I have a good life. I don't have a lot of underlying stress or ongoing issues. I am stable and comfortable. Maybe a little too comfortable sometimes. I am not stretching myself enough. In my little cave all is well.
However I have something stirring deep inside of me. God is calling me to get more involved is several areas in a deeper and more profound way. Engaging in potentially confrontational areas and testing my ability to handle more fills me with a sense of trepidation. By doing more am I going to lose what I have or is what I have what I really want in life. A song keeps going through my head every time I'm in situations where I feel I should say something or do more. I'll post the song in this blog, the lyrics "there must be more than this" from the song Consuming Fire have gone through my head often in recent times.
I should say I have been stepping out of my green zone more and more. That being said there is more to be done. Some scripture is also playing in my mind more too, "The harvest is great but the workers are few" has been an ongoing theme. Over the last several days a portion of the sermon on the mount has been on my mind as well. In Mathew 5 when Jesus is talking about giving to the one who asks and don't turn away from the one who wants to borrow. That I never really understood and I took it to be literal and was confused by it. I prayed and meditated on it and God gave me an epiphany. It is not about money for me, it is about time, abilities and resources. I have experience and talents that I have chosen to ignore all in the name of being comfortable and not in situations of potential confrontation. I know that is going to change as I have a moral obligation to lend a hand when I have been asked not once but twice to step in to one particular situation.
So I'm going to step up to the plate. Put my best effort into it. God would settle for nothing less and I can only do it with him and through him. Let there not be a moment I try to lean on my own understanding because that leads to nothing good. This is a test, this is only a test and I am ready to take on what God wants me to. No matter what the outcome I am going to know this and that his power will lead me if I choose to follow. I tend to get full of myself and put my pride ahead of others. Lord let me be gracious and humble on the road ahead.
Here's the video for Consuming Fire
There is more than this, God let your glory fall in this place, Amen!
Friday, December 16, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
A Christ follower living in a secular world: Faith, what is it?
A Christ follower living in a secular world: Faith, what is it?: Faith is a word that's been tossed around a lot. Everyone has faith in something. Every time I turn on a tap I believe water will flow. It t...
Faith, what is it?
Faith is a word that's been tossed around a lot. Everyone has faith in something. Every time I turn on a tap I believe water will flow. It turns from faith to fact once the water starts flowing. Though if I go to a park and go to turn on a fountain I don't have faith it will work. In fact I'm also leery of the amount of pressure that the water streams out at if in fact it flows at all. In fact even when the water flows I tend to give it a smell to make sure there isn't an odour to it before taking a sip. A simple illustration of a complex word. In the first case I had total faith and in the second case I had serious doubts on several levels.
People will talk about taking things on faith. In many cases they have doubts and really aren't trusting at all. Faith, real faith is all about trusting in what can't be seen or hasn't transpired yet. When I make a bank transfer I don't just do it and never think of it again. I check with both accounts to see that the transaction I initiated is completed as per my instructions. Recently I adjusted quite a few banking instructions and am satisfied it has been done to my satisfaction. I didn't just say "here, do this" and then promptly forget about it. I am ye of little faith when it comes to financial institutions. I do have some faith though since I do put my money there instead of under a mattress :)
If you go to a Doctor for some ailment do you just take his/her advice. If it is simple advice like a year or 2 ago when I had an eye infection the doctor prescribed some drops. I had faith enough to take them and sure enough within a few days all was well. However, if the advice had been "well sir we must remove your eye" I probably would have sought out a second opinion. I wouldn't have just taken it on faith and said "alrighty then gouge it out". So I had some faith in the Doctor but not total faith.
What I am trying to get at is there are different levels of faith. I have a high level of faith in my family members. They have shown me overall to be people of good character(though different levels and expectations for different people) and I trust them in most cases. Much more than a stranger on the street or someone I know casually. There are people I know that have shown me with there actions that they are highly trustworthy. These people I have great faith in that they will do the right thing. However there are others who have shown me by their actions to not be trustworthy. These people I have little faith in. I confess that I hope for the best but expect my hopes to be dashed. That being said sometimes I am surprised by their actions and so my level of trust(or faith) starts to rise.
What does the dictionary say about faith?
Trust in something or someone without prior proof.
Synonyms: acceptance, assurance, belief, certainty, trust
Antonyms: doubt, skepticism
Now for a very long time in my life. I wanted to believe the theory of evolution. I wanted to believe this was all random chance. I was irreligious. Without really knowing it I kind of had a Buddhist/Hindu theology in the belief or faith in man improving himself. I wanted to believe immortality was in the footprint you left behind. The way you affected other lives gave you life beyond your mortal coil. That there was no God and that we were just a higher form of animal life and that someday something would super-cede us. The more I searched for that in life the less evidence I could see of that. As technology increased and evolved the people became lazier and more selfish. Treating others with little regard was the way to get ahead and "win" in this world game. I became disenchanted and disconnected from playing the game. I didn't want to play by those rules anymore. I didn't have faith in the theories, I didn't have faith in the world around me and I didn't have faith in myself enough to overcome it.
So I would pray and I seek God to show himself to me. He was silent. It took a few months from there but I finally came to the end of myself. We all have different levels of brokenness and let me tell you I was pretty broken. Without knowing he was there I called out to him, I bowed down to him and in his own way he started to guide me. I had the faith of a mustard seed but it was guteral and total blind faith. For the first time in my life I believed in something greater than myself. He showed me small but not insignificant signs of his presence but only after I had put my faith in him. I look back now at where I was then and where I am now and I think wow life is so much better now. When I read his word it inspired me. In fact even though I had never read the Bible nor had biblical instruction it was very topical in my life. A lot of times I would say things or do things that I would then read about that very night. It was spine tingling. Jesus was there for me when I called out to him with sincerity of heart.
It is 7 years later now and I still am learning to trust him. I tend to take things back and try to do it by myself but I'm learning and growing deeper with every passing day. A loosening of my grip is all I need to do for the blessings to flow. I look at faith and my path as a train. The Jesus train. I can jump off anytime and go it alone if I choose but the moment I turn around and get back to trusting him the train is right there to pick me up. It may be a few metres from where I jumped off or it could several kilometres back but nevertheless it is there.
Faith is a journey and all you have to is jump aboard. The conductor is calling "all aboard!!" Can you hear him?
People will talk about taking things on faith. In many cases they have doubts and really aren't trusting at all. Faith, real faith is all about trusting in what can't be seen or hasn't transpired yet. When I make a bank transfer I don't just do it and never think of it again. I check with both accounts to see that the transaction I initiated is completed as per my instructions. Recently I adjusted quite a few banking instructions and am satisfied it has been done to my satisfaction. I didn't just say "here, do this" and then promptly forget about it. I am ye of little faith when it comes to financial institutions. I do have some faith though since I do put my money there instead of under a mattress :)
If you go to a Doctor for some ailment do you just take his/her advice. If it is simple advice like a year or 2 ago when I had an eye infection the doctor prescribed some drops. I had faith enough to take them and sure enough within a few days all was well. However, if the advice had been "well sir we must remove your eye" I probably would have sought out a second opinion. I wouldn't have just taken it on faith and said "alrighty then gouge it out". So I had some faith in the Doctor but not total faith.
What I am trying to get at is there are different levels of faith. I have a high level of faith in my family members. They have shown me overall to be people of good character(though different levels and expectations for different people) and I trust them in most cases. Much more than a stranger on the street or someone I know casually. There are people I know that have shown me with there actions that they are highly trustworthy. These people I have great faith in that they will do the right thing. However there are others who have shown me by their actions to not be trustworthy. These people I have little faith in. I confess that I hope for the best but expect my hopes to be dashed. That being said sometimes I am surprised by their actions and so my level of trust(or faith) starts to rise.
What does the dictionary say about faith?
Trust in something or someone without prior proof.
Synonyms: acceptance, assurance, belief, certainty, trust
Antonyms: doubt, skepticism
Now for a very long time in my life. I wanted to believe the theory of evolution. I wanted to believe this was all random chance. I was irreligious. Without really knowing it I kind of had a Buddhist/Hindu theology in the belief or faith in man improving himself. I wanted to believe immortality was in the footprint you left behind. The way you affected other lives gave you life beyond your mortal coil. That there was no God and that we were just a higher form of animal life and that someday something would super-cede us. The more I searched for that in life the less evidence I could see of that. As technology increased and evolved the people became lazier and more selfish. Treating others with little regard was the way to get ahead and "win" in this world game. I became disenchanted and disconnected from playing the game. I didn't want to play by those rules anymore. I didn't have faith in the theories, I didn't have faith in the world around me and I didn't have faith in myself enough to overcome it.
So I would pray and I seek God to show himself to me. He was silent. It took a few months from there but I finally came to the end of myself. We all have different levels of brokenness and let me tell you I was pretty broken. Without knowing he was there I called out to him, I bowed down to him and in his own way he started to guide me. I had the faith of a mustard seed but it was guteral and total blind faith. For the first time in my life I believed in something greater than myself. He showed me small but not insignificant signs of his presence but only after I had put my faith in him. I look back now at where I was then and where I am now and I think wow life is so much better now. When I read his word it inspired me. In fact even though I had never read the Bible nor had biblical instruction it was very topical in my life. A lot of times I would say things or do things that I would then read about that very night. It was spine tingling. Jesus was there for me when I called out to him with sincerity of heart.
It is 7 years later now and I still am learning to trust him. I tend to take things back and try to do it by myself but I'm learning and growing deeper with every passing day. A loosening of my grip is all I need to do for the blessings to flow. I look at faith and my path as a train. The Jesus train. I can jump off anytime and go it alone if I choose but the moment I turn around and get back to trusting him the train is right there to pick me up. It may be a few metres from where I jumped off or it could several kilometres back but nevertheless it is there.
Faith is a journey and all you have to is jump aboard. The conductor is calling "all aboard!!" Can you hear him?
Sunday, December 11, 2011
A Christ follower living in a secular world: God's grace is more sufficient than any human reas...
A Christ follower living in a secular world: God's grace is more sufficient than any human reas...: I liked to think of myself as intelligent and a person with good powers of reasoning. Which I believe to be true. That being said my life wa...
God's grace is more sufficient than any human reasoning
I liked to think of myself as intelligent and a person with good powers of reasoning. Which I believe to be true. That being said my life was not working well and I ended up making a series of bad choices. It all started with circumstances I couldn't control but it was how I reacted to them that made the difference. My powers of reasoning were clouded by my own prejudices. It ended up manifesting itself in:
This was many years in the making. It wasn't like everything was fine one day and the next day this all happened. It crept into my life slowly bit by bit. I kept it together pretty good on the surface but underneath I knew I was a fraud. I really thought I was a nice guy deep down but the fruit in my life was unripe and sour grapes. I was mean to those I cared about and I felt like the only right person. Everything and everyone was inferior and a nuisance. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't mean all the time and I didn't do everything wrong but I was a jerk. That's a fact.
I know of people that have had terrible things happen to them that were not their fault but how they reacted to it was. In most cases people react rather than consult. They act selfish and assume no one knows what they are going through. That no one else has been in so much pain, discomfort, financial pressure, add your thing here as what they are going through at this moment. They often make a bad situation worse. They get angry and lash out. This is not how it should be. This is not how I wish to live.
I know a few people that have had terrible things happen to them that were not their fault and how they reacted to it was amazing. They dealt with their issues as best they could. They reached out for help. They faced up to the part they could face up to. They took steps to improve the situation as best they could. These people are role models of grace and I've learned valuable lessons from their plights.
I do my best to not be offensive in my Christian walk. I don't usually go out of my way to pick a fight. Funny thing is I started to write this blog several days ago and it is most relevant in an encounter I had on FB last night/this morning. Apparently I offended at least a couple of people with my take on a dialogue regarding the spiritual world. It was asserted I was stuffing the Bible down peoples throat when all I did was state what I believed to be true. It was also assumed I was angry and had "stuff" going on in my life. Truth is we all have stuff going on but really in my life things are good and I didn't feel angry at all. I like to express ideas and offer opinions when they are being sought. I guess I can come across a little bombastic when really I am just passionate about what I believe. That can be the problem with email and the like. Face to face is so much better because you can't read the body language behind the words nor do you have a tone to feed off of. I'm not always going to be right and at the beginning of a discussion with someone I do my best to be open minded but there are core values that I have. There are many things I believe to be true and a few that I do know to be true.
Now when bad things happen I do my best to soldier on. To hate the sin and not the sinner. To accept the hand that's dealt me as it were and to make the best of the opportunity. Problems can be huge opportunities for growth. A closed door in one corner can lead to 3 others that open up. I look at where I am now versus 7 years ago and I think wow life is so much more worth living now. I don't have a lot of pressure or stress. When I do then I do my best to resolve it rather than run from it. I don't take on other peoples burden by myself and don't try to run their lives. If they want my help I am there and they know that but I can't nor wish to save people from themselves. Everyone has to make their own path straight, if I do it for them they learn nothing and will end up there again anyway. So I pray for them and intercede on their behalf. If they need to help carrying a heavy load(figuratively, not literally) I will lend a hand when it is sought out.
Today I rely on God. He is reliable and has all the wisdom I need and so much more. I know on my own, in my state of human reasoning that I will make bad decisions and lack good judgement. Just as my prior ways were many years in the making my walk with God has had its bumps too. My transformation is a work in progress but relying on God is a good place to start. Everyday I try to make it a good day and some days are better than others. May today be a good day for me and for you and God bless you!!
- meaningless self indulgences.
- feeling sorry for myself.
- feelings of bitterness and envy.
- lying to myself and others
- depression
- anxiety
- compulsive behavior
- Pride
This was many years in the making. It wasn't like everything was fine one day and the next day this all happened. It crept into my life slowly bit by bit. I kept it together pretty good on the surface but underneath I knew I was a fraud. I really thought I was a nice guy deep down but the fruit in my life was unripe and sour grapes. I was mean to those I cared about and I felt like the only right person. Everything and everyone was inferior and a nuisance. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't mean all the time and I didn't do everything wrong but I was a jerk. That's a fact.
I know of people that have had terrible things happen to them that were not their fault but how they reacted to it was. In most cases people react rather than consult. They act selfish and assume no one knows what they are going through. That no one else has been in so much pain, discomfort, financial pressure, add your thing here as what they are going through at this moment. They often make a bad situation worse. They get angry and lash out. This is not how it should be. This is not how I wish to live.
I know a few people that have had terrible things happen to them that were not their fault and how they reacted to it was amazing. They dealt with their issues as best they could. They reached out for help. They faced up to the part they could face up to. They took steps to improve the situation as best they could. These people are role models of grace and I've learned valuable lessons from their plights.
I do my best to not be offensive in my Christian walk. I don't usually go out of my way to pick a fight. Funny thing is I started to write this blog several days ago and it is most relevant in an encounter I had on FB last night/this morning. Apparently I offended at least a couple of people with my take on a dialogue regarding the spiritual world. It was asserted I was stuffing the Bible down peoples throat when all I did was state what I believed to be true. It was also assumed I was angry and had "stuff" going on in my life. Truth is we all have stuff going on but really in my life things are good and I didn't feel angry at all. I like to express ideas and offer opinions when they are being sought. I guess I can come across a little bombastic when really I am just passionate about what I believe. That can be the problem with email and the like. Face to face is so much better because you can't read the body language behind the words nor do you have a tone to feed off of. I'm not always going to be right and at the beginning of a discussion with someone I do my best to be open minded but there are core values that I have. There are many things I believe to be true and a few that I do know to be true.
Now when bad things happen I do my best to soldier on. To hate the sin and not the sinner. To accept the hand that's dealt me as it were and to make the best of the opportunity. Problems can be huge opportunities for growth. A closed door in one corner can lead to 3 others that open up. I look at where I am now versus 7 years ago and I think wow life is so much more worth living now. I don't have a lot of pressure or stress. When I do then I do my best to resolve it rather than run from it. I don't take on other peoples burden by myself and don't try to run their lives. If they want my help I am there and they know that but I can't nor wish to save people from themselves. Everyone has to make their own path straight, if I do it for them they learn nothing and will end up there again anyway. So I pray for them and intercede on their behalf. If they need to help carrying a heavy load(figuratively, not literally) I will lend a hand when it is sought out.
Today I rely on God. He is reliable and has all the wisdom I need and so much more. I know on my own, in my state of human reasoning that I will make bad decisions and lack good judgement. Just as my prior ways were many years in the making my walk with God has had its bumps too. My transformation is a work in progress but relying on God is a good place to start. Everyday I try to make it a good day and some days are better than others. May today be a good day for me and for you and God bless you!!
Friday, December 9, 2011
A Christ follower living in a secular world: The reason for the season
A Christ follower living in a secular world: The reason for the season: As we approach December 25Th the world is inundating us with the generic and nonreligious messages of Season's Greetings or Happy Holidays. ...
The reason for the season
As we approach December 25Th the world is inundating us with the generic and nonreligious messages of Season's Greetings or Happy Holidays. It started long ago as a way of getting around the fact that this is the time when Christians around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus. Christmas has been commercialized to the point that there is virtually no where you can go and not see Lights or bows usually attached to signs saying buy your gift card here or sale on now or the like.
Santa is the central figure in all of this attempt to sell people what they don't need. My family is all adult now. If any of us needed something we have the means to buy it(within reason) and personally I have more trinkets around my place than I can stand to look at and don't want anymore. That being said if someone got me a gift I would accept it with gladness of heart. Especially if it was a book from one of my favourite authors or a CD I don't have(yes in this digital music age I still like hard copy CD's). With regards to my family I don't plan on buying gifts but likewise if I saw something that I know my bro doesn't have and would like I will get it for him. My plan is to give donations to 2 worthy causes. One to Gateway of Hope in Langley and another to World Vision who do many good works with Children in Africa. The poor need my gift far more than my family does.
As for people with children I totally understand the need to get them gifts but do we have to be as lavish as a society? Honestly looking back I was spoiled and when I see what many kids get today it shocks me. Parents put themselves into major debt over the holidays and the kids usually get as much joy out of the stocking stuffers as the major gifts anyway. I know, I know easy for me to say since I don't have kids but it is the truth. Spoiling your child is not going to teach them anything.
There is much debate within Christ following circles as to when Jesus was actually born. I too, am not sure about the timing of Christmas but it doesn't matter. The fact is he was born and we are celebrating a royal birthday. It is not uncommon for a Queen or King to have an official birthday celebration that is not on their real birthday. So for the King of Kings I look at December 25TH as his royal birthday. I also have been guilty of getting too caught up in Good Friday/Easter as being bigger than Christmas for me. I mean the reason Jesus came to Earth was to take our sin away so Easter has significance too however without God coming to Earth as an infant and facing all the challenges he faced including being born in a manger the Cross would not have as much significance in my opinion.
So this Christmas, enjoy time with your family and friends. Partake in some feasting and appreciate all the good things in your life. Just don't forget the significance of the event. It is a royal birthday so celebrate it!!
Santa is the central figure in all of this attempt to sell people what they don't need. My family is all adult now. If any of us needed something we have the means to buy it(within reason) and personally I have more trinkets around my place than I can stand to look at and don't want anymore. That being said if someone got me a gift I would accept it with gladness of heart. Especially if it was a book from one of my favourite authors or a CD I don't have(yes in this digital music age I still like hard copy CD's). With regards to my family I don't plan on buying gifts but likewise if I saw something that I know my bro doesn't have and would like I will get it for him. My plan is to give donations to 2 worthy causes. One to Gateway of Hope in Langley and another to World Vision who do many good works with Children in Africa. The poor need my gift far more than my family does.
As for people with children I totally understand the need to get them gifts but do we have to be as lavish as a society? Honestly looking back I was spoiled and when I see what many kids get today it shocks me. Parents put themselves into major debt over the holidays and the kids usually get as much joy out of the stocking stuffers as the major gifts anyway. I know, I know easy for me to say since I don't have kids but it is the truth. Spoiling your child is not going to teach them anything.
There is much debate within Christ following circles as to when Jesus was actually born. I too, am not sure about the timing of Christmas but it doesn't matter. The fact is he was born and we are celebrating a royal birthday. It is not uncommon for a Queen or King to have an official birthday celebration that is not on their real birthday. So for the King of Kings I look at December 25TH as his royal birthday. I also have been guilty of getting too caught up in Good Friday/Easter as being bigger than Christmas for me. I mean the reason Jesus came to Earth was to take our sin away so Easter has significance too however without God coming to Earth as an infant and facing all the challenges he faced including being born in a manger the Cross would not have as much significance in my opinion.
So this Christmas, enjoy time with your family and friends. Partake in some feasting and appreciate all the good things in your life. Just don't forget the significance of the event. It is a royal birthday so celebrate it!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)