Monday, March 26, 2007
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Caught in the ropes...
What is the sin that so easily entangles? What exactly does that mean? Is it a big sin, or a little is? Is there really a difference? What does it mean when the bible says that throw off the sin that so easily entangles?
This has been the focus of our studies the last couple Sundays at church. Every day I find myself pondering what it is about our culture that is robbing us for a full relationship with Christ. I see it over and over again. We are convinced it is okay to over indulge in everything.
Why is it that people think that you have to own your own house by the ripe old age of 22? Why is it that people find it acceptable to over eat all the time? Why is it acceptable to watch movies where women are showing their breasts, or the scenes that take sex, which is a beautiful thing in context, and turn it into a show that causes people to ponder if they are missing something? How is it that we find it okay to watch hour upon hour of television, or play hour upon hour on the video game system?
Why is it okay for Christians to sit around and complain that they are to busy for God? Is that really possible? If one is to busy for God I would have to wonder how valuable the Lord is to this person? The Lord who gave up everything he had for us, and we are all of a sudden to busy for him! Shame on us!
I wonder how it is that so many families don't want to take the time to have their children grow up in a spiritual environment and yet they some how expect them to grow up and follow Christ. Families who do not want their kids to be "to saved" so to speak. Families where the parents want the kids to know about Christ only enough to save them from hell but that is it. Anything beyond that is just to much work. Is it really possible to act this way? Is it really possible to be saved and not care enough about Christ to grow your relationship with him? Is possible to go through your whole life knowing of all the sacrifices that Christ made, knowing of the grace of God, and yet not caring enough to grow a relationship with him?
Why is it that we are offered to have a relationship with the creator of this universe and yet we prefer to ignore Him? Maybe because it is easier that way. If I do not get to close than there will be little conviction for what I am doing? Maybe if I just sit back and ride through life I can do whatever I want to still go to heaven. Maybe we can. But isn't part of being a Christian having the desire to following Christ? If that desire is over ran by all the desires of the world, than aren't we missing something? It is amazing how we can work so hard to get a house, to have new cars, to go on vacations, to have brand new stuff in our house... and yet it is to much work to grow our relationship with Christ. Shame on us!!!!
What is the sin that so easily entangles???? Maybe laziness, lack of motivation, overworking, selfishness, watching to much television, over eating to fill a emotional "whole".??? What is it??? I have been pondering these questions a lot latley as I search for my sin. I have been convicted about so many things. I do not want to be one of those Christians who find it to much work to get out of bed on Sunday morning, or find it to hard to pray every day. I do not want to be a parent whose kids see right through the hypocrisy and decide they would rather just abandon faith all together than to live a lie. I do not want my kids to see me as a phony. I want to truly love and desire Christ. I want to raise my children to see the love of Christ and for them to experience a full relationship with him. I want to fully experience Christ. I want to get rid of this sin that so easily entangles so that I can run the race with perseverance. I want to fill this high calling... to run the course in the pattern of Christ.
This has been the focus of our studies the last couple Sundays at church. Every day I find myself pondering what it is about our culture that is robbing us for a full relationship with Christ. I see it over and over again. We are convinced it is okay to over indulge in everything.
Why is it that people think that you have to own your own house by the ripe old age of 22? Why is it that people find it acceptable to over eat all the time? Why is it acceptable to watch movies where women are showing their breasts, or the scenes that take sex, which is a beautiful thing in context, and turn it into a show that causes people to ponder if they are missing something? How is it that we find it okay to watch hour upon hour of television, or play hour upon hour on the video game system?
Why is it okay for Christians to sit around and complain that they are to busy for God? Is that really possible? If one is to busy for God I would have to wonder how valuable the Lord is to this person? The Lord who gave up everything he had for us, and we are all of a sudden to busy for him! Shame on us!
I wonder how it is that so many families don't want to take the time to have their children grow up in a spiritual environment and yet they some how expect them to grow up and follow Christ. Families who do not want their kids to be "to saved" so to speak. Families where the parents want the kids to know about Christ only enough to save them from hell but that is it. Anything beyond that is just to much work. Is it really possible to act this way? Is it really possible to be saved and not care enough about Christ to grow your relationship with him? Is possible to go through your whole life knowing of all the sacrifices that Christ made, knowing of the grace of God, and yet not caring enough to grow a relationship with him?
Why is it that we are offered to have a relationship with the creator of this universe and yet we prefer to ignore Him? Maybe because it is easier that way. If I do not get to close than there will be little conviction for what I am doing? Maybe if I just sit back and ride through life I can do whatever I want to still go to heaven. Maybe we can. But isn't part of being a Christian having the desire to following Christ? If that desire is over ran by all the desires of the world, than aren't we missing something? It is amazing how we can work so hard to get a house, to have new cars, to go on vacations, to have brand new stuff in our house... and yet it is to much work to grow our relationship with Christ. Shame on us!!!!
What is the sin that so easily entangles???? Maybe laziness, lack of motivation, overworking, selfishness, watching to much television, over eating to fill a emotional "whole".??? What is it??? I have been pondering these questions a lot latley as I search for my sin. I have been convicted about so many things. I do not want to be one of those Christians who find it to much work to get out of bed on Sunday morning, or find it to hard to pray every day. I do not want to be a parent whose kids see right through the hypocrisy and decide they would rather just abandon faith all together than to live a lie. I do not want my kids to see me as a phony. I want to truly love and desire Christ. I want to raise my children to see the love of Christ and for them to experience a full relationship with him. I want to fully experience Christ. I want to get rid of this sin that so easily entangles so that I can run the race with perseverance. I want to fill this high calling... to run the course in the pattern of Christ.
Hymn- I'd Rather Have Jesus
I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold,
I'd rather be His than have riches untold;
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands,
I'd rather be led by his nail-pierced hands.
Than to be a king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin's dread sway
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.
I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause,
I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame,
I'd rather be true to His holy name.
Than to be a king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin's dread sway
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.
I'd rather be His than have riches untold;
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands,
I'd rather be led by his nail-pierced hands.
Than to be a king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin's dread sway
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.
I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause,
I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame,
I'd rather be true to His holy name.
Than to be a king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin's dread sway
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.
Why is it that we work so hard?
In the relentless busyness of modern life, we have lost the rhythm between work and rest.
All life requires a rhythm of rest. There is a rhythm in our waking activity and the body's need for sleep. There is a rhythm in the way day dissolves into night, and night into morning. There is a rhythm as the active growth of spring and summer is quieted by the necessary dormancy of fall and winter. There is a tidal rhythm, a deep, eternal conversation between the land and the great sea. In our bodies, the heart perceptibly rests after each life-giving beat; the lungs rest between the exhale and the inhale.
We have lost this essential rhythm. Our culture invariably supposes that action and accomplishment is better than rest, that doing something- anything- is better than nothing. Because of our desire to succeed, to meet these ever growing expectations, we do not rest. Because we do not rest, we lose our way. We miss the compass points that would show us where to go. We bypass the nourishment that would give us succor. We miss the quiet that would give us wisdom. We miss the joy and the love born in effortless delight. Poisoned by this hypnotic belief that good things come only through unceasing determination and tireless effort, we can never truly rest. And for want of rest, or lives are in danger. (Wayne Muller, Sabbath, 1).
All life requires a rhythm of rest. There is a rhythm in our waking activity and the body's need for sleep. There is a rhythm in the way day dissolves into night, and night into morning. There is a rhythm as the active growth of spring and summer is quieted by the necessary dormancy of fall and winter. There is a tidal rhythm, a deep, eternal conversation between the land and the great sea. In our bodies, the heart perceptibly rests after each life-giving beat; the lungs rest between the exhale and the inhale.
We have lost this essential rhythm. Our culture invariably supposes that action and accomplishment is better than rest, that doing something- anything- is better than nothing. Because of our desire to succeed, to meet these ever growing expectations, we do not rest. Because we do not rest, we lose our way. We miss the compass points that would show us where to go. We bypass the nourishment that would give us succor. We miss the quiet that would give us wisdom. We miss the joy and the love born in effortless delight. Poisoned by this hypnotic belief that good things come only through unceasing determination and tireless effort, we can never truly rest. And for want of rest, or lives are in danger. (Wayne Muller, Sabbath, 1).
Friday, March 09, 2007
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Big boy helper!
Today I was holding the baby that I babysit everyday. That boy has quick hands, and grabbed my water and spilt it all over the table. I asked Daniel to please get mommy a towel. He ran in the kitchen but I soon realized that he was having trouble because it was taking him so long. I kept saying "hurry Daniel just grab the one that is hanging on the stove!" He soon ran back to me with a paper towel... well sort of! Thank you my big boy helper!
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