Word on the Way is a passage sent out daily by Way.FM
Thursday, May 20
Hebrews 13:16 And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.
The goodness in this text is self evident. Only a very heartless and selfish person would not want to make the world better. Even though we choose to do this daily. So, are we heartless and selfish?... well... yes, actually. We are very selfish. The only cure for this is Jesus. The needy are everywhere - in our churches, neighborhoods, cities, workplaces, homes, etc. We are all needy. We need Jesus, because we are sinful, selfish, broken, imperfect, etc. However you want to describe it, it's real. Most of us want to do something about the brokenness in the world; but we all forget.
What makes us not forget? Well, a daily reminder of what Jesus has done for you. A daily walk with the creator of the universe, our savior, would draw us closer to Jesus compelling us to never forget His goodness while also redeeming us in order to go out and be good, to share, and to sacrifice ourselves to our God. Don't you want to please the God who loves you so much He gave everything to love you?
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Word on the Way - Commentary
Word on the Way is a passage sent out daily by Way.FM
Sometimes it is easier for me to understand the Bible by writing out my thoughts. This is part of my walk. If you read this I hope you get something out of it. Let He who created both you and me have the glory.
Wednesday, May 19
Proverbs 24:12 Don’t excuse yourself by saying, "Look, we didn’t know।" For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve.
Seriously? You mean I can't get away with that? I can't believe that we really dupe ourselves into believing we didn't know. Or worse that we have a right to do xyz. We go around hurting people because we think we're oblivious. Really?
The best excuse is "it just happened!" No one really buys it, but you have to otherwise you can't use it yourself. It's like the infamous "I don't remember" or "I forgot". We use them to take the guilt off of ourselves, but the truth is we're guilty! We are guilty because we knew what we were doing. It's almost like there are two 'Falls'. The one where Adam and Eve sinned against God is the reason why the world is broken. But then there's this other Fall. It's the one that you and I go through everyday. It's when we choose to go against what we know is right. When we say 'no' to integrity and say 'yes' to self indulgence then we Fall again. This is why the world is still broken.
We're guilty and we deserve all the punishment God can throw at us!
But He won't!
That's the Gospel! That's why Jesus came! Because you're guilty and you know it! No matter how long you spend trying to deceive yourself into thinking you're not!! God is telling you, "I know you're guilty! I know you messed up! But I don't care! Stop trying to impress me! Stop trying to not look guilty! You are! But I'm here to take the guilt away. Here! I give you my son to die in your place! Now you are free!"
Sometimes it is easier for me to understand the Bible by writing out my thoughts. This is part of my walk. If you read this I hope you get something out of it. Let He who created both you and me have the glory.
Wednesday, May 19
Proverbs 24:12 Don’t excuse yourself by saying, "Look, we didn’t know।" For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve.
Seriously? You mean I can't get away with that? I can't believe that we really dupe ourselves into believing we didn't know. Or worse that we have a right to do xyz. We go around hurting people because we think we're oblivious. Really?
The best excuse is "it just happened!" No one really buys it, but you have to otherwise you can't use it yourself. It's like the infamous "I don't remember" or "I forgot". We use them to take the guilt off of ourselves, but the truth is we're guilty! We are guilty because we knew what we were doing. It's almost like there are two 'Falls'. The one where Adam and Eve sinned against God is the reason why the world is broken. But then there's this other Fall. It's the one that you and I go through everyday. It's when we choose to go against what we know is right. When we say 'no' to integrity and say 'yes' to self indulgence then we Fall again. This is why the world is still broken.
We're guilty and we deserve all the punishment God can throw at us!
But He won't!
That's the Gospel! That's why Jesus came! Because you're guilty and you know it! No matter how long you spend trying to deceive yourself into thinking you're not!! God is telling you, "I know you're guilty! I know you messed up! But I don't care! Stop trying to impress me! Stop trying to not look guilty! You are! But I'm here to take the guilt away. Here! I give you my son to die in your place! Now you are free!"
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Word on the Way - Commentary
Word on the Way is a passage sent out daily by Way.FM
Sometimes it is easier for me to understand the Bible by writing out my thoughts. This is part of my walk. If you read this I hope you get something out of it. Let He who created both you and me have the glory.
Tuesday, May 18
Ephesians 4:29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
Two things stick out to me with this passage: abuse and encourage
Most of the time when we hear the command to not use 'foul' language we use it as 'fodder' for the legalistic 'cannon'. We use it to back up our human list of barely attainable commands. In other words when we read the passage above we some how interpret it as 'cussing'. We add 'cussing' to the 'Don't do' list and forget the implied 'do' list and ignore the deeper human need.
But I think the Translators really did a good job here. The language is described as foul and abusive. I believe that we often times do not take the time to really think about words (and to be honest that is what the passage is getting at). The word foul is very descriptive when you start to 'picture' it. What comes to your mind when you hear foul? How about: a dirty public restroom? an overflowing trash can? manure?
How do like your language being described as a public restroom?! And I'm not talking about 'cussing'. In a lot of ways cussing is only a symptom. Its a symptom of the cancerous negativity that we spew out on our 'neighbors'.
What about abuse? What comes to mind when you hear the word abuse? A drunk husband or father? How about a drug addict who abuses his body? Abuse is when someone who has control and power neglects the responsibility of that power and uses it for evil. Do you want your words to be abusive?
See the Lord said, "Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples (John 13:35)." Foul language is abusive to the body of Christ, this is the opposite of love. We are all sinners and in desperate need of love. What we say is powerful and can express who we are inside. That is why Paul asks us to be encouraging. Why? Because when we mean it we are changed people. When we spend more energy on making sure that others are encouraged we will spend less energy on ourselves - on making sure we have the power. Our hearts will be changed.
See when the Gospel really enters into our daily lives we are compelled to love God for what He has done. When you love someone, you want to spend time with them. When you spend time with someone you love and respect you tend to become like them. This is what God wants. This is His 'will'. So, spend time with the Lord and you will learn to love your neighbor; because despite our sin, God is calling us into His presence and it is there that we will grow in the likeness of our Lord, absorbing His love for us. That love will compel us to go out in the world loving as He has loved us.
Sometimes it is easier for me to understand the Bible by writing out my thoughts. This is part of my walk. If you read this I hope you get something out of it. Let He who created both you and me have the glory.
Tuesday, May 18
Ephesians 4:29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
Two things stick out to me with this passage: abuse and encourage
Most of the time when we hear the command to not use 'foul' language we use it as 'fodder' for the legalistic 'cannon'. We use it to back up our human list of barely attainable commands. In other words when we read the passage above we some how interpret it as 'cussing'. We add 'cussing' to the 'Don't do' list and forget the implied 'do' list and ignore the deeper human need.
But I think the Translators really did a good job here. The language is described as foul and abusive. I believe that we often times do not take the time to really think about words (and to be honest that is what the passage is getting at). The word foul is very descriptive when you start to 'picture' it. What comes to your mind when you hear foul? How about: a dirty public restroom? an overflowing trash can? manure?
How do like your language being described as a public restroom?! And I'm not talking about 'cussing'. In a lot of ways cussing is only a symptom. Its a symptom of the cancerous negativity that we spew out on our 'neighbors'.
What about abuse? What comes to mind when you hear the word abuse? A drunk husband or father? How about a drug addict who abuses his body? Abuse is when someone who has control and power neglects the responsibility of that power and uses it for evil. Do you want your words to be abusive?
See the Lord said, "Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples (John 13:35)." Foul language is abusive to the body of Christ, this is the opposite of love. We are all sinners and in desperate need of love. What we say is powerful and can express who we are inside. That is why Paul asks us to be encouraging. Why? Because when we mean it we are changed people. When we spend more energy on making sure that others are encouraged we will spend less energy on ourselves - on making sure we have the power. Our hearts will be changed.
See when the Gospel really enters into our daily lives we are compelled to love God for what He has done. When you love someone, you want to spend time with them. When you spend time with someone you love and respect you tend to become like them. This is what God wants. This is His 'will'. So, spend time with the Lord and you will learn to love your neighbor; because despite our sin, God is calling us into His presence and it is there that we will grow in the likeness of our Lord, absorbing His love for us. That love will compel us to go out in the world loving as He has loved us.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Story Idea
If you have a moment read this and let me know what you think:
Jim woke up at 4:30 AM creaking like an old tree in the breeze. He tasted the rancid alcohol on his tongue, left over from another night drowning his sorrows. His wife barely shifted as he pulled up his jeans and got up from the bed. He stumbled off to the kitchen to grab some cereal before he left for work. He tried to be quiet as he passed the children’s bedroom. If he woke them up then he’d catch hell from Ashley, his wife. A second shift nurse was not that angelic when sleep deprived.
Entering the kitchen he slowly stretched his muscles, hardened by daily labor. Jim used to wonder if his life could be different. He had so much going for him in high school. Now, he just did it. The cycle of life just a part of the routine that he found himself grinding out. Like a long distance runner, he just put one foot in front of the other neither remembering the beginning nor seeing the end.
He opened the fridge to grab some milk, but it was sour. He scribbled a note and added it to the collection of tidbits on the fridge door. Then he found a clean bowl and poured out some cereal. Grabbing a spoon he sat down and crunched away at the dry mix. Most days he would just stare at the report cards and family photos on the fridge door, but today his mind kept jumping back to his dream. Last night was the third night in a row of the harrowing nightmare. It wasn’t like any other dream he had before.
He stood on a bank of a river. In the middle was a boat. In the boat was his family. Even though Jim could swim, in his dream he knew it was impossible. There was a storm and waves were crashing against the shore. He told his wife it was stupid to go, but instead of turning and leaving he stood at the shore watching. Suddenly lightening struck behind him. He couldn’t turn. The storm began to grow. The winds whipped his face and the rain beat on his face but he kept staring at his family. Suddenly, a thirty foot wave rose above the small boat and swallowed it whole. Jim realized he was alone. Jim had never felt so alone. His heart ached and he tried to scream. He couldn’t. Then he felt it. He was burning. All his nerves were on fire. He had never felt such pain before, and he still felt the ache of loneliness. Then he fell back and kept falling. The horror of it all overwhelmed him. He never stopped falling and he always woke up then.
He usually shook it off and went back to sleep, but today it haunted him. He remembered the fire, the heat. He remembered the cold wind and rain beating him down. Yet, the most haunting and lasting feeling was the loneliness. He shivered, trying to shake the thought out of his head. He placed the empty bowl in the sink full of dishes and walked into the living room to retrieve a shirt. He picked up his work shirt from the floor and slung it over his shoulder as he retraced his through the bedroom to the bathroom. Five minutes later he was starting is truck and heading to work.
It was the same gray, misty morning he’d seen for the last ten years. The same train tracks and cracked roads, passing dark shapes as the rest of the town was still sleeping. He passed the Baptist church and the Mormon temple then passed the synagogue and the dollar store. His neighbor Johnny had worked at the dollar store ever since the accident at the shop where he and Jim had worked. After the law suit that Johnny didn’t want the shop shut down. Jim found a new job at a different plant, but Johnny with no right hand opened up a dollar store with his settlement money. He went to church everyday, not the Baptist church, the Catholic church on the other side of town. He always said it felt more like heaven when you’re at church with rich people. Jim always said that Johnny may have lost more than his hand in that accident.
Jim passed the gas station and drove the last five miles in peace, only passing a couple lumber trucks. The plant was a large rectangular steel structure were Jim and a few other shop workers helped assemble AC units. They were one of the few American companies left. Oddly enough a lot of the parts they used were foreign. Around the plant were a few strategically planted trees to help keep the energy costs low and so that the plant could use large industrial fans to cool the shop floor, instead of the AC units they assembled. He pulled in and parked in the same spot he had since Tom, the manager he replaced, left to work in sales. Tom was doing well, or had done well. The last Jim had heard of him, Tom had retired early after selling his own company and moving to Florida. Jim could picture Tom playing golf every morning while his wife sipped cool drinks on the beach with the other wives.
Jim felt so distant from that life, that thinking about it again brought back the dream. That feeling of loneliness crept back into his brain and seeped into his heart, turning it cold. He shook it off and climbed out of truck. He slammed the door and a couple birds flew out of the nearest tree. Jim was always the first there, and if it wasn’t for the next ten hour shift after his, he would probably be the last to leave. He had to give a lot to keep the job. When the company downsized he willingly agreed to a ten hour shift. When the company had to cut costs he agreed to less vacation. He had to miss his daughter’s birthday for the last four years, and he even worked Easter Sunday last year. Not that he minded, he didn’t like any church, let alone his brother’s church.
See his brother had done well for himself. He worked through college, where he ‘met’ God and decided to go on a mission trip. When he returned he won grants and scholarships and went to an Episcopal seminary. He had met a beautiful wife and got married. When their father was diagnosed with cancer, Jim’s brother returned home and started a new church. It had done really well. Jim’s brother had a great way of attracting his new rich friends while winning the hearts of his blue collared background. Within the last four years, his church became the largest in the area. They even helped rebuild Johnny’s home when it burned down.
Maybe that’s why he kept having the dream about lightening. Jim was a hero in many people’s eyes because he ran into the burning building to save his friend. Since then though, Jim began to loose his friend. Johnny began to go church more, and kept trying to Jim to go, but Jim would rather drink and sleep in on his one day off a week. The children would go, and sometimes Ashley would go, but Jim always slept in.
He walked slowly toward the door – the same white door that he had seen for the last ten years. The paint was beginning to flake off and the “employee entrance” sign was complete worn off. Jim knew what lay behind the door, but it didn’t help shake the feeling that he was alone. He knew that as soon as he got into the grind and saw his coworkers his feelings would vanish and he could focus on work. He liked his work. He didn’t have to think to much, it all made sense and no one really bothered too much. Every now and then, the plant manager would ask him to change this or that, but Jim made sure everything met the requirements.
He flipped the lights and grabbed his punch card. People told Jim that he must work at the only place that still used punch cards. He didn’t care. Change forced him to think about what was and what will happen. If things don’t change, then Jim didn’t have to think. He walked over to the desk, to look over the numbers and check his messaged. Another cost cutting idea was for the company to post the part projections of the month on a large white board on the wall. Messages were also handwritten. Computers were only given to those with customer contact. Jim didn’t ever speak to customers. So, any messages for Jim were handwritten and placed in his inbox. Like most days, the inbox was empty. The white board showed that the numbers were decreasing slightly; after all not many people used window units anymore.
He walked over to the coffee pot and starting making some as a couple of the guys walked in and punched in. They were laughing at a joke that someone had made outside. They walked over to Jim and all said good morning.
“What’s so funny?” asked Jim.
“Oh nothing really,” said Pete, “Juan here just had his first date last night.”
“How’d it go?” asked Jim. Shane, the plant manager, told Jim he cared to much for his workers and they would see that as a weakness, but Jim had always been kind to his workers – strict but kind.
“Ok,” said Juan blushing.
“Oh come on!” said Pete, “That’s not what you said outside! Our boy went all the way! On the first one too! Lucky little…”
Everyone laughed and Pete and Juan had a quick joke fight around the coffee station, but Juan was eyeing Jim to see what he would say next.
“So, Juan who was the lucky girl?” asked Jim.
Juan blushed and said, “Courtney.”
“Courtney, who?”
“Courtney Jasper,” Juan replied sheepishly.
“I always thought my niece was a little loose and had bad taste,” said Jim.
They all laughed and Pete pounded Juan on the back. They quickly progressed over everyone else’s weekend, but no one ever asked how Jim’s weekend was. That was the rule. They all grabbed a cup of coffee and took their respective places on the line.
Jim woke up at 4:30 AM creaking like an old tree in the breeze. He tasted the rancid alcohol on his tongue, left over from another night drowning his sorrows. His wife barely shifted as he pulled up his jeans and got up from the bed. He stumbled off to the kitchen to grab some cereal before he left for work. He tried to be quiet as he passed the children’s bedroom. If he woke them up then he’d catch hell from Ashley, his wife. A second shift nurse was not that angelic when sleep deprived.
Entering the kitchen he slowly stretched his muscles, hardened by daily labor. Jim used to wonder if his life could be different. He had so much going for him in high school. Now, he just did it. The cycle of life just a part of the routine that he found himself grinding out. Like a long distance runner, he just put one foot in front of the other neither remembering the beginning nor seeing the end.
He opened the fridge to grab some milk, but it was sour. He scribbled a note and added it to the collection of tidbits on the fridge door. Then he found a clean bowl and poured out some cereal. Grabbing a spoon he sat down and crunched away at the dry mix. Most days he would just stare at the report cards and family photos on the fridge door, but today his mind kept jumping back to his dream. Last night was the third night in a row of the harrowing nightmare. It wasn’t like any other dream he had before.
He stood on a bank of a river. In the middle was a boat. In the boat was his family. Even though Jim could swim, in his dream he knew it was impossible. There was a storm and waves were crashing against the shore. He told his wife it was stupid to go, but instead of turning and leaving he stood at the shore watching. Suddenly lightening struck behind him. He couldn’t turn. The storm began to grow. The winds whipped his face and the rain beat on his face but he kept staring at his family. Suddenly, a thirty foot wave rose above the small boat and swallowed it whole. Jim realized he was alone. Jim had never felt so alone. His heart ached and he tried to scream. He couldn’t. Then he felt it. He was burning. All his nerves were on fire. He had never felt such pain before, and he still felt the ache of loneliness. Then he fell back and kept falling. The horror of it all overwhelmed him. He never stopped falling and he always woke up then.
He usually shook it off and went back to sleep, but today it haunted him. He remembered the fire, the heat. He remembered the cold wind and rain beating him down. Yet, the most haunting and lasting feeling was the loneliness. He shivered, trying to shake the thought out of his head. He placed the empty bowl in the sink full of dishes and walked into the living room to retrieve a shirt. He picked up his work shirt from the floor and slung it over his shoulder as he retraced his through the bedroom to the bathroom. Five minutes later he was starting is truck and heading to work.
It was the same gray, misty morning he’d seen for the last ten years. The same train tracks and cracked roads, passing dark shapes as the rest of the town was still sleeping. He passed the Baptist church and the Mormon temple then passed the synagogue and the dollar store. His neighbor Johnny had worked at the dollar store ever since the accident at the shop where he and Jim had worked. After the law suit that Johnny didn’t want the shop shut down. Jim found a new job at a different plant, but Johnny with no right hand opened up a dollar store with his settlement money. He went to church everyday, not the Baptist church, the Catholic church on the other side of town. He always said it felt more like heaven when you’re at church with rich people. Jim always said that Johnny may have lost more than his hand in that accident.
Jim passed the gas station and drove the last five miles in peace, only passing a couple lumber trucks. The plant was a large rectangular steel structure were Jim and a few other shop workers helped assemble AC units. They were one of the few American companies left. Oddly enough a lot of the parts they used were foreign. Around the plant were a few strategically planted trees to help keep the energy costs low and so that the plant could use large industrial fans to cool the shop floor, instead of the AC units they assembled. He pulled in and parked in the same spot he had since Tom, the manager he replaced, left to work in sales. Tom was doing well, or had done well. The last Jim had heard of him, Tom had retired early after selling his own company and moving to Florida. Jim could picture Tom playing golf every morning while his wife sipped cool drinks on the beach with the other wives.
Jim felt so distant from that life, that thinking about it again brought back the dream. That feeling of loneliness crept back into his brain and seeped into his heart, turning it cold. He shook it off and climbed out of truck. He slammed the door and a couple birds flew out of the nearest tree. Jim was always the first there, and if it wasn’t for the next ten hour shift after his, he would probably be the last to leave. He had to give a lot to keep the job. When the company downsized he willingly agreed to a ten hour shift. When the company had to cut costs he agreed to less vacation. He had to miss his daughter’s birthday for the last four years, and he even worked Easter Sunday last year. Not that he minded, he didn’t like any church, let alone his brother’s church.
See his brother had done well for himself. He worked through college, where he ‘met’ God and decided to go on a mission trip. When he returned he won grants and scholarships and went to an Episcopal seminary. He had met a beautiful wife and got married. When their father was diagnosed with cancer, Jim’s brother returned home and started a new church. It had done really well. Jim’s brother had a great way of attracting his new rich friends while winning the hearts of his blue collared background. Within the last four years, his church became the largest in the area. They even helped rebuild Johnny’s home when it burned down.
Maybe that’s why he kept having the dream about lightening. Jim was a hero in many people’s eyes because he ran into the burning building to save his friend. Since then though, Jim began to loose his friend. Johnny began to go church more, and kept trying to Jim to go, but Jim would rather drink and sleep in on his one day off a week. The children would go, and sometimes Ashley would go, but Jim always slept in.
He walked slowly toward the door – the same white door that he had seen for the last ten years. The paint was beginning to flake off and the “employee entrance” sign was complete worn off. Jim knew what lay behind the door, but it didn’t help shake the feeling that he was alone. He knew that as soon as he got into the grind and saw his coworkers his feelings would vanish and he could focus on work. He liked his work. He didn’t have to think to much, it all made sense and no one really bothered too much. Every now and then, the plant manager would ask him to change this or that, but Jim made sure everything met the requirements.
He flipped the lights and grabbed his punch card. People told Jim that he must work at the only place that still used punch cards. He didn’t care. Change forced him to think about what was and what will happen. If things don’t change, then Jim didn’t have to think. He walked over to the desk, to look over the numbers and check his messaged. Another cost cutting idea was for the company to post the part projections of the month on a large white board on the wall. Messages were also handwritten. Computers were only given to those with customer contact. Jim didn’t ever speak to customers. So, any messages for Jim were handwritten and placed in his inbox. Like most days, the inbox was empty. The white board showed that the numbers were decreasing slightly; after all not many people used window units anymore.
He walked over to the coffee pot and starting making some as a couple of the guys walked in and punched in. They were laughing at a joke that someone had made outside. They walked over to Jim and all said good morning.
“What’s so funny?” asked Jim.
“Oh nothing really,” said Pete, “Juan here just had his first date last night.”
“How’d it go?” asked Jim. Shane, the plant manager, told Jim he cared to much for his workers and they would see that as a weakness, but Jim had always been kind to his workers – strict but kind.
“Ok,” said Juan blushing.
“Oh come on!” said Pete, “That’s not what you said outside! Our boy went all the way! On the first one too! Lucky little…”
Everyone laughed and Pete and Juan had a quick joke fight around the coffee station, but Juan was eyeing Jim to see what he would say next.
“So, Juan who was the lucky girl?” asked Jim.
Juan blushed and said, “Courtney.”
“Courtney, who?”
“Courtney Jasper,” Juan replied sheepishly.
“I always thought my niece was a little loose and had bad taste,” said Jim.
They all laughed and Pete pounded Juan on the back. They quickly progressed over everyone else’s weekend, but no one ever asked how Jim’s weekend was. That was the rule. They all grabbed a cup of coffee and took their respective places on the line.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Obesity and Bad Diets are Killing America
Please sign this petition to bring fresh foods to our schools! http://www.jamieoliver.com/jfr-beta/petition.php
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Learning Irresponsibility vicariously Through my Superiors
yes, I mean it.
I am slowly learning how to ignore the responsibilities of others though they directly influence my life at work. It sucks but I have to learn to let go.
I think this is the same with God, except that we only see His guiding as irresponsible while it actually is working out better for us.
In my work the actions of others have lead us into a precarious situation. I feel that I have done all I can. So, I have let the stress rise to my superiors to deal with the situation, not knowing what that means for the company. In some ways I feel like a failure, that I let my company down; but I have to realize and acknowledge that I have done all that I can to better the situation with the tools and training they have given me.
God does not work this way. God wants to rescue us from our situations because He loves us. These situations are not God made they are man made. God through his love has granted us the power of messing up our lives but has graciously given us His Son to take all the responsibility. This concept is so hard to live out that many in the modern Church have ditched it as impossible and have raised their banners to the tune of society, normality, worldliness so much so that they now look nothing less and nothing more than a carbon copy of the world, only with something to do on Sundays.
We have sinned. We have screwed up our lives.
BUT
God who has given us the freedom to destroy has redeemed our lives and taken upon himself the responsibility of our sins because He loves us.
That's a professor giving himself up for a plagiarizing student.
That's like a cop going to jail for a drug addict.
That's like your parents admitting to stealing the toy and putting it in your pocket.
The difference is that Jesus gave His life. He died an earthly death of agony so that we did not have to part from Him, ever.
Why can't we see the importance of that? We spend so much time loving ourselves and making the most of this life. Why? Cause this life is all there is. So why can't we see this. Well, Jesus is God, right? So, when He 'died' He didn't 'die' He just lost His body.
Not true.
He gave His earthly life for us, yes, but we must realize what that is, what it means. He died in agony on this earth, descending into Hell for us. What is Hell? Well you can define it many ways, but Hell is being parted from true reality. It is the life that many lead. Many of us experience Hell on a daily basis. Many of us create Hell on earth on a daily basis. What can be worse than being separated from God? From being separated from your real purpose? From true and lasting REAL life!
What could be worse, well anything you think of, that is Hell.
Jesus separated Himself from God to descend into Hell (now this is not just a state of mind, the Bible clearly states that there is an afterlife and you are either in eternal denial of God and thus in agony, or you are worshiping God for eternity). I can't go into all of it now, but know this: Jesus died so that your life could not be wasted. Don't waste it worrying about things out of your control. He is not an incompetant boss, He is the creator of the world, we are the creators of misery, agony and hell on earth.
I am slowly learning how to ignore the responsibilities of others though they directly influence my life at work. It sucks but I have to learn to let go.
I think this is the same with God, except that we only see His guiding as irresponsible while it actually is working out better for us.
In my work the actions of others have lead us into a precarious situation. I feel that I have done all I can. So, I have let the stress rise to my superiors to deal with the situation, not knowing what that means for the company. In some ways I feel like a failure, that I let my company down; but I have to realize and acknowledge that I have done all that I can to better the situation with the tools and training they have given me.
God does not work this way. God wants to rescue us from our situations because He loves us. These situations are not God made they are man made. God through his love has granted us the power of messing up our lives but has graciously given us His Son to take all the responsibility. This concept is so hard to live out that many in the modern Church have ditched it as impossible and have raised their banners to the tune of society, normality, worldliness so much so that they now look nothing less and nothing more than a carbon copy of the world, only with something to do on Sundays.
We have sinned. We have screwed up our lives.
BUT
God who has given us the freedom to destroy has redeemed our lives and taken upon himself the responsibility of our sins because He loves us.
That's a professor giving himself up for a plagiarizing student.
That's like a cop going to jail for a drug addict.
That's like your parents admitting to stealing the toy and putting it in your pocket.
The difference is that Jesus gave His life. He died an earthly death of agony so that we did not have to part from Him, ever.
Why can't we see the importance of that? We spend so much time loving ourselves and making the most of this life. Why? Cause this life is all there is. So why can't we see this. Well, Jesus is God, right? So, when He 'died' He didn't 'die' He just lost His body.
Not true.
He gave His earthly life for us, yes, but we must realize what that is, what it means. He died in agony on this earth, descending into Hell for us. What is Hell? Well you can define it many ways, but Hell is being parted from true reality. It is the life that many lead. Many of us experience Hell on a daily basis. Many of us create Hell on earth on a daily basis. What can be worse than being separated from God? From being separated from your real purpose? From true and lasting REAL life!
What could be worse, well anything you think of, that is Hell.
Jesus separated Himself from God to descend into Hell (now this is not just a state of mind, the Bible clearly states that there is an afterlife and you are either in eternal denial of God and thus in agony, or you are worshiping God for eternity). I can't go into all of it now, but know this: Jesus died so that your life could not be wasted. Don't waste it worrying about things out of your control. He is not an incompetant boss, He is the creator of the world, we are the creators of misery, agony and hell on earth.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Today I feel like a new person. A new Christian. I feel like the world around is a magical unknown place I have yet to experience.
I have been struggling under this cloud of suffering ever since I decided to go to Seminary (which I am no longer doing).
Yet, in the past three days God has erupted his love into my life, and I'm not fighting it anymore.
But right now, Today, I just experienced an amazing truth. I was watching the Nooma video Breathe. And in it Rob Bell mentions that the word for spirit and breath are the same. The same word. Did God not breath in us through Adam? He sent down his spirit on Pentecost? Could it not be that God sent down his breath, and since we cannot live without breath we live only because God breathed his spirit into us? Some Raabi's (see video) have said that the name of God is unpronouncable because it is the sound of breathing. Do we praise God by saying his name with the breath He gave us?
Our God dwells in us, His Holy Spirit, His Holy Breath. Lord breath in me!
I have been struggling under this cloud of suffering ever since I decided to go to Seminary (which I am no longer doing).
Yet, in the past three days God has erupted his love into my life, and I'm not fighting it anymore.
But right now, Today, I just experienced an amazing truth. I was watching the Nooma video Breathe. And in it Rob Bell mentions that the word for spirit and breath are the same. The same word. Did God not breath in us through Adam? He sent down his spirit on Pentecost? Could it not be that God sent down his breath, and since we cannot live without breath we live only because God breathed his spirit into us? Some Raabi's (see video) have said that the name of God is unpronouncable because it is the sound of breathing. Do we praise God by saying his name with the breath He gave us?
Our God dwells in us, His Holy Spirit, His Holy Breath. Lord breath in me!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
