Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Honoring God, Honoring Parents
How do you honor God while honoring your parents? Today, it seems so unclear, and I feel so uneasy. Prayers please.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
God, Life, Current Events
The Middle East/North Africa. What is going on? People are demanding justice, that's what's going on. People are demanding to be treated decently as human beings, and they are demanding freedom. And, personally, I'm ecstatic that they're being strong enough to do this. I honestly cannot understand how difficult it would be to live under the rule of a dictator, but I can only imagine how terrifying it would be to demand rights that a dictator is withholding. I'm proud of these citizens that are trying to do it peacefully.
But what is even more remarkable to me is the way that countries are being empowered by each other and setting the example for each other that this is possible. It reminds me a lot of the Christian faith in many senses. We all begin in bondage...slaves to sin...under the oppression of death. But Jesus Christ has set us free...we just have to allow ourselves to accept this freedom that he offers. Repent of sins and have faith. Once we allow God to break the bondage to sin in our lives, my prayer is that others will have the courage to do so as well. In the States, this might not seem "courageous". But what about in countries that are under religious oppressors? Where being a believer isn't safe? Where you may be shunned by your family and society? It takes a lot of courage to be a believer! But my prayer is that people will see other believers and their ability to stand up to sin and allow God to take over their lives, and that they would have the strength to experience this freedom and life as well. That's my prayer.
I see the courage of those who stand up to a dictator on earth. What about standing up to the thing that's enslaving you for eternity? Be courageous! Allow God to reign... not your sin!
All that being said, I have been experiencing God in a whole new way lately. Lately He's been giving me so many analogies and examples of His love, grace, freedom, mercy, and the joy that I have in Him. Ah, the joy it is to love Jesus and have freedom through his cross. We were reading 2 Timothy 2:8-13 last night at small group, and I was encouraged, again, by the Apostle Paul. His life is such beautiful evidence of a life completely transformed by the Gospel and lived out to the fullest extent. Paul, a former killer of Christians, was transformed by Jesus to the point of being in chains in prison...and still enduring for the sake of people's obtaining of salvation! Beautiful. Would all of our lives be lived out to the extent that Paul's was... for the sake of Jesus Christ. The one and only Savior.
But what is even more remarkable to me is the way that countries are being empowered by each other and setting the example for each other that this is possible. It reminds me a lot of the Christian faith in many senses. We all begin in bondage...slaves to sin...under the oppression of death. But Jesus Christ has set us free...we just have to allow ourselves to accept this freedom that he offers. Repent of sins and have faith. Once we allow God to break the bondage to sin in our lives, my prayer is that others will have the courage to do so as well. In the States, this might not seem "courageous". But what about in countries that are under religious oppressors? Where being a believer isn't safe? Where you may be shunned by your family and society? It takes a lot of courage to be a believer! But my prayer is that people will see other believers and their ability to stand up to sin and allow God to take over their lives, and that they would have the strength to experience this freedom and life as well. That's my prayer.
I see the courage of those who stand up to a dictator on earth. What about standing up to the thing that's enslaving you for eternity? Be courageous! Allow God to reign... not your sin!
All that being said, I have been experiencing God in a whole new way lately. Lately He's been giving me so many analogies and examples of His love, grace, freedom, mercy, and the joy that I have in Him. Ah, the joy it is to love Jesus and have freedom through his cross. We were reading 2 Timothy 2:8-13 last night at small group, and I was encouraged, again, by the Apostle Paul. His life is such beautiful evidence of a life completely transformed by the Gospel and lived out to the fullest extent. Paul, a former killer of Christians, was transformed by Jesus to the point of being in chains in prison...and still enduring for the sake of people's obtaining of salvation! Beautiful. Would all of our lives be lived out to the extent that Paul's was... for the sake of Jesus Christ. The one and only Savior.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Blessed
I'm realizing how blessed I am. How blessed I am to live with my roommates. How blessed I am to have women in my life who represent Christ so well and magnify Him in all that they do. How blessed I am to have wise counsel literally two doors down from me. So, so blessed.
Yesterday I went into SF and went on a little adventure with my roommates, Rebecca and Frances. They are SUCH a blessing in my life. It's funny how myself I can be around them... not caring if they laugh at the strange things that I say or if I make a fool of myself in front of them.
I've also realized how much I value two things: someone who shares deeply with me and someone who I can share deeply with. Sharing deeply is hard for me, but God has been working a lot in the past couple of years in this area.
Anyways, just a few thoughts before bed. :) Happy Valentine's Day!
Yesterday I went into SF and went on a little adventure with my roommates, Rebecca and Frances. They are SUCH a blessing in my life. It's funny how myself I can be around them... not caring if they laugh at the strange things that I say or if I make a fool of myself in front of them.
I've also realized how much I value two things: someone who shares deeply with me and someone who I can share deeply with. Sharing deeply is hard for me, but God has been working a lot in the past couple of years in this area.
Anyways, just a few thoughts before bed. :) Happy Valentine's Day!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Unrest
Reading the news every day is really upsetting. The Middle East and Northern Africa are catching the bug of being upset with their governments and demanding something new. Protests and political unrest are covering the area, and people seem to be dying every day practically. My conclusions: we live in a broken world... a really broken world.
It's not like any of this is a surprise though. God never promised that our world was going to be in a state of peace before His coming. It's quite the opposite, in fact. The world will be in a state of war when Christ returns... and He is indeed returning. When it will be, I have no idea, but He's coming back! And, in all of this, I remember that we are to live with urgency... His return could be any moment now.
So I'm trying to both pray for those who are being affected by this unrest, and I'm to live with an urgency of sharing the Gospel and sharing of how people can be redeemed from their sins... saved from Hell... and have the hope and assurance of returning home where our tears will be wiped away and where we will enter into perfect communion with our Father.
It's not like any of this is a surprise though. God never promised that our world was going to be in a state of peace before His coming. It's quite the opposite, in fact. The world will be in a state of war when Christ returns... and He is indeed returning. When it will be, I have no idea, but He's coming back! And, in all of this, I remember that we are to live with urgency... His return could be any moment now.
So I'm trying to both pray for those who are being affected by this unrest, and I'm to live with an urgency of sharing the Gospel and sharing of how people can be redeemed from their sins... saved from Hell... and have the hope and assurance of returning home where our tears will be wiped away and where we will enter into perfect communion with our Father.
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