I think it's notable how in 1 Corinthians 13:4 when it says "Love suffers long and is kind", that the "suffers long" and "kind" is included in the same breath. They go together. As if to say, love goes through all this mess for another and yet still retains kindness Even as you are suffering, you are still kind. It does not suffer on behalf of another then treat them spitefully for it. Love takes the full brunt of another, even when it really hurts and still is kind throughout all of it. That's amazing. You can suffer through a person's crap and be mean about it and feel justified for that meanness - sneer at them as you're taking care of them, but that's not love. Love is suffering through a person's crap with a sincere smile. Treating them kindly even when it's really hard.
I think that's beautiful.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Monday, January 14, 2013
What Believers Can Learn From Beliebers
Believers should have the enthusiasm of Beliebers.
(For those not in the know, a "belieber" is a dedicated fan of Justin Bieber).
Because the way some of these girls act about the Biebz, you'd think he was the one who died for our sins so we could be eternally united with a good, holy and loving God who cares deeply for us.
Most of these girls will never even meet Justin. He certainly doesn't know who they are, yet that certainly doesn't stop them from going all out on his behalf. Meanwhile, we are known by God and are able to know Him, yet at times were are so listless in regards to Him. We certainly take Him for granted. And the general excitement for Him generated by believers as a whole is dismal by comparison to these tween girls and their heart throbs.
2 Corinthians 5:20
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us.
"Beliebers" are ambassadors for Bieber. They dedicate most of their time to promoting him, proclaiming him, defending him and encouraging him. They fight fiercely for his cause and aren't the least bit ashamed of being so devoted to him, even in the face of criticism, ridicule and opposition. They support him to the utmost and are absolutely unstoppable.
Can the average Believer say that about their dedication to Christ? Is He our number one concern? Are we obsessed with Jesus? I know "obsessed" has somewhat of an unfavorable connotation, but if there is anyone worth of obsession, it's Christ, and we probably should be absolutely obsessed with Him. Obviously Beliebers tend to get feisty and issue death threats via twitter and insult "Directioners" (One Direction fans - don't ask how I know, just accept it) or "Jonas Brotherites" (yeah, that's probably not their fan name) - and as Believers, we definitely should not adopt those practices. I do, however, think there is something to learn about fervency from Justin's followers. In our devotion to Christ and our aim to serve and please Him, let us not let Beliebers put us to shame.
(For those not in the know, a "belieber" is a dedicated fan of Justin Bieber).
Because the way some of these girls act about the Biebz, you'd think he was the one who died for our sins so we could be eternally united with a good, holy and loving God who cares deeply for us.
Most of these girls will never even meet Justin. He certainly doesn't know who they are, yet that certainly doesn't stop them from going all out on his behalf. Meanwhile, we are known by God and are able to know Him, yet at times were are so listless in regards to Him. We certainly take Him for granted. And the general excitement for Him generated by believers as a whole is dismal by comparison to these tween girls and their heart throbs.
2 Corinthians 5:20
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us.
"Beliebers" are ambassadors for Bieber. They dedicate most of their time to promoting him, proclaiming him, defending him and encouraging him. They fight fiercely for his cause and aren't the least bit ashamed of being so devoted to him, even in the face of criticism, ridicule and opposition. They support him to the utmost and are absolutely unstoppable.
Can the average Believer say that about their dedication to Christ? Is He our number one concern? Are we obsessed with Jesus? I know "obsessed" has somewhat of an unfavorable connotation, but if there is anyone worth of obsession, it's Christ, and we probably should be absolutely obsessed with Him. Obviously Beliebers tend to get feisty and issue death threats via twitter and insult "Directioners" (One Direction fans - don't ask how I know, just accept it) or "Jonas Brotherites" (yeah, that's probably not their fan name) - and as Believers, we definitely should not adopt those practices. I do, however, think there is something to learn about fervency from Justin's followers. In our devotion to Christ and our aim to serve and please Him, let us not let Beliebers put us to shame.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
The Original Sin
The root of all sin is pride. It's saying we know better than God. In
fact, pride is the original sin. The events of the fall of man
illustrate that often times, it's not the act in itself that is sinful,
but the heart behind it; the intent of the act.
Is eating a fruit a sin? No. But when God told Adam and Eve not to eat fruit from a particular tree and they did anyway, it became sin because it was then rebellion. Furthermore, it was spurned by pride which is really setting ourselves above all else. Adam and Eve set themselves above God when they decided their own logic was greater than His. By eating the fruit, they inherently proclaimed that they knew better than He did - that they, not He, knew what was best for themselves. They wanted to be their own god instead of submitting to a Creator that had done nothing but love and care for them.
They decided that their way was better than His.
And it did nothing good for them. It seemed harmless, I'm sure. It seemed like it would benefit them greatly at the time - to be like God! But that's just it - like God, but not actually so. A counterfeit god, knowing good and evil but thus swallowed up by the latter, unable to embody perfect goodness like the real God does. And so we did become like a god unto ourselves when Adam and Eve gave into their prideful desires to govern themselves. But as they found out and as we often find out, we make terrible gods. When we rule our own lives by our own standards and own (lack of) wisdom, we find ourselves in the midst of destruction. Out of the garden of paradise and into suffering.
It's our pride - our desire to be our own god, to set our own standards by which to live by, to try and believe that we know best for ourselves - that bolsters all the rest of our sin and drives us so far from God. And it what destroys our lives, leaves us utterly dissatisfied as we decay - sometimes slowly where in the midst of instant gratification, we don't realize the harm we're doing ourselves until suddenly, we're at a low and don't know how we got there as things are so bad, we feel so empty and lost and none of what we have been doing will fill us like we had tricked ourselves into thinking it did before. And for some reason, we keep on trying to fill it with the same ol, same ol and maybe can manage to feel good for a second before it goes crashing down again, leaving us emptier than before because it never lasts. It doesn't last because it doesn't make us whole.
God makes us whole. Because we were made for Him. We were supposed to be with Him from the get-go, fully intertwined with Him, finding the fulfillment of our every need and desire in Him. And if we just set Him as our God instead of trying to be a god unto ourselves, we can rest in that and enjoy that. It won't destroy us, it won't leave us empty. In God is peace and true satisfaction. And thank goodness for Jesus that bridges the gap back to true union to God that was broken with that bite of fruit. Which was much more than just a bite of fruit but an assertion of shunning aside God in favor of our own rule.
And look how far our own rule has gotten us. It is our pride that has destroyed. But it is His love that will heal.
Is eating a fruit a sin? No. But when God told Adam and Eve not to eat fruit from a particular tree and they did anyway, it became sin because it was then rebellion. Furthermore, it was spurned by pride which is really setting ourselves above all else. Adam and Eve set themselves above God when they decided their own logic was greater than His. By eating the fruit, they inherently proclaimed that they knew better than He did - that they, not He, knew what was best for themselves. They wanted to be their own god instead of submitting to a Creator that had done nothing but love and care for them.
They decided that their way was better than His.
And it did nothing good for them. It seemed harmless, I'm sure. It seemed like it would benefit them greatly at the time - to be like God! But that's just it - like God, but not actually so. A counterfeit god, knowing good and evil but thus swallowed up by the latter, unable to embody perfect goodness like the real God does. And so we did become like a god unto ourselves when Adam and Eve gave into their prideful desires to govern themselves. But as they found out and as we often find out, we make terrible gods. When we rule our own lives by our own standards and own (lack of) wisdom, we find ourselves in the midst of destruction. Out of the garden of paradise and into suffering.
It's our pride - our desire to be our own god, to set our own standards by which to live by, to try and believe that we know best for ourselves - that bolsters all the rest of our sin and drives us so far from God. And it what destroys our lives, leaves us utterly dissatisfied as we decay - sometimes slowly where in the midst of instant gratification, we don't realize the harm we're doing ourselves until suddenly, we're at a low and don't know how we got there as things are so bad, we feel so empty and lost and none of what we have been doing will fill us like we had tricked ourselves into thinking it did before. And for some reason, we keep on trying to fill it with the same ol, same ol and maybe can manage to feel good for a second before it goes crashing down again, leaving us emptier than before because it never lasts. It doesn't last because it doesn't make us whole.
God makes us whole. Because we were made for Him. We were supposed to be with Him from the get-go, fully intertwined with Him, finding the fulfillment of our every need and desire in Him. And if we just set Him as our God instead of trying to be a god unto ourselves, we can rest in that and enjoy that. It won't destroy us, it won't leave us empty. In God is peace and true satisfaction. And thank goodness for Jesus that bridges the gap back to true union to God that was broken with that bite of fruit. Which was much more than just a bite of fruit but an assertion of shunning aside God in favor of our own rule.
And look how far our own rule has gotten us. It is our pride that has destroyed. But it is His love that will heal.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
A Call to Action
This world is decayed by sin. This fact is made more and more apparent each day.
What is done is done, and it cannot be changed. That is the unfortunate truth. Yes, the past is accounted for. But the future is not yet. So now it's how we react in the face of tragedies that make a difference.
So we mourn, yes. We pray, as we should. Our "thoughts" being with someone is a nice gesture. It's meaningful and shows you care, and really, it reflects favorably upon the state of your heart. But it changes nothing. Prayer, however, does. People will say it doesn't, but I know that when we feel unable to do anything else, prayer makes for change. Despite the tragedy in this world, we do have a good God working for us. He hears these prayers, and He puts them into effect.
A prayer for peace and comfort can go along way.
A prayer for change can do the same. However, we must then be willing to be apart of this change.
So, let us also start taking steps to make sure these tragedies happen less and less.
Tragedies compel us to feel. But they should also compel us to act. Both in comfort to those suffering, but in a preventative means as well.
This is not a post calling for our guns to be controlled, but for our love to be uninhibited.
So show love to everyone, even those who are hard to love or easy to ignore. Because your love today may keep them from future depravity.
It's something we all can do. It's something we constantly should seek to do. We should be driven by the desire to spread love, because that is what truly affects a person's heart and makes for real change.
It was love that changed me, after all. That continues to change me. So I want to take that love and not rest until everyone truly experiences it in its full capacity.
And don't be mistaken here. I'm definitely talking about the love of Jesus being the ultimate source. It is for sure His love that changed me - I want to be unapologetically clear about that.
So let us act in this love. Let us be moved towards change. Let us constantly brainstorm and pray and work and act until we die to combat the evil of this world with true goodness. It's not enough to just believe in good. We must make for good. This is the mission that should take us over and drive us. And then, maybe we'll see these tragedies happening less and less.
I know the question of "how?" still lingers a bit. I suppose that's different for everyone. Pray on it diligently; I am certain God will reveal the answer to you.
What is done is done, and it cannot be changed. That is the unfortunate truth. Yes, the past is accounted for. But the future is not yet. So now it's how we react in the face of tragedies that make a difference.
So we mourn, yes. We pray, as we should. Our "thoughts" being with someone is a nice gesture. It's meaningful and shows you care, and really, it reflects favorably upon the state of your heart. But it changes nothing. Prayer, however, does. People will say it doesn't, but I know that when we feel unable to do anything else, prayer makes for change. Despite the tragedy in this world, we do have a good God working for us. He hears these prayers, and He puts them into effect.
A prayer for peace and comfort can go along way.
A prayer for change can do the same. However, we must then be willing to be apart of this change.
So, let us also start taking steps to make sure these tragedies happen less and less.
Tragedies compel us to feel. But they should also compel us to act. Both in comfort to those suffering, but in a preventative means as well.
This is not a post calling for our guns to be controlled, but for our love to be uninhibited.
So show love to everyone, even those who are hard to love or easy to ignore. Because your love today may keep them from future depravity.
It's something we all can do. It's something we constantly should seek to do. We should be driven by the desire to spread love, because that is what truly affects a person's heart and makes for real change.
It was love that changed me, after all. That continues to change me. So I want to take that love and not rest until everyone truly experiences it in its full capacity.
And don't be mistaken here. I'm definitely talking about the love of Jesus being the ultimate source. It is for sure His love that changed me - I want to be unapologetically clear about that.
So let us act in this love. Let us be moved towards change. Let us constantly brainstorm and pray and work and act until we die to combat the evil of this world with true goodness. It's not enough to just believe in good. We must make for good. This is the mission that should take us over and drive us. And then, maybe we'll see these tragedies happening less and less.
I know the question of "how?" still lingers a bit. I suppose that's different for everyone. Pray on it diligently; I am certain God will reveal the answer to you.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
What Is Good?
Romans 8:28-29
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn of many brothers.
So it can be inferred that God's purpose is for us to be conformed to the image of Christ. That is the ultimate goal - total redemption and thus holiness. We must understand what is truly good and what is truly God's purpose to really get this verse, because I feel like this is one often taken out of context. Our definition of good is different than God's definition, and who are we to argue against Him, as we concede that He is all-knowing and perfect while we are just human?
So when things don't go our way or by our flawed definition of good, we cannot conclude that God is not good. We can only conclude that we don't know what good is, and just trust that God is working all things together so that we will be made into the image of Christ. That perspective helps things go down the throat more smoothly, I think.
But it starts with changing our definition of good and truly understanding God's purpose.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn of many brothers.
So it can be inferred that God's purpose is for us to be conformed to the image of Christ. That is the ultimate goal - total redemption and thus holiness. We must understand what is truly good and what is truly God's purpose to really get this verse, because I feel like this is one often taken out of context. Our definition of good is different than God's definition, and who are we to argue against Him, as we concede that He is all-knowing and perfect while we are just human?
So when things don't go our way or by our flawed definition of good, we cannot conclude that God is not good. We can only conclude that we don't know what good is, and just trust that God is working all things together so that we will be made into the image of Christ. That perspective helps things go down the throat more smoothly, I think.
But it starts with changing our definition of good and truly understanding God's purpose.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
You Got Engaged? BOOOO!
What does it say about the state of our hearts that we cannot appreciate another's good news because it's not happening to us?
You know, I do notice the multiple stories scattering my news feed about a recent engagement. And I chuckle a bit, in the ironic sense, because I'm so far from that sort of life, yet people I went to grade school with are getting hitched. And I can appreciate a joke made by my single friends in regards to that, because I respect humor. And yes, I will even post the song "Another One Bites the Dust" every time I see such announcements (because a bit of the cynic left in me questions sometimes if these people really know what they're getting into).
But there is something so disheartening by one of the common responses to engagement, marriage and baby notifications by single folk, because we take an event worth celebrating, and mourn over it. We lament the occasion because it's someone getting something we want. And even when we say it in the pretense of a joke and laugh about it, somewhere at the heart, there has to be sourness. Even if we're not as bitter as we claim, even if part of us is happy for those people, there is obviously a very evident part of ourselves that is not.
Do I even have to list off the traits that this attitude purveys? Self-centeredness, discontentment, covetous, greed, envy...the list goes on.
Considering how all of us are more self-centered than we care to admit, perhaps I'll appeal to that side first and put a little "Golden Rule" into play. How would we feel to know that people were bemoaning a very special occasion in our lives? I'm reluctant now to announce my engagement (whenever it happens and let's be real, if it happens) on facebook if it's going to cause hundreds of people distress and bitterness. If you want others to join in your joy when something special happens in your life, how about we join in theirs?
But I guess the crux of it is learning to be content and whatever the opposite of "self-focused" is ("others-focus" just doesn't quite describe what I'm going for here). Of course I truly believe that this is impossible without a relationship with Jesus; it's hard to focus ourselves into such a permanent attitude apart from Him. I say this because in order for those changes to manifest themselves in our lives, we need to truly understand and appreciate what we have in Him as well as a knowledge in how He works in our individual lives.
Everyone has their own lot. And if Jesus is our lot, then we have enough. But I suppose the key is truly believing that. If not, then we will always want what others have and feel bitter over not having it. What do we esteem as true value? If it is ourselves and our circumstances above all else, then naturally we are going to be upset when someone else prevails and we don't. But if it is Jesus and then others, then we first are wholly satisfied by him, despite external circumstances, and secondly are truly happy for the good things that happen in other people's lives.
"...in humility count others more significant than yourselves." Philippians 2:3
It's just the implication of becoming upset, if you will, when people get engaged or whatnot settles unfavorably on me, because if we're lamenting others' good fortunes, than would we celebrate their misfortunes? Do we then feel better about ourselves when we see that a relationship has fallen apart? Those are the things that are not to foster joy.
Instead, let us genuinely and sincerely rejoice when someone has good news. Let us celebrate with them and not focus on what we don't have, but lift up what they do have.
"Rejoice with those who rejoice." Romans 12:15
A Companion Post to This
You know, I do notice the multiple stories scattering my news feed about a recent engagement. And I chuckle a bit, in the ironic sense, because I'm so far from that sort of life, yet people I went to grade school with are getting hitched. And I can appreciate a joke made by my single friends in regards to that, because I respect humor. And yes, I will even post the song "Another One Bites the Dust" every time I see such announcements (because a bit of the cynic left in me questions sometimes if these people really know what they're getting into).
But there is something so disheartening by one of the common responses to engagement, marriage and baby notifications by single folk, because we take an event worth celebrating, and mourn over it. We lament the occasion because it's someone getting something we want. And even when we say it in the pretense of a joke and laugh about it, somewhere at the heart, there has to be sourness. Even if we're not as bitter as we claim, even if part of us is happy for those people, there is obviously a very evident part of ourselves that is not.
Do I even have to list off the traits that this attitude purveys? Self-centeredness, discontentment, covetous, greed, envy...the list goes on.
Considering how all of us are more self-centered than we care to admit, perhaps I'll appeal to that side first and put a little "Golden Rule" into play. How would we feel to know that people were bemoaning a very special occasion in our lives? I'm reluctant now to announce my engagement (whenever it happens and let's be real, if it happens) on facebook if it's going to cause hundreds of people distress and bitterness. If you want others to join in your joy when something special happens in your life, how about we join in theirs?
But I guess the crux of it is learning to be content and whatever the opposite of "self-focused" is ("others-focus" just doesn't quite describe what I'm going for here). Of course I truly believe that this is impossible without a relationship with Jesus; it's hard to focus ourselves into such a permanent attitude apart from Him. I say this because in order for those changes to manifest themselves in our lives, we need to truly understand and appreciate what we have in Him as well as a knowledge in how He works in our individual lives.
Everyone has their own lot. And if Jesus is our lot, then we have enough. But I suppose the key is truly believing that. If not, then we will always want what others have and feel bitter over not having it. What do we esteem as true value? If it is ourselves and our circumstances above all else, then naturally we are going to be upset when someone else prevails and we don't. But if it is Jesus and then others, then we first are wholly satisfied by him, despite external circumstances, and secondly are truly happy for the good things that happen in other people's lives.
"...in humility count others more significant than yourselves." Philippians 2:3
It's just the implication of becoming upset, if you will, when people get engaged or whatnot settles unfavorably on me, because if we're lamenting others' good fortunes, than would we celebrate their misfortunes? Do we then feel better about ourselves when we see that a relationship has fallen apart? Those are the things that are not to foster joy.
Instead, let us genuinely and sincerely rejoice when someone has good news. Let us celebrate with them and not focus on what we don't have, but lift up what they do have.
"Rejoice with those who rejoice." Romans 12:15
A Companion Post to This
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
#PinterestProbz
I was going to delete my pinterest.
Because it caters to such vanity and a distinct self-focus.
It breeds covetous and discontentment.
Promotes materialism.
For the most part.
It's all about craving what we don't have, right? Create boards to drool over full of trinkets that aren't in our life. Trinkets we don't need in our lives, making it easy to stare at endlessly and obsess over. Or creating boards that just contribute to the sad emphasis that our culture puts on appearance. Not that fashion or looking presentable is bad - of course not - but we make an idol of it, base some much of our own worth and other's worth on it, and pinterest just encourages that unhealthy practice.
And it struck me how much of a waste of time it was. And how it falls in line with values that I've come to hold in contempt because it so strikingly contradicts everything Jesus holds to.
I know not everything on there is vain. So much of it is, though - at least to me. I guess it just struck me of how little actual importance it all is in light of the dire needs of this world and what God truly calls us to do and be. I can't worry so much about what I'd wear if I had money or how I'd decorate my house if I had one or what little trinkets will be present at the wedding I may not even have. How can I be content with the life I have and live out a truly simple, but radically giving life if caught up in the culture that Pinterest inherently promotes?
So I was going to be done with it, making it a very short-lived venture on my part.
But there's this lesson God has been teaching me as of late. Not to abandon these things that I detest, that I find unfavorable, that I want nothing to do with. But to redeem them.
So instead of pinning things I want and putting such a stock on things that will be completely meaningless one day, I can use it for so many other things. To draw attention to the beauty of God's creation. To pin Bible verses and other spiritual things for encouragement.
Like Philippians 4:8 - "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."
I can use my Pinterest account to champion those things, but by God's definition, not this world's. There is a definite distinction, yet we still tend to confuse the two.
This isn't to condemn anybody else's use of Pinterest. These are just the convictions I felt personally placed on my heart in line with what God's been revealing to me and doing in my life as of late and an exploration of the remedy of them as I continue to explore what it means to live radically in the name of Christ. And I feel like I was using Pinterest in a self-involved, shallow way, but I know that it can be used to glorify God if I approach it using a different emphasis.
If you wanna see me attempt to do this, y'all can follow me on Pinterest here: https://pinterest.com/channyt/
Because it caters to such vanity and a distinct self-focus.
It breeds covetous and discontentment.
Promotes materialism.
For the most part.
It's all about craving what we don't have, right? Create boards to drool over full of trinkets that aren't in our life. Trinkets we don't need in our lives, making it easy to stare at endlessly and obsess over. Or creating boards that just contribute to the sad emphasis that our culture puts on appearance. Not that fashion or looking presentable is bad - of course not - but we make an idol of it, base some much of our own worth and other's worth on it, and pinterest just encourages that unhealthy practice.
And it struck me how much of a waste of time it was. And how it falls in line with values that I've come to hold in contempt because it so strikingly contradicts everything Jesus holds to.
I know not everything on there is vain. So much of it is, though - at least to me. I guess it just struck me of how little actual importance it all is in light of the dire needs of this world and what God truly calls us to do and be. I can't worry so much about what I'd wear if I had money or how I'd decorate my house if I had one or what little trinkets will be present at the wedding I may not even have. How can I be content with the life I have and live out a truly simple, but radically giving life if caught up in the culture that Pinterest inherently promotes?
So I was going to be done with it, making it a very short-lived venture on my part.
But there's this lesson God has been teaching me as of late. Not to abandon these things that I detest, that I find unfavorable, that I want nothing to do with. But to redeem them.
So instead of pinning things I want and putting such a stock on things that will be completely meaningless one day, I can use it for so many other things. To draw attention to the beauty of God's creation. To pin Bible verses and other spiritual things for encouragement.
Like Philippians 4:8 - "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."
I can use my Pinterest account to champion those things, but by God's definition, not this world's. There is a definite distinction, yet we still tend to confuse the two.
This isn't to condemn anybody else's use of Pinterest. These are just the convictions I felt personally placed on my heart in line with what God's been revealing to me and doing in my life as of late and an exploration of the remedy of them as I continue to explore what it means to live radically in the name of Christ. And I feel like I was using Pinterest in a self-involved, shallow way, but I know that it can be used to glorify God if I approach it using a different emphasis.
If you wanna see me attempt to do this, y'all can follow me on Pinterest here: https://pinterest.com/channyt/
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