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?
Saturday, September 24, 2005
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!
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