Luke 1:35
Jesus was born of the Spirit.
Luke 3:22
Jesus was baptized by the Spirit.
Luke 4:1
Jesus was filled and led by the Spirit.
Acts 10:38
Jesus did miracles through the Spirit.
Hebrews 9:14
Jesus offered himself to death through the Spirit.
Romans 8:11
Jesus rose from the dead by the Spirit.
......
Click here to revisit Chapter 255.
Showing posts with label Hebrews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hebrews. Show all posts
September 12, 2010
August 26, 2010
Ch. 738 - Radiance
'The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.'
[Hebrews 1:3]
What a majestic and powerful God I know.
I feel so overwhelmed right now... but in a good way.
I am also very content. At peace. What a wonderful place to be.
Hmmm... thankful that my Lord God holds my life in His hands.
Pure and simple.
......
Click here to revisit Chapter 214.
[Hebrews 1:3]
What a majestic and powerful God I know.
I feel so overwhelmed right now... but in a good way.
I am also very content. At peace. What a wonderful place to be.
Hmmm... thankful that my Lord God holds my life in His hands.
Pure and simple.
......
Click here to revisit Chapter 214.
April 28, 2010
Ch. 699 - Anchor For the Soul
'We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.'
[Hebrews 6:19-20]
Unlike high priests of the past, who could only enter God’s presence occasionally, Jesus entered into heaven and is continually in His presence. Jesus only had to offer His sacrifice once, gaining eternal redemption for all who come to God through Him. His sacrifice and selection as High Priest has displaced all ways of the Law. Jesus is now the intercessor for God’s people, for His blood has covered their sins. Praise and thankfulness is due to this great High Priest. Oh, how blessed I am!
[Hebrews 6:19-20]
Unlike high priests of the past, who could only enter God’s presence occasionally, Jesus entered into heaven and is continually in His presence. Jesus only had to offer His sacrifice once, gaining eternal redemption for all who come to God through Him. His sacrifice and selection as High Priest has displaced all ways of the Law. Jesus is now the intercessor for God’s people, for His blood has covered their sins. Praise and thankfulness is due to this great High Priest. Oh, how blessed I am!
December 3, 2008
Ch. 264 - A Slow Walk
So here's the story behind this post. It's actually 2:44 in the afternoon on Thursday. This post is actually a paper I wrote between midnight:30 and 3:00 this morning, and then later between 10:00 and 11:45... ummm, yeah. Anyway. It was an assignment for one of my classes. It's supposedly a spiritual growth plan. Whatever. But I missed yesterday's post ("today") and have nothing on my heart or mind right now - and had no clue what to write about - so I thought I'd post it. I figured it has to do with my faith and my walk with God, technically, so it works. It's a bit long, I wouldn't blame you for not reading it. Just thought I'd give you a heads up now.
......
'Psalm 25:4-7 [NIV] says, ‘Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Remember, O Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O Lord.’
I feel that this psalm – and more specifically the section of verses above – describes where I am in my walk with God. I want to be taught by Him. I want to be guided by Him. I want to be loved by Him. I want to be forgiven by Him. At times it can be easy to forget that you need all of these things, especially from God. You need to learn. You need to be guided, loved, and forgiven. Because I want and need all of these things, I believe God has brought me to the path I am on. I am where I am for at least one reason, and whether I learn of this reason in five days or five years does not matter. I personally believe it is the here and now that matters. I think God knows that there is something I am searching for in the place where I am, and that is why He has brought me to where I am today. I am constantly seeking something – half the time I do not even know what – and throughout my life He has constantly provided me with the answers I have been looking for. I have not always walked down the straight and narrow path in regards to my faith. I have climbed mountains, I have dug myself into dark trenches. I have walked extremely close with God one day and veered completely off the edge of the map the next. Throughout my trials and accomplishments, sorrows and pleasures, I have made mistakes and learned from them. God is teaching me that I am not perfect. God is teaching me that without Him, I am nothing. And I think that is why He has brought me along the path that I have traveled thus far.
Because of this personal belief, I have come to grow in my faith in more than one way. For example, I have realized how truly wonderful ‘an unhurried life’ is. Taking the time to slow down has become an important aspect of my life. We do have a purpose on this earth and our lives are far too short to rush through everything; I think by rushing we are not able to fully comprehend our purpose and enjoy our fulfillment of what we are meant to do. But even until God reveals that purpose, I think it is important to not rush. God created this earth for our enjoyment, not mere disposal. In my opinion, ‘Take time to smell the roses’ could be, by far, one of the wisest sayings known to mankind. I have also grown through the realization that there is joy and beauty in every situation imaginable. I have lived a fortunate life. I mean, I have never been affected by disease. I have never had to deal with trauma. I have never lived in poverty. I have never been stricken with depression. Sure, I have experienced my share of sadness, frustration, anger… but I have never had to deal with utter tragedy. This is something I am thankful for. Even so, I am curious as to how I would respond to situations where there seems to be no happiness, peace, or joy. I think that God has recently been teaching me how to live with just that – joy. Life is full of those ‘dee dah day’ moments. God gives us gifts daily. It is just a matter of learning how to look for them, grasping them, and fully using them to see God’s own joy and beauty.
Even though I am growing in my faith and am developing what spiritual strengths I do have, there are ways I am completely adverse in regards to growing further and developing those strengths. I believe the first and foremost reason for God putting me on this earth is to wholly worship Him with love, devotion, and dedication. Deuteronomy 6:5 [NIV] says, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength,’ and John 4:23-24 [NIV] says, ‘“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”’ I believe that worship is not merely singing praise to God during church or youth group or chapel services at school. Worship is living your life for God, giving Him everything of yourself, every minute of every day. Yet do I truly live that way? No. As difficult as that may be to admit, it is the truth. It is not that I simply do not focus on Him enough, but it is also that I have turned away from Him entirely before – and more than once. There have been times when I rejected His love, and certainly did not give Him any in return. If that is not falling short of God’s design for me, I do not know what is. I also have not put as much trust in God as I could have. I do not think that I ever tried to put my full trust in Him until this past year, to be honest. I am not a fan of putting my trust in the unseen, the unknown. I like to plan. I like to know what is going to happen. When you put your trust in God, I think you are taking a step towards admitting that you are alright with not knowing what is going to happen. By putting your trust in God, you can be more firm in your beliefs and the faith that you have in Him. I have tried to do things my way, on my time, by my plans for such a long time. This is an absolute weakness and I am constantly striving to place it at the foot of the cross. I trust God. Unfortunately, saying you trust God and completely following through with having trust in Him are two entirely different things. Yet I know that He cares about me enough to have patience with me (ah yes, patience: something I feel I will always be continuing to learn).
I believe it is difficult to place my faith or my walk with God on a scale. Life is constant, but not consistent. It changes with you day-to-day. However, in general, I suppose I would be able to place myself at a five. I know I am always going to have room to grow, no matter where I come to be in life. Certain aspects of my spiritual life are better than others. For example, I would place myself at a nine in regards to prayer, but I would place myself at a four in regards to Scripture reflection or meditation. In four to five years I hope to be at a seven. I want to take things slowly, so that I can absorb as much as possible and get the most out of my relationship with God. I want to be on a slow walk with God.
Of course, there will always be things that hinder our relationship with God. Culture – especially Western culture – is not always very friendly to the believer who is trying to grow spiritually. There are distractions galore in the media, at work, at school, and at home. They come in many forms, such as people, material possessions, success complexes, health problems, violence, and so much more. We are a busy people. We are an independent people. I know that these represent two of my bigger obstacles that I face. Sometimes I always feel like I am going, going, going and that I live in an over-extended lifestyle. However, this is because of choices I have made; I can also choose to move toward the opposite of an over-extended lifestyle. I can choose a life with balance. I believe balance is a key component to healthy spiritual growth. I have to give priority to the important things in life. As of now, those things include God, my family, my health, and my education. Sure, friends are important. Service is, too, as is working. However, if I cannot even focus on my relationship with God, who created me and allows me to even have education, friends, and the ability to serve and work, how can I have all things in my life in order, regardless of priority? Not giving God enough time – and thinking too independently, believing I can do everything on my own – is a large obstacle that I am always striving to overcome.
Fortunately, I am slowly learning how to take larger bounds over these obstacles and by equipping myself with knowledge, as well as practicing spiritual disciplines, I believe I can make a lot of significant progression towards growing in my faith. I think that the righteousness and spiritual growth of mature Christians is not a result of their age or the number of years they have been Christian. I believe it is a result of practicing their disciplines. The willingness to do exactly that is an advantage for spiritual growth, in my opinion. Another advantage would include the fact that I am living in a time and place where I am surrounded by fellow believers. I am not persecuted for my faith in Jesus Christ. I am not cursed or shunned for my beliefs and morals. If I need help with anything, I have people I am able to turn to. I can ask them advice. I can ask them for prayer. I have opportunities to create support systems. Even though I think that we should turn to God with everything first, God does speak through people. We have also been put on this earth to encourage, edify, and grow with one another.
I think that growth can be spurred by many things. We have to want to grow, though. Once we have decided that we do want to grow spiritually, we can then take steps toward doing so. Personally, I know I need to be willing to open up to people more. There are often times when I want to talk about God and my faith, and complain that nobody is willing to be vulnerable. Yet when God presents opportunities to do so by placing people in my life who also want to talk about God and faith, I do not recognize the fact until later – or worse, I simply let the opportunities pass me by if I do recognize it. I also need to nurture growth with God’s Word. I have been working on this a lot lately, but I do not think that we can ever read enough. When I read the promises of God over and over, it helps me remember that He is at work, even when I cannot see Him at work. Hebrews 11:1 [NASB] says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” I also need to cooperate with God as He works, giving Him praise for what He is doing in my life. Pruning and cutting off may be difficult to deal with and it may hurt at times, but it is for the best. It helps us grow efficiently and produce greater amounts of fruit. And with this fruit we can reach out to people and help them grow. The fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23 are as follows: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I need to be praying for said fruit consistently in order to grow effectively.
All things said and done, I have a lot of growing to do – and I am glad.
Romans 12:1-2 [NIV] says, ‘Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will.’ If, by the time I leave this world, I learn how to grow spiritually in such a way that allows me to live the way Romans 12:1-2 describes, I will most likely consider my life well-lived. I want to be able to use what I have learned and what I know I will learn while growing spiritually to help others in the future. Whether I’m a missionary in the Middle East, a youth pastor in Salt Lake City, Utah, or a stay-at-home mom in goodness knows where, I hope to be able to guide others in developing their spiritual disciplines and growing in their faith.'
......
'Psalm 25:4-7 [NIV] says, ‘Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Remember, O Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O Lord.’
I feel that this psalm – and more specifically the section of verses above – describes where I am in my walk with God. I want to be taught by Him. I want to be guided by Him. I want to be loved by Him. I want to be forgiven by Him. At times it can be easy to forget that you need all of these things, especially from God. You need to learn. You need to be guided, loved, and forgiven. Because I want and need all of these things, I believe God has brought me to the path I am on. I am where I am for at least one reason, and whether I learn of this reason in five days or five years does not matter. I personally believe it is the here and now that matters. I think God knows that there is something I am searching for in the place where I am, and that is why He has brought me to where I am today. I am constantly seeking something – half the time I do not even know what – and throughout my life He has constantly provided me with the answers I have been looking for. I have not always walked down the straight and narrow path in regards to my faith. I have climbed mountains, I have dug myself into dark trenches. I have walked extremely close with God one day and veered completely off the edge of the map the next. Throughout my trials and accomplishments, sorrows and pleasures, I have made mistakes and learned from them. God is teaching me that I am not perfect. God is teaching me that without Him, I am nothing. And I think that is why He has brought me along the path that I have traveled thus far.
Because of this personal belief, I have come to grow in my faith in more than one way. For example, I have realized how truly wonderful ‘an unhurried life’ is. Taking the time to slow down has become an important aspect of my life. We do have a purpose on this earth and our lives are far too short to rush through everything; I think by rushing we are not able to fully comprehend our purpose and enjoy our fulfillment of what we are meant to do. But even until God reveals that purpose, I think it is important to not rush. God created this earth for our enjoyment, not mere disposal. In my opinion, ‘Take time to smell the roses’ could be, by far, one of the wisest sayings known to mankind. I have also grown through the realization that there is joy and beauty in every situation imaginable. I have lived a fortunate life. I mean, I have never been affected by disease. I have never had to deal with trauma. I have never lived in poverty. I have never been stricken with depression. Sure, I have experienced my share of sadness, frustration, anger… but I have never had to deal with utter tragedy. This is something I am thankful for. Even so, I am curious as to how I would respond to situations where there seems to be no happiness, peace, or joy. I think that God has recently been teaching me how to live with just that – joy. Life is full of those ‘dee dah day’ moments. God gives us gifts daily. It is just a matter of learning how to look for them, grasping them, and fully using them to see God’s own joy and beauty.
Even though I am growing in my faith and am developing what spiritual strengths I do have, there are ways I am completely adverse in regards to growing further and developing those strengths. I believe the first and foremost reason for God putting me on this earth is to wholly worship Him with love, devotion, and dedication. Deuteronomy 6:5 [NIV] says, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength,’ and John 4:23-24 [NIV] says, ‘“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”’ I believe that worship is not merely singing praise to God during church or youth group or chapel services at school. Worship is living your life for God, giving Him everything of yourself, every minute of every day. Yet do I truly live that way? No. As difficult as that may be to admit, it is the truth. It is not that I simply do not focus on Him enough, but it is also that I have turned away from Him entirely before – and more than once. There have been times when I rejected His love, and certainly did not give Him any in return. If that is not falling short of God’s design for me, I do not know what is. I also have not put as much trust in God as I could have. I do not think that I ever tried to put my full trust in Him until this past year, to be honest. I am not a fan of putting my trust in the unseen, the unknown. I like to plan. I like to know what is going to happen. When you put your trust in God, I think you are taking a step towards admitting that you are alright with not knowing what is going to happen. By putting your trust in God, you can be more firm in your beliefs and the faith that you have in Him. I have tried to do things my way, on my time, by my plans for such a long time. This is an absolute weakness and I am constantly striving to place it at the foot of the cross. I trust God. Unfortunately, saying you trust God and completely following through with having trust in Him are two entirely different things. Yet I know that He cares about me enough to have patience with me (ah yes, patience: something I feel I will always be continuing to learn).
I believe it is difficult to place my faith or my walk with God on a scale. Life is constant, but not consistent. It changes with you day-to-day. However, in general, I suppose I would be able to place myself at a five. I know I am always going to have room to grow, no matter where I come to be in life. Certain aspects of my spiritual life are better than others. For example, I would place myself at a nine in regards to prayer, but I would place myself at a four in regards to Scripture reflection or meditation. In four to five years I hope to be at a seven. I want to take things slowly, so that I can absorb as much as possible and get the most out of my relationship with God. I want to be on a slow walk with God.
Of course, there will always be things that hinder our relationship with God. Culture – especially Western culture – is not always very friendly to the believer who is trying to grow spiritually. There are distractions galore in the media, at work, at school, and at home. They come in many forms, such as people, material possessions, success complexes, health problems, violence, and so much more. We are a busy people. We are an independent people. I know that these represent two of my bigger obstacles that I face. Sometimes I always feel like I am going, going, going and that I live in an over-extended lifestyle. However, this is because of choices I have made; I can also choose to move toward the opposite of an over-extended lifestyle. I can choose a life with balance. I believe balance is a key component to healthy spiritual growth. I have to give priority to the important things in life. As of now, those things include God, my family, my health, and my education. Sure, friends are important. Service is, too, as is working. However, if I cannot even focus on my relationship with God, who created me and allows me to even have education, friends, and the ability to serve and work, how can I have all things in my life in order, regardless of priority? Not giving God enough time – and thinking too independently, believing I can do everything on my own – is a large obstacle that I am always striving to overcome.
Fortunately, I am slowly learning how to take larger bounds over these obstacles and by equipping myself with knowledge, as well as practicing spiritual disciplines, I believe I can make a lot of significant progression towards growing in my faith. I think that the righteousness and spiritual growth of mature Christians is not a result of their age or the number of years they have been Christian. I believe it is a result of practicing their disciplines. The willingness to do exactly that is an advantage for spiritual growth, in my opinion. Another advantage would include the fact that I am living in a time and place where I am surrounded by fellow believers. I am not persecuted for my faith in Jesus Christ. I am not cursed or shunned for my beliefs and morals. If I need help with anything, I have people I am able to turn to. I can ask them advice. I can ask them for prayer. I have opportunities to create support systems. Even though I think that we should turn to God with everything first, God does speak through people. We have also been put on this earth to encourage, edify, and grow with one another.
I think that growth can be spurred by many things. We have to want to grow, though. Once we have decided that we do want to grow spiritually, we can then take steps toward doing so. Personally, I know I need to be willing to open up to people more. There are often times when I want to talk about God and my faith, and complain that nobody is willing to be vulnerable. Yet when God presents opportunities to do so by placing people in my life who also want to talk about God and faith, I do not recognize the fact until later – or worse, I simply let the opportunities pass me by if I do recognize it. I also need to nurture growth with God’s Word. I have been working on this a lot lately, but I do not think that we can ever read enough. When I read the promises of God over and over, it helps me remember that He is at work, even when I cannot see Him at work. Hebrews 11:1 [NASB] says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” I also need to cooperate with God as He works, giving Him praise for what He is doing in my life. Pruning and cutting off may be difficult to deal with and it may hurt at times, but it is for the best. It helps us grow efficiently and produce greater amounts of fruit. And with this fruit we can reach out to people and help them grow. The fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23 are as follows: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I need to be praying for said fruit consistently in order to grow effectively.
All things said and done, I have a lot of growing to do – and I am glad.
Romans 12:1-2 [NIV] says, ‘Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will.’ If, by the time I leave this world, I learn how to grow spiritually in such a way that allows me to live the way Romans 12:1-2 describes, I will most likely consider my life well-lived. I want to be able to use what I have learned and what I know I will learn while growing spiritually to help others in the future. Whether I’m a missionary in the Middle East, a youth pastor in Salt Lake City, Utah, or a stay-at-home mom in goodness knows where, I hope to be able to guide others in developing their spiritual disciplines and growing in their faith.'
November 21, 2008
Ch. 252 - Wake UP!
Sometimes, I just never learn.
So when I find myself finally getting that slap in the face from God... I don't get too upset. Because I know I deserve it.
And because He knows what's best for me.
And because sometimes it takes something extreme to make me change my ways.
But man, those slaps in the face hurt pretty bad, let me tell you.
'... but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful... '
[Hebrews 12:10-11]
So when I find myself finally getting that slap in the face from God... I don't get too upset. Because I know I deserve it.
And because He knows what's best for me.
And because sometimes it takes something extreme to make me change my ways.
But man, those slaps in the face hurt pretty bad, let me tell you.
'... but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful... '
[Hebrews 12:10-11]
November 16, 2008
Ch. 247 - A Nightmare of a Question
For the past six months I have been haunted by a question that always ends up floating to the front of my mind at least once before the end of the day. There are maybe three or four people who know what this question pertains to - and that's actually far too many, in my opinion. Thus, please forgive me for not posing said question at this point in time.
I was talking with a friend about it tonight. I was surprised to learn that the subject matter is something he struggles with, too. I found it interesting that in the sense of Christian conventionalism, we both have a very similar view regarding salvation.
I think God puts people such as my friend in our lives to let us know that we are not, in fact, alone in our trials and tribulations. It's nice to have a physical being to turn to... to get that immediate feedback when we need someone to listen and want that audible input.
Now, don't get me wrong. I know we can always talk to God and put our absolute trust in Him. We need to rely on Him. But it really is great to have that support in friends and family while we are here on earth.
I thank God for all the blessings He has bestowed upon me, especially within the last year. It has been a year and one month since God has truly turned my life upside-down and started to change my heart. I have so much to be grateful for. And I wouldn't want it any other way. Everything is connected. I wouldn't be here at Central Christian College of the Bible if it weren't for what happened last year out in Utah... but I also wouldn't be bothered daily by this daunting question if it weren't for what happened last year out in Utah... However, I keep my faith in God and try my best not to worry, because I am able to find strength and joy in Him and thus persevere daily. And I worship Him with my life because of what He and His Son have done for me.
'Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess his name.'
[Hebrews 13:15]
I was talking with a friend about it tonight. I was surprised to learn that the subject matter is something he struggles with, too. I found it interesting that in the sense of Christian conventionalism, we both have a very similar view regarding salvation.
I think God puts people such as my friend in our lives to let us know that we are not, in fact, alone in our trials and tribulations. It's nice to have a physical being to turn to... to get that immediate feedback when we need someone to listen and want that audible input.
Now, don't get me wrong. I know we can always talk to God and put our absolute trust in Him. We need to rely on Him. But it really is great to have that support in friends and family while we are here on earth.
I thank God for all the blessings He has bestowed upon me, especially within the last year. It has been a year and one month since God has truly turned my life upside-down and started to change my heart. I have so much to be grateful for. And I wouldn't want it any other way. Everything is connected. I wouldn't be here at Central Christian College of the Bible if it weren't for what happened last year out in Utah... but I also wouldn't be bothered daily by this daunting question if it weren't for what happened last year out in Utah... However, I keep my faith in God and try my best not to worry, because I am able to find strength and joy in Him and thus persevere daily. And I worship Him with my life because of what He and His Son have done for me.
'Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess his name.'
[Hebrews 13:15]
October 29, 2008
Ch. 234 - One Another
‘Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.’
[Hebrews 10:23-25, NASB]
Community.
Beautiful.
[Hebrews 10:23-25, NASB]
Community.
Beautiful.
October 5, 2008
Ch. 209 - Questions
As I'm working on opening my Bible more and more, I'm realizing that a lot of questions are coming up. I'm not going to list them out or anything, I just thought I'd bring it up for now. Maybe dive into one of these questions here or there. It's just that I've never really had a lot of questions come up as I've read. I've gone through chapters and books like it's nobody's business, but not given it a whole lot of thought. I mean, I could go through the entire Bible, word for word, in a week if I wanted to. I'd comprehend what I'm reading really well, but at the same time probably not get a whole lot out of it, you know? But now I'm really wanting to completely understand the word of God and use it as a guide and resource, not just as a book to read for Bible study or to be a good little Christian.
So here we go...
'For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.'
[Hebrews 4:12]
So here we go...
'For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.'
[Hebrews 4:12]
August 22, 2008
Ch. 170 - Giving Your All
I attended chapel for the first time here at Central today. Chapel is held twice a week for an hour and it's mandatory. They have attendance and everything. However, after going to chapel today, I have to wonder why you would ever want to skip out or be somewhere else. The reasons are completely beyond me.
We sang worship songs and it was a beautiful experience to hear over four hundred young voices singing praise to God. I've never been part of something like that. Even on mission trips, the most people we had gathered at one time was maybe one hundred and fifty or so. My home church's congregation is pretty large, but during the traditional service (the most attended service), the experience of singing (whether it's contemporary praise or traditional hymns is irrelevant) and praising God by doing so is completely different. The atmosphere is not the same. The energy isn't quite there like it was this morning at chapel. It's not vibrant.
Does that make it any less acceptable?
No.
Does that make it any less affective?
No.
God doesn't care about the how, the when, or the where. And that's what makes true worship so attractive. I've learned this past year that worship is not going to church. Worship is not singing praise songs. Those are aspects of worship. Worship is living your life for God. Giving everything you've got to Him - all day, every day. Don't get me wrong, going to church and singing praise songs is seriously an awesome thing to do, if it so appeals to you and you enjoy participating in those acts of worship. Some say they are not necessary on your walk with Christ, others would disagree.
But it all comes down to loving God above all else and giving Him your heart. That's what truly matters.
Chapel is definitely a bonus, though.
'Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess his name.'
[Hebrews 13:15]
We sang worship songs and it was a beautiful experience to hear over four hundred young voices singing praise to God. I've never been part of something like that. Even on mission trips, the most people we had gathered at one time was maybe one hundred and fifty or so. My home church's congregation is pretty large, but during the traditional service (the most attended service), the experience of singing (whether it's contemporary praise or traditional hymns is irrelevant) and praising God by doing so is completely different. The atmosphere is not the same. The energy isn't quite there like it was this morning at chapel. It's not vibrant.
Does that make it any less acceptable?
No.
Does that make it any less affective?
No.
God doesn't care about the how, the when, or the where. And that's what makes true worship so attractive. I've learned this past year that worship is not going to church. Worship is not singing praise songs. Those are aspects of worship. Worship is living your life for God. Giving everything you've got to Him - all day, every day. Don't get me wrong, going to church and singing praise songs is seriously an awesome thing to do, if it so appeals to you and you enjoy participating in those acts of worship. Some say they are not necessary on your walk with Christ, others would disagree.
But it all comes down to loving God above all else and giving Him your heart. That's what truly matters.
Chapel is definitely a bonus, though.
'Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess his name.'
[Hebrews 13:15]
July 30, 2008
Ch. 147 - Jesus Has Your Back
This was today's devotional. It was really encouraging for me and I wanted to share it.
Jesus Prays for You
' "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message..." '
[John 17:20]
During the Last Supper, Jesus prayed for himself and then he prayed for the disciples. And then, with the hour of his death approaching, he took time to pray for you. He prayed for all those who would believe through the ministry of the disciples, and that means you.
This is what he told God:
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world."
[John 17:20-24]
Jesus prays for you still.
"Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them."
[Hebrews 7:25]
Jesus wants you with him.
"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory..."
[John 17:24]
Jesus Prays for You
' "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message..." '
[John 17:20]
During the Last Supper, Jesus prayed for himself and then he prayed for the disciples. And then, with the hour of his death approaching, he took time to pray for you. He prayed for all those who would believe through the ministry of the disciples, and that means you.
This is what he told God:
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world."
[John 17:20-24]
Jesus prays for you still.
"Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them."
[Hebrews 7:25]
Jesus wants you with him.
"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory..."
[John 17:24]
June 17, 2008
Ch. 104 - Peace and Unity
'How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!'
[Psalm 133:1]
'Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.'
[Hebrews 12:14]
7. May 2010 Edit:
I appreciate these verses more when they are put together. I have come to gain the personal view that there cannot be true unity without peace. But I do think that you can have peace without unity. Which really is a shame, because disunity can do so much harm to a person or people, a place, an idea or dream... But God wants each of these things for us. He could make them happen in an instant, if He truly so desired. But what good would that do us? Would we learn anything? That is, other than our God is mighty and entirely reigns over us... ? I simply don't think that we would truly appreciate being in peace and unity, because we would not have entirely worked for it ourselves. Granted, God would help us along the way, but by just restructuring everything in an instant to attain these things would not be completely wonderful.
[Psalm 133:1]
'Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.'
[Hebrews 12:14]
7. May 2010 Edit:
I appreciate these verses more when they are put together. I have come to gain the personal view that there cannot be true unity without peace. But I do think that you can have peace without unity. Which really is a shame, because disunity can do so much harm to a person or people, a place, an idea or dream... But God wants each of these things for us. He could make them happen in an instant, if He truly so desired. But what good would that do us? Would we learn anything? That is, other than our God is mighty and entirely reigns over us... ? I simply don't think that we would truly appreciate being in peace and unity, because we would not have entirely worked for it ourselves. Granted, God would help us along the way, but by just restructuring everything in an instant to attain these things would not be completely wonderful.
May 27, 2008
Ch. 83 - Faith
"True faith is never found alone; it is accompanied by expectation."
- C.S. Lewis
A few months ago at Cru, we were given pieces of paper with quotes on them. There were five different quotes, and this is the first I'd like to focus on. I'm really glad that I kept these little slips of paper; I had pinned them up on my desk's bulletin board that night after Cru and they remained there even when I was walking away from Christ. When I was moving to the summer dorm I took them down and put them in my memory box. I just put them up on my board yesterday and I keep reading them again and again and again.
"True faith is never found alone; it is accompanied by expectation."
The first thing that comes to my mind when I read or say this is a verse from Hebrews:
'Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.'
[Hebrews 11:1, NASB]
The first time I had truly heard and read this verse was a couple years ago. Our head pastor, Harlan, was giving the sermon and he had the congregation repeat this verse a good ten times throughout his sermon. He believes it to be one of those verses that we should all have memorized. And I agree.
Harlan used the NASB (New American Standard Bible) translation and I'm glad. It has a nice ring to it, you know? So this is the version that I have committed to memory. However, the NIV (New International Version) translation works better with the quote, I think:
'Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.'
[Hebrews 11:1, NIV]
Expectation is found alongside faith. We will set expectations from our God through our faith. We will expect God to do. To give. To love. To speak. To heal. To forgive. But is it all of a shallow faith? To have faith in a God whom we believe will do anything for us - going through the motions, expecting something from Him all the time. We have to expect things from God. If we want to be forgiven, we have to ask for it while thoroughly believing that He will forgive us. Otherwise what's the point of asking?
"Hey God. Umm... I kind of need you to forgive me for what I said yesterday. Yeah. You know what I'm talking about. I mean, you don't have to. And if you can't, that's ok. Like, it's no big deal, you know? But yeah. Sweet. Uhh, 'nJesusnameIprayAmen."
This is not the way to go about it. First of all, if you say that God doesn't have to, then why are you asking in the first place? Secondly, who are you to question whether God can do something? He can do anything! And He's done everything by giving us His Son. Even so, He doesn't expect anything from us but belief and love. Yet He still wants to share in our hopes and our failures and our dreams and our misfortunes and yes, our expectations. We can give it all to Him if we so desire.
If you have anything on your heart right now - whatever it may be - I challenge you to share it with God. Know - expect - that He is listening and that He cares.
'The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.'
[Proverb 11:23]
......
Ch. Eighty-Two, Part Two:
After I finished writing this post, I went to www.christnotes.com because all of a sudden it just came into my head; I hadn't visited this site for about two and a half months. I checked the Daily Bible Verse, and guess what it was?
Hebrews 11:1,3
I just laughed and laughed and laughed when I saw that.
[Verse 3 says: 'By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.']
- C.S. Lewis
A few months ago at Cru, we were given pieces of paper with quotes on them. There were five different quotes, and this is the first I'd like to focus on. I'm really glad that I kept these little slips of paper; I had pinned them up on my desk's bulletin board that night after Cru and they remained there even when I was walking away from Christ. When I was moving to the summer dorm I took them down and put them in my memory box. I just put them up on my board yesterday and I keep reading them again and again and again.
"True faith is never found alone; it is accompanied by expectation."
The first thing that comes to my mind when I read or say this is a verse from Hebrews:
'Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.'
[Hebrews 11:1, NASB]
The first time I had truly heard and read this verse was a couple years ago. Our head pastor, Harlan, was giving the sermon and he had the congregation repeat this verse a good ten times throughout his sermon. He believes it to be one of those verses that we should all have memorized. And I agree.
Harlan used the NASB (New American Standard Bible) translation and I'm glad. It has a nice ring to it, you know? So this is the version that I have committed to memory. However, the NIV (New International Version) translation works better with the quote, I think:
'Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.'
[Hebrews 11:1, NIV]
Expectation is found alongside faith. We will set expectations from our God through our faith. We will expect God to do. To give. To love. To speak. To heal. To forgive. But is it all of a shallow faith? To have faith in a God whom we believe will do anything for us - going through the motions, expecting something from Him all the time. We have to expect things from God. If we want to be forgiven, we have to ask for it while thoroughly believing that He will forgive us. Otherwise what's the point of asking?
"Hey God. Umm... I kind of need you to forgive me for what I said yesterday. Yeah. You know what I'm talking about. I mean, you don't have to. And if you can't, that's ok. Like, it's no big deal, you know? But yeah. Sweet. Uhh, 'nJesusnameIprayAmen."
This is not the way to go about it. First of all, if you say that God doesn't have to, then why are you asking in the first place? Secondly, who are you to question whether God can do something? He can do anything! And He's done everything by giving us His Son. Even so, He doesn't expect anything from us but belief and love. Yet He still wants to share in our hopes and our failures and our dreams and our misfortunes and yes, our expectations. We can give it all to Him if we so desire.
If you have anything on your heart right now - whatever it may be - I challenge you to share it with God. Know - expect - that He is listening and that He cares.
'The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.'
[Proverb 11:23]
......
Ch. Eighty-Two, Part Two:
After I finished writing this post, I went to www.christnotes.com because all of a sudden it just came into my head; I hadn't visited this site for about two and a half months. I checked the Daily Bible Verse, and guess what it was?
Hebrews 11:1,3
I just laughed and laughed and laughed when I saw that.
[Verse 3 says: 'By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.']
March 30, 2008
Ch. 75 - Again
I didn't go to The Mount tonight.
Again.
I'm sleeping, instead.
Horrible.
Absolutely, positively horrible.
'Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching.'
[Hebrews 10:25]
Again.
I'm sleeping, instead.
Horrible.
Absolutely, positively horrible.
'Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching.'
[Hebrews 10:25]
March 17, 2008
Ch. 62 - Drive Out Fear
I realized something today.
I am just like those kids in Matt's Sunday school class.
Here's a comparison for you.
Natalie:Ute-Nited as Youth:Sunday school
And honestly, any time that includes sharing my faith and beliefs can be substituted for Ute-Nited.
I always want to share. But do I? No.
It's been two and a half months since I've made the resolution to become more comfortable in sharing my faith with fellow believers and I am failing horribly in doing so.
What am I so afraid of?!
Sounding stupid?
I should be used to that.
Disagreement?
That is unavoidable.
I could go on for hours on certain topics; examples include:
Christianity versus Islam
The book of Revelation
Parable discussion
The idea of the Rapture
Spiritual gifts
But it's not like I'm going to sit down and say, "Okay, this is what we're talking about this time. No ifs, ands, or buts about it." I can't do that.
I really need to just step out of my comfort zone and force myself to speak up. Immerse myself in the Word. Pray.
I must say, though, that I thoroughly enjoy simply sitting and listening to what people say. I watch, I listen and I follow-up in my Bible. This is how I learn best, it seems.
'So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
[Hebrews 13:6]
I am just like those kids in Matt's Sunday school class.
Here's a comparison for you.
Natalie:Ute-Nited as Youth:Sunday school
And honestly, any time that includes sharing my faith and beliefs can be substituted for Ute-Nited.
I always want to share. But do I? No.
It's been two and a half months since I've made the resolution to become more comfortable in sharing my faith with fellow believers and I am failing horribly in doing so.
What am I so afraid of?!
Sounding stupid?
I should be used to that.
Disagreement?
That is unavoidable.
I could go on for hours on certain topics; examples include:
Christianity versus Islam
The book of Revelation
Parable discussion
The idea of the Rapture
Spiritual gifts
But it's not like I'm going to sit down and say, "Okay, this is what we're talking about this time. No ifs, ands, or buts about it." I can't do that.
I really need to just step out of my comfort zone and force myself to speak up. Immerse myself in the Word. Pray.
I must say, though, that I thoroughly enjoy simply sitting and listening to what people say. I watch, I listen and I follow-up in my Bible. This is how I learn best, it seems.
'So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
[Hebrews 13:6]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)