Hey Guys,
Recently heard a sermon where the preacher made a really good side point to the effect that we generally want to be better than we are now. There are habits we genuinely want to break and virtues we want to adopt. This wasn't even his main message but it was one of the parts that really stuck out to me. There are parts of us that want to be respected for all the right reasons rather than the wrong ones and, for the believers, a desire for the Father's approval. From a secular standpoint, moralistic behaviour are the mere byproduct of human evolution - a necessity for communal survival. For the regenerate Christian, these noble aspirations are evidences of God's grace.
I fall short so much of the time. While nonchristians would say I am too harsh on myself, I know my own mind and how easily it strays from God. So, ignoring worldly standards of right and wrong and comparing myself solely against God's standards, I know Edward to be selfish and prideful. As good and polite as I am externally, I know how deeply sin lies embedded in me. Yet there is so much grace and mercy! Not only that God would forgive, but that he would actively work in me to desire things of him. To want the painful sanctification that is so contrary to my own nature. And that is just it, our nature is self preservation and self glorification and with a tendency to shy away from thoughts and actions that would compromise either. God desires that we be conformed to his image and to worship him instead of ourselves. Would that we respond to these God-given desires to become better, instead of resisting them. Would that we put aside excuses and reasons for delay, and pursue a life of godliness and productivity.
Encouragement for the week: Be better.
Edward
"For it is God who works in you, both to will and to act according to his good pleasure." Philippians 2:13
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Happy Wednesday (01/18/2012) (Doors)
Hi Guys,
As most of you know, I am in the middle of applying for school - my life is going through a period of transition and changes are flying at me. I've generally found that whenever Christians pray for things like job or school applications, the phrase of choice is generally for God to "open the right doors." Verbatim, those are practically my own prayers this past season. But I noticed something interesting in studying Acts recently.
In the 16th Chapter, we find that Paul and Silas were beaten and imprisoned due to false accusations. In the middle of the night the prison doors miraculously opened and chains fell off their wrists and feet, yet they stayed in their cells. Why? My thought is that they were so in tune with following God's will that when they see a literal door open, their first instinct wasn't escape but seek God's will - and I believe they were told to wait. It was later revealed that both Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, and their beating and imprisonment was unlawful. Now, if I was threatened with unwarranted physical beating and imprisonment that I can get out by simply declaring my citizenship - I would probably do so. Yet these men sought God's will even under those circumstance.
This begs the question. Why would God, who loves us, purpose for us to suffer? Why would God tell Paul and Silas to bear the beating and imprisonment in stoic silence? We'll never know the full effect of their decision, that is for God to know; yet Acts records the lives of other prisoners touched by the hymns they sang to God (none of them escaped when the doors opened). We see a jailer (not usually the softest characters) moved by their testimony and integrity in not seeking escape, so much so that his entire family found salvation that very night. Lastly, we are told of magistrates who, embarrassed with the wrongful imprisonment of two Roman citizen, were all too eager to be sympathetic to a newly formed Philippian church. God's kingdom grew in Philippi and I believe it had its roots in the events surrounding Paul and Silas' decision to seek God's will rather than leap through an open door.
One of the harshest lessons for a 21rst century, first-world believer is that God's will is NOT necessarily our health and prosperity. An open door is not necessarily an invitation to walk through, but perhaps a means to demonstrate a people who would choose to value God over the blessings of an open door. I'm not saying we should live in perpetual indecision of trying to figure out God's will; but there needs to be a decision made daily to value God over any opportunities we are blessed with. Encouragement for the week: Ask for doors to be opened, but continue to seek God's will and direction even after an opportunity presents itself.
Have a happy Wednesday,
Edward
Acts 16:19-40
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2016:19-40&version=NIV
Funny video of friends hypnotizing each other (Thanks Christina)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UfZNbLOkRA&feature=g-hist&context=G2b2f439AHTxYJ0wADAA
As most of you know, I am in the middle of applying for school - my life is going through a period of transition and changes are flying at me. I've generally found that whenever Christians pray for things like job or school applications, the phrase of choice is generally for God to "open the right doors." Verbatim, those are practically my own prayers this past season. But I noticed something interesting in studying Acts recently.
In the 16th Chapter, we find that Paul and Silas were beaten and imprisoned due to false accusations. In the middle of the night the prison doors miraculously opened and chains fell off their wrists and feet, yet they stayed in their cells. Why? My thought is that they were so in tune with following God's will that when they see a literal door open, their first instinct wasn't escape but seek God's will - and I believe they were told to wait. It was later revealed that both Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, and their beating and imprisonment was unlawful. Now, if I was threatened with unwarranted physical beating and imprisonment that I can get out by simply declaring my citizenship - I would probably do so. Yet these men sought God's will even under those circumstance.
This begs the question. Why would God, who loves us, purpose for us to suffer? Why would God tell Paul and Silas to bear the beating and imprisonment in stoic silence? We'll never know the full effect of their decision, that is for God to know; yet Acts records the lives of other prisoners touched by the hymns they sang to God (none of them escaped when the doors opened). We see a jailer (not usually the softest characters) moved by their testimony and integrity in not seeking escape, so much so that his entire family found salvation that very night. Lastly, we are told of magistrates who, embarrassed with the wrongful imprisonment of two Roman citizen, were all too eager to be sympathetic to a newly formed Philippian church. God's kingdom grew in Philippi and I believe it had its roots in the events surrounding Paul and Silas' decision to seek God's will rather than leap through an open door.
One of the harshest lessons for a 21rst century, first-world believer is that God's will is NOT necessarily our health and prosperity. An open door is not necessarily an invitation to walk through, but perhaps a means to demonstrate a people who would choose to value God over the blessings of an open door. I'm not saying we should live in perpetual indecision of trying to figure out God's will; but there needs to be a decision made daily to value God over any opportunities we are blessed with. Encouragement for the week: Ask for doors to be opened, but continue to seek God's will and direction even after an opportunity presents itself.
Have a happy Wednesday,
Edward
Acts 16:19-40
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2016:19-40&version=NIV
Funny video of friends hypnotizing each other (Thanks Christina)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UfZNbLOkRA&feature=g-hist&context=G2b2f439AHTxYJ0wADAA
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Happy Wednesday (01/11/12) (Starting)
Hey Guys,
New Years kinda snuck up on me and I neglected to form resolutions until 2012 was well underway. As this past Monday rolled by, I was struck by the realization that high on my list was the resolve to become more organize. I chuckled as the 9th day of the year began with me looking upon my horribly disorganized work desk. The humour was furthered by the fact that ridding myself of the habit of procrastination topped that same list as well. Have I been able to keep my NY resolutions so far? I hadn't even started yet!
I remarked on the Herculean task cleaning my desk would be to my coworker; her reply was rather profound, "Today is a good day to start." I think that phrase is a broadly applicable truth. It goes beyond resolutions, so often we look at life and find that we are not where we want to be. Be it in terms of career, relationships, ongoing struggles against sin, and so on. We find ourselves overwhelmed by the enormity of the goals and hopes we set for ourselves and deem them unreachable. But today really IS a good day to start. So my encouragement to you, and especially to me, this week: Do the things that needs doing. Crack open that bible, have that difficult conversation we've been putting off, pray that prayer that would begin setting things right between us and God...and get that stupid desk cleaned up while we're at it.
Have a happy Wednesday!
Edward
"...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." - Philippians 1:6
This is your life, are you who you want to be?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA2CpQWg2pA
New Years kinda snuck up on me and I neglected to form resolutions until 2012 was well underway. As this past Monday rolled by, I was struck by the realization that high on my list was the resolve to become more organize. I chuckled as the 9th day of the year began with me looking upon my horribly disorganized work desk. The humour was furthered by the fact that ridding myself of the habit of procrastination topped that same list as well. Have I been able to keep my NY resolutions so far? I hadn't even started yet!
I remarked on the Herculean task cleaning my desk would be to my coworker; her reply was rather profound, "Today is a good day to start." I think that phrase is a broadly applicable truth. It goes beyond resolutions, so often we look at life and find that we are not where we want to be. Be it in terms of career, relationships, ongoing struggles against sin, and so on. We find ourselves overwhelmed by the enormity of the goals and hopes we set for ourselves and deem them unreachable. But today really IS a good day to start. So my encouragement to you, and especially to me, this week: Do the things that needs doing. Crack open that bible, have that difficult conversation we've been putting off, pray that prayer that would begin setting things right between us and God...and get that stupid desk cleaned up while we're at it.
Have a happy Wednesday!
Edward
"...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." - Philippians 1:6
This is your life, are you who you want to be?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA2CpQWg2pA
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Happy Wednesday (Peace) (01/04/2012)
Hi guys,
Rather short post today, I think. For one, Wednesday is almost over. For another, the simplest truths are often the most profound and do not need massive word counts to convey its meaning. So I will try my best to highlight today's lesson learnt with brevity. It was a pretty bad day. No real need for details but a general cocktail mix of work, a series of bad conversations, and school application snags. Rock climbing did little to relieve the stress and only fueled the frustration as I found myself succumbing to the effects of what climbing friends aptly named "high gravity days." Came home hoping to find solace, was instead bombarded by requests and demands, followed by some rather harsh and unkind words when I was at my absolute lowest. Tempted to yell back at this point? Of course. But I sat down at the dinner table, bowed my head, and said grace. The content of my prayer extended beyond the usual "thank you for food, amen." It was simply this: That I would know God as bigger than all of this, that it is enough - MUST be enough - that I have him, and that he would take his proper place in my heart and remove all traces of idolatry in me that is the true source of all my frustrations. Then peace. And I ate dinner.
Encouragement for the week. God is bigger than all your problems. I do not merely mean that he can solve them for you; but that you can lay all of it at his feet and rest. Truly rest. The second holds eternal significance while the first only temporary significance. My prayer for you all is that you find peace and rest in God during your worst "pretty bad days."
Have a happy Wednesday!
Edward
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7
Nifty lil clip of 21 accents from around the world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UgpfSp2t6k
Rather short post today, I think. For one, Wednesday is almost over. For another, the simplest truths are often the most profound and do not need massive word counts to convey its meaning. So I will try my best to highlight today's lesson learnt with brevity. It was a pretty bad day. No real need for details but a general cocktail mix of work, a series of bad conversations, and school application snags. Rock climbing did little to relieve the stress and only fueled the frustration as I found myself succumbing to the effects of what climbing friends aptly named "high gravity days." Came home hoping to find solace, was instead bombarded by requests and demands, followed by some rather harsh and unkind words when I was at my absolute lowest. Tempted to yell back at this point? Of course. But I sat down at the dinner table, bowed my head, and said grace. The content of my prayer extended beyond the usual "thank you for food, amen." It was simply this: That I would know God as bigger than all of this, that it is enough - MUST be enough - that I have him, and that he would take his proper place in my heart and remove all traces of idolatry in me that is the true source of all my frustrations. Then peace. And I ate dinner.
Encouragement for the week. God is bigger than all your problems. I do not merely mean that he can solve them for you; but that you can lay all of it at his feet and rest. Truly rest. The second holds eternal significance while the first only temporary significance. My prayer for you all is that you find peace and rest in God during your worst "pretty bad days."
Have a happy Wednesday!
Edward
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7
Nifty lil clip of 21 accents from around the world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UgpfSp2t6k
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