I'm in need of a study break, so I'll pop on and write a blog that nobody probably reads anymore! I heard on the radio the other day that a child was sent to the school office for saying a naughty word in class. Turns out the kid just said "merry christmas". Apparently Christmas has become to offensive to say in a society that trys to be tolerant of everyone's beliefs.
I find it a little sad that we see this happening. First, I guess I find it funny that most everybody, Christian or not, celebrates the holiday. Yet, there are so many who refuse to acknowledge Christ. He is the true reason for the season. I get convicted reading the accounts of Acts of the sacrifices the disciples made to preach the Good News that Jesus himself commanded them to. These men were unashamed to speak the name of Christ to all, regardless of the consequences, and make no mistake, the stakes were high. Most paid the ultimate price for their allegiance. Why would they do this? I think a big part is love. These guys were able to experience the love of Christ in person...how could they not share it?
It is true that most of us will never have to pay such a price for our allegiance to Christ. Maybe it will manifest as a sideways look from a classmate/coworker or some other source or simple ridicule. Perhaps others will be called to go to the dark places of the world and face more severe persecution. It is my prayer that this Christmas and into the new year that I would have the conviction to proclaim my faith, both in words when necessary, and perhaps more importantly in action, just as the first disciples did. Merry Christmas to all!
Monday, December 12, 2011
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Perspective
Second year of medical school has started and I find myself already incredibly overwhelmed...it seems like far too much information to synthesize in such a short time. I find myself missing the people and places I enjoyed throughout the summer. It is easy for me to get down when I'm down here at school. I still do believe that my career as physician will one day make all of this worth it, but right now it's hard to see it.
I took a study break and listened to Kutless's song "Everything I need". It really reasonated with me. I have found myself buried in worry over how I will do on this test and how I will prepare for boards, etc. etc. It's funny how much "stuff" in our lives we feel we need.
I don't feel like a materialistic person...but I sure do have a lot of stuff. I wouldn't say I overvalue it, and I'm not saying it is a bad thing to have stuff for yourself. With me I guess I'm thinking more about my desire for success. I need to do so well on everything to feel satisfied.
There's a problem with this kind of thinking....I'm not perfect. I will always fall short of perfection. Success is not all I need.
The song says that Jesus is all we need. This is so true. I am thankful for the fact that I know Him and can rest easy in the fact that he will be by my side no matter the circumstance. I pray that as medical school gets busier, I find time each week to glorify the Savior of the universe. May I be reminded daily, that Christ is all I really need.
I took a study break and listened to Kutless's song "Everything I need". It really reasonated with me. I have found myself buried in worry over how I will do on this test and how I will prepare for boards, etc. etc. It's funny how much "stuff" in our lives we feel we need.
I don't feel like a materialistic person...but I sure do have a lot of stuff. I wouldn't say I overvalue it, and I'm not saying it is a bad thing to have stuff for yourself. With me I guess I'm thinking more about my desire for success. I need to do so well on everything to feel satisfied.
There's a problem with this kind of thinking....I'm not perfect. I will always fall short of perfection. Success is not all I need.
The song says that Jesus is all we need. This is so true. I am thankful for the fact that I know Him and can rest easy in the fact that he will be by my side no matter the circumstance. I pray that as medical school gets busier, I find time each week to glorify the Savior of the universe. May I be reminded daily, that Christ is all I really need.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
The Settling Nature of being Unsettled
So I've got this thing I do...I'm sure everyone struggles with it, but it's something that I've recently thought a lot about. It centers all around control. Control of my circumstances and how my life turns out. After all, good things happen to those who work hard in America right?
Several things have led me to think more and more about this. One, I've been reading a couple books lately called Crazy Love by Frances Chan and Jesus wants to save Christians by Rob Bell. Both books have been making me take a hard look at what a committed life to Christ looks like. Both seem to hit on the trust concept and how a relationship with God that is fully commitant is one in which all of needs are brought to God with the trust that he will come through. Sounds easy on the surface right? It is hard for me though, hard to give when I have little, hard to not worry about what's going on in my life, hard to not relinquish control.
One of the major struggles lately has been with med school and residency. Worrying that getting grade "X" on test "x" will lead to me not getting a residency spot, etc. I've felt an immense burden lately that I must perform at a high level at all times in order to be successful. My fiancee Taya and I have also been worrying about her finding a job close to where I'll be for clinicals. With the cuts SD has been making to its education programs, it has made the process of finding her a job more stressful.
Both of these issues seem important but there's a problem with how I've been (and I'd dare to say most people view these things) viewing these challenges. See all the times I used "I" in the previous paragraph. In the society we live in it has become far too easy to live a life with God's provision being the "back up plan". If we get in over our heads, then God, help us. Until then, we've got it.
Ever had it that when you are struggling with something, you start reading the Bible and keep finding verses that speak to that particular issue you are struggling with? Phillipians 4:6 and Romans 8:28 have both been speaking to me this week. "Do not worry about anything" is how the Phillipians verse starts, "instead pray about everything". Romans 8:28, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God".
It sounds cliche but everything will work out. This doesn't mean that we can't petition for God to help us with a particular goal of ours, but it ultimately means it will be his will. A friend in Bible study laid it out well. In Gasthemane (spelling?!) Jesus himself asked for a way out of the suffering he was about to endure, but he also added, "your will, not mine, Father".
In the hustle and bustle of life it is far too easy to start worrying about seemingly insignificant things when eternity is considered in the equation. God will place me where I need to be in regards to residency...Taya will get a quality job where God wants her. We are still called in my opinion to work hard for these things (using the gifts God has given us), but in the end of the day it is about trusting that God will work everything out for "the gain of those who love Him".
To God be the glory for whatever this life throws our way....we've got a great reward waiting us in heaven!
Several things have led me to think more and more about this. One, I've been reading a couple books lately called Crazy Love by Frances Chan and Jesus wants to save Christians by Rob Bell. Both books have been making me take a hard look at what a committed life to Christ looks like. Both seem to hit on the trust concept and how a relationship with God that is fully commitant is one in which all of needs are brought to God with the trust that he will come through. Sounds easy on the surface right? It is hard for me though, hard to give when I have little, hard to not worry about what's going on in my life, hard to not relinquish control.
One of the major struggles lately has been with med school and residency. Worrying that getting grade "X" on test "x" will lead to me not getting a residency spot, etc. I've felt an immense burden lately that I must perform at a high level at all times in order to be successful. My fiancee Taya and I have also been worrying about her finding a job close to where I'll be for clinicals. With the cuts SD has been making to its education programs, it has made the process of finding her a job more stressful.
Both of these issues seem important but there's a problem with how I've been (and I'd dare to say most people view these things) viewing these challenges. See all the times I used "I" in the previous paragraph. In the society we live in it has become far too easy to live a life with God's provision being the "back up plan". If we get in over our heads, then God, help us. Until then, we've got it.
Ever had it that when you are struggling with something, you start reading the Bible and keep finding verses that speak to that particular issue you are struggling with? Phillipians 4:6 and Romans 8:28 have both been speaking to me this week. "Do not worry about anything" is how the Phillipians verse starts, "instead pray about everything". Romans 8:28, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God".
It sounds cliche but everything will work out. This doesn't mean that we can't petition for God to help us with a particular goal of ours, but it ultimately means it will be his will. A friend in Bible study laid it out well. In Gasthemane (spelling?!) Jesus himself asked for a way out of the suffering he was about to endure, but he also added, "your will, not mine, Father".
In the hustle and bustle of life it is far too easy to start worrying about seemingly insignificant things when eternity is considered in the equation. God will place me where I need to be in regards to residency...Taya will get a quality job where God wants her. We are still called in my opinion to work hard for these things (using the gifts God has given us), but in the end of the day it is about trusting that God will work everything out for "the gain of those who love Him".
To God be the glory for whatever this life throws our way....we've got a great reward waiting us in heaven!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Bedhead
Continuing to read through Frances Chan's book, Crazy Love in the small group that I am helping to lead. Read a chapter about what a lukewarm person looks like. Kind of a heavy hitter, as many of the things listed were things I can struggle with on a daily basis.
Jesus tells us so much in the Gospels about how we are to live. He sets the standards high...real high. I think it is so easy to pull the "well, he was exaggerating for effect" or "he was speaking specifically to people back then, it doesn't apply for us" especially when we get to parts of His teaching which are hard to follow.
The question I thought of is...how do we know when we are being lukewarm. Despite the fact that I have lukewarm tendencies (I think we all do), I feel confident in my relationship with Christ and that I'll be with Him one day in heaven. The key in my opinion lies within a verse from Corinthians..."Examine yourselves....test yourself repeatedly". I think deep down we really know where we are falling short and where we are flying high.
I think of it this way. Some days before class I really struggle with getting up early and sleep in later than I should. This results in some bed head. While I can feel it, I don't bother looking in the mirror and fixing it, I just throw on a hat (which will stay on my head the whole day of class) and go out the door. Clearly, I know that there is some issues with my hair, yet I don't choose to look in the mirror to see how I can fix it...I go for the quick coverup (which doesn't really change anything"....see where I'm going with this?
Often times I think my spiritual life resembles this. I know that there are areas in my walk that are not up to par. Yet, I don't always examine myself to see where these areas are. So many excuses can crop up, but let's be honest a lot of times I and I think we as people don't look, because we don't want to accept what we see on the other side of the mirror. We want a quick fix (hat), not the painful process of dying to ourselves...seperating ourselves from the cancer that is sin. It's about saying..."Hey God, there's this sin in my life that I can't deal with....give me Jesus". That's the whole crux to this matter...we can examine ourselves and see our shortcomings, but we are utterly and completely unable to fix our own "bedhead". I believe through careful self examination we can reveal the areas of our lives that we've tried to hide. Christ died for the wholeness of our sins, but I believe that we need to make a conscious effort to acknowledge them and bring them to him. Kind of like Paul said in Romans "Shall I sin more to get more of God?" We need to take off our "hat" that we try to hide behind.
Let's try to live our lives not lukewarm, but burning hot for Christ. While there will be times we don't measure up, may we continually be examining ourselves (not others!) to look for areas to bring glory to God.
PS I love Phillippians 4
Jesus tells us so much in the Gospels about how we are to live. He sets the standards high...real high. I think it is so easy to pull the "well, he was exaggerating for effect" or "he was speaking specifically to people back then, it doesn't apply for us" especially when we get to parts of His teaching which are hard to follow.
The question I thought of is...how do we know when we are being lukewarm. Despite the fact that I have lukewarm tendencies (I think we all do), I feel confident in my relationship with Christ and that I'll be with Him one day in heaven. The key in my opinion lies within a verse from Corinthians..."Examine yourselves....test yourself repeatedly". I think deep down we really know where we are falling short and where we are flying high.
I think of it this way. Some days before class I really struggle with getting up early and sleep in later than I should. This results in some bed head. While I can feel it, I don't bother looking in the mirror and fixing it, I just throw on a hat (which will stay on my head the whole day of class) and go out the door. Clearly, I know that there is some issues with my hair, yet I don't choose to look in the mirror to see how I can fix it...I go for the quick coverup (which doesn't really change anything"....see where I'm going with this?
Often times I think my spiritual life resembles this. I know that there are areas in my walk that are not up to par. Yet, I don't always examine myself to see where these areas are. So many excuses can crop up, but let's be honest a lot of times I and I think we as people don't look, because we don't want to accept what we see on the other side of the mirror. We want a quick fix (hat), not the painful process of dying to ourselves...seperating ourselves from the cancer that is sin. It's about saying..."Hey God, there's this sin in my life that I can't deal with....give me Jesus". That's the whole crux to this matter...we can examine ourselves and see our shortcomings, but we are utterly and completely unable to fix our own "bedhead". I believe through careful self examination we can reveal the areas of our lives that we've tried to hide. Christ died for the wholeness of our sins, but I believe that we need to make a conscious effort to acknowledge them and bring them to him. Kind of like Paul said in Romans "Shall I sin more to get more of God?" We need to take off our "hat" that we try to hide behind.
Let's try to live our lives not lukewarm, but burning hot for Christ. While there will be times we don't measure up, may we continually be examining ourselves (not others!) to look for areas to bring glory to God.
PS I love Phillippians 4
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Vast
"How deep the Father's love for us....how vast beyond all measure"
As I take a study break to listen to Owl City's take on this classic song...I have to stop to think about what it's really saying.
God's love is such a puzzling thing isn't it? It literally vast beyond all measure. I mean think of it....think of someone you love with all your heart...your parents, grandparents, husbands, wives, and magnify that to an extent you can't even think of. Yup, that's right...we can't even comprehend how much God loves us. In a society where if we don't know something, we can just google it (or wikipedia) until we get the answer...it's disconcerting to have something we can't figure out. He loves us so stinking much and while we can't understand how much fully we are given a picture of it in Scripture.
God's clue to us as to how much He loves us is given in Jesus. Christ came to be one of us. He lived as a man, experiencing all that it meant to be human. Think for a moment how humbling that had to be for God. Then He really steps up his illustration by allowing Jesus's wounds "to pay our ransom". Now, I'm not a parent, but I have seen my parents in action and others as well...the love between parent and child is one unlike I think I've seen elsewhere in our world. It's something impressive, something selfless...the kind of "I'll do anything to make sure you are ok" type of love.
Hard to imagine such a love turning over a child to be condemned and die a terrible death for guilty people. Everyonce in a while you hear about a parent allowing a child to pay for their crimes, but it's almost impossible to imagine a parent allowing a child to die for something they didn't do. Yet....this is exactly what God did.
"it was our sins that held him there" To top all of this off...Jesus did this very well knowing that the people He was dying for wouldn't be quick to change their acts. How many times on a given day do I still live like I did before Christ changed me? Sin is like running over a skunk at times. Hear me out...you know when you run over a skunk, you go to the car wash and are clean of it...yet sometimes it still stinks...it takes awhile to get that stench out of it.
I believe fully that God completely wipes our slates clean when we ask him to, but the fact is that our stubborn sinful nature makes sure that that "stench" stays around. I'm so thankful that this vast love that God has for us, covers us in spite of this.
Finally, let me close by expanding this one step farther. God's love is so vast that He sends his son to die for those who accept Him. But...his love is also vast enough that He loves those who reject Him. God doesn't make junk in my opinion. That is, that He loves all that He creates regardless of their feelings towards Him.
"I will boast in Jesus Christ" Let's aim to honor God's love for us by making a statement in the way we carry ourselves. May we boast in what Jesus has done for us by the way we live our lives, the way we interact with others, and most of all by the way we interact with a God whose love for us runs deep....real deep.
As I take a study break to listen to Owl City's take on this classic song...I have to stop to think about what it's really saying.
God's love is such a puzzling thing isn't it? It literally vast beyond all measure. I mean think of it....think of someone you love with all your heart...your parents, grandparents, husbands, wives, and magnify that to an extent you can't even think of. Yup, that's right...we can't even comprehend how much God loves us. In a society where if we don't know something, we can just google it (or wikipedia) until we get the answer...it's disconcerting to have something we can't figure out. He loves us so stinking much and while we can't understand how much fully we are given a picture of it in Scripture.
God's clue to us as to how much He loves us is given in Jesus. Christ came to be one of us. He lived as a man, experiencing all that it meant to be human. Think for a moment how humbling that had to be for God. Then He really steps up his illustration by allowing Jesus's wounds "to pay our ransom". Now, I'm not a parent, but I have seen my parents in action and others as well...the love between parent and child is one unlike I think I've seen elsewhere in our world. It's something impressive, something selfless...the kind of "I'll do anything to make sure you are ok" type of love.
Hard to imagine such a love turning over a child to be condemned and die a terrible death for guilty people. Everyonce in a while you hear about a parent allowing a child to pay for their crimes, but it's almost impossible to imagine a parent allowing a child to die for something they didn't do. Yet....this is exactly what God did.
"it was our sins that held him there" To top all of this off...Jesus did this very well knowing that the people He was dying for wouldn't be quick to change their acts. How many times on a given day do I still live like I did before Christ changed me? Sin is like running over a skunk at times. Hear me out...you know when you run over a skunk, you go to the car wash and are clean of it...yet sometimes it still stinks...it takes awhile to get that stench out of it.
I believe fully that God completely wipes our slates clean when we ask him to, but the fact is that our stubborn sinful nature makes sure that that "stench" stays around. I'm so thankful that this vast love that God has for us, covers us in spite of this.
Finally, let me close by expanding this one step farther. God's love is so vast that He sends his son to die for those who accept Him. But...his love is also vast enough that He loves those who reject Him. God doesn't make junk in my opinion. That is, that He loves all that He creates regardless of their feelings towards Him.
"I will boast in Jesus Christ" Let's aim to honor God's love for us by making a statement in the way we carry ourselves. May we boast in what Jesus has done for us by the way we live our lives, the way we interact with others, and most of all by the way we interact with a God whose love for us runs deep....real deep.
Monday, February 14, 2011
"Awe"some
Been another long, solid, good chunk of time since a blog entry. I love writing down thoughts but am sorry to say med school has taken over my life. I eat, breathe, and sleep science. Good news is I'm surviving....it's not easy but I'm doing well. There are still days I wonder if this is indeed where God wants me. I have such a desire to go into ministry someday...I'm interested to see how this will all play out someday.
Other big news is that I'm engaged! Yup, pretty excited about it. I thank God for the wonderful opportunity he has given me to marry someone who not only cares about me but cares about Him and the people he has created. I'm looking forward to having a partner on the many adventures that God will take us on.
I also started to help lead a Bible Study down here in the Verm. (Vermillion, SD for the non-SDakotans). It is a book by Francis Chan called Crazy Love. It is a book that challenges us to wake up out of the status quo that is so easy to fall into as Christians.
The first chapter, entitled "Don't Pray" was very challenging. A key chapter of the Bible that it focused on was Isaiah 6. This is a passage in which Isaiah finds himself in the presence of the holy God. I love picturing the mighty seraphin flying around. Six winged creatures sound pretty BA. These creatures simply exist to glorify God. "Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty!" Isaiah is speechless before the throne.
The point Chan brings up and that I find a major challenge for me and others today is that we don't have that Isaiah like awe and wonder before the throne. Think about it, everytime we pray we are stepping into the throne room of God. Yet, if anyone is like me, how often do we have that attitude of total respect and awe for who we are talking to. Now, I'm not saying that every conversation with God needs to be face down and full of "thee" and "thou"'s, but I do think, as Chan points out, we need to keep in mind who we are talking to. It's all about fearing God (no, not the afraid of the dark type fear, but rather a respect for who He is).
I think that once we start doing this, breaking out of the status quo will be easier. God is amazing, no doubt about it. When we realize the magnificience of the person on the other end of our prayers, we will be filled with awe. Pretty "awe"some huh?
Other big news is that I'm engaged! Yup, pretty excited about it. I thank God for the wonderful opportunity he has given me to marry someone who not only cares about me but cares about Him and the people he has created. I'm looking forward to having a partner on the many adventures that God will take us on.
I also started to help lead a Bible Study down here in the Verm. (Vermillion, SD for the non-SDakotans). It is a book by Francis Chan called Crazy Love. It is a book that challenges us to wake up out of the status quo that is so easy to fall into as Christians.
The first chapter, entitled "Don't Pray" was very challenging. A key chapter of the Bible that it focused on was Isaiah 6. This is a passage in which Isaiah finds himself in the presence of the holy God. I love picturing the mighty seraphin flying around. Six winged creatures sound pretty BA. These creatures simply exist to glorify God. "Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty!" Isaiah is speechless before the throne.
The point Chan brings up and that I find a major challenge for me and others today is that we don't have that Isaiah like awe and wonder before the throne. Think about it, everytime we pray we are stepping into the throne room of God. Yet, if anyone is like me, how often do we have that attitude of total respect and awe for who we are talking to. Now, I'm not saying that every conversation with God needs to be face down and full of "thee" and "thou"'s, but I do think, as Chan points out, we need to keep in mind who we are talking to. It's all about fearing God (no, not the afraid of the dark type fear, but rather a respect for who He is).
I think that once we start doing this, breaking out of the status quo will be easier. God is amazing, no doubt about it. When we realize the magnificience of the person on the other end of our prayers, we will be filled with awe. Pretty "awe"some huh?
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Really?? Me??!
Survived the torturathon of tests that was November. Did well, giving me yet another thing to be thankful over the Thanksgiving holiday. I had a good one with friends and family. The end of Thanksgiving is always an exciting time as we start decorating for Christmas at my house. By far my favorite holiday of the year. I love the anticipation of Christmas and all the traditions that go along with it, the songs, presents, movies, etc.
I was thinking about the real Christmas, ya know the one with the baby Jesus. It's such a powerful story of God's love for us. Arguably the most interesting part of the story occurs near the beginning. I find Mary's story to be such an interesting one. She was the one God chose to be the human mother of His son. Mary, a 14 year old virgin pledged to marry a noble man, Joseph. An angel explains to Mary, "for you have found favor with God". Wait...did Mary earn this honor? I don't think that's what this means.
Think about it...is this really such a blessing for Mary? Not only will she be thought of as an adulterer and possibly shunned by her family and friends. Not to mention embarrassing her husband to be, Joseph. She will then have to deal with the task of raising a young boy who runs off to the temple to teach scholars, who has to run from a King that wants her son dead, will have to watch her son grow into a man whose teachings will infuriate the religious leaders. She will be forced to watch her son die a horrible, humiliating death. Sounds like quite the blessing huh?
A pastor brought up the point that the Greek in the text actually means that God bestowed his grace on Mary. Basically, when he chose Mary, he didn't leave her high and dry...he gave her the grace she'd need to complete this task.
Mary was an ordinary person....I am an ordinary person, and I'm guessing any readers of this blog are as well. What does this story mean for us?? God can choose any of us at any time to do His work. We must keep our eyes and hearts open for His calling and be willing to accept the gift of His grace to complete the task he lays before us.
Check out Luke 1-2 to read into Mary's story...until next time.
I was thinking about the real Christmas, ya know the one with the baby Jesus. It's such a powerful story of God's love for us. Arguably the most interesting part of the story occurs near the beginning. I find Mary's story to be such an interesting one. She was the one God chose to be the human mother of His son. Mary, a 14 year old virgin pledged to marry a noble man, Joseph. An angel explains to Mary, "for you have found favor with God". Wait...did Mary earn this honor? I don't think that's what this means.
Think about it...is this really such a blessing for Mary? Not only will she be thought of as an adulterer and possibly shunned by her family and friends. Not to mention embarrassing her husband to be, Joseph. She will then have to deal with the task of raising a young boy who runs off to the temple to teach scholars, who has to run from a King that wants her son dead, will have to watch her son grow into a man whose teachings will infuriate the religious leaders. She will be forced to watch her son die a horrible, humiliating death. Sounds like quite the blessing huh?
A pastor brought up the point that the Greek in the text actually means that God bestowed his grace on Mary. Basically, when he chose Mary, he didn't leave her high and dry...he gave her the grace she'd need to complete this task.
Mary was an ordinary person....I am an ordinary person, and I'm guessing any readers of this blog are as well. What does this story mean for us?? God can choose any of us at any time to do His work. We must keep our eyes and hearts open for His calling and be willing to accept the gift of His grace to complete the task he lays before us.
Check out Luke 1-2 to read into Mary's story...until next time.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Med School Time crunch
Hey to anyone who every checks this!
I was reminded last night by the pastor of my new church that I have a blog! After some thought, I realized how much I missed writing my thoughts down on this thing.
Med school is almost done with the first semester....6 tests over a 10 day stretch...brutal!!
From time to time during the past 4 months I've struggled with my decision to go to medical school. For those who aren't aware I was a theology major for awhile at USF, thinking I would be a pastor at a church. At college, I discovered I also had a love for science and a gift at it as well. So, I went pre-med. I'm so very thankful for the opportunity I have to study medicine, but there is still a part of me that wishes I was in a seminary somewhere, studying the Word and how to bring it to others. My thoughts are that this medicine thing will open so many doors for me and that in the future I will be able to go to seminary and combine my medical knowledge with a spiritual education.
Life in Vermillion has been full of adjustments, some easier than others. I really have missed being a RA and being at USF, it was such a great place. However, I also have realized that doing great things for God always require some adjustment. Reading through the Bible I'm struck by how many times God puts people on a different path than the one they started out on. Noah was just a family man who ended up being one of the last people on Earth in a floating boat! Talk about an adjustment. In times of adjustment, it's ever more important to put our faith and trust in Jesus. God is good...all the time.
I hope to write more regularly. Time is short in medical school, but hopefully I can make some! Thanks to anyone who takes the time to read this.
Matthew 28:20.
I was reminded last night by the pastor of my new church that I have a blog! After some thought, I realized how much I missed writing my thoughts down on this thing.
Med school is almost done with the first semester....6 tests over a 10 day stretch...brutal!!
From time to time during the past 4 months I've struggled with my decision to go to medical school. For those who aren't aware I was a theology major for awhile at USF, thinking I would be a pastor at a church. At college, I discovered I also had a love for science and a gift at it as well. So, I went pre-med. I'm so very thankful for the opportunity I have to study medicine, but there is still a part of me that wishes I was in a seminary somewhere, studying the Word and how to bring it to others. My thoughts are that this medicine thing will open so many doors for me and that in the future I will be able to go to seminary and combine my medical knowledge with a spiritual education.
Life in Vermillion has been full of adjustments, some easier than others. I really have missed being a RA and being at USF, it was such a great place. However, I also have realized that doing great things for God always require some adjustment. Reading through the Bible I'm struck by how many times God puts people on a different path than the one they started out on. Noah was just a family man who ended up being one of the last people on Earth in a floating boat! Talk about an adjustment. In times of adjustment, it's ever more important to put our faith and trust in Jesus. God is good...all the time.
I hope to write more regularly. Time is short in medical school, but hopefully I can make some! Thanks to anyone who takes the time to read this.
Matthew 28:20.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Darkness
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"
-Edmund Burke
Evil is rampant in our world today. Let me be more specific, evil is rampant in my life at times. The sin problem that all of us humans have has led to a world that contains many unfair and unjust things.
Tuesday nights I help out with disadvantaged youth who have experienced many of these issues head on. Some have been abused, some have become addicted to substance or sex, and some don't know who their parents are...all at around the age of 14-17. This flags as an incredible injustice to me. A minor victory for evil has occurred in my eyes. Thankfully, I know, as a believer, that good has won the overall match and that while evil may have its hey day here on Earth, it is good that will eventually overcome through the cross of Christ.
Still I wonder often,"does it have to be this way?". Yes, I get it, there is sin in the world and there will always be bad things happening as long as this is the case. I strongly, strongly, strongly believe though that Christians are capable of not only going to heaven and being with God, but bringing a little of heaven down into Earth. It saddens me when I hear people who are satisfied with the way things are. Even if they feel like things should be different, they are too unwilling to make changes themselves so that we can make bigger changes on a whole.
I really believe as those Christians are on a mission, not as employees of God, but as recipients of an undeserved gift. When we receive a gift the magnitude of grace how are we to keep it to ourselves?? Take my own life, a resident in my dorm stole my Ipod last semester, he has been found out and all that by the police, but I still don't have it back. It is hard for me to just forgive him (hey, it was a 250 dollar song machine), but I think I could do it. Imagine that by a billion. God's grace is nowhere near something we can even comprehend fully, yet we are able to partake of it free of charge. Stunningly, we all (including me) have a tendency to keep it to ourselves. If we discovered the cure for cancer would we keep that to ourselves?? Of course not! Part of defeating evil is going to be sharing about the grace we've been given.
A theme of Christ's I see in the Gospels is that He often just goes. He doesn't take into consideration what ramifications will take place, rather He goes where He is not supposed to. Lepers, adulterers, tax collectors, Christ was all about sharing the light of the Good News because of its power. Paul was the same way, he experienced something huge enough for a major transformation and ended up sharing his gift with others, changing not only those first Christians, but all Christians even today.
Take time this week to pray about what you can do to stop the spread of evil in our world. It is a daunting task that will take the unification of the body of Christ,but we can do it....we WILL do it.
-Edmund Burke
Evil is rampant in our world today. Let me be more specific, evil is rampant in my life at times. The sin problem that all of us humans have has led to a world that contains many unfair and unjust things.
Tuesday nights I help out with disadvantaged youth who have experienced many of these issues head on. Some have been abused, some have become addicted to substance or sex, and some don't know who their parents are...all at around the age of 14-17. This flags as an incredible injustice to me. A minor victory for evil has occurred in my eyes. Thankfully, I know, as a believer, that good has won the overall match and that while evil may have its hey day here on Earth, it is good that will eventually overcome through the cross of Christ.
Still I wonder often,"does it have to be this way?". Yes, I get it, there is sin in the world and there will always be bad things happening as long as this is the case. I strongly, strongly, strongly believe though that Christians are capable of not only going to heaven and being with God, but bringing a little of heaven down into Earth. It saddens me when I hear people who are satisfied with the way things are. Even if they feel like things should be different, they are too unwilling to make changes themselves so that we can make bigger changes on a whole.
I really believe as those Christians are on a mission, not as employees of God, but as recipients of an undeserved gift. When we receive a gift the magnitude of grace how are we to keep it to ourselves?? Take my own life, a resident in my dorm stole my Ipod last semester, he has been found out and all that by the police, but I still don't have it back. It is hard for me to just forgive him (hey, it was a 250 dollar song machine), but I think I could do it. Imagine that by a billion. God's grace is nowhere near something we can even comprehend fully, yet we are able to partake of it free of charge. Stunningly, we all (including me) have a tendency to keep it to ourselves. If we discovered the cure for cancer would we keep that to ourselves?? Of course not! Part of defeating evil is going to be sharing about the grace we've been given.
A theme of Christ's I see in the Gospels is that He often just goes. He doesn't take into consideration what ramifications will take place, rather He goes where He is not supposed to. Lepers, adulterers, tax collectors, Christ was all about sharing the light of the Good News because of its power. Paul was the same way, he experienced something huge enough for a major transformation and ended up sharing his gift with others, changing not only those first Christians, but all Christians even today.
Take time this week to pray about what you can do to stop the spread of evil in our world. It is a daunting task that will take the unification of the body of Christ,but we can do it....we WILL do it.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Class Midterms!
For one of my classes, I recently had to write four essays about Galatians. In the interest of killing two birds with one stone, I decided to also post it to my blog. Galatians is quite the book and is worth checking out for those interested in seeing what God has to say about just "following the rules". Also, for those politically minded, I just watched Michael Moore's "Capitalism: A love story", while not Moore's best movie and full of an incredible amount of slanting and bias...the movie did make some good points about the sometimes flawed system our country has. Check it out, I wont say if I agree or not, see what ya think if interested.
If one were to have to pick one central message that Paul was trying to convey to the church of Galatia in his letter to them, it likely would be his insistence that they adhere to the true gospel that he had preached to them. Early in the letter, the reader learns that there have been people coming into the church and spreading a false gospel much different from the one that Paul had previously preached them (1:6-7). Obtaining right standing with God through the works of the law is what this false gospel being preached is centered on (3:2). Throughout the letter of Galatians, Paul provides several examples of what this true gospel that he preaches is all about.
One of the first assertions that Paul makes about this gospel is that it is not his own (1:12). It is likely that those stirring up trouble in the church tried to convince the church that Paul has been making up the gospel from his own mind. This In the letter, Paul assures that them that this gospel comes from God himself. Being a divine gift, this gospel that Paul is presenting is much different than the man-made gospel being presented by the Judaizers.
A second major characteristic of the truth that Paul would like the church to understand that is the cross of Christ that provides the ticket to right standing with God (3:13-14). This is also known as justification. Those who accept the gift of Christ’s cross will be justified, unlike those who continue to try earning it by doing good works (2:16). Paul spends much of his letter addressing the issue of Jewish people forcing circumcision upon Gentile Christians (6:12). Important to note is that Paul does not call circumcision an evil act, rather the fact that the Jews are trying to use it as means to obtain justification. Paul argues that in the true gospel he preaches, it is the grace of God through faith in Christ Jesus that allows for justification, not works of the law (5:6).
Also in Galatians, Paul seems to suggest that the true gospel is one that involves a community of believers, not just a single person. In the letter, he describes believers as one in Christ (3:28). While it is true that a personal decision must be made to accept Christ’s sacrifice, Paul seems to be saying that an inwardly focused gospel is one that leads to attempts of self righteousness. Rather an outwardly focused gospel, one that is concerned with fellow members of God’s kingdom, leads to eternal life (6:9-10). This is especially seen in the final chapter of Galatians as Paul seems to turn his focus into living in community with one another as believers.
The true gospel that Paul preaches is the one that Paul has experienced in his own life (1:22-24). Throughout his letter to the Galatians, Paul argues for them to hold fast to the truth rather than falling back into the gospel of self-righteousness being presented by Judaizers (3:1). His gospel of justification by means of the cross differs greatly from trying to obtain justification by works of the law such as circumcision (2:16). The truth he presents is not from man, but rather from God and requires its followers to become outwardly focused, seeking community with one another. In the letter to the church of Galatia, Paul presents a clear blueprint for what the true gospel looks like and what makes it different from the alternative being preached to them.
Central to the Christian faith is the cross of Jesus Christ. The gospel that the apostle Paul preaches about, specifically in the letter of Galatians, is also centered on the cross of Christ. In the letter Paul describes the purpose of the cross, how it defeats the idea of self-righteousness, and how it affects the way a believer lives life. One can easily see the profound effect that the cross has had on Paul and this passion is evidenced in how he writes about it in Galatians (1:22-24). The personal importance of the cross to Paul’s faith permeates the letter and he clearly lays out why the cross is important to him and should be the center of the faith of the Christian.
The cross of Jesus accomplishes much for the believer. In fact, it is the cross that gives believers identity as people of God (3:13-15). Paul’s argument is that the essential condition to be a member of the people of God is to accept the gift of Christ’s cross. Reasoning for this being a mandatory condition of being a follower of God is that the cross accomplishes something for people that the law failed to do, justification (2:16). This means that people are unable to rectify the problem of sin by following by following the law, but they instead need an intercessor to be seen as clean in God’s eyes. Jesus is this intercessor and his cross is where victory over sin takes place (3:13-14). Paul writes that this victory is what gives us life, not trying to satisfy God through works of the flesh.
It is evident in Galatians that Paul believes that the cross makes the idea of becoming self-righteous through following of the works of the law irrelevant. The letter primarily focuses on instructing current believers not to fall back into the trap of thinking that humans are capable of becoming justified in God’s eyes by their own works (1:6-12). One of Paul’s most poignant points in the letter addresses the fact that even those who are getting circumcised and forcing others to do the same are still falling short of the law (6:13). His main point is that it is impossible to fulfill the law outside of the cross of Jesus. The law has purpose, according to Paul, but it is incapable of providing justification because sinful human beings are incapable of fulfilling it (3:24-25). This is where the cross fits in; it is able to make up for our shortcomings in following the law (3:13).
Another interesting part of Paul’s letter to the Galatians describes the relationship the believer shares with the cross. In the second chapter of the letter Paul speaks of being crucified with Christ and dying to the law (2:19-20). Is Paul trying to say that believers are crucified as Christ was when they decide to accept the justification that the cross offers? To an extent, this is what he is doing. Paul is not saying that the believer played any part in shouldering our sins along with Christ. He argues in the letter specifically against such thinking. It is Christ alone who died on the cross, providing an opportunity to become a child of God (3:13). Perhaps what Paul is trying to say when he says he is that the sinful, unjustified self is put to death by what Christ did on the cross (2:19). In essence, the sinful self was crucified when Christ was crucified, forever putting to death the separation between God and man for those who accept the gift of grace.
The question that remains to be answered is what happens to the believer post- justification as the result of the cross. Important to understand, according to Paul, is that while Christ lives in believers, they are still consciously able to make our own personal decisions (2:20-21). This eliminates any arguments that individuals lose responsibility for their actions because Christ is in control of their lives. Paul’s letter to the Galatians contains much information about the Holy Spirit and its role in the life of someone following the gospel Paul preaches (5:16). The cross is what allows for the Spirit to enter our lives (4:5-6). Without justification by the cross there is no Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. Concerns over his friends in the church of Galatia missing out on this important point is why Paul is writing this letter in an urgent tone. It is this Holy Spirit that guides the life of the believer into righteousness (5:22-26; 6:8). Contrasting with this Paul writes about what happens when we trust the flesh and works of the law to obtain righteousness, it will only lead to destruction (5:19-21).
Galatians, like all works about Christianity, centers on the cross. The gospel that has transformed Paul and for which he endures heavy persecution, takes responsibility for righteousness out of man’s incapable hands. Instead Christ took upon the task of justifying his followers by means of the cross. It is through this action that believers find identity as children of God and that any pressure of fulfilling the law by works of the flesh is diminished. Paul’s letter clearly lays out the importance of the cross of Jesus and what it accomplishes for those willing to accept its power.
A common goal for believers to have is to be considered one of God’s people. In the letter to the Galatians, Paul addresses what criterion must be met to be considered someone who belongs to God. The central idea of justification again plays a part in an argument of Paul and is used to explain how one can become a person of God (2:16). This gospel that Paul preached to these people and now writes of holds great power to unify the church. However, there are issues arising that are leading to division. Paul investigates what it means to be one of God’s people and how one can achieve this status, as well as doing some instructing for how the church can unite.
Knowing that the cross of Christ is the essential part of a believer’s identity is important to understanding Paul’s argument of what it takes to be one of God’s children (3:13). It is by faith in the power of the cross that the believer is justified according to Paul (3:22). When justification occurs, the Holy Spirit is simultaneously received as a counselor and guider (5:16). Justification by Christ marks someone as one of the people of God. The cross accomplishes what the flesh could not, making humans righteous in God’s sight, according to Paul (5:5). Sin has put a curse on all of mankind and Christ became a curse on the cross, shouldering the sins of humanity. It is His act of substitution that allows for man to become people of God (3:10-14).
The chief concern Paul has for the Galatians is that they have started to believe the untruths being told by outside Judaizers that they must adopt the Jewish ways to inherit the kingdom of God. Aside from making his point that the gospel of Christ is one of grace and not works of the law, Paul also stresses that this gospel is for all mankind (3:26-29). Much of the letter is spent talking about the Jews and Gentiles, two major ethnic groups at the time of Paul. The Judaizers are making a strong push to make the Gentile Christians follow Jewish customs such as circumcision. First, Paul strongly argues that an act such as circumcision is not means by which to be included as one of God’s people (2:16). Secondly, he ensures his Gentile audience that the gospel of Christ they originally accepted is sufficient for their salvation (4:4-5). Any person, Jew or Gentile who willingly accepts the message of Christ’s cross can be called one of God’s people.
Part of the original covenant that God made with Abraham allowed for his descendants to belong to God. These descendents were of Jewish heritage. In the letter to the Galatians Paul does not discount the promise that God made to make Abraham’s offspring His own (3:8). However, Paul does stress that Christ is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham (3:29). It is not a heritage tied to Abraham that leads one to salvation, but rather it is the acceptance of the gift of Christ by the God of Abraham.
One of the special characteristics of the gospel that Paul is presenting to the Galatians is that it is very outwardly focused compared to the inwardly focused law keepers. The Judaizers are self centered in the fact that they believe the way to become holy is through personal action like circumcision. Instead Paul describes the life of a justified sinner as one that is centered on helping those entrenched in sin or suffering (6:1-10). The last part of Paul’s letter turns the focus to this issue of how to bring unity through the way people treat each other. People can be united under the banner of Christ due to the fact they all share something in common; they have done nothing to deserve the free gift of life offered by Christ (5:6). Competition among believers ceases to exist, as there is no point to try to outperform the works of one another. All are unified as sinners saved by the sacrifice of Christ.
Paul writes this letter to the Galatians because he is worried their unity as followers of Christ is in jeopardy due to the message of Judaizers in the church. The internal frustration that Paul has that his dear friends are falling back into the trap of self righteousness through works allows the reader to begin to understand how big of a deal this was to Paul (4:9-11). People returning to a gospel of the flesh will end up feeling empty. These people jeopardize their chance to be considered a child of God.
An important topic to discuss from the book of Galatians is Paul’s definition of the children of God. The cross that is at the center of Christianity should also be at the center of each individual’s life. Paul discusses the consequences of staking hope in the false gospel. It is Paul’s sincere hope that all of the Galatians will remember his idea of justification in the cross of Jesus and what that means in regards to their citizenship in God’s kingdom. With a basic understanding of what it will take to be saved, Paul then hopes and urges his readers to follow his teachings of what it means to be a child of God.
The reason for Paul writing his letter to the Galatians is to re-educate the people of the church as to the true gospel that he previously preached to them (1:8-12; 5:21). Outsiders trying to force the Gentile Christians to adopt Jewish customs forced Paul’s hand, so to speak, when it came to writing this letter. Paul writes about their strong influence and it obvious he realizes the power that they have had over these people (2:6). In Paul’s mind the gospel he presented in truly life-giving and his frustrations mount when he discovers the people of the church trying to fall back into a gospel of the flesh that leads people to slavery in the law (4:3-11). From the text of the letter of Galatians, the reader is able to ascertain what the Judaizers believe and how it differs from the teaching of Paul on righteousness.
Circumcision is the central issue that the Judaizers are forcing upon the new Christians of Galatia. This Jewish custom is at the heart of a bigger issue for these people, they believe that righteousness can and must occur by following the Jewish law (5:3-6). From the letter, Paul uses imagery of slavery and freedom (4:3; 5:1). It is obvious from his writing that Paul equates what the Judaizers believe with being enslaved to the law. In order to obtain right standing with God, they believe they must follow the rules of the law, including circumcision. Also, they believe that not only justification, but also righteousness is only attainable by following the law.
Paul does not discount the importance of the law in his letter (3:24). While his language towards the law is harsh at times, it is apparent that he has a respect for the Jewish law. However, this importance does not include justification or right living. Rather he feels as though it guided the people of God prior to the new covenant of Christ being established. Now that something new is in place, people like the Judaizers to the Galatians are in danger of swapping their slavery to sin with slavery to the law. It is Paul’s argument that the law is not what a Christian bases his right living on; rather it is a sanctification process by the Spirit (5:4-5).
Unlike the Judaizers whose idea of justification and sanctification is based on the human action of following the law, Paul’s gospel bases ideas on the God action of the cross of Christ and the workings of the Holy Spirit. When a believer comes to trust in the cross of Christ and its power to justify them they instantaneously receive the Holy Spirit into their lives (4:6). Paul uses such language as being “one with Christ” and “it is Christ who lives within me” to describe the newfound capability of being sanctified (2:20; 3:28). This does not mean that Paul ceases to live, but rather that he has received the Spirit to guide him towards right living.
Many references are made throughout the letter of Galatians describing the relationship a believer has to God through Christ and the Holy Spirit. It is this relationship that allows for justification and sanctification over time (5:22-25). People who try to become holy through following the law, such as the Judaizers mentioned in the letter, are destined for slavery. However, those who accept the cross and receive the Spirit will experience true freedom (5:1). Christ has freed mankind from the unattainable goal of being perfect, not even the Judaizers were capable of following the law completely (6:13). While they were incapable of doing so, there is evidence in Paul’s letter that they believed the key to right living centered on a close adherence to Jewish customs and laws. Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, makes a case for the true gospel which says that the key to right living and justification is centered on the cross of Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit.
Forgiving for who?!
I have been reading a devotional lately about forgiveness. This issue is important to me because I have had massive problems with forgiveness in my life that have led to much bitterness being stored up. Often, I have thought of the toll I have put on myself by holding grudges. Why is it so hard to let you go of them? It is almost like I enjoy holding a grudge, it becomes a part of me and the thought of losing my rage scares me.
The book made a point that I have thought before, we must make a distinction between forgiving and forgetting. Forgetting is a form of brain damage, we can't do it...only God can. Forgiving is something different, something that allows for freedom for the person wronged. God says in the Bible that we are to be angry with sin as long as it does not cause us to sin. How can we be angry and not sin?? I believe God is ok with the fact that we are angry when we are wronged. People hurt other people, it is a sad truth of our world. We should be angry at injustice of all kinds. What we must not do is becoming so entrenched in this anger that it causes us to shift the frustration from the injustice to the perpetrator. When this occurs is when we start to be put into bondage by our anger.
Another interesting thought is that forgiveness is for us and not for the person we forgive. I never really thought of it that way. We are not doing the other person a service by forgiving them. This is where I've gotten into trouble in the past...I can forgive others as long as they are sorry for what they have done. Some people aren't sorry for the wrongs they have committed and by waiting for them to be so will cause much bitterness to well up in our hearts. When we forgive others, we in essence free ourselves from the bondage that our anger puts on us.
This is easier than it sounds, but it starts with a conscious choice to declare our will to forgive. It is an instant choice that may be a process of completing. Basically, it may take time for our hearts to heal, but we must be willing to declare our intent to forgive and seek God's help. This doesn't mean we forgive and hold on to the anger, still making negative remarks towards the person. I fell into this trap for quite sometime. Forgiving means putting things behind us...not forgetting mind you, but moving on to what God has in store for us.
The most important thing to understand is that this Jesus guy radically forgave. He forgave others while He was here on Earth, and eventually He forgave us all by dying on the cross. Because we are radically forgiven is why we should do the same for others. It is not going to be easy, but let's work together as a body of believers to make it happen!
The book made a point that I have thought before, we must make a distinction between forgiving and forgetting. Forgetting is a form of brain damage, we can't do it...only God can. Forgiving is something different, something that allows for freedom for the person wronged. God says in the Bible that we are to be angry with sin as long as it does not cause us to sin. How can we be angry and not sin?? I believe God is ok with the fact that we are angry when we are wronged. People hurt other people, it is a sad truth of our world. We should be angry at injustice of all kinds. What we must not do is becoming so entrenched in this anger that it causes us to shift the frustration from the injustice to the perpetrator. When this occurs is when we start to be put into bondage by our anger.
Another interesting thought is that forgiveness is for us and not for the person we forgive. I never really thought of it that way. We are not doing the other person a service by forgiving them. This is where I've gotten into trouble in the past...I can forgive others as long as they are sorry for what they have done. Some people aren't sorry for the wrongs they have committed and by waiting for them to be so will cause much bitterness to well up in our hearts. When we forgive others, we in essence free ourselves from the bondage that our anger puts on us.
This is easier than it sounds, but it starts with a conscious choice to declare our will to forgive. It is an instant choice that may be a process of completing. Basically, it may take time for our hearts to heal, but we must be willing to declare our intent to forgive and seek God's help. This doesn't mean we forgive and hold on to the anger, still making negative remarks towards the person. I fell into this trap for quite sometime. Forgiving means putting things behind us...not forgetting mind you, but moving on to what God has in store for us.
The most important thing to understand is that this Jesus guy radically forgave. He forgave others while He was here on Earth, and eventually He forgave us all by dying on the cross. Because we are radically forgiven is why we should do the same for others. It is not going to be easy, but let's work together as a body of believers to make it happen!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Conviction
I have been taking a class this semester entitled Letters of Paul, so far we've only had two classes but I am beginning to see the course take shape. Paul has always impressed me. One of my classmates described him as a jerk...I asked him why and he said because Paul is always so "this is how it is". I acknowledged that I saw this person's opinion and where it was coming from. However, I tucked this thought into my mind for later consideration.
It is obvious to me that it wasn't that Paul thought he was the ultimate man...there are many passages in which he acknowledges that hey, I don't have this all figured out. He knows who he was and the only reason he was in the place of apostleship was through God's grace. What I do think Paul had is something that many Christians lack today....conviction.
Paul was willing to break off what he'd been taught as he grew up (the Jewish Pharisee way of thinking about the Scripture) and let a new school of thought enter his mind (the gospel of Christ). Better yet, he was confident in his thinking, confident that is was consistent with what he had experienced (a personal transformation). I believe that some Christians today are content to go with the status quo. Whatever there pastors or parents or trusted friends say is what goes in there minds. Maybe they latch on to everything their favorite contemporary theologian says. I see this as almost a sickness. I don't believe God expect us to blindly obey his Bible. I would argue that while the Bible is inerrant and divinely inspired, God made it with the expectation that His people would question it and wrestle with the issues contained within it.
Now, I realize this may seem to contradict some of my previous posts, talking about finding the gray areas of the faith and how we all need to get along better (especially politically and find our middle ground). However, I believe that this idea of having strong convictions fits well into this. I believe that most people will simply latch onto another's thoughts without taking the time to process what they know. Basically, our society is full of closed minded people. How sad...I really believe that when we as Christians open our minds to consider new ideas about God and Jesus we can better understand who He is and how we can better relate. We must have our own strong convictions that lead us to question things...to refuse to just believe something, just 'cuz. Let us bring our questions to God and ask. I believe He will give us a greater understanding if we begin to break the mold and start to think about Him outside the box created by other believers.
It is obvious to me that it wasn't that Paul thought he was the ultimate man...there are many passages in which he acknowledges that hey, I don't have this all figured out. He knows who he was and the only reason he was in the place of apostleship was through God's grace. What I do think Paul had is something that many Christians lack today....conviction.
Paul was willing to break off what he'd been taught as he grew up (the Jewish Pharisee way of thinking about the Scripture) and let a new school of thought enter his mind (the gospel of Christ). Better yet, he was confident in his thinking, confident that is was consistent with what he had experienced (a personal transformation). I believe that some Christians today are content to go with the status quo. Whatever there pastors or parents or trusted friends say is what goes in there minds. Maybe they latch on to everything their favorite contemporary theologian says. I see this as almost a sickness. I don't believe God expect us to blindly obey his Bible. I would argue that while the Bible is inerrant and divinely inspired, God made it with the expectation that His people would question it and wrestle with the issues contained within it.
Now, I realize this may seem to contradict some of my previous posts, talking about finding the gray areas of the faith and how we all need to get along better (especially politically and find our middle ground). However, I believe that this idea of having strong convictions fits well into this. I believe that most people will simply latch onto another's thoughts without taking the time to process what they know. Basically, our society is full of closed minded people. How sad...I really believe that when we as Christians open our minds to consider new ideas about God and Jesus we can better understand who He is and how we can better relate. We must have our own strong convictions that lead us to question things...to refuse to just believe something, just 'cuz. Let us bring our questions to God and ask. I believe He will give us a greater understanding if we begin to break the mold and start to think about Him outside the box created by other believers.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Hiatus
So I was surfing the web and remembered I had a blog. Life has been flying by since my last entry. I am officially heading to USD next fall for med school....woo hoo! Other than that I've been trying to finish strong in my studies here at USF. Life has been good.
I've done much thinking during my blog hiatus. Some of it has been political, much of it spiritual, and some personal. I'm saddened to see that our nation will not make needed changes in health care due to partisan squabbling....not that I think the bill offered was the best solution, but hey at least it was something! I hope that in the coming months Republicans can reach out with their own ideas to help make health care happen for us all. They say that they have had great ideas that have been ignored...well the time has come for them to speak up! Let's make something happen!
Spiritually, I've done a lot of thinking about who I am in relation to God. How do I struggle with the desire to sometimes take a hiatus from my daily spiritual life. Isn't it funny how the most life giving part of our lives is the part easiest to skip out on? Also, I've been reading Genesis a lot lately and am continually reminded of what a God lover looks like. Someone who is extremely flawed (See: Adam, Abraham, Jacob, etc), yet faithful. I pray that I can be a man of faith that others can learn from. I struggle at times to be a good example to others, it is so easy to conform to how others act just to be "a part of the group". I pray that the fact that I belong to something bigger...something better will spur me to be a non-conformist to the world. That my faith in Christ will be what others notice about me. Basically I'm discovering that God is a God who looks for chances to shatter our world's ideas about what life and power look like. He always points us to something better, to Him be the glory!
Personally, I've gotten back into weight lifting and cardio exercise. I've already added 15 pounds to my bench and about 30 to my squat. I hope to continue this into the summer in a goal to lose weight and body fat.
Hopefully, I will keep more current on this, I enjoy writing out my thoughts.
I've done much thinking during my blog hiatus. Some of it has been political, much of it spiritual, and some personal. I'm saddened to see that our nation will not make needed changes in health care due to partisan squabbling....not that I think the bill offered was the best solution, but hey at least it was something! I hope that in the coming months Republicans can reach out with their own ideas to help make health care happen for us all. They say that they have had great ideas that have been ignored...well the time has come for them to speak up! Let's make something happen!
Spiritually, I've done a lot of thinking about who I am in relation to God. How do I struggle with the desire to sometimes take a hiatus from my daily spiritual life. Isn't it funny how the most life giving part of our lives is the part easiest to skip out on? Also, I've been reading Genesis a lot lately and am continually reminded of what a God lover looks like. Someone who is extremely flawed (See: Adam, Abraham, Jacob, etc), yet faithful. I pray that I can be a man of faith that others can learn from. I struggle at times to be a good example to others, it is so easy to conform to how others act just to be "a part of the group". I pray that the fact that I belong to something bigger...something better will spur me to be a non-conformist to the world. That my faith in Christ will be what others notice about me. Basically I'm discovering that God is a God who looks for chances to shatter our world's ideas about what life and power look like. He always points us to something better, to Him be the glory!
Personally, I've gotten back into weight lifting and cardio exercise. I've already added 15 pounds to my bench and about 30 to my squat. I hope to continue this into the summer in a goal to lose weight and body fat.
Hopefully, I will keep more current on this, I enjoy writing out my thoughts.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Willingly Disobedient
It has been far too long since I have posted here. The extreme busyness of the fall semester (interviewing at med schools, traveling, classes, etc.) has gotten the best of me I am afraid. Now is the time to refocus my efforts on getting my thoughts onto a public forum.
I admit to being in a very awkward part of life at the moment. It is hard to imagine that soon I will be leaving USF and venturing to med school "X", at the same time I find myself longing to hold on to the lifestyle that many of my freshmen live (I'm a RA in the res hall). Kind of a weird mix at times...forced with the fact that I need to "grow up", while fighting the Peter Pan within. Also, I realize that there are several important decisions that will need to be made sooner rather than later. Decisions that will affect the rest of my life. Why is it so hard for me to make such decisions.
As I ponder on it, I really believe it is the lack of identity I have in God. The past couple of years has really wrecked my faith...not necessarily for the worse. I write "wrecked" and I feel bad, but this is what I feel has happened, the faith that I grew up with and believed...just 'cuz no longer cuts it. The time has come for me to consider what my faith means to me and what that means for my life ahead. So when I say "wrecked" I refer to the fact that my faith has been and is still needs to be put back together.
The big thing I fight in this battle is the "been there done that" feeling. I have read the Bible so much and been to so many "christian events" that it almost has become stale. Woe to me! I am thankful for my realization of this, because for the Bible to grow stale means for life in Christ to lose its zeal. I'm a product of a system (American faith) that freely offers "cheap grace"...if the grace of the Bible isn't your cup of tea, let me offer you the next big thing. We (including me) settle so often!
You see, I am very often willingly disobedient. It is sooo easy to justify my sins. What always suprises me though is the Holy Spirit's stubborn pull on my heart. I know when I do wrong, no matter how hard I try to justify it in my mind, I feel plagued with a nagging guilt. Thanks be to God for this! I read the Bible and come to the words of Christ....he couldn't really mean everything literally could he? What if Jesus meant what He said? All of his teachings suddenly weren't the product of his time, but instead instructions for everyday life. I wonder how much different our world would look if this were the case....hey, I wonder how different my life would look if this were the case! So many of us Christians hide behind the guise of misunderstanding when it comes to the Scriptures....we understand it perfectly well, we just don't like what it means to the comforts we are accustomed to! So we settle, we become willingly disobedient.
The challenge is then set before me. Perhaps the challenge I have had in finding my new identity in Christ arises from my inability to fully submit to God and be obedient. I must fight the mainstream media, enemies, my own sinful desire, and even friends and family at times to fully submit my life to God, answering his call on my life, wherever that leads me....I must become willingly disobedient to the status quo.
I admit to being in a very awkward part of life at the moment. It is hard to imagine that soon I will be leaving USF and venturing to med school "X", at the same time I find myself longing to hold on to the lifestyle that many of my freshmen live (I'm a RA in the res hall). Kind of a weird mix at times...forced with the fact that I need to "grow up", while fighting the Peter Pan within. Also, I realize that there are several important decisions that will need to be made sooner rather than later. Decisions that will affect the rest of my life. Why is it so hard for me to make such decisions.
As I ponder on it, I really believe it is the lack of identity I have in God. The past couple of years has really wrecked my faith...not necessarily for the worse. I write "wrecked" and I feel bad, but this is what I feel has happened, the faith that I grew up with and believed...just 'cuz no longer cuts it. The time has come for me to consider what my faith means to me and what that means for my life ahead. So when I say "wrecked" I refer to the fact that my faith has been and is still needs to be put back together.
The big thing I fight in this battle is the "been there done that" feeling. I have read the Bible so much and been to so many "christian events" that it almost has become stale. Woe to me! I am thankful for my realization of this, because for the Bible to grow stale means for life in Christ to lose its zeal. I'm a product of a system (American faith) that freely offers "cheap grace"...if the grace of the Bible isn't your cup of tea, let me offer you the next big thing. We (including me) settle so often!
You see, I am very often willingly disobedient. It is sooo easy to justify my sins. What always suprises me though is the Holy Spirit's stubborn pull on my heart. I know when I do wrong, no matter how hard I try to justify it in my mind, I feel plagued with a nagging guilt. Thanks be to God for this! I read the Bible and come to the words of Christ....he couldn't really mean everything literally could he? What if Jesus meant what He said? All of his teachings suddenly weren't the product of his time, but instead instructions for everyday life. I wonder how much different our world would look if this were the case....hey, I wonder how different my life would look if this were the case! So many of us Christians hide behind the guise of misunderstanding when it comes to the Scriptures....we understand it perfectly well, we just don't like what it means to the comforts we are accustomed to! So we settle, we become willingly disobedient.
The challenge is then set before me. Perhaps the challenge I have had in finding my new identity in Christ arises from my inability to fully submit to God and be obedient. I must fight the mainstream media, enemies, my own sinful desire, and even friends and family at times to fully submit my life to God, answering his call on my life, wherever that leads me....I must become willingly disobedient to the status quo.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Wandering
I attended Lifelight this weekend. I love it there....so many people united for the sole purpose of lifting up the name of Jesus. Kutless was probably my favorite show. The lead singer touched on a couple issues that I found to be near to my heart.
Perhaps my favorite was his discussion of how easy it is to feel distant from God. I must confess that there have been times the past couple of years that I have felt distant from God. Times where I feel so confused. I know that I am a believer, I know what God has done in my life, but I still feel lost and like I lack direction.
He spoke something to the effect of that its never God leaving us...it is us leaving Him. I was really struck by how true that is in my life. My pastor preached a sermon last weekend in which he talked about grieving the Holy Spirit. I think that there are definitely times where I fall short and do things that grieve the Holy Spirit. Times where anger takes over....times where bitterness settles in, times where I become self centered.
The question is why do I do these things. There has never been a better part of my life than when I felt near to God. For one...my sinful nature runs amok in my life. I feel like Paul...I do what I don't want to do and don't do what I want to do. Sometimes I don't let go of past hurts and sin thrives. Revenge is such a nasty thing.
So as I heard this singer talk about this...I thought of a battle plan. How can I (and we as Christians) avoid wandering from God? I believe it takes a constant effort from us. Prayer is huge. Most complications in relationships arise from lack of communication. I don't think it is any different for our relationship with God. The Word of God is also important. It provides the blueprint for how to navigate through dark times.
It is my prayer that this year, I would not only be able to minister to the men on my floor in Burgess Hall, but that I would once again find that hope in Christ. That He would be my everything. All praise to Him!
Perhaps my favorite was his discussion of how easy it is to feel distant from God. I must confess that there have been times the past couple of years that I have felt distant from God. Times where I feel so confused. I know that I am a believer, I know what God has done in my life, but I still feel lost and like I lack direction.
He spoke something to the effect of that its never God leaving us...it is us leaving Him. I was really struck by how true that is in my life. My pastor preached a sermon last weekend in which he talked about grieving the Holy Spirit. I think that there are definitely times where I fall short and do things that grieve the Holy Spirit. Times where anger takes over....times where bitterness settles in, times where I become self centered.
The question is why do I do these things. There has never been a better part of my life than when I felt near to God. For one...my sinful nature runs amok in my life. I feel like Paul...I do what I don't want to do and don't do what I want to do. Sometimes I don't let go of past hurts and sin thrives. Revenge is such a nasty thing.
So as I heard this singer talk about this...I thought of a battle plan. How can I (and we as Christians) avoid wandering from God? I believe it takes a constant effort from us. Prayer is huge. Most complications in relationships arise from lack of communication. I don't think it is any different for our relationship with God. The Word of God is also important. It provides the blueprint for how to navigate through dark times.
It is my prayer that this year, I would not only be able to minister to the men on my floor in Burgess Hall, but that I would once again find that hope in Christ. That He would be my everything. All praise to Him!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Patience...or lack thereof.
Came across this little gem tonight in my reading.
9The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9
Patience....It is something I severely lack at times. We live in such a fast paced society. If my Internet browser takes longer than 3 seconds to load I am giving my index finger a major workout by clicking that left mouse button repeatedly. Remember the days of AOL?? The crazy sounds the computer would make as your dial up (remember that?!?) modem got fired up....seems so slow now to us. At the time however, being able to connect to the world in 5 minutes was amazing!
I bring up this example to show how incredible relative our understanding of time and speed is. What seems fast today will seem slow tomorrow. This relativity we give to "slowness" leads me to believe that we don't know a hill of beans about keeping time.
You see the people in Peter's day expected Jesus coming back pronto....that was 2000+ years ago! Jesus's return seemed overly slow to them. It can be easy for us to say the same thing with each passing day....what is taking Him so long? Why is this process so slow?
Peter tells us that God is being patient (something that I and many if not all of my human brothers and sisters know very little about). Why? To summarize...He love us fallen sinners! Let's face it...if Christ came back today...how many would He take with Him? Probably not as many as we think. This should cause us to tremble a little bit...are we truly living lives that are bringing glory to the Creator?
Check out the next verse
10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
2 Peter 3:10.
We don't know when Jesus is returning...but we do know that it will come swiftly without much warning...like a thief! May this be an ever present reminder that our lives must be living testaments to how much we lover our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
PS
A side note....www.factcheck.org...check it out. With all of the media coverage of politics today (esp. bashing every known policy of Pres. Obama) I suggest everyone take time to get the facts before believing what the newspeople say. This site is unbiased (trust me...they've thrown the BS flag on Obama as well) and will allow us to become better informed people.
PPS
And finally (longest blog entry yet?!) a quote from John Wesley...I will elaborate more on it next entry. This quote reflects on what I believe is the current struggle conservative and liberal christians find themselves in.
"Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt, we may. Herein all the children of God may unite, notwithstanding these smaller differences"
9The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9
Patience....It is something I severely lack at times. We live in such a fast paced society. If my Internet browser takes longer than 3 seconds to load I am giving my index finger a major workout by clicking that left mouse button repeatedly. Remember the days of AOL?? The crazy sounds the computer would make as your dial up (remember that?!?) modem got fired up....seems so slow now to us. At the time however, being able to connect to the world in 5 minutes was amazing!
I bring up this example to show how incredible relative our understanding of time and speed is. What seems fast today will seem slow tomorrow. This relativity we give to "slowness" leads me to believe that we don't know a hill of beans about keeping time.
You see the people in Peter's day expected Jesus coming back pronto....that was 2000+ years ago! Jesus's return seemed overly slow to them. It can be easy for us to say the same thing with each passing day....what is taking Him so long? Why is this process so slow?
Peter tells us that God is being patient (something that I and many if not all of my human brothers and sisters know very little about). Why? To summarize...He love us fallen sinners! Let's face it...if Christ came back today...how many would He take with Him? Probably not as many as we think. This should cause us to tremble a little bit...are we truly living lives that are bringing glory to the Creator?
Check out the next verse
10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
2 Peter 3:10.
We don't know when Jesus is returning...but we do know that it will come swiftly without much warning...like a thief! May this be an ever present reminder that our lives must be living testaments to how much we lover our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
PS
A side note....www.factcheck.org...check it out. With all of the media coverage of politics today (esp. bashing every known policy of Pres. Obama) I suggest everyone take time to get the facts before believing what the newspeople say. This site is unbiased (trust me...they've thrown the BS flag on Obama as well) and will allow us to become better informed people.
PPS
And finally (longest blog entry yet?!) a quote from John Wesley...I will elaborate more on it next entry. This quote reflects on what I believe is the current struggle conservative and liberal christians find themselves in.
"Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt, we may. Herein all the children of God may unite, notwithstanding these smaller differences"
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Tragedy
Tragedy....first of all...summer is only a month longer...major tragedy. It has been a fun one but one that has gone by far too fast. Hard to believe the final year of college is going to be starting in a month!
I have continued to read this book called Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White. I don't agree with everything in the book but I do find some of his thoughts dead on. One of these ideas is his opinions on tragedy.
Ever heard someone say "It happened for a reason" after something terrible happened? I'm not sure I buy that anymore. The example he gave was his youth pastor and friend. They were driving along until a downed power line came into contact with them. Both were killed. Both had young kids who would no longer have a father. Several people told the author that they believed God took them so that someone could come to know Him at the funeral or later.
Is this really how God works?? Does he need to take people from Earth to bring others to Him? Couldn't so many more people have been impacted by these men if they were still alive today? I don't think God works this way. His friends were killed because there was a freak accident that they happened to be a part of. Don't get me wrong I believe God knows about it, but I don't think He causes it to happen "for a reason". We live in a fallen world. Sometimes bad things will happen to good people just because bad things happen. Tragedy is not discriminatory.
My own personal faith life has its challenges. How I long to just get "back in line". Why is this so difficult? Probably due to the stress in my life...the lack of effort on my part...my stubborn insistence to do things on my own. Life is hard....following God in life is harder. May I continue to strive to make things better. To Him be the Glory!
I have continued to read this book called Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White. I don't agree with everything in the book but I do find some of his thoughts dead on. One of these ideas is his opinions on tragedy.
Ever heard someone say "It happened for a reason" after something terrible happened? I'm not sure I buy that anymore. The example he gave was his youth pastor and friend. They were driving along until a downed power line came into contact with them. Both were killed. Both had young kids who would no longer have a father. Several people told the author that they believed God took them so that someone could come to know Him at the funeral or later.
Is this really how God works?? Does he need to take people from Earth to bring others to Him? Couldn't so many more people have been impacted by these men if they were still alive today? I don't think God works this way. His friends were killed because there was a freak accident that they happened to be a part of. Don't get me wrong I believe God knows about it, but I don't think He causes it to happen "for a reason". We live in a fallen world. Sometimes bad things will happen to good people just because bad things happen. Tragedy is not discriminatory.
My own personal faith life has its challenges. How I long to just get "back in line". Why is this so difficult? Probably due to the stress in my life...the lack of effort on my part...my stubborn insistence to do things on my own. Life is hard....following God in life is harder. May I continue to strive to make things better. To Him be the Glory!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Summer!
Heyo, it is has been quite a long time since I last posted.
Summer has been magnificent. Working at the USF chemistry lab doing some research on polymers and such...not too challenging. Continuing my quest for medical school...got a 29S on the MCAT...pretty good...we will see how God works it all out. Golfing, hanging out with friends...living the dream.
One reflection I have about summer is how incredibly easy it can be to become distracted from God. Isn't it funny how during the year we make the excuse we are too busy to be with God, but when all of the homework and tests are done...we make new excuses. Bottom line...it is hard in our world to stay focused on having a relationship with Jesus. However, I am trying to make it a goal to commit my mind and heart to scripture meditation each and every day. Some days I am better about it than others but I continue forth no matter what.
I am astonished at how out of character I get when I don't spend time with God. Angry temper outbursts come out more often when I am lackadasial in my approach to Jesus. It really should go to show me the power of having God close. It is my hope that as I grow closer to him, He will give me greater self control over the negative feelings I can have from time to time.
More continuing amazement at the incredible ignorance of some people to politics and faith. "Good Christians are Conservative Republicans", says a guy (who we will call Percy)....how ridiculous...I could write a whole entry about my feelings about such statements, but will save it for another time (lunch break is only for a bit ya know?).
Read list:
Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White by Adam Hamilton
(a must read for any Christian who considers themselves politically minded...or wants to chime in intelligently on a political issue. I don't agree with everything he says in the book, but he lays both sides of hot button issues, allowing us to use the mind God gave us to draw our own conclusions...talk about it civilly, and come together as one united church in the end...great stuff).
Allies and Enemies by can't remember
A cold war novel about Lex Luthor teaming with Russians and Batman and Superman coming together to save the day...how sweet is that??
Summer has been magnificent. Working at the USF chemistry lab doing some research on polymers and such...not too challenging. Continuing my quest for medical school...got a 29S on the MCAT...pretty good...we will see how God works it all out. Golfing, hanging out with friends...living the dream.
One reflection I have about summer is how incredibly easy it can be to become distracted from God. Isn't it funny how during the year we make the excuse we are too busy to be with God, but when all of the homework and tests are done...we make new excuses. Bottom line...it is hard in our world to stay focused on having a relationship with Jesus. However, I am trying to make it a goal to commit my mind and heart to scripture meditation each and every day. Some days I am better about it than others but I continue forth no matter what.
I am astonished at how out of character I get when I don't spend time with God. Angry temper outbursts come out more often when I am lackadasial in my approach to Jesus. It really should go to show me the power of having God close. It is my hope that as I grow closer to him, He will give me greater self control over the negative feelings I can have from time to time.
More continuing amazement at the incredible ignorance of some people to politics and faith. "Good Christians are Conservative Republicans", says a guy (who we will call Percy)....how ridiculous...I could write a whole entry about my feelings about such statements, but will save it for another time (lunch break is only for a bit ya know?).
Read list:
Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White by Adam Hamilton
(a must read for any Christian who considers themselves politically minded...or wants to chime in intelligently on a political issue. I don't agree with everything he says in the book, but he lays both sides of hot button issues, allowing us to use the mind God gave us to draw our own conclusions...talk about it civilly, and come together as one united church in the end...great stuff).
Allies and Enemies by can't remember
A cold war novel about Lex Luthor teaming with Russians and Batman and Superman coming together to save the day...how sweet is that??
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Not the one I want!!
So, It's been awhile since I blogged on here. To be honest, school has been roasting me lately. I'm doing alright but I seem to have a mongo test every other day. Officially...I am burnt out. At least there are only like 2 and half weeks left to go. Here's hoping they go well and quickly!!
I decided to start reading some Old Testament lately. I was doing some thinking and realized that most of my devotion time is always spent in the New Testament. I think it is soo good to read about Christ and how He kicked it with his disciples. Solid stuff. However, I think it is dangerous to forget there is another part of the Bible. So...I decided to randomly pick a book and I picked Jeremiah.
I am on chapter nine right now, but a couple of my favorite parts to date. I love the first chapter. God gives Jeremiah encouragement and lays the call on his life. "Today I appoint you to stand up against nations and kingdoms" ...Jeremiah 1:10. What a daunting calling. Yet, it is my belief that this is our calling as Christians. Now, I don't think this means everyone is meant to go overseas, stage a coup and reak havoc....haha...I think it means that we are supposed to take on everything in our world to bring it closer to God. May every knee bow before him. In order for this to happen, we need people who are willing to stand up to nations and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. The way I see it (got this from John Piper's book)...you are either a goer...a sender...or you are just disobedient.
Perhaps the heaviest hiting passage I've read so far...(there are plenty...apparently Israel had some issues with following God :P ) comes in Jeremiah 6: 16-17. Here God calls Israel back to the godly path. He goes so far as to say..."you will find rest for your souls". Israel's response..."No!, that's not the road I want!". Think about this....the creator of the universe is offering peace and comfort for your soul if you follow him and you say no, not for me. Seems silly when you sit back and think about it.
However, how often do I do that myself?? Almost daily! Often I find it easy to ignore God and try to do things MY way. His way is not the one I want some days. How foolish of me! His way leads to true comfort, mine usually leads to frustration and dissapointment. Lately, I've really been praying that God give me the desire and the humbleness to trust Him at all times. With all the nervousness I have regarding what will happen with medical school, it is vital that I put all my trust in Him. Here's hoping it goes well!
Yeah, I officially enjoy watching the hypocrisy of the media. I watched a special last night where they completely ravaged President Obama's speaking ability...their argument...they showed bloopers he has had in press conferences. President Bush was so often ridiculed for his speeches. Fox News finds this ridiculous...Obama is worse than Bush and yet no one makes fun of him.
Here's what makes me smile. Back when everyone was making fun of Bush....conservatives cried out against the liberals making fun of his speech. Now that the tables are turned they are doing the same things! Don't get me wrong both sides are ridiculously hypocritical in the media, but this made me smile.
For the record...if I had to give a speech everyday of my life I probably would sound like a doofus too!
Take care friends!
I decided to start reading some Old Testament lately. I was doing some thinking and realized that most of my devotion time is always spent in the New Testament. I think it is soo good to read about Christ and how He kicked it with his disciples. Solid stuff. However, I think it is dangerous to forget there is another part of the Bible. So...I decided to randomly pick a book and I picked Jeremiah.
I am on chapter nine right now, but a couple of my favorite parts to date. I love the first chapter. God gives Jeremiah encouragement and lays the call on his life. "Today I appoint you to stand up against nations and kingdoms" ...Jeremiah 1:10. What a daunting calling. Yet, it is my belief that this is our calling as Christians. Now, I don't think this means everyone is meant to go overseas, stage a coup and reak havoc....haha...I think it means that we are supposed to take on everything in our world to bring it closer to God. May every knee bow before him. In order for this to happen, we need people who are willing to stand up to nations and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. The way I see it (got this from John Piper's book)...you are either a goer...a sender...or you are just disobedient.
Perhaps the heaviest hiting passage I've read so far...(there are plenty...apparently Israel had some issues with following God :P ) comes in Jeremiah 6: 16-17. Here God calls Israel back to the godly path. He goes so far as to say..."you will find rest for your souls". Israel's response..."No!, that's not the road I want!". Think about this....the creator of the universe is offering peace and comfort for your soul if you follow him and you say no, not for me. Seems silly when you sit back and think about it.
However, how often do I do that myself?? Almost daily! Often I find it easy to ignore God and try to do things MY way. His way is not the one I want some days. How foolish of me! His way leads to true comfort, mine usually leads to frustration and dissapointment. Lately, I've really been praying that God give me the desire and the humbleness to trust Him at all times. With all the nervousness I have regarding what will happen with medical school, it is vital that I put all my trust in Him. Here's hoping it goes well!
Yeah, I officially enjoy watching the hypocrisy of the media. I watched a special last night where they completely ravaged President Obama's speaking ability...their argument...they showed bloopers he has had in press conferences. President Bush was so often ridiculed for his speeches. Fox News finds this ridiculous...Obama is worse than Bush and yet no one makes fun of him.
Here's what makes me smile. Back when everyone was making fun of Bush....conservatives cried out against the liberals making fun of his speech. Now that the tables are turned they are doing the same things! Don't get me wrong both sides are ridiculously hypocritical in the media, but this made me smile.
For the record...if I had to give a speech everyday of my life I probably would sound like a doofus too!
Take care friends!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
On Faith and Service...
I sit here tonight with a mongo Organic Chemistry test tomorrow and the MCAT looming for Saturday, but I really feel like writing some of my thoughts down tonight.
I was reading in Luke 17 today. Christ offers some instructive words for his disciples about forgiveness and faith. I love how Jesus doesn't hold restraint when he talks. There is no sugar coating his message. How terrible life will be for those who tempt others to sin and fall away from God. He says that if a believer sins, make sure to rebuke him and if he repents, FORGIVE him. I struggle mightily with this. It can be so easy for me to hold onto grudges. It is something I pray frequently about. This passage really tells me the importance of forgiveness.
I love how the disciples ask Christ questions...I can picture in my mind the slight smile he would get across his face as they asked him questions such as "We need more faith; how do we get more of it?" These men were his best friends, what a great feeling it must have been for him to see their desire to learn more about what he was teaching. Here, Christ's answer says much about the power of faith. Faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. Think about that...the power that lies in faith in Jesus. While I have never moved mountains, I have seen Christ work miracles in people around me as well as in my own life. Praise Him!
The last part of the first section of chapter 17 is my favorite. Christ talks about being a servant. How often do we do good things for people without thanks. Doesn't it bother you? Sometimes it really ticks me off that people don't acknowledge all of the work and sacrifice I've made to help them out. Christ uses the example of a servant preparing a meal for his master, he does it everyday without thanks. He is not thanked because he is doing what he is supposed to be doing. Christ then ends this section with this, "In the same way, when you obey me you should say, "We are not worthy of praise. We are servants who have simply done our duty." I think this is the attitude we need to adopt as Christians. Thanked or not, we must serve others (as Christ himself commands us to) and most of all praise and glorify Christ's cross. It is what we were made for, it is what we as believers and followers of Jesus are "supposed" to do.
The rest of the chapter accounts Christ healing some lepers and talking about the Kingdom of God...great stuff...check it out in Luke 17 :)
Today around our wonderful nation many people held Boston Tea Party-like demonstrations. While I totally respect their right to assemble, I find their cause somewhat silly. Don't get me wrong, I find it of the utmost importance to promote wise spending. However, I am not sure I understand the purpose of protesting taxes. First, who likes taxes?? Nobody, but we realize that for our government to run and provide assistance and services to us we need money. It has got to come from somewhere. Now, I'm sure some people could completely grill me on this, but I believe that is silly. Oh, and I read in the paper that our economy is starting to show some signs of life...housing markets are picking up in major cities (ex: Minneapolis), unemployment rates are going down...maybe the evil atrocities (*rolls eyes*) our President is committing by pledging our tax money to stimulus packages is actually working? Whoa! Anyways...if you did go to the Tea Party, I have no qualms with you, in fact, I support your desire to become involved in what is going on in our nation. All I ask is that you bring me your unwanted tea bag...I love tea :)
Anyways, enough politics...I hope the words of Christ resonate above any political rhetoric. It is He, that we can find life in. Praise Him!
I was reading in Luke 17 today. Christ offers some instructive words for his disciples about forgiveness and faith. I love how Jesus doesn't hold restraint when he talks. There is no sugar coating his message. How terrible life will be for those who tempt others to sin and fall away from God. He says that if a believer sins, make sure to rebuke him and if he repents, FORGIVE him. I struggle mightily with this. It can be so easy for me to hold onto grudges. It is something I pray frequently about. This passage really tells me the importance of forgiveness.
I love how the disciples ask Christ questions...I can picture in my mind the slight smile he would get across his face as they asked him questions such as "We need more faith; how do we get more of it?" These men were his best friends, what a great feeling it must have been for him to see their desire to learn more about what he was teaching. Here, Christ's answer says much about the power of faith. Faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. Think about that...the power that lies in faith in Jesus. While I have never moved mountains, I have seen Christ work miracles in people around me as well as in my own life. Praise Him!
The last part of the first section of chapter 17 is my favorite. Christ talks about being a servant. How often do we do good things for people without thanks. Doesn't it bother you? Sometimes it really ticks me off that people don't acknowledge all of the work and sacrifice I've made to help them out. Christ uses the example of a servant preparing a meal for his master, he does it everyday without thanks. He is not thanked because he is doing what he is supposed to be doing. Christ then ends this section with this, "In the same way, when you obey me you should say, "We are not worthy of praise. We are servants who have simply done our duty." I think this is the attitude we need to adopt as Christians. Thanked or not, we must serve others (as Christ himself commands us to) and most of all praise and glorify Christ's cross. It is what we were made for, it is what we as believers and followers of Jesus are "supposed" to do.
The rest of the chapter accounts Christ healing some lepers and talking about the Kingdom of God...great stuff...check it out in Luke 17 :)
Today around our wonderful nation many people held Boston Tea Party-like demonstrations. While I totally respect their right to assemble, I find their cause somewhat silly. Don't get me wrong, I find it of the utmost importance to promote wise spending. However, I am not sure I understand the purpose of protesting taxes. First, who likes taxes?? Nobody, but we realize that for our government to run and provide assistance and services to us we need money. It has got to come from somewhere. Now, I'm sure some people could completely grill me on this, but I believe that is silly. Oh, and I read in the paper that our economy is starting to show some signs of life...housing markets are picking up in major cities (ex: Minneapolis), unemployment rates are going down...maybe the evil atrocities (*rolls eyes*) our President is committing by pledging our tax money to stimulus packages is actually working? Whoa! Anyways...if you did go to the Tea Party, I have no qualms with you, in fact, I support your desire to become involved in what is going on in our nation. All I ask is that you bring me your unwanted tea bag...I love tea :)
Anyways, enough politics...I hope the words of Christ resonate above any political rhetoric. It is He, that we can find life in. Praise Him!
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