I have some questions I have been thinking about for quite sometime and thought I would just lay it out for you guys.
Sin is sin to God right!?.... meaning that all sin is equal in his eyes and that none is worse than any other. In the world we live in there are certain sins that seem worse to us. You know the big ones such as homosexuality and the molestation of children murder and rape. These for some reason in our minds our ingrained as worse than others. Stay with me, please. As believers we are being conformed to the image of God and we have to strive to be like Him even it that means seeing things through His eyes. Now if you are still with me I applaud you.
Suppose a pastor is preaching to his congregation about sin. He says that he is a sinner and that he is just as dirty as the next one. He says that he sins daily and b/c he says this you realize that he is speaking the truth b/c we all sin and fall everyday.
How is that preacher any different from a preacher that maybe struggle with homosexual acts but is truly sorry and has a heart that repents and ask God to forgive him. How are these different? Should they both receive the same treatment from the congregation? Is the sin not the same in Gods eyes? Are we truly a people ready to forgive regardless the offense?
These are tough question but I want to hear what you think. I realize this is dangerous and I am not trying to offend anyone but I am just asking how would you approach these questions. more to come......
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Evolution
I know it has been awhile and for that I am sorry. I have been in one of those stages however there has been something on my mind so here it goes.
I grew up in a loving southern baptist family. My parents faith was very real (having just accepted after I was born) and b/c of that they taught and showed me a lot about what this spiritual journey is about.
I have seen now that the way I think is drastically different from them. Most of you are now scratching your head and saying this is nothing new. I don't agree with my parents either.
The word Love has changed so much within the last 6 months in the way I define it.
It is easy to love when others treat you with love. However what about when they don't. My first response to this was to love only in action but to harbor hatred in my heart for the person who wronged me or my family. I held this view up until a couple of years ago.
The next phase was to love them without hatred but there was still draw back. It wasn't the reckless abandon love you read in the gospels. It was more of a pseudo love which was a convenience thing for me. Well I guess I will help you out but only b/c I have time not b/c it is real.
The love I see now (not to say I always exemplify it) looks past different beliefs and is harbors in a trust in the Savior. If He holds all in his hands and is in total control then my only response to darkness or sin is to love them and pray that Christ love through me will change their hearts and if not, I still love them regardless of fault. This is easy for me to say about non believers but very hard for me to take the same stance when it comes to the church. Again the anger and hostility harbored up in my soul is not good and shows me I still have a lot to work out. However loving others (regardless of race, creed, gender, denominations, views and political affiliation) will change people and the trust that the God we profess to believe in will conform hearts to the image of His own.
I grew up in a loving southern baptist family. My parents faith was very real (having just accepted after I was born) and b/c of that they taught and showed me a lot about what this spiritual journey is about.
I have seen now that the way I think is drastically different from them. Most of you are now scratching your head and saying this is nothing new. I don't agree with my parents either.
The word Love has changed so much within the last 6 months in the way I define it.
It is easy to love when others treat you with love. However what about when they don't. My first response to this was to love only in action but to harbor hatred in my heart for the person who wronged me or my family. I held this view up until a couple of years ago.
The next phase was to love them without hatred but there was still draw back. It wasn't the reckless abandon love you read in the gospels. It was more of a pseudo love which was a convenience thing for me. Well I guess I will help you out but only b/c I have time not b/c it is real.
The love I see now (not to say I always exemplify it) looks past different beliefs and is harbors in a trust in the Savior. If He holds all in his hands and is in total control then my only response to darkness or sin is to love them and pray that Christ love through me will change their hearts and if not, I still love them regardless of fault. This is easy for me to say about non believers but very hard for me to take the same stance when it comes to the church. Again the anger and hostility harbored up in my soul is not good and shows me I still have a lot to work out. However loving others (regardless of race, creed, gender, denominations, views and political affiliation) will change people and the trust that the God we profess to believe in will conform hearts to the image of His own.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Light gives way to colors only dreamed
As voices speak of whats to come.
A cool breeze blows
While my heart yearns for nostalgia
With tears I pray
For the man of faith.
Like a gladiator wounded from the arena
His will rages
With the hope to glorify his Master
Hard to put into words what I feel..... My heart and prayers go out to the man of faith and his family.
Reason is the enemy of faith. Martin Luther
As voices speak of whats to come.
A cool breeze blows
While my heart yearns for nostalgia
With tears I pray
For the man of faith.
Like a gladiator wounded from the arena
His will rages
With the hope to glorify his Master
Hard to put into words what I feel..... My heart and prayers go out to the man of faith and his family.
Reason is the enemy of faith. Martin Luther
Friday, October 13, 2006
Simple Right...?
To get out class and drive down the road that goes back to my house on a day like today makes me see God's beauty in a sweet and refreshing way.
It's always there... that is Gods beauty. The awe of the One who has chosen us and called us sons and daughters of Him is always there whether we see it or not.
However I think you would agree that sometimes it is more apparent to us than others.For example a sunset that take our breath way or a good conversation or maybe even a good cigar and also in the bad times as well. He is always there and something that I have come to realize is that when my mind is focused on His goodness and the depths of Christ and yet at the same time His simplicity I am at rest.
Simplicity is something that not of a lot of us driven minded Americans know about. Most of the time I know for myself it's all about getting all that I can for myself with the absence of sacrifice for others.
This however is not what our design was.
Simplicity of life frees me to think of other and more so to think of my Creator's beauty and grace. Strive for simplicity maybe not of action but of mind. I assure you this endeavor will not be in vain and will broaden your scope of what God is is doing around you with his help.
It's always there... that is Gods beauty. The awe of the One who has chosen us and called us sons and daughters of Him is always there whether we see it or not.
However I think you would agree that sometimes it is more apparent to us than others.For example a sunset that take our breath way or a good conversation or maybe even a good cigar and also in the bad times as well. He is always there and something that I have come to realize is that when my mind is focused on His goodness and the depths of Christ and yet at the same time His simplicity I am at rest.
Simplicity is something that not of a lot of us driven minded Americans know about. Most of the time I know for myself it's all about getting all that I can for myself with the absence of sacrifice for others.
This however is not what our design was.
Simplicity of life frees me to think of other and more so to think of my Creator's beauty and grace. Strive for simplicity maybe not of action but of mind. I assure you this endeavor will not be in vain and will broaden your scope of what God is is doing around you with his help.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Futher thoughts on Daniel O'Connell...
It seems to me that if we stand for something then no matter what's going on around us or what society is doing we should continue in the things we believe to be truth.
Ancient martial arts is based on keeping the peace and protection of others and if it's the last resort protecting yourself. The other night I went for a philosophy class to a presentation of martial arts in the modern age.
They talked so much about this inward peace that in turn is transferred to a peace that is tried to be kept on the outside.
That is all cool and I can respect that for what it is. However they promote peace until conflict arises. Then they use there training that promotes conflict.
If they truly stood for peace then they would under all circumstances? Right?
How can we as a society or even as Believers say we stand for things but only under the right weather.
Daniel O'Connell stood for peace and when the going got tough he still stood for peace.
There is familiar story in John ch.8 where the Pharisees bring a woman caught in the act of adultery to Jesus. By the law of Moses they could have stoned her but when they asked Jesus he said " He that is without fault through the first stone" they all left and Jesus the only one that could have casted the stone told the woman to go and sin no more.
Christ stood up for bring glory to His Father and Love.
Do I stand for society's views on how to live an authentic life or should I focus on my savior that calls me to love and bring Glory to my Fathers name?
We need to search out in scripture how we should live our life. The Bible is truth and that is the only way we will be able to know which way is right when the tough question arise.
Our world views are all false because of our imperfections so strive and seek Him and you will find the truth!
Ancient martial arts is based on keeping the peace and protection of others and if it's the last resort protecting yourself. The other night I went for a philosophy class to a presentation of martial arts in the modern age.
They talked so much about this inward peace that in turn is transferred to a peace that is tried to be kept on the outside.
That is all cool and I can respect that for what it is. However they promote peace until conflict arises. Then they use there training that promotes conflict.
If they truly stood for peace then they would under all circumstances? Right?
How can we as a society or even as Believers say we stand for things but only under the right weather.
Daniel O'Connell stood for peace and when the going got tough he still stood for peace.
There is familiar story in John ch.8 where the Pharisees bring a woman caught in the act of adultery to Jesus. By the law of Moses they could have stoned her but when they asked Jesus he said " He that is without fault through the first stone" they all left and Jesus the only one that could have casted the stone told the woman to go and sin no more.
Christ stood up for bring glory to His Father and Love.
Do I stand for society's views on how to live an authentic life or should I focus on my savior that calls me to love and bring Glory to my Fathers name?
We need to search out in scripture how we should live our life. The Bible is truth and that is the only way we will be able to know which way is right when the tough question arise.
Our world views are all false because of our imperfections so strive and seek Him and you will find the truth!
Monday, September 11, 2006
Thoughts on Daniel O'Connell...
Daniel O'Connell has been the source of a lot of thought in the last couple of days. He was a man that lived in the 1830's in Ireland in a time where the Catholics were oppressed by the more powerful and dominate Protestants.
Catholics of the time couldn't hold seat in parliament and there were many laws in the protestants favor. Catholics couldn't be schooled and only 5% of them owned land to the dismay of the protestants. England was trying to get the Catholics out of Ireland because they stood for the "old way" and times were changing.
O'Connell comes on to the seen from a family that was catholic and did own land and was tutored by a man in the ways of a lawyer.
He became a political figure head for Ireland Catholics and believed in the law and peace.
He started speaking and holding rallies. Soon 100s of 1000s of catholics would show up to listen and the protestants were threatened by this
They knew he was a peaceful man and so when he would go to speak at these rallies they would threaten to send in troops and he would back down knowing what his catholic brothers would do.
You can imagine that the Catholics didn't put up with this behavior very long (just as our society wouldn't) and a couple of years later this man was killed.
I have immense admiration for Daniel O'Connell because of his dedication to what he believed. Even when his own brothers turned on him he still stuck to what he believed. My professor saw this a weak and cowardice but I saw it convicting and challenging.
As a believer am I willing to stand up for what I know to be right regardless of who has my back?
Catholics of the time couldn't hold seat in parliament and there were many laws in the protestants favor. Catholics couldn't be schooled and only 5% of them owned land to the dismay of the protestants. England was trying to get the Catholics out of Ireland because they stood for the "old way" and times were changing.
O'Connell comes on to the seen from a family that was catholic and did own land and was tutored by a man in the ways of a lawyer.
He became a political figure head for Ireland Catholics and believed in the law and peace.
He started speaking and holding rallies. Soon 100s of 1000s of catholics would show up to listen and the protestants were threatened by this
They knew he was a peaceful man and so when he would go to speak at these rallies they would threaten to send in troops and he would back down knowing what his catholic brothers would do.
You can imagine that the Catholics didn't put up with this behavior very long (just as our society wouldn't) and a couple of years later this man was killed.
I have immense admiration for Daniel O'Connell because of his dedication to what he believed. Even when his own brothers turned on him he still stuck to what he believed. My professor saw this a weak and cowardice but I saw it convicting and challenging.
As a believer am I willing to stand up for what I know to be right regardless of who has my back?
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Periods of Dryness
Liberation... I was liberated as a young boy from the entanglements of sin and I have found that in my spiritual life that God is always trying to show me something.
There are times that I am in open fields and the sunshine on my face and He feels so close. Emotionally, it's like I can almost see Him and it is an amazing time of fellowship. These times are few and far between but they are so sweet and as I said the sun, it warms my soul and and is a warm embrace. So many of believers (Myself included) just live for these times and think this is what it's about, an emotional high and the goose bumps on the back of the neck.
But more times than not I find that I am in the forest and ketch the sun on my face briefly through the trees. The sun is still there and really hasn't changed there are just trees in the way. Many people will tell you that this is b/c of sin in your life but I don't think that is always the case.
God is always there and just because we don't feel His presence doesn't mean he has abandon us. The end of Matthew gives us the promise the He is with us always, even to the end of the age.
Regardless of were your at, the field where the sun is shining on you or in the trees where you feel the sun but not in full, be encouraged b/c God is there and if we open our eyes He can show us things.
There are times that I am in open fields and the sunshine on my face and He feels so close. Emotionally, it's like I can almost see Him and it is an amazing time of fellowship. These times are few and far between but they are so sweet and as I said the sun, it warms my soul and and is a warm embrace. So many of believers (Myself included) just live for these times and think this is what it's about, an emotional high and the goose bumps on the back of the neck.
But more times than not I find that I am in the forest and ketch the sun on my face briefly through the trees. The sun is still there and really hasn't changed there are just trees in the way. Many people will tell you that this is b/c of sin in your life but I don't think that is always the case.
God is always there and just because we don't feel His presence doesn't mean he has abandon us. The end of Matthew gives us the promise the He is with us always, even to the end of the age.
Regardless of were your at, the field where the sun is shining on you or in the trees where you feel the sun but not in full, be encouraged b/c God is there and if we open our eyes He can show us things.
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