging me and that the lord had something in store for me. This sort of made me feel weird. I did not really want to believe everything thrown at me. So I attended a few more weeks. Looking around I see the common sterotypes at the Church, the All-out, arms raised, full-fledged Worshippers. How I actually envied those people in the begginging to be like them. Now I know that more than likely its just all for show. The Reserved people, that sings the songs and agree, content with everything they hear, I do not know if they heeded the words as knowledge or anything. Than the ones like me, either completely respectful to whoever speaking or disregarding all the other life in the building just to talk to some girl. I felt I have to prove it inside and that is all, prove it to God not to all these people. Anyways like the youth leader says I do not have to worry about people judging me.
Many people usually who accept Christianity, do for the wrong reasons sometimes. The promises of life after death even if its heaven or hell, is a very wrong reason to accept Christianity. Now into what is like six months of being serious about all this I have relized that there is somethings that I had to get rid off but for the most point I keep my individuality. Even in the bible it says that we are called for the same thing but there is multiple ways of doing it.
Indirectly Lydia pushed me to Christ more than anybody yet directly trying to push me away from Relgion, with her being the lost Prodigal daughter now and probably most of our relationship her an away from God. She knew the bible more than me. At the time I could quote 2nd Corinthians 5:7 and that was it. The lessons I learned, sometimes I would find myself working with her to disprove the bible by using other quotes from the bible to do so. With her being my girlfriend, it was such an opposing force, but for some reason I had a hard choice to make.
The part where I said "pushing onward, pushing every hindarance aside, out of my way". I declared to myself I wanted to learn all this, yet I was hindering myself, and yet being with this girl I was hindering myself. The church I grew up in the critical period of my faith taught lessons, that I am now just making sense of. I figured that I would dump her finally, yet I still struggling if I wanted to give up this "quest" just to hug her the way I use to. Till I hear news, that my best friend asked her out not even a month after the break-up. I did not care about them doing that but then I found out she said yes, not my choice for her to make. Yes it hurt a lot. That is the point where I did not want her anymore. Looking back I am glad that I can add to this story she came back to the Lord.
I was scared since I was Christian that everybody had a stronger faith than me, and that hindered me but a friend said to me that, whats a faith not worth fighting for. That is how I felt about mine. I did not fully understand what it was supposed to be for but I knew I didnt want to give up for sure unless I did know. I think my faith is stronger than it was ever than back then.
"The Mighty Men and Women of God"
This phrase contains so much power. It has been used in so many ways that, It has so many effects on me. Battlecry! Yeah Those that went remember it, but do any of you remember what happened there. I just know that a group went there before me the previous year, and got charged for god but nothing happened for them. Some came back the second year excited, some still knew what they had, some need reassurance, some came frightened they would lose a love one. As the Mighty men and Woman of god, as Chrissi and Josh told us. I mean sure I know from what I have read at the time. Matthew, John, Corinthians. You would think with the new Testament that the Old Testament was completely void. Way out of reason, I learned this from Pastor Dan at the Fellowship Church. I was complaining about reading Leviticus and how useless it seemed, I also told this to my boss who reads her bible and encourages me. Awesome I know, but they both told me that Even though the part of Leviticus, like how many cows you need for said sin and stuff like that, was void because of what Jesus has done. They told me to focus on the other part, That God is serious about his worship. "What happened to the Mighty men and Women of God?" It pains me that I used to be leadership there and I sort of just let it fall apart, trusting that whatever was coming was better, I think that part of the problem with my struggle. I think one of my life calling is Youth Ministry, or atleast to some extent, mentoring peers.
The new preacher came into Four Square, Jerry by the name, Pentecostal his game. He seemed so caught up in the Law Issue, I forgot about the love. I learned in the beginning that God "LOVED" us that is why he gave his only beggoten son so that if we believe in him we will be saved. Isn't that what we all want? For Our soul to be saved, and to die knowing what happens next I figured that is what I wanted. That was why I first choose Christianity. I am glad I did not stop their. because then you start asking questions their and base it all upon what you know already instead of learning more.
The law, God set laws back in the old Testament. Been reading that for a challenge, people thinks its useless, but I think its equal to Jesus. Without it most of the New Testament would be meaningless actually. Leviticus gave me a good insight on that. I think its really amazing when you start tying in Old to New Testament, that is how I came to my revelation today. We are suppose to believe in a God that is loving, but yet disciples us. How is this love here, if there is so many numerous things bad happening. Simply I say sin.
The downfall being that by his love we are too free, and by the standards he sets in his laws we can never attain since we sin. This came to me today. That Jerry is based heavy on the law because that is something we all forget in the love. Just because we are in his loves does not mean we should go undisciplined for our sins, which again goes to why Jesus died. I am not in to Christianity anymore to get into heaven, or for the love of God.
I am in it for the road to be a Disciple. I believe that god gives us the right to become better, to show others the real love, to show laws, and have them coincide, the Law being broken by sin, will cause us to be Punished but by the Love we have mercy to live up to God Standards. I love the Righteous heart of God and that he is not based all of Law, or all on Love. Which makes the Old testament of Laws and little love, complete the almost oppisite New Testament, of Love and little laws
It was a lesson on my first week away from New Hope. The lesson showed that mentoring was better for one on one. That if you pour your life into one thing that it has a higher quality when you are done. Maybe if our youth were to form again, then each leader could mentor one or two kids, because the example was mentoring is like nursing and only two babies can be breastfeed at once. Maybe that could be a successful way to lead a youth Group. Take turns teaching lessons, teaching it to the other leaders, so that they can help their 1 to 2 people with questions and answers. After we pour out so much of our life to these people eventually they can start pouring time into Bible reading or other people to mentor. Battlecry was a good event, that did set me on the right tracks, but it was a rough terrain after that.
I like being the innocent guy that everyone loves to hang out with and just chill. The guy you go to when you need help, a word of advice when needed. Be the perfect representive of Christ, thats too bad that I jump the fence to much. Due to my own behavior though being on the wrong side of the fence I earn some horrible titles. Heartbreaker and even a worse one, Player. Being accussed of only wanting to get in girls pants because I made out with a few girls. I actually grew tired of how a treated girls and recently got rebuked for it again. A while back resolved to not put myself in those positions anymore to stop 1 on 1 confrontations with girls because of my behavior.
I have not done such horrible acts for a while about 3 months. I by chance got to date this wonderful girl. One of the best ones to influence my life as of late. Taught me to be more into prayer, and more in the word. Before we were dating we had almost Bible Study twice a week and it was something special the way we hung out. It was totally glorifying God. Got this idea to try being official boy and girlfriend. I let it into be casual everything. Instead of bible studies we just played Halo or watched a movie. It was in the begginning I learned her story and got some blessings out of it. I sort of shut God out of the relationship once it became official a horrible idea. A short lived relationship, and what she got out of it was feeling like she was used by a Playa.
Thats really heartbreaking because I was tired of being that guy. That is all she got out of the relationship, and was better off just staying as friends. Its sort of been haunting me, and thats why I decided to put it out there. Its humilating to me of what I have done and thats what God would plainly say is sin. Anything we would be humilated about so I rather it be in the open instead of some months along somebody is thinking I have been playing these girls all these months when I been clean of the addiction, or even if I fall back into it, then somebody could kick my ass and set me straight.
I do not do this out of pity. Nothing but asking forgiveness from those I have wronged in the past. If you don't then I am fine with that. In the past girls have sometimes been fine with it. A little slap on the wrist is not going to change me, it would not change anybody unless they made an utmost conscience decision to do it themselves. I have been a scumbag and I do not want to dress it up anymore with the pretty masquerade. This is over a year old, and I now need to remember my commitment. As of the new year as to not fall into any new relationship with wrong motives
Deuteronomy 4:31 "For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath."
My year has been good and bad. In the Lord I have learned more about personal disciple to keep doing things even when feelings are contrary God will give us the courage to do them.
I've read about how pray respects, honors, petitions and then praises God. This is found constant in many prayers of the bible though that is not a formula of prayer but it has a good structure to show amazing how God is instead of the "I need this, Lord" prayer. I've even found a clever way to bless my friends and others, and even found a old prayer I loved in Numbers. I've resolve to make it through the bible this year and going through Deuteronomy made me think about what got me here. Its been hard lessons. Who am I now? While I definitely know a lot more than the confused kid in the beginning of this entry, I am still capable of many the mistakes he made and still finding myself in trouble with my sin nature. I don't let it hold me so dearly and so as find myself talking with friends about Christ, ones that I thought would be disgusted of me talking about him. The lord will continue to bless us.
Numbers 6:24-26
“The LORD bless you
and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Dragged Away by Desires
James 1:12-18 "Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created."
When I read this the first thing that comes to mind is a movie called Bruce Almighty. The comedy where Bruce Nolan(played by Jim Carrey) feels like God tempts him, irks him, and even says 'God is like a mean kid on an anthill, burning ants with a magnifying glass. And I'm the ant.' God (played by Morgan Freeman) confronts him and allows Bruce to have 'god-like' powers to see if he could do better. Bruce soon found himself benefiting only himself. Later when he sat down being overwhelmed by prayers of the world or so he thought for he was only receiving ones in his city, eventually Bruce figures that if he answered everyones prayer the way they want that everything would be good but eventually finds the reverse. The city comes to the destructive forces and riots in the city. Eventually Bruce finds that things are better left in God's hands and life he had might of not been that bad. I rather enjoy this film actually.
The same story talks about different trials that we might face, even Bruce having the worst day of his life tried to shoo people away from a helpless man and ends up getting beat up and his car vandalized. I like to see it as us having that bad day, but sometimes its continual and everyday in our walk. Even if we stand up for the right thing we might be punished. No matter the consequences now though we just see a small frame of God's work, not God's big picture. "Having stood the test, that person will recieve the crown of life that the Lord promised to those who love him." It is sort of like a vaccine. In the short run, Needles hurt when they prick you, but in the long term we will not have to suffer various diseases.
This comes to a reassurance yet again of who God is. God is not a "wishy-washy" or like the wavering shadow but that God is a good gift giver. Giving us truth that we may be the first fruits of all that he created.
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created."
When I read this the first thing that comes to mind is a movie called Bruce Almighty. The comedy where Bruce Nolan(played by Jim Carrey) feels like God tempts him, irks him, and even says 'God is like a mean kid on an anthill, burning ants with a magnifying glass. And I'm the ant.' God (played by Morgan Freeman) confronts him and allows Bruce to have 'god-like' powers to see if he could do better. Bruce soon found himself benefiting only himself. Later when he sat down being overwhelmed by prayers of the world or so he thought for he was only receiving ones in his city, eventually Bruce figures that if he answered everyones prayer the way they want that everything would be good but eventually finds the reverse. The city comes to the destructive forces and riots in the city. Eventually Bruce finds that things are better left in God's hands and life he had might of not been that bad. I rather enjoy this film actually.
The same story talks about different trials that we might face, even Bruce having the worst day of his life tried to shoo people away from a helpless man and ends up getting beat up and his car vandalized. I like to see it as us having that bad day, but sometimes its continual and everyday in our walk. Even if we stand up for the right thing we might be punished. No matter the consequences now though we just see a small frame of God's work, not God's big picture. "Having stood the test, that person will recieve the crown of life that the Lord promised to those who love him." It is sort of like a vaccine. In the short run, Needles hurt when they prick you, but in the long term we will not have to suffer various diseases.
This comes to a reassurance yet again of who God is. God is not a "wishy-washy" or like the wavering shadow but that God is a good gift giver. Giving us truth that we may be the first fruits of all that he created.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Afterlife is not something to Worship
Revelations 21:3-5 "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new.'"
Here I open with an few verse from Revelations which talks about heaven and serves us good point to study revelations to know about the coming heaven, but even then knowing all the stuff in the bible will not serve a purpose unless we know the heart of it. There might be a reason why the bible usually refers to a Savior, and not to heaven. Without Christ the bible would be nothing but a waste of paper as Bob Kilpatrick said in service. The bible is not about getting to heaven, but knowing Christ.
I was riding in a car and we got to start talking about our views on religion, faith, and God. It was interesting to hear other peoples views so varied. I am aware of heaven being God's dwelling place, but the way people see heaven kind of worried me. It goes back I was probably the only Christian paying attention in the car, and I got to listen in on many things. Here are some sound bites of what I heard:
"What are your beliefs about God?"
"Well, I take an Agnostic view, there could possibly be a God, but can't really be proven."
"Oh I think there is not a God, I am atheist. When you die, you don't go anywhere, you just die"
"Don't you feel bad that you can't die and see your loved ones again?"
"Why do you have to believe in a God for there to be a heaven? I believe when we die their is a heaven waiting for us."
"All Christians do is good deeds to get to heaven, why can't they do Good to just do good?"
The whole time I was just trying to think of something witty to say to amaze them, to let them know God is not a heaven and is so much more than just an afterlife. Nothing came to mind, but now I wish I could of said this, "God is not meant to be a means to an end. God is our creator meant to bring meaning to our lives." An afterlife in heaven sounds swell but not the big picture. God gave us his only son so that we may build relationship with God again, and relationship with God is a transforming thing. We become a new creation, we learn to love properly, and do things out of love, not do good to attain heaven, or "pad our stats" like my friend said.
Hosea 13:14 “I will deliver this people from the power of the grave;
I will redeem them from death.
Where, O death, are your plagues?
Where, O grave, is your destruction?
Death in this life becomes something else, not a loss of consciousness, it becomes something fulfilling. We have the victory in Christ! We triumph over death! God is something more than just a person we need to know to get to heaven. God wants us to know him, and love him.
PostScript:
At this point I have to admit a fear that I petition with God a lot about death. Death is not suppose to scare a Christian, for I know the power that death holds because of our savior and the redemption that comes from it. This is a fear I think most have but do not want to admit, especially when even Christian peers might ask why I fear that. I try to not let it consume me, I usually keep my mind busy. You can give me your prayers that God will help give me the ease of mind and wisdom to not fear this anymore. I know that I should not, but knowing is sometimes not enough.
Here I open with an few verse from Revelations which talks about heaven and serves us good point to study revelations to know about the coming heaven, but even then knowing all the stuff in the bible will not serve a purpose unless we know the heart of it. There might be a reason why the bible usually refers to a Savior, and not to heaven. Without Christ the bible would be nothing but a waste of paper as Bob Kilpatrick said in service. The bible is not about getting to heaven, but knowing Christ.
I was riding in a car and we got to start talking about our views on religion, faith, and God. It was interesting to hear other peoples views so varied. I am aware of heaven being God's dwelling place, but the way people see heaven kind of worried me. It goes back I was probably the only Christian paying attention in the car, and I got to listen in on many things. Here are some sound bites of what I heard:
"What are your beliefs about God?"
"Well, I take an Agnostic view, there could possibly be a God, but can't really be proven."
"Oh I think there is not a God, I am atheist. When you die, you don't go anywhere, you just die"
"Don't you feel bad that you can't die and see your loved ones again?"
"Why do you have to believe in a God for there to be a heaven? I believe when we die their is a heaven waiting for us."
"All Christians do is good deeds to get to heaven, why can't they do Good to just do good?"
The whole time I was just trying to think of something witty to say to amaze them, to let them know God is not a heaven and is so much more than just an afterlife. Nothing came to mind, but now I wish I could of said this, "God is not meant to be a means to an end. God is our creator meant to bring meaning to our lives." An afterlife in heaven sounds swell but not the big picture. God gave us his only son so that we may build relationship with God again, and relationship with God is a transforming thing. We become a new creation, we learn to love properly, and do things out of love, not do good to attain heaven, or "pad our stats" like my friend said.
Hosea 13:14 “I will deliver this people from the power of the grave;
I will redeem them from death.
Where, O death, are your plagues?
Where, O grave, is your destruction?
Death in this life becomes something else, not a loss of consciousness, it becomes something fulfilling. We have the victory in Christ! We triumph over death! God is something more than just a person we need to know to get to heaven. God wants us to know him, and love him.
PostScript:
At this point I have to admit a fear that I petition with God a lot about death. Death is not suppose to scare a Christian, for I know the power that death holds because of our savior and the redemption that comes from it. This is a fear I think most have but do not want to admit, especially when even Christian peers might ask why I fear that. I try to not let it consume me, I usually keep my mind busy. You can give me your prayers that God will help give me the ease of mind and wisdom to not fear this anymore. I know that I should not, but knowing is sometimes not enough.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
We're all just Grass in God's Breath
James 1:9-11 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
Our mortality is something that is to remind us here, that even the believers in humble circumstances "will pass like a wild flower." While I dislike to say this myself, because I do not like to overgeneralize people but people of poverty or the "poor" will come to easier terms of leaving everything behind than the "rich". Thus they should take "pride in their high position" for they can accept God for where they are at in any earthy circumstances they are in.
"Rich" people are not to be treated like they are beyond any possible salvation because they might have a harder time realizing leave our possessions behind, which is why I think we fashion verses like Matthew 19:24, to put us apart from them that we could go to a "different heaven" than them. We think of the billionaires or millionaires, or those with a little more money than us. This view is horrible since the image of poor in America has turned to "we live paycheck to paycheck sliding by" and not "Do I get to eat today?"
The question I think lots of Christians are to ask themselves with verses like these is not quickly associate with the "good" one but see yourself as the one open for correction and improving upon faith. This makes me feel like I don't do enough, my financial security that I have might seems unstable at times, but what is a greater way to be humble in my own situation? SACRIFICE! James talks about taking pride in our humiliation, a rich man that gives away his "riches" of the world would be a significant change, anyone would have to agree to that. Its hard for any of us to just give something away, whether its money or help. The biggest changes of our lives are the biggest times to mature in Christ and serving others. When someone comes to this verse thinking themselves as the "rich" that could become "poorer" with Christ I think its a more humbling experience than claiming, "Yeah, I am poor so I'll have to ignore the rest of the verse"
Isiah 40:6-8
A voice says, “Cry out.”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the LORD blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God stands forever.”
James mirrors Isiah closely here so I felt it ideal to also post Isiah. One thing I have to say is I have troubles talking about verses pertaining to money, and such so I am totally looking for help upon any of these verses as I go through James. I do have a book with a commentary over this which Pastor Nate borrowed to me and might update it even with notes from it.
Plugging in a Cool site to visit, www.facelessinternational.com, aims to fight some of the social injustices in the world. Giving you both small and huge things to thing about, and how some small change today would equal the big change tomorrow.
Our mortality is something that is to remind us here, that even the believers in humble circumstances "will pass like a wild flower." While I dislike to say this myself, because I do not like to overgeneralize people but people of poverty or the "poor" will come to easier terms of leaving everything behind than the "rich". Thus they should take "pride in their high position" for they can accept God for where they are at in any earthy circumstances they are in.
"Rich" people are not to be treated like they are beyond any possible salvation because they might have a harder time realizing leave our possessions behind, which is why I think we fashion verses like Matthew 19:24, to put us apart from them that we could go to a "different heaven" than them. We think of the billionaires or millionaires, or those with a little more money than us. This view is horrible since the image of poor in America has turned to "we live paycheck to paycheck sliding by" and not "Do I get to eat today?"
The question I think lots of Christians are to ask themselves with verses like these is not quickly associate with the "good" one but see yourself as the one open for correction and improving upon faith. This makes me feel like I don't do enough, my financial security that I have might seems unstable at times, but what is a greater way to be humble in my own situation? SACRIFICE! James talks about taking pride in our humiliation, a rich man that gives away his "riches" of the world would be a significant change, anyone would have to agree to that. Its hard for any of us to just give something away, whether its money or help. The biggest changes of our lives are the biggest times to mature in Christ and serving others. When someone comes to this verse thinking themselves as the "rich" that could become "poorer" with Christ I think its a more humbling experience than claiming, "Yeah, I am poor so I'll have to ignore the rest of the verse"
Isiah 40:6-8
A voice says, “Cry out.”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the LORD blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God stands forever.”
James mirrors Isiah closely here so I felt it ideal to also post Isiah. One thing I have to say is I have troubles talking about verses pertaining to money, and such so I am totally looking for help upon any of these verses as I go through James. I do have a book with a commentary over this which Pastor Nate borrowed to me and might update it even with notes from it.
Plugging in a Cool site to visit, www.facelessinternational.com, aims to fight some of the social injustices in the world. Giving you both small and huge things to thing about, and how some small change today would equal the big change tomorrow.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
KNOWING The Contrasting Knowings
James 1:5-8
5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
This has been a struggle with me over the last few days when I first read these verse. I felt something trying to affect me but I just could not find meaning to it or ideas to process. I first wrote that I am a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. Why? I feel that way so I'll start by being honest to myself. We know we would like things this way specifically but will compromise to another idea instead of adhering to the original plans. I then starting talking about my own prayer life about how I understand God could do amazing things through prayer but he might not do them for me also that we can at anytime ask God for more wisdom. Practically thats what I said word for word on my first visit to this verse but now I feel the idea of what James was going for here in this opening statement.
I was that double minded man. James goes so far as pointing fingers I would say quickly in this verse. James says that "[we] should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault." A hard switch from what he first states to put up the good fight even through the trials to making us feel the conviction about our character. James goes on a lot throughout most of this book that Christians should walk with integrity and anything less is hypocritical. Feels judgmental in a view to a new Christian most likely but when you are so far in the walk as someone such as me, this is like, "Seriously, I know this rock is there, why am I still forcing myself to stumble over it." This could be in numerous situations but the conviction that hits me is this was in response to how people pray.
We ask in belief that it will be given to us. It being Wisdom here not ANYTHING which is what lots of people hear that if you "believe" enough it will be given to you. This is completing in regards to wisdom in the Lord, if I understand God at all is that Wisdom is something that God would love to give without reserve but when we come to him in the double minded manner of yes, God can do this, but is he really? To put it another way:God could do amazing things through prayer but he might not do them for me. Look familiar? God wants us to be confident in asking something such as this. Even reminds me a little of this verse.
Luke 11:11 "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?"
If we ask God in good faith for something like Wisdom, I don't think he would hold it back, especially if its something to understand and improve our character and walk with God especially asked in humility. Why can't we put that into practice? Its not that hard, we understand it, know that its happened plenty of times to others around us and even other stories in the bible. We can "Yes we know lots about God," but when talking the talk comes to walking the walk, we seem to have our faces grinding on the dirt. Pastor Kevin even explaining it to me that we know God, but we must KNOW God. Its easy to get a bullet list out and start creating a God, to give concrete form to the miraculous unseen God, even further disrespecting him. What does it come down is we believe but we must overcome our unbelief. WHAT?! See how James was talking about this double minded man, this statement sums it up pretty well, written out its confusing but I am sure you come to a sense of understanding from it.
Mark 9:21-29
Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?"
"From childhood," he answered. "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."
" 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."
The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He's dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"
He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer."
This kind can only come out only by prayer. Speaking of the man's honesty in his belief and contrasting nature inside him and its even a quality with the disciples who also had this issue of unbelief to heal, move mountains, and drive out demons. The first spot is realizing we again are trying to form this concrete idea of God to live by, but God is not a bulleted list. We must acknowledge who he really is and break down in prayer to break down out unbelief that we carry. Prayer is always first, nothing serves its rightful purpose if its outside of God's Grace.
I can Only Imagine what God will be like but I will not be able to fully grasp who he really is here.
5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
This has been a struggle with me over the last few days when I first read these verse. I felt something trying to affect me but I just could not find meaning to it or ideas to process. I first wrote that I am a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. Why? I feel that way so I'll start by being honest to myself. We know we would like things this way specifically but will compromise to another idea instead of adhering to the original plans. I then starting talking about my own prayer life about how I understand God could do amazing things through prayer but he might not do them for me also that we can at anytime ask God for more wisdom. Practically thats what I said word for word on my first visit to this verse but now I feel the idea of what James was going for here in this opening statement.
I was that double minded man. James goes so far as pointing fingers I would say quickly in this verse. James says that "[we] should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault." A hard switch from what he first states to put up the good fight even through the trials to making us feel the conviction about our character. James goes on a lot throughout most of this book that Christians should walk with integrity and anything less is hypocritical. Feels judgmental in a view to a new Christian most likely but when you are so far in the walk as someone such as me, this is like, "Seriously, I know this rock is there, why am I still forcing myself to stumble over it." This could be in numerous situations but the conviction that hits me is this was in response to how people pray.
We ask in belief that it will be given to us. It being Wisdom here not ANYTHING which is what lots of people hear that if you "believe" enough it will be given to you. This is completing in regards to wisdom in the Lord, if I understand God at all is that Wisdom is something that God would love to give without reserve but when we come to him in the double minded manner of yes, God can do this, but is he really? To put it another way:God could do amazing things through prayer but he might not do them for me. Look familiar? God wants us to be confident in asking something such as this. Even reminds me a little of this verse.
Luke 11:11 "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?"
If we ask God in good faith for something like Wisdom, I don't think he would hold it back, especially if its something to understand and improve our character and walk with God especially asked in humility. Why can't we put that into practice? Its not that hard, we understand it, know that its happened plenty of times to others around us and even other stories in the bible. We can "Yes we know lots about God," but when talking the talk comes to walking the walk, we seem to have our faces grinding on the dirt. Pastor Kevin even explaining it to me that we know God, but we must KNOW God. Its easy to get a bullet list out and start creating a God, to give concrete form to the miraculous unseen God, even further disrespecting him. What does it come down is we believe but we must overcome our unbelief. WHAT?! See how James was talking about this double minded man, this statement sums it up pretty well, written out its confusing but I am sure you come to a sense of understanding from it.
Mark 9:21-29
Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?"
"From childhood," he answered. "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."
" 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."
The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He's dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"
He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer."
This kind can only come out only by prayer. Speaking of the man's honesty in his belief and contrasting nature inside him and its even a quality with the disciples who also had this issue of unbelief to heal, move mountains, and drive out demons. The first spot is realizing we again are trying to form this concrete idea of God to live by, but God is not a bulleted list. We must acknowledge who he really is and break down in prayer to break down out unbelief that we carry. Prayer is always first, nothing serves its rightful purpose if its outside of God's Grace.
I can Only Imagine what God will be like but I will not be able to fully grasp who he really is here.
Monday, October 25, 2010
The Study of James Starts Now
James 1:1
"James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:
Greetings."
James was the brother of Jesus, in earthly terms, and wrote this to many of the Christians scattered throughout the lands that faced heavy persecution, so bad as they probably lived meagerly and sometimes even running from people intended on taking their life. This message was written for Christians everywhere and applies even today though we might now be in such bad terms as those he wrote it too it still gives us great insight into our walk, I would even say to those confused about what living for Christ really meant. Who else joined Christianity thinking it was easy street here on?
James 1:2-4 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
Maybe easy street if you find "trials of many kinds" enjoyable? To talk in this tone about it upsets me, for these trials he referred to of that time correlate to many horrors done now. We just don't see it here. The first thing that sticks out to me is that we are to consider it PURE JOY when facing these trials. Seriously we are suppose to be enjoying possibly being killed, harmed, or ridiculed? Sounds like something hard to grasp but it comes at a part about the 'power to serve under' has a greater power over the "power over." Scared for your life, a man holding a gun to your head might persuade you, but does not transform your heart or just create hate for them? Thats what the power over creates is this hateful society, but the one Jesus laid down uses love and serves them.
Like the story Pastor Nate said about the Christians Soldiers forced to stand on this lake in the middle of a storm, given the choice to renounce faith and get warm or die. Out of the 40 on the lake only 1 of them choose to get warm. Another soldier not of the 40 was so moved by their faith that he stripped his clothes to go stand with them singing praises to God. I don't know the source of this story but why can't our faith be like that, Something about having immovable faith gains respect among people so far that many find our faith attractive for that reason alone.
The next thing that spoke to me was what was spoke about perseverance brought to us by those trials. "Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Christian life from this verse does not make it seem so "easy or happy" but rather that our maturity comes out of serving others and experiencing the "pains" that might come through it. Witnessing requires lots of sacrifice, such as comfort, luxury, and even up to your life.
This will be a start of a study through James. I feel moved to finish studying it in this manner and might have to make references in future ones so please keep in prayer and maybe studying along side with me. Their is a lot of stuff packed into such few verses that I decided to cut this off at verse 4 instead of my original 8 verses. Since Nevada is pushing its annual rainfall this year I was thinking aboutGrace Like Rain worship song. Hope you enjoy.
"James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:
Greetings."
James was the brother of Jesus, in earthly terms, and wrote this to many of the Christians scattered throughout the lands that faced heavy persecution, so bad as they probably lived meagerly and sometimes even running from people intended on taking their life. This message was written for Christians everywhere and applies even today though we might now be in such bad terms as those he wrote it too it still gives us great insight into our walk, I would even say to those confused about what living for Christ really meant. Who else joined Christianity thinking it was easy street here on?
James 1:2-4 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
Maybe easy street if you find "trials of many kinds" enjoyable? To talk in this tone about it upsets me, for these trials he referred to of that time correlate to many horrors done now. We just don't see it here. The first thing that sticks out to me is that we are to consider it PURE JOY when facing these trials. Seriously we are suppose to be enjoying possibly being killed, harmed, or ridiculed? Sounds like something hard to grasp but it comes at a part about the 'power to serve under' has a greater power over the "power over." Scared for your life, a man holding a gun to your head might persuade you, but does not transform your heart or just create hate for them? Thats what the power over creates is this hateful society, but the one Jesus laid down uses love and serves them.
Like the story Pastor Nate said about the Christians Soldiers forced to stand on this lake in the middle of a storm, given the choice to renounce faith and get warm or die. Out of the 40 on the lake only 1 of them choose to get warm. Another soldier not of the 40 was so moved by their faith that he stripped his clothes to go stand with them singing praises to God. I don't know the source of this story but why can't our faith be like that, Something about having immovable faith gains respect among people so far that many find our faith attractive for that reason alone.
The next thing that spoke to me was what was spoke about perseverance brought to us by those trials. "Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Christian life from this verse does not make it seem so "easy or happy" but rather that our maturity comes out of serving others and experiencing the "pains" that might come through it. Witnessing requires lots of sacrifice, such as comfort, luxury, and even up to your life.
This will be a start of a study through James. I feel moved to finish studying it in this manner and might have to make references in future ones so please keep in prayer and maybe studying along side with me. Their is a lot of stuff packed into such few verses that I decided to cut this off at verse 4 instead of my original 8 verses. Since Nevada is pushing its annual rainfall this year I was thinking aboutGrace Like Rain worship song. Hope you enjoy.
Now that I have all the Power...
... lets wash some dirty feet.
John 13:3-5 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
What Jesus displays here is not just some task anyone did, it was people of lower status who were to wash the feet of guests. This is why the disciples respond in such a way of wondering why he would do this. First Jesus knows that "the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God," meaning that he knew what was coming soon(that being crucification), and that he had all power to stop it. Knowing all this, and having all power, his first choice is to wash some smelly feet.
The Kingdom of God is a confusing thing to us but in this wonderful way. Its something that we don't understand but can see it working and in the confusion makes sense. Jesus taught us how to be followers of himself and it wasn't this amass knowledge, money, or looks. It was being a servant to others out of love. Not how many Christians, such as me, clenching our teeth and saying I love you. Its a genuine love. This is 'power from serving under' instead of expressing 'power with force over.' Ideally love is serving others, and thats hard for us to grasp since we are out for our own, only giving others what they "deserve." That is not the love that God taught us.
John 13:13- 17 "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."
John 13:3-5 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
What Jesus displays here is not just some task anyone did, it was people of lower status who were to wash the feet of guests. This is why the disciples respond in such a way of wondering why he would do this. First Jesus knows that "the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God," meaning that he knew what was coming soon(that being crucification), and that he had all power to stop it. Knowing all this, and having all power, his first choice is to wash some smelly feet.
The Kingdom of God is a confusing thing to us but in this wonderful way. Its something that we don't understand but can see it working and in the confusion makes sense. Jesus taught us how to be followers of himself and it wasn't this amass knowledge, money, or looks. It was being a servant to others out of love. Not how many Christians, such as me, clenching our teeth and saying I love you. Its a genuine love. This is 'power from serving under' instead of expressing 'power with force over.' Ideally love is serving others, and thats hard for us to grasp since we are out for our own, only giving others what they "deserve." That is not the love that God taught us.
John 13:13- 17 "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."
Friday, October 8, 2010
Dark is the Way, Light is the Place
Psalm 43:1-5 " Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause
against an ungodly people,
from the deceitful and unjust man
deliver me!
For you are the God in whom I take refuge;
why have you rejected me?
Why do I go about mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?
Send out your light and your truth;
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill
and to your dwelling!
Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God my exceeding joy,
and I will praise you with the lyre,
O God, my God.
Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God."
Recently I went to a concert for Anberlin, and I got this shirt from their new Album. It states Dark is the Way, Light is the Place. It got me thinking about how I viewed darkness and light. Video Games will put obvious indicators that light means good and darkness is bad. I take that same stand but with the needed adjustment that God is light.
I've been through a lot recently beating myself up about my character and who I want to be or really who does God want me to be? Turning 21 next month, finishing my Associates next semester and not knowing what I really want to be still. Really all I knew about my future was that it seemed dark and murky, not something amazing and to look forward too. Each day it was new plans and my spiritual growth was stunted. The guard I had up, my evangelistic skills were of changing faith into this convincing "sell-able" idea and not something connected to emotions and the entirety of my being as Jesus Christ should be. My want to help others was a mission to help someone for them to gain happiness since I could not find my own, not from my desire to truly help people as a Man of God (again where was I hiding this guy?). I had no surrender what so ever in my walk, instead of going to God for vindication in ALL THINGS. As my friend Benny says, "Let go and let God!" We need to let God be the one that guides us, so we can be a light onto others.
I wanted to do all these things for myself and be selfish, knowing the word and losing the application since I want to do it my way first before I listen to God or even pray about it. Seemed fine to do at first, thats only the justification we seek in ourselves or peers until I just started talking about myself in the most honest way that I could to a former youth pastor of mine. We are our own worst critics, and I am almost the epitome of that saying. In turn I was shocked at how I went about problem solving, I went from explaining things I hate about "Bad Christians" and it turned into me describing stuff about myself I though was fine. The two lists were too similar. My friend said I was similar to the Israelites, and that I shouldn't spend my time wandering about the desert fighting God every bit of the way when I know he is Lord with my best interests at hand.
Psalm 23:4 "Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me."
I found myself in the darkness. Not knowingly submitting myself to this force to suppress what I am capable through Christ. I was sitting with no motivation in the future. Darkness became the place I sat, depressed and emotionally spent. I didn't care about anything. Darkness isn't suppose to be the place we are. We seek our refuge in God, as he lives within us. God is the Light so we can be the Light for others. LIGHT IS THE PLACE, our destination, that we thrive in for we are in fellowship with Christ. Everyone is walking around with a candle in their hands stumbling around in the dark for they do not know the light, why then knowing the light cover it up and try my own way? That's right, I am done being selfish. Let me follow the path you set before me Lord.
1 John 5-7 "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."
I recommend listening to Wavorly's "How Have we Come This Far" I think I want to start doing this as an addition to my blogs.
against an ungodly people,
from the deceitful and unjust man
deliver me!
For you are the God in whom I take refuge;
why have you rejected me?
Why do I go about mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?
Send out your light and your truth;
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill
and to your dwelling!
Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God my exceeding joy,
and I will praise you with the lyre,
O God, my God.
Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God."
Recently I went to a concert for Anberlin, and I got this shirt from their new Album. It states Dark is the Way, Light is the Place. It got me thinking about how I viewed darkness and light. Video Games will put obvious indicators that light means good and darkness is bad. I take that same stand but with the needed adjustment that God is light.
I've been through a lot recently beating myself up about my character and who I want to be or really who does God want me to be? Turning 21 next month, finishing my Associates next semester and not knowing what I really want to be still. Really all I knew about my future was that it seemed dark and murky, not something amazing and to look forward too. Each day it was new plans and my spiritual growth was stunted. The guard I had up, my evangelistic skills were of changing faith into this convincing "sell-able" idea and not something connected to emotions and the entirety of my being as Jesus Christ should be. My want to help others was a mission to help someone for them to gain happiness since I could not find my own, not from my desire to truly help people as a Man of God (again where was I hiding this guy?). I had no surrender what so ever in my walk, instead of going to God for vindication in ALL THINGS. As my friend Benny says, "Let go and let God!" We need to let God be the one that guides us, so we can be a light onto others.
I wanted to do all these things for myself and be selfish, knowing the word and losing the application since I want to do it my way first before I listen to God or even pray about it. Seemed fine to do at first, thats only the justification we seek in ourselves or peers until I just started talking about myself in the most honest way that I could to a former youth pastor of mine. We are our own worst critics, and I am almost the epitome of that saying. In turn I was shocked at how I went about problem solving, I went from explaining things I hate about "Bad Christians" and it turned into me describing stuff about myself I though was fine. The two lists were too similar. My friend said I was similar to the Israelites, and that I shouldn't spend my time wandering about the desert fighting God every bit of the way when I know he is Lord with my best interests at hand.
Psalm 23:4 "Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me."
I found myself in the darkness. Not knowingly submitting myself to this force to suppress what I am capable through Christ. I was sitting with no motivation in the future. Darkness became the place I sat, depressed and emotionally spent. I didn't care about anything. Darkness isn't suppose to be the place we are. We seek our refuge in God, as he lives within us. God is the Light so we can be the Light for others. LIGHT IS THE PLACE, our destination, that we thrive in for we are in fellowship with Christ. Everyone is walking around with a candle in their hands stumbling around in the dark for they do not know the light, why then knowing the light cover it up and try my own way? That's right, I am done being selfish. Let me follow the path you set before me Lord.
1 John 5-7 "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."
I recommend listening to Wavorly's "How Have we Come This Far" I think I want to start doing this as an addition to my blogs.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Going Green the way to Heaven
I use to ask what Heaven would be like, what will it be, but I didn't think of where would it be? It points back to my funny thoughts of the cloudy land with the pearly white gates with Peter acting as the Bouncer again. Where could it be really, then I found something that might suggest its not a physical place that we go to once we die. Not a place? What do you mean, its the Kingdom of God, Heaven right? Oh my goodness freak out now or hold on and listen to this.
I have never liked the idea of us disappearing and turning up in Heaven in the clouds. I mean why would God even create Earth then as wonderful as it is just to run us through some tests? Genesis is something that will tie into this idea, since God created everything and ended by saying "that it is good." Why would he want to destroy his creation? It adds even another point that it depresses me a little to be talking with a Christian friend and they talk about how they already want to be swept of this planet and go to heaven with Jesus. Why can't they appreciate the creation that God put us on to begin with or even why would Jesus even bother returning to Earth if we are to just be swept up into Heaven? Its one of the parts of me that I don't really mention to them since I know the arguments that could follow.
Romans 8:20-23 "For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies."
I've read this passage over and never really understood it, reading over it without really looking inward to how it affected me. Pastor Nate, John Stott (The Radical Disciple) N.T. Wright (Jesus is Coming- Plant a Tree!) gave more insight to these verse as to not take all the credit.
The creation is not this living deity to be clear about that but I think it talks in a poetic thought as to personify the creation to display a point(maybe I am wrong but I will personify it as to make it easier to explain). The question now is who subjected the creation? First, we know God made the creation as Psalm 24:1 states "The earth is the Lord's" and second we know God left it in our care for "the earth he has given to humankind (Psalm 115:16)." After the fall, humankind become subjected to sin and thus all things under him would be effected by it, and in this example the earth was left in our care and begins in suffering from our infliction too. The creation waits in groaning also as "groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." The earth would greatly benefit from us trying to treat it better now, also as our bodies have redemption. I think tis showing the belief that our body is going to be transformed and might even suggest the earth will go through this transformation in the "adoption"
Sounds like God has some plans for earth, and since its not some deity or person it can not act of its own accord to fix itself but that as it was left in our care it is our duty to make it better just as we try to improve ourselves through Christ. I like this idea more than the "Why bother with this world, if we go to Heaven," Maybe next time I will give a small retort, "Why bother being 'Good', since I am saved by Grace?" My last word will be from the Lord's prayer, that does not affirm that I am right but to give you something to pray about and reflect upon. For in the Lord's Prayer it says "Your Kingdom Come, Your will be done, as on earth as it is in heaven," should help us see that something we do in this world will affect the Kingdom of God, whether heaven is coming to earth or if heaven is some place we are swept of too.
I have never liked the idea of us disappearing and turning up in Heaven in the clouds. I mean why would God even create Earth then as wonderful as it is just to run us through some tests? Genesis is something that will tie into this idea, since God created everything and ended by saying "that it is good." Why would he want to destroy his creation? It adds even another point that it depresses me a little to be talking with a Christian friend and they talk about how they already want to be swept of this planet and go to heaven with Jesus. Why can't they appreciate the creation that God put us on to begin with or even why would Jesus even bother returning to Earth if we are to just be swept up into Heaven? Its one of the parts of me that I don't really mention to them since I know the arguments that could follow.
Romans 8:20-23 "For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies."
I've read this passage over and never really understood it, reading over it without really looking inward to how it affected me. Pastor Nate, John Stott (The Radical Disciple) N.T. Wright (Jesus is Coming- Plant a Tree!) gave more insight to these verse as to not take all the credit.
The creation is not this living deity to be clear about that but I think it talks in a poetic thought as to personify the creation to display a point(maybe I am wrong but I will personify it as to make it easier to explain). The question now is who subjected the creation? First, we know God made the creation as Psalm 24:1 states "The earth is the Lord's" and second we know God left it in our care for "the earth he has given to humankind (Psalm 115:16)." After the fall, humankind become subjected to sin and thus all things under him would be effected by it, and in this example the earth was left in our care and begins in suffering from our infliction too. The creation waits in groaning also as "groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." The earth would greatly benefit from us trying to treat it better now, also as our bodies have redemption. I think tis showing the belief that our body is going to be transformed and might even suggest the earth will go through this transformation in the "adoption"
Sounds like God has some plans for earth, and since its not some deity or person it can not act of its own accord to fix itself but that as it was left in our care it is our duty to make it better just as we try to improve ourselves through Christ. I like this idea more than the "Why bother with this world, if we go to Heaven," Maybe next time I will give a small retort, "Why bother being 'Good', since I am saved by Grace?" My last word will be from the Lord's prayer, that does not affirm that I am right but to give you something to pray about and reflect upon. For in the Lord's Prayer it says "Your Kingdom Come, Your will be done, as on earth as it is in heaven," should help us see that something we do in this world will affect the Kingdom of God, whether heaven is coming to earth or if heaven is some place we are swept of too.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Children are Blessings
The church I am currently attending has this atmosphere, that I love. This makes me a little upset at myself but in strange ways. God is God. Not an idea or some experience that makes me feel good. I don't like saying I like one church over another for that matter. People will be able to meet God wherever they are, a certain church will not save you, nor any denomination. We only have one savior, Jesus Christ, so do not be confused when I say that I love the church's atmosphere.
This atmosphere of my current church reminds me greatly of the first church that I came to know God more intimately and first learn for myself about Jesus, when I was first a faith baby(haha). Everyone knew my name, and I knew a great deal of theirs(a feat since I am bad with names), and it wasn't just like brownie points for knowing their name. I might of not been praying so well for my church family, but I know that I was definitely in lots of prayers in that church, and I am thankful for that. Worship was WORSHIP! You could feel it something amazing around it, and here I go again thinking, I am just explaining an experience. Everyone was an integral part of the church and it felt good to be concluded, safe, and loved. It meant something to call them a church family. The family there reminded me oof the functioning body of the church.
1 Corinthians 12:14-18 "Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot would say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear would say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God has arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose."
What happened to that Zach? That Zach was eager to be a part of anything, youth group, and even learn to play bass for worship, I even played live worship. I even gave up driving my car for two weeks so I could save up the money to buy my first bass guitar. I still have my dedication prayer written down for it. That was so wonderful, I still think there is nothing better way to love God than those heartfelt prayer worship songs, playing my out of tune notes or offbeat, just knowing I was giving what I could to God. That Zach knew a little bit about God, definitely not so much as he does now but what is stopping me from going towards these thing in my current church?
To find easy blame I could say I fell into a comfort zone because I am too scared because of the experience I had leaving my first church when it came under new leadership. Now I know that is no excuse, I am responsible for my faith in action. It took a little push maybe, and I just thought it was in the most amazing way. I always sit in the same spot, talk to the same people(superficial stuff "Hello, My Name is Zach." "Oh, I'm doing fine"). Worship based on my feelings(bad idea far from what I use to do during musical worship) louder if I feel good, mouthing the words if I feel horrible that day. Take notes on the Sermon, maybe a few of my own, get sidetracked maybe reading something else.
Matthew 18:10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven."
Something happened last Sunday that I found myself laughing at myself for and I am glad it happened. The children stayed in the sanctuary this week. This mother that usually sits in the row in front of me sat in the same row. Her kids always sit to the right of her, but this week they were in the same row as me. Guess what happens? One of her children steal my seat while we are standing for worship. Since this happened, I found myself smiling all week. It was grand, I sat next to this lady, and I feel bad that I don't remember her name, she was so awesome and motherly to me. It felt awesome, God's love should shine through us and I felt it right there.
These children did not steal my seat out of spite, and I am not mad at them for taking "my spot." I found it kind of awesome that my perspective changed so much from a simple action. Moving 1 row back and throwing myself into "unknown" territory gave me a chance to be a better part of the functioning church, rather than some tumor sitting inside it.
Matthew 18:2-6 "And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."
This atmosphere of my current church reminds me greatly of the first church that I came to know God more intimately and first learn for myself about Jesus, when I was first a faith baby(haha). Everyone knew my name, and I knew a great deal of theirs(a feat since I am bad with names), and it wasn't just like brownie points for knowing their name. I might of not been praying so well for my church family, but I know that I was definitely in lots of prayers in that church, and I am thankful for that. Worship was WORSHIP! You could feel it something amazing around it, and here I go again thinking, I am just explaining an experience. Everyone was an integral part of the church and it felt good to be concluded, safe, and loved. It meant something to call them a church family. The family there reminded me oof the functioning body of the church.
1 Corinthians 12:14-18 "Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot would say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear would say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God has arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose."
What happened to that Zach? That Zach was eager to be a part of anything, youth group, and even learn to play bass for worship, I even played live worship. I even gave up driving my car for two weeks so I could save up the money to buy my first bass guitar. I still have my dedication prayer written down for it. That was so wonderful, I still think there is nothing better way to love God than those heartfelt prayer worship songs, playing my out of tune notes or offbeat, just knowing I was giving what I could to God. That Zach knew a little bit about God, definitely not so much as he does now but what is stopping me from going towards these thing in my current church?
To find easy blame I could say I fell into a comfort zone because I am too scared because of the experience I had leaving my first church when it came under new leadership. Now I know that is no excuse, I am responsible for my faith in action. It took a little push maybe, and I just thought it was in the most amazing way. I always sit in the same spot, talk to the same people(superficial stuff "Hello, My Name is Zach." "Oh, I'm doing fine"). Worship based on my feelings(bad idea far from what I use to do during musical worship) louder if I feel good, mouthing the words if I feel horrible that day. Take notes on the Sermon, maybe a few of my own, get sidetracked maybe reading something else.
Matthew 18:10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven."
Something happened last Sunday that I found myself laughing at myself for and I am glad it happened. The children stayed in the sanctuary this week. This mother that usually sits in the row in front of me sat in the same row. Her kids always sit to the right of her, but this week they were in the same row as me. Guess what happens? One of her children steal my seat while we are standing for worship. Since this happened, I found myself smiling all week. It was grand, I sat next to this lady, and I feel bad that I don't remember her name, she was so awesome and motherly to me. It felt awesome, God's love should shine through us and I felt it right there.
These children did not steal my seat out of spite, and I am not mad at them for taking "my spot." I found it kind of awesome that my perspective changed so much from a simple action. Moving 1 row back and throwing myself into "unknown" territory gave me a chance to be a better part of the functioning church, rather than some tumor sitting inside it.
Matthew 18:2-6 "And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Even if I'm Standing in the Fire
Here with Me by Everyday Sunday
You said that You hold the earth and moon
And I know that the morning bows to You
So when the water rushes over me
You'll be there to pull me from the deep
I believe that You are
Everything You say You are
I will follow You forever
Even if I'm standing in the fire
I believe, I believe and I have seen
I believe, I believe You're here with me
You said that Your light would chase the dark
Your love for me was written in the scars
So if I'm feeling paralyzed with fear
I know that You'll never leave me stranded here
I wanna be where You are
You carried me this far
I fell in love with a worship song but as you can tell I have already emphasized "Standing in the Fire". It is a good heartfelt worship and reminds me of 3 guys, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. These guys were at a point in life were many advisors to the King tried to indirectly kill people. The King set up a command that whoever does not worship the Golden Idols would be put into a blazing furnace. Its an awesome story so I rather you read it then I spoil it.
Daniel 3:9-30 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever! 10 You have issued a decree, O king, that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, O king. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up."
13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?"
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?"
They replied, "Certainly, O king."
25 He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!"
So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way."
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
Many of my friends have been talking about Faith following government or faith versus Government and I think this is a good example as well as most of what happens in Daniel(a prophet who follows God faithfully and through his actions helps people find God and serves as a high government official). Government is definitely suppose to be follow as many people will start quoting Romans 13. Romans does a good job about living in faith but I think Daniel gives a good perspective of when we are not suppose to follow laws by Government, when it directly conflicts with the laws and commands God gives us. These man are faithful to follow God even threatened with burning in a Furnace. That faith amazed me and why I liked this song so much. It reminded me to go back and just reflect on this story. The fourth man is unknown but speculated to be an angel or even Christ himself, alas I do not know but definitely God's work is there when men thrown into this furnace walk around like nothing is happening. Any Christian should be able to want that faith, unwavering so much that people are amazed by our faithfulness and devotion to our cause they must find out what it is all about.
You said that You hold the earth and moon
And I know that the morning bows to You
So when the water rushes over me
You'll be there to pull me from the deep
I believe that You are
Everything You say You are
I will follow You forever
Even if I'm standing in the fire
I believe, I believe and I have seen
I believe, I believe You're here with me
You said that Your light would chase the dark
Your love for me was written in the scars
So if I'm feeling paralyzed with fear
I know that You'll never leave me stranded here
I wanna be where You are
You carried me this far
I fell in love with a worship song but as you can tell I have already emphasized "Standing in the Fire". It is a good heartfelt worship and reminds me of 3 guys, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. These guys were at a point in life were many advisors to the King tried to indirectly kill people. The King set up a command that whoever does not worship the Golden Idols would be put into a blazing furnace. Its an awesome story so I rather you read it then I spoil it.
Daniel 3:9-30 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever! 10 You have issued a decree, O king, that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, O king. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up."
13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?"
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?"
They replied, "Certainly, O king."
25 He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!"
So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way."
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
Many of my friends have been talking about Faith following government or faith versus Government and I think this is a good example as well as most of what happens in Daniel(a prophet who follows God faithfully and through his actions helps people find God and serves as a high government official). Government is definitely suppose to be follow as many people will start quoting Romans 13. Romans does a good job about living in faith but I think Daniel gives a good perspective of when we are not suppose to follow laws by Government, when it directly conflicts with the laws and commands God gives us. These man are faithful to follow God even threatened with burning in a Furnace. That faith amazed me and why I liked this song so much. It reminded me to go back and just reflect on this story. The fourth man is unknown but speculated to be an angel or even Christ himself, alas I do not know but definitely God's work is there when men thrown into this furnace walk around like nothing is happening. Any Christian should be able to want that faith, unwavering so much that people are amazed by our faithfulness and devotion to our cause they must find out what it is all about.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
When the World Crumbles is Hope Left?
Hearing crying and slamming on the door, I knock on the bathroom door and ask if she is okay. She comes out crying and asks how could someone go on with a lie for two years and mess with her emotions in such a way. As I try to hug her tears away she goes on about how he took everything from her, since they shared their lives together all this time and now he says he was a fake. She asks me:
"How am I suppose to have hope?"
I couldn't give an answer to her. At least not on that made sense at the time. I know my hope is in Christ I do not understand how there is any hope in any other thing. That is not something I could tell someone who had disbelief in God. The best secular answer I could come up with was live today and hope tomorrow is better. That is still very depressing when given thought to for a long time. God had something for me the next day at church. Pastor Nate (http://naterhoads.wordpress.com/author/naterhoads/) had a message from Ecclesiastes. It taught me of this same message that life is very hard, bleak and even with faith life is still confusing. I left some to my own thoughts but never the less Pastor Nate teaches from a heart after God.
Ecclesiastes 1:1-111 The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 "Meaningless! Meaningless!"
says the Teacher.
"Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless."
3 What does man gain from all his labor
at which he toils under the sun?
4 Generations come and generations go,
but the earth remains forever.
5 The sun rises and the sun sets,
and hurries back to where it rises.
6 The wind blows to the south
and turns to the north;
round and round it goes,
ever returning on its course.
7 All streams flow into the sea,
yet the sea is never full.
To the place the streams come from,
there they return again.
8 All things are wearisome,
more than one can say.
The eye never has enough of seeing,
nor the ear its fill of hearing.
9 What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which one can say,
"Look! This is something new"?
It was here already, long ago;
it was here before our time.
11 There is no remembrance of men of old,
and even those who are yet to come
will not be remembered
by those who follow.
How are we suppose to go on when everything becomes routine, the same, mundane, and boring? We look for something new on the horizon but it just leads us back to the same discontent we had before. Even if we find love, have a family or whatever, are we remembered? I can honestly say that my ancestors are not something on my mind usually. Is that remembrance that even my offspring's offspring will not even remember me and of all the history books we read, how many millions were just recorded as a statistic in death or population? Is that anyway we want to be remembered? If we have trouble understanding love and human emotions toward each other as she had then how are we suppose to have faith in even each other in this life? This is very bleak to have this pessimistic view. She even said with all this hurt she tried to find sources to have her stop thinking about him or thinking in this way mentioned. Is it nothing short of what this says:
"All streams flow into the sea,
yet the sea is never full.
To the place the streams come from,
there they return again."
We are like a sea, always needing to be filled with something constantly. The streams are like the silencers we put on life trying to stop us from thinking in that depressing mood. In my life that stream is obvious sometimes, I would say it was upgrading my car, farming achievements in some game, savings, education, seeking a love life, and friends. Do we always leave satisfied from anything we do? I know I do but the victory does not last long in my accomplishments. It comes down to I won't be remembered, and just forgotten. The other reason I highlight this verse of Streams flowing into the Sea because it also reminds me of a favorite passage in which Jesus talks to a Samaritan lady.
John 4:13-20 "Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
15The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."
16He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back."
17"I have no husband," she replied.
Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. 18The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."
19"Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.
This story also relates back to the girl's story in a way about wanting love and hope. I still can't answer her original question clearly in a secular matter instead I can only offer this. Jesus was not scared to search our hearts. When we make friends we usually stay safe asking education, career, family, friends, and stuff. Jesus talks to us in a different way. He might come up and ask what are we struggling with or directly confront our fears. Its hard for us to understand how he did not do this in judgement because thats all we use to measure each other.
Jesus spoke directly to this woman's needs, that being the feeling of being loved. She had 5 husbands yet was living with a new guy whom she was not married too. Those past husband and current men could be compared to being the streams into her sea yet never fulfilling what she was really seeking in life. Yet Jesus comes now as a promise to be really what she is seeking, and to think she was probably joking when she said, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water." That kind of water is the Amazing Love and Hope that can only come from the creator. An encounter with Jesus is something that penetrates to the deepest part of our soul, because to him there is no way to "measure up" or judge to a standard. Our schooling, possessions, friends, family, or career does not make us who we are deep down. Jesus is Hope for something better whether we understand it now or not.
"How am I suppose to have hope?"
I couldn't give an answer to her. At least not on that made sense at the time. I know my hope is in Christ I do not understand how there is any hope in any other thing. That is not something I could tell someone who had disbelief in God. The best secular answer I could come up with was live today and hope tomorrow is better. That is still very depressing when given thought to for a long time. God had something for me the next day at church. Pastor Nate (http://naterhoads.wordpress.com/author/naterhoads/) had a message from Ecclesiastes. It taught me of this same message that life is very hard, bleak and even with faith life is still confusing. I left some to my own thoughts but never the less Pastor Nate teaches from a heart after God.
Ecclesiastes 1:1-111 The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 "Meaningless! Meaningless!"
says the Teacher.
"Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless."
3 What does man gain from all his labor
at which he toils under the sun?
4 Generations come and generations go,
but the earth remains forever.
5 The sun rises and the sun sets,
and hurries back to where it rises.
6 The wind blows to the south
and turns to the north;
round and round it goes,
ever returning on its course.
7 All streams flow into the sea,
yet the sea is never full.
To the place the streams come from,
there they return again.
8 All things are wearisome,
more than one can say.
The eye never has enough of seeing,
nor the ear its fill of hearing.
9 What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which one can say,
"Look! This is something new"?
It was here already, long ago;
it was here before our time.
11 There is no remembrance of men of old,
and even those who are yet to come
will not be remembered
by those who follow.
How are we suppose to go on when everything becomes routine, the same, mundane, and boring? We look for something new on the horizon but it just leads us back to the same discontent we had before. Even if we find love, have a family or whatever, are we remembered? I can honestly say that my ancestors are not something on my mind usually. Is that remembrance that even my offspring's offspring will not even remember me and of all the history books we read, how many millions were just recorded as a statistic in death or population? Is that anyway we want to be remembered? If we have trouble understanding love and human emotions toward each other as she had then how are we suppose to have faith in even each other in this life? This is very bleak to have this pessimistic view. She even said with all this hurt she tried to find sources to have her stop thinking about him or thinking in this way mentioned. Is it nothing short of what this says:
"All streams flow into the sea,
yet the sea is never full.
To the place the streams come from,
there they return again."
We are like a sea, always needing to be filled with something constantly. The streams are like the silencers we put on life trying to stop us from thinking in that depressing mood. In my life that stream is obvious sometimes, I would say it was upgrading my car, farming achievements in some game, savings, education, seeking a love life, and friends. Do we always leave satisfied from anything we do? I know I do but the victory does not last long in my accomplishments. It comes down to I won't be remembered, and just forgotten. The other reason I highlight this verse of Streams flowing into the Sea because it also reminds me of a favorite passage in which Jesus talks to a Samaritan lady.
John 4:13-20 "Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
15The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."
16He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back."
17"I have no husband," she replied.
Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. 18The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."
19"Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.
This story also relates back to the girl's story in a way about wanting love and hope. I still can't answer her original question clearly in a secular matter instead I can only offer this. Jesus was not scared to search our hearts. When we make friends we usually stay safe asking education, career, family, friends, and stuff. Jesus talks to us in a different way. He might come up and ask what are we struggling with or directly confront our fears. Its hard for us to understand how he did not do this in judgement because thats all we use to measure each other.
Jesus spoke directly to this woman's needs, that being the feeling of being loved. She had 5 husbands yet was living with a new guy whom she was not married too. Those past husband and current men could be compared to being the streams into her sea yet never fulfilling what she was really seeking in life. Yet Jesus comes now as a promise to be really what she is seeking, and to think she was probably joking when she said, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water." That kind of water is the Amazing Love and Hope that can only come from the creator. An encounter with Jesus is something that penetrates to the deepest part of our soul, because to him there is no way to "measure up" or judge to a standard. Our schooling, possessions, friends, family, or career does not make us who we are deep down. Jesus is Hope for something better whether we understand it now or not.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Constant Heartbreak since the Fall
Genesis 3:6-13 "When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"
10 He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."
11 And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"
12 The man said, "The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."
13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?"
The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate.""
The Garden of Eden was a place in God's presence. In his love, and all the joy that comes from knowing and being able to talk with your creator. Adam had to have talks while walking with God around the garden. Naked yes but what are clothes when we don't know we are naked. The Garden was a place were God's love was tied to humans closely and very intimately. Nothing exists such as rape, jealousy, hate, confusion, and any other problems you could think of basically. In the presence of God we have security and do not have to worry about such things. I think that its not stressed enough what actually happens here in Genesis.
"I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."
As Adam hid in his newly made Garment's he feared God. Have you ever wondered why Adam would fear God now though? I mean all God showed to Adam was love and one command. Adam did not know what lying was, what death was, or what insecurity was prior to that one fruit, all he knew about really was the love he recieved from God. That was until he ate the fruit.The fruit gave him knowledge of uncertainty sort of. He went from having the amazing love of God to nothing. He knew that he had betrayed God, something new to him, and was not sure that God would still love him at all. Its quite sad to think of this unlimited love instantly cut off because of one bite.
"The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."
It also starts where we shove the blame to someone else or try to disassociate from negative situations. I mention before talking to a guy that I was able to cast aside looks, since we were faceless to each other, to be a friend to the guy who had great loss. I wished that I was able to treat someone in life like that. At face value seeing a person as a person not that they are ugly or beautiful, and I know I am very guilty of this bias I have. Its something trained to us and a part of us since the fall. I bet we can all remember someone in grade school, middle school, or high school that we made fun of, if we didn't make fun of them, we were not able to make friends with them because we did not want the association to them. Why would we make friends with him and risk the chance of being made fun of? I noticed at the end of High School that many of those barriers were breaking down between everyone and where talking a bunch more. It was still very superficial still, and I am sure we still wouldn't hang out with those previously mentioned "undesirables." Back to Adam's new found fear though when all these things were new.
If Adam had been able to see all that God had done, and all the love he could offer, with this new knowledge, Adam's imagination could run wild with scenarios of what God might do to him. Adam points blame to Eve. God questions the woman and gets the story of deceit. The man seems to forget one part about his story though. Now you can see that when sin was introduced it was quite a slippery slope. Blame, Lying, Half-Truths, Jealousy, Confusion. Its not like Eve was alone to be deceived, "She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it." WHO WAS WITH HER! WHO WAS WITH HER! The man knew about what God said about the fruit yet he let her go onto it, for he was curious too. I don't think his original plan was that she would be a scapegoat. Scheming minds work fast when they are saving their own skin, Adam surely figured God would not cut of his love if the woman was the cause.
God made us for him to love and for us to love him. This was all fine and dandy till the fall. The hugest part why out of the many various people I have meet and talk to have some sort of trouble or some sort of heartache weighing on them. It has been so long since the fall that we still feel and want that connection to our creator, whether we choose to believe it or not. We can try to hid it in other items or relationships but I think we only poorly simulate what we really call for inside and thats the love from God. Its not only humans that want that connection again. God is surely heartbroken too. That even God close to the fall already had his ideas set for the redeeming power of Jesus to be given to us, and all the stories and history to help us understand more. God didn't make us robots though, and we choose that fruit the first time, and he gives us the choice again in the end for us to choose the lamb's sacrifice to enter into his love again.
John 14:6 "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"
10 He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."
11 And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"
12 The man said, "The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."
13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?"
The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate.""
The Garden of Eden was a place in God's presence. In his love, and all the joy that comes from knowing and being able to talk with your creator. Adam had to have talks while walking with God around the garden. Naked yes but what are clothes when we don't know we are naked. The Garden was a place were God's love was tied to humans closely and very intimately. Nothing exists such as rape, jealousy, hate, confusion, and any other problems you could think of basically. In the presence of God we have security and do not have to worry about such things. I think that its not stressed enough what actually happens here in Genesis.
"I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."
As Adam hid in his newly made Garment's he feared God. Have you ever wondered why Adam would fear God now though? I mean all God showed to Adam was love and one command. Adam did not know what lying was, what death was, or what insecurity was prior to that one fruit, all he knew about really was the love he recieved from God. That was until he ate the fruit.The fruit gave him knowledge of uncertainty sort of. He went from having the amazing love of God to nothing. He knew that he had betrayed God, something new to him, and was not sure that God would still love him at all. Its quite sad to think of this unlimited love instantly cut off because of one bite.
"The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."
It also starts where we shove the blame to someone else or try to disassociate from negative situations. I mention before talking to a guy that I was able to cast aside looks, since we were faceless to each other, to be a friend to the guy who had great loss. I wished that I was able to treat someone in life like that. At face value seeing a person as a person not that they are ugly or beautiful, and I know I am very guilty of this bias I have. Its something trained to us and a part of us since the fall. I bet we can all remember someone in grade school, middle school, or high school that we made fun of, if we didn't make fun of them, we were not able to make friends with them because we did not want the association to them. Why would we make friends with him and risk the chance of being made fun of? I noticed at the end of High School that many of those barriers were breaking down between everyone and where talking a bunch more. It was still very superficial still, and I am sure we still wouldn't hang out with those previously mentioned "undesirables." Back to Adam's new found fear though when all these things were new.
If Adam had been able to see all that God had done, and all the love he could offer, with this new knowledge, Adam's imagination could run wild with scenarios of what God might do to him. Adam points blame to Eve. God questions the woman and gets the story of deceit. The man seems to forget one part about his story though. Now you can see that when sin was introduced it was quite a slippery slope. Blame, Lying, Half-Truths, Jealousy, Confusion. Its not like Eve was alone to be deceived, "She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it." WHO WAS WITH HER! WHO WAS WITH HER! The man knew about what God said about the fruit yet he let her go onto it, for he was curious too. I don't think his original plan was that she would be a scapegoat. Scheming minds work fast when they are saving their own skin, Adam surely figured God would not cut of his love if the woman was the cause.
God made us for him to love and for us to love him. This was all fine and dandy till the fall. The hugest part why out of the many various people I have meet and talk to have some sort of trouble or some sort of heartache weighing on them. It has been so long since the fall that we still feel and want that connection to our creator, whether we choose to believe it or not. We can try to hid it in other items or relationships but I think we only poorly simulate what we really call for inside and thats the love from God. Its not only humans that want that connection again. God is surely heartbroken too. That even God close to the fall already had his ideas set for the redeeming power of Jesus to be given to us, and all the stories and history to help us understand more. God didn't make us robots though, and we choose that fruit the first time, and he gives us the choice again in the end for us to choose the lamb's sacrifice to enter into his love again.
John 14:6 "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
Monday, June 28, 2010
Perception of Others and Ourselves
Conversation between Humans
Guy1: "I am a firm believer of God and what Jesus did for me. That comforts me even when in depression. I am glad to hear you are on your way to a healthier life. Its worth living whether you have the same beliefs as me or not."
Guy2:"Very well put and agreed. I am glad to see that despite a vast difference in sociological and religious belief's we are not so provincial minded to not see the other one's plight and feel sorrow. That is what amazes me about the spectrum of human emotion. That being on such different sides of various situations, we could both end up with such a similar result and outlook."
Guy1:"Jesus told us to love the way he does, basically unconditionally. Its your decision to act upon what you know and deal with your own convictions.
I know that I rather be able to relate to someone because I am human, just because of my belief, it does not make me something inhuman, different or better than you. I know there is a time and a place when to talk about my walk with Christ with people and a time to fellowship."
Guy2:"If more of the "Modern" Christian's thought along those same lines, and believed more in love and forgiveness then tyranny, displacement, and damnation, the world would be a much better place. We need more fellowship in this world these days. Comradery over combat any day."
This is a conversation with a man. I completely do not know this man at all, but on this one night. We came together as what we are deep down inside. Human. Full of emotion, sorrows, dreams, fears, and everything else between. This guy had dealt with being a happy and expecting father, until the baby's mother was convinced by his mother to get an abortion while he was working. Guys don't admit to crying much, but he told me he cried over this loss. Considering myself never being put in that situation it hurt because of my own aspirations to be a father someday. This guy even died from a suicide attempt. The doctor's were able to bring him back and I thank God for that, and I bet its the reason why we had the chance to talk to each other. This guy has a big heart and while God blesses us all, I hope the blessings go on with him.
Despite the distance I know that this guy would make a great friend, maybe since we were both faceless to each other we were able to more relate because we were not using the criteria of looks. I would like to be able to treat anybody the way we treated each other that night. I know that we are suppose to spread the word and be disciples of all nations but I scream no! I would scream no because as humans we make things goal oriented, it is easy to understand that way, get a point count for every convert and maybe a few more if they turn out to be a pastor. It just leads others to have the wrong perspective about Christ. In my last blog I talked about the perception people get of Christ because of our actions and if they are getting "tyranny, displacement, and damnation." Then we have failed at the greatest commandments Jesus told us.
Matthew 22:37-38 "Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
1 Peter 5:5-9 "5Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
"God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble." 6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
8Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings."
Many people have told me to be Christ-like so people see us and really want what we have in Christ. Sometimes brothers in the Bible refers to those with faith but I would say it would make sense if we treated everyone as a sibling. Things are hard, we all have our own stories to tell and some might be similar. The mistakes I have made in life have become my testimony and other people might have made the same mistakes as me too. I rather relate to them through that hurt or suffering than scoff them because I was "further" along and overcame my trials. We are not against each other as humans.
I will end by saying that I would take "Comradeship over combat any day."
Guy1: "I am a firm believer of God and what Jesus did for me. That comforts me even when in depression. I am glad to hear you are on your way to a healthier life. Its worth living whether you have the same beliefs as me or not."
Guy2:"Very well put and agreed. I am glad to see that despite a vast difference in sociological and religious belief's we are not so provincial minded to not see the other one's plight and feel sorrow. That is what amazes me about the spectrum of human emotion. That being on such different sides of various situations, we could both end up with such a similar result and outlook."
Guy1:"Jesus told us to love the way he does, basically unconditionally. Its your decision to act upon what you know and deal with your own convictions.
I know that I rather be able to relate to someone because I am human, just because of my belief, it does not make me something inhuman, different or better than you. I know there is a time and a place when to talk about my walk with Christ with people and a time to fellowship."
Guy2:"If more of the "Modern" Christian's thought along those same lines, and believed more in love and forgiveness then tyranny, displacement, and damnation, the world would be a much better place. We need more fellowship in this world these days. Comradery over combat any day."
This is a conversation with a man. I completely do not know this man at all, but on this one night. We came together as what we are deep down inside. Human. Full of emotion, sorrows, dreams, fears, and everything else between. This guy had dealt with being a happy and expecting father, until the baby's mother was convinced by his mother to get an abortion while he was working. Guys don't admit to crying much, but he told me he cried over this loss. Considering myself never being put in that situation it hurt because of my own aspirations to be a father someday. This guy even died from a suicide attempt. The doctor's were able to bring him back and I thank God for that, and I bet its the reason why we had the chance to talk to each other. This guy has a big heart and while God blesses us all, I hope the blessings go on with him.
Despite the distance I know that this guy would make a great friend, maybe since we were both faceless to each other we were able to more relate because we were not using the criteria of looks. I would like to be able to treat anybody the way we treated each other that night. I know that we are suppose to spread the word and be disciples of all nations but I scream no! I would scream no because as humans we make things goal oriented, it is easy to understand that way, get a point count for every convert and maybe a few more if they turn out to be a pastor. It just leads others to have the wrong perspective about Christ. In my last blog I talked about the perception people get of Christ because of our actions and if they are getting "tyranny, displacement, and damnation." Then we have failed at the greatest commandments Jesus told us.
Matthew 22:37-38 "Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
1 Peter 5:5-9 "5Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
"God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble." 6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
8Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings."
Many people have told me to be Christ-like so people see us and really want what we have in Christ. Sometimes brothers in the Bible refers to those with faith but I would say it would make sense if we treated everyone as a sibling. Things are hard, we all have our own stories to tell and some might be similar. The mistakes I have made in life have become my testimony and other people might have made the same mistakes as me too. I rather relate to them through that hurt or suffering than scoff them because I was "further" along and overcame my trials. We are not against each other as humans.
I will end by saying that I would take "Comradeship over combat any day."
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Living like a Dying Thief
Luke 23:40-43 "39One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
40But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
42Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
43Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
"I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." What comforting words, I hope I am not the only person that imagines Jesus telling us those words. Really it sets away our feelings of being left behind or that we will not be forgotten. Isn't that our plea every day, and the plight of our faith that god is to remember us and we to be written in the Lamb's Book of Life. This life means nothing to me if God would forget about me, I would like to feel like my faith will be sufficient enough to get into heaven just like this thief. That is comfort but with one exception, we're still living. I fear I have put myself in a bad position this way. That particular thief already lived his life to his actions, and dealt with the choices he made. Luckily, in a small time frame he realized his wrong doings.
If I set up that thief as a model for my faith life then am I going to do the sames things as him? First off I am not saying that the thief was lying in his last words. I always hated the idea of living the sin life and later coming into terms with God. I mean this criminal has come to terms with the fact he is dying, and that he lived a wrong life. The thief was paying the price for all the sick and horrible deeds that he did, and he felt remorse that Jesus was a good man.
The other criminal yelling, "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" Do we try to do that too much in our own lives? This criminal could of said these in words like they were of one kind, like Jesus was a criminal. That is how many people would think of Christ later because instead of us trying to live a Christ-like life, we portray the image that Christ-is like us. Say you don't or do but as a Christian we are always under watch from others, believers or non-believers.
What personalities of the criminals are reflected in our lives? I don't think that they were a coincident for them to be crucified next to Jesus, which is why I like that Luke goes into this account e\dea to be like the thief asking for Jesus to remember him. Sitting on that cross dying, you don't have time to lie to yourself about anything and pure brutal honesty about yourself is definitely to come out.
Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
This doesn't make sense unless you look at it in the context of the times. If you were carrying a cross it was a death sentence. You were a dead man. Why would Jesus tell us to take up something as scary as death happily? For the same reason that thief saw the light near the end of his life, of the speck we focus on we miss the huge picture and the true happiness that lies in looking at the whole thing.
Matthew 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
40But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
42Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
43Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
"I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." What comforting words, I hope I am not the only person that imagines Jesus telling us those words. Really it sets away our feelings of being left behind or that we will not be forgotten. Isn't that our plea every day, and the plight of our faith that god is to remember us and we to be written in the Lamb's Book of Life. This life means nothing to me if God would forget about me, I would like to feel like my faith will be sufficient enough to get into heaven just like this thief. That is comfort but with one exception, we're still living. I fear I have put myself in a bad position this way. That particular thief already lived his life to his actions, and dealt with the choices he made. Luckily, in a small time frame he realized his wrong doings.
If I set up that thief as a model for my faith life then am I going to do the sames things as him? First off I am not saying that the thief was lying in his last words. I always hated the idea of living the sin life and later coming into terms with God. I mean this criminal has come to terms with the fact he is dying, and that he lived a wrong life. The thief was paying the price for all the sick and horrible deeds that he did, and he felt remorse that Jesus was a good man.
The other criminal yelling, "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" Do we try to do that too much in our own lives? This criminal could of said these in words like they were of one kind, like Jesus was a criminal. That is how many people would think of Christ later because instead of us trying to live a Christ-like life, we portray the image that Christ-is like us. Say you don't or do but as a Christian we are always under watch from others, believers or non-believers.
What personalities of the criminals are reflected in our lives? I don't think that they were a coincident for them to be crucified next to Jesus, which is why I like that Luke goes into this account e\dea to be like the thief asking for Jesus to remember him. Sitting on that cross dying, you don't have time to lie to yourself about anything and pure brutal honesty about yourself is definitely to come out.
Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
This doesn't make sense unless you look at it in the context of the times. If you were carrying a cross it was a death sentence. You were a dead man. Why would Jesus tell us to take up something as scary as death happily? For the same reason that thief saw the light near the end of his life, of the speck we focus on we miss the huge picture and the true happiness that lies in looking at the whole thing.
Matthew 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Job's Friends
Job 2:11 "11When Job's three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. 12 When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. 13 Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was."
You know, people associate with Job a lot because of this short time of trials must of sucked for him. Even his friends saw the great amount of suffering he was in. They were truly great friends until one respect. They started trying to figure everything out, pointed fingers, and even accused their friend of lying.
I always told myself I want friends like Job had, well erase the quality they show after these verse. Job was extremely overcame in sorrow and with his disfigurement his friends did not recognize him. They began to cry. Yes weep and cry because of how much sorrow he was in. How many times have I had a friend that looked at me and really understood how bad I felt? A few times I am sure but I don't think they understood it as great as Job's friends did. They tore their clothes and sprinkled dust on their heads; that was customary of times though. Do not be afraid to be my friend, I won't come running and stripping my clothes off because I heard your problem.
The tearing or rending of clothes was an outward sign of grief and distress over some disaster or calamity. It was also a sign of deep sorrow and mourning over someone who has died. That was customary to that time. I might come and hug you and cry still but I'll keep my clothes on. I promise as long as you do the same thing for me.
His friend's however tried to solve Job's problem and that turned into so many other problems (example: blaming, accusing, assumptions, and even pride). Sometimes we do have to handle things for ourselves but it is nice to have the comfort of our friends understand out struggles, and help once in a while, but not every single time. I do not think that gives us the right to decided when to help a friend or not, but I know that we can always be supportive in all issues. The friends made many valid points I think but not valid accusations, they should of just keep weeping with Job till he figured it out for himself. Sadly the friends charging him let him to demand God's audience. Imagine how scary that really is, especially when God responds like this:
Job 40:1-2"The LORD said to Job:
2 "Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?
Let him who accuses God answer him!""
You know, people associate with Job a lot because of this short time of trials must of sucked for him. Even his friends saw the great amount of suffering he was in. They were truly great friends until one respect. They started trying to figure everything out, pointed fingers, and even accused their friend of lying.
I always told myself I want friends like Job had, well erase the quality they show after these verse. Job was extremely overcame in sorrow and with his disfigurement his friends did not recognize him. They began to cry. Yes weep and cry because of how much sorrow he was in. How many times have I had a friend that looked at me and really understood how bad I felt? A few times I am sure but I don't think they understood it as great as Job's friends did. They tore their clothes and sprinkled dust on their heads; that was customary of times though. Do not be afraid to be my friend, I won't come running and stripping my clothes off because I heard your problem.
The tearing or rending of clothes was an outward sign of grief and distress over some disaster or calamity. It was also a sign of deep sorrow and mourning over someone who has died. That was customary to that time. I might come and hug you and cry still but I'll keep my clothes on. I promise as long as you do the same thing for me.
His friend's however tried to solve Job's problem and that turned into so many other problems (example: blaming, accusing, assumptions, and even pride). Sometimes we do have to handle things for ourselves but it is nice to have the comfort of our friends understand out struggles, and help once in a while, but not every single time. I do not think that gives us the right to decided when to help a friend or not, but I know that we can always be supportive in all issues. The friends made many valid points I think but not valid accusations, they should of just keep weeping with Job till he figured it out for himself. Sadly the friends charging him let him to demand God's audience. Imagine how scary that really is, especially when God responds like this:
Job 40:1-2"The LORD said to Job:
2 "Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?
Let him who accuses God answer him!""
Sunday, June 20, 2010
The Image of Question
Matthew 22: 18-22 "18But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought him a denarius, 20and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?"
21"Caesar's," they replied.
Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
22When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away."
When I read this was I amazed? I kind of wish I could find the information on how many times people were amazed in scripture. It has to be a lot about every teaching of Jesus people were amazed, but I think they were amazed in a different way then when we glaze over the scripture we take for granted. I feel safe in saying that everybody reading this the first time was like, oh yeah money, pay taxes, and tithe to God. Right? That is not that amazing if you ask me, especially since I degraded it to those simple words but it has to be something more than that.
Jesus was a man of parables, with many things said having somewhat hidden or meanings that require deeper thought upon numerous meanings. Jesus was aware of the intent of their question but gave them a answer that hit them in the heart, something I did not understand in my first reading of this scripture. Jesus asked whose portrait or for better wording whose image was on the coin.
Matthew 20:21 "21"Caesar's," they replied.
Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
Seems like a total idea to money and tithing since yes all of creation is God's and he allows us to work and make money. All things in our life are because of him, we could stand to make sure we pay taxes and tithes. What if this was another time that Jesus was being wonderful in our wording that maybe glancing over this we do not understand what really happened? I think people were amazed because people had on their hearts from the beginning of creation.
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
If Caesar's image was upon that coin and belongs to him, and we are made in God's image, then just as Jesus originally stated we would belong to God. Doesn't that give you a feeling of worth? We are God's! Whenever Jesus asks a question to his audience or us specifically, we get hit with what the right answer is, but we do not want to accept it because it hurts our pride. Its quite funny because its the question we ask him in tricky wording to justify our actions. For example:
Luke 20:1-8 " 1One day as he was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. 2"Tell us by what authority you are doing these things," they said. "Who gave you this authority?"
3He replied, "I will also ask you a question. Tell me, 4John's baptism—was it from heaven, or from men?"
5They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Why didn't you believe him?' 6But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet."
7So they answered, "We don't know where it was from."
8Jesus said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.""
This cuts away from the point of imagery of us belonging to God but I figured that many times when talking or praying to God we ask questions. I admit I ask a lot of questions, usually the recurring one is why this or that. How many times do we really want the answer? How many times do we just want them answered our way and not asking really for the truth? Our questions should be thought out better than just spouting them off, we don't know everything, and most the time we do not need to know everything. I hope my questions for God have meaning better than why is my car not working, but more spent on questioning how I can improve my character or walk with Christ.
21"Caesar's," they replied.
Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
22When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away."
When I read this was I amazed? I kind of wish I could find the information on how many times people were amazed in scripture. It has to be a lot about every teaching of Jesus people were amazed, but I think they were amazed in a different way then when we glaze over the scripture we take for granted. I feel safe in saying that everybody reading this the first time was like, oh yeah money, pay taxes, and tithe to God. Right? That is not that amazing if you ask me, especially since I degraded it to those simple words but it has to be something more than that.
Jesus was a man of parables, with many things said having somewhat hidden or meanings that require deeper thought upon numerous meanings. Jesus was aware of the intent of their question but gave them a answer that hit them in the heart, something I did not understand in my first reading of this scripture. Jesus asked whose portrait or for better wording whose image was on the coin.
Matthew 20:21 "21"Caesar's," they replied.
Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
Seems like a total idea to money and tithing since yes all of creation is God's and he allows us to work and make money. All things in our life are because of him, we could stand to make sure we pay taxes and tithes. What if this was another time that Jesus was being wonderful in our wording that maybe glancing over this we do not understand what really happened? I think people were amazed because people had on their hearts from the beginning of creation.
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
If Caesar's image was upon that coin and belongs to him, and we are made in God's image, then just as Jesus originally stated we would belong to God. Doesn't that give you a feeling of worth? We are God's! Whenever Jesus asks a question to his audience or us specifically, we get hit with what the right answer is, but we do not want to accept it because it hurts our pride. Its quite funny because its the question we ask him in tricky wording to justify our actions. For example:
Luke 20:1-8 " 1One day as he was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. 2"Tell us by what authority you are doing these things," they said. "Who gave you this authority?"
3He replied, "I will also ask you a question. Tell me, 4John's baptism—was it from heaven, or from men?"
5They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Why didn't you believe him?' 6But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet."
7So they answered, "We don't know where it was from."
8Jesus said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.""
This cuts away from the point of imagery of us belonging to God but I figured that many times when talking or praying to God we ask questions. I admit I ask a lot of questions, usually the recurring one is why this or that. How many times do we really want the answer? How many times do we just want them answered our way and not asking really for the truth? Our questions should be thought out better than just spouting them off, we don't know everything, and most the time we do not need to know everything. I hope my questions for God have meaning better than why is my car not working, but more spent on questioning how I can improve my character or walk with Christ.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
A Look at Love through Adam and Eve's eyes.
Genesis 2: 19-23 "19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field.
But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
23 The man said,
"This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called woman,
for she was taken out of man."
I bet when you read this verse you think of animals all single filed walking up to Adam sitting behind this desk interviewing each and every animal that came to God. Making sure that his "helper" would meet these certain specifications and based on their skills would consider them for hire. No? What have you thought it was like then? The writer of this book was a man of understatements, and we are only left to speculate so much. God was proving a point though. At this point we know Adam is still naked and not ashamed of his nakedness. He does not have the knowledge to be ashamed yet. As weird as it sounds, I think Adam was a naked man running around and trying to befriend all these animals all around the garden. Not a small garden, I bet the Garden of Eden was massive big as a continent or something like that. I laugh at him trying to get a Cow to listen to him or if a tiger would let him pet him and command him. Adam only task set by God in this point is to care over the animals and garden and not to eat the of the Tree of Knowledge, what kind of Animal could possibly help him with that. Especially if those animals can not even communicate with Adam.
God made us in his image. This idea pleases me a lot but do not take what I think as truth because I could be wrong. It adds to my idea to heaven a little bit. Imagine the Garden of Eden, where you live with God with his infinite love leaving you with no insecurities at all. "But for Adam [you in this example] no suitable helper was found." God made us in his image and we realize we are relational. Even Adam only with God and the creatures in the Garden, was not satisfied in companionship and God knew this; and so God had Eve in mind for Adam. God does not need us humans, as we do not need relationships(such as in a guy and girl) but we receive great joy from this, just as God gets great joy from our company. God made Adam work for it though. I don't want to go into whether Adam and Eve were created the same day or not but how long did Adam run around naked trying to make friends with the creatures before God gave him Eve. Seriously how long would it take me to get tired of trying to do the impossible, then at the end of the work God gave Adam, Eve.
Adam had to be getting tired of Animals in the way of being friends with them, I am sure that he really appreciated Eve, his wife, after dealing with stinking animals for most of the day or for years(again whatever information you read or believe on that). We have came a far way from what God has graced Guys with. A helper, not a slave. Imagine the giant garden again that Adam spend all this time running naked around to find a helper, and now he has one, running around showing Eve all of God's beautiful creation to her. Sharing all this with her, and teaching her the name of the animals he named, totally enjoying her company. The book(Searching for God Knows What) that gave me this idea even mentions this great gift has became so desensitized that any guy can see a girl online whenever because we have devalued them so much. It makes me feel sick at myself that I enjoyed girls the way I have and feel like I have stolen somebody else's gift, because I was to selfish to wait for my own. I thought treated girls a little better from a revelation a while ago but I think I have either settled back into it or I really had no clue that first time.
"This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called woman,
for she was taken out of man."
I am pretty sure was the first time something was poetic in the Bible and it was Adam's first words to Eve. It might not seem that great of a poem to me, but kind of makes me think of how girls do love poetry especially when a guy compares beautiful stuff to them. Really though, Its like the formulas we have set up as I mentioned in my about me. I can make a list of all the things I love about a girl. In the end its just a list, and which is why I think partially that love is full of stupid actions sometimes. A poem is for beauty and explains meanings, why else are humans so obsessed with Art, it answers more questions about why than the math problem 2+3=5 does. That list is like a math problem to us Guys, it makes sense, name enough points and those points might equal what the girl wants and balance the equation? Nope! Girls are not math problems. They like stuff just like we like stuff, human too. Girls probably like a picture more than us handing them a math problem too. I don't think God wanted woman to be treated like they were through the Bible, and its not like the internet was the only reason girls were desensitized, they were devalued very quickly after the fall. I guess this has been aimed towards more guys to appreciate girls more and see them as something than more than what we think they are.
But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
23 The man said,
"This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called woman,
for she was taken out of man."
I bet when you read this verse you think of animals all single filed walking up to Adam sitting behind this desk interviewing each and every animal that came to God. Making sure that his "helper" would meet these certain specifications and based on their skills would consider them for hire. No? What have you thought it was like then? The writer of this book was a man of understatements, and we are only left to speculate so much. God was proving a point though. At this point we know Adam is still naked and not ashamed of his nakedness. He does not have the knowledge to be ashamed yet. As weird as it sounds, I think Adam was a naked man running around and trying to befriend all these animals all around the garden. Not a small garden, I bet the Garden of Eden was massive big as a continent or something like that. I laugh at him trying to get a Cow to listen to him or if a tiger would let him pet him and command him. Adam only task set by God in this point is to care over the animals and garden and not to eat the of the Tree of Knowledge, what kind of Animal could possibly help him with that. Especially if those animals can not even communicate with Adam.
God made us in his image. This idea pleases me a lot but do not take what I think as truth because I could be wrong. It adds to my idea to heaven a little bit. Imagine the Garden of Eden, where you live with God with his infinite love leaving you with no insecurities at all. "But for Adam [you in this example] no suitable helper was found." God made us in his image and we realize we are relational. Even Adam only with God and the creatures in the Garden, was not satisfied in companionship and God knew this; and so God had Eve in mind for Adam. God does not need us humans, as we do not need relationships(such as in a guy and girl) but we receive great joy from this, just as God gets great joy from our company. God made Adam work for it though. I don't want to go into whether Adam and Eve were created the same day or not but how long did Adam run around naked trying to make friends with the creatures before God gave him Eve. Seriously how long would it take me to get tired of trying to do the impossible, then at the end of the work God gave Adam, Eve.
Adam had to be getting tired of Animals in the way of being friends with them, I am sure that he really appreciated Eve, his wife, after dealing with stinking animals for most of the day or for years(again whatever information you read or believe on that). We have came a far way from what God has graced Guys with. A helper, not a slave. Imagine the giant garden again that Adam spend all this time running naked around to find a helper, and now he has one, running around showing Eve all of God's beautiful creation to her. Sharing all this with her, and teaching her the name of the animals he named, totally enjoying her company. The book(Searching for God Knows What) that gave me this idea even mentions this great gift has became so desensitized that any guy can see a girl online whenever because we have devalued them so much. It makes me feel sick at myself that I enjoyed girls the way I have and feel like I have stolen somebody else's gift, because I was to selfish to wait for my own. I thought treated girls a little better from a revelation a while ago but I think I have either settled back into it or I really had no clue that first time.
"This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called woman,
for she was taken out of man."
I am pretty sure was the first time something was poetic in the Bible and it was Adam's first words to Eve. It might not seem that great of a poem to me, but kind of makes me think of how girls do love poetry especially when a guy compares beautiful stuff to them. Really though, Its like the formulas we have set up as I mentioned in my about me. I can make a list of all the things I love about a girl. In the end its just a list, and which is why I think partially that love is full of stupid actions sometimes. A poem is for beauty and explains meanings, why else are humans so obsessed with Art, it answers more questions about why than the math problem 2+3=5 does. That list is like a math problem to us Guys, it makes sense, name enough points and those points might equal what the girl wants and balance the equation? Nope! Girls are not math problems. They like stuff just like we like stuff, human too. Girls probably like a picture more than us handing them a math problem too. I don't think God wanted woman to be treated like they were through the Bible, and its not like the internet was the only reason girls were desensitized, they were devalued very quickly after the fall. I guess this has been aimed towards more guys to appreciate girls more and see them as something than more than what we think they are.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Ask someone, What is Heaven Like?
I have been thinking a lot about what is heaven like. You know everybody has those preconceived ideas of what it is like. You know pearly white gates(though in my study I found some gates in heavens are decorated with Precious Gems), Peter being the bouncer and making sure you are in the Lamb's Book of Life, giving you your wings and halos and letting you in(and no we do not become angels in heaven, they are not humans and actually I think they get jealous of us sometimes). Asking a few people about what they thought heaven was like, I found something a little scary, They DO NOT mention God at all, and he is completely disassociated from heaven. Some even said heaven was just what our idea of it was, and thats what it would be. Heaven has became this silent bullet to the head to some, for example, Lenny of Mice and Men, but instead of the fluffy bunnies, we keep our mind's busy with life and that when we die some miraculous place called "Heaven" is waiting for us. Heaven is a nice idea to calm us of the ideas of not existing. WHAT IF WE ARE WRONG?! I grew some fear at the thought of being wrong, being a believer I know that something is waiting and that is going to be judgement from God.
John 14:6 "Jesus Answered, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the father except through me.
With that I know that I can sleep a little easier at night, but I had thoughts heaven was like hanging out with friends, playing some video games, maybe chilling with family. I also thought that heaven is worshiping God forever. I love worship but given enough of something I would get bored of worship and God would see that in my thoughts, might reject me for that. So I got thinking into what is heaven really like? Not my thoughts of what it is, but what it really is?
2nd Peter 13 "But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness."
Prior to this verse it talks about the destruction, and relates it into the beginning of creation, some very serious stuff that I could go into about the poetic, true meanings, and probably even a bunch of prophesy but I do not fell like going into all that detail. Caitlin actually pointed me specifically to this verse when I asked her about heaven. It gave me a feeling inside. It was very joyful that we can look forward to a NEW heaven and NEW earth since this one is ending in destruction, OR DOES IT (Read Blog:Going Green the way to Heaven)?
2 Corinthians 5:1-5 "1Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, 3because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."
Things are beginning to look more hopeful, I think I do want to be in my heavenly clothes. Maybe for that reason I think I might be able to be what I really want to be for God or just the fact that it is a present from God? The spirit was given to us as a deposit, as a guarantee of what is to come. What happens when we don't feel that Spirit of God on us anymore? Is it something that is can be shed away, or is it a place that the convictions bring us back to God suggesting the Spirit is still there?
2 Corinthians 5:6-10 "6Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.7We live by faith, not by sight. 8We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
I actually decided to look more into the context of this because one of my favorite verses are contained in this and I figured I rather see what my favorite verse is all about in context. 2nd Corinthians 5:7, "We live by faith, not by sight." Could it be that my fear that I might get bored in heaven when worshiping that is a figurative term for sight? I want to be pleasing to god but I do not think my body is that willing for it, away from my body and in heavenly clothing would I be able to be pleasing in whatever tasks lay await in heaven? I leave this all these open questions to ask yourself, because God is real, and God is waiting to hear from you, and teach you. I think that this was put on my heart because when I ask myself these questions I think others could benefit from asking these questions themselves. What is heaven is like? No one really knows what it really is like, what we will do there, or really what it looks like such as an artist could not draw. This last passage leaves me with great joy and a better idea of what is to come.
Revelations 21:2-5"2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.4He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
5He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.""
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