So its been an exciting week for me, God has been opening my eyes to a lot of mistakes that I have been making and has been helping me along getting to a place where I wont fall into those traps anymore. Also, Nick @ Night was amazing and I would really love nothing more than to just talk about that and have this be more of a warm and fuzzy post. However, I heard a really powerful message last night and it really hit home to me and I feel like its just too important of an issue to not address.
For a lot of us, or maybe just me who knows, we may find it really easy to intellectually understand what the bible is telling us and what the word really means for our lives. But we dont truly "get it" until were actually put face to face with the issue on an emotional level. For instance when God says to trust only in him, to put no others before him and things of that nature its very easy for me to rationalize and say that yes that does make sense and yes i do understand what that is telling me. But actually living life that way is a little differant than simply understanding the words.
For me my mentor just moved to Texas so ive been trying to figure out what my next step is, i decided that i needed to get another christian guy involved in my life and decided that i would start with an accountability partner (because if i could find a christian guy who is strong in the faith then he would keep me strong and on the straight and narrow and would make my life easy for me). So i thought about it and i met with a friend of mine who has been a christian since middle school and has been involved with church for most of his life blah blah blah, the kind of person that you just look to and go yes, they have it together and i can not wait to have my life be like that.
Well we got together and we started talking and it was amazing, this guy who i held on top of this high pedestal and who was supposed to give me the perfect advice and steer me in the right direction actually has a bigger problem with those issues that i struggle with than i do. In my mind i made him a stronger and more powerful person than i had any right to do. Something which is unfair to him for starters because it lays that certain burden of performance and expectation on him that is unjust and unfair but also unfair to God because i turned to somebody else to fix my problems and issues and didnt put my faith in him.
We place our faith in things that are not God entirely to often and it is something that we have to realize or else one day we will wake up and find ourselves miles away from God when really we thought we were walking right next to him.
If you want to get a good picture of this then read the story of the rich young ruler Mark 10:17-22. But i urge you to take your time and read this story slowly because ive read it many times but it wasnt until it was slowly broken down for me that I really could feel the message that is trying to be conveyed. Do not read it as some nugget of information to be found like in a text book, instead read it as a story told from the most wise, most kind, and most loving person that you know. If you can read this story like that then good job and you've made a huge step in your ability to grasp and see the Bible as the living word.
Now go to page one and read the whole Bible as you just read that story, I started last night and im on Genesis two, it will be hard and it will take a very long time. But i have faith that every second and every word that i am able to take in like that will be worth more to me than my bibles weight in Gold.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Nick @ Nite
Well it's time for Nick @ Nite. We are going to have a great week togehter serving the Lord. Because this will be such a busy week for everyone involved with this Blog. We will be back next week with new blogs. Check back then. See you all at the Dock.
Friday, June 5, 2009
It's Worth Repeating
On Wednesday we talked about how important is was to have a daily quite time. In today's blog I want to share the article I read to everyone. It is a great picture of the time of quite time God longs to have with us and it's worth repeating.
"The Living Room" By Robert Munger
From the dining room we walked into the living room. This room was intimate and comfortable. I liked it. It had a fireplace, overstuffed chairs, a sofa, and a quiet atmosphere.
He said, "This is indeed a delightful room. Let us come here often.It is secluded and quiet, and we can fellowship together."
Well, as a young Christian I was thrilled. I couldn't think of anything I would rather do than have a few minutes with Christ in close companionship.
He promised, "I will be here early every morning. Meet me here, and we will start the day together."
So morning after morning, I would come downstairs to the living room. He would take a book of the Bible from the case. We would open it and read together. He would unfold to me the wonder of God's saving truths. My heart sang as He shared the love and the grace He had toward me. These were wonderful times.
However, little by little, under the pressure of many responsibilities, this time began to be shortened. Why, I'm not sure. I thought I was too busy to spend regular time with Christ. This was not intentional, you understand. It just happened that way. Finally, not only was the time shortened, but I began to miss days now and then. Urgent matters would crowd out the quiet times of conversation with Jesus.
I remember one morning rushing downstairs, eager to be on my way. I passed the living room and noticed that the door was open.
Looking in, I saw a fire in the fireplace and Jesus was sitting there.Suddenly in dismay I thought to myself, "He is my guest. I invited Him into my heart! He has come as my Savior and Friend, and yet I am neglecting Him."
I stopped, turned and hesitantly went in. With downcast glance, I said, "Master, forgive me. Have You been here all these mornings?"
"Yes," He said, "I told you I would be here every morning to meet with you. Remember, I love you. I have redeemed you at great cost. I value your fellowship. Even if you cannot keep the quiet time for your own sake, do it for mine."
The truth that Christ desires my companionship, that He wants me to be with Him and waits for me, has done more to transform my quiet time with God than any other single fact. Don't let Christ wait alone in the living room of your heart, but every day find time when, with your Bible and in prayer, you may be together with Him.
Have a great week with the Lord! I can't wait to hear what you guys talked about.
"The Living Room" By Robert Munger
From the dining room we walked into the living room. This room was intimate and comfortable. I liked it. It had a fireplace, overstuffed chairs, a sofa, and a quiet atmosphere.
He said, "This is indeed a delightful room. Let us come here often.It is secluded and quiet, and we can fellowship together."
Well, as a young Christian I was thrilled. I couldn't think of anything I would rather do than have a few minutes with Christ in close companionship.
He promised, "I will be here early every morning. Meet me here, and we will start the day together."
So morning after morning, I would come downstairs to the living room. He would take a book of the Bible from the case. We would open it and read together. He would unfold to me the wonder of God's saving truths. My heart sang as He shared the love and the grace He had toward me. These were wonderful times.
However, little by little, under the pressure of many responsibilities, this time began to be shortened. Why, I'm not sure. I thought I was too busy to spend regular time with Christ. This was not intentional, you understand. It just happened that way. Finally, not only was the time shortened, but I began to miss days now and then. Urgent matters would crowd out the quiet times of conversation with Jesus.
I remember one morning rushing downstairs, eager to be on my way. I passed the living room and noticed that the door was open.
Looking in, I saw a fire in the fireplace and Jesus was sitting there.Suddenly in dismay I thought to myself, "He is my guest. I invited Him into my heart! He has come as my Savior and Friend, and yet I am neglecting Him."
I stopped, turned and hesitantly went in. With downcast glance, I said, "Master, forgive me. Have You been here all these mornings?"
"Yes," He said, "I told you I would be here every morning to meet with you. Remember, I love you. I have redeemed you at great cost. I value your fellowship. Even if you cannot keep the quiet time for your own sake, do it for mine."
The truth that Christ desires my companionship, that He wants me to be with Him and waits for me, has done more to transform my quiet time with God than any other single fact. Don't let Christ wait alone in the living room of your heart, but every day find time when, with your Bible and in prayer, you may be together with Him.
Have a great week with the Lord! I can't wait to hear what you guys talked about.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
We Must Allow Divisiveness to Die
This past weekend I was able to experience a wonderful event. My Grandparents got remarried and renewed their vows on saturday in front of our whole family. It was interesting because since it was my aunts and uncles and my cousins nobody that was there had seen them get married the first time. So that in and of itself was pretty cool to me. But anyway, my grandparents are Catholic and so the service was Catholic as well. Since I grew up Catholic I'm used to and dont mind the Catholic service (even though it is a little dry for my tastes). But the priest was a really cool guy and he kind of made fun those of us who aren't Catholic but then he got very serious and said that honestly it doesnt matter what denomination we are just so long as we are Christian and have the same core beliefs. I thought that this was well put and then we went on with the day we ate, had a good time and it pretty much slipped from my mind.
Then that night I hung out with Britt and her family and they showed me this pamphlet flyer thing that some people came around and handed out to them. Basically in a nutshell the flyer was saying that their church offers a real service and that no contemporary music was allowed and that they only preach from the King James Bible. In addition they had a little informational insert which said that nowadays a lot of differant kind of Jesus's are portrayed throughout many churches but that they preach and talk about the "real Jesus".
But this kind of mentality isnt isolated we could probably go around NorthPoint and ask how differant people feel about Catholics and Methodists and Episcipalians and I feel confident that more than a handful of people would have some trash to talk or something "unchristian" to say. A little denominational rivalry is fine but as Christians we have allowed it to turn into something completly differant. We have allowed ourselves to become divided and squabble within our own ranks. We live our lives in a war against the darkness and hate that inhabit this world. Yet by our own complacence we have allowed darkness and hate to enter into our churches by bashing other denominations who just worship differantly than we do.
This is positively absurd and the only real way to get beyond this is to stop thinking of people as having labels. Black, White, Chinese, Jew, Brazilian, French, English, Catholic, Baptist all of these are the same they confine people to a strict definition and dehuminize us all. We are all God's children and the only thing that he cares about is the contents of our hearts. So the next time you hear someone make a slight comment or the next time you yourself think of denouncing or making fun of another denomination remember not only does that not fall in line with God's desires but it actually runs contrary to it and is divisive in his kingdom.
(Personal apologies to Damon for making fun of his Bible choice...even though he does need to get a real one)
Then that night I hung out with Britt and her family and they showed me this pamphlet flyer thing that some people came around and handed out to them. Basically in a nutshell the flyer was saying that their church offers a real service and that no contemporary music was allowed and that they only preach from the King James Bible. In addition they had a little informational insert which said that nowadays a lot of differant kind of Jesus's are portrayed throughout many churches but that they preach and talk about the "real Jesus".
But this kind of mentality isnt isolated we could probably go around NorthPoint and ask how differant people feel about Catholics and Methodists and Episcipalians and I feel confident that more than a handful of people would have some trash to talk or something "unchristian" to say. A little denominational rivalry is fine but as Christians we have allowed it to turn into something completly differant. We have allowed ourselves to become divided and squabble within our own ranks. We live our lives in a war against the darkness and hate that inhabit this world. Yet by our own complacence we have allowed darkness and hate to enter into our churches by bashing other denominations who just worship differantly than we do.
This is positively absurd and the only real way to get beyond this is to stop thinking of people as having labels. Black, White, Chinese, Jew, Brazilian, French, English, Catholic, Baptist all of these are the same they confine people to a strict definition and dehuminize us all. We are all God's children and the only thing that he cares about is the contents of our hearts. So the next time you hear someone make a slight comment or the next time you yourself think of denouncing or making fun of another denomination remember not only does that not fall in line with God's desires but it actually runs contrary to it and is divisive in his kingdom.
(Personal apologies to Damon for making fun of his Bible choice...even though he does need to get a real one)
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