At the Center

2009-09-11T04:03:00.000-07:00

And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become. (2 Cor 12 TMSG)

I need to remember this one today. Really.

It is not about me. My strength comes from God. I can do nothing without Him. So why do I still try sometimes. The more I submit, the greater our bond. And if I am bonded to the One of ultimate strength, that is what makes me strong.

Ouch!

2009-09-07T16:02:00.000-07:00

If all we get out of Christ is a little inspiration for a few short years, we're a pretty sorry lot. (1 Cor 15 TMSG)

Ouch, that smarts! The tough teachings usually do.

I need to remember it is not what I get out of Christianity that matters, it is what I put into it.

Ouch!

Do you really love me?

2009-09-05T08:05:00.000-07:00

Thoughts from 1 Cor 13 (TMSG)...

I'm bankrupt without love

Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't keep score of the sins of others.

(Love) puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end.

Love never dies.

Love extravagantly.

Love extravagantly.

Who's on First?

2009-08-27T03:54:00.000-07:00

We must never try to get Christ to serve us instead of us serving Him. (1 Cor 10 TMSG)

It is such a mystery. It is so hard to get it into my head. Jesus offered himself as the perfect sacrifice on my behalf. Yet that does not make me the boss of Him. Knowing WHO Jesus is is important to how we respond to Him.

I think we tend to see Jesus as our personal butler sometimes. "Jeeves, do get me some tea!" But Jesus is so far from that. So far from a doormat. He is Lord. He could not have accomplished what He did without being strong. He did it out of LOVE, and not obligation.

That has a huge impact on how I act. If He did it out of obligation, I could treat Him as my servant. If He did it out of LOVE, I should desire to return that love. If He did it out of LOVE, it is His gift to me.

My workplace owes me a check. We trade my skills for their money. If someone were to just start giving me money every couple of weeks, I would hope that I would think about them differently. I need to see and understand Jesus as a gift-giver. He didn't have to do it. But He did. It was LOVE.

2009-08-22T07:22:00.000-07:00

But just experiencing God's wonder and grace didn't seem to mean much - most of them were defeated by temptation during hard times in the desert, and God was not pleased. (1 Cor 10 TMSG)

It is not about the gift, it is what we do with the gift that matters. The Israelites had experienced not only God's presence, but his grace and mercy as well. But as soon as things were not going their way(the hard times), they desserted Him.

God is God all of the time. And as such, we must understand and acknowledge his sovereignty. We don't always understand why things happen the way they do, but we always trust in our God who has seen us through so much.

Let's not have short memories.

Knowledge

2009-08-17T04:24:00.000-07:00

We sometimes tend to think we know all to answer these kinds of questions - but sometimes our humble hearts can help us more than our proud minds. We never really know enough until we recognize that God alone knows it all. (1 Cor 8 TMSG)

Amen!

But life can be complicated...

2009-08-15T09:28:00.000-07:00

All I want is for you to be able to develop a way of life in which you can spend plenty of time with the Master without a lot of distractions. (1 Cor 7 TMSG)

Life can be complicated, but I think that is often our choice. We choose the jobs we have, the things we buy, the "must have" conveniences, etc. How did people live without all of these things?

Yet they did.

Just do it!

2009-08-13T08:57:00.000-07:00

There is no time to waste, so don't complicate your lives unnecessarily. Keep it simple - your daily routines of shopping and so on. Deal as sparingly as possible wiht the things the world thrusts on you. This world as you see it is on its way out. (1 Cor 7 TMSG)

Life is complicated. I am way to busy. But what is most of my time spent on? Is it really the things I want to do or is it the things the world has me believe that I want?

I need to simplify, but simplification is hard! Isn't that ironic? But maybe its because I make it hard. Letting go is sometimes not so easy.

Where's Spherical?

2009-08-06T16:15:00.000-07:00

Where you are right now is God's place for you. (1 Cor 7 TMSG)

Sometimes this is comfortable, sometimes it is not, but it is always the truth.

I have been through some very uncomfortable experiences in life. But I am not alone! And it seems that the folks I often run into are the ones who have either been there too or are still in that kind of a place. God needed me to go through that so I could share my experiences and help, just like others shared their experiences and helped me.

Besides, if we never had sadness, what would happiness really mean to us?

No deal!

2009-08-04T06:47:00.000-07:00

But better devastation and embarrassment than damnation. (1 Cor 5 TMSG)

Monty, I think I'll take what's behind door one.

Sign me up!

2009-08-03T06:32:00.000-07:00

Be God's fool -- that's the path to true wisdom. (1 Cor 3 TMSG)

Sign me up!

Is this a contest?

2009-08-02T19:21:00.001-07:00

Human strength can't begin to compare with God's "weakness." (1 Cor 1 TMSG)

So much that we don't know, yet we act as if we do. Real wisdom begins with realistically admitting our limits. It is not a weakness to be honest, in fact, it takes more courage to be honest that it does to lie.

I believe that it is arrogant to think that we have this universe figured out. No matter how much science achieves, there are too many gaps for me to put my trust in science alone. It's not that I don't trust science, I just don't trust it alone.

Some would call me a fool. And I am okay with that.

I just find it a bigger leap of faith to say this is all by chance.

Be strong!

2009-07-29T10:35:00.000-07:00

Strength is for service, not status. (Romans 15 TMSG)

We are blessed so that we can be a blessing to others, not for our own comfort! Doh!

Ouch!

2009-07-28T04:40:00.000-07:00

If the way you live isn't consistent with what you believe, then it's wrong. (Romans 14 TMSG)

Ouch! It's not that I consider myself a bad person, but I know that being good isn't enough either. But do my "head" beliefs really make it all the way to my heart?

Oops!

2009-07-22T09:02:00.000-07:00

Cultivate your own relationship with God, but don't impose it on others. (Romans 14 TMSG)

Perhaps if we took this more to heart, life would be a little easier.

When we don't agree...

2009-07-21T05:42:00.001-07:00

Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don't see things the way you do. And don't jump all over them every time they do or say something you don't agree with--even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. (Romans 14 TMSG)

How we deal with our brothers and sisters in Christ is important. What happens when we don't agree on something? Sometimes the way we deal with the issue is more important than the issue itself, for there are many who may be observing our interaction, both those of various levels of faith and those outside the faith.

Again, the bottom line is love. And the love that a Christian should have includes a love, worship, and adoration of God first. No pig-headedness allowed! It's not that we tolerate anything. There are lines to be drawn, and at times Paul is not afraid to draw them. But the overriding characteristic of the Christian is always to be a love for God first.

Now, to put this in to practice for today...

Comfort

2009-07-20T05:42:00.000-07:00

But make sure that you don't get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your every-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. (Romans 13 TMSG)

God knows us. He knows how easy it is for us to lose our focus and get distracted. We need to stay on our toes at all times. I guess this cannot be emphasized enough! Point taken. (for now?)

How to get even

2009-07-19T04:54:00.000-07:00

Bless your enemies, no cursing under your breath.

Make friends with nobodies.

Discover beauty in everyone

Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.

(Romans 12 TMSG)

If you thought that this was going to be about some clever, Scripture approved way of getting even, you are wrong! I just thought that might be a more appealing title than, "Why getting even is wrong!" That's because we really have a hard time thinking like God thinks.

It still all seems to boil down to worship. As I bless and praise God, I realize that He is totally in charge. It seems that as we (as humans) find out more and more about how this world works, we think it less likely that we need God. But in reality, doesn't the intense complication of this world make the God who created it much more powerful? (And I am talking about in OUR eyes, because He was always this powerful, we just didn't know it!)

And if He is in charge and worthy of our worship, then so is EVERY part of His creation. That includes every person in that creation. Who are we to judge the value of someone, especially in God's eyes? What if the early church had refused to accept Paul? Yeah, Paul, the greatest of all sinners (by his own estimation). Who would have blamed them? Uh, God!

I've got some work to do!

Point of View

2009-07-18T07:43:00.001-07:00

The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him. (Romans 12 TMSG)

Either you do or you don't (understand yourself according to what God is and what He does for us). Those who do understand that Christianity is a life of worship. Others will likely struggle with all kinds of issues (such as legalism, confusion, sin, etc.)

Wake up!

2009-07-17T07:48:00.000-07:00

Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. (Romans 12 TMSG)

God knows me. He knows how easy it is for me to just go with the flow, to get comfortable with the temperature of the water after a while. I believe that the fact that that happens if a gift from God, however, God does not want me to stop thinking in the process.

I am told that if someone is freezing to death, they will eventually stop shivering and go to sleep. Perhaps that is what happens to us culturally sometimes.

Worship of God needs to be purposeful and it needs to be 24/7, not just Sunday morning.

Time to wake up.

What God wants

2009-07-16T06:38:00.000-07:00

Embracing what God does for you is the best things you can do for him. (Romans 12 TMSG)

Remember yesterday's post about laying our lives out as an offering for God? This is the follow up, at least the first part. IF we are an offering, then we have TOTALLY laid ourselves out at the feet of God for Him to take over. Which means we have to let Him be in charge. So why do we keep wanting to get up and take control?

What does God really want from me? I have been struggling with this lately, and it seems the answer is right here. It is not doing something for Him, that is salvation by works. It is surrender. It is worship. It is the realization that He does not NEED me to do anything for Him, so I just need to LOVE him with all I am.

And it is also the realization that He does not NEED my love. He just wants it, but He is willing to let me choose.

The main thing is...

2009-07-15T07:18:00.000-07:00

Take your everday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. (Romans 12 TMSG)

In the OT, when something was given as an offering, it was often consumed. Even though sometimes parts were given to the priests to help sustain them, the offering held no value to the original owner anymore, it was God's.

Today, I need to focus on that. I need to be His offering, not concerned with my plans and goals, but consumed with Him and by Him.

Could get a little hot...hope I don't end up being a burnt offering!

When the rain comes

2009-07-14T07:06:00.000-07:00

In one way or another, God makes sure that we all experience what it means to be outside so that he can personally open the door and welcome us back in. (Romans 11 TMSG)

Suffering stinks, I personally don't like it when things don't go my way. Why can't every day be full of sunshine and smiles?

Sounds a little self-centered, doesn't it? We know that it rains for a reason. For one thing, it helps the crops grow. So sometimes I do praise God for the rain.

Sometimes??? Sounds a little self-centered again.

Remember Romans 8:28, and know that it is true that... "That's why we can be so sure that every detail of our lives of love for God is worked into something good."

We worship an awesome God!

Goals for today

2009-07-13T07:12:00.000-07:00

The chosen ones of God were those who let God pursue his interest in them, and as a result received his stamp of legitimacy. (Romans 11 TMSG)

I think this goes along with my last thought. It is not about me and what I do, it is about what I let God do through me. And that starts with worshipping Him. When I try to take over, disaster looms.

We were having a discussion is Sunday School yesterday. One person said, "Our purpose here is to win others to Christ." I have thought long and hard about that statement. While it is a good a noble thing to win others to Christ, I don't think that is our purpose. Our purpose is to fully and completely worship God. If we do that, evangelism is a natural product of that kind of living. But when we make evangelism the goal (instead of worship), it can quickly become more legalistic of a process and we want to take over.

So, I must make it my goal today to worship God in each breath I take. That is why I believe Paul was able to sing even while in chains, why Abram was willing to sacrifice his son, and why Jesus could endure the cross.

I think this is my best post ever

2009-07-10T07:46:00.000-07:00

You're not "doing" anything; you're simply calling out to God, trusting him to do it for you. That's salvation. (Romans 10 TMSG)

What is salvation? How do I get it?

Answer: It is a gift from God. I don't get it, He gives it.

Who does He give it to?

Answer: Those who love Him.

So it is a gift. It is given by God, and not earned by men. Wanting salvation is not enough. God does not give it to those who want it. Even wanting it and trying to impress God by...going to church/becoming a monk/entering the priesthood or ministry/giving away all you money/eating all your brocolli/etc.)...don't get it. It is reserved for those who LOVE Him. And those who LOVE him will serve Him. And they just might go to church/become a monk or minister/give away all their possessions/eat all their broccolli.