Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Oh, Canada
My friend BK recently graduated from The Master's Seminary. Did I mention, BK is from Canada? Since his visa expired, BK is no longer allowed to work in America. But he's not allowed to leave either. So all he can do now is sit and wait for his visa to go through. That means one thing--he's stuck in America for the summer. So what does one do when trapped in a foreign country? Read BK's blog to find out!
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
THOUGHTS
As I evaluated my recent posts, I noticed that I've been pretty serious lately. So I had great aspirations to post something really clever and funny and witty--something to make you all laugh, something that would get lots of comments. Notice, it's been 8 days and I still haven't come up with anything that fits that description. So, rather than make you laugh, out come some thoughts I've had today as a result of my reading in the MacArthur Daily Bible.
Life isn't easy. And while I shouldn't stress, unpleasant situations in life happen and my sinful response is to worry. In the book of Acts, Peter and John were in prison for sharing the gospel and by a turn of miraculous events, they escaped. Knowing me, I would worry and fret. But the church at that time rejoiced in God's power, they recognized that even the people involved in Christ's death were gathered to do "whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done." And the church used Peter and John's situation as a chance to rejoice in God's sovereignty.
That's a lesson for me. God is sovereign. God's plan can not be thwarted by any man. I can take confidence and rejoice in that fact, for He is "God who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them." I have nothing to fear, but Him who ought to be feared.
Life isn't easy. And while I shouldn't stress, unpleasant situations in life happen and my sinful response is to worry. In the book of Acts, Peter and John were in prison for sharing the gospel and by a turn of miraculous events, they escaped. Knowing me, I would worry and fret. But the church at that time rejoiced in God's power, they recognized that even the people involved in Christ's death were gathered to do "whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done." And the church used Peter and John's situation as a chance to rejoice in God's sovereignty.
That's a lesson for me. God is sovereign. God's plan can not be thwarted by any man. I can take confidence and rejoice in that fact, for He is "God who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them." I have nothing to fear, but Him who ought to be feared.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
ALONE
Mark 6:46
"And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray."
Even Jesus had to get alone and go away to pray to His Heavenly Father. If this was a necessity for the Son of God, the Creator of the Universe, the Most High God, how much more is it essential for me? I crave that kind of intimacy with my Lord. I feel that need, to go away and be alone with God. To talk to Him and sit quietly and listen, and to let him speak back to me through His Word. No, God won't speak to me in a audible voice and tell me what to do, but when I acknowledge Him in all my ways and seek His will, not my own, I believe He will make clear the muddy areas in my life. He will gaurd my heart and mind with a peace that only He can give--a peace that surpasses all understanding.
"And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray."
Even Jesus had to get alone and go away to pray to His Heavenly Father. If this was a necessity for the Son of God, the Creator of the Universe, the Most High God, how much more is it essential for me? I crave that kind of intimacy with my Lord. I feel that need, to go away and be alone with God. To talk to Him and sit quietly and listen, and to let him speak back to me through His Word. No, God won't speak to me in a audible voice and tell me what to do, but when I acknowledge Him in all my ways and seek His will, not my own, I believe He will make clear the muddy areas in my life. He will gaurd my heart and mind with a peace that only He can give--a peace that surpasses all understanding.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Thought For The Day
"Is the Lord Jesus Christ your most precious treasure in this world? If so, you can count yourself among normal Christians. Is the moral beauty which is found only in Jesus Christ constantly drawing you to praise and worship? If so, you are indeed among those whom God's Word identifies as normal, believing, practicing Christians. But I can almost anticipate an objection. If someone is that delighted and that occupied with the person of Jesus Christ, is he or she not an extremist rather than a normal Christian? Have professing Christians really come to that time in their humanistic and secularistic leanings that they can sincerely deny that loving Jesus Christ with all their heart and soul and strength is normal Christianity? We must not be reading and studying the same Bible! How can anyone profess to be a follower and a disciple of Jesus Christ and not be overwhelmed by His attributes? These divine attributes attest that He is indeed Lord of all, completely worthy of our worship and praise."
-Whatever Happened to Worship? by A.W. Tozer
-Whatever Happened to Worship? by A.W. Tozer
Monday, June 04, 2007
Impartial Love
You know when God triggers something in your mind--something you read, or heard in a sermon--and you can't stop thinking about it. Well, that sums up some of my thoughts this past week.
Last weekend at my Bible study retreat in Mammoth, Bruce Blakey spoke about the spiritual discipline of serving one another. He talked about the passage where Jesus washes the disciples' feet. And he touched on the fact that Jesus treated Judas so well, no one believed Judas was the betrayer, even when Jesus revealed it. Jesus loved Judas so much and exercised such compassion toward Judas--up until the very last moment, He gave Judas a chance to repent and to turn from his evil ways. Jesus even dipped bread and gave it to Judas, indicating that he was a special guest of honor.
What wondrous love is this?
I pray that I can be the same way to those who have mistreated me. I pray I can demonstrate the same kind of love towards those "hard to love people." And I pray my love will be so extreme that I can love even my enemies the way that Jesus loved Judas--the way that Jesus loves me!
Last weekend at my Bible study retreat in Mammoth, Bruce Blakey spoke about the spiritual discipline of serving one another. He talked about the passage where Jesus washes the disciples' feet. And he touched on the fact that Jesus treated Judas so well, no one believed Judas was the betrayer, even when Jesus revealed it. Jesus loved Judas so much and exercised such compassion toward Judas--up until the very last moment, He gave Judas a chance to repent and to turn from his evil ways. Jesus even dipped bread and gave it to Judas, indicating that he was a special guest of honor.
What wondrous love is this?
I pray that I can be the same way to those who have mistreated me. I pray I can demonstrate the same kind of love towards those "hard to love people." And I pray my love will be so extreme that I can love even my enemies the way that Jesus loved Judas--the way that Jesus loves me!
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