Boy, have I got a lot to learn. About myself, about God, about life in general. And I think it's about time I started learning it. See, here's the thing. I keep getting in the way of my own progress. It seems like every time I take a step forward, I turn around and my next step forward is in the opposite direction. Reminds me of a Relient K song. Anyway, the point is that great things keep happening, pushing me forward, and then I stall out, I get bogged down in something or other, and I end up no better off than before. Let me start by working through what's led up to the high point: I've been finding myself more and more drawn towards wanting to know God better, and have a deeper relationship with Him. Over the last several weeks, this has continued to get stronger, and then for some reason it became more difficult. Now I've had numerous encouraging words from people who I respect and that as well as other things has led me to believe that this is a pivotal and critical point in my life... one that will shape the course of my future, or continue my wallowing in the past. My resolve has been strengthened from without, but weakened from within. I want to fight the spiritual virus that has consumed me... I cry out to God my Saviour... and He hears me. Somehow I know that He hears my cry, from the slope I've begun to slide down... "Save me!" I shout, with the voice of my spirit, and His arms are around me again, ready to carry me back to try once more, to have another run at it. Why so many second chances? What is so special about me in particular that would make the eternal, all-powerful God, want me to be His? And then I realize, at least somewhere in my mind I realize, that He loves me... and to Him, that's all that matters. My chains are no more difficult for Him to break now than they were before. As in the vision that I have seen in my mind many times, I am locked in a stone room, chained in a chair in the very centre. I know that the chains, as well as the cell, are of my own making. I also know that I have struggled against these chains unsuccessfully, even while wrapping more around myself. In my vision, I cry out for freedom, I cry out to the only one who can save me, my rescuer, Jesus Christ. He knows exactly where to find me, indeed, He knows me all too well. He knows what each of those chains represents, can I imagine for a second that He will save me anyway? And yet He does. He comes in my vision as a radiant white... I don't know how to explain Him, but He smashes through the walls I have placed between us as if they were made of styrofoam. His sword flashes faster than sight, cutting my chains away like paper, or I wonder now, does it burn them away? Because I can't see them anywhere. This is my conquering hero, my Lord and Saviour, my friend. Each time I hear Him telling me that I am free, and there is no need to be bound any more. I know I am the only one who can replace those chains... the chains I had become used to, and which I loathe beyond all hatred words can describe. Now I step beyond my vision, back to the physical world, where I apply the results. I revel in my freedom for a while, and then, remembering the old comfort, I begin to fashion my chains again, link by link. I begin to build my walls again, stone by stone. This is the cycle I must break, and I must break it now! Right now, I can feel the walls, the chains, the comfort beginning to return, and I want to put a stop to it. No, with God's help I will put a stop to it. I have too much to accomplish to waste my time, and God's time, messing around with this foolish game any longer. I ask that anyone reading this would pray with me for victory, that I would take action, and fulfill my commitment to make God my first desire and grow closer to Him each day. I hope that by opening up, I might help someone else who might be going through something similar. God can find you wherever you are, and the walls and chains you build are no more difficult for God than mine are. Trust in Him, and He will always come through.
(When I started this post, I didn't know where I was going with it, but somehow, through it I managed to work out some things in my mind, and I'm glad this is where it ended up. I know God will prevail in my life, and I will become the man I was born to be.)
God bless you all,
Andrew out.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Food for Thought: Jesus Provokes Our Perceptions - Luke 6:27-49
1. The Golden Rule - generosity, love and mercy
read 6:27-36
This is one area where we can all improve. It's so natural to "look out for number 1", to hold on to what we have with a death grip, and if anybody crosses us, Look Out!... as Smeagol says in Lord of the Rings, "We be nice to them, if they be nice to us!" Anybody at all can do that. The challenge comes when we are insulted, beaten up, ignored, the times when anyone would tell you that you have every reason to kick the ever-loving snot out of whoever did that to you. Jesus turns that idea on its head and says that vengeance is the easy way out. Anyone can get revenge, but it takes a different kind of strength not to. Anyone can "do unto others as they have done to you", but do you have the courage to buck that trend and start a better one?
2. A Good Measure - exponential rewards
read 6:37-38
How often are we quick to pick out someone's faults, the reasons why we're better than they are, what they should be doing differently for us to accept them? God sees that, and Jesus says that our reward is paid out using the same measure that we use, only more so. If we deal out judgement and condemnation, guess what we're asking for? If we offer forgiveness, God offers us forgiveness... *Guess what? I don't enjoy saying this because I struggle too and it's hard to think about it this way, but if we don't forgive the little others have done to us, then we cease to accept the forgiveness God offers to us, which is far greater. We cheat ourselves in the long run by holding on to bitterness. And if we give, whether it be blessings, money, time, to help others, who is more able to help us than God? We often get the impression that the more we get, the more "blessed" we are: I've been blessed with this car, or video game, or new pair of shoes. But Jesus says that the more you give, the more blessed you are. Totally the opposite of what anyone else would say. To put it one way:
Are you willing to do what it takes, to give what it takes, in order to get what you need so you'll have what it takes to be who you need to be?
3. "2 X 4 Face" - keeping it real
read 6:39-42
This is pretty straightforward. Don't be a hypocrite! If you're doing something wrong and you recognize that someone else is doing it wrong as well, that's one thing. If you ream them out, and try to help them, but do nothing to change your own life, you won't end up helping yourself OR them. It'll be like having a 2 X 4 in your eye, and telling someone about the sawdust that's in theirs. It's utterly ridiculous. JUST DON'T DO IT!!!
4. You Can Fool God None of the Time
read 6:43-45
Have you heard the expression, "you can fool all of the people some of the time, and you can fool some people all of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time"? Well, you can never fool God. And eventually who you really are will come out to those around you too. We like to make masks to hide behind and pretend we're something we aren't, but Jesus says that, try as we may, it'll never work, because: the fruit we produce shows what kind of tree we are. What we say and do gives us away.
5. Building a Life's Foundation on the Rock
This is why I love the name of the drop-in, "The Rock". I see its purpose as providing a foundation for life.... but back to the Scripture...
read 6:46-49
Obviously, the guy who built the firm foundation on the rock made the better choice. Although both of the men built a house (a good thing), and both hit some real bad weather (a part of life), his house stood firm, while the other one was instantly and completely destroyed. If we don't have a solid foundation, the storms of life will come and we won't be ready for them. What we need is to come to Jesus, hear His words... wait, even the foolish man did that... oh right, and put them into practice. That means:
- understanding who Jesus is and why we need Him
- understanding what we need to do about it... and
- doing it.
That's not just becoming a Christian and then everything will be fun and games. First of all, the storms come no matter what, and your foundation is tested, and second, there's also living like a Christian, which means living like Christ. Sound simple? Yes. Sound easy? No. But...
What is ever easy that's worthwhile?
read 6:27-36
This is one area where we can all improve. It's so natural to "look out for number 1", to hold on to what we have with a death grip, and if anybody crosses us, Look Out!... as Smeagol says in Lord of the Rings, "We be nice to them, if they be nice to us!" Anybody at all can do that. The challenge comes when we are insulted, beaten up, ignored, the times when anyone would tell you that you have every reason to kick the ever-loving snot out of whoever did that to you. Jesus turns that idea on its head and says that vengeance is the easy way out. Anyone can get revenge, but it takes a different kind of strength not to. Anyone can "do unto others as they have done to you", but do you have the courage to buck that trend and start a better one?
2. A Good Measure - exponential rewards
read 6:37-38
How often are we quick to pick out someone's faults, the reasons why we're better than they are, what they should be doing differently for us to accept them? God sees that, and Jesus says that our reward is paid out using the same measure that we use, only more so. If we deal out judgement and condemnation, guess what we're asking for? If we offer forgiveness, God offers us forgiveness... *Guess what? I don't enjoy saying this because I struggle too and it's hard to think about it this way, but if we don't forgive the little others have done to us, then we cease to accept the forgiveness God offers to us, which is far greater. We cheat ourselves in the long run by holding on to bitterness. And if we give, whether it be blessings, money, time, to help others, who is more able to help us than God? We often get the impression that the more we get, the more "blessed" we are: I've been blessed with this car, or video game, or new pair of shoes. But Jesus says that the more you give, the more blessed you are. Totally the opposite of what anyone else would say. To put it one way:
Are you willing to do what it takes, to give what it takes, in order to get what you need so you'll have what it takes to be who you need to be?
3. "2 X 4 Face" - keeping it real
read 6:39-42
This is pretty straightforward. Don't be a hypocrite! If you're doing something wrong and you recognize that someone else is doing it wrong as well, that's one thing. If you ream them out, and try to help them, but do nothing to change your own life, you won't end up helping yourself OR them. It'll be like having a 2 X 4 in your eye, and telling someone about the sawdust that's in theirs. It's utterly ridiculous. JUST DON'T DO IT!!!
4. You Can Fool God None of the Time
read 6:43-45
Have you heard the expression, "you can fool all of the people some of the time, and you can fool some people all of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time"? Well, you can never fool God. And eventually who you really are will come out to those around you too. We like to make masks to hide behind and pretend we're something we aren't, but Jesus says that, try as we may, it'll never work, because: the fruit we produce shows what kind of tree we are. What we say and do gives us away.
5. Building a Life's Foundation on the Rock
This is why I love the name of the drop-in, "The Rock". I see its purpose as providing a foundation for life.... but back to the Scripture...
read 6:46-49
Obviously, the guy who built the firm foundation on the rock made the better choice. Although both of the men built a house (a good thing), and both hit some real bad weather (a part of life), his house stood firm, while the other one was instantly and completely destroyed. If we don't have a solid foundation, the storms of life will come and we won't be ready for them. What we need is to come to Jesus, hear His words... wait, even the foolish man did that... oh right, and put them into practice. That means:
- understanding who Jesus is and why we need Him
- understanding what we need to do about it... and
- doing it.
That's not just becoming a Christian and then everything will be fun and games. First of all, the storms come no matter what, and your foundation is tested, and second, there's also living like a Christian, which means living like Christ. Sound simple? Yes. Sound easy? No. But...
What is ever easy that's worthwhile?
God: Unseen But Not Unknown - Joshua 3-4
How many of you have ever seen God? How many of you believe He exists? Why? If you haven't seen Him, why do you believe in Him? What are some reasons?... It's a good idea to challenge your faith, ask some questions and ponder the answers, so your faith can grow. Take time for yourself to consider why you do or don't believe in God. For myself, even though I've never actually seen God in physical form with my eyes, I've seen the result of His work, I've seen His effects everywhere. I know of at least 2 people personally who God cured instantly of drug addiction, and in the case of one of them, I knew him before, during, and after, and I've seen a remarkable change in his life. He's now looking to go into youth work, and the other one is a youth pastor now. As for the love of God at work, this afternoon I was at the wedding of one of my friends, and you all know Greg, who's getting married in October. For another example, look at the Live 8 concerts for poverty, the emergency relief after last year's tsunami, and the current disaster in New Orleans. The effects of God's work, and His love, are evident even on the lives of those who don't acknowledge Him. God works not only through miracles, but also through everyday, seemingly mundane circumstances.
For an example of this, look at Joshua 3 & 4. The people of God, the Israelites, are about to enter the land God has promised to give them. But first there's the little matter of crossing a river. Oh yeah, and the river is flooding it's banks at the moment, so good luck! Anyway, God tells the people through Joshua thatthey will walk across the river! On the riverbed, too, not wading or swimming through a fast-moving flooded river. Here's what happened:
read Joshua 2:14-17
That sounds pretty miraculous! However, some scholars have called it a natural occurrence, saying that a rockslide or mudslide from heavy rainfall blocked the river upstream, so there really was no miracle. But, that being the case, it's all the more remarkable that God would lead them to the water just as it was ceasing to flow. But it gets even more remarkable:
Read Joshua 3:10-18
The water stopped for just as long as they were in the river!
Get ready, because God can turn the ordinary into extraordinary in your life too, as you're watching for evidence of Him.
For an example of this, look at Joshua 3 & 4. The people of God, the Israelites, are about to enter the land God has promised to give them. But first there's the little matter of crossing a river. Oh yeah, and the river is flooding it's banks at the moment, so good luck! Anyway, God tells the people through Joshua thatthey will walk across the river! On the riverbed, too, not wading or swimming through a fast-moving flooded river. Here's what happened:
read Joshua 2:14-17
That sounds pretty miraculous! However, some scholars have called it a natural occurrence, saying that a rockslide or mudslide from heavy rainfall blocked the river upstream, so there really was no miracle. But, that being the case, it's all the more remarkable that God would lead them to the water just as it was ceasing to flow. But it gets even more remarkable:
Read Joshua 3:10-18
The water stopped for just as long as they were in the river!
Get ready, because God can turn the ordinary into extraordinary in your life too, as you're watching for evidence of Him.
Finding Your Second Wind in Life - Isaiah 40:27-31; 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, 16
There are times in everyone's life when they feel exhausted, as if they've done all they can do and have no strength left to do any more. When that happens to us, we have two options: to give up, quit, and accept our weakness and discouragement; or to find new strength and encouragement and continue to press on. In a race this is often called "finding your second wind", and it can mean the difference between winning the race and coming in dead last or possibly not even finishing. How can we find our second wind in life just when we feel like giving up?
read Isaiah 40:27-31
God gives us that strength and encouragement, both physically and spiritually, that we need when we feel like we're at the end of our rope. Because He is God and has an unlimited supply of strength to draw from, we can always be confident in coming to Him, no matter how often we need His strength. When we put our hope and trust in God, 1 Corinthians 4:8-9 gives a remarkable picture of the difference He makes:
read that
You can see that although the difficulties aren't getting any less, the ability to overcome them is greatly increased, because we're no longer relying on our ability, but God's. As human beings, we naturally tend to become weaker, but when our strength is in God, it's not based on our humanness and the weakness that inevitably follows. We can stay strong because He stays strong. That's why Paul can say this in 1 Corinthians 4:16:
read that
That daily renewal is important, especially bcause the closer we are to God on a daily basis, the more often we're being filled with His strength. When we're constantly filled with His strength, we're living from a position of strength, and it's far easier to fight the physical, mental, and spiritual exhaustion that we inevitably face. It's easier because you know just where to go to "find your second wind"... or your 3rd or 4th or 100th... strength overcomes weakness, and encouragement replaces discouragement, and you can finish the race strong.
read Isaiah 40:27-31
God gives us that strength and encouragement, both physically and spiritually, that we need when we feel like we're at the end of our rope. Because He is God and has an unlimited supply of strength to draw from, we can always be confident in coming to Him, no matter how often we need His strength. When we put our hope and trust in God, 1 Corinthians 4:8-9 gives a remarkable picture of the difference He makes:
read that
You can see that although the difficulties aren't getting any less, the ability to overcome them is greatly increased, because we're no longer relying on our ability, but God's. As human beings, we naturally tend to become weaker, but when our strength is in God, it's not based on our humanness and the weakness that inevitably follows. We can stay strong because He stays strong. That's why Paul can say this in 1 Corinthians 4:16:
read that
That daily renewal is important, especially bcause the closer we are to God on a daily basis, the more often we're being filled with His strength. When we're constantly filled with His strength, we're living from a position of strength, and it's far easier to fight the physical, mental, and spiritual exhaustion that we inevitably face. It's easier because you know just where to go to "find your second wind"... or your 3rd or 4th or 100th... strength overcomes weakness, and encouragement replaces discouragement, and you can finish the race strong.
Relationships - an analogy
Imagine you're dating someone (requires a bigger imagination for some than others). You love them, and you know they feel the same way, but most of the time, they don't even talk to you... and when they do talk to you, they don't listen to anything you have to say. Sometimes they go so far as to avoid you altogether. In fact, all of last week they had you blocked on Messenger. How fast do you think that relationship would grow? Or maybe the question I should be asking is: how long would it last?
Communication is vital in all relationships. Not just dating or married relationships, but with friends and family as well. It's no different with God. A lot of times we don't realize that God even wants to have a relationship with us, and when we do, we don't know how to make that realtionship grow and work. After all, isn't God way up in heaven and we're down here on earth?
Since God is omnipresent (He can be everywhere, He is not limited by physical boundaries), He has the power to be in heaven and also with us. When Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would come onto/into us (Acts 1:8), He was talking about the Spirit of God, the essence of who He is (rather than the physical form as Jesus was) being here with us. So even though we can't see God's physical form, we can still know that He is staying close to us, and wants a relationship with us. That being said, how do we get into and stay in a close relationship with Him?
1. Talk to Him - put simply, prayer.
Not just asking Him for stuff, but talking to Him like you would a friend, telling Him about the crappy day you had, the girl you like, or even just how you're feeling in general. He cares about all of it. And be honest. It's not like He'll think less of you for telling Him something He knows anyway. God appreciates honesty.
2. Listen to Him - ALSO PRAYER
A conversation isn't just one-sided, at least not a good one. Sometimes we're so busy talking at God that we fail to hear Him when He wants to answer us, and that always means we lose out. We need to take time to listen. Wait for an answer after asking a question. Wait for His guidance in a situation. Even if you don't get the answer that you're hoping for, or if it takes longer to come, at least you'll have been able to...
3. Spend Time With Him
No matter what the relationship, if it's important, you'll make time. One way is to read the Bible, which is His Word to you, that's also a good way to listen to Him. Another closely related way to get to know Him is to...
4. Spend Time With His Family - other Christians
You can learn about God from others who know Him, plus it shows you care about what He cares about, people.
Communication is vital in all relationships. Not just dating or married relationships, but with friends and family as well. It's no different with God. A lot of times we don't realize that God even wants to have a relationship with us, and when we do, we don't know how to make that realtionship grow and work. After all, isn't God way up in heaven and we're down here on earth?
Since God is omnipresent (He can be everywhere, He is not limited by physical boundaries), He has the power to be in heaven and also with us. When Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would come onto/into us (Acts 1:8), He was talking about the Spirit of God, the essence of who He is (rather than the physical form as Jesus was) being here with us. So even though we can't see God's physical form, we can still know that He is staying close to us, and wants a relationship with us. That being said, how do we get into and stay in a close relationship with Him?
1. Talk to Him - put simply, prayer.
Not just asking Him for stuff, but talking to Him like you would a friend, telling Him about the crappy day you had, the girl you like, or even just how you're feeling in general. He cares about all of it. And be honest. It's not like He'll think less of you for telling Him something He knows anyway. God appreciates honesty.
2. Listen to Him - ALSO PRAYER
A conversation isn't just one-sided, at least not a good one. Sometimes we're so busy talking at God that we fail to hear Him when He wants to answer us, and that always means we lose out. We need to take time to listen. Wait for an answer after asking a question. Wait for His guidance in a situation. Even if you don't get the answer that you're hoping for, or if it takes longer to come, at least you'll have been able to...
3. Spend Time With Him
No matter what the relationship, if it's important, you'll make time. One way is to read the Bible, which is His Word to you, that's also a good way to listen to Him. Another closely related way to get to know Him is to...
4. Spend Time With His Family - other Christians
You can learn about God from others who know Him, plus it shows you care about what He cares about, people.
God is Our Hope and Strength - based on "When I Go Down" by Relient K
You can find the song lyrics here:
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/relientk/whenigodown.html
(I prefer to go straight to the band website for lyrics, if not there, a linked website, but if there's none, lyric sites such as this will do... it's just all those unrelated popups are annoying...)
All of us have experienced times when it seems like we've dug ourselves a hole we can't get out of. All of us at some point can identify with the words in the chorus:
When I go down I go down hard
And I take everything I've learned and teach myself some disregard
When I go down it hurts to hit the bottom
And of the things that got me there I think if only I had fought them
We try to live a good life, and when we fail and do something we know is wrong it takes away our momentum, we lose focus and start slipping back into the same hole we were trying to climb out of. Sometimes we try to pretend it's not happening:
And I just pray my problems go away if they're ignored
But that's not the way it works
No that's not the way it works
We can't just ignore our problems and hope they go away. We have to take positive action, and that starts by acknowledging that we're the ones who got ourselves into this mess:
Then and there I confess
I'll blame all this on my selfishness
Yet you love me and that consumes me
And I'll stand up again and do so willingly
That's the next step. To want to get out of the hole we've dug, and to commit to doing that. God's love gives us the strength to do that when we need it most, when we feel our own strength fail. He has the power to pull us out of the holes we dig, and so we can put our hope in Him:
You give me hope, and hope it gives me life
You touch my heavy heart, and when You do You make it light
As I exhale I hear Your voice
And I answer You, though I hardly make a noise
And from my lips, the words I choose to say
Seem pathetic, but it's a fallen man's praise
Because I love You... Oh God, I love You
And life is now worth living if only because of You
And when they say I'm dead and gone it won't be further from the truth
We can hear the hope in the words... We can see ourselves getting out of the holes we are in, and living life the way it was intended to be lived. When we realize that God is our hope and strength and we trust Him to save us from the holes we dig ourselves, then we too can sing:
When I go down I lift my eyes to You
I won't look very far cause You'll be there with open arms
To lift me up again, to lift me up again...
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/relientk/whenigodown.html
(I prefer to go straight to the band website for lyrics, if not there, a linked website, but if there's none, lyric sites such as this will do... it's just all those unrelated popups are annoying...)
All of us have experienced times when it seems like we've dug ourselves a hole we can't get out of. All of us at some point can identify with the words in the chorus:
When I go down I go down hard
And I take everything I've learned and teach myself some disregard
When I go down it hurts to hit the bottom
And of the things that got me there I think if only I had fought them
We try to live a good life, and when we fail and do something we know is wrong it takes away our momentum, we lose focus and start slipping back into the same hole we were trying to climb out of. Sometimes we try to pretend it's not happening:
And I just pray my problems go away if they're ignored
But that's not the way it works
No that's not the way it works
We can't just ignore our problems and hope they go away. We have to take positive action, and that starts by acknowledging that we're the ones who got ourselves into this mess:
Then and there I confess
I'll blame all this on my selfishness
Yet you love me and that consumes me
And I'll stand up again and do so willingly
That's the next step. To want to get out of the hole we've dug, and to commit to doing that. God's love gives us the strength to do that when we need it most, when we feel our own strength fail. He has the power to pull us out of the holes we dig, and so we can put our hope in Him:
You give me hope, and hope it gives me life
You touch my heavy heart, and when You do You make it light
As I exhale I hear Your voice
And I answer You, though I hardly make a noise
And from my lips, the words I choose to say
Seem pathetic, but it's a fallen man's praise
Because I love You... Oh God, I love You
And life is now worth living if only because of You
And when they say I'm dead and gone it won't be further from the truth
We can hear the hope in the words... We can see ourselves getting out of the holes we are in, and living life the way it was intended to be lived. When we realize that God is our hope and strength and we trust Him to save us from the holes we dig ourselves, then we too can sing:
When I go down I lift my eyes to You
I won't look very far cause You'll be there with open arms
To lift me up again, to lift me up again...
Sower, Seeds and Soil - Mark 4:2-20 (read first)
Everyone here is like one or another of these types of soil, and sometimes we can see bits of more than one kind in ourselves... (but that doesn't give us a reason to go around treating people like dirt...) We need to ask ourselves what kind(s) of soil we are like, and how we can improve to become like the good soil.
The first kind of soil is the path. It's packed down from years' worth of footsteps, and the seed doesn't even penetrate it. This is like someone who hears God's Word but doesn't believe it, doesn't have faith, there is no acceptance of the truth, it's as if they hadn't heard it at all.
The second kind of soil is the rocky ground. When the seed enters, it doesn't take root deeply, and the few roots that are there are weak and bring little life at best. This represents someone who does accept God's Word, but it's more of a fad than faith. They expect God to make everything easy for them, and when He doesn't, they turn away for something else.
The third soil is full of thorns, that choke the life out of the seed. This person accepts God's Word, but ends up doing nothing with it, because worry, materialism, and greed tie their hands. There's always so much to do/get/buy/consider... we worry instead of trusting God to supply our needs when we live this way.
The fourth soil type is the good soil. This is the person who accepts and has faith in God's Word. No matter what comes up, their faith and trust is in God, not only do they grow, but they do something productive, they multiply, they show the Word to others.
How can we become more like the good soil? Well, we could use a cultivator... that would end up with a bunch of bloody cultivated Christians (literally)... but it would be far more productive not to. We need to have an active faith, think about what and why we believe, focus on God rather than worrying about everything, and DO something about it.
The first kind of soil is the path. It's packed down from years' worth of footsteps, and the seed doesn't even penetrate it. This is like someone who hears God's Word but doesn't believe it, doesn't have faith, there is no acceptance of the truth, it's as if they hadn't heard it at all.
The second kind of soil is the rocky ground. When the seed enters, it doesn't take root deeply, and the few roots that are there are weak and bring little life at best. This represents someone who does accept God's Word, but it's more of a fad than faith. They expect God to make everything easy for them, and when He doesn't, they turn away for something else.
The third soil is full of thorns, that choke the life out of the seed. This person accepts God's Word, but ends up doing nothing with it, because worry, materialism, and greed tie their hands. There's always so much to do/get/buy/consider... we worry instead of trusting God to supply our needs when we live this way.
The fourth soil type is the good soil. This is the person who accepts and has faith in God's Word. No matter what comes up, their faith and trust is in God, not only do they grow, but they do something productive, they multiply, they show the Word to others.
How can we become more like the good soil? Well, we could use a cultivator... that would end up with a bunch of bloody cultivated Christians (literally)... but it would be far more productive not to. We need to have an active faith, think about what and why we believe, focus on God rather than worrying about everything, and DO something about it.
Motivation - Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 (read first), 31-34 (read at end)
What you do can be very important, but far more important to God is your reason for doing it. The attitudes and motives of the heart are what God sees. Although it's impossible to do something you know is wrong with proper motives, you can do something you know is right with improper motives. Take the examples we just read in Matthew. Jesus says that the hypocrites give to the needy, pray, and fast. These are good things. In fact, Jesus expects that we will do these things. Notice the language: "when you give... when you pray... when you fast..." Not if, but when. His issue is not with what's being done, but with how and why it's being done. The hypocrites do these things to glorify themselves, to make themselves look better. We should do them too, but to glorify God, and to lift Him up. When we are focused on God, what we do becomes more meaningful, and He is pleased with it. We can trust Him to take care of our needs, to reward us and bless us, because that's what He promises to do.
Religion Wars: Revenge of the Sabbath OR Lord of the Sabbath: Authority of the King - Mark 2:23-28
The Pharisees had it all figured out. They liked their rules, and they liked imposing them on others. They were sure that God was on their side with this one. Surely picking food off the stalk was "work", and work was forbidden on the Sabbath, s how could someone claiming to be God Himself violate His own rule?
Jesus sets them straight and tells them what it's really all about. The reason God created the Sabbath was for the benefit of humans. Was He so exhausted after 6 days of creating that He couldn't lift a finger? No, He knew that it would cause havoc in our bodies, minds and spirits if we didn't take time to rest. Just try and go 7 days a week and in a few weeks at most, you're tired, irritable, and worn out. God wanted to spare us that.
The same goes for the other rules that God has given us.Rather than restrict us and spoil our fun, they guide us into the freest, most productive and enjoyable lives we can live. Without those guidelines, we are "free" to try whatever we want, to hurt ourselves and others, to wander aimlessly.
But with God's laws, we are free to reach our full potential. Skillet expresses this well in their song Suspended in You:
http://www.panheads.org/music/
(go to the disc "Hey You, I Love Your Soul", and click on the track "Suspended in You")
Jesus sets them straight and tells them what it's really all about. The reason God created the Sabbath was for the benefit of humans. Was He so exhausted after 6 days of creating that He couldn't lift a finger? No, He knew that it would cause havoc in our bodies, minds and spirits if we didn't take time to rest. Just try and go 7 days a week and in a few weeks at most, you're tired, irritable, and worn out. God wanted to spare us that.
The same goes for the other rules that God has given us.Rather than restrict us and spoil our fun, they guide us into the freest, most productive and enjoyable lives we can live. Without those guidelines, we are "free" to try whatever we want, to hurt ourselves and others, to wander aimlessly.
But with God's laws, we are free to reach our full potential. Skillet expresses this well in their song Suspended in You:
http://www.panheads.org/music/
(go to the disc "Hey You, I Love Your Soul", and click on the track "Suspended in You")
The Day of the Lord - 2 Peter 3
About a month or two ago, we did a devo on "the year of the Lord's favour", and Rick asked a number of pretty deep questions about "the day of vengeance". I'd like to focus a little bit on that this week.
Jesus tells the disciples when He is leaving them that He will return, and bring His family (the church) home to heaven with Him. He has prepared a place for those who believe in Him, so when the end of the world comes, we won't meet our end.
verse 9
- the reason that God doesn't just take us all now is because He is patient and merciful. He would rather not have anyone be destroyed, that's why He offers us all every opportunity to change and accept Him.
- as His agents on earth; we are called to be about His business. We are to make Him known to people who don't know Him, giving them every opportunity to turn to Him and have life... God uses us to snatch others out of the fire.
verses 13-15a
- God's patience leads to salvation, ours and others'. Although He is the one who saves us, it takes a conscious decision and choice on our part to be at peace with Him.
verses 17-18
- God has made us safe and secure in Him, but we can fall from safety, so we need to be careful to guard ourselves by growing in Gid's grace and the knowledge of Him.
Jesus tells the disciples when He is leaving them that He will return, and bring His family (the church) home to heaven with Him. He has prepared a place for those who believe in Him, so when the end of the world comes, we won't meet our end.
verse 9
- the reason that God doesn't just take us all now is because He is patient and merciful. He would rather not have anyone be destroyed, that's why He offers us all every opportunity to change and accept Him.
- as His agents on earth; we are called to be about His business. We are to make Him known to people who don't know Him, giving them every opportunity to turn to Him and have life... God uses us to snatch others out of the fire.
verses 13-15a
- God's patience leads to salvation, ours and others'. Although He is the one who saves us, it takes a conscious decision and choice on our part to be at peace with Him.
verses 17-18
- God has made us safe and secure in Him, but we can fall from safety, so we need to be careful to guard ourselves by growing in Gid's grace and the knowledge of Him.
This Post Is Probably Out of Order
Hey guys, this devo I have seperate from my others, so it's not in order, I'm just gonna put it here.
"Raised in Harlem" - Jesus raises Jairus' daughter from the dead and heals a sick woman.
(the title comes from the scene in the DVD we watched, HERO, where Jesus [Michael Tait] raises Jairus' [T-Bone] daughter from the dead)
text found in Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:22-43, and Luke 8:41-56
- equality of the high and lowly
- equality of the religious and the outcast
- the woman had been bleeding for as long as the child had been alive
- it was in God's plan to heal the woman and raise the girl, even 12 years earlier, when Jesus was most likely still working as a carpenter with Joseph
- both miracles involved faith
- Jairus and the sick woman were both desperate
- Jesus healed both, though medical science could do nothing
- friends saw a hopeless situation, they laughed at Jesus, but He saw the finished product, He saw her living again...
- do we laugh at Jesus?
- are we desperate for Jesus to bring life?
- do we have faith that God can do what seems impossible?
*Jesus works right on time, even if it seems 12 years late (the woman) or 12 minutes late (Jairus). He knows His plans, we don't.
- do we get impatient when God doesn't do what we want when we want it?
"Raised in Harlem" - Jesus raises Jairus' daughter from the dead and heals a sick woman.
(the title comes from the scene in the DVD we watched, HERO, where Jesus [Michael Tait] raises Jairus' [T-Bone] daughter from the dead)
text found in Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:22-43, and Luke 8:41-56
- equality of the high and lowly
- equality of the religious and the outcast
- the woman had been bleeding for as long as the child had been alive
- it was in God's plan to heal the woman and raise the girl, even 12 years earlier, when Jesus was most likely still working as a carpenter with Joseph
- both miracles involved faith
- Jairus and the sick woman were both desperate
- Jesus healed both, though medical science could do nothing
- friends saw a hopeless situation, they laughed at Jesus, but He saw the finished product, He saw her living again...
- do we laugh at Jesus?
- are we desperate for Jesus to bring life?
- do we have faith that God can do what seems impossible?
*Jesus works right on time, even if it seems 12 years late (the woman) or 12 minutes late (Jairus). He knows His plans, we don't.
- do we get impatient when God doesn't do what we want when we want it?
Psalm 23 Devo
In a way, we're all like sheep, and this psalm draws some parallels to our lives and those of a flock of sheep...
verses 1-3a
Like the shepherd does for his sheep, God makes sure that all of our needs are met. He knows where to take us so that we can grow and are strengthened. Sometimes we like to stay in one spot because we're used to it, but He knows that before long all the grass will be eaten up, so He wants us to keep moving, following Him.
verse 3b
The point of living a righteous life is not to show off how good we are, but to glorify God. If we follow His leading, we'll know which paths to take.
verse 4
No matter how difficult or dangerous our circumstances, God is there to protect us. We can take comfort in the fact that He is well able to take care of us.
verse 5
God will pour out His blessing on us to such an extent that even those who hate us will have to acknowledge that we are blessed, it will be evident to all.
verse 6
As we stay in Him, His goodness and love will fill our lives, and we'll be able to have an ongoing relationship with God Himself.
verses 1-3a
Like the shepherd does for his sheep, God makes sure that all of our needs are met. He knows where to take us so that we can grow and are strengthened. Sometimes we like to stay in one spot because we're used to it, but He knows that before long all the grass will be eaten up, so He wants us to keep moving, following Him.
verse 3b
The point of living a righteous life is not to show off how good we are, but to glorify God. If we follow His leading, we'll know which paths to take.
verse 4
No matter how difficult or dangerous our circumstances, God is there to protect us. We can take comfort in the fact that He is well able to take care of us.
verse 5
God will pour out His blessing on us to such an extent that even those who hate us will have to acknowledge that we are blessed, it will be evident to all.
verse 6
As we stay in Him, His goodness and love will fill our lives, and we'll be able to have an ongoing relationship with God Himself.
First Post In 2.5 Months
Yes, I'm back, and I've got a whole bunch of devo posts to do, so bear with me. I hope to get a whole lot done in a fairly short period of time, so lots of reading material for everyone (and lots of blogwork for me, yay!)... rather than skip to the next post, I'll start my first of the devos on this post, so without too much further ado...
Obeying God, Whatever the Cost - Daniel 6
(start by reading Daniel 6:1-4)
Daniel had it pretty good at this point in his life. He had the blessing of God, and the favour of the king. He had power and influence, and his enemies couldn't dig up any dirt on him. But then, some difficult circumstances came around which forced Daniel to make a choice.
(read Daniel 6:5-9)
Now right here Daniel could have done three things:
*stopped praying to God for a month (...after all, it's only a month, God will understand, He's concerned for my safety)
*continued praying, but in secret (...they can't catch me if they can't see me, it's not that I'm really ashamed of God)
*continued praying openly for all to see (no compromise)
(read Daniel 6:10)
This is where it really gets interesting. The king tries to save Daniel but is unable. Finally, even he realizes that only God has the power to save Daniel now.
(read Daniel 6:11-20)
Now we see how God comes through when Daniel needs Him the most, and Daniel is able to talk to the king about God.
(read Daniel 6:21-28)
We need to follow Daniel's example, obey God no matter what, and trust that He is able to take care of us.
More posts to follow shortly...
Obeying God, Whatever the Cost - Daniel 6
(start by reading Daniel 6:1-4)
Daniel had it pretty good at this point in his life. He had the blessing of God, and the favour of the king. He had power and influence, and his enemies couldn't dig up any dirt on him. But then, some difficult circumstances came around which forced Daniel to make a choice.
(read Daniel 6:5-9)
Now right here Daniel could have done three things:
*stopped praying to God for a month (...after all, it's only a month, God will understand, He's concerned for my safety)
*continued praying, but in secret (...they can't catch me if they can't see me, it's not that I'm really ashamed of God)
*continued praying openly for all to see (no compromise)
(read Daniel 6:10)
This is where it really gets interesting. The king tries to save Daniel but is unable. Finally, even he realizes that only God has the power to save Daniel now.
(read Daniel 6:11-20)
Now we see how God comes through when Daniel needs Him the most, and Daniel is able to talk to the king about God.
(read Daniel 6:21-28)
We need to follow Daniel's example, obey God no matter what, and trust that He is able to take care of us.
More posts to follow shortly...
Saturday, July 02, 2005
Oh Canada
Welcome to Canada... the land created under the laws and for the glory of God... "He shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth."... what a perfect geographic description of the Dominion of Canada, created 138 years ago by people who actually believed that those words meant something. As our national anthem states:
Oh Canada, our home and native land
True patriot love in all thy sons command
With glowing hearts we see thee rise
The true north strong and free
From far and wide, oh Canada
We stand on guard for thee
God keep our land glorious and free
Oh Canada, we stand on guard for thee
Oh Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
Who is standing on guard for our country now? Canada is neither strong or free. It is falling to new depths, its glory fading, its past forgotten, its God systematically eliminated from all relevance in day to day life. Where are the sons and daughters of Canada? Those who will stand on guard for her, those who will rise up against injustice and oppression, stand for the morals that created such a glorious nation, those who will refuse to stand by and do nothing? Where is Canada's future? What is her new legacy? Slaughtering children, legalizing harmful substances, and unnatural sexual relations? Are those the issues of today? According to those in power, they are really non-issues. They will fight against morality under the banners of "decriminalizing marijuana", "gay pride" and "pro-choice". Are they the sons and daughters who guard our beloved nation so well? God keep out land glorious and free? May God have mercy on our souls! I love this country, but I don't love what's being done to it.
Here's a random comparison for you: say you have a pair of shoes. When they're new, they look all clean and nice... but as they get older, they start to get dirty and smell... if you want those shoes to be clean and nice again, do you...
a) actually clean them up, or
b) poop all over them, wipe it in with your hands, and then pee on them for good measure, all the while calling it "cleaning them up"?
That's what I thought. So stop pooping all over Canada people. It could be really awesome if we actually cleaned it up. 'Nuff said.
Oh Canada, our home and native land
True patriot love in all thy sons command
With glowing hearts we see thee rise
The true north strong and free
From far and wide, oh Canada
We stand on guard for thee
God keep our land glorious and free
Oh Canada, we stand on guard for thee
Oh Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
Who is standing on guard for our country now? Canada is neither strong or free. It is falling to new depths, its glory fading, its past forgotten, its God systematically eliminated from all relevance in day to day life. Where are the sons and daughters of Canada? Those who will stand on guard for her, those who will rise up against injustice and oppression, stand for the morals that created such a glorious nation, those who will refuse to stand by and do nothing? Where is Canada's future? What is her new legacy? Slaughtering children, legalizing harmful substances, and unnatural sexual relations? Are those the issues of today? According to those in power, they are really non-issues. They will fight against morality under the banners of "decriminalizing marijuana", "gay pride" and "pro-choice". Are they the sons and daughters who guard our beloved nation so well? God keep out land glorious and free? May God have mercy on our souls! I love this country, but I don't love what's being done to it.
Here's a random comparison for you: say you have a pair of shoes. When they're new, they look all clean and nice... but as they get older, they start to get dirty and smell... if you want those shoes to be clean and nice again, do you...
a) actually clean them up, or
b) poop all over them, wipe it in with your hands, and then pee on them for good measure, all the while calling it "cleaning them up"?
That's what I thought. So stop pooping all over Canada people. It could be really awesome if we actually cleaned it up. 'Nuff said.
Saturday, June 11, 2005
First Non-Devo Post in a While
I think it's time for another poem on the blog, and since I have a few minutes, I'll take the time to create a blog-only poem... maybe I'll write it down later, we'll see. Usually my poems reflect how I'm feeling or what I'm thinking about at a given time, so this'll probably be one of those kind too.
My Enemy
You know me so well, you rule my mind,
You say you'll protect me, but you are unkind.
You hurt me and then... you hurt me again,
You get me so stressed out I need to unwind.
Your morals I question, I think they are lax,
It's so hard to fend off all of your attacks.
You treat me like dirt, and when I am hurt,
You won't let me go cuz you're there on my back.
My ego you boost, then rip it away,
I'm built up and torn down by all that you say.
You say I'm a star, that I will go far,
Then beat up on me like you did yesterday.
You take all the glory, you leave me the blame,
You think that this all is just some sort of game.
I try and I fail, and yet you prevail,
And leave me there sitting alone in my shame.
But now I will stop, and begin to see,
Just what is behind this, your identity.
I was such a fool, you made me your tool,
I should have known all along that you were me.
My Enemy
You know me so well, you rule my mind,
You say you'll protect me, but you are unkind.
You hurt me and then... you hurt me again,
You get me so stressed out I need to unwind.
Your morals I question, I think they are lax,
It's so hard to fend off all of your attacks.
You treat me like dirt, and when I am hurt,
You won't let me go cuz you're there on my back.
My ego you boost, then rip it away,
I'm built up and torn down by all that you say.
You say I'm a star, that I will go far,
Then beat up on me like you did yesterday.
You take all the glory, you leave me the blame,
You think that this all is just some sort of game.
I try and I fail, and yet you prevail,
And leave me there sitting alone in my shame.
But now I will stop, and begin to see,
Just what is behind this, your identity.
I was such a fool, you made me your tool,
I should have known all along that you were me.
Be All That You Can Be - 2 Timothy 2:3-5
Finally, I'm catching up on my posts, this was yesterday's devo... it was shorter because we had a RISK game last night, and we also had to discuss some events which are coming up at the drop-in in the coming months... hopefully more about those later.
"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (fear), but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." - 2 Timothy 1:7
(Read 2 Timothy 2:3-5)
Living for God is not a part-time thing, it's a lifestyle, it's who you are, like in sports, or the army:
Join the army... see the world... go to strange and exotic places... meet new and interesting people... and kill them.
Just kidding, I just thought that was a humorous take on an army slogan, but it is a commitment that you don't back out on, just like your Christian life has to be. Anything that pulls you away or holds you back and is counterproductive to your Christian life has to go. Concentrate on the things of God, focus on growing in your Christian walk, become all that you can. God wants to help you to reach your potential. He wants you to be all that you can be.
"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (fear), but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." - 2 Timothy 1:7
(Read 2 Timothy 2:3-5)
Living for God is not a part-time thing, it's a lifestyle, it's who you are, like in sports, or the army:
Join the army... see the world... go to strange and exotic places... meet new and interesting people... and kill them.
Just kidding, I just thought that was a humorous take on an army slogan, but it is a commitment that you don't back out on, just like your Christian life has to be. Anything that pulls you away or holds you back and is counterproductive to your Christian life has to go. Concentrate on the things of God, focus on growing in your Christian walk, become all that you can. God wants to help you to reach your potential. He wants you to be all that you can be.
The Year of the Lord's Favour - Luke 4:14-21, Isaiah 61:1-3
- This story took place very shortly after Jesus received the Holy Spirit.
- One of the first things He does is announce Himself. This is probably one of the most blatant ways Jesus pointed to Himself being the Christ, the Jews listening understood the passage He read to be prophetic, about the Christ, and He claimed to fulfill it.
- When we receive the Holy Spirit from God, this becomes our mission, and our call. Whatever else we do, we have to:
Preach good news to the poor.
- show them the good news by taking care of them
Proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind.
- these go hand in hand, those who are prisoners to their flesh are often blind to the things of the Spirit
Release the oppressed.
- not only not oppressing others, but actively releasing them... whether the oppression be physical, mental, spiritual or whatever
Proclaim the year of the Lord's favour.
- when we live by the Spirit, we have the favour of God on our lives, He wants to show favour on everyone, and it's our job to let them know.
P.S. - Rick and I had a pretty good discussion going on after the devo about the continuation of the passage in Isaiah, about the "Day of Vengeance"...I encourage people to read the rest of the passage, and just want to say that for those of us who are Christians, the Day of Vengeance is not something to be afraid of... but it should spur us to action, to want to let friends, family and everyone know about Jesus while it's still the Year of Favour.
- One of the first things He does is announce Himself. This is probably one of the most blatant ways Jesus pointed to Himself being the Christ, the Jews listening understood the passage He read to be prophetic, about the Christ, and He claimed to fulfill it.
- When we receive the Holy Spirit from God, this becomes our mission, and our call. Whatever else we do, we have to:
Preach good news to the poor.
- show them the good news by taking care of them
Proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind.
- these go hand in hand, those who are prisoners to their flesh are often blind to the things of the Spirit
Release the oppressed.
- not only not oppressing others, but actively releasing them... whether the oppression be physical, mental, spiritual or whatever
Proclaim the year of the Lord's favour.
- when we live by the Spirit, we have the favour of God on our lives, He wants to show favour on everyone, and it's our job to let them know.
P.S. - Rick and I had a pretty good discussion going on after the devo about the continuation of the passage in Isaiah, about the "Day of Vengeance"...I encourage people to read the rest of the passage, and just want to say that for those of us who are Christians, the Day of Vengeance is not something to be afraid of... but it should spur us to action, to want to let friends, family and everyone know about Jesus while it's still the Year of Favour.
The Prayer of the Tax Collector - Luke 18:9-14
It's obvious that the Pharisee in this story was a "better person", but the tax collector was the one who was justified. Any idea what the difference was, what made God listen to the tax collector rather than the Pharisee? What did the tax collector do right?
1. The tax collector was humble.
- he knew that he wasn't so great, and God is
- he wouldn't even look up, he didn't feel worthy to look in God's direction
- he stood at a distance - this reflected how close he felt to God
2. The tax collector was sincere.
- he acknowledged his sin
- he spoke to God straight-up, no angles
- he asked for the mercy he knew he needed
What did the Pharisee do wrong?
1. The Pharisee was proud.
- he thought a lot of himself, forgot God's greatness
- he stood up close, not to be close to God, but to be the centre of attention
- he boasted about how much better he was than everyone else
*In the grand scheme of things, God doesn't measure us up against other people, but against perfection. None of us can stand up to that comparison, which is why we need His mercy and grace. Through Jesus, He makes us able to stand up to the measuring stick of perfection.
2. The Pharisee was insincere.
- he prayed so others would hear, he wasn't really interested in whether or not God heard
- he compared himself to the worst of humanity to make himself look better
- he didn't acknowledge his need for God's mercy, in fact, the only time he acknowledge God at all was as a name at the beginning of his prayer
*almost like putting "Once upon a time..." at the beginning of a fairy tale... it meant about as much to him
We need to be like the tax collector rather than the Pharisee in our dealings with God.
1. The tax collector was humble.
- he knew that he wasn't so great, and God is
- he wouldn't even look up, he didn't feel worthy to look in God's direction
- he stood at a distance - this reflected how close he felt to God
2. The tax collector was sincere.
- he acknowledged his sin
- he spoke to God straight-up, no angles
- he asked for the mercy he knew he needed
What did the Pharisee do wrong?
1. The Pharisee was proud.
- he thought a lot of himself, forgot God's greatness
- he stood up close, not to be close to God, but to be the centre of attention
- he boasted about how much better he was than everyone else
*In the grand scheme of things, God doesn't measure us up against other people, but against perfection. None of us can stand up to that comparison, which is why we need His mercy and grace. Through Jesus, He makes us able to stand up to the measuring stick of perfection.
2. The Pharisee was insincere.
- he prayed so others would hear, he wasn't really interested in whether or not God heard
- he compared himself to the worst of humanity to make himself look better
- he didn't acknowledge his need for God's mercy, in fact, the only time he acknowledge God at all was as a name at the beginning of his prayer
*almost like putting "Once upon a time..." at the beginning of a fairy tale... it meant about as much to him
We need to be like the tax collector rather than the Pharisee in our dealings with God.
Jesus and Peter Walk on Water - Matthew 14:22-33
Let's set the stage. We've got a group of guys here who have personally seen Jesus' miracles, and heard His teachings and believed in Him. In fact, they've just finished participating in a huge outdoor all-you-can-eat dinner, where Jesus provided food for likely close to 20,000 people (5000 men plus women and children, could've been more, could've been less). After seeing this miracle, Jesus sends them off so He can be by Himself. If I'm on that boat, I'm thinking, "Jesus knows what He's doing. We should be safe going where He told us to go, and doing what He told us to do." Then, all of a sudden, a wind comes up against the boat, and the waves start rocking it harder and harder, and it's all the disciples can do to make any headway at all.
- life can be pretty tough even when we're doing what God says
Imagine you're fighting the waves for control of the boat, when all of a sudden you look back and catch the moonlight reflecting off something on the water, and it looks like it's heading towards you. All the ghost and monster stories you heard as a kid come rushing back into your mind. You can make out the figure of a man. Someone whispers the word 'ghost' and slowly the other guys huddle towards the front. You quickly join them, abandoning the boat to the waves, a couple of the more superstitious guys let out muffled screams...
That's when you hear the most comforting thing you've ever heard. Jesus' voice booms out to you over the storm: "Hey guys! Don't be afraid, it's just me, Jesus! You've got nothing to worry about!"
- often we let our minds wander, we fear things we don't understand, we don't see the obvious because our circumstances cloud our judgement.
Now we get to where Peter walks on water... well, sort of. After all, he took His focus off Jesus and would have sunk if Jesus hadn't saved him. Sometimes we think that makes the other disciples look better, but where was their faith? Did any of them take even one step on the water? NO. Peter's decision to take a risk and step out was a good one, and one we need to follow. And the fact that he fell is an encouragement for us, when the inevitable fall comes, Jesus is faithful to pick us back up and keep us safe.
I'd like to focus on Jesus' words in verse 31, because I don't think it's quite the heavy rebuke we expect... I think it's a commendation, and a push to go farther:
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
In Luke 17:6, Jesus says, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you."
I think Jesus is saying, "You were doing good, you had a little faith... why did you let doubt take that away from you?"
We need to have a little faith to begin with, and then let that grow.
- life can be pretty tough even when we're doing what God says
Imagine you're fighting the waves for control of the boat, when all of a sudden you look back and catch the moonlight reflecting off something on the water, and it looks like it's heading towards you. All the ghost and monster stories you heard as a kid come rushing back into your mind. You can make out the figure of a man. Someone whispers the word 'ghost' and slowly the other guys huddle towards the front. You quickly join them, abandoning the boat to the waves, a couple of the more superstitious guys let out muffled screams...
That's when you hear the most comforting thing you've ever heard. Jesus' voice booms out to you over the storm: "Hey guys! Don't be afraid, it's just me, Jesus! You've got nothing to worry about!"
- often we let our minds wander, we fear things we don't understand, we don't see the obvious because our circumstances cloud our judgement.
Now we get to where Peter walks on water... well, sort of. After all, he took His focus off Jesus and would have sunk if Jesus hadn't saved him. Sometimes we think that makes the other disciples look better, but where was their faith? Did any of them take even one step on the water? NO. Peter's decision to take a risk and step out was a good one, and one we need to follow. And the fact that he fell is an encouragement for us, when the inevitable fall comes, Jesus is faithful to pick us back up and keep us safe.
I'd like to focus on Jesus' words in verse 31, because I don't think it's quite the heavy rebuke we expect... I think it's a commendation, and a push to go farther:
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
In Luke 17:6, Jesus says, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you."
I think Jesus is saying, "You were doing good, you had a little faith... why did you let doubt take that away from you?"
We need to have a little faith to begin with, and then let that grow.
Catholic vs. Protestant: Fighting the Wrong War - Romans 14, 1 Cor. 12
Hey everybody, I'm finally back and posting after a long dry spell (busy, oh so busy)... here's the first of a bunch of forthcoming:
Let me start by saying I happen to be a Pentecostal Protestant. The logistics of that is for another time, but suffice it to say that I have seen God's power at work in the Protestant churches I have been a part of, and I could probably find a bunch of Bible verses that I could use to support my position when in a conversation/discussion/debate/argument with a Catholic. BUT that's not what this is.
I've grown up all my life believing that anyone who believes in Jesus and accepts Him into their life will be saved, regardless of denomination. All Christians are brothers (and sisters). Though I am a Protestant, I do not exclude Catholics and from what I hear, the Catholic Church doesn't exclude other Christians either, but welcomes them as family. All the same, I've had some pretty heated discussions and, though some were helpful and informative, many degenerated into a Catholic- and Protestant-bashing session.
Let's look at a few verses of Scripture, and apply them to how we should really be treating each other as God's family:
(read Romans 14)
- We need to put ourselves in the shoes of both the weaker and stronger brothers. Sometimes our faith is strong in one area, while in others it's weak. In both cases, don't condemn or look down on other Christians. God will help them to stand, just as He helps you.
- We need to do our best not to cause others to stumble... for example, you may think a certain movie is OK but your friend thinks it's wrong... DON'T go see it with them (or describe it to them in detail afterwards). It's not as important whether you eat, drink, watch or do whatever you want to, as it is to care about about someone's spiritual health. This applies, for example, if a non-Catholic Christian goes to a Catholic church and they feel it's OK for them to take the Eucharist (Communion), but the Catholics there would be distressed and see something wrong with it... don't do it. Whatever your personal convictions, you're not acting in love if you do.
(read 1 Cor. 12:12-27)
- Protestants and Catholics alike are members of the Body of Christ. Just because we play different parts in the body doesn't mean we aren't both necessary. Let's use an example:
Say you're a nose. Just a regular, ordinary nose, going about its business. Oh yeah, and you're on the face of a guy with glasses. One day, you get tired of holding up the glasses, doing all the work just so your weaker brothers, the eyes, can have an easier time of it. Somehow you throw off the glasses, and you feel pretty good, thinking, "Now those stupid eyes will have to do their share of the work!" What happens next? While the eyes are straining to adjust, the guy walks right into a brick wall... NOSE FIRST! What seemed like a burden was really working for your protection.
Though we don't understand all the parts in play, God does. If we're united in Him, we'll stand, regardless of denomination... if not, we'll all fall.
P.S. - Greg, if you'd like to post your thoughts from a Catholic perspective, that would be great. I appreciated you coming to the drop-in to help with this one so it didn't become an anti-Catholic slugfest.
Let me start by saying I happen to be a Pentecostal Protestant. The logistics of that is for another time, but suffice it to say that I have seen God's power at work in the Protestant churches I have been a part of, and I could probably find a bunch of Bible verses that I could use to support my position when in a conversation/discussion/debate/argument with a Catholic. BUT that's not what this is.
I've grown up all my life believing that anyone who believes in Jesus and accepts Him into their life will be saved, regardless of denomination. All Christians are brothers (and sisters). Though I am a Protestant, I do not exclude Catholics and from what I hear, the Catholic Church doesn't exclude other Christians either, but welcomes them as family. All the same, I've had some pretty heated discussions and, though some were helpful and informative, many degenerated into a Catholic- and Protestant-bashing session.
Let's look at a few verses of Scripture, and apply them to how we should really be treating each other as God's family:
(read Romans 14)
- We need to put ourselves in the shoes of both the weaker and stronger brothers. Sometimes our faith is strong in one area, while in others it's weak. In both cases, don't condemn or look down on other Christians. God will help them to stand, just as He helps you.
- We need to do our best not to cause others to stumble... for example, you may think a certain movie is OK but your friend thinks it's wrong... DON'T go see it with them (or describe it to them in detail afterwards). It's not as important whether you eat, drink, watch or do whatever you want to, as it is to care about about someone's spiritual health. This applies, for example, if a non-Catholic Christian goes to a Catholic church and they feel it's OK for them to take the Eucharist (Communion), but the Catholics there would be distressed and see something wrong with it... don't do it. Whatever your personal convictions, you're not acting in love if you do.
(read 1 Cor. 12:12-27)
- Protestants and Catholics alike are members of the Body of Christ. Just because we play different parts in the body doesn't mean we aren't both necessary. Let's use an example:
Say you're a nose. Just a regular, ordinary nose, going about its business. Oh yeah, and you're on the face of a guy with glasses. One day, you get tired of holding up the glasses, doing all the work just so your weaker brothers, the eyes, can have an easier time of it. Somehow you throw off the glasses, and you feel pretty good, thinking, "Now those stupid eyes will have to do their share of the work!" What happens next? While the eyes are straining to adjust, the guy walks right into a brick wall... NOSE FIRST! What seemed like a burden was really working for your protection.
Though we don't understand all the parts in play, God does. If we're united in Him, we'll stand, regardless of denomination... if not, we'll all fall.
P.S. - Greg, if you'd like to post your thoughts from a Catholic perspective, that would be great. I appreciated you coming to the drop-in to help with this one so it didn't become an anti-Catholic slugfest.
Monday, April 11, 2005
Devo - Wisdom: 1 Corinthians 1 & 2
The idea of Jesus dying a bloody death on the cross seems foolish. Why would anyone die for something they didn't do? Why would God Himself suffer and die, just to restore a relationship with His creation? Where is the power in weakness? Where's the wisdom in any of it?
But that's exactly what He did... (read 1:18-25)
God is so much wiser than us, that even His so-called "foolishness" is above our wisdom, His "weakness" above our strength. Jesus' death was an act of wisdom, He knew it was the only way we could be in a relationship with Him; and He did what had to be done, an act of strength. He even showed power over death by rising from the dead, turning weakness into strength, foolishness into wisdom.
Now He calls us to do the same thing, to choose God's foolishness over man's wisdom... (read 1:26-31)
He turns conventional wisdom on its head, choosing the weak, foolish and lowly to His kingdom. He shows up man's strength, wisdom and honour for the sham that it is in comparison to His.
When we know we are foolish, we acknowledge Him as wise that much easier, and when we do that, He can place His wisdom in us... (read 2:6-16)
God's wisdom has been hidden from mankind because we couldn't understand it... "BUT GOD HAS REVEALED IT TO US BY HIS SPIRIT."
The Bible says that when we acknowledge who Jesus is and what He's done for us, and choose to turn from our wisdom and choose His, we receive the Holy Spirit... (read Acts 2:36-39)
That's the same Spirit who knows the thoughts of God! We can know God's plans for us, and what He's given us, because His Spirit in us can show us His wisdom. We can be a part of the wisdom and strength of God.
We can have the mind of Christ! We can have true wisdom!
But that's exactly what He did... (read 1:18-25)
God is so much wiser than us, that even His so-called "foolishness" is above our wisdom, His "weakness" above our strength. Jesus' death was an act of wisdom, He knew it was the only way we could be in a relationship with Him; and He did what had to be done, an act of strength. He even showed power over death by rising from the dead, turning weakness into strength, foolishness into wisdom.
Now He calls us to do the same thing, to choose God's foolishness over man's wisdom... (read 1:26-31)
He turns conventional wisdom on its head, choosing the weak, foolish and lowly to His kingdom. He shows up man's strength, wisdom and honour for the sham that it is in comparison to His.
When we know we are foolish, we acknowledge Him as wise that much easier, and when we do that, He can place His wisdom in us... (read 2:6-16)
God's wisdom has been hidden from mankind because we couldn't understand it... "BUT GOD HAS REVEALED IT TO US BY HIS SPIRIT."
The Bible says that when we acknowledge who Jesus is and what He's done for us, and choose to turn from our wisdom and choose His, we receive the Holy Spirit... (read Acts 2:36-39)
That's the same Spirit who knows the thoughts of God! We can know God's plans for us, and what He's given us, because His Spirit in us can show us His wisdom. We can be a part of the wisdom and strength of God.
We can have the mind of Christ! We can have true wisdom!
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
A Poem I Wrote For Myself
Turn away from the little things
That bring you down and turn and sing
A song of praise unto your God
And never mind if you look odd
Cause when you know you've met the One
Who saved your soul, you'll start to run
Away from things that block your goal
To be made new, to be made whole
You'll focus on your God instead
Of small distractions in your head
No matter what happens to you,
His love will stay, His love is true.
He never wavers, never fades,
So give Him some more accolades,
Worship Him only, He's the One
Who forgives everything you've done,
He comes into your heart to stay,
And He takes all your sins away.
He takes your hurt, He takes your pain,
And makes you happy once again.
That bring you down and turn and sing
A song of praise unto your God
And never mind if you look odd
Cause when you know you've met the One
Who saved your soul, you'll start to run
Away from things that block your goal
To be made new, to be made whole
You'll focus on your God instead
Of small distractions in your head
No matter what happens to you,
His love will stay, His love is true.
He never wavers, never fades,
So give Him some more accolades,
Worship Him only, He's the One
Who forgives everything you've done,
He comes into your heart to stay,
And He takes all your sins away.
He takes your hurt, He takes your pain,
And makes you happy once again.
This Poem Is Kind of the Odd One Out...
...in that it makes you think about a serious topic in a much sillier way than the others. Hopefully makes you think anyway.... here goes:
Salvation, why not now?
You could get hit tomorrow by a snowplow.
Or you could get sat on by a 2-ton cow
If your heart is right with Jesus you won't stay down.
You'll get to go to heaven and be with the Lord
And in a million years you'll never be bored,
Because you'll always be in the centre of His love
Praising forever the one seated above.
You'll finally be able to see his face...
And it's a lot better than the other place.
So make your decision now, before it's too late
At least if you want to decide your own fate.
Forever with God, or forever away?
The choice is pretty obvious, wouldn't you say?
Salvation, why not now?
You could get hit tomorrow by a snowplow.
Or you could get sat on by a 2-ton cow
If your heart is right with Jesus you won't stay down.
You'll get to go to heaven and be with the Lord
And in a million years you'll never be bored,
Because you'll always be in the centre of His love
Praising forever the one seated above.
You'll finally be able to see his face...
And it's a lot better than the other place.
So make your decision now, before it's too late
At least if you want to decide your own fate.
Forever with God, or forever away?
The choice is pretty obvious, wouldn't you say?
The Opposite of Love
Some people think hate is the opposite of love,
But I'm not so sure I agree,
After looking inside I have come to conclude
The opposite of love has been me.
I've been impatient and I've been unkind,
I've been envious, boastful and proud.
I've been rude and self-seeking, and easily angered,
And in love that's just not allowed.
Of wrongs done to me I've kept a record,
I've not always rejoiced with the truth.
I've protected and trusted, hoped and persevered,
But not always, as love's known to do.
I could speak in the language of angels,
With faith, give a mountain a shove,
Have wisdom and knowledge surpassing all men,
But it would all be in vain without love.
God is love, and love never fails,
Though knowledge and prophecy cease.
When perfection comes, the imperfect disappears,
So I pray that my love would increase.
But I'm not so sure I agree,
After looking inside I have come to conclude
The opposite of love has been me.
I've been impatient and I've been unkind,
I've been envious, boastful and proud.
I've been rude and self-seeking, and easily angered,
And in love that's just not allowed.
Of wrongs done to me I've kept a record,
I've not always rejoiced with the truth.
I've protected and trusted, hoped and persevered,
But not always, as love's known to do.
I could speak in the language of angels,
With faith, give a mountain a shove,
Have wisdom and knowledge surpassing all men,
But it would all be in vain without love.
God is love, and love never fails,
Though knowledge and prophecy cease.
When perfection comes, the imperfect disappears,
So I pray that my love would increase.
Monday, April 04, 2005
The Reunion
When times are difficult to bear
And hope gives way to endless fear,
We hate the burden that we wear
And dread the thought of one more tear.
We understand that there is more,
And yet we still settle for less,
We know we're weak, lowly and poor
We long for love's tender caress.
What's left to do when all is done?
And where at last can someone turn
Who did it all in the name of fun,
And still bears scars from every burn?
From far away, we hear the cry,
Come back to me, my child, come back,
Stop trading the truth for a lie,
You know my love is what you lack.
From over the ruins of a life,
The pounding footsteps fill the air,
Breaking through turmoil and strife
With flying robes and windblown hair...
The father comes, arms open wide
As tears flow down his shirt and vest
He takes one final running stride,
And hugs the child to his chest.
You came, you came at last, he cries
The streets all echo with the sound
He acts as if he'd won a prize
This child was lost, but now is found.
Once more the father speaks out loud
He says, it is finished, it's done.
Your past may not have made you proud,
But your future has just begun.
And hope gives way to endless fear,
We hate the burden that we wear
And dread the thought of one more tear.
We understand that there is more,
And yet we still settle for less,
We know we're weak, lowly and poor
We long for love's tender caress.
What's left to do when all is done?
And where at last can someone turn
Who did it all in the name of fun,
And still bears scars from every burn?
From far away, we hear the cry,
Come back to me, my child, come back,
Stop trading the truth for a lie,
You know my love is what you lack.
From over the ruins of a life,
The pounding footsteps fill the air,
Breaking through turmoil and strife
With flying robes and windblown hair...
The father comes, arms open wide
As tears flow down his shirt and vest
He takes one final running stride,
And hugs the child to his chest.
You came, you came at last, he cries
The streets all echo with the sound
He acts as if he'd won a prize
This child was lost, but now is found.
Once more the father speaks out loud
He says, it is finished, it's done.
Your past may not have made you proud,
But your future has just begun.
Destined For Grayness
Always settle for second best
Take what you've got, forget the rest
No pressure, you can't get stressed
When you're destined for grayness
No difference between black and white
Who cares what's wrong, who cares what's right
Don't run the race, don't fight the fight
When you're destined for grayness
Never let your boat be tossed
And never reach out to the lost
Don't pay the price, don't count the cost
When you're destined for grayness
No apple of the Saviour's eye
No reason Jesus had to die
For a good old sinner such as I
When I'm destined for grayness
Now Jesus died to set us free
From sin and mediocrity
No grayness now for you and me
'Cause we're destined for greatness.
Take what you've got, forget the rest
No pressure, you can't get stressed
When you're destined for grayness
No difference between black and white
Who cares what's wrong, who cares what's right
Don't run the race, don't fight the fight
When you're destined for grayness
Never let your boat be tossed
And never reach out to the lost
Don't pay the price, don't count the cost
When you're destined for grayness
No apple of the Saviour's eye
No reason Jesus had to die
For a good old sinner such as I
When I'm destined for grayness
Now Jesus died to set us free
From sin and mediocrity
No grayness now for you and me
'Cause we're destined for greatness.
Devo - Faith: Hebrews 11-12
11:6 - "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
What is faith, and what are some ways we can apply it to our lives in order to please God?
11:1 - "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
11:3 - faith in God as Creator
11:13-16 - faith in a future in heaven when our lives on earth end
- our home, our citizenship is in heaven
- if you feel like you don't belong here, it's probably because you don't
- you belong in heaven, your home
11:24-27 (Moses' story) - follow Moses' example: he chose to be who God created him to be, and despite missing out on temporary enjoyment, he focussed on his eternal reward
- "he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.
11:33-40 - all these things were accomplished through faith
- weakness was turned to strength
- dead were brought to life
- kingdoms were conquered
* - many suffered terrible persecution, torture and death, poverty and homelessness; and "the world was not worthy of them"(v.38)
- they all had faith in the Christ (Messiah) before he came, they believed a Saviour would come
- now that He has come, our faith has a historical backing... it's easier for us in a way... at the same time, we still have to make that choice
12:1-11 - throw off sin and hindrances (not necessarily sin, but keep us from God, such as playing video games for 12 hours a day, putting things ahead of God, being so busy you never make time, etc.), and peresevere in the Christian faith
- focus on Jesus
- be encouraged, He was persecuted too
- accept discipline, learn and grow
- receive righteousness and peace
What is faith, and what are some ways we can apply it to our lives in order to please God?
11:1 - "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
11:3 - faith in God as Creator
11:13-16 - faith in a future in heaven when our lives on earth end
- our home, our citizenship is in heaven
- if you feel like you don't belong here, it's probably because you don't
- you belong in heaven, your home
11:24-27 (Moses' story) - follow Moses' example: he chose to be who God created him to be, and despite missing out on temporary enjoyment, he focussed on his eternal reward
- "he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.
11:33-40 - all these things were accomplished through faith
- weakness was turned to strength
- dead were brought to life
- kingdoms were conquered
* - many suffered terrible persecution, torture and death, poverty and homelessness; and "the world was not worthy of them"(v.38)
- they all had faith in the Christ (Messiah) before he came, they believed a Saviour would come
- now that He has come, our faith has a historical backing... it's easier for us in a way... at the same time, we still have to make that choice
12:1-11 - throw off sin and hindrances (not necessarily sin, but keep us from God, such as playing video games for 12 hours a day, putting things ahead of God, being so busy you never make time, etc.), and peresevere in the Christian faith
- focus on Jesus
- be encouraged, He was persecuted too
- accept discipline, learn and grow
- receive righteousness and peace
Devo - God's Deliverance: 2 Chronicles 20:1-30
vv.1-4, 12
Jehoshaphat realizes he has a big problem that he can't deal with on his own, so he asks God for help.
- he doesn't discount or play down the problem, he realizes it's serious
- the first thing he does is turn to God
- he understands that he is unable to solve the problem
- he also understands that God is able to solve it
vv.14-17
God responds to Jehoshaphat's cry for help, promises to solve the problem
- encourages him
- gives him specific instructions
- promises to solve the problem, to deliver him
- encourages him again
- promises to be with him
vv.18-21
Jehoshaphat responds to God's promise with faith and belief
- worships God as soon as he hears the promise, before he's seen anything
- obeys God's specific instructions
- encourages the people to have faith in God
- praises and thanks God before he's seen the victory
vv.22-23
God comes through on His promise
- fulfills His promise as the people begin to praise Him
vv.27-28
Jehoshaphat praises and thanks God again, after the victory and God's deliverance
v.29
The fear of God came on all the countries around
- they knew God fought for Jehoshaphat and Israel
- they didn't dare mess with God, so they didn't dare mess with Jehoshaphat or Israel
v.30
God gave Jehoshaphat peace and rest
*PROBLEM SOLVED, DELIVERANCE GRANTED, VICTORY WON*
- your problem may be more or less severe than an army of thousands upon thousands of people coming to kill you, but God can deliver you too, just like He delivered Jehoshaphat.
Jehoshaphat realizes he has a big problem that he can't deal with on his own, so he asks God for help.
- he doesn't discount or play down the problem, he realizes it's serious
- the first thing he does is turn to God
- he understands that he is unable to solve the problem
- he also understands that God is able to solve it
vv.14-17
God responds to Jehoshaphat's cry for help, promises to solve the problem
- encourages him
- gives him specific instructions
- promises to solve the problem, to deliver him
- encourages him again
- promises to be with him
vv.18-21
Jehoshaphat responds to God's promise with faith and belief
- worships God as soon as he hears the promise, before he's seen anything
- obeys God's specific instructions
- encourages the people to have faith in God
- praises and thanks God before he's seen the victory
vv.22-23
God comes through on His promise
- fulfills His promise as the people begin to praise Him
vv.27-28
Jehoshaphat praises and thanks God again, after the victory and God's deliverance
v.29
The fear of God came on all the countries around
- they knew God fought for Jehoshaphat and Israel
- they didn't dare mess with God, so they didn't dare mess with Jehoshaphat or Israel
v.30
God gave Jehoshaphat peace and rest
*PROBLEM SOLVED, DELIVERANCE GRANTED, VICTORY WON*
- your problem may be more or less severe than an army of thousands upon thousands of people coming to kill you, but God can deliver you too, just like He delivered Jehoshaphat.
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Last Week's Devo - Fasting: Isaiah 58
In light of the Lenten season just before Easter, during which many people choose to fast from many things for many different reasons, I thought it would be appropriate to do a devo on how God wants us to fast, and what our motives should be.
In case you're not familiar with the idea of fasting, it's basically giving something up for a time, for a specific reason. Although the most common fast is from food, you can fast from anything.
- video games
- Coke
- sleep
- etc....
1. Improper Fasting - Isaiah 58:1-5
- "seem" eager for God (appearance but no substance, it's fake)
- "humble" themselves (and yet they boast to God about how humble they are)
- you do as you please
- quarreling, fighting, wickedness
*your prayer, your fast will have no effect
Improper fasting can involve all of the motions and appearance of true fasting, until you look deeper.
2. Proper Fasting - Isaiah 58:6-7
In a nutshell, it involves righteousness (loving God), and justice (loving others).
- loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke
- set the oppressed free and break every yoke
These seem the same until you look closer. Loosening and untying is the first step, and it's an improvement, but it's not the ultimate goal. It takes time and effort before the freeing and breaking takes place. You have to keep at it and see it through to completion.
- share food, shelter, clothing with those in need
- love your family
James 1:27 - Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
3. Rewards of Proper Fasting - Isaiah 58:8-14
Read vv.7-9
Caring for Others' Physical Needs
- your light will break forth like the dawn
- your healing will quickly appear
- your righteousness will go before you
- the glory of the Lord will be your rearguard
- you will call, and the Lord will answer
- you will cry for help, and He will say: Here am I.
*He answers our cry for help with Himself: He is our help.
Read vv.10-12
Caring for Others' Emotional/Spiritual Needs, etc.
- your light will rise in the darkness
- your night will be like noon
- the Lord will guide you always
- He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame
- you will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail
- your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and raise up the age-old foundations
- you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets With Dwellings
(imagine school roll call with that for a name... Smith, Repairer..... Dwellings... here!)
Read vv.13-14
Obedience to God
- you will find your joy in the Lord
- God will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to "feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob"
*NOTE* Replace what you're fasting from with seeking after God, doing His will, righteousness and justice, not just other distracting things, otherwise there's no point.
In case you're not familiar with the idea of fasting, it's basically giving something up for a time, for a specific reason. Although the most common fast is from food, you can fast from anything.
- video games
- Coke
- sleep
- etc....
1. Improper Fasting - Isaiah 58:1-5
- "seem" eager for God (appearance but no substance, it's fake)
- "humble" themselves (and yet they boast to God about how humble they are)
- you do as you please
- quarreling, fighting, wickedness
*your prayer, your fast will have no effect
Improper fasting can involve all of the motions and appearance of true fasting, until you look deeper.
2. Proper Fasting - Isaiah 58:6-7
In a nutshell, it involves righteousness (loving God), and justice (loving others).
- loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke
- set the oppressed free and break every yoke
These seem the same until you look closer. Loosening and untying is the first step, and it's an improvement, but it's not the ultimate goal. It takes time and effort before the freeing and breaking takes place. You have to keep at it and see it through to completion.
- share food, shelter, clothing with those in need
- love your family
James 1:27 - Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
3. Rewards of Proper Fasting - Isaiah 58:8-14
Read vv.7-9
Caring for Others' Physical Needs
- your light will break forth like the dawn
- your healing will quickly appear
- your righteousness will go before you
- the glory of the Lord will be your rearguard
- you will call, and the Lord will answer
- you will cry for help, and He will say: Here am I.
*He answers our cry for help with Himself: He is our help.
Read vv.10-12
Caring for Others' Emotional/Spiritual Needs, etc.
- your light will rise in the darkness
- your night will be like noon
- the Lord will guide you always
- He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame
- you will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail
- your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and raise up the age-old foundations
- you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets With Dwellings
(imagine school roll call with that for a name... Smith, Repairer..... Dwellings... here!)
Read vv.13-14
Obedience to God
- you will find your joy in the Lord
- God will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to "feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob"
*NOTE* Replace what you're fasting from with seeking after God, doing His will, righteousness and justice, not just other distracting things, otherwise there's no point.
Monday, February 28, 2005
Truth vs. Relativity
Hey, whose truth is true? Is there any real truth? Can anyone really know the truth? Can anyone actually be more right than anyone else?
These questions are being thrown around alot these days... and to answer them quickly.... God, yes, yes and yes. Certainly not popular answers, I know.
But Jesus called Himself the way, the truth and the life. That's THE truth. So either He's right or wrong. For those who say He is ONE truth in many... what are you thinking? If He's right, then everyone else is wrong... and if anyone else is right, then He is wrong. No bones about it, He doesn't leave any room for interpretation.
And on a question of whether something can be more or less true... and if what you believe is good for you and what I believe is good for me... How can opposing statements which are utterly in conflict both be true? When truth is replaced with relativity, logic and reason go out the window. How can someone who believes there is only one God who will brook no competition be right, and someone else be right when they believe in hundreds of gods, or no God at all? Something doesn't add up here.
What is happening, is no one wants to admit they are wrong. I will fully admit that there are times when I have been too full of pride to admit my mistakes, and I suffered needlessly because of it. I see the same thing all around me. People believe they can do whatever they want because it makes them feel good. Selfishness, plain and simple. They think it's right just because they want to do it... well right and wrong don't work that way. For instance, if I am speeding and I get a ticket, can I just say, "well, it felt right at the time, and I wasn't hurting anybody, so I shouldn't get a ticket, because it was right for me to speed..."? NO WAY. I have to pay my ticket, learn my lesson, and slow down. That is a truth. I disobeyed a law, I was in the wrong, and like it or not, I had to pay the penalty. If I steal something from a store, or punch someone in the face, or commit any number of felonies, misdemeanors, or other inappropriate actions... I have to deal with the consequences. How doing that makes me feel doesn't enter into the equation. No matter if I think it's right... it isn't. I am still in the wrong. Saying it's OK, doesn't make it true. Life is like that. There are rules which must be obeyed, there are truths which cannot be ignored... to disobey those rules, and to ignore those truths, is to invite disaster. Not knowing the truth is no excuse, because it is still there, it is still true. And I have come to know the Truth, Jesus Christ. The beauty of God's truth, is that He already knows that we've screwed up, that our disobedience needs to be payed for, that we can't measure up to the truth. So He died for us. He payed for our disobedience, He took our consequences, so that we could live in the truth, so that we could find Him. I dare you to find Him for yourself, and see if He is not true, right and good. In fact, I dare you to seek out truth. I guarantee that God will show you the truth if you seriously seek it, and ask Him to. The best place to start is in His Word, the Bible.
The reason I point to the Bible for truth, is because whenever we find something, we always find it in the last place we look. The reason for that of course, is that after that we stop looking. I have found the truth in reading the Word of God, and I am confident that I need look no further to find ultimate truth. If I were to point out a rainbow to you, would you look on the ground for it? Would you look in a box? Would you look in a hole? Since you know where a rainbow can be found, you would look in the sky of course, assuming you wanted to see the rainbow. Since I know where truth can be found, I suggest that you look in the Bible, again assuming you want to find truth. The deeper you search for truth, the more the Bible stands up to every test you can throw at it, and the more truth it reveals. Find this truth for yourself... I challenge you! Be who you were born to be!
God bless,
These questions are being thrown around alot these days... and to answer them quickly.... God, yes, yes and yes. Certainly not popular answers, I know.
But Jesus called Himself the way, the truth and the life. That's THE truth. So either He's right or wrong. For those who say He is ONE truth in many... what are you thinking? If He's right, then everyone else is wrong... and if anyone else is right, then He is wrong. No bones about it, He doesn't leave any room for interpretation.
And on a question of whether something can be more or less true... and if what you believe is good for you and what I believe is good for me... How can opposing statements which are utterly in conflict both be true? When truth is replaced with relativity, logic and reason go out the window. How can someone who believes there is only one God who will brook no competition be right, and someone else be right when they believe in hundreds of gods, or no God at all? Something doesn't add up here.
What is happening, is no one wants to admit they are wrong. I will fully admit that there are times when I have been too full of pride to admit my mistakes, and I suffered needlessly because of it. I see the same thing all around me. People believe they can do whatever they want because it makes them feel good. Selfishness, plain and simple. They think it's right just because they want to do it... well right and wrong don't work that way. For instance, if I am speeding and I get a ticket, can I just say, "well, it felt right at the time, and I wasn't hurting anybody, so I shouldn't get a ticket, because it was right for me to speed..."? NO WAY. I have to pay my ticket, learn my lesson, and slow down. That is a truth. I disobeyed a law, I was in the wrong, and like it or not, I had to pay the penalty. If I steal something from a store, or punch someone in the face, or commit any number of felonies, misdemeanors, or other inappropriate actions... I have to deal with the consequences. How doing that makes me feel doesn't enter into the equation. No matter if I think it's right... it isn't. I am still in the wrong. Saying it's OK, doesn't make it true. Life is like that. There are rules which must be obeyed, there are truths which cannot be ignored... to disobey those rules, and to ignore those truths, is to invite disaster. Not knowing the truth is no excuse, because it is still there, it is still true. And I have come to know the Truth, Jesus Christ. The beauty of God's truth, is that He already knows that we've screwed up, that our disobedience needs to be payed for, that we can't measure up to the truth. So He died for us. He payed for our disobedience, He took our consequences, so that we could live in the truth, so that we could find Him. I dare you to find Him for yourself, and see if He is not true, right and good. In fact, I dare you to seek out truth. I guarantee that God will show you the truth if you seriously seek it, and ask Him to. The best place to start is in His Word, the Bible.
The reason I point to the Bible for truth, is because whenever we find something, we always find it in the last place we look. The reason for that of course, is that after that we stop looking. I have found the truth in reading the Word of God, and I am confident that I need look no further to find ultimate truth. If I were to point out a rainbow to you, would you look on the ground for it? Would you look in a box? Would you look in a hole? Since you know where a rainbow can be found, you would look in the sky of course, assuming you wanted to see the rainbow. Since I know where truth can be found, I suggest that you look in the Bible, again assuming you want to find truth. The deeper you search for truth, the more the Bible stands up to every test you can throw at it, and the more truth it reveals. Find this truth for yourself... I challenge you! Be who you were born to be!
God bless,
Saturday, February 26, 2005
My prayer for Canada
It's been a while since I posted other than devo's... so here goes...
Pray for the country of Canada and its government and people! We need it. We must repent as a nation, and return to God, that He would forgive our sin and heal our land. I will be the first to cry guilty of sinning against God. I have done many things which were disobedient and sinful, and I regret the times when I kept my own pleasure foremost in my mind. Oh Lord God, come to us again! Call your people out of this spiritual darkness we have covered ourselves with. We need a revival, as a country we are spiritually dead. We kill children's bodies before they are born through abortion, we destroy their emotions in their young years through the pain of divorces, in their teen years, we pollute their minds with images impossible to live up to, we slash their spirits with the theory of evolution, and by the time they are grown they are taught to fear man rather than God. "Kyrie eleison!" Lord, have mercy! I pray that the vision of our founding fathers would ring true as the psalm:
"He shall have dominion from sea to sea,
And from the River to the ends of the earth."
It is no coincidence we were once known as the Dominion of Canada.
Lord, save Canada! Revive us as you have other countries. I long to see Your Spirit poured over our young and old, that your love would reign and replace our selfishness and hate.
God keep our land glorious and free,
Oh Canada, we stand on guard for thee!
Pray for the country of Canada and its government and people! We need it. We must repent as a nation, and return to God, that He would forgive our sin and heal our land. I will be the first to cry guilty of sinning against God. I have done many things which were disobedient and sinful, and I regret the times when I kept my own pleasure foremost in my mind. Oh Lord God, come to us again! Call your people out of this spiritual darkness we have covered ourselves with. We need a revival, as a country we are spiritually dead. We kill children's bodies before they are born through abortion, we destroy their emotions in their young years through the pain of divorces, in their teen years, we pollute their minds with images impossible to live up to, we slash their spirits with the theory of evolution, and by the time they are grown they are taught to fear man rather than God. "Kyrie eleison!" Lord, have mercy! I pray that the vision of our founding fathers would ring true as the psalm:
"He shall have dominion from sea to sea,
And from the River to the ends of the earth."
It is no coincidence we were once known as the Dominion of Canada.
Lord, save Canada! Revive us as you have other countries. I long to see Your Spirit poured over our young and old, that your love would reign and replace our selfishness and hate.
God keep our land glorious and free,
Oh Canada, we stand on guard for thee!
Living By the Spirit - Galatians 5:16-26
Yesterday's devo...
Our sinful nature is what God has called us out of to follow Him. When we do choose to follow Him, His Spirit comes and dwells (lives) in us. The sinful nature and the Spirit of God are not like two sides of the same person. They are enemies, they have completely opposing viewpoints, they are two different people. Who we were and who we become are completely different people. When we make the choice to live by the Spirit, we cease to be the old person. Because of this, when guilt and temptation come, we can stand firm and strong, knowing that the sin we are reminded of is no longer ours (we are new, pure, holy children of God) and knowing that God won't let us face a temptation we can't defeat. We are not the same people who gave in to those temptations, and sinned in those ways, before.
Read Galatians 5:16-26
The sinful nature (the old person; who you were; who you see yourself as, often)
- sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery [lust]
- idolatry and witchcraft [rebellion, disobedience]
- hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, faction and envy [disunity, pride]
- drunkenness, orgies and the like [excess, selfishness, greed]
Whoever lives like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
The Spirit (the new person; who you are; who God says you are)
- love
- joy
- peace
- patience
-kindness
- goodness
- faithfulness
- gentleness
- self-control
*Notice it's not the FRUITS, but the FRUIT. You'll know you're growing in the Spirit when you begin exhibiting ALL of these signs... the fruit is made up of all these things. As a pear tree produces its fruit, a pear, so does a "Spirit tree" or life filled with the Spirit, produce the spiritual fruit.
When living by the Spirit, we have put to death the sinful nature, and its passions and desires, because we now have the passions and desires of the Spirit.
Keep in step with the Spirit, constantly staying with Him so that this fruit will be evident in our lives.
*Verse 26* (many people skip this when reading/talking about this passage, but I think it's important)
Don't think of yourself as so great just because the fruit of God's Spirit is showing through you, don't envy someone else the fruit they show. It is freely given by God, and it's for His glory, not ours. Focus instead on keeping in step with the Spirit, so you can show more spiritual fruit and God can be glorified through it.
Our sinful nature is what God has called us out of to follow Him. When we do choose to follow Him, His Spirit comes and dwells (lives) in us. The sinful nature and the Spirit of God are not like two sides of the same person. They are enemies, they have completely opposing viewpoints, they are two different people. Who we were and who we become are completely different people. When we make the choice to live by the Spirit, we cease to be the old person. Because of this, when guilt and temptation come, we can stand firm and strong, knowing that the sin we are reminded of is no longer ours (we are new, pure, holy children of God) and knowing that God won't let us face a temptation we can't defeat. We are not the same people who gave in to those temptations, and sinned in those ways, before.
Read Galatians 5:16-26
The sinful nature (the old person; who you were; who you see yourself as, often)
- sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery [lust]
- idolatry and witchcraft [rebellion, disobedience]
- hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, faction and envy [disunity, pride]
- drunkenness, orgies and the like [excess, selfishness, greed]
Whoever lives like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
The Spirit (the new person; who you are; who God says you are)
- love
- joy
- peace
- patience
-kindness
- goodness
- faithfulness
- gentleness
- self-control
*Notice it's not the FRUITS, but the FRUIT. You'll know you're growing in the Spirit when you begin exhibiting ALL of these signs... the fruit is made up of all these things. As a pear tree produces its fruit, a pear, so does a "Spirit tree" or life filled with the Spirit, produce the spiritual fruit.
When living by the Spirit, we have put to death the sinful nature, and its passions and desires, because we now have the passions and desires of the Spirit.
Keep in step with the Spirit, constantly staying with Him so that this fruit will be evident in our lives.
*Verse 26* (many people skip this when reading/talking about this passage, but I think it's important)
Don't think of yourself as so great just because the fruit of God's Spirit is showing through you, don't envy someone else the fruit they show. It is freely given by God, and it's for His glory, not ours. Focus instead on keeping in step with the Spirit, so you can show more spiritual fruit and God can be glorified through it.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
I Kissed Dating Hello... a Manly Man's Guide to Godly Dating
the dating devo for all those who expressed an interest... here it comes:
So you see this really cute girl sitting across from you in class. You know she's a Christian, she's super-nice, and you just caught her smiling at you (at least you're pretty sure it was at you). You think, "God, I'd like to go out with that girl!"
What would you do if you heard God reply, "Yeah, I know. Why don't you go talk to her?"
WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?
Let's assume most of us here don't want to be priests or bachelors all our lives. And, for the sake of argument, let's also assume that we want to follow God's will for our lives, including our relationships. Fortunately, a godly man is a manly man, a man who is commanded to love. In fact, in 1 Corinthians 13 (the famous love chapter), Paul immediately follows up the characteristics of love by saying:
"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me."
Paul is relating loving the way God does to being a manly man!
Now that we know that we can, how do we go about it? What is involved?
#1... everybody's favourite... ATTRACTION.
It's physical, emotional and spiritual.
- you have power over who you allow yourself to be attracted to
- you can choose
- that's an especially good thing when you're married
First & foremost... don't be unequally yoked. Deueronomy 22:10 says:
"Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together."
Now how to apply that?
Well that's easy! I don't even own a plow, an ox, or a donkey! No problem!
*This applies to relationships and dating*
Consider yourself as a manly man ox... if you have work to do for God, and are focused on it, and are teamed up with an awesome female ox (or "fox" for short), the work gets done better, and the focus is on God for both of you. If you get teamed up with a female donkey, however, she hinders your work, the focus slips, and you both end up looking like asses.
That being said, infatuation is a gift from God! YUP, IT'S A GOOD THING!
- it brings about in intense subjectivity to a relationship so you discover everything there is to know about the other person, good and bad
- when it ends (as it will and must and that's OK!), objectivity returns
- that's when you can make the choice, is this someone I can love and be committed to?
- then love can grow... and when it does, it gets better, yes, better than infatuation!
#2... EXPLORATION
- start thinking about "can I see myself spending the rest of my life with this person?" (without the pressure of "I have to")
- know what you're looking for
- if that's primarily physical attributes, guess what? That's SHALLOW!
*Here's a big thing... don't act like you're committed to her when you're in the exploration phase... especially not physically
- treat her as you'd want someone else to treat your wife
*Another thing... we get way too uptight
- going out for coffee with a girl and learning more about her isn't giving your heart away! It's building a relationship and that's both good and necessary (not the coffee, the relationship)
Now, what we all want to know... how do I find the right person?
1.Pray - 'nuff said
2.Live - be a whole person in God (2 whole people become 1, not 2 halves)
- keep doing what God has told you to do
3.Look - if you're interested in someone, act like it, present a little interest, keep your boundaries intact, but explore
- love is a risk, but it's worth it. So TAKE THE RISK!
The wrong person...
- obviously a non-Christian
- if she's called to something, and you're called to something or somewhere different, that's a big clue it's not a match
- if someone is sending out a signal of "Leave me alone!"... FOR GOODNESS' SAKE, LEAVE THEM ALONE!!!
Now if you've got the first 2 phases down, and you think you're ready for #3... Love, leading to #4... Commitment, it's time to find out if you're seriously ready for some godly dating. Here's a few clues that you're not:
1.Quick to "Fall" in love - it's not just a feeling, it's a decision
2.Can't "Just Be Friends" - have to build on friendship (if you go out and break up, will you still be friends?)
3.Always "Need" a Girlfriend - only God can complete and fulfill you, it's unfair to put that pressure on a girl.
4.Only Spend Time With Each Other, Ignore Friends - need individuality... independence as well as dependence
5.Every Time You're With Them, It Gets Physical - back off completely or take a break
6.View Everyone of Opposite Sex as a Possible Girlfriend - this isn't saying you can't find someone attractive
7.No Direction in Your Own Life - need your own direction first, so you can see if she's going where you are or not
8.Never Think of Marriage - purpose of a Christian dating is eventually marriage
9.Haven't Set Standards - set standards, write them out, have them ready in advance, don't just try to figure them out as you go (from my own experience I can tell you this is really helpful!)
If you are ready... GO FOR IT!
- keep in step with God, every step of the way
- BE YOURSELF... don't be phony, it's a huge turnoff... either now or later
*When you find that one girl, COMMIT to love her forever. Don't play around. Do it God's way... the manly way.
So you see this really cute girl sitting across from you in class. You know she's a Christian, she's super-nice, and you just caught her smiling at you (at least you're pretty sure it was at you). You think, "God, I'd like to go out with that girl!"
What would you do if you heard God reply, "Yeah, I know. Why don't you go talk to her?"
WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?
Let's assume most of us here don't want to be priests or bachelors all our lives. And, for the sake of argument, let's also assume that we want to follow God's will for our lives, including our relationships. Fortunately, a godly man is a manly man, a man who is commanded to love. In fact, in 1 Corinthians 13 (the famous love chapter), Paul immediately follows up the characteristics of love by saying:
"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me."
Paul is relating loving the way God does to being a manly man!
Now that we know that we can, how do we go about it? What is involved?
#1... everybody's favourite... ATTRACTION.
It's physical, emotional and spiritual.
- you have power over who you allow yourself to be attracted to
- you can choose
- that's an especially good thing when you're married
First & foremost... don't be unequally yoked. Deueronomy 22:10 says:
"Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together."
Now how to apply that?
Well that's easy! I don't even own a plow, an ox, or a donkey! No problem!
*This applies to relationships and dating*
Consider yourself as a manly man ox... if you have work to do for God, and are focused on it, and are teamed up with an awesome female ox (or "fox" for short), the work gets done better, and the focus is on God for both of you. If you get teamed up with a female donkey, however, she hinders your work, the focus slips, and you both end up looking like asses.
That being said, infatuation is a gift from God! YUP, IT'S A GOOD THING!
- it brings about in intense subjectivity to a relationship so you discover everything there is to know about the other person, good and bad
- when it ends (as it will and must and that's OK!), objectivity returns
- that's when you can make the choice, is this someone I can love and be committed to?
- then love can grow... and when it does, it gets better, yes, better than infatuation!
#2... EXPLORATION
- start thinking about "can I see myself spending the rest of my life with this person?" (without the pressure of "I have to")
- know what you're looking for
- if that's primarily physical attributes, guess what? That's SHALLOW!
*Here's a big thing... don't act like you're committed to her when you're in the exploration phase... especially not physically
- treat her as you'd want someone else to treat your wife
*Another thing... we get way too uptight
- going out for coffee with a girl and learning more about her isn't giving your heart away! It's building a relationship and that's both good and necessary (not the coffee, the relationship)
Now, what we all want to know... how do I find the right person?
1.Pray - 'nuff said
2.Live - be a whole person in God (2 whole people become 1, not 2 halves)
- keep doing what God has told you to do
3.Look - if you're interested in someone, act like it, present a little interest, keep your boundaries intact, but explore
- love is a risk, but it's worth it. So TAKE THE RISK!
The wrong person...
- obviously a non-Christian
- if she's called to something, and you're called to something or somewhere different, that's a big clue it's not a match
- if someone is sending out a signal of "Leave me alone!"... FOR GOODNESS' SAKE, LEAVE THEM ALONE!!!
Now if you've got the first 2 phases down, and you think you're ready for #3... Love, leading to #4... Commitment, it's time to find out if you're seriously ready for some godly dating. Here's a few clues that you're not:
1.Quick to "Fall" in love - it's not just a feeling, it's a decision
2.Can't "Just Be Friends" - have to build on friendship (if you go out and break up, will you still be friends?)
3.Always "Need" a Girlfriend - only God can complete and fulfill you, it's unfair to put that pressure on a girl.
4.Only Spend Time With Each Other, Ignore Friends - need individuality... independence as well as dependence
5.Every Time You're With Them, It Gets Physical - back off completely or take a break
6.View Everyone of Opposite Sex as a Possible Girlfriend - this isn't saying you can't find someone attractive
7.No Direction in Your Own Life - need your own direction first, so you can see if she's going where you are or not
8.Never Think of Marriage - purpose of a Christian dating is eventually marriage
9.Haven't Set Standards - set standards, write them out, have them ready in advance, don't just try to figure them out as you go (from my own experience I can tell you this is really helpful!)
If you are ready... GO FOR IT!
- keep in step with God, every step of the way
- BE YOURSELF... don't be phony, it's a huge turnoff... either now or later
*When you find that one girl, COMMIT to love her forever. Don't play around. Do it God's way... the manly way.
Back to the Basics - Romans 3-5
By the way, this is the 3rd devo. I forgot to mention that last post was one as well, but it was probably evident.
1. The Problem - Romans 3:10-12, 23
- our sin
- we have all turned away and disobeyed God
- we fall short of His glory
*We are separated from God by our sin, the penalty for sin is death.
2. The Solution - Romans 3:21-24; 4:23-25; 5:6-8
God's part - He died for us (in our place) to pay the penalty for our sin
- He redeemed us of our sins so we are no longer liable/guilty
- He justified us as a result of His grace, we are made "just", now we are able to be in the presence of God
Our part - Believe in God
- Have faith in Jesus Christ
*Notice it's not our part to redeem ourselves or become perfect in order for Him to save us... He does that freely, out of His love. What we must do is accept it, accept Him, and the life change will follow.
3. The Result - Romans 4:7-8; 5:1-5
- we are blessed
- our wrongs are truly forgiven, we don't have to keep bringing them up anymore, they are gone... covered... taken care of... God won't throw them back in our face
*so why do we?
- we are at peace with God
- we stand strong in God's grace
- we have a hope... God's glory
Suffering... leads to perseverance... leads to character... leads to hope.
- God's love is poured out into our hearts
4. So What Do We Do About It?
- read the rest of Romans and find out!
1. The Problem - Romans 3:10-12, 23
- our sin
- we have all turned away and disobeyed God
- we fall short of His glory
*We are separated from God by our sin, the penalty for sin is death.
2. The Solution - Romans 3:21-24; 4:23-25; 5:6-8
God's part - He died for us (in our place) to pay the penalty for our sin
- He redeemed us of our sins so we are no longer liable/guilty
- He justified us as a result of His grace, we are made "just", now we are able to be in the presence of God
Our part - Believe in God
- Have faith in Jesus Christ
*Notice it's not our part to redeem ourselves or become perfect in order for Him to save us... He does that freely, out of His love. What we must do is accept it, accept Him, and the life change will follow.
3. The Result - Romans 4:7-8; 5:1-5
- we are blessed
- our wrongs are truly forgiven, we don't have to keep bringing them up anymore, they are gone... covered... taken care of... God won't throw them back in our face
*so why do we?
- we are at peace with God
- we stand strong in God's grace
- we have a hope... God's glory
Suffering... leads to perseverance... leads to character... leads to hope.
- God's love is poured out into our hearts
4. So What Do We Do About It?
- read the rest of Romans and find out!
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
The 3 L's of God: Light, Love, Life - a Study of 1 John
all verses unless otherwise specified are found in 1 John.
light - 1:5-7; 2:9-11
- God is light
- outside of God is darkness
- can't walk with God and walk in darkness
- love for your brother is walking in the light
- hate for your brother is walking in darkness
*WHO IS YOUR BROTHER?
- we are all children of God, any Christian is your brother/sister - 3:1
- obviously your nuclear family (parents and siblings)
- I would hazard a guess that it also means you "neighbour" - see Luke 10:25-37
Therefore... everyone.
... What would it mean to love everyone?
love - 3:1, 11-23; 4:7-12, 16-21; 5:3
- God is love
- outside of God is hate
- can't walk with God and walk in hate
- again with the loving your brother thing... maybe this is important?
- lay down our lives for our brothers, following Christ's example
- be generous with what God has given you... love with your actions, not just your words
- to love is to know God
- not to love is to not know God
- our love for God is only a shadow of His love for us
- His love is the example for ours, and ours shows His
- fear and love cannot coexist
- fear has to do with punishment, it isn't the reason we obey God - we obey Him because we love Him, not because we fear Him
- you can't love God and hate your brother
- to love God is to obey Him
...How can we show God our love through obedience?
life - 1:1-2; 2:17, 24-25; 3:13-15; 4:13-15; 5:9-13, 20
- God is life
- outside of God is death
- can't walk with God and walk in death
yet AGAIN with loving your brother (It MUST be important)
- obey God and you will live... eternally!
- we have passed from death to life
- we live in God, He lives in us
- to have the Son of God is to have life
- not to have the Son of God is to not have life
...What would it mean to be without life? How can we show others life so they can have it too?
light - 1:5-7; 2:9-11
- God is light
- outside of God is darkness
- can't walk with God and walk in darkness
- love for your brother is walking in the light
- hate for your brother is walking in darkness
*WHO IS YOUR BROTHER?
- we are all children of God, any Christian is your brother/sister - 3:1
- obviously your nuclear family (parents and siblings)
- I would hazard a guess that it also means you "neighbour" - see Luke 10:25-37
Therefore... everyone.
... What would it mean to love everyone?
love - 3:1, 11-23; 4:7-12, 16-21; 5:3
- God is love
- outside of God is hate
- can't walk with God and walk in hate
- again with the loving your brother thing... maybe this is important?
- lay down our lives for our brothers, following Christ's example
- be generous with what God has given you... love with your actions, not just your words
- to love is to know God
- not to love is to not know God
- our love for God is only a shadow of His love for us
- His love is the example for ours, and ours shows His
- fear and love cannot coexist
- fear has to do with punishment, it isn't the reason we obey God - we obey Him because we love Him, not because we fear Him
- you can't love God and hate your brother
- to love God is to obey Him
...How can we show God our love through obedience?
life - 1:1-2; 2:17, 24-25; 3:13-15; 4:13-15; 5:9-13, 20
- God is life
- outside of God is death
- can't walk with God and walk in death
yet AGAIN with loving your brother (It MUST be important)
- obey God and you will live... eternally!
- we have passed from death to life
- we live in God, He lives in us
- to have the Son of God is to have life
- not to have the Son of God is to not have life
...What would it mean to be without life? How can we show others life so they can have it too?
Devotion
Hey, this was my first devo at "The Rock". It's actually on devotion, hence the title.
Devotion is not just a word. We need to be devoted to God. When we talk about "devotions", we think about reading and studying the Bible, maybe our quick prayer time with God when we wake up or go to bed... but what is it really?
Think about someone who is "devoted" to a person, a cause, a sports team, a brand of cola... whatever. That person is constantly thinking about the object of their devotion, constantly talking about it, obsessed with it, if you will. That's how we need to be about God.
Devotion is a lifestyle. It's not just a half hour on a Friday night, or going to church on Sunday, or reading your Bible, as good as those things are. It's also about what you do the rest of the week: how you talk to your friends, what you spend all your time doing, the things you watch on TV when no one else is around.
Let's use hockey as an example, since there doesn't seem to be much of it in the NHL this yeart. Imagine a Leafs fan for a moment. Ok, fine, imagine me. On a year when there's hockey, the Leafs are my favourite team. I wear the hat and the sweatshirt, watch the games, talk about them all the time. I'm a devoted fan. Now imagine if I never talked about them, never watched a game unless I was actually in the arena already by some chance, and not only that, but I was constantly telling all my friends how great the Montreal Canadiens were. You'd think I was out of my mind! Certainly you'd never think of me as being devoted to the Leafs.
But that's the way we treat God on a day-to-day basis. We're so concerned with Strongbad, Halo 2, or the next dance, we don't take time out to be with Him, and we don't filter our decisions through Him.
We need to make devotions a 24/7 thing. We need to stop playing aroun with God and get serious. He is the best thing that ever happened to us. We need to start seeking Him the way He seeks us: recklessly, with abandon, and with all that we are... we need to be devoted.
Devotion is not just a word. We need to be devoted to God. When we talk about "devotions", we think about reading and studying the Bible, maybe our quick prayer time with God when we wake up or go to bed... but what is it really?
Think about someone who is "devoted" to a person, a cause, a sports team, a brand of cola... whatever. That person is constantly thinking about the object of their devotion, constantly talking about it, obsessed with it, if you will. That's how we need to be about God.
Devotion is a lifestyle. It's not just a half hour on a Friday night, or going to church on Sunday, or reading your Bible, as good as those things are. It's also about what you do the rest of the week: how you talk to your friends, what you spend all your time doing, the things you watch on TV when no one else is around.
Let's use hockey as an example, since there doesn't seem to be much of it in the NHL this yeart. Imagine a Leafs fan for a moment. Ok, fine, imagine me. On a year when there's hockey, the Leafs are my favourite team. I wear the hat and the sweatshirt, watch the games, talk about them all the time. I'm a devoted fan. Now imagine if I never talked about them, never watched a game unless I was actually in the arena already by some chance, and not only that, but I was constantly telling all my friends how great the Montreal Canadiens were. You'd think I was out of my mind! Certainly you'd never think of me as being devoted to the Leafs.
But that's the way we treat God on a day-to-day basis. We're so concerned with Strongbad, Halo 2, or the next dance, we don't take time out to be with Him, and we don't filter our decisions through Him.
We need to make devotions a 24/7 thing. We need to stop playing aroun with God and get serious. He is the best thing that ever happened to us. We need to start seeking Him the way He seeks us: recklessly, with abandon, and with all that we are... we need to be devoted.
Devotionals?...
Hey everybody,
I've decided to start posting the devo's I've been doing at "The Rock", Rockwood's youth drop-in centre. You're all welcome to use any info you think helpful, and any glory for how great they are goes to God... and if they're not that great, you can blame me. So here goes, starting with the next post...
I've decided to start posting the devo's I've been doing at "The Rock", Rockwood's youth drop-in centre. You're all welcome to use any info you think helpful, and any glory for how great they are goes to God... and if they're not that great, you can blame me. So here goes, starting with the next post...
Thursday, February 03, 2005
Authority
Hey. It has recently been brought to my attention once again how awesome God is, and I've learned more about myself, as usual when I learn about Him. I was at a young adults meeting called Tehillah on Monday in Grimsby, at Lakemount Church, and boy, did I ever sense God's presence there with us.
The worship leader there spoke out near the end of the singing, and mentioned that he felt God's rest there, and basically told us that we should worship God with our spirits, and accept the rest He offers... well, I was feeling really tense, and I figured, hey, rest sounds pretty awesome, but I have to admit, I wasn't expecting much, which was stupid of me, because I've seen God move powerfully in my life before. So, I focussed on God, and just giving Him the praise that is His due, and offering Him all of myself, and all of a sudden, as if a light switch had been turned on, I felt different. Now, I don't always feel a physical sensation when God is moving, and I'm not saying everybody will, or that that's the only way to know, but this time I did feel something. One second, everything was normal, and I was tired, and a split second later, I felt completely rested, and I had a kind of tingling sensation all over. I can't really explain it, but I felt completely refreshed, and I know it was God and not just my wishful thinking, because I wasn't expecting anything of the sort.
Not only that, but the speaker really had some powerful words from God for us, teaching that just seemed so simple, and yet I'd never realized it before. It was all about authority, and how God has given us authority that we need to start exercising, taking authority over areas in our life by speaking right into them and taking a stand. Now, I've got kind of a bad taste in my mouth when I think of the old "Name-it-and-Claim-it" line, which some people use to think God will give every true Christian a Lexus and a mansion on earth, and lots of cash, and no one will ever get sick... I get tired of people twisting truth around into a lie for their own ends VERY quickly. Now I don't think that God wants every Christian to be poor and destitute, living in a shack and riding a scooter to work every day, having no clothes and starving, I know for a fact that He blesses His children here on earth. I've been incredibly blessed myself, but that's another story or three. This message wasn't one of those "Name-it-and-Claim-it" ones in that sense. What the speaker talked about was walking in authority over our "flesh", who we used to be before God got hold of us. She talked about the power behind a name, how God named everything durinig creation, showing His authority over it all, and when He gave man authority over all the animals, he had the first man, Adam name them, showing the authority he had been given. We are to have authority over strongholds in our lives (things that are disobedient and sinful, and won't seem to go away) by naming them. Getting them out in the open removes the fear, shame and guilt we so often feel: the fear that we might get found out isn't there, the shame is gone because we are NOT THAT PERSON anymore, and guilt is not a true feeling, but a legal status, and we have legally (so to speak) been made innocent. No one "feels" innocent, they "are" innocent. When you are made innocent, guilt is no longer appropriate to your situation. Speaking of authority over those strongholds in our lives, she cited Deuteronomy 28:1-7, specifically verse 7, which states:
The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.
In that passage "seven" signifies "no end", meaning they will flee in every direction possible. To put it in terms of a battle, it would be a complete rout. There would be no defense to stand against you, it would be washed away by your attack. Checking the passage closer, I find that it's the blessings for obeying God. When God gives us His authority, He wants us to use it! When we obey, the strongholds will be overrun, the enemy will be routed, the battle will be won.
I learned alot that night, but it had been coming for some time. It was really new, but at the same time it wasn't new. Like this blog, it was hidden in plain sight. I took authority that night over strongholds in my life, speaking in authority over both lust and double-mindedness, speaking them out, I was able to overcome them without the fear, shame or guilt. Frankly, these were 2 things that I really hated about myself, and didn't want to exist in me. Unfortunately I thought if I treated them as if they didn't exist, maybe they'd just go away. Guess what? I still struggled with them! I was fighting them for all I was worth, but without walking in the authority I had received from God, the struggle continued to be extremely difficult. I know alot of guys struggle with the area of lust, (mind you some don't bother to struggle and that's sad) and every one I know of is ashamed of it. It's a lie that we believe that we are the only one who struggles, that everyone would hate us if they knew who we really were, when in reality it is a struggle that the vast majority of guys struggle with. This is off the authority topic (maybe?) but what we really need is to get things out in the open, and deal with it. Take authority over it. Don't let the shame and guilt grow and take you down until you feel as if you can't change, as if that stronghold is you. Guys, get over the past! You have authority over lust! You can take it out before it takes you out! YOU ARE NOT DEFINED BY YOUR SIN!!! God can make you a new creation, and it involves you taking the authority He has given you as His child and running with it. The other tough thing, double-mindedness, was something that kept me fearful of making big decisions, because I always wanted to keep my options open, didn't want to make the wrong decision, wanted to play it safe. Well I've got news for you (and me too). Life isn't all about playing it safe! There's a time to not take stupid risks, and there's a time to take the intelligent risks. Such as trusting God enough to assume that He knows what He's doing and what's best for us, accept that He has placed us where we are, and get about doing what He wants us to do. I think it's time to stop playing around. We say, "I'm a work in progress." Well, that means we have to progress, doesn't it? If we don't get moving, where's the progress? That comes with the authority thing. For far too long I had been deluding myself, telling myself that I'm not who I need to be right now, but one day God will make me who I need to be. Well it's true that God contines to work on us all our lives, but for me that was an excuse. I let myself make stupid mistakes, because I believed in who I thought I was, the person who always fails, who certainly isn't perfect, who often falls but God picks up again. The last while has been a journey from I think I am, to who God says I am. And God says I have authority over sin NOW! That I am made like Jesus... it is a work in progress, but it IS progressing! I have to get off my butt and TAKE the authority I've been given, make the changes and choices that He offers me, I have to be an active part of the process! So that is my choice. Not "I will be an active part of the process", that's the same old thing. I am part of the process! I'm working together with God to change me, and I am accepting that I am worth a lot to Him and I am not the person I thought I was, the failure. I am a success story already in Jesus Christ! Not that I've arrived at where I ultimately need to be, but right now I'm where I need to be, walking with God, going where He goes, doing what He wants done, and living in the authority I've been given by Him. No, I'm not perfect, but I am choosing to "do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with my God". I hope that you'll choose to do the same. God bless you all.
The worship leader there spoke out near the end of the singing, and mentioned that he felt God's rest there, and basically told us that we should worship God with our spirits, and accept the rest He offers... well, I was feeling really tense, and I figured, hey, rest sounds pretty awesome, but I have to admit, I wasn't expecting much, which was stupid of me, because I've seen God move powerfully in my life before. So, I focussed on God, and just giving Him the praise that is His due, and offering Him all of myself, and all of a sudden, as if a light switch had been turned on, I felt different. Now, I don't always feel a physical sensation when God is moving, and I'm not saying everybody will, or that that's the only way to know, but this time I did feel something. One second, everything was normal, and I was tired, and a split second later, I felt completely rested, and I had a kind of tingling sensation all over. I can't really explain it, but I felt completely refreshed, and I know it was God and not just my wishful thinking, because I wasn't expecting anything of the sort.
Not only that, but the speaker really had some powerful words from God for us, teaching that just seemed so simple, and yet I'd never realized it before. It was all about authority, and how God has given us authority that we need to start exercising, taking authority over areas in our life by speaking right into them and taking a stand. Now, I've got kind of a bad taste in my mouth when I think of the old "Name-it-and-Claim-it" line, which some people use to think God will give every true Christian a Lexus and a mansion on earth, and lots of cash, and no one will ever get sick... I get tired of people twisting truth around into a lie for their own ends VERY quickly. Now I don't think that God wants every Christian to be poor and destitute, living in a shack and riding a scooter to work every day, having no clothes and starving, I know for a fact that He blesses His children here on earth. I've been incredibly blessed myself, but that's another story or three. This message wasn't one of those "Name-it-and-Claim-it" ones in that sense. What the speaker talked about was walking in authority over our "flesh", who we used to be before God got hold of us. She talked about the power behind a name, how God named everything durinig creation, showing His authority over it all, and when He gave man authority over all the animals, he had the first man, Adam name them, showing the authority he had been given. We are to have authority over strongholds in our lives (things that are disobedient and sinful, and won't seem to go away) by naming them. Getting them out in the open removes the fear, shame and guilt we so often feel: the fear that we might get found out isn't there, the shame is gone because we are NOT THAT PERSON anymore, and guilt is not a true feeling, but a legal status, and we have legally (so to speak) been made innocent. No one "feels" innocent, they "are" innocent. When you are made innocent, guilt is no longer appropriate to your situation. Speaking of authority over those strongholds in our lives, she cited Deuteronomy 28:1-7, specifically verse 7, which states:
The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.
In that passage "seven" signifies "no end", meaning they will flee in every direction possible. To put it in terms of a battle, it would be a complete rout. There would be no defense to stand against you, it would be washed away by your attack. Checking the passage closer, I find that it's the blessings for obeying God. When God gives us His authority, He wants us to use it! When we obey, the strongholds will be overrun, the enemy will be routed, the battle will be won.
I learned alot that night, but it had been coming for some time. It was really new, but at the same time it wasn't new. Like this blog, it was hidden in plain sight. I took authority that night over strongholds in my life, speaking in authority over both lust and double-mindedness, speaking them out, I was able to overcome them without the fear, shame or guilt. Frankly, these were 2 things that I really hated about myself, and didn't want to exist in me. Unfortunately I thought if I treated them as if they didn't exist, maybe they'd just go away. Guess what? I still struggled with them! I was fighting them for all I was worth, but without walking in the authority I had received from God, the struggle continued to be extremely difficult. I know alot of guys struggle with the area of lust, (mind you some don't bother to struggle and that's sad) and every one I know of is ashamed of it. It's a lie that we believe that we are the only one who struggles, that everyone would hate us if they knew who we really were, when in reality it is a struggle that the vast majority of guys struggle with. This is off the authority topic (maybe?) but what we really need is to get things out in the open, and deal with it. Take authority over it. Don't let the shame and guilt grow and take you down until you feel as if you can't change, as if that stronghold is you. Guys, get over the past! You have authority over lust! You can take it out before it takes you out! YOU ARE NOT DEFINED BY YOUR SIN!!! God can make you a new creation, and it involves you taking the authority He has given you as His child and running with it. The other tough thing, double-mindedness, was something that kept me fearful of making big decisions, because I always wanted to keep my options open, didn't want to make the wrong decision, wanted to play it safe. Well I've got news for you (and me too). Life isn't all about playing it safe! There's a time to not take stupid risks, and there's a time to take the intelligent risks. Such as trusting God enough to assume that He knows what He's doing and what's best for us, accept that He has placed us where we are, and get about doing what He wants us to do. I think it's time to stop playing around. We say, "I'm a work in progress." Well, that means we have to progress, doesn't it? If we don't get moving, where's the progress? That comes with the authority thing. For far too long I had been deluding myself, telling myself that I'm not who I need to be right now, but one day God will make me who I need to be. Well it's true that God contines to work on us all our lives, but for me that was an excuse. I let myself make stupid mistakes, because I believed in who I thought I was, the person who always fails, who certainly isn't perfect, who often falls but God picks up again. The last while has been a journey from I think I am, to who God says I am. And God says I have authority over sin NOW! That I am made like Jesus... it is a work in progress, but it IS progressing! I have to get off my butt and TAKE the authority I've been given, make the changes and choices that He offers me, I have to be an active part of the process! So that is my choice. Not "I will be an active part of the process", that's the same old thing. I am part of the process! I'm working together with God to change me, and I am accepting that I am worth a lot to Him and I am not the person I thought I was, the failure. I am a success story already in Jesus Christ! Not that I've arrived at where I ultimately need to be, but right now I'm where I need to be, walking with God, going where He goes, doing what He wants done, and living in the authority I've been given by Him. No, I'm not perfect, but I am choosing to "do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with my God". I hope that you'll choose to do the same. God bless you all.
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
Stuck in a Moment...
Ever feel like the U2 song... "Stuck in a moment, and you can't get out of it"? I know there are times when I focus so much on one circumstance that I miss everything else, and it's like life is passing by while I'm stuck there, unable to see it or even acknowledge it. I can't even see it in myself often, but it's sure easy to see it in others. Why is it that I can't look at my own feelings objectively? Are they too deep a part of me, would I not like what I find out? Or am I scared that I would have to act on what I learn? I think, deep down, that we all like to be comfortable, we don't like to change. We'd rather stay stuck in that moment often, even if it's not a great feeling, because we're used to it. We've become comfortable with ourselves the way we are, like when I want to start exercising but can't seem to ever find the time.
I think I'm kind of scared that the change will hurt, but of course it hurts. Growth hurts. Growth is uncomfortable. If you don't change, if you don't grow, you become stagnant. I think God is pushing me to grow, to change, to become what I was born to be, to fulfill my destiny. I think it's similar to Elrond telling Aragorn in 'The Return of the King', "Become who you were born to be!" as he gives him the sword which signifies his destiny. I long to fulfill my destiny, and at the same time I am terribly afraid... what if I don't measure up? What if I fail? What if I have to put effort into it? What if I get uncomfortable?
For me, I know it's time to put aside those questions and doubts. There will be times when I will fail, when I won't measure up, when I will be uncomfortable, and when the effort will seem like too much. That's just part of growing. I echo Aragorn in saying, "There may come a time when the strength of men will fail... but IT IS NOT THIS DAY!" I know that God is my source of strength, and it's time to 'put feet to my faith'... to get out there and just do what I'm supposed to do, regardless of the cost to my comfort. I will grow, and I will fail at times, but I will ultimately succeed, because I know that the battle I fight has already been won.
To quote another U2 song... "It's a beautiful day, don't let it get away..."
I think I'm kind of scared that the change will hurt, but of course it hurts. Growth hurts. Growth is uncomfortable. If you don't change, if you don't grow, you become stagnant. I think God is pushing me to grow, to change, to become what I was born to be, to fulfill my destiny. I think it's similar to Elrond telling Aragorn in 'The Return of the King', "Become who you were born to be!" as he gives him the sword which signifies his destiny. I long to fulfill my destiny, and at the same time I am terribly afraid... what if I don't measure up? What if I fail? What if I have to put effort into it? What if I get uncomfortable?
For me, I know it's time to put aside those questions and doubts. There will be times when I will fail, when I won't measure up, when I will be uncomfortable, and when the effort will seem like too much. That's just part of growing. I echo Aragorn in saying, "There may come a time when the strength of men will fail... but IT IS NOT THIS DAY!" I know that God is my source of strength, and it's time to 'put feet to my faith'... to get out there and just do what I'm supposed to do, regardless of the cost to my comfort. I will grow, and I will fail at times, but I will ultimately succeed, because I know that the battle I fight has already been won.
To quote another U2 song... "It's a beautiful day, don't let it get away..."
Monday, January 24, 2005
Before you yell at me...
OK fine, I can see that I missed a comma in the second quote, and forgot to cite characters in several, and probably missed your favourite quote by 11 minutes or so. What that means is, although you can't do anything about the first 2 so don't bother trying, by all means, comments on the best lines you can think of would be great. Have a great day, and God bless.
LOTR Lines...
Hi everyone, once again it is I.
I, as you may or may not be aware, am a huge fan of J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings', and Peter Jackson's movie version of it. I just thought I'd take a little time, and jot down a few of my favourite lines, and possibly why they're so great or whatever... please if you have other ones, feel free to do the same WHEN you comment (notice I didn't say if, because if you don't, I'll never know)... so in no particular order, here are a few of them:
"That doesn't make sense to me... but you are very small... maybe you're right." - Treebeard
OK, now I know that's not the way it's meant, but seriously, it's such a funny line. I never knew that being small made you right even when you don't make sense...
"Leave now and never come back."
"What?"
"Leave now, and never come back!"
"GRRRR!"
"Leave NOW, and NEVER come BACK!!!"...
"We told him to go away, and away he goes, precious! Gone, gone gone! Smeagol is free!!!!"
- Smeagol/Gollum
Besides being one of the best examples of a split personality I've ever seen on the big screen, this whole scene kind of shows the fight between the old self and the new one, for those of us who have given our lives to God. The old flesh keeps reminding us of how terrible we are, and how much we need it, and we all know how hard it can be not to listen to the flesh, but the truth is... the Master takes care of us now. The Master IS our friend. Even though we know we don't need it and we always want to get rid of it, it's such a big surprise when we succeed, and really become free.
"There is only one lord of the ring, and he does not share power!" - Gandalf
Comparing the ring to sin and evil, we think we can control our sins, master them, but in reality we're just setting ourselves up to be enslaved by by them and their real master.
"I want to see mountains again, mountains, Gandalf!" - Bilbo
No special reason, I just think the way Ian Holm says that line sounds cool.
"But we cannot defeat them!"
"No. We cannot. But we will meet them in battle nonetheless."
- Theoden and one of the other horsemen
No matter how hopeless the situation seems, do your part, fight the good fight, take out evil wherever you find it, because you can't see the end from where you are, and God's plan will bring you through as you trust Him and obey anyway.
"But it is not THIS day!" - Aragorn
We see society crumbling every day. When will it just cave in and when will all of mankind become utterly evil, weak, etc... NOT THIS DAY!!! I choose to stand and fight for what is right in the middle of it all. One day, everything may give way, but IT IS NOT THIS DAY!!! The warrior's cry, the stand of the weak against the oppressor, the right of a child to live, all are echoed here. Though all of these things seem to fade, they will not fade ultimately ON THIS DAY.
"He's twitching because he's got MY AXE embedded in his NERVOUS SYSTEM!"
3 words... you go, Gimli!
"You have my sword."
"And you have my bow."
"And my axe!"
At this point, if I were Frodo, I would so want to blurt out, "Your axe is mine!"
"Anyway, you need people of inteligence on this sort of mission... quest... thing."
"Well, that rules you out Pip."
- Merry & Pippin
Good point Merry, why did they take him anyway? Oh right, to save Faramir's life... thereby saving Eowyn's life if you've read the book.
"Taters, precious? What's taters, eh?"
"Po-ta-toes. Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew... fish and chips courtesy of Samwise Gamgee. You couldn't say no to that."
"Oh yes we could. Spoiling nice fish, burning it. Give it to us raw and wrrrrrrriggling. Keep nasty chips."
Don't everybody yell at me at once if I misquoted anything here by the way, I'm not sitting down with the movie in front of me, this is all memory work. Oh yeah, and I love this scene because of Andy Serkis' real spit for one, and also it's some great give and take between Sam and Smeagol. Oh yeah, "Stupid, fat hobbit" is a great line too.
OK, OK, I could go on I'm sure, but I'm not going to this time... maybe another time. Please feel free to comment, as I may eventually get tired of reading things only I have written.
I, as you may or may not be aware, am a huge fan of J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings', and Peter Jackson's movie version of it. I just thought I'd take a little time, and jot down a few of my favourite lines, and possibly why they're so great or whatever... please if you have other ones, feel free to do the same WHEN you comment (notice I didn't say if, because if you don't, I'll never know)... so in no particular order, here are a few of them:
"That doesn't make sense to me... but you are very small... maybe you're right." - Treebeard
OK, now I know that's not the way it's meant, but seriously, it's such a funny line. I never knew that being small made you right even when you don't make sense...
"Leave now and never come back."
"What?"
"Leave now, and never come back!"
"GRRRR!"
"Leave NOW, and NEVER come BACK!!!"...
"We told him to go away, and away he goes, precious! Gone, gone gone! Smeagol is free!!!!"
- Smeagol/Gollum
Besides being one of the best examples of a split personality I've ever seen on the big screen, this whole scene kind of shows the fight between the old self and the new one, for those of us who have given our lives to God. The old flesh keeps reminding us of how terrible we are, and how much we need it, and we all know how hard it can be not to listen to the flesh, but the truth is... the Master takes care of us now. The Master IS our friend. Even though we know we don't need it and we always want to get rid of it, it's such a big surprise when we succeed, and really become free.
"There is only one lord of the ring, and he does not share power!" - Gandalf
Comparing the ring to sin and evil, we think we can control our sins, master them, but in reality we're just setting ourselves up to be enslaved by by them and their real master.
"I want to see mountains again, mountains, Gandalf!" - Bilbo
No special reason, I just think the way Ian Holm says that line sounds cool.
"But we cannot defeat them!"
"No. We cannot. But we will meet them in battle nonetheless."
- Theoden and one of the other horsemen
No matter how hopeless the situation seems, do your part, fight the good fight, take out evil wherever you find it, because you can't see the end from where you are, and God's plan will bring you through as you trust Him and obey anyway.
"But it is not THIS day!" - Aragorn
We see society crumbling every day. When will it just cave in and when will all of mankind become utterly evil, weak, etc... NOT THIS DAY!!! I choose to stand and fight for what is right in the middle of it all. One day, everything may give way, but IT IS NOT THIS DAY!!! The warrior's cry, the stand of the weak against the oppressor, the right of a child to live, all are echoed here. Though all of these things seem to fade, they will not fade ultimately ON THIS DAY.
"He's twitching because he's got MY AXE embedded in his NERVOUS SYSTEM!"
3 words... you go, Gimli!
"You have my sword."
"And you have my bow."
"And my axe!"
At this point, if I were Frodo, I would so want to blurt out, "Your axe is mine!"
"Anyway, you need people of inteligence on this sort of mission... quest... thing."
"Well, that rules you out Pip."
- Merry & Pippin
Good point Merry, why did they take him anyway? Oh right, to save Faramir's life... thereby saving Eowyn's life if you've read the book.
"Taters, precious? What's taters, eh?"
"Po-ta-toes. Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew... fish and chips courtesy of Samwise Gamgee. You couldn't say no to that."
"Oh yes we could. Spoiling nice fish, burning it. Give it to us raw and wrrrrrrriggling. Keep nasty chips."
Don't everybody yell at me at once if I misquoted anything here by the way, I'm not sitting down with the movie in front of me, this is all memory work. Oh yeah, and I love this scene because of Andy Serkis' real spit for one, and also it's some great give and take between Sam and Smeagol. Oh yeah, "Stupid, fat hobbit" is a great line too.
OK, OK, I could go on I'm sure, but I'm not going to this time... maybe another time. Please feel free to comment, as I may eventually get tired of reading things only I have written.
A Poem For the Blog
Hey everyone... wouldn't you like to read a cool poem? OK, over the resounding chorus of "NO"s I heard at least one yes, maybe mine, so I'll go ahead with it. You can thank me (or at least not threaten to poke out my eyes with a rubber ball) later.
Welcome to my blog, I hope you want to stay.
If not, then leave without a fuss, and all will be OK.
Ideas, thoughts and poems... and sometimes just a laugh...
This blog is only guaranteed to double your fun by half.
I'd like to share what's usually hidden in plain sight,
You can feel free to challenge me, but please don't pick a fight.
Whatever I do, I try to show the one who lives in me,
And share God's truth, so we can all chill together in eternity.
Thoughts on the poem? Related poetry? What-have-you? Feel free to comment, and I'll feel free to look it over, and possibly comment on your comment. At which point you can continue the never ending cycle, should you choose...
Welcome to my blog, I hope you want to stay.
If not, then leave without a fuss, and all will be OK.
Ideas, thoughts and poems... and sometimes just a laugh...
This blog is only guaranteed to double your fun by half.
I'd like to share what's usually hidden in plain sight,
You can feel free to challenge me, but please don't pick a fight.
Whatever I do, I try to show the one who lives in me,
And share God's truth, so we can all chill together in eternity.
Thoughts on the poem? Related poetry? What-have-you? Feel free to comment, and I'll feel free to look it over, and possibly comment on your comment. At which point you can continue the never ending cycle, should you choose...
First Post Ever
Yes, it may be blatantly obvious, but this is the first post ever on this blog. For those of you who doubt this, come back in a year when you still haven't found any earlier ones, and I can guarantee you it will still be the first. Now that we've cleared that up, let me welcome you to my blog. It may be my first and only blog ever to date, but I know how to say things, and write things, and type things, and they interest at least me when I say and write and type them, so that's all that matters. Oh right, and hopefully some will interest you the reader, assuming you are someone other than myself rereading this. I don't really want to put anything too serious on this post, just because it's after 3 in the morning and I don't feel like it. Maybe if I write another one in a couple minutes, how about that? OK. Will do.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)