Colossians 3:15
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
I have debated with this question many times, "What would it look like if the Kingdom here on Earth truly looked like one body?" If we truly acted as one body, then what should our response be as the Church to yahoos that protest funerals, quit there jobs to stand in front of future sites of Muslim community centers, shoot abortion doctors in their own churches, or stand on college campuses and degrade: homosexuals, liberals, the Greek system, and the singing of the National Anthem at sporting events? I by no means have any answers here, I am just thinking out loud but it seems to me that when there is a part of our physical body that is broken we do what is necessary to fix it. Why don't we try to fix the parts of our Church Body that are broken? Why do I sit back as those people in my state's capital defame the Man that I live my life for? We cannot tolerate Jesus being the cop-out to write off not-so-blind ignorance.
I want to be a part of a Body of Peace. I just wish I knew how to fix our broken Limbs peacefully.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
HEBREWS 11 -- By Faith
Hebrews 11:1
1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
I look at faith like this. When I was younger, I never had to worry about my clothes, about my food, or about my shelter... My parents had provided all of that stuff for me. I just had to go home, eat, and crawl into my warm and cozy bed at night.
I had faith.
Did I have doubt? No. I trusted that my parents would be there to provide for me.
So what's different? I am older--yes. I don't expect my parents to provide for me anymore. So... does that mean I simply become self-reliant? No! My faith is in the Lord. I know that by trusting in Him, all I need will be provided. I know that the Lord is nourishing me, much like my parents did when I was growing up.
So why is life complicated?
Why do I over-complicate God? Why do I assume God is not quite big enough to deal with my baggage? When I am hanging out with close friends, I never doubt that God can work in their lives. But on the other side of the fence, God completely forgiving me? ...No way!
So.. instinctively, I surround myself in His word, read thousands of books, go to church 13 times a week, and practice my kneeling meditative prayer (on one knee, of course). Doing all of this in some savage attempt to create some spiritual high I can ride until the next fall that resembles a doubt-stricken, self-loathing drought that leads to an attempt to recreate the same story all over again.
What good does this disheartening cyclical story do? ...None!!!
God makes it easy for us... faith in Jesus. Faith that Jesus is Lord, that He is bigger than our problems, that He is greater than religion, that he is the answer to our disheartening cynical routine.
We fill ourselves, and our time with what we think will bring us closer to God and forget what God tells us will bring us closer to Him: Obedience that leads to faith in Jesus as our Lord.
1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
I look at faith like this. When I was younger, I never had to worry about my clothes, about my food, or about my shelter... My parents had provided all of that stuff for me. I just had to go home, eat, and crawl into my warm and cozy bed at night.
I had faith.
Did I have doubt? No. I trusted that my parents would be there to provide for me.
So what's different? I am older--yes. I don't expect my parents to provide for me anymore. So... does that mean I simply become self-reliant? No! My faith is in the Lord. I know that by trusting in Him, all I need will be provided. I know that the Lord is nourishing me, much like my parents did when I was growing up.
So why is life complicated?
Why do I over-complicate God? Why do I assume God is not quite big enough to deal with my baggage? When I am hanging out with close friends, I never doubt that God can work in their lives. But on the other side of the fence, God completely forgiving me? ...No way!
So.. instinctively, I surround myself in His word, read thousands of books, go to church 13 times a week, and practice my kneeling meditative prayer (on one knee, of course). Doing all of this in some savage attempt to create some spiritual high I can ride until the next fall that resembles a doubt-stricken, self-loathing drought that leads to an attempt to recreate the same story all over again.
What good does this disheartening cyclical story do? ...None!!!
God makes it easy for us... faith in Jesus. Faith that Jesus is Lord, that He is bigger than our problems, that He is greater than religion, that he is the answer to our disheartening cynical routine.
We fill ourselves, and our time with what we think will bring us closer to God and forget what God tells us will bring us closer to Him: Obedience that leads to faith in Jesus as our Lord.
First Blog
I woke up this morning thinking to myself, "Dustin, you are a closed book. Why do you keep so much about you disclosed? How do you expect to grow in Christ if you are so self-reliant?" That's when I decided, I should just blog.
Blogging gives me the opportunity to take all those personal notes I wrote in my notepad and make them viewable to my closest friends. Essentially, this gives me the opportunity to gather and evaluate my own thoughts, but more importantly, to collect thoughts from you guys.
Proverbs 13:20
He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harms.
By blogging my thoughts and questions and getting your feedback, I hope to grow wise in my walk.
Blogging gives me the opportunity to take all those personal notes I wrote in my notepad and make them viewable to my closest friends. Essentially, this gives me the opportunity to gather and evaluate my own thoughts, but more importantly, to collect thoughts from you guys.
Proverbs 13:20
He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harms.
By blogging my thoughts and questions and getting your feedback, I hope to grow wise in my walk.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)