Tonight I volunteered at my cousin's VBS. We worked in crafts and were helping the kids figure out what flip flop size they needed for an upcoming craft during the week. As we were fitting the kids shoes, one girl who seemed a little less well kempt and socially unsure of herself took off her shoe to reveal a foot that had fungus eating away at the toenails and toes that were bent to the shape of a shoe. Immediately my heart broke for this child. It was clear that the shoes she had were ones she'd worn for quite some time, and I imagine the twisting of her toes was from wearing shoes that were too small as a child. I wanted to snatch that child up, hug her, and buy her a pair of beautiful new shoes. Shoes are something that I sometimes take so for granted. I have probably 20+ pairs between my flip flops, boots, tennis shoes, walking shoes, high heels, etc...and I'm not even that interested in shoes--it just seems you 'need' a pair for different seasons, dressiness, outfits, etc. What broke my heart even more was thinking about how you could easily get a pair of shoes at Walmart for $10-15 for a child...$10-15 is less than I spent on movie tickets last week and not much more than I spent on ice cream.
Sometimes I feel selfish, I'll admit it, that I spend the money I do on myself. It's not so much that I think the Bible says you have to give everything you own to the poor and be miserable yourself...not at all. But I do often struggle when it says to care for the poor, just how far I am supposed to go. I want to give, give, give...but to what end is it realistic, and how much more can I help if I invest some now and save to help more at a later date? That child will live the rest of her life with feet that she will look at and probably feel ugly because of, she may get made fun of because of it come high school, etc. All because when her little precious body was growing, mom and dad probably either couldn't afford shoes for her, or perhaps even didn't care. I'm not sure what her story is, but I know what it could be, and it breaks my heart.
Along the same lines, I was watching TV briefly tonight and it was Dateline or some similar real life crime story show. It was speaking, I believe, about a little girl who had been mistreated. This was after I heard this morning and again this afternoon about the little boy who has disappeared in another state and they are blaming his stepmother. Why would anyone injure a child? Why would anyone mistreat or abuse or sexually assult a child--an innocent child? These things boggle my mind. But, as with any other sin, the devil has his ways of tempting us and making something ugly and horrendous look appealing--so to the person that did whatever to some child out there, for at least a moment, they believed it would fix something or satisfy something within themselves. Oh, the wretched evil one.
So, bad things happen, people mistreat children, people are unable to provide for them, etc. We live in a world, in a country, in a neighborhood full of hurting people that just want to know they are loved. I think that is one of the reasons I find Christ so appealing---no matter who you are, He offers you His love. No one else does that. That's legit. Christ loves all peoples of all colors and all nations, and He has called us to walk in His footsteps and act in His likeness. Oh, what a calling that is. A call to help little ones get the hugs they need a day, to play spades with the homeless in Chicago, IL, to listen to that 14 year old girl that talks your ear off about boys so that she'll know someone cares.
The back of the cereal box shows us a picture of a family that eats together, smiles together, prospers together, etc., but for so much of our country this picture isn't true. So when the home fails, the church needs to be stepping in. And I don't mean the church in the sense of First Baptist at 1001 Such and Such Blvd. No, I mean the church as the whole entire body of Christians that is Christ (1 Corinthian 12:12 tells us we each have a different part to play). We are called to love on orphans, widows, the sick, and the needy. We are called to providing a greater hope to those that do not know the awesomeness that is Jesus Christ. This world needs love in the form of Jesus Christ that is displayed through His people. We need to stop piling on self-help solutions to our problems and get help from ourselves through Jesus Christ. We are a team...after all, this is the battle of good versus evil in the world, and as evil tries to snatch up our babies, our timid, and our unsure brothers and sisters, we are not called to sit back and watch hoping that we do not invade their privacy or offend them; rather, we are called to try our best to help them, knowing that we may sometimes fail, but we will also never succeed if we do not try.
There is a hurting world out there. It gets worse with each passing day for many people, as the burdens pile on and nothing seems to relieve the weight, the pain, or the lack of love. Matthew 11:28 promises that Christ will carry the burdens of His people when they are given to Him. If you believe this to be truth [and if you claim to be Christian I sure hope you do] then by not sharing this reality with your friends, family, and even strangers, you are admitting that their pain and frustration is not worth your effort. And when it's put like that, doesn't it feel a little selfish?
You've got something to do. You've got someone to bless. Perhaps you'll even change the world. My suggestion: ask God what you can be doing for Him today. And at the very least, put forth the effort to make sure one person in your circle today has an absolutely fantastic day. You never know when that extra 'umph' of effort could change or save a life.
You are loved, go love on somebody.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
If there was a needle in a haystack, a cow might end up with a tongue piercing
How far would you go? What is it worth it to you?...
Today I was driving home and got stopped at a red light on a somewhat busy street. I always enjoy looking around at red lights and seeing who's dancing in their car, who is digging for gold, and what other little treasures I may find in my surroundings. Today, I was surprised to see a man who seemed to be in his mid-40s walking up the street to the new Cheddars that's opening soon and now hiring. He was wearing khakis and a white oxford that was so drenched on his back from the sweat that it showed through to his wife beater. I could only imagine what distance he had walked to get there, as there aren't houses for a good piece. Then I began to reflect on motivation. I tried to imagine this man's situation... Perhaps he had a family at home to provide for and couldn't find a job. He'd lost his car because he couldn't afford it unemployed, and so he had done all he could to get to the interview at Cheddar's by walking there on a day where the temperature reached 102 degrees. Maybe that was his story. Maybe it wasn't. It made me reflect on my motivation to do things in life--how far I would go to make certain things happen--and how ungrateful I am sometimes for things like my air conditioned vehicle.
Also today, I was talking to my grandmother about how I have so much stuff in my room that I am very challenged to keep it organized. Seeing as I still live under the parents' roof for free rents, they have been a little upset that I can't keep it pristine looking. So I was venting to my grandmother about where to put ALL the stuff I had. She didn't say anything. She didn't have to. I felt silly really because I was venting to a woman who survived the end of the Depression about having too much. Words did not come from her mouth, she had that ever caring grin, but her eyes spoke and cut deeply, "child, if you only knew how blessed you are." I complain about having to organize my 'too much.' All this after returning from a poverty stricken nation. Oh golly.
This seems like a series of confessions here, and perhaps it is, but follow me--there's a reason for all of this. When I was in middle school, my best friend shared with me her love for reading the Bible and how she didn't understand how people could go without reading it everyday. Something clicked when she said that, in fact I hadn't ever thought about reading it daily before even though I was raised in church. Since then, I've tried to read my Bible most every day. Of course I've had spells now and then where I didn't read it for a bit, but have always gone back to it. I'll admit that recently I've been in one of those spells where it's been less than everyday. No, I don't think people who don't read the Bible everyday go to Hell...etc, etc. Don't stretch what I'm saying--I just think that true love is proven by making something a priority (for example, when you love your wife, she gets more love, time, and attention than your buddies whom [you should]love less). So I think, if I love Christ, I should be willing to take time to spend with Him above my other activities. Reading the Bible is part of this 'taking time' and 'showing love' for me.
Someone spoke with me today about how they've fallen out of church a bit--something that was brought to their attention because of a bad day. So the bad day happened for a reason. What's interesting and that they may not have known at the time is that the venting that resulted from the bad day was a blessing to me. Perhaps the boost I needed to pick back up where I'd left off in blogging, in reading the Word, in being more grateful for what I have, and in realizing the potential to not be as blessed as I am (reflecting on the man I saw earlier). Imagine that, another domino effect of events that comes out to good. As bad things continue to happen around us, as we see the evil, injustice, unforgiveness, etc. that fills this world--and perhaps we're hurt, confused, and don't know where to turn--I hope that we can reflect on the fact that God always makes good come from the bad (whether we see it or not, whether in this life or in Heaven) and that we'll turn to the Healer of all wounds big and small, Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:28 tells us that all things work to the good of those that are the called according to His purpose. You have a purpose. You have potential. With Christ, you can make it happen cap'n. So what are you waiting for? Ask yourself- if you knew how to get eternal bliss, perfect happiness, potential to bless others and feel fulfilled, forgiveness for all those things you regret, etc...how far would you go? What is it worth to you? Would you be sitting on the side of the road waiting for the opportunity to come to you (which probably isn't going to happen in the pity pond), or perhaps you'll soak your shirt with sweat and you'll make that happen. Be determined. And never forget--no man is an island. You are the bearer of many small 'stones' of life; as you skip them, they will ripple and impact other, make it a positive ripple..and see just how far you can reach to change more someones' lives for the good.
Thanks to that pick me up I needed today. Thanks to those of you who continue to strive. Never feel your work for good goes unwatched or unappreciated. Whether it's sneaking 10 yuan into a crippled Chinese alms cup (yes, I saw that) or hugging that 15 year old who just wants to commit suicide, you have the ability to make a difference wherever you are. So get to it.
Today I was driving home and got stopped at a red light on a somewhat busy street. I always enjoy looking around at red lights and seeing who's dancing in their car, who is digging for gold, and what other little treasures I may find in my surroundings. Today, I was surprised to see a man who seemed to be in his mid-40s walking up the street to the new Cheddars that's opening soon and now hiring. He was wearing khakis and a white oxford that was so drenched on his back from the sweat that it showed through to his wife beater. I could only imagine what distance he had walked to get there, as there aren't houses for a good piece. Then I began to reflect on motivation. I tried to imagine this man's situation... Perhaps he had a family at home to provide for and couldn't find a job. He'd lost his car because he couldn't afford it unemployed, and so he had done all he could to get to the interview at Cheddar's by walking there on a day where the temperature reached 102 degrees. Maybe that was his story. Maybe it wasn't. It made me reflect on my motivation to do things in life--how far I would go to make certain things happen--and how ungrateful I am sometimes for things like my air conditioned vehicle.
Also today, I was talking to my grandmother about how I have so much stuff in my room that I am very challenged to keep it organized. Seeing as I still live under the parents' roof for free rents, they have been a little upset that I can't keep it pristine looking. So I was venting to my grandmother about where to put ALL the stuff I had. She didn't say anything. She didn't have to. I felt silly really because I was venting to a woman who survived the end of the Depression about having too much. Words did not come from her mouth, she had that ever caring grin, but her eyes spoke and cut deeply, "child, if you only knew how blessed you are." I complain about having to organize my 'too much.' All this after returning from a poverty stricken nation. Oh golly.
This seems like a series of confessions here, and perhaps it is, but follow me--there's a reason for all of this. When I was in middle school, my best friend shared with me her love for reading the Bible and how she didn't understand how people could go without reading it everyday. Something clicked when she said that, in fact I hadn't ever thought about reading it daily before even though I was raised in church. Since then, I've tried to read my Bible most every day. Of course I've had spells now and then where I didn't read it for a bit, but have always gone back to it. I'll admit that recently I've been in one of those spells where it's been less than everyday. No, I don't think people who don't read the Bible everyday go to Hell...etc, etc. Don't stretch what I'm saying--I just think that true love is proven by making something a priority (for example, when you love your wife, she gets more love, time, and attention than your buddies whom [you should]love less). So I think, if I love Christ, I should be willing to take time to spend with Him above my other activities. Reading the Bible is part of this 'taking time' and 'showing love' for me.
Someone spoke with me today about how they've fallen out of church a bit--something that was brought to their attention because of a bad day. So the bad day happened for a reason. What's interesting and that they may not have known at the time is that the venting that resulted from the bad day was a blessing to me. Perhaps the boost I needed to pick back up where I'd left off in blogging, in reading the Word, in being more grateful for what I have, and in realizing the potential to not be as blessed as I am (reflecting on the man I saw earlier). Imagine that, another domino effect of events that comes out to good. As bad things continue to happen around us, as we see the evil, injustice, unforgiveness, etc. that fills this world--and perhaps we're hurt, confused, and don't know where to turn--I hope that we can reflect on the fact that God always makes good come from the bad (whether we see it or not, whether in this life or in Heaven) and that we'll turn to the Healer of all wounds big and small, Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:28 tells us that all things work to the good of those that are the called according to His purpose. You have a purpose. You have potential. With Christ, you can make it happen cap'n. So what are you waiting for? Ask yourself- if you knew how to get eternal bliss, perfect happiness, potential to bless others and feel fulfilled, forgiveness for all those things you regret, etc...how far would you go? What is it worth to you? Would you be sitting on the side of the road waiting for the opportunity to come to you (which probably isn't going to happen in the pity pond), or perhaps you'll soak your shirt with sweat and you'll make that happen. Be determined. And never forget--no man is an island. You are the bearer of many small 'stones' of life; as you skip them, they will ripple and impact other, make it a positive ripple..and see just how far you can reach to change more someones' lives for the good.
Thanks to that pick me up I needed today. Thanks to those of you who continue to strive. Never feel your work for good goes unwatched or unappreciated. Whether it's sneaking 10 yuan into a crippled Chinese alms cup (yes, I saw that) or hugging that 15 year old who just wants to commit suicide, you have the ability to make a difference wherever you are. So get to it.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
If I had tentacles, I would try not to sting you.
The following is a collection of quotes from an article in InTouch magazine about Phil Vischer, the CEO of Big Idea productions (most popularly known for VeggieTales) that recently went out of business after a lawsuit. Phil reflects in the article on how he went through a phase of 'why God, if this was Your will' to 'got it, I transformed it to my own,' and his growth through the process.
-In talking about serving God, and desiring to change the world at one time--"And we're so obsessed with our ambition that we're almost useless. I realized I was so wrapped up in my ambition that I didn't even have the energy to make eye contact with the girl at the grocery store who was bagging my groceries" [perhaps there was an opportunity there]
...here he reflects on how we can be so focused on working for God that we miss what God is telling us to do...don't just seek to do good, seek to do God's.
-Phil's newest venture post-VeggieTales, pay attention to why it's called this--" Well, my new company is called Jellyfish Labs--very intentionally, because jellyfish can't choose their own course. They can't locomote. They are carried by the current. And they have to trust the current will take them where they need to be to keep them alive...for a jellyfish to make a 20-year plan-it's humorous. It's lunatic. I had viewed myself as a big macho barracude in the ocean of life. In reality, I was a jellyfish--basically, a spineless bag of goo that has no form."
--What he learned, to sum up: "In reality, if I've given Christ lordship of my life, and if I understand the concept of lordship, where I am in 20 years is really none of my business. It's my business to say,'okay, God, what have You called me to do today.' And that may have more to do with how I treat the girl who's bagging my groceries than my big plans to change the world."
This article is timely. As I sit and think about what I will be doing in a year when I graduate there are lots of options on my plate--Do I want to travel, further my education, get married and settle down, start a career, etc.? And at the top of my to do list in life seems to be this deep desire to change the world. I want-- that part at the end of a movie where everyone is happy, and hugging, and the joyous triumphant music plays--I want to make that happen. My heart breaks for all the pain in the world--here at home and abroad, and I realize more and more everyday that I cannot fix it all. In fact, sometimes I have problems even fixing that which is directly in front of me. Quite frankly, I don't deal well with failure. I am coming to realize though, as it seems Phil Vischer did when his company and life investment crashed, that I cannot fix everything and I cannot change the world. In fact, I can't even get up in the morning without the help of my Heavenly Father. I'm completely useless--and I'd be completely lifeless without Him.
I just returned from a trip to China where I was faced with poverty, lower conditions of living (even for the wealthier), different traditions, and a large amount of hopelessness. Some of these people travel to and from work everyday with nothing on their mind but survival, others have no concept of why they do what they do--they just don't want to be rejected socially, and still others are depressed and lonely, longing to feel truly loved and known by someone. While we are in a world filled with people who are flawed and make mistakes, there is one love that cannot be a mistake, that doesn't leave a person, and that guides people to help them figure out just what exactly they are doing here...that love is from Jesus Christ. I'm so grateful that I know Him. I'm grateful that I can acknowledge that though I am a screw up in so many ways and I certainly have my faults, He still takes me, is patient with me, loves me and forgives me.
I'm still figuring out what I want to do in a year. I'll be honest to say that I'm uncertain at times about my investments in this life--be it relationships, money, career, or school. But I'm learning slowly and often painfully that I'm not God's gift to the whole world, I can't fix the whole world, and I can't do very much at all without Him. I ask that you pray for me as I come to make these decisions, that I'll impact the right people at the right times, and that I will have patience along the way. May you each, also, be satisfied with where you are today---take Phil's advice and trust the current to take you where you need to be. That current is Jesus Christ.
-In talking about serving God, and desiring to change the world at one time--"And we're so obsessed with our ambition that we're almost useless. I realized I was so wrapped up in my ambition that I didn't even have the energy to make eye contact with the girl at the grocery store who was bagging my groceries" [perhaps there was an opportunity there]
...here he reflects on how we can be so focused on working for God that we miss what God is telling us to do...don't just seek to do good, seek to do God's.
-Phil's newest venture post-VeggieTales, pay attention to why it's called this--" Well, my new company is called Jellyfish Labs--very intentionally, because jellyfish can't choose their own course. They can't locomote. They are carried by the current. And they have to trust the current will take them where they need to be to keep them alive...for a jellyfish to make a 20-year plan-it's humorous. It's lunatic. I had viewed myself as a big macho barracude in the ocean of life. In reality, I was a jellyfish--basically, a spineless bag of goo that has no form."
--What he learned, to sum up: "In reality, if I've given Christ lordship of my life, and if I understand the concept of lordship, where I am in 20 years is really none of my business. It's my business to say,'okay, God, what have You called me to do today.' And that may have more to do with how I treat the girl who's bagging my groceries than my big plans to change the world."
This article is timely. As I sit and think about what I will be doing in a year when I graduate there are lots of options on my plate--Do I want to travel, further my education, get married and settle down, start a career, etc.? And at the top of my to do list in life seems to be this deep desire to change the world. I want-- that part at the end of a movie where everyone is happy, and hugging, and the joyous triumphant music plays--I want to make that happen. My heart breaks for all the pain in the world--here at home and abroad, and I realize more and more everyday that I cannot fix it all. In fact, sometimes I have problems even fixing that which is directly in front of me. Quite frankly, I don't deal well with failure. I am coming to realize though, as it seems Phil Vischer did when his company and life investment crashed, that I cannot fix everything and I cannot change the world. In fact, I can't even get up in the morning without the help of my Heavenly Father. I'm completely useless--and I'd be completely lifeless without Him.
I just returned from a trip to China where I was faced with poverty, lower conditions of living (even for the wealthier), different traditions, and a large amount of hopelessness. Some of these people travel to and from work everyday with nothing on their mind but survival, others have no concept of why they do what they do--they just don't want to be rejected socially, and still others are depressed and lonely, longing to feel truly loved and known by someone. While we are in a world filled with people who are flawed and make mistakes, there is one love that cannot be a mistake, that doesn't leave a person, and that guides people to help them figure out just what exactly they are doing here...that love is from Jesus Christ. I'm so grateful that I know Him. I'm grateful that I can acknowledge that though I am a screw up in so many ways and I certainly have my faults, He still takes me, is patient with me, loves me and forgives me.
I'm still figuring out what I want to do in a year. I'll be honest to say that I'm uncertain at times about my investments in this life--be it relationships, money, career, or school. But I'm learning slowly and often painfully that I'm not God's gift to the whole world, I can't fix the whole world, and I can't do very much at all without Him. I ask that you pray for me as I come to make these decisions, that I'll impact the right people at the right times, and that I will have patience along the way. May you each, also, be satisfied with where you are today---take Phil's advice and trust the current to take you where you need to be. That current is Jesus Christ.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
should you hurry up and read this?
What is time? Time, to me at least, seems to be some thing we have invented in our human minds to box in our lives: our happy moments, our struggles, our dreams...our death, etc. It's almost like we have this mindset that if we tell ourselves we only have to bear 4 more days of this struggle or it's only 5 more years of school til we get that dream job, or even perhaps that we expect to live 70 more years, it will make the struggles easier and the goals more accomplishable. But, in all reality is it true?--seem psychological to me--at least I can't remember the last time a watch made a powerpoint or got me a promotion anyway. We are constantly looking at the time and boxing life in..but should we be and does it help?
I, for one, am absolutely horrible at this. For visual purposes, if Time and I were married, it would be an emotionally abusive relationship. Time makes me stress, more so in the past than it does now. There was a point in my life that an unexpected change in plans, traffic problem, etc. of even 10 minutes would throw my schedule off kilter and cause me to worry worry worry--thinking I'll never get x,y,z task done now. Notice that though--it was always I'll never get this done, not we'll never get this done--yep, lack of faith in Who really gets things done (Philippians 4:13). And I tend to think that seems to be what time can be, or at least what it can become to us--a crutch, or something that can draw us away from our focus on God. I often find that I hesitate to apply the whole 'God is all-powerful' to my life and tough situations--though in the back of my mind I'm thinking it, my flesh is like 'woah, I am out of control, this ship is going down, this math doesn't work, this isn't logical.'...what I'm finding is that the greatest works of God are not logical. Love is not logical. Miracles are called miracles because they are exceptions to logic. But this really doesn't surprise me, it makes sense that the God who made our brains is greater than the brain itself...so what we can't fathom is like 'poof. done' to God. Time restrictions or not.
What's weird is that I find time is more inhibiting than well, hibiting (is that a word?). What I mean by that is so often it seems that time limits us rather than helps us--and essentially time is a mindset...think about it, have you ever held time? Ever influenced time? Yet, we try so hard to control it. Time boxes in God's abilities, those abilities which transcend time.
For instance, let's reflect on Joshua 10:12-14 where God made the sun stand still in the sky...that's right, time. stood. still. If God conquered time, which seems to be a cause for our hustle and bustle and shortness of life and so many woes, then surely we can trust Him with other things.
Matthew 6:34: "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."...timeless wisdom.
I also recommend reading Ecclesiates 3:1-8.
I, for one, am absolutely horrible at this. For visual purposes, if Time and I were married, it would be an emotionally abusive relationship. Time makes me stress, more so in the past than it does now. There was a point in my life that an unexpected change in plans, traffic problem, etc. of even 10 minutes would throw my schedule off kilter and cause me to worry worry worry--thinking I'll never get x,y,z task done now. Notice that though--it was always I'll never get this done, not we'll never get this done--yep, lack of faith in Who really gets things done (Philippians 4:13). And I tend to think that seems to be what time can be, or at least what it can become to us--a crutch, or something that can draw us away from our focus on God. I often find that I hesitate to apply the whole 'God is all-powerful' to my life and tough situations--though in the back of my mind I'm thinking it, my flesh is like 'woah, I am out of control, this ship is going down, this math doesn't work, this isn't logical.'...what I'm finding is that the greatest works of God are not logical. Love is not logical. Miracles are called miracles because they are exceptions to logic. But this really doesn't surprise me, it makes sense that the God who made our brains is greater than the brain itself...so what we can't fathom is like 'poof. done' to God. Time restrictions or not.
What's weird is that I find time is more inhibiting than well, hibiting (is that a word?). What I mean by that is so often it seems that time limits us rather than helps us--and essentially time is a mindset...think about it, have you ever held time? Ever influenced time? Yet, we try so hard to control it. Time boxes in God's abilities, those abilities which transcend time.
For instance, let's reflect on Joshua 10:12-14 where God made the sun stand still in the sky...that's right, time. stood. still. If God conquered time, which seems to be a cause for our hustle and bustle and shortness of life and so many woes, then surely we can trust Him with other things.
Matthew 6:34: "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."...timeless wisdom.
I also recommend reading Ecclesiates 3:1-8.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
so there's wrapped around the finger, but what about unwrapped around the finger? why leave a good gift wrapped ;)
Do you ever get excited about gifts? Have you ever received something that just made you think, 'wow, I'm important to them'? How much more is it when you get a gift that there's no reason for--something random not on your birthday or Christmas, etc.? Or especially when you receive a gift that you don't deserve--i.e. a person you stabbed in the back offer their time to help you with a project.--?
What's really neat is that there is a gift to get excited about, especially if you've already received it (I have 12 years ago, and I still get pumped up :))--that gift is salvation through Jesus Christ. What that means is forgiveness of your sins-because we're humans and the lineage of Adam, we have our human nature of sin and need forgiveness of eternity with God. But here's the even cooler part that makes it even more special: it's one of those gifts that there's no occasion for, that is given to you because you're important, and is one we don't deserve. I feel like I pretty regularly make mistakes and have definitely had my share of backstabbing and backturning on God...but yet, when I humble myself and ask Him to forgive me, it's unconditional love and He accepts me. That's legit. So yeah, it's the gift that keeps on giving, and someday I hope to spend eternity with Jesus Christ, who came to earth and lived a life of persecution, pain, and struggle, died a horrid death, and rose again that I might live with Him in Heaven. If that's not something to change my lifestyle for and to get WAYYY excited about, I'm really not sure what is. I hope you'll accept His gift too if you haven't already. (Romans 10:9), (John 3:16),(Romans 8:28).--and if you have recieved the gift, don't forget to rejoice in it!! (Philippians 4:4).
I leave you with a quote: "A joyful heart is the inevitable result of a heart burning with love. Never let anything so fill you with sorrow as to make you forget the joy of Christ risen."-Mother Teresa.
What's really neat is that there is a gift to get excited about, especially if you've already received it (I have 12 years ago, and I still get pumped up :))--that gift is salvation through Jesus Christ. What that means is forgiveness of your sins-because we're humans and the lineage of Adam, we have our human nature of sin and need forgiveness of eternity with God. But here's the even cooler part that makes it even more special: it's one of those gifts that there's no occasion for, that is given to you because you're important, and is one we don't deserve. I feel like I pretty regularly make mistakes and have definitely had my share of backstabbing and backturning on God...but yet, when I humble myself and ask Him to forgive me, it's unconditional love and He accepts me. That's legit. So yeah, it's the gift that keeps on giving, and someday I hope to spend eternity with Jesus Christ, who came to earth and lived a life of persecution, pain, and struggle, died a horrid death, and rose again that I might live with Him in Heaven. If that's not something to change my lifestyle for and to get WAYYY excited about, I'm really not sure what is. I hope you'll accept His gift too if you haven't already. (Romans 10:9), (John 3:16),(Romans 8:28).--and if you have recieved the gift, don't forget to rejoice in it!! (Philippians 4:4).
I leave you with a quote: "A joyful heart is the inevitable result of a heart burning with love. Never let anything so fill you with sorrow as to make you forget the joy of Christ risen."-Mother Teresa.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Church Waffles by Kenny Fusting.
So my blog tonight is to reference another quality blog. I read a friend's entry and found it very worthwhile. Here's the link: www.charisetheos.blogspot.com/2010/05/church-waffles.html. Enjoy.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
behind those double doors is so much more than shiney floors
First off, I found out tonight that my cousin Hayley has a knot on her neck, so if anyone reading this could be much in prayer for her I'd appreciate it. She seems to face health problem after health problem.
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Today I didn't have any students to teach in Sunday School, so I joined in with the Adult class. One of the points that the teacher hit on, and something I've thought about recently is how we approach church and our mindset about it. Some people see church as a 'do-gooder' thing: a way to socialize with good people in society and uphold a good reputation. Others see church as a quota they need to fill in order to have any chance at Heaven, or at least to keep people happy. Then there are those who see it as a way to fellowship with other Christians and to be filled up with Spiritual nourishment. Obviously, I'm going to point to the last one as the correct approach.
I feel like a lot of times we get out of church exactly what we put into it. I guess that could be said about most anything in life. So often (and I've been guilty of this in my life) we make church a routine so much so that it becomes a burden rather than a blessing. We think "oh, it's Sunday again, I have to go get out my nice outfit and listen to some man ramble on about some topic I've probably already heard a million times....oh, what's for lunch?" Contrary to what many believe, what is said from the pulpit (at least at Unity Baptist Church), is not always the same thing (yes, there's variety in that 1000+ page book called the Bible :)).
A couple weeks back I was talking to a guy who'd asked me for my number on a Saturday night, and he was trying to get me to do something with him on Sunday, etc. etc. I explained to him that I had church, so he asked me about doing something Sunday night. I told him I had service again on Sunday night. He was completely blown away that we had 2 services in one day. He said it must be redundant and unnecessary to go twice in one day. Well sure, if all we did was sing 'Jesus loves me,' say 'be good people,' and go home. Instead, there are always new things to learn about and discover in the Bible. When God inspired this amazing Word, which is like a love letter to His people, I believe He didn't make it completely easy to read on purpose.--not to say the Bible cannot be understood, but what I mean is that He talks in metaphors and stories and parables, etc. It's an absolutely beautiful work. Church is essentially a gathering of people to 1.discuss God's Word, 2. worship God, 3. get nourishment and encouragement, and 4. fellowship. So we've got #1 down--discussing God's dynamic Word (the Bible) is something we could do more than 3 times a week for sure. What's really awesome as well is the fact that, even if you've heard the story of Noah 600 times, and maybe even have it memorized, that 601st time God could reveal something new to you. What's also neat, is (tying in the fellowship part) when we come together with fellow believers and other people from different walks of life we get different perspectives on it that we may have never seen by ourselves.
The second of the 4 purposes I've listed for church is to worship God. So often I hear the argument of "I don't have to go to church, I can worship God at home." This statement is true--you can worship God wherever you are, and we should, but the real question is, will you? Let's be honest: sometimes it takes encouragement and motivation of others to get us going when we have the option to be lazy. It's kind of like having running buddies in a marathon. So, getting up and going to church gets us in the mood to worship God. Also, what's great is that God has told us where 2 or more are gathered in His name, there He will be in the midst (Matthew 18:20)...so gather 'round!
This is another reason why having church twice in one day, or multiple times a week, is not pointless--God is always deserving of our worship. So even if we just gathered together to sing praises to His awesome name, it would not be pointless. In Revelation 5:11-14, we read of the end times, where the angels sing praises to God, all creatures in Heaven and on earth sing praises of His worth, and the elders and creatures bow down before Him and worship Him. The Bible tells us we are a little lower than the angels (Hebrews 2:7), and if they are constantly singing praises to God, how much more should we be with ALL that He has done for us.
The third of the 4 basic purposes of church was for us to get nourishment and encouragement. Hearing God's word and being surrounded by those that believe as you do should be a comfort and a fill up for the week ahead. The Sunday School teacher asked the class if we'd eaten this morning. Yes. Then he asked if we intended to eat again...Yes, of course. Then why is it that we find filling ourselves with spiritual food multiple times a day/week to be absurd or above and beyond?
When Satan was tempting Jesus in Matthew 4, one of Jesus' responses was (4:4) "...man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Wow. The Son of God who had all power, understood that we cannot survive--especially thrive--on just physical food. We also need spiritual nourishment. Now, how many times a week this is necessary is not written in the Bible, and like I said, church is not a quota to be reached, but my theory is this: if you were given a free pass for an all you can eat buffet, would you just take one plate to the salad bar and be done? Certainly not...when the lettuce settled and your stomach started to grumble again, you'd go back for more, you'd search out the best dishes and pile 'er up. We should be this excited to dig into the Word--it's nourishment, and it's free.
Last of the 4 purposes was fellowship, and I kind of hit on this earlier. Fellowship helps to make the first 3 purposes more effective/successful. Plus, Christian fellowship should be like meeting up with your team before a softball game--you wouldn't go out onto the field without practicing, talking, and getting to know your team. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we're on the same team, and we're looking for a victory (to help more people see the awesomeness that is Christ Jesus!!).--in fact, the Bible describes the church several times as a Body (1 Corinthians 12:12). We must remember, then, that anytime we hurt a fellow believer, we hurt the body of Christ--and thus, we also hurt ourselves as part of the Body. This is a huge one, and one excuse many people have for not attending church--they've been hurt by someone in the church. While this is unfortunate, we must remember a few things:
1. a church by it's most basic definition is a gathering of humans--imperfect humans bound to make mistakes--thus our imperfections do not mean there will be a perfect gathering, even if we are worshiping a perfect Christ. So don't take it out on the church or give up just because someone(s) has hurt you. Picture this: If you were a UK fan, and another fan came up and kicked you in the shin for no reason, you wouldn't stop going to games, say the University of Kentucky is a horrible institution and should be destroyed, would you? That'd be absurd...it's the same with followers of Christ.
2. one of the key part of Christian faith is forgiveness. This is a door that swings both ways, true, but the other truth is that you can only control what happens on your end. So even if the other person in the situation doesn't forgive you for the bad situation, or doesn't seem to 'deserve' your forgiveness (none of us really deserve forgiveness), we are still called to take that pride and anger gulp and put a foot forward toward forgiveness for others hurting us.
Moral of the story is: don't hate church, don't dis church, don't look at church as if it's a duty, don't look at church as if it's a quota you must meet (sorry to break it to you, but Sunday sermons alone will not get you to Heaven--it's salvation that may be inspired by a Sunday sermon that gets the ticket). Do love church, do love (and forgive) church people and all of their flaws, do look at church as a privilege (many countries do not have this privilege), and do look at church as a way to worship an Awesome Creator/love on other Christians/get your scripture vitamin boost for the week/and dive deeper into the love letter that is from God (the Bible), so that we may get one glimpse and one step closer to knowing Him more intimately and having a home with Him in Heaven some day.
And, oh, what a day, that will be. :)
--------------------------------
Today I didn't have any students to teach in Sunday School, so I joined in with the Adult class. One of the points that the teacher hit on, and something I've thought about recently is how we approach church and our mindset about it. Some people see church as a 'do-gooder' thing: a way to socialize with good people in society and uphold a good reputation. Others see church as a quota they need to fill in order to have any chance at Heaven, or at least to keep people happy. Then there are those who see it as a way to fellowship with other Christians and to be filled up with Spiritual nourishment. Obviously, I'm going to point to the last one as the correct approach.
I feel like a lot of times we get out of church exactly what we put into it. I guess that could be said about most anything in life. So often (and I've been guilty of this in my life) we make church a routine so much so that it becomes a burden rather than a blessing. We think "oh, it's Sunday again, I have to go get out my nice outfit and listen to some man ramble on about some topic I've probably already heard a million times....oh, what's for lunch?" Contrary to what many believe, what is said from the pulpit (at least at Unity Baptist Church), is not always the same thing (yes, there's variety in that 1000+ page book called the Bible :)).
A couple weeks back I was talking to a guy who'd asked me for my number on a Saturday night, and he was trying to get me to do something with him on Sunday, etc. etc. I explained to him that I had church, so he asked me about doing something Sunday night. I told him I had service again on Sunday night. He was completely blown away that we had 2 services in one day. He said it must be redundant and unnecessary to go twice in one day. Well sure, if all we did was sing 'Jesus loves me,' say 'be good people,' and go home. Instead, there are always new things to learn about and discover in the Bible. When God inspired this amazing Word, which is like a love letter to His people, I believe He didn't make it completely easy to read on purpose.--not to say the Bible cannot be understood, but what I mean is that He talks in metaphors and stories and parables, etc. It's an absolutely beautiful work. Church is essentially a gathering of people to 1.discuss God's Word, 2. worship God, 3. get nourishment and encouragement, and 4. fellowship. So we've got #1 down--discussing God's dynamic Word (the Bible) is something we could do more than 3 times a week for sure. What's really awesome as well is the fact that, even if you've heard the story of Noah 600 times, and maybe even have it memorized, that 601st time God could reveal something new to you. What's also neat, is (tying in the fellowship part) when we come together with fellow believers and other people from different walks of life we get different perspectives on it that we may have never seen by ourselves.
The second of the 4 purposes I've listed for church is to worship God. So often I hear the argument of "I don't have to go to church, I can worship God at home." This statement is true--you can worship God wherever you are, and we should, but the real question is, will you? Let's be honest: sometimes it takes encouragement and motivation of others to get us going when we have the option to be lazy. It's kind of like having running buddies in a marathon. So, getting up and going to church gets us in the mood to worship God. Also, what's great is that God has told us where 2 or more are gathered in His name, there He will be in the midst (Matthew 18:20)...so gather 'round!
This is another reason why having church twice in one day, or multiple times a week, is not pointless--God is always deserving of our worship. So even if we just gathered together to sing praises to His awesome name, it would not be pointless. In Revelation 5:11-14, we read of the end times, where the angels sing praises to God, all creatures in Heaven and on earth sing praises of His worth, and the elders and creatures bow down before Him and worship Him. The Bible tells us we are a little lower than the angels (Hebrews 2:7), and if they are constantly singing praises to God, how much more should we be with ALL that He has done for us.
The third of the 4 basic purposes of church was for us to get nourishment and encouragement. Hearing God's word and being surrounded by those that believe as you do should be a comfort and a fill up for the week ahead. The Sunday School teacher asked the class if we'd eaten this morning. Yes. Then he asked if we intended to eat again...Yes, of course. Then why is it that we find filling ourselves with spiritual food multiple times a day/week to be absurd or above and beyond?
When Satan was tempting Jesus in Matthew 4, one of Jesus' responses was (4:4) "...man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Wow. The Son of God who had all power, understood that we cannot survive--especially thrive--on just physical food. We also need spiritual nourishment. Now, how many times a week this is necessary is not written in the Bible, and like I said, church is not a quota to be reached, but my theory is this: if you were given a free pass for an all you can eat buffet, would you just take one plate to the salad bar and be done? Certainly not...when the lettuce settled and your stomach started to grumble again, you'd go back for more, you'd search out the best dishes and pile 'er up. We should be this excited to dig into the Word--it's nourishment, and it's free.
Last of the 4 purposes was fellowship, and I kind of hit on this earlier. Fellowship helps to make the first 3 purposes more effective/successful. Plus, Christian fellowship should be like meeting up with your team before a softball game--you wouldn't go out onto the field without practicing, talking, and getting to know your team. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we're on the same team, and we're looking for a victory (to help more people see the awesomeness that is Christ Jesus!!).--in fact, the Bible describes the church several times as a Body (1 Corinthians 12:12). We must remember, then, that anytime we hurt a fellow believer, we hurt the body of Christ--and thus, we also hurt ourselves as part of the Body. This is a huge one, and one excuse many people have for not attending church--they've been hurt by someone in the church. While this is unfortunate, we must remember a few things:
1. a church by it's most basic definition is a gathering of humans--imperfect humans bound to make mistakes--thus our imperfections do not mean there will be a perfect gathering, even if we are worshiping a perfect Christ. So don't take it out on the church or give up just because someone(s) has hurt you. Picture this: If you were a UK fan, and another fan came up and kicked you in the shin for no reason, you wouldn't stop going to games, say the University of Kentucky is a horrible institution and should be destroyed, would you? That'd be absurd...it's the same with followers of Christ.
2. one of the key part of Christian faith is forgiveness. This is a door that swings both ways, true, but the other truth is that you can only control what happens on your end. So even if the other person in the situation doesn't forgive you for the bad situation, or doesn't seem to 'deserve' your forgiveness (none of us really deserve forgiveness), we are still called to take that pride and anger gulp and put a foot forward toward forgiveness for others hurting us.
Moral of the story is: don't hate church, don't dis church, don't look at church as if it's a duty, don't look at church as if it's a quota you must meet (sorry to break it to you, but Sunday sermons alone will not get you to Heaven--it's salvation that may be inspired by a Sunday sermon that gets the ticket). Do love church, do love (and forgive) church people and all of their flaws, do look at church as a privilege (many countries do not have this privilege), and do look at church as a way to worship an Awesome Creator/love on other Christians/get your scripture vitamin boost for the week/and dive deeper into the love letter that is from God (the Bible), so that we may get one glimpse and one step closer to knowing Him more intimately and having a home with Him in Heaven some day.
And, oh, what a day, that will be. :)
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