Sup everyone!
What better way to start a post on suffering than mentioning the MCATs? It's finally over and i should have the scores by the end of the month, thx so much to everyone who prayed for me!
A while back i heard an awesome observation made in a matt chandler sermon and have wanted to write about it for the longest time. Hebrews 11 paints this tapestry of faith in israel's history with stories about moses, gideon, and david, etc etc. But then we drop down to v35 where we go from stories of triumph to stories of saints being tortured, imprisoned, and brutally killed. Triumph to suffering in a single verse without even the decency of a transition word. The observation made was that the suffering saints post-v35 were no worse than the triumphant saints pre-v35. In other words whether they triumphed or suffered was entirely in the will of God and not their actions.
I think it's so easy for us to look at sufferings of good people (esp ourselves) and the successes of people who (in our opinion) does not deserve it and question the justice of God. Without intending to, it's so easy to see blessings in our lives as rewards for our services and obedience and our sufferings as acts of punishment from God when NEITHER is the case. Jesus himself said of those who would leave their families and treasures that they would receive back a hundred fold what they've lost in His name in the age to come - our reward for obedience is eternal life, God himself; not the beautiful wife, or obedient children, or prosperous careers. By the same token the punishment for our sins, including the ones we're about to commit later on today, was completely paid for at the cross. For us to say "God is making me go through this suffering to punish me for that sin" is tantamount to us saying the cross was not enough.
I guess the encouragement for the week, for those of us who're struggling, to not look upon sufferings of this life as injustice. Christ having to die for our sins is injustice: gracious and merciful injustice. Suffering in this age is not punitive, rather it is purifying. Also, God would never give us more than we're able, by His grace and power, to handle. Keeping both these truths firmly in mind, I want to be able to see suffering as acts of mercy and love from God and to be able to rejoice and praise Him both in it and for it.
Have a happy wednesday and may we suffer well this week,
Edward
"...who conquered kingdoms...shut the mouths of lions...routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured...while others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawn in two...." - Hebrews 11:33-36
"Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?" - Job 41:11
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." - Romans 8:18
Kinda wrong, slightly freudian...but very very funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yDDMznsa4A&feature=related
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Happy Wednesday (Question) (04/21/2010)
Alrite, i wanted to take a break from writing for a week and instead pose a semi-serious question.
Did Adam and Eve have bellybuttons? =D
Have a fantastic wednesday and awesome rest of the week!
Edward
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-GEBXx6NH0
Did Adam and Eve have bellybuttons? =D
Have a fantastic wednesday and awesome rest of the week!
Edward
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-GEBXx6NH0
Happy Wednesday (Value) (04/14/2010)
Yo,
some observations i made recently on a person's worth and identity. I think we have a tendency to identify ourselves by the relationships and things in our lives that we value most. There are two ways in which a person or a thing can have value/importance: rarity and intrinsically.
A thing can be valuable by being rare - this is the case with gold, diamonds, or olympic level talent. In human terms this is usually achieved through diligent effort. A student achieves an A in the class - which, as shown by the infamous bell curve, is pretty rare - by studying. Athletes becomes the best at what they do by excelling beyond their peers. In this value system the more rare, the more capable, the more skilled the performance, the greater the value. In this way most people can gain recognition, value, and meaning through working hard - this is probably one of the most intoxicating and addicting part of our labours.
The second way is to have value intrinsically. This is value that isn't based on rarity or effort, it is value that can only be given by others. In other words the thing or person is valuable because someone else thinks of them as valuable. You can find better cars than my '95 green mitsubishi (named Eden) in almost any parking lot, yet I could never think to replace her until the day she dies on me because i have so many memories with that car, and have decided that she is important to me.
In our most treasured and valued relationships, I think our worth should be based on the intrinsic. We're valued because people who care about us believe us to be valuable. We're important to them because, in the same way, they're valuable to us. That value shapes our identity. It makes us proud/honoured to call ourselves this girl's father, or that person's friend. Love gives value to people and things.
We've all heard about how we should identify ourselves as sons and daughters of God. How does that work? When the worst of life hits you, what does being that "child of God" even mean? How do u make that matter or even to believe it? I think the way to feel valued in God's eyes is the same way you would feel valued in your family or friends eyes - by valuing Him. Value gives rise to value. God has decided since before time began that we were worth dying for, we already have intrinsic value (because He said so), each of us are worth one Son to God. But just like how so many young people would miss/ignore their parents' love by failing to value them in return - you will never believe yourself to be of value in God's eyes until you value Him.
Encouragement for the week, seek intrinsic instead of performance value with God and people. Whether life is awesome or the pits for you right now, value God in everything you do. Make much of Him, think of Him, praise and glorify Him - and feel the love of the Father as you delight in your identity as a child of God.
Have a Happy Wednesday!
Edward
"For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also" Luke 12:34
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son" John 3:16
Dolphins blowing bubble rings and playing w/ them
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DqgmYi_Dro&feature=related
some observations i made recently on a person's worth and identity. I think we have a tendency to identify ourselves by the relationships and things in our lives that we value most. There are two ways in which a person or a thing can have value/importance: rarity and intrinsically.
A thing can be valuable by being rare - this is the case with gold, diamonds, or olympic level talent. In human terms this is usually achieved through diligent effort. A student achieves an A in the class - which, as shown by the infamous bell curve, is pretty rare - by studying. Athletes becomes the best at what they do by excelling beyond their peers. In this value system the more rare, the more capable, the more skilled the performance, the greater the value. In this way most people can gain recognition, value, and meaning through working hard - this is probably one of the most intoxicating and addicting part of our labours.
The second way is to have value intrinsically. This is value that isn't based on rarity or effort, it is value that can only be given by others. In other words the thing or person is valuable because someone else thinks of them as valuable. You can find better cars than my '95 green mitsubishi (named Eden) in almost any parking lot, yet I could never think to replace her until the day she dies on me because i have so many memories with that car, and have decided that she is important to me.
In our most treasured and valued relationships, I think our worth should be based on the intrinsic. We're valued because people who care about us believe us to be valuable. We're important to them because, in the same way, they're valuable to us. That value shapes our identity. It makes us proud/honoured to call ourselves this girl's father, or that person's friend. Love gives value to people and things.
We've all heard about how we should identify ourselves as sons and daughters of God. How does that work? When the worst of life hits you, what does being that "child of God" even mean? How do u make that matter or even to believe it? I think the way to feel valued in God's eyes is the same way you would feel valued in your family or friends eyes - by valuing Him. Value gives rise to value. God has decided since before time began that we were worth dying for, we already have intrinsic value (because He said so), each of us are worth one Son to God. But just like how so many young people would miss/ignore their parents' love by failing to value them in return - you will never believe yourself to be of value in God's eyes until you value Him.
Encouragement for the week, seek intrinsic instead of performance value with God and people. Whether life is awesome or the pits for you right now, value God in everything you do. Make much of Him, think of Him, praise and glorify Him - and feel the love of the Father as you delight in your identity as a child of God.
Have a Happy Wednesday!
Edward
"For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also" Luke 12:34
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son" John 3:16
Dolphins blowing bubble rings and playing w/ them
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DqgmYi_Dro&feature=related
Happy Wednesday (Truth) (04/07/2010)
Sup guys,
I think most of us have had the term "Postmodernism" preached to us enough times to have a general grasp of wat it means, the denial of objective and knowable truths. While i wouldn't go so far as to say we're completely ruled by postmodern thought, I think this trend tends to make us makes us ask two questions:
- "who are u to tell me what truth is?" (resist hearing truth)
and
- "who am i to tell them what truth is?" (resist giving truth)
its not simply a rejection of authority, postmodernism makes us afraid of truth. It makes us afraid to trust in people who claim to know it, and it makes us afraid to think we might have it. we're culturally disinclined towards giving or receiving even needed criticism and rebuke of any kind, even the term "preachy" evokes a negative imagery in our minds. The simple, counter-cultural act of declaring to the world "I know the Truth" paints bright red targets on our chests.
To paraphrase john piper paraphrasing someone else (-.-v), in the 60s nonchristians would indignantly demand of christians, "how could you believe THAT to be the truth?" nowadays, nonchristians would indignantly demand of christians, "how could you CLAIM to know the truth at all?"
We need Truths in our lives, Truths like God's atoning sacrifice for us and how precious we are in His sight; that God exists, heaven exists, hell exists. Facts such as God being in control over all things, that He is Good and Love, that we can't earn our own salvation. Be able to say, think, and express solid Truths like these because so often, when troubles come into our lives or we're faced with nonchristian friends, it's so unbelievably (ahahah get it? get it?) easy for these truths to slip from us as we fall into the gravity of postmodernism.
Encouragement for the week, believe and trust in Truths. Postmodernism dilutes Truth by treating all truths as soft and malleable, it delights in fusing ideas together and labeling it all as true. It tells that lie to a world in desperate need of rock solid Truths. Dont buy into it.
Have a happy wednesday!
Edward
"Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding..." - Proverbs 3:13
"Then we will no longer be infants...blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ." - Ephesians 4:14-15
"Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." - John 18:37 (that's jesus talking)
____
so wrong and kinda freudian but...kinda, sorta, almost cute....right?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yDDMznsa4A&feature=related
I think most of us have had the term "Postmodernism" preached to us enough times to have a general grasp of wat it means, the denial of objective and knowable truths. While i wouldn't go so far as to say we're completely ruled by postmodern thought, I think this trend tends to make us makes us ask two questions:
- "who are u to tell me what truth is?" (resist hearing truth)
and
- "who am i to tell them what truth is?" (resist giving truth)
its not simply a rejection of authority, postmodernism makes us afraid of truth. It makes us afraid to trust in people who claim to know it, and it makes us afraid to think we might have it. we're culturally disinclined towards giving or receiving even needed criticism and rebuke of any kind, even the term "preachy" evokes a negative imagery in our minds. The simple, counter-cultural act of declaring to the world "I know the Truth" paints bright red targets on our chests.
To paraphrase john piper paraphrasing someone else (-.-v), in the 60s nonchristians would indignantly demand of christians, "how could you believe THAT to be the truth?" nowadays, nonchristians would indignantly demand of christians, "how could you CLAIM to know the truth at all?"
We need Truths in our lives, Truths like God's atoning sacrifice for us and how precious we are in His sight; that God exists, heaven exists, hell exists. Facts such as God being in control over all things, that He is Good and Love, that we can't earn our own salvation. Be able to say, think, and express solid Truths like these because so often, when troubles come into our lives or we're faced with nonchristian friends, it's so unbelievably (ahahah get it? get it?) easy for these truths to slip from us as we fall into the gravity of postmodernism.
Encouragement for the week, believe and trust in Truths. Postmodernism dilutes Truth by treating all truths as soft and malleable, it delights in fusing ideas together and labeling it all as true. It tells that lie to a world in desperate need of rock solid Truths. Dont buy into it.
Have a happy wednesday!
Edward
"Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding..." - Proverbs 3:13
"Then we will no longer be infants...blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ." - Ephesians 4:14-15
"Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." - John 18:37 (that's jesus talking)
____
so wrong and kinda freudian but...kinda, sorta, almost cute....right?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yDDMznsa4A&feature=related
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Happy Wednesday (Pleasure) (03/31/10)
Hayo everybody,
It's no surprise that God created appetites and also pleasures to satisfy them, but I wanted to dig at the purpose of pleasure. on the one hand pleasure IS a gift and blessing to His beloved children, on the other (the part we often forget) it is meant to serve as a reminder to worship. pleasure is meant to be God-glorifying when coupled w/ thankfulness. This is why i do not consider as sanctity, the ascerbic denial of pleasure for its own sake - fasting is pointless unless it is coupled with praise.
This is why we say grace before we eat, to take at least 10-30 seconds out of our busy lives to essentially say "hey God, i have food, it is good(?) for me and will probably taste delicious - i get pleasure out of eating this. This is ultimately a gift from You, so thank You." This is, i think, the proper way to experience pleasure - any pleasure. When we delight in art, music, our loved ones, our...ahem...spouses, our strength, and our beauty, we should be just as persistent and genuine in giving God glory through thanksgiving as we do in meal time prayers.
I go on to say that anything outside of that becomes sin. Pleasure for its own sake, without thanksgiving to the God who gave it to you is pride and idolatry. This means a man can be damned for eating a piece of chocolate without an attitude of thankfulness by essentially thinking, "I earned this chocolate, this chocolate is rightfully mine, I deserve this pleasure." Purposefully exaggerated, but on some levels, this IS how we all think when we fail to give God praise. I dont say this to use fear or guilt as a call to worship, but to hopefully show how much grace is accorded us DAILY when we sin by forgetting God. Sin is not simply doing bad things, but also turning morally neutral, or even good, things into idols.
Lastly, given that we're designed to hunger and long for things Eternal, experiencing good and beautiful things and attributing praise to God is the ONLY way to experience true, lasting pleasure. This is because what we're really looking for when we seek worldly pleasures is Eternity. Solomon was able to experience everything the world had to offer in terms of pleasure and his conclusion towards the end of his life was that apart from God, all of it was a meaningless chasing after the wind.
Encouragement for the week, glorify God with our pleasures and appetites through active praise and thanksgiving.
Have a pleasurable week!
Edward
"For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer." - 1 Timothy 4:4–5
"But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin." - Romans 14:23
"'Everything is permissible for me but not everything is beneficial. 'Everything is permissible for me' - but I will not be mastered by anything." - 1 Corinthians 6:12
After the dentist (thx sandy!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txqiwrbYGrs
It's no surprise that God created appetites and also pleasures to satisfy them, but I wanted to dig at the purpose of pleasure. on the one hand pleasure IS a gift and blessing to His beloved children, on the other (the part we often forget) it is meant to serve as a reminder to worship. pleasure is meant to be God-glorifying when coupled w/ thankfulness. This is why i do not consider as sanctity, the ascerbic denial of pleasure for its own sake - fasting is pointless unless it is coupled with praise.
This is why we say grace before we eat, to take at least 10-30 seconds out of our busy lives to essentially say "hey God, i have food, it is good(?) for me and will probably taste delicious - i get pleasure out of eating this. This is ultimately a gift from You, so thank You." This is, i think, the proper way to experience pleasure - any pleasure. When we delight in art, music, our loved ones, our...ahem...spouses, our strength, and our beauty, we should be just as persistent and genuine in giving God glory through thanksgiving as we do in meal time prayers.
I go on to say that anything outside of that becomes sin. Pleasure for its own sake, without thanksgiving to the God who gave it to you is pride and idolatry. This means a man can be damned for eating a piece of chocolate without an attitude of thankfulness by essentially thinking, "I earned this chocolate, this chocolate is rightfully mine, I deserve this pleasure." Purposefully exaggerated, but on some levels, this IS how we all think when we fail to give God praise. I dont say this to use fear or guilt as a call to worship, but to hopefully show how much grace is accorded us DAILY when we sin by forgetting God. Sin is not simply doing bad things, but also turning morally neutral, or even good, things into idols.
Lastly, given that we're designed to hunger and long for things Eternal, experiencing good and beautiful things and attributing praise to God is the ONLY way to experience true, lasting pleasure. This is because what we're really looking for when we seek worldly pleasures is Eternity. Solomon was able to experience everything the world had to offer in terms of pleasure and his conclusion towards the end of his life was that apart from God, all of it was a meaningless chasing after the wind.
Encouragement for the week, glorify God with our pleasures and appetites through active praise and thanksgiving.
Have a pleasurable week!
Edward
"For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer." - 1 Timothy 4:4–5
"But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin." - Romans 14:23
"'Everything is permissible for me but not everything is beneficial. 'Everything is permissible for me' - but I will not be mastered by anything." - 1 Corinthians 6:12
After the dentist (thx sandy!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txqiwrbYGrs
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Happy Wednesday! (Linked) (03/25/2010)
hey guys,
a conversation earlier this week reminded me of an awesome sermon. Piper, borrowing the words of Jonathan Edwards, made the point that Christian virtues are concatenated (that is: to be interdependent, linked, connected). This means that you can't simply be strong in one virtue and weak everywhere else; or be strong in almost everything but lacking in one. It's all one packaged deal. In Galatians 5, Paul talks about the fruit of the Spirit - fruit (singular) and not fruits (plural). So its not a matter of growing the fruit of love and another fruit of peace, its a matter of cultivating one tree (you) into yielding one fruit that has all the characteristics of holiness.
I say this because im convinced that it's impossible to have true humility without self control. While the two doesn't seem like they have anything to do with each other, both are characteristics God wants us to cultivate. Thing is...to lack self control (be it with food, video games, relationships, or pornography) is nothing less than the gratification of your own desires. Humility is all about selflessness. You can never be genuinely humble when you have a habit of selfishness.
Another example that i've noticed in myself these past few days, I dont think its possible to love without being hopeful. An unsaved family member, coworkers who drive you nuts, a friend with a bad habit - all these relationships where we believe we're genuinely loving people, but have given up hope in seeing God move in their lives. Where there is no hope, there is no prayer, and therefore no faith - in short, there is no real desire for God to bring about Good in this person's life. Simply putting up with people doesn't seem like love to me, puts a new spin on the phrase "love your enemy" doesn't it? Among many other things, true love hopes; desperately, faithfully, painfully, against-all-evidence-that-says-otherwise-ly hopes. This is tremendously harsh...but any love that is NOT hopeful, or patient, or trusting, or selfless, or perseveres; any love that fails to protect, is an imperfect love. It is not Love the way God Loves, and it is a kind of love that can be distorted and twisted into something harmful.
List can go on and on. My aim is not to put down people's efforts towards sanctity and Godliness. But I want to be aware that i can't split up aspects of my spiritual walk like some kind of homework problem set; to work on patience today and kindness tomorrow. I want to encourage everyone to pursue holiness with this holistic (ahahah get it? get it?) understanding of concatenated virtues. I want the genuine pursuit of Godliness to move us away from posturing and posing and into true kindness that is also joyful, true peace that doesn't forget love, and true gentleness marked by self control.
Have a happy wednesday!
Edward
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." - Galatians 5:22-23
"Love is patient, love is kind. it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
hahahaha, hamsta stuck in a video game
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I9xMVbtTdY&feature=related
a conversation earlier this week reminded me of an awesome sermon. Piper, borrowing the words of Jonathan Edwards, made the point that Christian virtues are concatenated (that is: to be interdependent, linked, connected). This means that you can't simply be strong in one virtue and weak everywhere else; or be strong in almost everything but lacking in one. It's all one packaged deal. In Galatians 5, Paul talks about the fruit of the Spirit - fruit (singular) and not fruits (plural). So its not a matter of growing the fruit of love and another fruit of peace, its a matter of cultivating one tree (you) into yielding one fruit that has all the characteristics of holiness.
I say this because im convinced that it's impossible to have true humility without self control. While the two doesn't seem like they have anything to do with each other, both are characteristics God wants us to cultivate. Thing is...to lack self control (be it with food, video games, relationships, or pornography) is nothing less than the gratification of your own desires. Humility is all about selflessness. You can never be genuinely humble when you have a habit of selfishness.
Another example that i've noticed in myself these past few days, I dont think its possible to love without being hopeful. An unsaved family member, coworkers who drive you nuts, a friend with a bad habit - all these relationships where we believe we're genuinely loving people, but have given up hope in seeing God move in their lives. Where there is no hope, there is no prayer, and therefore no faith - in short, there is no real desire for God to bring about Good in this person's life. Simply putting up with people doesn't seem like love to me, puts a new spin on the phrase "love your enemy" doesn't it? Among many other things, true love hopes; desperately, faithfully, painfully, against-all-evidence-that-says-otherwise-ly hopes. This is tremendously harsh...but any love that is NOT hopeful, or patient, or trusting, or selfless, or perseveres; any love that fails to protect, is an imperfect love. It is not Love the way God Loves, and it is a kind of love that can be distorted and twisted into something harmful.
List can go on and on. My aim is not to put down people's efforts towards sanctity and Godliness. But I want to be aware that i can't split up aspects of my spiritual walk like some kind of homework problem set; to work on patience today and kindness tomorrow. I want to encourage everyone to pursue holiness with this holistic (ahahah get it? get it?) understanding of concatenated virtues. I want the genuine pursuit of Godliness to move us away from posturing and posing and into true kindness that is also joyful, true peace that doesn't forget love, and true gentleness marked by self control.
Have a happy wednesday!
Edward
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." - Galatians 5:22-23
"Love is patient, love is kind. it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
hahahaha, hamsta stuck in a video game
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I9xMVbtTdY&feature=related
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Happy Wednesday! (Maturity) (03/17/2010)
Sup guys,
Hebrews 5:11-14; 6:1-3 (http://tinyurl.com/yk2a98p, http://tinyurl.com/ylalbte)
I've been told that chapters and verses weren't in original scriptures but were a later addition. The same goes for those lil one-line description for sections of bible. Like the one just above Hebrews 6, "Warning Against Falling Away." I often use these descriptions to zero in on passage i want to read and that particular one (above hebrew6) caught my eyes this morning because right below it, i had the "you need milk not solid food" passage highlighted. It got me wondering what food had to do with falling away, this was what I learnt.
The author was lamenting hte lack of spiritual growth in the hebrew church, the analogy used was how they're still stuck on baby food when they should be eating steak. I think it is important to eat spiritual foods that match our state of growth. As a new believer, it isn't wise to dive right into heavy theology/service. It would be like a beginning guitarist refusing to do basic drills and instead tries to learn to play a song that is waaaay beyond his skill level; then, getting discouraged, he quits guitar entirely. I think in teh same way new believers have certain crucial foundations in their understanding of God that needs to be laid, without which they're likely to fall away in times of trials and persecution.
But there's a second warning here in Hebrews 6. I imagine most christians on this list DO have solid foundations in their understanding of Christ. An adult would find no satisfaction in eating baby food alone. In the same way, once that guitarist masters his basic drills - unless he moves onto more advanced lessons, he'd quickly lose interest and end up quitting for lack of challenges as well. To not grow in our spiritual life is to stagnate. We're meant to be challenged in our faith, to continuously seek out new understandings of God instead of sitting on the basic foundations that originally brought us into christianity. Often times i find my spiritual walk to be little more than an endless cycle of sin and repentance. Not that we are to stop repenting, but if that is all our christianity is made up of we'll be stuck in that cycle not GOING anywhere. Humans aren't designed to live unchallenged lives. Being stuck in that cycle without any growth and without constant examples of God's grace/love in our lives as proven by hardships and lessons learnt, we will find our faith growing stagnant and like that guitarist, see little point in continuing in something we're so passionless about. Worse yet, we simply get by on routine and pretense - alive on the outside, spiritually dead on the inside - and deceive ourselves and others into thinking we have New Life.
Encouragement for the week, seek to challenge yourself beyond the barest minimum of christianity. Foundations and basics are important but passion demands growth. There is more to THIS than sin/repentance, I want us all to press on towards greater maturity in Christ and to continuously seek to challenge our faith without taking on more than we're able (by God's grace) to handle. Lets constantly delve into deeper things of God and stretch our capacities to love, to learn, to sacrifice, and to grow.
Have a happy wednesday!
Edward
"These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning!" - Acts 2:15
"Then [Jesus] told them, 'Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.' They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine...This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him." - John 2:8-11
(happy st paddy's =D)
awesomest gift idea ever!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9hnZX6eyTA&feature=related
Hebrews 5:11-14; 6:1-3 (http://tinyurl.com/yk2a98p, http://tinyurl.com/ylalbte)
I've been told that chapters and verses weren't in original scriptures but were a later addition. The same goes for those lil one-line description for sections of bible. Like the one just above Hebrews 6, "Warning Against Falling Away." I often use these descriptions to zero in on passage i want to read and that particular one (above hebrew6) caught my eyes this morning because right below it, i had the "you need milk not solid food" passage highlighted. It got me wondering what food had to do with falling away, this was what I learnt.
The author was lamenting hte lack of spiritual growth in the hebrew church, the analogy used was how they're still stuck on baby food when they should be eating steak. I think it is important to eat spiritual foods that match our state of growth. As a new believer, it isn't wise to dive right into heavy theology/service. It would be like a beginning guitarist refusing to do basic drills and instead tries to learn to play a song that is waaaay beyond his skill level; then, getting discouraged, he quits guitar entirely. I think in teh same way new believers have certain crucial foundations in their understanding of God that needs to be laid, without which they're likely to fall away in times of trials and persecution.
But there's a second warning here in Hebrews 6. I imagine most christians on this list DO have solid foundations in their understanding of Christ. An adult would find no satisfaction in eating baby food alone. In the same way, once that guitarist masters his basic drills - unless he moves onto more advanced lessons, he'd quickly lose interest and end up quitting for lack of challenges as well. To not grow in our spiritual life is to stagnate. We're meant to be challenged in our faith, to continuously seek out new understandings of God instead of sitting on the basic foundations that originally brought us into christianity. Often times i find my spiritual walk to be little more than an endless cycle of sin and repentance. Not that we are to stop repenting, but if that is all our christianity is made up of we'll be stuck in that cycle not GOING anywhere. Humans aren't designed to live unchallenged lives. Being stuck in that cycle without any growth and without constant examples of God's grace/love in our lives as proven by hardships and lessons learnt, we will find our faith growing stagnant and like that guitarist, see little point in continuing in something we're so passionless about. Worse yet, we simply get by on routine and pretense - alive on the outside, spiritually dead on the inside - and deceive ourselves and others into thinking we have New Life.
Encouragement for the week, seek to challenge yourself beyond the barest minimum of christianity. Foundations and basics are important but passion demands growth. There is more to THIS than sin/repentance, I want us all to press on towards greater maturity in Christ and to continuously seek to challenge our faith without taking on more than we're able (by God's grace) to handle. Lets constantly delve into deeper things of God and stretch our capacities to love, to learn, to sacrifice, and to grow.
Have a happy wednesday!
Edward
"These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning!" - Acts 2:15
"Then [Jesus] told them, 'Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.' They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine...This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him." - John 2:8-11
(happy st paddy's =D)
awesomest gift idea ever!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9hnZX6eyTA&feature=related
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