It has been awhile. I have probably had one of the most busy few months in my life. I was promoted, sent to a new client within a new industry back in August and have been running at full speed ever since. Since I am working from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm most week days and here and there on the weekends, I experienced epic failure in seminary.
I dropped both of the classes I signed up for. Not sure if it was a matter of giving up or that I actually did not have the time. However, let's try round two, shall we?
I looked at the class schedule for the spring, and they only have part two of the classes I was taking. That being said, I am going to try only ONE class this time. The course is Background to Life/Times of Jesus. A study of the geography, history, and archaeology of the biblical world intended to provide a cultural and chronological framework of the life and times of Jesus Christ. Emphasis is placed on the background data that is crucial for proper understanding of the Gospels.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Questioning
Have you ever been so certain that decisions you were making were so right, only to look back and wonder if you are doing the right thing?
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Correct Discussion Topic!
I obviously wasn't paying attention when I posted previously. We actually were given a topic!
Here is my "on topic" discussions.
The Martyrdom of Polycarp portrays, in a very extreme way, the values that we as Christians should have at the forefront of all of our thoughts. Christ died for me, and I have been commanded to go into the world to tell others about his name. This text takes it to the point of laying one's life down in order to save another.
What bothers me about Polycarp is the parallel that is drawn. Polycarp went away to pray at a home, Jesus prayed in a garden. The people were astonished with Polycarp's docile submission to the authorities for God's will, while Jesus equally embraced it under the terms of God's will. Polycarp was placed on a mule to enter into the city, and of course, Jesus did the same (granted the timeline is different). It then eventually goes into the part where Polycarp's allegiance was brought into question, whereas the same situation occurred for Christ being God himself.
This thought process leads me to the idea of if I am to be like Christ, am I to die like him? I'd have to say this is a terrible concept! James and Polycarp are just mere men. It also implies that Peter in denying Christ, escaping from prisons like the other apostles, and many other events were not correct. Had this occurred, we would not have the writings we have today! In death, Peter would have been somewhat worthless to the church.
To hold a martyr up above our shoulders, in my humble opinion, is to hold the wrong person up. Due to the grace of God, we do not have to die for our sins. As such, to seek glory, albeit in the name of God, seems to be rather self-righteous. It is definitely clear why this would be a non-canonical text. After reading, I walk away with the feeling that the writing was more about the greatness and praise of Polycarp. This is unlike when I read about Paul, for instance, who clearly points out that he is just a sinner who's only redeeming factor is that he is saved by grace through Jesus Christ.
Here is my "on topic" discussions.
The Martyrdom of Polycarp portrays, in a very extreme way, the values that we as Christians should have at the forefront of all of our thoughts. Christ died for me, and I have been commanded to go into the world to tell others about his name. This text takes it to the point of laying one's life down in order to save another.
What bothers me about Polycarp is the parallel that is drawn. Polycarp went away to pray at a home, Jesus prayed in a garden. The people were astonished with Polycarp's docile submission to the authorities for God's will, while Jesus equally embraced it under the terms of God's will. Polycarp was placed on a mule to enter into the city, and of course, Jesus did the same (granted the timeline is different). It then eventually goes into the part where Polycarp's allegiance was brought into question, whereas the same situation occurred for Christ being God himself.
This thought process leads me to the idea of if I am to be like Christ, am I to die like him? I'd have to say this is a terrible concept! James and Polycarp are just mere men. It also implies that Peter in denying Christ, escaping from prisons like the other apostles, and many other events were not correct. Had this occurred, we would not have the writings we have today! In death, Peter would have been somewhat worthless to the church.
To hold a martyr up above our shoulders, in my humble opinion, is to hold the wrong person up. Due to the grace of God, we do not have to die for our sins. As such, to seek glory, albeit in the name of God, seems to be rather self-righteous. It is definitely clear why this would be a non-canonical text. After reading, I walk away with the feeling that the writing was more about the greatness and praise of Polycarp. This is unlike when I read about Paul, for instance, who clearly points out that he is just a sinner who's only redeeming factor is that he is saved by grace through Jesus Christ.
Week One Discussion Post
On a weekly basis, we are required to submit discussion to the class message board regarding the current week topic. This is my post:
Once I went through the first few sections of the Didache, I noticed that the document became very legalistic. For example, the writer discussed how the baptism process should occur (i.e., the appropriate fasting, timing, method, and alternatives based upon certain events) As I was reading, I started to ask myself "why?". What could have been the context that would call for the need for the step by step procedure?
I then thought about the ancient cultures such as the Greeks. One could argue that the formation of their deity system was derived from explaining the unknown. Those individuals did not have the knowledge that we have today. Therefore, if the wind blows, we can explain it with a wind god. If there is a sun that shines upon us and allows us to be fruitful, then there must be a sun god. As elementary as it sounds, I can see how this could be a definite way to explain worldly processes to those that lacked knowledge.
That is the thought that brought me to a potential answer to my question above. Why did the church feel required to set forth the guidelines? Specifically, why did the church become compelled to tell people what and how to pray? In my limited knowledge at this point, could I propose that the reason that the church was so legalistic was because of the intelligence/knowledge level of its members?
In the United States, the ability to read is essentially a requirement. There are some circumstances that cause some individuals to grow up and not have that ability, but for the most part, we can all read. That being said, we have the ability to read the Bible and form our relationship with Christ. We have our own FAQ that at anytime we can open the Word and get our answers.
However, I can see how this would be a big problem in the earlier societies. So at this point, my thoughts are that maybe the church could have needed to be more legalistic in the past. Maybe in order to avoid heretic thoughts and actions, the church leaders would "help" out their church members in saying what to pray, how to pray, when to be baptized, etc. As we can "read" in the New Testament, the walk with Christ is calls more of a relationship rather than a set of rules (Yes, the rules are implied in that relationship). Yet this also makes me think of my job. At my firm, we have the new guys have a look at prior year workpapers in order to help guide them in completing the current year audit. They lack the knowledge to complete the tasks at first, so having the benchmarks helps them grow in the manner that we want them to grow.
I probably went a little long here, and I apologize!
Once I went through the first few sections of the Didache, I noticed that the document became very legalistic. For example, the writer discussed how the baptism process should occur (i.e., the appropriate fasting, timing, method, and alternatives based upon certain events) As I was reading, I started to ask myself "why?". What could have been the context that would call for the need for the step by step procedure?
I then thought about the ancient cultures such as the Greeks. One could argue that the formation of their deity system was derived from explaining the unknown. Those individuals did not have the knowledge that we have today. Therefore, if the wind blows, we can explain it with a wind god. If there is a sun that shines upon us and allows us to be fruitful, then there must be a sun god. As elementary as it sounds, I can see how this could be a definite way to explain worldly processes to those that lacked knowledge.
That is the thought that brought me to a potential answer to my question above. Why did the church feel required to set forth the guidelines? Specifically, why did the church become compelled to tell people what and how to pray? In my limited knowledge at this point, could I propose that the reason that the church was so legalistic was because of the intelligence/knowledge level of its members?
In the United States, the ability to read is essentially a requirement. There are some circumstances that cause some individuals to grow up and not have that ability, but for the most part, we can all read. That being said, we have the ability to read the Bible and form our relationship with Christ. We have our own FAQ that at anytime we can open the Word and get our answers.
However, I can see how this would be a big problem in the earlier societies. So at this point, my thoughts are that maybe the church could have needed to be more legalistic in the past. Maybe in order to avoid heretic thoughts and actions, the church leaders would "help" out their church members in saying what to pray, how to pray, when to be baptized, etc. As we can "read" in the New Testament, the walk with Christ is calls more of a relationship rather than a set of rules (Yes, the rules are implied in that relationship). Yet this also makes me think of my job. At my firm, we have the new guys have a look at prior year workpapers in order to help guide them in completing the current year audit. They lack the knowledge to complete the tasks at first, so having the benchmarks helps them grow in the manner that we want them to grow.
I probably went a little long here, and I apologize!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
The Didache
The Didache, pronounced did-uh-kee, was originally in Greek but later translated by Roswell d. Hitchcock in 1884. The word didache comes from the Greek word related to doctrine, didactic, teaching, etc. It was discovered in a monastery in Constantinople.
It is a non-canonical book, which is from my understanding a divisional line drawn by the original church councils when deciding which writings would from the Bible. As such, it is a writing that obviously did not make it into the Bible.
The Didache is considered a writing on the teaching of the Lord to the nations through the twelve apostles. Since it is a non-canonical writing, it is not authoritative such as the Gospel, but I really enjoyed reading it. I will note that in my quick research of the text, the Catholic Church placed the text as a part of Apostolic Fathers along with the Martyrdom of Polycarp, which is another text I read today.
The Didache opens with the two ways of living, life and dead. Within this section, it talks the of the life through Christ as well as summarizing the acts of those that live in death outside of Christ. Through these sections, I see many agreements to the gospel and writings of the apostles. The next section is where it loses the parallel.
In talking about baptism, the text goes as far to describe how to baptism (temperature of water, what to do when there is no running water, timing, fasting requirement surrounding baptism, as well as the number of times to say the Lord's prayer. Legalist! It makes sense why the Catholic church held on to the writing, eh? The only thing I can see that would be missing is a diagram describing the appropriate stand-sit-kneel choreography that I remember from my days of attending the episcopal church in my youth.
The Diache ends with discussion of what I would call the "end of times".
Overall, a good text to read, but clearly not an authoritative literature. This is just opinion, but I imagine that texts were written like this that have what to pray, when to pray, how to pray, etc in order to provide help to the uneducated. Our generations are all educated to an extent. As such, maybe that is how all the rules on how to do things came across? Just a thought. Kind of like how the Greek gods were formed. Science was primitive, so if the wind blows, there must be a wind god. If the sea produces great harvest, it must clearly be the work of the seas god.
In Christ,
MOC
It is a non-canonical book, which is from my understanding a divisional line drawn by the original church councils when deciding which writings would from the Bible. As such, it is a writing that obviously did not make it into the Bible.
The Didache is considered a writing on the teaching of the Lord to the nations through the twelve apostles. Since it is a non-canonical writing, it is not authoritative such as the Gospel, but I really enjoyed reading it. I will note that in my quick research of the text, the Catholic Church placed the text as a part of Apostolic Fathers along with the Martyrdom of Polycarp, which is another text I read today.
The Didache opens with the two ways of living, life and dead. Within this section, it talks the of the life through Christ as well as summarizing the acts of those that live in death outside of Christ. Through these sections, I see many agreements to the gospel and writings of the apostles. The next section is where it loses the parallel.
In talking about baptism, the text goes as far to describe how to baptism (temperature of water, what to do when there is no running water, timing, fasting requirement surrounding baptism, as well as the number of times to say the Lord's prayer. Legalist! It makes sense why the Catholic church held on to the writing, eh? The only thing I can see that would be missing is a diagram describing the appropriate stand-sit-kneel choreography that I remember from my days of attending the episcopal church in my youth.
The Diache ends with discussion of what I would call the "end of times".
Overall, a good text to read, but clearly not an authoritative literature. This is just opinion, but I imagine that texts were written like this that have what to pray, when to pray, how to pray, etc in order to provide help to the uneducated. Our generations are all educated to an extent. As such, maybe that is how all the rules on how to do things came across? Just a thought. Kind of like how the Greek gods were formed. Science was primitive, so if the wind blows, there must be a wind god. If the sea produces great harvest, it must clearly be the work of the seas god.
In Christ,
MOC
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
The Rules of Seminary
Today was a lot of fun. I went to orientation this morning at 8:00. One of the professors went over the ground rules for seminary. One of the rules that really stuck out was that you are not to be in possession or consume alchohol while attending Southwestern. He then went on to say that there would be no debate regarding what the bible says about drinking. It was policy, so not it was strictly an ethical decision on our part rather than a theological debate. I love that guy!
He also went over items such as, "Guys, if I see you walking down the hall with your hand in one of these ladies' back pocket, I'm gonna pull you aside and ask you what you think you are doing. If I see you in Chapel so close to one of these ladies that I can't stick a file folder between you, I'm gonna pull you aside and ask you what you think you are doing." Are you starting to get the vibe here?
But ya, that was the most interesting part of my day. That is what made orientation fun. It was mostly me sitting around all day!
In Christ,
MOC
He also went over items such as, "Guys, if I see you walking down the hall with your hand in one of these ladies' back pocket, I'm gonna pull you aside and ask you what you think you are doing. If I see you in Chapel so close to one of these ladies that I can't stick a file folder between you, I'm gonna pull you aside and ask you what you think you are doing." Are you starting to get the vibe here?
But ya, that was the most interesting part of my day. That is what made orientation fun. It was mostly me sitting around all day!
In Christ,
MOC
Monday, August 17, 2009
Urgent Prayer!
I'm not sure how many people read this blog, but I need everyone to pray for the IMB missionaries. If you can, we need to actually give to the IMB. The website to do this is www.imb.org.
Due to the economic recession we are currently facing, approximately 70 full time missionary candidates have been put on hold. In addition to that, 350 short term missionaries have been turned away.
I want to paint a picture of what this means. When my family was going through the process, it was completely by faith. They had sold their house and possessions before they were even appointed. The families that have been established have to get going on that process before they can begin. This often times means they have quit their jobs. That's right, they quit their jobs in the middle of an economic recession.
Let's even step back away from the people themselves. In fact, they wouldn't even want this post to be about them. They do not like it that we, the american church, call them our heros. However, they are. How many people are suffering in the world right now that need to hear the name of Christ? At the very minimum, please pray that these individuals can be sent to tell the world. You and I have everything. Everything we own could disappear tomorrow and it wouldn't matter. We have Christ. Our world is bright with the Shining Son, yet the lost has a world of total darkness.
Thank you for reading, praying, and if you can, giving.
In Christ,
MOC
Due to the economic recession we are currently facing, approximately 70 full time missionary candidates have been put on hold. In addition to that, 350 short term missionaries have been turned away.
I want to paint a picture of what this means. When my family was going through the process, it was completely by faith. They had sold their house and possessions before they were even appointed. The families that have been established have to get going on that process before they can begin. This often times means they have quit their jobs. That's right, they quit their jobs in the middle of an economic recession.
Let's even step back away from the people themselves. In fact, they wouldn't even want this post to be about them. They do not like it that we, the american church, call them our heros. However, they are. How many people are suffering in the world right now that need to hear the name of Christ? At the very minimum, please pray that these individuals can be sent to tell the world. You and I have everything. Everything we own could disappear tomorrow and it wouldn't matter. We have Christ. Our world is bright with the Shining Son, yet the lost has a world of total darkness.
Thank you for reading, praying, and if you can, giving.
In Christ,
MOC
Sunday, August 16, 2009
First Week!
This week marks the commencement of my next stage in following Christ. I have orientation on Tuesday, and after that the engines will be roaring. One thing God has always blessed me with is endurance. If anything, I embrace the challenge that is unfolding in front of me. I had thoughts about dropping one of my classes, but then I remember the teachings of the Bible. David did not wait for a smaller opponent. Gideon defeated the Midianites, and the list goes on and on. If we want God to do something amazing through us, we have to be up for the challenge to follow Him.
I've started my studies as I did in my earlier studies. I took the syllabus for each of my classes and consolidated them into one syllabus. I will probably start studying tomorrow to try to get ahead. After the first few classes, I hope to have a good grasp on the two research papers so I can go ahead and get started on those. I have never written in the Terabian style. In both undergrad and grad school for accounting, we wrote in MLA format. I want to make sure I have plenty of time for proper editing for format. Heck, I spend most of my work time making sure things are properly formatted, so I am excited about that transfer of skills.
I have been bad about posting, but mainly because I haven't had much to write about. I still hope you are all praying for my family in Costa Rica. If you are new, please pray for them as they continue in following Christ to tell the world about Him.
What is this love given to us
That saved my life
through selfless sacrifice
Although we fail the cross prevails
Forgiveness stands
You take me back again
You’ve shown me life
You’ve opened my eyes
So I give You my praise
Yeah I give You my all
You’ve shown me life
You’ve opened my eyes
To the truth that there’s no greater love
Now in the darkness God’s light shines
Christ forever glorified
So come on come on sing out to God
Now with all we’ve got
We live for You our God
Salvation’s strong in Christ alone
The Saviour King alone in victory
I step aside give You my life
For You to move do what You want to do
I can’t imagine a life without You without You
‘Cause it’s all for You
Yeah it’s all for YouGod
I'm ready for the ride.
I stand Amazed,
MOC
I've started my studies as I did in my earlier studies. I took the syllabus for each of my classes and consolidated them into one syllabus. I will probably start studying tomorrow to try to get ahead. After the first few classes, I hope to have a good grasp on the two research papers so I can go ahead and get started on those. I have never written in the Terabian style. In both undergrad and grad school for accounting, we wrote in MLA format. I want to make sure I have plenty of time for proper editing for format. Heck, I spend most of my work time making sure things are properly formatted, so I am excited about that transfer of skills.
I have been bad about posting, but mainly because I haven't had much to write about. I still hope you are all praying for my family in Costa Rica. If you are new, please pray for them as they continue in following Christ to tell the world about Him.
What is this love given to us
That saved my life
through selfless sacrifice
Although we fail the cross prevails
Forgiveness stands
You take me back again
You’ve shown me life
You’ve opened my eyes
So I give You my praise
Yeah I give You my all
You’ve shown me life
You’ve opened my eyes
To the truth that there’s no greater love
Now in the darkness God’s light shines
Christ forever glorified
So come on come on sing out to God
Now with all we’ve got
We live for You our God
Salvation’s strong in Christ alone
The Saviour King alone in victory
I step aside give You my life
For You to move do what You want to do
I can’t imagine a life without You without You
‘Cause it’s all for You
Yeah it’s all for YouGod
I'm ready for the ride.
I stand Amazed,
MOC
Sunday, August 9, 2009
More books!
I received my last 2 text books! For Old Testament, I have received:
1. Handbook on the Pentateuch, Hamilton
2. A Survey of the Old Testament, Hill & Walton
Today is a great day, I start my home bible study! I am going to survey the group, but I am not sure what we are going to do. I have plenty of bible studies we can go through. However, the group might just want to study book by book. Tonight I am going to open with my study of the Whole Armor of God.
I have been in a mental struggle lately. I have had some huge life changes in the past 10 days, and I have subconsciencly removed myself a little bit from God. To be honest, I think all of last week while I was at training, I wrapped myself in all worldly activity. I do not think I once separated myself from society, and worshiped and studied God. It feels very cold. It is a feeling of not calling a friend for awhile, and feeling akward to finally call again. I know the Lord loves me, but when I do not stay in Him, I feel unworthy to get back into it. I know I am not alone, but it feels very lonely.
I know that nothing is lost. My saviour loves me, and is with me always.
1. Handbook on the Pentateuch, Hamilton
2. A Survey of the Old Testament, Hill & Walton
Today is a great day, I start my home bible study! I am going to survey the group, but I am not sure what we are going to do. I have plenty of bible studies we can go through. However, the group might just want to study book by book. Tonight I am going to open with my study of the Whole Armor of God.
I have been in a mental struggle lately. I have had some huge life changes in the past 10 days, and I have subconsciencly removed myself a little bit from God. To be honest, I think all of last week while I was at training, I wrapped myself in all worldly activity. I do not think I once separated myself from society, and worshiped and studied God. It feels very cold. It is a feeling of not calling a friend for awhile, and feeling akward to finally call again. I know the Lord loves me, but when I do not stay in Him, I feel unworthy to get back into it. I know I am not alone, but it feels very lonely.
I know that nothing is lost. My saviour loves me, and is with me always.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Books!
I received my 5 books for church history:
1. Introduction to the History of Christianity
2. A Concise History of Christian Thought
3. The Lost History of Christianity
4. The Trinitarian Controversy
5. Saint Augustine Confessions
I still have not received the book list for Introduction to Old Testament. I think I have to wait a little longer for that.
Prayer Answered! My family has made is safe to Costa Rica where they will begin language school tomorrow. The power of prayer is amazing. I still can't get over what they are doing. I think it is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. The IMB is constantly sending out Christians to make disciples as Christ told us to do. One thing I have learned before I have even started seminary is that this ride is like a snowball. It starts off and you are just rolling away, and then you build and build because you desire to take more and more on. There is only one thing on this world that matters, and that is Christ. To fully know Christ is to be willing to do anything for Him because He is Lord of your life.
Live for Christ, and you shall never want. Be His hands and wrap them around the world.
God Bless
1. Introduction to the History of Christianity
2. A Concise History of Christian Thought
3. The Lost History of Christianity
4. The Trinitarian Controversy
5. Saint Augustine Confessions
I still have not received the book list for Introduction to Old Testament. I think I have to wait a little longer for that.
Prayer Answered! My family has made is safe to Costa Rica where they will begin language school tomorrow. The power of prayer is amazing. I still can't get over what they are doing. I think it is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. The IMB is constantly sending out Christians to make disciples as Christ told us to do. One thing I have learned before I have even started seminary is that this ride is like a snowball. It starts off and you are just rolling away, and then you build and build because you desire to take more and more on. There is only one thing on this world that matters, and that is Christ. To fully know Christ is to be willing to do anything for Him because He is Lord of your life.
Live for Christ, and you shall never want. Be His hands and wrap them around the world.
God Bless
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Registered!
I am official a registered seminary student! I went to Early Advisement, and the more I get involved with in seminary, the more it feels oh so right. We had to introduce ourselves at the session, and I found myself mentally cheering everyone on. Most of the group was young married men, with some of their wives attending seminary with them. It was really a beautiful scene though. It was people joining together for one cause for an audience of one. It was inspiring seeing young men and women making the decision to go into foreign countries to preach the word. Letting go of this world, and committing their life to a cause just as Paul. I love it.
I will only be taking two classes this semester:
Church History and Old Testament I
I am very excited, and I will post more information later. I have some work I need to get going on, but will come back with some better posts soon.
God Bless
I will only be taking two classes this semester:
Church History and Old Testament I
I am very excited, and I will post more information later. I have some work I need to get going on, but will come back with some better posts soon.
God Bless
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Surrendering Your Life to the Ministry
From what I have gathered in at the church's I have attended, there are 4 reasons to walk down the isle: 1) Pray at the alter, 2) Lord's Supper, 3) Announce your decision of faith / join church, 4) Surrender your life to the ministry. It seems that a line has drawn between becoming a Christian and Surrendering your life to the ministry. This is a horrible misconception. I discussed this at the bottom of another post, but wanted to dedicate an entire topic to this line of thought.
As I said previously, the day that I understood that Jesus Christ is my savior is the day that unbeknown to me, my Earthly flesh and desires died. This was also the day that I unknowingly surrendered my life to the ministry. It took years for me to understand this. So does this mean that I have to quit my secular job and become a pastor or a missionary? Not quite. It means that everything in my life is to be done according to God's will. Every waking moment we spend on this Earth is to glorify God.
I think the main point that I am wanting to get across is that it is just not those that work in the church of mission field that are supposed to give up what they want in life. We are to do what we are called to do. Right now, my place is in public accounting and seminary. I am to glorify God in the work I do, in my actions, in my studies, and by evangelizing whenever the situation presents itself. This also applies to all of you who are my brothers and sisters in Christ. I think that God has finally made me strong enough to accept whatever He wants me to do and wherever He wants me to do it. We all need to be ready for this.
As I said previously, the day that I understood that Jesus Christ is my savior is the day that unbeknown to me, my Earthly flesh and desires died. This was also the day that I unknowingly surrendered my life to the ministry. It took years for me to understand this. So does this mean that I have to quit my secular job and become a pastor or a missionary? Not quite. It means that everything in my life is to be done according to God's will. Every waking moment we spend on this Earth is to glorify God.
I think the main point that I am wanting to get across is that it is just not those that work in the church of mission field that are supposed to give up what they want in life. We are to do what we are called to do. Right now, my place is in public accounting and seminary. I am to glorify God in the work I do, in my actions, in my studies, and by evangelizing whenever the situation presents itself. This also applies to all of you who are my brothers and sisters in Christ. I think that God has finally made me strong enough to accept whatever He wants me to do and wherever He wants me to do it. We all need to be ready for this.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Good Stuff In...Good Stuff Out
This was a spur of the moment post that I wanted to get out. It isn't complete, and definately has some flaws. I just wanted to get the thoughts out on paper. When reading the gospels, we find that the pharisee's are always trying to catch Jesus messing up. They tirelessly ask him questions hoping for him to mess up. In the car tonight, I popped in an old CD that I have not listened to in quite some time. When I first ventured back to this CD a few years ago, I had not noticed that most of the songs written by this band, as well as most modern bands, were about losing a girl. When I listened to it tonight, I realized that these songs are desperately looking to fill a void that is being continuously filled and emptied in a never ending process with sin. Then people listen to these songs, and I strongly believe that it holds people back.
This reminded me of one of the situations with Jesus. Jesus was asked by the Pharisees why he was eating with unclean hands and with sinners. He quickly replied it is not what goes into the body, but what comes out of the body that makes a person unholy. I know for myself, my mood is very much affected by the music that I listen to. If I am listening to pump-up, workout music, I work really hard and I am very productive. On the flip side, I am very bummed out by sad music. So now, I take you to the lyrics that I heard in my car.
Linkin Park - Crawling
crawling in my skin
these wounds they will not heal
fear is how I fall
confusing what is real
there's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface
consuming/confusing
this lack of self-control I fear is never ending
controlling/I can't seem
to find myself again
my walls are closing in
(without a sense of confidence and I'm convinced that there's just too much pressure to take)
I've felt this way before
so insecure
discomfort, endlessly has pulled itself upon me
distracting/reacting
against my will I stand beside my own reflection
it's haunting how I can't seem...
to find myself again
my walls are closing in
(without a sense of confidence and I'm convinced that there's just too much pressure to take)
I've felt this way before
so insecure
So the person that is lost in sin, has it "crawling in their skin", is constantly staying in that state of mind when they keep listening to music like this. This relates to everything else we do! It draws the same parallel for me of someone that has an addiction that does not get away from the addiction. This is also no different than a new christian that never wants to advance from a new Christian (something that I want to post about tomorrow).
Bottom line, what you are surrounding yourself with is what you become. (I know this is a little contradictory to the statement I made about with Jesus' response, but it helped get me trhough to this point) You have to let Christ help you. Just by asking for forgiveness and believing in him is not going to completely do it. Yes, believing it is the first step. The next step is that you have to do your part. Good stuff in will result in good stuff out. Remember that the old you is dead, so the new you has to rethink your surroundings to make sure that you do not revert back to the old you or pick up some new sin that you had not experienced before.
Lift your chains, because Jesus holds the key. After you let him unlock them, THROW THEM AWAY.
This reminded me of one of the situations with Jesus. Jesus was asked by the Pharisees why he was eating with unclean hands and with sinners. He quickly replied it is not what goes into the body, but what comes out of the body that makes a person unholy. I know for myself, my mood is very much affected by the music that I listen to. If I am listening to pump-up, workout music, I work really hard and I am very productive. On the flip side, I am very bummed out by sad music. So now, I take you to the lyrics that I heard in my car.
Linkin Park - Crawling
crawling in my skin
these wounds they will not heal
fear is how I fall
confusing what is real
there's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface
consuming/confusing
this lack of self-control I fear is never ending
controlling/I can't seem
to find myself again
my walls are closing in
(without a sense of confidence and I'm convinced that there's just too much pressure to take)
I've felt this way before
so insecure
discomfort, endlessly has pulled itself upon me
distracting/reacting
against my will I stand beside my own reflection
it's haunting how I can't seem...
to find myself again
my walls are closing in
(without a sense of confidence and I'm convinced that there's just too much pressure to take)
I've felt this way before
so insecure
So the person that is lost in sin, has it "crawling in their skin", is constantly staying in that state of mind when they keep listening to music like this. This relates to everything else we do! It draws the same parallel for me of someone that has an addiction that does not get away from the addiction. This is also no different than a new christian that never wants to advance from a new Christian (something that I want to post about tomorrow).
Bottom line, what you are surrounding yourself with is what you become. (I know this is a little contradictory to the statement I made about with Jesus' response, but it helped get me trhough to this point) You have to let Christ help you. Just by asking for forgiveness and believing in him is not going to completely do it. Yes, believing it is the first step. The next step is that you have to do your part. Good stuff in will result in good stuff out. Remember that the old you is dead, so the new you has to rethink your surroundings to make sure that you do not revert back to the old you or pick up some new sin that you had not experienced before.
Lift your chains, because Jesus holds the key. After you let him unlock them, THROW THEM AWAY.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Satan and Demons
In respect to 1 Corinthians 14:20, "Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature/" I am going to be wrapping up my study of Spiritual Warfare soon and move on to other topics to avoid falling victim to being obsessed with our battles against demons. However, I did want to talk about what I have been learning over the past few days.
My dad brought home a book for me to read, Spiritual Warfare, by Jerry Rankin. Dr. Rankin is an alumni of Southwestern Seminary, former missionary, and currently president of the International Mission Board. When he speaks of encounters of Spiritual Warfare, this is an individual that has most certainly seen it. I am about halfway through his book, and it is a MUST READ for all Christians. I almost want to say that before you agree to pray for a missionary, you should look into reading the book. I will dive into that a little bit more later.
In order to supplement Dr. Rankin's writings, I read the chapter in a Systematic Theology book on Satan and Demons....Spiritual Warfare. I won't go into all of the detail of what I read, but I do have a few facts that I want to point out:
1. Satan and Demons (fallen angels) exist.
As you read through the Bible, you will find scripture that discuss satan and demons. The serpent that tempted Eve, Satan failing to tempt Christ, demons being present in various individuals and Christ / others casting the demons out, etc.
2. Not all evil and sin is from Satan and Demons, but some is.
We need to accept our own responsibility obey the Lord and not to shift blame for our own misdeeds onto some demonic force. That being said, there can be influence, but we have dominion over that influence and chose to succumb to it. Not all sin is caused by Satan or demons, nor is the major influence or cause of sin demonic activity, but demonic activity is probably a factor in almost all sin and almost all destructive activity that opposes the work of God in the world today.
These are two very basic points, but I only wanted to arrive to the point that anything that goes against God and the Great Commission is worldly and of sin. Dr. Rankin points out that if this world can't stop the missionary him/herself from going, then it will go to the next person in line...family in friends. I'll go ahead and throw myself under the bus. When I found out, I was angry. I wanted to know why my family was moving away from me. Why was my family making the choice to take my sisters into Mexico. I did not get my answers right away, but I did get my answer. To simply show the Glory of God and to fulfill the Great Commission.
Everything that we do in this world is to glorify our Lord. Satan knows that he can't win this war. Jesus Christ rose from the dead and out of the tomb his scarred hands were the equivalent of victorious trophies. I can not think of a game that draws a parallel, so I have to change the rules of one to make it work. Imagine in football, if you could arrive to the point that the game can not be lost. However, you have to drive the ball down to the end of the field one last time for the game to be over. I imagine that is what we are doing right now. We are trying to get the ball to the end one more time, and Satan knows that if we do, his reign is over. Therefore, he is going to do everything he can to delay us from completing that goal.
As Christians, we are ALL to give our lives to the Lord. That is not a prayer just for those who want to go into the ministry as their careers. EVERYTHING that you do, you are to do in the Lord's name. If you are setting out for the day to do something that does not glorify His name, ask yourself if you should even go do it. I am an auditor, so my daily job is not preaching. However, I go to work everyday to glorify the Lord, and pray that the opportunity will present itself that I may be the light that people may see Jesus Christ. If the Lord calls me to do something else in the future, I must remember that Earthly James no longer lives. He died. Christ lives in this Earthly body that writes to you now, and this body has no say in the argument of what it does in this world. He is just supposed to listen and be a soldier of Christ.
As I close, I want to circle back to my statement that you might want to read Spiritual Warfare before accepting the responsibility to pray for a missionary family. For some of you, you have not made that conscious decision to live your life for the advancement of Christ. Keep in mind that praying for a missionary is declaring war against Satan.
Do not fear, for you have been given strength against sin, and you have armor! It is my hope that these thoughts have not scared anyone. We need not to be scared, because we have the Great Protector. We do need to be alert. Satan does not want us to make to the the end of the field, but I like many others would like to get this game over with so we can go home.
I came across this song on my iPod as I finish this post. This is a great example of what our lives in this world are:
Lord of the Dance, Steven Curtis Chapman
On the bank of the Tennessee River
In a small Kentucky town
I drew my first breath one cold November morning
And before my feet even touched the ground
With the doctors and the nurses gathered 'round
I started to dance
A little boy full of wide-eyed wonder
Footloose and fancy free
But it would happen, as it does for every dancer
That I'd stumble on a truth I couldn't see
And find a longing deep inside of me, sayin'
I am the heart, I need the heartbeat
I am the eyes, I need the sight
I see clearly that I am just a body
I need the life
I move my feet, I go through the motions
But who'll give purpose to chance
I am the dancer
I need the Lord of the dance
The world beneath us spins in circles
And this life makes us twist and turn and sway
But we were made for more than rhythm with no reason
By the one who moves with passion and with grace
As He dances over all that He has made
I am the heart, He is the heartbeat
I am the eyes, He is the sight
And I see clearly, I am just a body
He is the life
I move my feet, I go through the motions
But He gives purpose to chance
I am the dancer
He is the Lord of the dance
And while the music of His love and mercy plays
I will fall down on my knees and I will pray
I am the heart, You are the heartbeat
I am the eyes, You are the sight
And I see clearly, I am just a body
You are the life
I move my feet, I go through the motions
But You give purpose to chance
I am the dancer
You are the Lord of the dance
*Most of the doctrinal statements made in this post came from Grudem, W. A. (1994). Systematic Theology : An introduction to biblical doctrine (422). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House.
My dad brought home a book for me to read, Spiritual Warfare, by Jerry Rankin. Dr. Rankin is an alumni of Southwestern Seminary, former missionary, and currently president of the International Mission Board. When he speaks of encounters of Spiritual Warfare, this is an individual that has most certainly seen it. I am about halfway through his book, and it is a MUST READ for all Christians. I almost want to say that before you agree to pray for a missionary, you should look into reading the book. I will dive into that a little bit more later.
In order to supplement Dr. Rankin's writings, I read the chapter in a Systematic Theology book on Satan and Demons....Spiritual Warfare. I won't go into all of the detail of what I read, but I do have a few facts that I want to point out:
1. Satan and Demons (fallen angels) exist.
As you read through the Bible, you will find scripture that discuss satan and demons. The serpent that tempted Eve, Satan failing to tempt Christ, demons being present in various individuals and Christ / others casting the demons out, etc.
2. Not all evil and sin is from Satan and Demons, but some is.
We need to accept our own responsibility obey the Lord and not to shift blame for our own misdeeds onto some demonic force. That being said, there can be influence, but we have dominion over that influence and chose to succumb to it. Not all sin is caused by Satan or demons, nor is the major influence or cause of sin demonic activity, but demonic activity is probably a factor in almost all sin and almost all destructive activity that opposes the work of God in the world today.
These are two very basic points, but I only wanted to arrive to the point that anything that goes against God and the Great Commission is worldly and of sin. Dr. Rankin points out that if this world can't stop the missionary him/herself from going, then it will go to the next person in line...family in friends. I'll go ahead and throw myself under the bus. When I found out, I was angry. I wanted to know why my family was moving away from me. Why was my family making the choice to take my sisters into Mexico. I did not get my answers right away, but I did get my answer. To simply show the Glory of God and to fulfill the Great Commission.
Everything that we do in this world is to glorify our Lord. Satan knows that he can't win this war. Jesus Christ rose from the dead and out of the tomb his scarred hands were the equivalent of victorious trophies. I can not think of a game that draws a parallel, so I have to change the rules of one to make it work. Imagine in football, if you could arrive to the point that the game can not be lost. However, you have to drive the ball down to the end of the field one last time for the game to be over. I imagine that is what we are doing right now. We are trying to get the ball to the end one more time, and Satan knows that if we do, his reign is over. Therefore, he is going to do everything he can to delay us from completing that goal.
As Christians, we are ALL to give our lives to the Lord. That is not a prayer just for those who want to go into the ministry as their careers. EVERYTHING that you do, you are to do in the Lord's name. If you are setting out for the day to do something that does not glorify His name, ask yourself if you should even go do it. I am an auditor, so my daily job is not preaching. However, I go to work everyday to glorify the Lord, and pray that the opportunity will present itself that I may be the light that people may see Jesus Christ. If the Lord calls me to do something else in the future, I must remember that Earthly James no longer lives. He died. Christ lives in this Earthly body that writes to you now, and this body has no say in the argument of what it does in this world. He is just supposed to listen and be a soldier of Christ.
As I close, I want to circle back to my statement that you might want to read Spiritual Warfare before accepting the responsibility to pray for a missionary family. For some of you, you have not made that conscious decision to live your life for the advancement of Christ. Keep in mind that praying for a missionary is declaring war against Satan.
Do not fear, for you have been given strength against sin, and you have armor! It is my hope that these thoughts have not scared anyone. We need not to be scared, because we have the Great Protector. We do need to be alert. Satan does not want us to make to the the end of the field, but I like many others would like to get this game over with so we can go home.
I came across this song on my iPod as I finish this post. This is a great example of what our lives in this world are:
Lord of the Dance, Steven Curtis Chapman
On the bank of the Tennessee River
In a small Kentucky town
I drew my first breath one cold November morning
And before my feet even touched the ground
With the doctors and the nurses gathered 'round
I started to dance
A little boy full of wide-eyed wonder
Footloose and fancy free
But it would happen, as it does for every dancer
That I'd stumble on a truth I couldn't see
And find a longing deep inside of me, sayin'
I am the heart, I need the heartbeat
I am the eyes, I need the sight
I see clearly that I am just a body
I need the life
I move my feet, I go through the motions
But who'll give purpose to chance
I am the dancer
I need the Lord of the dance
The world beneath us spins in circles
And this life makes us twist and turn and sway
But we were made for more than rhythm with no reason
By the one who moves with passion and with grace
As He dances over all that He has made
I am the heart, He is the heartbeat
I am the eyes, He is the sight
And I see clearly, I am just a body
He is the life
I move my feet, I go through the motions
But He gives purpose to chance
I am the dancer
He is the Lord of the dance
And while the music of His love and mercy plays
I will fall down on my knees and I will pray
I am the heart, You are the heartbeat
I am the eyes, You are the sight
And I see clearly, I am just a body
You are the life
I move my feet, I go through the motions
But You give purpose to chance
I am the dancer
You are the Lord of the dance
*Most of the doctrinal statements made in this post came from Grudem, W. A. (1994). Systematic Theology : An introduction to biblical doctrine (422). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Battle Hymn of the Republic
This is one of my favorite songs to sing in church. As our country celebrates independence from tyranny and oppression, we too can celebrate our freedom from the chains and bondage of sin. We had an amazing day today. A few families came over and we spent the entire day together, eating amazing food, and just having a great time. I can not think of a better way to spend a day. There were so many times that I found myself looking around at everyone at various times and just thinking to myself that this is what life is all about.!
Mine eyes have seen the glory
Of the coming of the Lord
He is trampling out the vintage
Where the grapes of wrath are stored
He has loosed the fateful lightening
Of His terrible swift sword
His truth is marching on
I have seen him in the watch-fires
Of a hundred circling camps
They have builded him an altar
In the evening dews and damps
I can read his righteous sentence
By the dim and flaring lamps
His day is marching on
I have read a fiery gospel
Writ in burnish`d rows of steel
As ye deal with my contempters
So with you my grace shall deal
Let the hero, born of woman
Crush the serpent with his heel
Since my God is marching on
He has sounded forth the trumpet
That shall never call retreat
He is sifting out the hearts of men
Before His judgment-seat
Oh, be swift, my soul
To answer him be jubilant, my feet
Our God is marching on
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah
His truth is marching on
Mine eyes have seen the glory
Of the coming of the Lord
He is trampling out the vintage
Where the grapes of wrath are stored
He has loosed the fateful lightening
Of His terrible swift sword
His truth is marching on
I have seen him in the watch-fires
Of a hundred circling camps
They have builded him an altar
In the evening dews and damps
I can read his righteous sentence
By the dim and flaring lamps
His day is marching on
I have read a fiery gospel
Writ in burnish`d rows of steel
As ye deal with my contempters
So with you my grace shall deal
Let the hero, born of woman
Crush the serpent with his heel
Since my God is marching on
He has sounded forth the trumpet
That shall never call retreat
He is sifting out the hearts of men
Before His judgment-seat
Oh, be swift, my soul
To answer him be jubilant, my feet
Our God is marching on
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah
His truth is marching on
Saturday, June 27, 2009
T-Shirt
So in talking to a friend about some evangelism ideas, I went online and created / ordered this shirt. When I get it (10 days), I will just wear it around, go sit at Starbucks with a small sign that says "prayer requests?", etc. If any of you have any other ideas, that would be fantastic. I have the link saved if anyone wants to buy one for themselves.
My vacation has been going great. My family comes back into town in just a few days, and that is going to be an amazing few weeks. Hope all is well with you all!
In Christ
My vacation has been going great. My family comes back into town in just a few days, and that is going to be an amazing few weeks. Hope all is well with you all!
In Christ
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Potential Classes For Fall 2009
I went through the Fall 2009 course catalog yesterday and found a few courses that I can take. Given my schedule, I will be taking once course at the seminary, and one course online. This is obviously not my first choice, but I am rolling with the punches here. I will probably end up taking one of the history/heritage classes and one of the testament classes. Or perhaps even both of the history/heritage classes. We will see. As I said earlier, I can not register for 3 more weeks. I have listed the potential courses below with a brief summary of what the course will be.
Church History I - A general survey of the history of Christianity from the New Testament to 1500 AD.
Basic Old Testament I - An introduction to the ancient Near Eastern background and the canon of the Old Testament and the contents of Genesis-Esther with emphasis on historical issues, theological interpretations, and contemporary applications.
Basic New Testament I - An introduction to the Jewish, Greek and Roman backgrounds, the canon of the New Testament, and the contents of Matthew-Acts with emphasis on historical issues, theological interpretations, and contemporary applications.
Baptist Heritage - A survey of the historical basis of Baptist thought and practice from its inception to the present. Under consideration shall be the major theological issues addressed by Baptists, Baptist ecclesiology, and leading Baptist figures. Special attention shall be given to the Southern Baptist Convention and its cooperative program and agencies.
Biblical Hermeneutics - An introduction to the nature of the Bible, the definition of and need for hermeneutics, a survey of historical and contemporary hermeneutical approaches, the principles of a healthy interpretive approach, and case studies of biblical passages which illustrate the principles. Preferably taken during the first year.
Church History I - A general survey of the history of Christianity from the New Testament to 1500 AD.
Basic Old Testament I - An introduction to the ancient Near Eastern background and the canon of the Old Testament and the contents of Genesis-Esther with emphasis on historical issues, theological interpretations, and contemporary applications.
Basic New Testament I - An introduction to the Jewish, Greek and Roman backgrounds, the canon of the New Testament, and the contents of Matthew-Acts with emphasis on historical issues, theological interpretations, and contemporary applications.
Baptist Heritage - A survey of the historical basis of Baptist thought and practice from its inception to the present. Under consideration shall be the major theological issues addressed by Baptists, Baptist ecclesiology, and leading Baptist figures. Special attention shall be given to the Southern Baptist Convention and its cooperative program and agencies.
Biblical Hermeneutics - An introduction to the nature of the Bible, the definition of and need for hermeneutics, a survey of historical and contemporary hermeneutical approaches, the principles of a healthy interpretive approach, and case studies of biblical passages which illustrate the principles. Preferably taken during the first year.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Seminary Update: Acceptance
There is a definite need to update again today. I have been accepted by Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary to enter the Master of Divinity program in the Fall of 2009.
The next steps will not be attend one of the orientation sessions (none of which occur during my vacation, ha) and I will then be able to register for my classes. Classes with commence on August 20, 2009.
Thank you for your prayers, I am looking forward to the journey.
Glorious, Chris Tomlin
We lift our hands in praise to You
We lift in our hearts in worship to You, Lord
We lift our voice to You and sing
Our greatest love will ever be You, Lord
You, Lord
Glorious
Over us
You shall reign
Glorious
There is a King that we adore
With humble hearts we bow before You, Lord
There is a place we long to be
Face to face we long to see You, Lord
Majesty and power
Are Yours alone forever
The next steps will not be attend one of the orientation sessions (none of which occur during my vacation, ha) and I will then be able to register for my classes. Classes with commence on August 20, 2009.
Thank you for your prayers, I am looking forward to the journey.
Glorious, Chris Tomlin
We lift our hands in praise to You
We lift in our hearts in worship to You, Lord
We lift our voice to You and sing
Our greatest love will ever be You, Lord
You, Lord
Glorious
Over us
You shall reign
Glorious
There is a King that we adore
With humble hearts we bow before You, Lord
There is a place we long to be
Face to face we long to see You, Lord
Majesty and power
Are Yours alone forever
Wisdom
As humans, we have the highest level of intelligence on this Earth. We can use our intelligence for the greater good (and sometimes destruction) of just about every aspect of this world. If Solomon asked the Lord for wisdom and was blessed, one could deduce that Solomon was one of (if not the) wisest men our Earth has seen. My question to you all is, “Where does knowledge stem from?” Solomon’s answer to our question is fear if the LORD. When you read below, I want to note that step 2 is actually the first step. However, unless we seek and find said fear, we cannot begin our journey of knowledge. Also note that there is more to knowledge than the first three chapters of Proverbs (where I obtained this information), but I just want to get you thinking and started. I hope that you will dive into it further on your own.
1. Seek understanding like silver, and search for it as hidden treasures.
2. Fear the LORD.
I think the true fear is proof of your belief. It is then that you understand the true power of your Creator. However, your fear is also simultaneously comforted by the compassion, mercy, and grace of our God. Once you reach step 2 above, you gain the following.
Then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity. Guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
We now reach a third stage in our search for wisdom. We are not just stuck in fear of the most powerful entity in the universe. His arms are wrapped around us. However, as you can see from the bold highlights above, you have to reach the third step, and only a certain type of person gets there.
3. Gain comfort in Wisdom.
So now I ask you, once you gain this great wisdom, do you have the power to evaluate and make decisions using your own knowledge? Nope, sorry, I would advise that you not try to do this. This brings me to step 4.
4. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Now that the right decisions are being made, because you are making them with the Lord, you are to pay tribute.
5. Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.
I remember when I was 18 years old and started my first “real” job that was not based upon bagging groceries or any of the other various roles I worked in over the years at a nearby grocery store, a wise man (my dad) told me that he did not think I would have success in business without paying my tithe. Having grown up in the church, I did believe in God, so I began to pay my tithe. I want to avoid going into the whole “Prosperity Theology” fiasco, but I will say that I feel that he was 100% correct. I think that I have arrived to where I am today not because of what I did myself. I did not have a 3.75 GPA or even a degree from one of the top universities like most of my coworkers. So looking back, I see me entering my firm as an act of following God and his blessings rather than my own success.
Finally, I think there is one more step in this whole process of wisdom.
6. Do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.
The path is narrow, as we know, and difficult. The sins of our former life were fun. The problem with being born-again is that our minds are not erased. Please do not throw stuff at me for using this as a metaphor, but when unplugged from the Matrix, you know both worlds. You know the matrix (old you) is wrong and not real. But keep focused on your walk. Do everything you do in the name of Jesus Christ. Do not wish to satisfy the flesh is Paul calls it, but push forward to satisfy the desires of your God who loves you.
For those of you that are hurting and seeking to be cleansed of something in your life, I have a task for you. Now, you can’t tell anyone you are doing this though. If you have to work, you can do this as your work through out the day. I invite you to have a day of fasting and prayer. It is hard, but I am a big fan of it. Remember, do not tell anyone else what you are doing. If I am doing it, I just tell people I had a big breakfast or lunch depending on the meal that I am explaining why I can’t go grab a burger with someone. If you can, get somewhere and be alone. Turn off all electronics. Just sit there with your bible and read / pray for however many hours you can get away. If you have to work, then do it when you get home. If you have a family to take care of, do it after they go to sleep. No mater how you do it, get alone with God with no distractions. Remember though, this is a secret. This is time that you are giving to the Lord alone.
1. Seek understanding like silver, and search for it as hidden treasures.
2. Fear the LORD.
I think the true fear is proof of your belief. It is then that you understand the true power of your Creator. However, your fear is also simultaneously comforted by the compassion, mercy, and grace of our God. Once you reach step 2 above, you gain the following.
Then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity. Guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
We now reach a third stage in our search for wisdom. We are not just stuck in fear of the most powerful entity in the universe. His arms are wrapped around us. However, as you can see from the bold highlights above, you have to reach the third step, and only a certain type of person gets there.
3. Gain comfort in Wisdom.
So now I ask you, once you gain this great wisdom, do you have the power to evaluate and make decisions using your own knowledge? Nope, sorry, I would advise that you not try to do this. This brings me to step 4.
4. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Now that the right decisions are being made, because you are making them with the Lord, you are to pay tribute.
5. Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.
I remember when I was 18 years old and started my first “real” job that was not based upon bagging groceries or any of the other various roles I worked in over the years at a nearby grocery store, a wise man (my dad) told me that he did not think I would have success in business without paying my tithe. Having grown up in the church, I did believe in God, so I began to pay my tithe. I want to avoid going into the whole “Prosperity Theology” fiasco, but I will say that I feel that he was 100% correct. I think that I have arrived to where I am today not because of what I did myself. I did not have a 3.75 GPA or even a degree from one of the top universities like most of my coworkers. So looking back, I see me entering my firm as an act of following God and his blessings rather than my own success.
Finally, I think there is one more step in this whole process of wisdom.
6. Do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.
The path is narrow, as we know, and difficult. The sins of our former life were fun. The problem with being born-again is that our minds are not erased. Please do not throw stuff at me for using this as a metaphor, but when unplugged from the Matrix, you know both worlds. You know the matrix (old you) is wrong and not real. But keep focused on your walk. Do everything you do in the name of Jesus Christ. Do not wish to satisfy the flesh is Paul calls it, but push forward to satisfy the desires of your God who loves you.
For those of you that are hurting and seeking to be cleansed of something in your life, I have a task for you. Now, you can’t tell anyone you are doing this though. If you have to work, you can do this as your work through out the day. I invite you to have a day of fasting and prayer. It is hard, but I am a big fan of it. Remember, do not tell anyone else what you are doing. If I am doing it, I just tell people I had a big breakfast or lunch depending on the meal that I am explaining why I can’t go grab a burger with someone. If you can, get somewhere and be alone. Turn off all electronics. Just sit there with your bible and read / pray for however many hours you can get away. If you have to work, then do it when you get home. If you have a family to take care of, do it after they go to sleep. No mater how you do it, get alone with God with no distractions. Remember though, this is a secret. This is time that you are giving to the Lord alone.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Endorsed
Not that there was ever any fear that it would not happen, but the very last step in my application has been completed. My church has voted and endorsed me to attend Seminary. I also spoke to the new pastor of my old church, and he will be sending the form in tomorrow as well.
I feel like I am ready to be set loose. I met with one of the minister's at my church today and discussed different opportunities that were available based upon my calling. It looks like I will either end up working with a small group with high school students or working to expand the singles ministry. Either way, I'm ready to get going with serving and seminary. Granted, my own person battle is keeping me plenty busy, but I'm ready to start working with people to start theirs.
I feel like I am ready to be set loose. I met with one of the minister's at my church today and discussed different opportunities that were available based upon my calling. It looks like I will either end up working with a small group with high school students or working to expand the singles ministry. Either way, I'm ready to get going with serving and seminary. Granted, my own person battle is keeping me plenty busy, but I'm ready to start working with people to start theirs.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Christian History in America
As many of you know, people attend university to gain a higher level of education. Those that attend college learn that their bachelors degree more or less enhances their ability to learn. That is why we have masters programs, so that we can dive into the major and become more apt to mastering our trade.
As you enter into your studies at the ripe age of 18, you convince yourself that you have learned the new way of thinking. Your eyes have been "opened up". Many young matriculates find politics. Within their new found study, they believe they have reinvented the wheel. A lot of times, they want to express their newly found freedoms. Freedom of speech, freedom of thought, and freedom of religion. Religion is soon found to be a crutch of the weak minded. We as Christians are said to not have the capacity of the higher level thought, so we are forced to rely on a non-existent God. Perhaps this theory dates back to the Greeks. Science to them did not exist in the way it does for us today, and gods were used to describe why things happened. For example, a wind god caused the winds, or related gods for rain, the ocean, the sun, and victory in battle.
Ultimately, we are told that our morals cannot dictate the lives of Americans. I know this is not the best source, but Wikipedia shows that 76% of Americans claim to be Christian. If a certain class owned that much of a company, they would dictate what the company does. However, if 76% of the nation is Christian, yet our laws are not Christian, how does that work?
According to Gary De mar, America's Christian History:
The early constitutional framers were convinced that there was an intrinsic connection between morality and good government. In practical terms, this means that non--Christians are not exempt from God's moral law. An atheist, for example, cannot appeal to his atheism and freely live as an ethical anarchist. While the State certainly has no jurisdiction over his believes, it does have something to say about how he acts. This moral and civil authority remains an irritant for many in our day. All people, however, answer to some standard of behavior. The question is this: In a religiously diverse society, what ethical standard should the civil magistrate use to make moral judgments about civil activity? This question is the essence of the debate about a "Christian America."
So my question to American is a curiosity of if the majority of Americans are in fact Christians, why do we have such a mass of immoral values that are making their way through our society. This is something that I would argue is new. In the early 1900s, Woodrow Wilson, and many other figures still held on to what our founding fathers knew, which is Christian values. Maybe it was in the 1960s or 19760s that we began the feel good stage. Whatever it is, and however it happened, I think America is going down a dark path.
The free thinking and perversion of our laws is becoming rampant in my opinion. We try to give labels and excuses for criminal acts. We are too busy tiptoeing around the important issues to avoid any social faux paus. If we do not stop the train that is heading forward without breaks, what kind of society will our children grow up in? Nude billboards on our roads and commercials such as they are in europe? We have our work cut out for us.
As you enter into your studies at the ripe age of 18, you convince yourself that you have learned the new way of thinking. Your eyes have been "opened up". Many young matriculates find politics. Within their new found study, they believe they have reinvented the wheel. A lot of times, they want to express their newly found freedoms. Freedom of speech, freedom of thought, and freedom of religion. Religion is soon found to be a crutch of the weak minded. We as Christians are said to not have the capacity of the higher level thought, so we are forced to rely on a non-existent God. Perhaps this theory dates back to the Greeks. Science to them did not exist in the way it does for us today, and gods were used to describe why things happened. For example, a wind god caused the winds, or related gods for rain, the ocean, the sun, and victory in battle.
Ultimately, we are told that our morals cannot dictate the lives of Americans. I know this is not the best source, but Wikipedia shows that 76% of Americans claim to be Christian. If a certain class owned that much of a company, they would dictate what the company does. However, if 76% of the nation is Christian, yet our laws are not Christian, how does that work?
According to Gary De mar, America's Christian History:
The early constitutional framers were convinced that there was an intrinsic connection between morality and good government. In practical terms, this means that non--Christians are not exempt from God's moral law. An atheist, for example, cannot appeal to his atheism and freely live as an ethical anarchist. While the State certainly has no jurisdiction over his believes, it does have something to say about how he acts. This moral and civil authority remains an irritant for many in our day. All people, however, answer to some standard of behavior. The question is this: In a religiously diverse society, what ethical standard should the civil magistrate use to make moral judgments about civil activity? This question is the essence of the debate about a "Christian America."
So my question to American is a curiosity of if the majority of Americans are in fact Christians, why do we have such a mass of immoral values that are making their way through our society. This is something that I would argue is new. In the early 1900s, Woodrow Wilson, and many other figures still held on to what our founding fathers knew, which is Christian values. Maybe it was in the 1960s or 19760s that we began the feel good stage. Whatever it is, and however it happened, I think America is going down a dark path.
The free thinking and perversion of our laws is becoming rampant in my opinion. We try to give labels and excuses for criminal acts. We are too busy tiptoeing around the important issues to avoid any social faux paus. If we do not stop the train that is heading forward without breaks, what kind of society will our children grow up in? Nude billboards on our roads and commercials such as they are in europe? We have our work cut out for us.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Back to Normal
Well that was a crazy week. I am now on vacation and will be for the next 4 weeks! Getting ready for it was insane though. There were many 2:00 am nights in order to get everything done that needed to be so that I could get away.
However, it is all done now and I can enjoy my vacation. My goal is just to relax and hang out. If anyone has any good reads that they would recommend, please do so!
Seminary Update:
I ended up having to go to my previous church to get their endorsement as well. I sent it last week, and I am not sure what stage it is in. Also, my current church is voting on Wednesday night, so very excited about that. Hopefully my application with be completed and approved soon to allow me to register for the classes that I want.
However, it is all done now and I can enjoy my vacation. My goal is just to relax and hang out. If anyone has any good reads that they would recommend, please do so!
Seminary Update:
I ended up having to go to my previous church to get their endorsement as well. I sent it last week, and I am not sure what stage it is in. Also, my current church is voting on Wednesday night, so very excited about that. Hopefully my application with be completed and approved soon to allow me to register for the classes that I want.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Quick Update
I had to work late tonight, so I do not have a grand post to bring to you. My last reference arrived to the seminary today, so the only thing that I lack at this point is for the seminary to receive my church endorsement. The endorsement is to occur next Wednesday, 6/17/09, at the business meeting. I imagine the form will be sent the next day. That would mean that my application could be fully complete by 6/19/09, and could potentially render my acceptance the follow Friday!
Oh! a praise! In all of this, I was a little worried about asking my work for permission to be able to leave at 5:00 (ha, what normal people get to do) two nights a week during the semester. The question was well received, and I was given permission to be able to be absent one night a week. That works out great, because I can supplement the other class that I would have taken by taking advantage of the online course offerings. I am not the biggest fan of online courses. During my masters, I utilized them as well as in my CPA studies. They are good in that if I want to study or do a lecture at 1:00 in the morning, that option is available to me. To answer your question, my sleep schedule gets messed up from work, and quite frequently I get a second wind around 11:00 or so and can typically get a good 3 hours of work in.
Everything seems to be falling into place. I do want to add something new to the blog. Prayer is a strong tool that we have in our arsenal, and if there is anything I can pray about for you, please email me. My email should be listed in my profile. I will add this note to the side as well so it doesn't get forgotten as I add more posts.
God Bless
Oh! a praise! In all of this, I was a little worried about asking my work for permission to be able to leave at 5:00 (ha, what normal people get to do) two nights a week during the semester. The question was well received, and I was given permission to be able to be absent one night a week. That works out great, because I can supplement the other class that I would have taken by taking advantage of the online course offerings. I am not the biggest fan of online courses. During my masters, I utilized them as well as in my CPA studies. They are good in that if I want to study or do a lecture at 1:00 in the morning, that option is available to me. To answer your question, my sleep schedule gets messed up from work, and quite frequently I get a second wind around 11:00 or so and can typically get a good 3 hours of work in.
Everything seems to be falling into place. I do want to add something new to the blog. Prayer is a strong tool that we have in our arsenal, and if there is anything I can pray about for you, please email me. My email should be listed in my profile. I will add this note to the side as well so it doesn't get forgotten as I add more posts.
God Bless
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Christian Economics
I came up with this a few years ago. I'd like to discuss / correct anything on it if anyone disagrees. This chart is what I would propose to be the economic representation of our giving as Christians. The DG on the y-axis represents Difficult Giving. The giving does not necessarily mean monetary. This ranges from your tithe and involvement in your church body to the sacrifice of giving your life to His ministry. The B on the x-axis represents the blessings that God gives to us. I want to note that the graphs are not mapping the ratio of God’s blessings to our giving. I understand that we receive all that we will ever need of God’s grace and blessing at DG = 0, because that is simply given to us, and we can not earn it. There are different variations that I will talk about, but this first graph, in my own opinion, is charting Christians as a whole.
The blue line represents our market giving, and is simply a supply curve. I believe the line would be more of a curve (instead of the straight line that is presently showing), and probably in a manner that the ratio of Difficult Giving to Blessings is very low, because we can not out give God. For our graphical purposes, I have made the line positive, because by giving more, we ultimately receive more (I do not mean monetary exclusively, this is not supporting giving more so that we can have that fancy SUV or $1 million home)
The red line represents the individuals in relationship to the market, or entire body of Christians, of our giving. As you can see, the dotted line is connecting the red line to the blue line. This is not a coincidence, and I did not just make it up – it is a derivative of individual and market economic theory that remains to be disproven by the great minds of John Forbes Nash and others. The dotted is linking the market to our individual supply of giving. I would like to note that some will give more, but overall, according to the economic theory, we are only going to give up to the point of (P*,Q*). You will also see that the market or red line is a flat line. This is because we are willing as a whole to pay one price. This one low price is the amount that we would pay regardless of the amount that God is willing to bless us with. This is our sin. Due to our sinful nature, no matter how many blessings God is offering us, we are not changing and giving more. This thought is proven on a daily basis, for God has offered the world the ultimate blessing through the ultimate gift. However, we will never be willing to give at the point that God demands.
The green line represents the demand of God. The first thing that you should be seeing is that our willingness to give is only (P*,Q*), and that we are falling short of God’s demand. God wants us to be giving where the blue and green lines cross. A triangle is formed from our lack of giving. The triangle consists of the dotted line as a base, and the blue and green lines as sides to the point that they meet. This area should be viewed as a loss to God. Not that He could ever lose anything that he wanted, but it represents the area by which we fall short to God’s demand. This amount, if ever quantifiable, is how much more we owe Him.
In the end, this is not a cutting edge thought or a new discovery. I just think it is a great representation of our sin, our giving, and God’s demand.
Fellowship and Truth
I have not been writing in this blog for very long, so I sincerely appreciate the comments. The New Testament read by James Earl Jones is starting to prove to be very handy. I am getting to where when a pastor or Sunday School teacher talks about a particular passage, I already know where they are going. It is definitely a great experience, and I hope that you are all finding creative ways to get into the Word...especially if you are finding it hard to have the time to stop and do it. I have roughly 2 hours of commuting, so it gives me a nice beginning and end to the work day.
The topic of the day is Fellowship.
1 John 1:5-10 (ESV)
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. [6] If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. [7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. [8] If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Immediately when I read this passage written by John, my mind goes to the Full Armor of God that I have written about. John is hitting on 2 very important topics: 1. Fellowship and 2. Honesty. Keep in mind that I am just writing on opinion here, and not necessarily from an educated theology standpoint (haven't made it into seminary yet).
Fellowship and Honesty go hand in hand. They relate both to the Shoes of Readiness and the Belt of Truth. Fellowship helps us be honest, and being honest helps us in fellowship. This passage seems to be specifically talking about fellowship with Christ, but the idea definitely branches out to our need to be with other Christians as well. I think that this concept of being honest and asking for forgiveness in our sins is of paramount that separates a believer from a non-believer. A person that truly believes in Christ knows when they have committed sin and feels the need to ask for forgiveness. The lack guilt would in fact then have to stem from lack of belief in what the Word says. If you do not feel the desire to repent, then the old you has not died.
Let's step back now and go back to the relationship of honesty and fellowship. We all need to have much fellowship with other believers. Consider yourselves addicts. You are addicted to the old you. Whether you are a new Christian who has just made the decision to follow Christ, or a 40 year veteran, your Earthly desires and temptations are still present. We can find great comfort in fellowship to help fight these temptations. Do not try to fight the War against evil on your own. While you have the potential in yourself to do it, it would be wise to fight it as a team.
If you are not going to a church, find one. If you are already going to a church but are not plugged in, find a group. If you are already in a Sunday school class, start to find ways to have fellowship outside of that class. As I said earlier, if you only do the Sunday meeting, you are only covering yourself less then 2% of the time.
My goal for this week is to start meeting with my class outside of church. After the bible study on Wednesday night, I am going to meet them for dinner. That will work for a short term goal, but my long term goal is to start a bible study. Maybe I will bring that up this week when I meet with the group. We shall see!
Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers. I hope to have a complete application in after next week, and then I can start thinking about my classes / schedule! I would like to add to my prayer list here, and that is for the people who are unable to find jobs in this economy. Times are tough, and despite the fact that work is rough right now, I do still have a job that pays the mortgage. I have also been praying more on my calling, and I am not sure if this is how it is working, but I get the feeling that God is not showing me yet what the next step will be. This is as if He is telling me, "Take care of seminary first, prepare yourself financially, do the work for what is planned for you now. Then, I will move you on to the next stage."
God Bless
The topic of the day is Fellowship.
1 John 1:5-10 (ESV)
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. [6] If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. [7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. [8] If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Immediately when I read this passage written by John, my mind goes to the Full Armor of God that I have written about. John is hitting on 2 very important topics: 1. Fellowship and 2. Honesty. Keep in mind that I am just writing on opinion here, and not necessarily from an educated theology standpoint (haven't made it into seminary yet).
Fellowship and Honesty go hand in hand. They relate both to the Shoes of Readiness and the Belt of Truth. Fellowship helps us be honest, and being honest helps us in fellowship. This passage seems to be specifically talking about fellowship with Christ, but the idea definitely branches out to our need to be with other Christians as well. I think that this concept of being honest and asking for forgiveness in our sins is of paramount that separates a believer from a non-believer. A person that truly believes in Christ knows when they have committed sin and feels the need to ask for forgiveness. The lack guilt would in fact then have to stem from lack of belief in what the Word says. If you do not feel the desire to repent, then the old you has not died.
Let's step back now and go back to the relationship of honesty and fellowship. We all need to have much fellowship with other believers. Consider yourselves addicts. You are addicted to the old you. Whether you are a new Christian who has just made the decision to follow Christ, or a 40 year veteran, your Earthly desires and temptations are still present. We can find great comfort in fellowship to help fight these temptations. Do not try to fight the War against evil on your own. While you have the potential in yourself to do it, it would be wise to fight it as a team.
If you are not going to a church, find one. If you are already going to a church but are not plugged in, find a group. If you are already in a Sunday school class, start to find ways to have fellowship outside of that class. As I said earlier, if you only do the Sunday meeting, you are only covering yourself less then 2% of the time.
My goal for this week is to start meeting with my class outside of church. After the bible study on Wednesday night, I am going to meet them for dinner. That will work for a short term goal, but my long term goal is to start a bible study. Maybe I will bring that up this week when I meet with the group. We shall see!
Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers. I hope to have a complete application in after next week, and then I can start thinking about my classes / schedule! I would like to add to my prayer list here, and that is for the people who are unable to find jobs in this economy. Times are tough, and despite the fact that work is rough right now, I do still have a job that pays the mortgage. I have also been praying more on my calling, and I am not sure if this is how it is working, but I get the feeling that God is not showing me yet what the next step will be. This is as if He is telling me, "Take care of seminary first, prepare yourself financially, do the work for what is planned for you now. Then, I will move you on to the next stage."
God Bless
Saturday, June 6, 2009
An Example of Excitement
I am reading the Introduction of an Old Testament text book, and I wanted to share this one segment with you. This is a great example of why I am very excited to study in seminary:
Imagery
Although images are found throughout the Bible, they occur with more frequency and intensity in the poetic portions. Imagery contributes to the compactness of poetry, because it allows the authors to communicate their message using fewer words.
Imagery is an indirect way of speaking or writing, Unlike direct statements, an image compares something or someone with another thing or someone else. For instance, not the Song of Songs 1:9
I liken you, my darling, to a mare
harnessed to one of the chariots of Pharaoh.
In this verse the speaker draws a comparison between two things: his beloved and a mare harnessed to a chariot of Pharaoh. The difference between the two objects in comparison draws our attention and sets us thinking. The next step is to identify the comparison. In this particular case, some historical background is necessary to understand the impact of the compliment. Research makes it clear that the chariots of Egypt used stallions, not mares. The presence of a mare would sexually excite the stallions. Israel knew of a battle tactic that called for the release of a mare among the enemy's chariot horses to divert their attention.
How many of you at first glance would think that it was a more love based statement? As if to say that I follow you wherever you go, or we go together, or something of that nature? I know I did.
Powerful stuff.
Imagery
Although images are found throughout the Bible, they occur with more frequency and intensity in the poetic portions. Imagery contributes to the compactness of poetry, because it allows the authors to communicate their message using fewer words.
Imagery is an indirect way of speaking or writing, Unlike direct statements, an image compares something or someone with another thing or someone else. For instance, not the Song of Songs 1:9
I liken you, my darling, to a mare
harnessed to one of the chariots of Pharaoh.
In this verse the speaker draws a comparison between two things: his beloved and a mare harnessed to a chariot of Pharaoh. The difference between the two objects in comparison draws our attention and sets us thinking. The next step is to identify the comparison. In this particular case, some historical background is necessary to understand the impact of the compliment. Research makes it clear that the chariots of Egypt used stallions, not mares. The presence of a mare would sexually excite the stallions. Israel knew of a battle tactic that called for the release of a mare among the enemy's chariot horses to divert their attention.
How many of you at first glance would think that it was a more love based statement? As if to say that I follow you wherever you go, or we go together, or something of that nature? I know I did.
Powerful stuff.
Failure
On Thursday, I failed miserably. I made the post (maybe even the day before) about acknowledging who you work for as a form of developing peace in hard situations at work. In my business, it is all about billable hours. From those billable hours, we have future schedules which determine our potential utilization from the year. Up until this past week, I has #3 out of 33 people in terms of future billable hours potential. That being said, I did not do anything to necessarily deserve that over them, but it made me safe from layoffs.
I found out on Thursday that my hours were going to be reduced by half on my major client due to budget cuts from wanting to reduce the cost to the client. I think coupled that with people getting let go this week, and the fact that my other client might not even be a client due to the economy.
So I found myself looking at my schedule to find myself not #3, but potentially #30 if a few things fell the wrong way. I completely freaked out. I was scared, angry, insulted, confused, and the list goes on and on. This is exactly why that when if at anytime someone says something about me being a good christian or something of that nature, I feel the need to correct them. I know of other people that I feel that I can say are warriors of Christ, but I'm not there yet. I'm working on it though.
This also throws a wrench into the plans for the fall. My schedule is now wide open, so now I could get picked up on a client that requires me to work a lot in the fall. Ha, I guess it could also mean that I have nothing else to do but sit in the office and study.
I don't know if it is wise to think this way, but work is not going to stop me. All of the battles that I evolve or continue in fighting may make us want to lock ourselves in our rooms where it is safe, but we have to keep going.
I didn’t come lookin’ for trouble
And I don’t want to fight needlessly
But I’m not gonna hide in a bubble
If trouble comes for me
I can feel my heart beating faster
I can tell something’s coming down
But if it’s gonna make me grow stronger then…
Now, maybe you’re thinkin’ I’m crazy
And maybe I need to explain some things
‘Cause I know I’ve got an enemy waiting
Who wants to bring me pain
But what he never seems to remember
What he means for evil God works for good
So I will not retreat or surrender
Now, I don’t want to sound like some hero
‘Cause it’s God alone that my hope is in
But I’m not gonna run from the very things
That would drive me closer to Him
So bring it on
Bring it on
Let the lightning flash, let the thunder roll, let the storm winds blow
Bring it on
Let the trouble come, let the hard rain fall, let it make me strong
Bring it on
I found out on Thursday that my hours were going to be reduced by half on my major client due to budget cuts from wanting to reduce the cost to the client. I think coupled that with people getting let go this week, and the fact that my other client might not even be a client due to the economy.
So I found myself looking at my schedule to find myself not #3, but potentially #30 if a few things fell the wrong way. I completely freaked out. I was scared, angry, insulted, confused, and the list goes on and on. This is exactly why that when if at anytime someone says something about me being a good christian or something of that nature, I feel the need to correct them. I know of other people that I feel that I can say are warriors of Christ, but I'm not there yet. I'm working on it though.
This also throws a wrench into the plans for the fall. My schedule is now wide open, so now I could get picked up on a client that requires me to work a lot in the fall. Ha, I guess it could also mean that I have nothing else to do but sit in the office and study.
I don't know if it is wise to think this way, but work is not going to stop me. All of the battles that I evolve or continue in fighting may make us want to lock ourselves in our rooms where it is safe, but we have to keep going.
I didn’t come lookin’ for trouble
And I don’t want to fight needlessly
But I’m not gonna hide in a bubble
If trouble comes for me
I can feel my heart beating faster
I can tell something’s coming down
But if it’s gonna make me grow stronger then…
Now, maybe you’re thinkin’ I’m crazy
And maybe I need to explain some things
‘Cause I know I’ve got an enemy waiting
Who wants to bring me pain
But what he never seems to remember
What he means for evil God works for good
So I will not retreat or surrender
Now, I don’t want to sound like some hero
‘Cause it’s God alone that my hope is in
But I’m not gonna run from the very things
That would drive me closer to Him
So bring it on
Bring it on
Let the lightning flash, let the thunder roll, let the storm winds blow
Bring it on
Let the trouble come, let the hard rain fall, let it make me strong
Bring it on
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Who do you work for?
This is a pretty serious question. I think it is a question that we must all ask ourselves on a frequent basis. It is comforting when you know the answer.
I work for Jesus Christ.
That statement alone is what calms me when my firm is doing lay-offs, when I feel like I am being slighted on my evaluations, and in general thought of what is even the point of my job.
For almost a year now, my firm has been doing lay-offs on a quarterly-or-so basis. This has caused an uneasy environment with my coworkers, and with good reason. I have a few close relationships that I have built during my time at the firm. On top of the lay-offs, we also face very difficult hours. It becomes very easy to lose yourself to not only the job, but bring you down into a state of depression. In fact, I was talking to a friend at work who was nearly in tears the other day, and doesn't know what to do anymore. This all is not specific to my firm, but it is an impact that the current economic recession has reduced many of us to this lower state of mind.
So today, I asked her how she was doing. After the initial conversation pleasantries, I asked her who she worked for. Being a Christian, she responded that she physically works for the firm, but she spiritually works for Jesus Christ. An interesting statement! You see, I think she was half right. She does work for Jesus Christ on a spiritual level, but I do not think that the physical and spiritual employers differ.
For those of you that are working in Corporate America who think that your job is not serving Christ, you are grossly mistaken. In talking with my dad a few days ago, he explained to me that there are 3 levels of security in missions: 1) I'm a missionary, let's talk about Christ, 2) Yes, I am a missionary, but let's not make a big deal out of it, and 3) I am hear to study the language, but I am not very good at it, and it is taking me 20 years to do so. In a sense, you are all missionaries as well, and I would venture to say you are in a Level II security area. Your place of business does not necessarily care that you are Christians, but you definitely do not get to make a big fuss out of it.
You work for Christ both physically and spiritually, and I am telling you that it is in fact your very lifestyle and how you handle the stress and punches you receive at work that tell the world about Jesus. This form of lifestyle evangelism that I have been talking about on my blog is your job. Given the current economic state, the stage has been set for us. We have an amazing opportunity to shine like the moon and reflect the Son. It is easy to be positive and happy when times are good, but now is the time for us to really be an example.
The next time you are feeling frustrated and feel that things are not going your way, ask yourself who you work for. If you are serving Jesus, then you should embrace whatever outcome occurs, because by living in Christ, you are subjecting yourself to God's will. If we can somehow reduce everything to that level, then tomorrow is not going to be a bad day, but a day you will love the Lord, be comforted by the Lord, and be taken care of by the Lord.
I work for Jesus Christ.
That statement alone is what calms me when my firm is doing lay-offs, when I feel like I am being slighted on my evaluations, and in general thought of what is even the point of my job.
For almost a year now, my firm has been doing lay-offs on a quarterly-or-so basis. This has caused an uneasy environment with my coworkers, and with good reason. I have a few close relationships that I have built during my time at the firm. On top of the lay-offs, we also face very difficult hours. It becomes very easy to lose yourself to not only the job, but bring you down into a state of depression. In fact, I was talking to a friend at work who was nearly in tears the other day, and doesn't know what to do anymore. This all is not specific to my firm, but it is an impact that the current economic recession has reduced many of us to this lower state of mind.
So today, I asked her how she was doing. After the initial conversation pleasantries, I asked her who she worked for. Being a Christian, she responded that she physically works for the firm, but she spiritually works for Jesus Christ. An interesting statement! You see, I think she was half right. She does work for Jesus Christ on a spiritual level, but I do not think that the physical and spiritual employers differ.
For those of you that are working in Corporate America who think that your job is not serving Christ, you are grossly mistaken. In talking with my dad a few days ago, he explained to me that there are 3 levels of security in missions: 1) I'm a missionary, let's talk about Christ, 2) Yes, I am a missionary, but let's not make a big deal out of it, and 3) I am hear to study the language, but I am not very good at it, and it is taking me 20 years to do so. In a sense, you are all missionaries as well, and I would venture to say you are in a Level II security area. Your place of business does not necessarily care that you are Christians, but you definitely do not get to make a big fuss out of it.
You work for Christ both physically and spiritually, and I am telling you that it is in fact your very lifestyle and how you handle the stress and punches you receive at work that tell the world about Jesus. This form of lifestyle evangelism that I have been talking about on my blog is your job. Given the current economic state, the stage has been set for us. We have an amazing opportunity to shine like the moon and reflect the Son. It is easy to be positive and happy when times are good, but now is the time for us to really be an example.
The next time you are feeling frustrated and feel that things are not going your way, ask yourself who you work for. If you are serving Jesus, then you should embrace whatever outcome occurs, because by living in Christ, you are subjecting yourself to God's will. If we can somehow reduce everything to that level, then tomorrow is not going to be a bad day, but a day you will love the Lord, be comforted by the Lord, and be taken care of by the Lord.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Masters of Divinity
I have noticed that I have picked up a few readers of this blog! Thank you all for taking the time to check out my blog. To date, I have about 21 people who have found the blog! With that kind of traffic, I might as well go public or try to sell to facebook. Ha. I am not sure if I have stated what I will be pursuing in seminary, so this will be a good time to do so. I will be going for a Masters of Divinity or MDiv for short. It is approximately 3 times the coursework as my Masters in Accounting. Here is the the degree plan for 2008. I'm sure it is subject to change over the next few years a little bit. There are many different concentrations that you can have, which influences the electives that you take. At this point, I am looking at that concentration of Christian Apologetics (Critical Thinking, God and Evil, Christian Faith and Science, Apologetics in the Early Church, Christian Ethics), Theology, and even New Testament Exegesis and Exposition. Of course, since I will be on the 6-7 year plan, I have plenty of time to decide.
| Course Title | Course Number | Hours |
|---|---|---|
Biblical Studies | ||
| Biblical Hermeneutics | BIBST 3203 | 3 |
| Basic Old Testament I | OLDTS 3313 | 3 |
| Basic Old Testament II | OLDTS 3323 | 3 |
| Basic New Testament I | NEWTS 3313 | 3 |
| Basic New Testament II | NEWTS 3323 | 3 |
| Elementary Greek I (prerequisite)1 | GREEK 3313 | (3) |
| Elementary Greek II (prerequisite)1 | GREEK 3323 | (3) |
| New Testament Greek I | GREEK 4313 | 3 |
| New Testament Greek II | GREEK 4323 | 3 |
| Elementary Hebrew I | HEBRW 4313 | 3 |
| Elementary Hebrew II | HEBRW 4323 | 3 |
| Hebrew Exegetical Method | HEBRW 5003 | 3 |
Theological Studies | ||
| History of Christianity I | CHAHT 3103 | 3 |
| History of Christianity II | CHAHT 3113 | 3 |
| Baptist Heritage | BPTST 3203 | 3 |
| Systematic Theology I | SYSTH 3003 | 3 |
| Systematic Theology II | SYSTH 3013 | 3 |
Ethics and Philosophical Studies | ||
| The Christian Home | ETHIC 4303 | 3 |
| Basic Christian Ethics or | ETHIC 4313 or | 3 |
The Bible & Moral Issues or | ETHIC 4323 or | |
Development of Christian Character and Decision Making | ETHIC 4333 | |
| Philosophy of Religion or | PHILO 4313 or | 3 |
Christian Apologetics | PHILO 4373 | |
Evangelism and Missions Studies | ||
| Contemporary Evangelism | EVANG 3303 | 3 |
| Personal Evangelism Practicum2 | EVANG 3000 | 0 |
| Introduction to Missiology | MISSN 3363 | 3 |
| Missions Practicum2 | MISSN 3100 | 0 |
Preaching and Pastoral Studies | ||
| Foundations for Christian Ministry I or | PASMN 3313 or | 3 |
| Women's Ministries in the Local Church3 | WOMST 4003 | |
| Christian Ministry Practicum2 | PASMN 4000 | 0 |
| Introduction to Expository Preaching or | PRCHG 3313 or | 3 |
| Expository Communication of Biblical Truth4 | WOMST 4043 | |
| Advanced Expository Preaching5 | PRCHG 3323 | (3) |
| Preaching Practicum2 | PRCHG 3000 | 0 |
Additional Requirements | ||
| Spiritual Formation I | SPFTH 3101 | 1 |
| Spiritual Formation II | SPFTH 3111 | 1 |
| Applied Ministry - Disciple-making in the Local Church | APLMN 4011 | 1 |
| Applied Ministry - Mentoring | APLMN 4021 | 1 |
| The Ministry of Education | EDMIN 3003 | 3 |
Concentration and Free Electives5,6,7,8 | ||
| Concentration and Free Electives | 18 | |
Total | 91 | |
Saturday, May 30, 2009
What a Week!
So the unexpected late night that I spoke about the other day didn't hold a candle to last night. I left the office this morning at 3:00. I usually do that a few times on a quarterly basis, but I believe last night was the first time I did it on a Friday. Gotta love immovable deadlines.
I've been praying a lot lately about Wisdom, and searching for God's will in my life. It is really hard for me to pray about Wisdom and not go to the Book of Proverbs.
Proverbs 2:1-22 (ESV)
My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech, who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness, who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil, men whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways. So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words, who forsakes the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God; for her house sinks down to death, and her paths to the departed; none who go to her come back, nor do they regain the paths of life. So you will walk in the way of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous. For the upright will inhabit the land, and those with integrity will remain in it, but the wicked will be cut off from the land. and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.
I am going to leave it there for now. I am going to do a study on Proverbs I think. More to come!
God Bless
I've been praying a lot lately about Wisdom, and searching for God's will in my life. It is really hard for me to pray about Wisdom and not go to the Book of Proverbs.
Proverbs 2:1-22 (ESV)
My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech, who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness, who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil, men whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways. So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words, who forsakes the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God; for her house sinks down to death, and her paths to the departed; none who go to her come back, nor do they regain the paths of life. So you will walk in the way of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous. For the upright will inhabit the land, and those with integrity will remain in it, but the wicked will be cut off from the land. and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.
I am going to leave it there for now. I am going to do a study on Proverbs I think. More to come!
God Bless
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
An Unexpected Late Night
One of the downsides with my profession is that we have unexpected late nights. I just got home not too long ago, and I am about to boot up my laptop in hopes for a good 3-4 hour production stretch. I predict that this will add to the difficulty of seminary, but I am good with rolling with the punches (I don't require much sleep...which is also great for my profession!).
The strange part about it, is that I openly embrace it. I'm not saying that the devil is using days like today to try to persuade me not to continue. However, I can not completely put to rest the idea that he is not. I can not even see what the method would be that satan could even create the situation, but just a thought.
In the car this morning, I heard an absolutely fantastic verse. My dad has always said this, and in the prior weeks, I heard another pastor say that if you want answers, you have to look in the Word. You can't just ask God, receive the answer, and move on. You receive answers through diligent praying and studying of the Word. I have to get back to work here soon, so I'll be brief and just post the verse.
"But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"" -Romans 10:14-15
Funny how that summarizes in 2 sentences what it took me 5 paragraphs to sputter out last night. Keep in mind that it doesn't necessarily answer my prayers. Preaching can come in many forms outside of being a Pastor. Now just imagine that being read by James Earl Jones, and you will share in my excitement! (I have the New Testament on CD read by James Earl Jones. Pretty sure that is what God would sound like if He talked to me.
No new news on Seminary. The website show that they have received my application and my transcripts. My application should be complete with all of my references on or around June 18-20th depending on how fast I can get people to turn the references around.
Time to get to work!
God Bless
The strange part about it, is that I openly embrace it. I'm not saying that the devil is using days like today to try to persuade me not to continue. However, I can not completely put to rest the idea that he is not. I can not even see what the method would be that satan could even create the situation, but just a thought.
In the car this morning, I heard an absolutely fantastic verse. My dad has always said this, and in the prior weeks, I heard another pastor say that if you want answers, you have to look in the Word. You can't just ask God, receive the answer, and move on. You receive answers through diligent praying and studying of the Word. I have to get back to work here soon, so I'll be brief and just post the verse.
"But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"" -Romans 10:14-15
Funny how that summarizes in 2 sentences what it took me 5 paragraphs to sputter out last night. Keep in mind that it doesn't necessarily answer my prayers. Preaching can come in many forms outside of being a Pastor. Now just imagine that being read by James Earl Jones, and you will share in my excitement! (I have the New Testament on CD read by James Earl Jones. Pretty sure that is what God would sound like if He talked to me.
No new news on Seminary. The website show that they have received my application and my transcripts. My application should be complete with all of my references on or around June 18-20th depending on how fast I can get people to turn the references around.
Time to get to work!
God Bless
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The Calling
I have been praying a lot lately about my calling. In talking with my dad, he brought up the point that no one is simply called to study the Word. Not that I have ever thought that studying was going to be enough. In the Book of James, he talks about the concept of "faith without works is dead". Therefore, we can deduce that each of us is called to serve the Lord in some respect.
Some people are called to Shepard a flock in the role of a pastor, some are called into the mission field, and others are called to lead in the community. I am not speaking on any level of doctrine, but just my own thoughts. I think at some point, we have to ask ourselves are we doing enough? There are 168 hours in a week. For most people, they spend one hour of Sunday School and and one hour in a worship service. Even if we up the hours and say 1.5 hours to give 3 hours on Sunday, that is only 1.8% of our week is formally given to the Lord. Given that the time of the week is constant, as is typically the time given to church, one could safely say that less than 2% of the average person's life is provided to God.
I don't think this is enough for me. Sure, I can add a few more hours of studying at the church, and I can also study at home. However, we have now circled back to my first paragraph above. I have already been saved by Grace. For the most part, the people I go to church with have been saved by Grace. God is pleased that we have followed in His will (not sure if that qualifies as His will or His Perfect Will....thinking Perfect except for the timing), but what about the lost? I'm going to bed tonight, and if I pass away, I will be embraced by my Savior. There are people right now that are wrestling with Satan, and those are the people my heart is aching for. However, I want to be there for my brothers and sisters who are trying to continue in their daily walk as well. Which leads me to my next thought.
From what I can gather, there are ultimately three forms of service I can provide to the Lord here on Earth has a servant. 1) Tend to His sheep, 2) Evangelize to those that need to hear His name, or 3) both.
Stepping back for a second, I know I have the calling to go to Seminary. I will be gaining the higher level education that comes from the knowledge of the Bible, the doctrine gained from the study of Systematic Theology and all other related courses, and the ability to deeply study scripture through exegesis in my studies of Hebrew and Greek (probably more interested in the Greek and will ultimately forget the Hebrew). After completion of my studies, I will be prepared to do anything that God has planned for me. Not only because of the education, because I (like every Christian is called to do) have arrived to the point in my life that I am ready to live my life in whatever way God wants me to.
I now sit here confused. I don't have a specific calling to a specific job, because I want to do it all. I am the happiest when I am talking about God and when I am at church. I want to wake up in the morning and tell people about God. I want to talk with people, and help them with the difficult doctrine topics that I will be trained in. I want to comfort my brothers and sisters when they are in need. In the midst of all of this, I want to raise a Christian family. I want every waking moment to be dedicated to my Lord and Savior.
All in all, it was helpful to get my thoughts out, but I have not really accomplished much. God might want me to stay in Corporate America, but then I will be spending 33% of my time sleeping (which is a constant regardless of the scenario), and at time, 30% to 47% of my time doing Earthly work. Which is fine, because even Paul had to make tents during the day to preach at night. So for whoever has found this blog, please pray with me as I continue to search for what God wants me to do.
God Bless
Some people are called to Shepard a flock in the role of a pastor, some are called into the mission field, and others are called to lead in the community. I am not speaking on any level of doctrine, but just my own thoughts. I think at some point, we have to ask ourselves are we doing enough? There are 168 hours in a week. For most people, they spend one hour of Sunday School and and one hour in a worship service. Even if we up the hours and say 1.5 hours to give 3 hours on Sunday, that is only 1.8% of our week is formally given to the Lord. Given that the time of the week is constant, as is typically the time given to church, one could safely say that less than 2% of the average person's life is provided to God.
I don't think this is enough for me. Sure, I can add a few more hours of studying at the church, and I can also study at home. However, we have now circled back to my first paragraph above. I have already been saved by Grace. For the most part, the people I go to church with have been saved by Grace. God is pleased that we have followed in His will (not sure if that qualifies as His will or His Perfect Will....thinking Perfect except for the timing), but what about the lost? I'm going to bed tonight, and if I pass away, I will be embraced by my Savior. There are people right now that are wrestling with Satan, and those are the people my heart is aching for. However, I want to be there for my brothers and sisters who are trying to continue in their daily walk as well. Which leads me to my next thought.
From what I can gather, there are ultimately three forms of service I can provide to the Lord here on Earth has a servant. 1) Tend to His sheep, 2) Evangelize to those that need to hear His name, or 3) both.
Stepping back for a second, I know I have the calling to go to Seminary. I will be gaining the higher level education that comes from the knowledge of the Bible, the doctrine gained from the study of Systematic Theology and all other related courses, and the ability to deeply study scripture through exegesis in my studies of Hebrew and Greek (probably more interested in the Greek and will ultimately forget the Hebrew). After completion of my studies, I will be prepared to do anything that God has planned for me. Not only because of the education, because I (like every Christian is called to do) have arrived to the point in my life that I am ready to live my life in whatever way God wants me to.
I now sit here confused. I don't have a specific calling to a specific job, because I want to do it all. I am the happiest when I am talking about God and when I am at church. I want to wake up in the morning and tell people about God. I want to talk with people, and help them with the difficult doctrine topics that I will be trained in. I want to comfort my brothers and sisters when they are in need. In the midst of all of this, I want to raise a Christian family. I want every waking moment to be dedicated to my Lord and Savior.
All in all, it was helpful to get my thoughts out, but I have not really accomplished much. God might want me to stay in Corporate America, but then I will be spending 33% of my time sleeping (which is a constant regardless of the scenario), and at time, 30% to 47% of my time doing Earthly work. Which is fine, because even Paul had to make tents during the day to preach at night. So for whoever has found this blog, please pray with me as I continue to search for what God wants me to do.
God Bless
Monday, May 25, 2009
Update on Seminary Application #1
I submitted my application this morning. It was much shorter than I anticipated. I ordered my transcripts to be sent last week, and all I lack now is to get my 2 references and church endorsement. They will be having a business meeting in the next few weeks, and they will be voting on my endorsement. Please pray for my application process.
The Whole Armor of God
I want to share with you all a study that I did on the Full Armor of God.
Ephesians 6:10-20
When a warrior enters into battle, it is optimal to have all of his armor on for protection. When faced by his enemy, if he has a helmet, but lacks body armor, he can be slain by a wound to his torso. Likewise, if the soldier enters into battle with all of the protection without a weapon, his enemies may continue in their assault until the soldier eventually weakens.
Therefore, all components must be used in combination in order to be successful in our battle against evil. In chapter 6, verse 10 of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Paul speaks of the Whole Armor of God. Note that he specifically points out to take on the Whole Armor of God, supporting that individual pieces are not strong enough on their own.
Belt of Truth
Paul opens with the Belt of Truth. Satan is a very powerful being against us. As soldiers of Christ, we are told to, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” In the gospel of John, Jesus Christ warns of us our enemy, “He (Satan) was a murder from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character for he is a liar and the father of lies,” John 8:44. God the Father despises lies and only recognizes the truth. King Solomon, who wrote of wisdom, stated, “There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue…a false witness who breathes out lies…” Proverbs 6:16-19. Finally, we assured that only the truthful will enter the kingdom, when John wrote in his Revelation, “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murders and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” Revelation 22:14-15.
Our witness is also stronger when we wear the Belt of Truth. Not only does God the Father despise when we are not truthful, but the Christian church takes a blow when we are not wearing our belt. In my Sunday School class, my main focus is to teach them how to tell the world about Jesus without saying the word Jesus. The first step in telling the world is to be truthful. Those whose sins have not died with Jesus Christ watch us like very closely and are quick to judge. If your word can not be taken as honest, the lost will not listen to you.
Breastplate of Righteousness
The second piece of armor that we wear as soldiers of Christ is the Breastplate of Righteousness. In the heat of battle, a soldier wears a breastplate in order to protect his heart from fatal blows from their enemy. Our hearts belong to, and are to be constantly looking to our Father in Heaven. In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he wrote, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith’”. As such, in order to be righteous in the eyes of God, we must live by faith. Paul delivers a crushing blow to us a few chapters later, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God” Romans 3:10-11. This is not new news to followers of Christ. In the first stages of our walk, we learn that the very basis of Christianity is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to remove us from our sins so that we may enter the kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, as we progress in our walk, a progression that should never end, we become righteous from our continuing faith.
It is always helpful to remind yourself that we are not God, and we are really bad at playing God. We are to say, “But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God." Psalm 31:14. We are to “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.” Psalm 37:5. King Solomon wrote “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5. The Bible speaks of Trust in many occasions – too many to cover here. Just understand that you gain righteousness through faith, which is derived from trust. We must let go ourselves, and lean on the One that is strong. This is another way to tell people about Jesus without saying Jesus. For example, when you are at work, have faith in the abilities that you have been given. There is not a statement in the bible that says, “Jesus kicked, swore, shouted, and spoke to people in a diminutive manner to solve the situation.” So I ask you, why do we think it is the answer?
Shoes of Readiness
As we continue in our metaphorical walk in Christ, we must constantly wear our Shoes of Readiness. The modern day solider during battle faces landmines and surprise attacks in addition to the day-to-day combat. As soon as a potential battle has been won by the soldier’s party, the good fight is not over. As Christians, we do not know what the next fight will be. That being said, we certainly know that the next battle is going to happen. So our protection from the Shoes of Readiness, comes from being constantly prepared from the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep. A soldier that is not on alert is an easy target, because he is not prepared. In order to be ready, we must not only be alert, we must be training for combat. We would not expect a doctor to be prepared to operate on a patient just because he accepted his calling as a doctor. Why must we treat Christianity any differently? Accepting Jesus Christ as our savior is only step 1. Yes, it is the most powerful step, but too many times we let that be the only step. In Chapter 4 of the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus goes into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. The reader is provided with a very apparent and obvious method of fending off evil, and that is with scripture. That is why it is absolutely imperative that we as Christians open up our Bibles. The book is not just 66 books of stories. It is the words from our Creator, our Master, our Commander and Chief. A quarterback does not just run on to the field, hike the ball, and randomly throw the ball. Plays are generated, studied, and practiced in order to have proper execution. It is completely ridiculous to think that we can continue in any different manner. This training needs to be daily, because once a week on Sunday morning will not prepare you.
Another way to be Ready, is to avoid unnecessary battles. Matthew 26:41 says, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” This means that you do not put yourself in a situation to fail. Now I am not saying that you are to avoid any conflict with the Master of Darkness. Sometimes in order to fulfill God’s will, we must trust him and enter into the wilderness ourselves. However, this means that you should also get rid of your temptations. Matthew 5:29 tells us, “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.” This is also repeated again in Matthew 18. It is quite simple, really. For example, if you know you will fall victim to the flesh with alcohol, stay away from the bars. As new Christians, I invite you to pull away from the society that you fall to, and put yourself in Godly situations with your church. You will have protection in fellowship. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin,” 1 John 1:7. In writing to the people of Corinth, Paul said, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what has light with darkness?” My brothers and sisters, we are to protect each other. Also, remember that the old you must die. You are no longer citizens of this world. Be Ready, because, “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other” Luke 16:23. We must also understand that this world is not going to accept us, for it hated our Master. If we are not better than He, how can we expect another outcome?
Shield of Faith
In John’s Revelation, Jesus tells us, “"'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.” Revelation 2:13. When we wear the Whole Armor of God, we are still going to be attacked. However, “Resist him (Satan), firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world,” 1 Peter 5:9. I want to remind you that we are going to fail. Do not be discouraged by shame, but raise your Shield higher! Do not be moved! I know that I am placing a lot of emphasis on battle, because we are truly in the battle of our lives. Just as it is written by John, “Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.” Revelation 12:7-8.
You lift your shield when you lift your voice to God. As Christians, we must constantly be praying to our Father. God told Abram, ‘"Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great." Genesis 15:1. In the second book of Samuel, we are told “This God--his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.” 2 Samuel 22:31. We must always remember that, “My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.” Psalm 7:10. I say to you that eventually, your body will desire to be in connection with the Lord. Your life will become cold when you are away from Him, but fear not, your Father loves you, and will always be with you.
Helmet of Salvation
The next aspect of the Whole Armor of God is the Helmet of Salvation. Simply put, without or minds, we cannot live. This is a parallel of Salvation, because without it, we are dead. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:3-5. It is a long battle that we face, “Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” 2 Titus 2:10.
Salvation is a gift. We did not earn it. “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:9. It is a gift from our Father that we are to hold strong within it. “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.” Philippians 1:27-28.
Sword of the Spirit
In our Holy War, we have but one great weapon. It contains 66 books, 1,189 chapters, 31,373 versus, and about 774,746 words. It is greater than any rifle, anti-aircraft missile, or weapon of mass destruction that man has created. How can you wage war with human weapons against an entity that is not human? Our Sword is the Word of God. It is used for both defensive and offensive maneuvers. We saw our Savior use it to answer against temptation in the wilderness, and we are told that we will see, “From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.” Revelation 19:15.
I invite you to train to follow like Christ in your battle. This is our Users Guide, our Frequently Asked Questions, our playbook; for we are not in the dark as we walk in our journey. We have been provided specific guidance. That being said, if you never hold up your Sword, you will fail. You will fall victim to temptation. You cannot defend yourself, nor take down your foe. It is the final piece of the Whole Armor of God. Rely on its power! “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12.
You must train with your sword and use it daily. If you are not aware of your weapon’s capabilities, you can not use it to the fullest extent.
In Closing
Do not delay. Wrap yourself in the Whole Armor of God right now! We are told quite clearly how to live our daily lives in order to have the Whole Armor of God:
1. Constant Prayer to shield ourselves from evil
2. Fellowship with the Christian Body for support
3. Full submergence in scripture to train ourselves
4. Building Disciples to answer the Great Commission
Ephesians 6:10-20
When a warrior enters into battle, it is optimal to have all of his armor on for protection. When faced by his enemy, if he has a helmet, but lacks body armor, he can be slain by a wound to his torso. Likewise, if the soldier enters into battle with all of the protection without a weapon, his enemies may continue in their assault until the soldier eventually weakens.
Therefore, all components must be used in combination in order to be successful in our battle against evil. In chapter 6, verse 10 of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Paul speaks of the Whole Armor of God. Note that he specifically points out to take on the Whole Armor of God, supporting that individual pieces are not strong enough on their own.
Belt of Truth
Paul opens with the Belt of Truth. Satan is a very powerful being against us. As soldiers of Christ, we are told to, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” In the gospel of John, Jesus Christ warns of us our enemy, “He (Satan) was a murder from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character for he is a liar and the father of lies,” John 8:44. God the Father despises lies and only recognizes the truth. King Solomon, who wrote of wisdom, stated, “There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue…a false witness who breathes out lies…” Proverbs 6:16-19. Finally, we assured that only the truthful will enter the kingdom, when John wrote in his Revelation, “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murders and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” Revelation 22:14-15.
Our witness is also stronger when we wear the Belt of Truth. Not only does God the Father despise when we are not truthful, but the Christian church takes a blow when we are not wearing our belt. In my Sunday School class, my main focus is to teach them how to tell the world about Jesus without saying the word Jesus. The first step in telling the world is to be truthful. Those whose sins have not died with Jesus Christ watch us like very closely and are quick to judge. If your word can not be taken as honest, the lost will not listen to you.
Breastplate of Righteousness
The second piece of armor that we wear as soldiers of Christ is the Breastplate of Righteousness. In the heat of battle, a soldier wears a breastplate in order to protect his heart from fatal blows from their enemy. Our hearts belong to, and are to be constantly looking to our Father in Heaven. In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he wrote, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith’”. As such, in order to be righteous in the eyes of God, we must live by faith. Paul delivers a crushing blow to us a few chapters later, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God” Romans 3:10-11. This is not new news to followers of Christ. In the first stages of our walk, we learn that the very basis of Christianity is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to remove us from our sins so that we may enter the kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, as we progress in our walk, a progression that should never end, we become righteous from our continuing faith.
It is always helpful to remind yourself that we are not God, and we are really bad at playing God. We are to say, “But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God." Psalm 31:14. We are to “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.” Psalm 37:5. King Solomon wrote “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5. The Bible speaks of Trust in many occasions – too many to cover here. Just understand that you gain righteousness through faith, which is derived from trust. We must let go ourselves, and lean on the One that is strong. This is another way to tell people about Jesus without saying Jesus. For example, when you are at work, have faith in the abilities that you have been given. There is not a statement in the bible that says, “Jesus kicked, swore, shouted, and spoke to people in a diminutive manner to solve the situation.” So I ask you, why do we think it is the answer?
Shoes of Readiness
As we continue in our metaphorical walk in Christ, we must constantly wear our Shoes of Readiness. The modern day solider during battle faces landmines and surprise attacks in addition to the day-to-day combat. As soon as a potential battle has been won by the soldier’s party, the good fight is not over. As Christians, we do not know what the next fight will be. That being said, we certainly know that the next battle is going to happen. So our protection from the Shoes of Readiness, comes from being constantly prepared from the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep. A soldier that is not on alert is an easy target, because he is not prepared. In order to be ready, we must not only be alert, we must be training for combat. We would not expect a doctor to be prepared to operate on a patient just because he accepted his calling as a doctor. Why must we treat Christianity any differently? Accepting Jesus Christ as our savior is only step 1. Yes, it is the most powerful step, but too many times we let that be the only step. In Chapter 4 of the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus goes into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. The reader is provided with a very apparent and obvious method of fending off evil, and that is with scripture. That is why it is absolutely imperative that we as Christians open up our Bibles. The book is not just 66 books of stories. It is the words from our Creator, our Master, our Commander and Chief. A quarterback does not just run on to the field, hike the ball, and randomly throw the ball. Plays are generated, studied, and practiced in order to have proper execution. It is completely ridiculous to think that we can continue in any different manner. This training needs to be daily, because once a week on Sunday morning will not prepare you.
Another way to be Ready, is to avoid unnecessary battles. Matthew 26:41 says, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” This means that you do not put yourself in a situation to fail. Now I am not saying that you are to avoid any conflict with the Master of Darkness. Sometimes in order to fulfill God’s will, we must trust him and enter into the wilderness ourselves. However, this means that you should also get rid of your temptations. Matthew 5:29 tells us, “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.” This is also repeated again in Matthew 18. It is quite simple, really. For example, if you know you will fall victim to the flesh with alcohol, stay away from the bars. As new Christians, I invite you to pull away from the society that you fall to, and put yourself in Godly situations with your church. You will have protection in fellowship. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin,” 1 John 1:7. In writing to the people of Corinth, Paul said, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what has light with darkness?” My brothers and sisters, we are to protect each other. Also, remember that the old you must die. You are no longer citizens of this world. Be Ready, because, “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other” Luke 16:23. We must also understand that this world is not going to accept us, for it hated our Master. If we are not better than He, how can we expect another outcome?
Shield of Faith
In John’s Revelation, Jesus tells us, “"'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.” Revelation 2:13. When we wear the Whole Armor of God, we are still going to be attacked. However, “Resist him (Satan), firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world,” 1 Peter 5:9. I want to remind you that we are going to fail. Do not be discouraged by shame, but raise your Shield higher! Do not be moved! I know that I am placing a lot of emphasis on battle, because we are truly in the battle of our lives. Just as it is written by John, “Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.” Revelation 12:7-8.
You lift your shield when you lift your voice to God. As Christians, we must constantly be praying to our Father. God told Abram, ‘"Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great." Genesis 15:1. In the second book of Samuel, we are told “This God--his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.” 2 Samuel 22:31. We must always remember that, “My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.” Psalm 7:10. I say to you that eventually, your body will desire to be in connection with the Lord. Your life will become cold when you are away from Him, but fear not, your Father loves you, and will always be with you.
Helmet of Salvation
The next aspect of the Whole Armor of God is the Helmet of Salvation. Simply put, without or minds, we cannot live. This is a parallel of Salvation, because without it, we are dead. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:3-5. It is a long battle that we face, “Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” 2 Titus 2:10.
Salvation is a gift. We did not earn it. “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:9. It is a gift from our Father that we are to hold strong within it. “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.” Philippians 1:27-28.
Sword of the Spirit
In our Holy War, we have but one great weapon. It contains 66 books, 1,189 chapters, 31,373 versus, and about 774,746 words. It is greater than any rifle, anti-aircraft missile, or weapon of mass destruction that man has created. How can you wage war with human weapons against an entity that is not human? Our Sword is the Word of God. It is used for both defensive and offensive maneuvers. We saw our Savior use it to answer against temptation in the wilderness, and we are told that we will see, “From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.” Revelation 19:15.
I invite you to train to follow like Christ in your battle. This is our Users Guide, our Frequently Asked Questions, our playbook; for we are not in the dark as we walk in our journey. We have been provided specific guidance. That being said, if you never hold up your Sword, you will fail. You will fall victim to temptation. You cannot defend yourself, nor take down your foe. It is the final piece of the Whole Armor of God. Rely on its power! “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12.
You must train with your sword and use it daily. If you are not aware of your weapon’s capabilities, you can not use it to the fullest extent.
In Closing
Do not delay. Wrap yourself in the Whole Armor of God right now! We are told quite clearly how to live our daily lives in order to have the Whole Armor of God:
1. Constant Prayer to shield ourselves from evil
2. Fellowship with the Christian Body for support
3. Full submergence in scripture to train ourselves
4. Building Disciples to answer the Great Commission
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