Coward: "a person who lacks the courage to do or endure dangerous or unpleasant things" (acc. to an online dictionary).
Rev. 21:8 (speaking of those who will not be a part of the new Jerusalem)
"But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."
The murderers, right...
sexually immoral, right...
sorcerers, obviously...
liars, heard that before...
the cowardly...wait, what?
The cowardly? Those who lacked courage? Those who shrunk back in fear? Those who consistently and regularly did so? What! Apparently God says that His kingdom is no place for the cowardly. How often I am guilty of this? God, help me to be courageous for Your sake. God, let your people: "the Christians", be noted as "a people of courage".
Lord, help us. Amen.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Thursday, January 17, 2008
What's in a Goal?
Recently some friends of mine blogged about setting goals for the upcoming year. One talked about a person in his life that challenged him to aim for something in life because if we "aim for nothing, we'll receive nothing" (paraphrase). This got me thinking, along with a thought from another blog that talked about how goals are for the purpose of PROGRESS, not perfection..something good for me personally to keep in mind since I set goals idealistically and then become easily discouraged at the first signs of defeat.
So, with the intention of desired PROGRESS, I set my face towards the following goals this year: (in no particular order)
1. Take guitar lessons
2. Pay off 1/3 of my college debt
3. Stop my addiction to sweets
4. Run in a 1/2 marathon
5. Read 24 books (a book every 2 wks.)
6. Be informed on important world events and leaders
7. Learn to practice proper use of my vocal chords through symphonic choir this semester
8. Apply for liscensing with the AG
This is by no means an exhaustive list.
Until next time, good night.
So, with the intention of desired PROGRESS, I set my face towards the following goals this year: (in no particular order)
1. Take guitar lessons
2. Pay off 1/3 of my college debt
3. Stop my addiction to sweets
4. Run in a 1/2 marathon
5. Read 24 books (a book every 2 wks.)
6. Be informed on important world events and leaders
7. Learn to practice proper use of my vocal chords through symphonic choir this semester
8. Apply for liscensing with the AG
This is by no means an exhaustive list.
Until next time, good night.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Identity
Taken from a quote in a message:
"Jesus was intent about His disciples knowing who He was and who they are in Christ because there's a real devil and a real Jesus and they're both playing for keeps, we just forget it many times."
Woah! You know when somebody just says something that hits you in a way, as if you've never heard it before?! I mean, what does that mean.."Jesus was intent about His disciples knowing who He was"? Wasn't that the whole point!! The whole time Jesus was among the disciples they were trying to figure out who he was. I think of the disciples words in Mt. 8: "who is this man? Even the winds and the waves obey him!" And Peter's confession of Christ later on when Jesus asked about who people were saying He was and who the disciples believed him to be: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" Peter answered.
And who were they in Christ? Jesus was trying to teach them. Take the instance in Mark 9: the streets are crowded as people are surrounding Jesus-a man comes up to him and says: my son "is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech..I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not" (vv.14-18). Later the disciples asked Jesus: "why couldn't we drive it out?" He replied, "this kind can come out only by prayer".
In other words, if you had been living a life of prayer like I've been showing you day in and day out you would have been able to do as I do. But why should it matter to them to do as He did? Because, "Jesus wants to reproduce Himself in His followers"-quote from the message.
But WHY is it so important that we become who we are in CHRIST? Why is it so important that I do as Christ did? Because (quote above) "there's a real devil and a real Jesus and they're both playing for keeps..." If we don't understand who we are in CHRIST, the devil will come in and take what is his.
Examples:
The demon couldn't be cast out cuz the disciples hadn't prayed.
You can't talk to a friend about Christ cuz you don't walk in the boldness of the Spirit.
The woman in your church can't be healed from arthritis cuz you don't believe Jesus' words that He'd use YOU.
You won't prophecy or speak in tongues in church because you're afraid, or you think you aren't qualified enough.
You won't go where He's asked you to go, cuz the worries and fears hold you back, even though God has told you you can do it.
You don't believe what God said in His word about not forsaking you, so you doubt He is there.
You doubt your confidence in prayer, therefore you don't receive what you ask for, according to His will.
(The devil would love to rob you of your inheritance as a son or daughter).
Apart from Christ I may be nothing, and I wouldn't be greater than the devil, but in CHRIST "the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in [me]"Rom. 8:11..."Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world"-I Jn. 4:4. But see, if I don't know that, the devil has room to come in and mess with me.
KNOW WHO GOD IS, KNOW WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST,
LIVE FOR JESUS...FOR KEEPS!
"Jesus was intent about His disciples knowing who He was and who they are in Christ because there's a real devil and a real Jesus and they're both playing for keeps, we just forget it many times."
Woah! You know when somebody just says something that hits you in a way, as if you've never heard it before?! I mean, what does that mean.."Jesus was intent about His disciples knowing who He was"? Wasn't that the whole point!! The whole time Jesus was among the disciples they were trying to figure out who he was. I think of the disciples words in Mt. 8: "who is this man? Even the winds and the waves obey him!" And Peter's confession of Christ later on when Jesus asked about who people were saying He was and who the disciples believed him to be: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" Peter answered.
And who were they in Christ? Jesus was trying to teach them. Take the instance in Mark 9: the streets are crowded as people are surrounding Jesus-a man comes up to him and says: my son "is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech..I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not" (vv.14-18). Later the disciples asked Jesus: "why couldn't we drive it out?" He replied, "this kind can come out only by prayer".
In other words, if you had been living a life of prayer like I've been showing you day in and day out you would have been able to do as I do. But why should it matter to them to do as He did? Because, "Jesus wants to reproduce Himself in His followers"-quote from the message.
But WHY is it so important that we become who we are in CHRIST? Why is it so important that I do as Christ did? Because (quote above) "there's a real devil and a real Jesus and they're both playing for keeps..." If we don't understand who we are in CHRIST, the devil will come in and take what is his.
Examples:
The demon couldn't be cast out cuz the disciples hadn't prayed.
You can't talk to a friend about Christ cuz you don't walk in the boldness of the Spirit.
The woman in your church can't be healed from arthritis cuz you don't believe Jesus' words that He'd use YOU.
You won't prophecy or speak in tongues in church because you're afraid, or you think you aren't qualified enough.
You won't go where He's asked you to go, cuz the worries and fears hold you back, even though God has told you you can do it.
You don't believe what God said in His word about not forsaking you, so you doubt He is there.
You doubt your confidence in prayer, therefore you don't receive what you ask for, according to His will.
(The devil would love to rob you of your inheritance as a son or daughter).
Apart from Christ I may be nothing, and I wouldn't be greater than the devil, but in CHRIST "the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in [me]"Rom. 8:11..."Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world"-I Jn. 4:4. But see, if I don't know that, the devil has room to come in and mess with me.
KNOW WHO GOD IS, KNOW WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST,
LIVE FOR JESUS...FOR KEEPS!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
"Readers"
I want to be a "reader". The problem is, I'm not a "natural". You know those people who are just natural readers? They just love it..it's easy to them? Well, I'm not one of them. I don't know why reading doesn't come natural to me, I like learning. Maybe it's because I get easily distracted and it's hard for me to focus: something that is required of a "reader". Or maybe it's cuz it takes so much work, but why is reading work to me? why is it effortless for some and work for me? Well, if anyone out there knows the answer to this, please!..let me know!
Anyways, I want to be a reader because people who read are smart. They know things. They have bigger vocabularies, they know important people, they understand big concepts, they know more about the world...WE READ TO KNOW. And I want to know.
Anyways, I want to be a reader because people who read are smart. They know things. They have bigger vocabularies, they know important people, they understand big concepts, they know more about the world...WE READ TO KNOW. And I want to know.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Marriage Done God's Way
Yesterday I attended the wedding of a friend of mine and sat in that ceremony and cried at the wonder of the workings of God. A friend who once did not know Christ, once was not a fully-devoted disciple, but one who has become one over the years. Seeing the transformation of his life alone was beautiful to me but even more beautiful was the joining of two lives, both fully committed followers, both fully in love with Jesus.
It is only when two people are fully in love with God that they can FULLY love each other. We've heard this said before..The FULLY part is what really gets me. We can live this life experiencing life IN PART, and we can live this life FULLY, experiencing all of God's goodness. There is nothing that compares to God's FULLNESS. If you've never tasted, you've missed out on LIFE. Think of your favorite food..some of the most delicious stuff you've ever had: now think of what's better..when you can have just a taste of it or a full plate (not too much so that your stomach aches) and not just a little, leaving you wanting more. Same with God, same with experiencing marriage God's way. Two people can love each other a little, and they can love each other a lot...and watching them love each other a lot is the beautiful thing!
I always marvel at a life changed by God. I guess it's because it speaks to me of God's power more than anything. I mean, how often do we see a person act one way and in a short matter of time change, for no apparent reason? Drastic change shocks us; we grow accustomed to who a person is. Well, Billy used to wear t-shirts and sweatpants all the time, but all of a sudden he up and decided he'd get himself a new woredrobe and tidy up. Why?! What's the reason for this? Where'd the incentive come from? I had him figured out, but now I don't.
Well, anyways, that's what happened to this friend of mine and it amazed me; I'm ecstatic really, for him and his new life with his bride. Cuz I know that they'll make it everything that it's supposed to be. Marriage done God's way..it's one of God's most beautiful things to me! I marvel at it everytime I see it, and I don't want anything less than it for my own life!
It is only when two people are fully in love with God that they can FULLY love each other. We've heard this said before..The FULLY part is what really gets me. We can live this life experiencing life IN PART, and we can live this life FULLY, experiencing all of God's goodness. There is nothing that compares to God's FULLNESS. If you've never tasted, you've missed out on LIFE. Think of your favorite food..some of the most delicious stuff you've ever had: now think of what's better..when you can have just a taste of it or a full plate (not too much so that your stomach aches) and not just a little, leaving you wanting more. Same with God, same with experiencing marriage God's way. Two people can love each other a little, and they can love each other a lot...and watching them love each other a lot is the beautiful thing!
I always marvel at a life changed by God. I guess it's because it speaks to me of God's power more than anything. I mean, how often do we see a person act one way and in a short matter of time change, for no apparent reason? Drastic change shocks us; we grow accustomed to who a person is. Well, Billy used to wear t-shirts and sweatpants all the time, but all of a sudden he up and decided he'd get himself a new woredrobe and tidy up. Why?! What's the reason for this? Where'd the incentive come from? I had him figured out, but now I don't.
Well, anyways, that's what happened to this friend of mine and it amazed me; I'm ecstatic really, for him and his new life with his bride. Cuz I know that they'll make it everything that it's supposed to be. Marriage done God's way..it's one of God's most beautiful things to me! I marvel at it everytime I see it, and I don't want anything less than it for my own life!
Friday, January 4, 2008
Cost of Discipleship
When the rich young ruler approached Jesus to ask him what he must do to enter the kingdom of God, Jesus' end response after some dialogue was "sell everything you have and give it to the poor." And Jesus let him walk away. Harsh?! Not, o.k., sell half of it or give 10 percent of it..all. Jesus let him walk away. Do we do that? Do we let people walk away? Do we tell them the cost of discipleship or are we a culture seeking "inclusivity", compromising the cost of discipleship for more people to stay around. There's nothing appealing about the cost of discipleship..let's not throw it in people's faces, or so we think. Jesus, on the other hand, was forthright, candid, frank, straight-forward..here's the cost of discipleship: follow or depart.
Shane Claiborne said in his book "The Irresistible Revolution" that in our culture of "...radical inclusivity, [our] great temptation is to compromise the cost of discipleship in order to draw a larger crowd."
I thought about what he said...he went on to talk about Ananias and Sapphira: same thing, gave a portion of an offering but lied about the rest. God waisted no time with them. They were dead that same day.
i don't like to hear that things are going to hurt, that Christianity is gonna cost me..and not just small..big. I've known friends that haven't liked to hear it either with their own struggles. I've known friends who, because of it have walked away..like the rich young ruler.
But one thing I am realizing: i don't want to tiptoe around the cost. I don't want to try to tell people that it won't cost to tickle their ears and keep them around, as someone who is really not surrendered or a Christian at all but thinks that they are becasue they're in Christian circles. I want to be a Christian in the midst of my culture that is forthright and uncompromising in speaking to others about following Christ costing them something BIG.
Shane Claiborne said in his book "The Irresistible Revolution" that in our culture of "...radical inclusivity, [our] great temptation is to compromise the cost of discipleship in order to draw a larger crowd."
I thought about what he said...he went on to talk about Ananias and Sapphira: same thing, gave a portion of an offering but lied about the rest. God waisted no time with them. They were dead that same day.
i don't like to hear that things are going to hurt, that Christianity is gonna cost me..and not just small..big. I've known friends that haven't liked to hear it either with their own struggles. I've known friends who, because of it have walked away..like the rich young ruler.
But one thing I am realizing: i don't want to tiptoe around the cost. I don't want to try to tell people that it won't cost to tickle their ears and keep them around, as someone who is really not surrendered or a Christian at all but thinks that they are becasue they're in Christian circles. I want to be a Christian in the midst of my culture that is forthright and uncompromising in speaking to others about following Christ costing them something BIG.
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