I learned so much from this sermon. My discipler had me listen to it so as to shed more light on the Gospel and its implications. It's cRAZY when I think about the humility of Jesus Christ. I hope this sermon will be enlightening to you and remind you that even though we have a God that is so incredibly superior than us, He humbled himself and bore all of our sins, so that we may have true fellowship with Him. Can you think about Jesus being born and learning how to walk and talk? Can you think about Jesus crying for His mother's milk? Humility is not humiliating. It is beautiful and wonderful. It means we have a Savior who loves us greatly.
click here to listen to the sermon--> http://www.gracechurchsd.org/sermon/the-beauty-of-his-life-humility/
my notes:
- not only did He die for me, He lived for me--the righteous life I was supposed to live
- we admire humility in others, but view it negatively in ourselves--it feels like loss
- relate humility to our sin -- humiliating
1) perspective of humility we find in Jesus
v. 6~ Jesus is God. He set aside His rights of being God. He compared it to something else and decided His rights weren't worth clinging to.
2) actions of humility we see in Jesus
v. 7-8- he "made himself nothing"; "taking the very nature of a servant" <-- washing disciples' feet; "being made in human likeness"; "became obedient to death--even death on a cross" <-- most shameful, humilitiating form of death ~ from Creator of all things to experiencing what it was like to learn to crawl <-- was dependent on parents ~ he prayed ~ he grew up in poverty
* 2 Cor 8:9- "thought he was rich for your sake he became poor"
- sin curves us in on ourselves
* Gen 3:5- "you will be like God"
application
His humility is our covering
- I do not find peace in Christian life by what I do but what God did perfectly (confess my sin and confess His perfect humility as mine)
His humility is our future
v. 9-11~ utter joy in the presence of God
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Dreaming About Evangelism, Part 2
Hello all~
I just wanted to share with you a burden God has placed on my heart for evangelism and for missions.
Ever since high school began, I have wanted to go on a mission trip. At first, I didn't have a good reason for going--I wanted the experience to work in the mission field--which is why, I suppose, God canceled these trips time and again. Later on, however, God developed in me a heart for the Lost. He showed me how everyone is in need of a Savior, how depraved mankind really is, and how my heart should cry for those who are unsaved.
Then, last year, my freshman year, I wanted to apply for missions to go with a team at my college fellowship to the Philippines or to China. But, when I realized that I hadn't been home since the summertime, God urged me to spend time with my family and friends, and I missed another opportunity to serve Him in a foreign country.
During summer, however, God revealed to me that He did not only called me to missions in a foreign country but to missions to my friends who were non-Christian. When I went back to school and served in outreach team and mercy ministry, God divinely placed me in teamGo on outreach, a role designed for us to encourage our brothers and sisters to preach the Word to their friends.
God opened up many more opportunities for me then, to evangelize to my roommate, to my classmates, etc and every single conversation was a blessing. Although there were times when it was frustrating, God was showing me that I could only rely on His ability to change/soften peoples' hearts and, ultimately, reminding me that He's the One who saves.
Last night, I had another dream about evangelism. I'm not going to say that God speaks to me in dreams, but He does get me to think about things in them. Before going to bed, I had another conversation with one of my friends about God. We had just watched a debate between two scholars about the existence of God, and he was asking me a lot of questions about it, and about what I believed.
So, in my dream, I dreamt that I was evangelizing to the scholar who argued against the existence of God. Many times when I evangelize, the questions that I pose to non-Christians don't really seem to come from me--the Holy Spirit tells me what to say (Mark 13:11). The same was in this dream. God gave me the strength to talk to someone who was older than me and to reveal to this person the fallacies of his argument.
I woke up from the dream feeling refreshed and amazed at what God can do through me. Even though the dream never occurred in reality, it reminded me that I can't put God's abilities in a box. These past couple of weeks, God has again been urging me to go on missions and I want to go again this summer. Sometimes I am fearful that I will not be able to preach the Gospel to people in a foreign country, that I am in adequate or incapable...but, in this dream, God showed me that He can use me.
Pray for me, brothers and sisters, as I talk to my parents about going to missions this summer. I am again going to apply for a team in my college fellowship. This time we're going to Taiwan :). Pray that God will prepare the hearts of the people in our fellowship who are applying, including but not limited to, me. Pray that He will also prepare the hearts of the people we will reach, whether it be in serving fellow believers in Taiwan and/or evangelizing to non-believers. May God use me for His glory!
In Christ Alone,
Andrea
I just wanted to share with you a burden God has placed on my heart for evangelism and for missions.
Ever since high school began, I have wanted to go on a mission trip. At first, I didn't have a good reason for going--I wanted the experience to work in the mission field--which is why, I suppose, God canceled these trips time and again. Later on, however, God developed in me a heart for the Lost. He showed me how everyone is in need of a Savior, how depraved mankind really is, and how my heart should cry for those who are unsaved.
Then, last year, my freshman year, I wanted to apply for missions to go with a team at my college fellowship to the Philippines or to China. But, when I realized that I hadn't been home since the summertime, God urged me to spend time with my family and friends, and I missed another opportunity to serve Him in a foreign country.
During summer, however, God revealed to me that He did not only called me to missions in a foreign country but to missions to my friends who were non-Christian. When I went back to school and served in outreach team and mercy ministry, God divinely placed me in teamGo on outreach, a role designed for us to encourage our brothers and sisters to preach the Word to their friends.
God opened up many more opportunities for me then, to evangelize to my roommate, to my classmates, etc and every single conversation was a blessing. Although there were times when it was frustrating, God was showing me that I could only rely on His ability to change/soften peoples' hearts and, ultimately, reminding me that He's the One who saves.
Last night, I had another dream about evangelism. I'm not going to say that God speaks to me in dreams, but He does get me to think about things in them. Before going to bed, I had another conversation with one of my friends about God. We had just watched a debate between two scholars about the existence of God, and he was asking me a lot of questions about it, and about what I believed.
So, in my dream, I dreamt that I was evangelizing to the scholar who argued against the existence of God. Many times when I evangelize, the questions that I pose to non-Christians don't really seem to come from me--the Holy Spirit tells me what to say (Mark 13:11). The same was in this dream. God gave me the strength to talk to someone who was older than me and to reveal to this person the fallacies of his argument.
I woke up from the dream feeling refreshed and amazed at what God can do through me. Even though the dream never occurred in reality, it reminded me that I can't put God's abilities in a box. These past couple of weeks, God has again been urging me to go on missions and I want to go again this summer. Sometimes I am fearful that I will not be able to preach the Gospel to people in a foreign country, that I am in adequate or incapable...but, in this dream, God showed me that He can use me.
Pray for me, brothers and sisters, as I talk to my parents about going to missions this summer. I am again going to apply for a team in my college fellowship. This time we're going to Taiwan :). Pray that God will prepare the hearts of the people in our fellowship who are applying, including but not limited to, me. Pray that He will also prepare the hearts of the people we will reach, whether it be in serving fellow believers in Taiwan and/or evangelizing to non-believers. May God use me for His glory!
In Christ Alone,
Andrea
Monday, November 10, 2008
New Month, New Goal
Month of November is here and I think I've made the decision to work on my patience. I just need a better attitude in church, out of church, in school, wherever. Sometimes I jump on people for making mistakes when I should be representing God and the loving character that he is. So, I'll be researching more about how to be patient and patience in the Bible and such. Keep me in your prayers and call me to keep me in check. Thanks!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
God's Love
Hi you all:)
I have a question that I hope you ALL answer. Heehee:)
Why is it so hard to understand and experience God's love (when He gives His love so freely and wants us to be able to receive it) OR do you think that it is not hard?
Eager to read your responses,
Anita<3
I have a question that I hope you ALL answer. Heehee:)
Why is it so hard to understand and experience God's love (when He gives His love so freely and wants us to be able to receive it) OR do you think that it is not hard?
Eager to read your responses,
Anita<3
Saturday, October 25, 2008
my encouraging :]
yay!!!! sooo yesterday as some of you know i went to my friend's church to watch her get baptized. It was superdupery cool yeah :)
hmm there was this super cool song
most of you probably already know it but i was just wondering if we would sing it fr sunday worship?? cuz that would be coolios :)
so here's the video :]
hmm there was this super cool song
most of you probably already know it but i was just wondering if we would sing it fr sunday worship?? cuz that would be coolios :)
so here's the video :]
Sunday, October 19, 2008
HEY
So i wanted to post on here for a while now but i forgot the link. i just wanted to say hi, and hope all of you back at home are doing good. stay strong in w/e you do, and for those on worship team, always remember what your purpose is doing it! cal is sik, but ive been overloaded with work. my walk with God has been very bumpy since I got here, my schedule has been chaotic, and i still have not found a permanent church yet, so i ask that you guys pray for me, as well as dan and kevin for our transitions and that we continue to stay strong. so for political science, i actualyl wrote a 3 page paper on our church and how it supported easton's model of a political system. let me no if u wanan read it! i hope u guys r staying strong in God, . oh, btw, GO JAGS , 3-3, we are coming back despite our injuries, and to frank: bears have some crazy games, orton is def much better than grossman....and our bet is still on about fantasy, and jags v. bears game :). ummm cal football is very frsutrating, every week that we get ranked, we lose the next week and drop out. aight, well hope u fatties dont get too fat, hit me up if u ever need someone to talk to or need help with something....peace!
Saturday, October 18, 2008
guys, steven learned a new word this week...
The past Friday, at my campus fellowship's weekly large group, we had an unexpected guest drop by - MIke, the secretary-general (I think) of Nigeria's IFES (International Fellowship of Evangelical Students) branch. IFES is perhaps the largest student-driven Christian ministry in the world, having presence in 160 countries; Nigeria is the most populous black nation in the world, and also happens to be a place of incredible explosion of Christian faith in the college community. So to have Mike drop by Northwestern unannoucned on his way to UW-Madison, for a meeting at InterVarsity offices there, was very fortunate for us.
For the beginning of the school year, my fellowship, AAIV, is doing this introductory sequence to introduce to the froshies who we are and what we stand for. This year, we've been doing cute little thing of reading our mission statement at the beginning of large group:
Mission Possible: Identity. Conviction. Compassion
"We are a missional community of Asian-Americans that seeks to understand our full identity in Christ, to overflow with compassion for our campus, and to awaken conviction to carry out God's purposes in our lives and in the world." !!!!!!!!!1!!1!11!!!
As for me, and I'm sure the rest of you too, mission statements are nice to have just for the sake of having a msision statement, but read the words, and they mean almost absolutely nothing to me. Cynicism comes very naturally to me as it does to you; it's not only inbred in youthful behavior, but also because of all the hypocrisy, quackery, and general idioicy that we're confronted with daily. Not only do we deal with potheads and mean girls at school, but we live in a world of ongoing political and social corruption - we'd turn to our faith, sure, but it's embarrasing to call ourselves Christian if we're gonna get lumped together with folks whose mere mention makes us moan in disgust (Hello, Rev. Wright. Hello-goodbye, Jerry Falwell). I've heard this mission statement repeatedly since June and nothing has changed my life. I go to large group, Bible study, get up on stage and play keys the same way as I did before. Sure, I nodded my head in agreement when our core team proudly held up the poster with "I.C.C." written on it; but if you're like me, words aren't really something I can live my life by.
Anyways, Mike comes up to speak for a few minutes. He gives us, in his deeply rhythmic British-African voice (I've always found male African voices in public speakers to be incredibly captivating...no homo), the obligatory stuff about what's going on in Nigeria, thanks for our IFES contributions and prayers, various observations about things going on in Chicago relating to his field of interest, complimenting worship team (woohoo!). And then he jumps the gun, and asks Yuri to pull up the mission statement; yes, that run-on sentence bursting with truthiness and impactfulness-less-ness. And he says (I'm paraphrasing), "This truly touched my heart - you are seeking to overflow with compassion for your campus." And now I'm hooked - somebody so profoundly spiritual is going to say something salient about our mission statement - maybe I do need to pay attention and actually read the words (not just read the words, you know).
Mike talks about how compassion drives his ministry, in a country where resources and support for the Christian university students are scarce, how they must passionately desire, more than anything, to share the gospel with their compatriots. Surely, when the bigwig of a rapidly-growing national Christian movement speaks, the words have more meaning than it can ever have on paper or projector. And in that mesmeric African voice, he said, "Now you, as God has had compassion for the sinners, have compassion for your classmates, for your campus." Wow...chills down my spine, one-year-and-four-weeks of guilt, for not having compassion or caring, crashes down without a moment's notice.
Later that night, I remembered a passage about Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta from a book I'm reading (Irresistable Revolution by Shane Claiborne), about how trained medical personnel went to Mother's ministry to try to heal the lepers, malnourished, and dying...and were frustrated by the total lack of medical supplies and the sheer number of people. But the intent of the Missionaries of Charity was not to heal the dying, but to provide a place for them to die with dignity - living their last days beign given, and giving, Christ's own love and care. And the woman herself said, "We are called not to be successful but to be faithful."
So finally, a two words have been given meaning to me, of which I've been entirely saturated with and jaded from: overflow and compassion. To overflow requires me to have first been filled, to have first been satisfied with what GOD, in His abundance, has given to me. I love to use this analogy in prayer but never have I been able to, you know, do it: for my cup to be so full that when it is poured out to fill another cup, both cups are entirely and precipitously filled. So can I, as somebody who has pledged to follow Jesus and hold the harvesting sickle, overflow for my campus without going first to GOD for my needs? It's like the gas station you never stop at when you're on a road trip - Marathon, Arco, Rotten Robbie - because daddy invests in Royal Dutch and Exxon-Mobil, and they're so much more reputable. Society stops at these stations for their fill - Hollywood, friends, sex, gossip, drugs, food - and we tag along, because we've never seen anybody fill up anywhere else. But like driving a SUV, running out of gas is inevitable, and altogether too fast. But GOD is the free gas card we won at the supermarket (uh, in Texas, Feb 1998...99c a gallon!) and never deigned to use - but once we have, watch out, because it never runs out. And that's something I've really been lacking - because I can't approach GOD with my needs, that's the reason why I can look out with window at the frat houses and not feel anything - I have not been filled, and I have nothing to give.
Matthew 13:12: Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance.
We've already been given that gift of salvation, so surely, surely, GOD will give us more when we want more of Him.
So I'd like to ask you to think of where you have been given in abundance; likely, you have, or will be asked to overflow for your little niche in our broken world.
Maybe I'll share some more about compassion later on - I'm sure you're tired of reading me by now. And maybe, maybe, one of those three compassionate sisters can write better about compassion than a stoic, awkward emo-boy can.
Peace and blessings,
Steven
PS. It's really ironic how this weekend, I missed the annual conference that my church puts on - it's called OVERFLOW. Ha. In my defense, I did work the concession stands at the football game today (NU is 6-1 GO CATS) to make help money for the AAIV fellowship...and I have a genetics midterm on Tuesday...so yeah.
For the beginning of the school year, my fellowship, AAIV, is doing this introductory sequence to introduce to the froshies who we are and what we stand for. This year, we've been doing cute little thing of reading our mission statement at the beginning of large group:
Mission Possible: Identity. Conviction. Compassion
"We are a missional community of Asian-Americans that seeks to understand our full identity in Christ, to overflow with compassion for our campus, and to awaken conviction to carry out God's purposes in our lives and in the world." !!!!!!!!!1!!1!11!!!
As for me, and I'm sure the rest of you too, mission statements are nice to have just for the sake of having a msision statement, but read the words, and they mean almost absolutely nothing to me. Cynicism comes very naturally to me as it does to you; it's not only inbred in youthful behavior, but also because of all the hypocrisy, quackery, and general idioicy that we're confronted with daily. Not only do we deal with potheads and mean girls at school, but we live in a world of ongoing political and social corruption - we'd turn to our faith, sure, but it's embarrasing to call ourselves Christian if we're gonna get lumped together with folks whose mere mention makes us moan in disgust (Hello, Rev. Wright. Hello-goodbye, Jerry Falwell). I've heard this mission statement repeatedly since June and nothing has changed my life. I go to large group, Bible study, get up on stage and play keys the same way as I did before. Sure, I nodded my head in agreement when our core team proudly held up the poster with "I.C.C." written on it; but if you're like me, words aren't really something I can live my life by.
Anyways, Mike comes up to speak for a few minutes. He gives us, in his deeply rhythmic British-African voice (I've always found male African voices in public speakers to be incredibly captivating...no homo), the obligatory stuff about what's going on in Nigeria, thanks for our IFES contributions and prayers, various observations about things going on in Chicago relating to his field of interest, complimenting worship team (woohoo!). And then he jumps the gun, and asks Yuri to pull up the mission statement; yes, that run-on sentence bursting with truthiness and impactfulness-less-ness. And he says (I'm paraphrasing), "This truly touched my heart - you are seeking to overflow with compassion for your campus." And now I'm hooked - somebody so profoundly spiritual is going to say something salient about our mission statement - maybe I do need to pay attention and actually read the words (not just read the words, you know).
Mike talks about how compassion drives his ministry, in a country where resources and support for the Christian university students are scarce, how they must passionately desire, more than anything, to share the gospel with their compatriots. Surely, when the bigwig of a rapidly-growing national Christian movement speaks, the words have more meaning than it can ever have on paper or projector. And in that mesmeric African voice, he said, "Now you, as God has had compassion for the sinners, have compassion for your classmates, for your campus." Wow...chills down my spine, one-year-and-four-weeks of guilt, for not having compassion or caring, crashes down without a moment's notice.
Later that night, I remembered a passage about Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta from a book I'm reading (Irresistable Revolution by Shane Claiborne), about how trained medical personnel went to Mother's ministry to try to heal the lepers, malnourished, and dying...and were frustrated by the total lack of medical supplies and the sheer number of people. But the intent of the Missionaries of Charity was not to heal the dying, but to provide a place for them to die with dignity - living their last days beign given, and giving, Christ's own love and care. And the woman herself said, "We are called not to be successful but to be faithful."
So finally, a two words have been given meaning to me, of which I've been entirely saturated with and jaded from: overflow and compassion. To overflow requires me to have first been filled, to have first been satisfied with what GOD, in His abundance, has given to me. I love to use this analogy in prayer but never have I been able to, you know, do it: for my cup to be so full that when it is poured out to fill another cup, both cups are entirely and precipitously filled. So can I, as somebody who has pledged to follow Jesus and hold the harvesting sickle, overflow for my campus without going first to GOD for my needs? It's like the gas station you never stop at when you're on a road trip - Marathon, Arco, Rotten Robbie - because daddy invests in Royal Dutch and Exxon-Mobil, and they're so much more reputable. Society stops at these stations for their fill - Hollywood, friends, sex, gossip, drugs, food - and we tag along, because we've never seen anybody fill up anywhere else. But like driving a SUV, running out of gas is inevitable, and altogether too fast. But GOD is the free gas card we won at the supermarket (uh, in Texas, Feb 1998...99c a gallon!) and never deigned to use - but once we have, watch out, because it never runs out. And that's something I've really been lacking - because I can't approach GOD with my needs, that's the reason why I can look out with window at the frat houses and not feel anything - I have not been filled, and I have nothing to give.
Matthew 13:12: Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance.
We've already been given that gift of salvation, so surely, surely, GOD will give us more when we want more of Him.
So I'd like to ask you to think of where you have been given in abundance; likely, you have, or will be asked to overflow for your little niche in our broken world.
Maybe I'll share some more about compassion later on - I'm sure you're tired of reading me by now. And maybe, maybe, one of those three compassionate sisters can write better about compassion than a stoic, awkward emo-boy can.
Peace and blessings,
Steven
PS. It's really ironic how this weekend, I missed the annual conference that my church puts on - it's called OVERFLOW. Ha. In my defense, I did work the concession stands at the football game today (NU is 6-1 GO CATS) to make help money for the AAIV fellowship...and I have a genetics midterm on Tuesday...so yeah.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Loving One Another With Supernatural Love
Last night, one of my brothers gave a message on the love of God. I'm compelled to share it with this youth group because it was a message that reminded me that no matter how many times I preach the Gospel to myself, I can never fully comprehend or wrap my head around God's love. His love runs from the East to the West. It is so vast in every direction and we are very undeserving to receive it. I was blessed to hear this message last night because it reminded me that God is the source of love and if we truly believe in the Gospel message, we will never doubt His love and will never hesitate to show that exact love to others, to love one another with supernatural love.
Loving One Another With Supernatural Love
1 John 4:7-11
--> What is John talking about when he says "let us love one another"?
- "love" = agape: divine love, supernatural love
* John 13:34- "love one another even as I love you"
- not how but who
Who is able to love with supernatural love?
1) one who knows God
--> our identity starts with knowing God
v. 7-9: "let us love one another, for love comes from God....because God is love....that he loved us"
* John 13:23- "the disciple whom Jesus loved"
- John understands that God's love for him is not earned by anything he did
- pride vs. humility: pride runs from the love of God, depending on self for penance vs. humility runs toward the love of God, depending on God for forgiveness and love
GOD is the source of love.
so who is able to love with supernatural love?
2) one who is born of God
~ regeneration: God's act of making someone who is spiritually dead, spiritually alive
* John 1:12-14- "who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God"
- you didn't choose to be born. God did!
* 1 John 2:29, 5:18, 5:1- "born of God"
What does supernatural love look like?
- before we imitate the love of God, our hearts must be changed
- before imitation comes meditation
--> don't get caught up with the process (sanctification) instead of position
(justification)~ it is God who saved us first, so that we could live to please and glorify
Him
=> getting caught up with the process will only lead to 1) puffing ourselves up or 2)
beating ourselves up: puffing ourselves up <= those who believe that they are 'good people' and don't need the love/grace of God to be saved vs. those who fail to do every good work and believe that they are unsaveable because they are not 'good people'~ reminds me of the basis of Catholicism that believes we cannot be justified by faith alone <-- THIS IS FALSE
- the Father loved us by giving us His BEST
v.9~ by giving us His Son
* John 3:16- "For God so loved the word that He gave His One and Only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life"
Isaiah 42:1- "my Chosen One in whom my soul delights"
Matthew 17:5~ God's pleasure in His Son was for all eternity. They have an eternity to love.
John 17:24, 1:1; Psalm 2:7-8; Hebrews 1:10~ God will not stop at giving His Son everything
why did God give His Son to us?
- so that we might live through Him
* John 14: 6~ Jesus is the source of life, valuable beyond measure
- if God has given His best to you, what would He not give to you?
* Romans 8:32~ If it was beneficial to us, god would not stop in giving us everything
--> "What saddens me is that we don't want God's best. We don't love God."
* 1 Corinthians 13:4-8--> We don't love God because we are inpatient, unkind, envious, boastful, proud, rude, self-seeking, easily angered, keeping record of all wrongs, delighting in evil, harming, doubting, being hopeless, giving up, failing again and again and again
BUT
- the Father loves us even though we did not love Him
v.10: "not that we loved God but that He loved us"
- the love of God does not depend on us, doesn't start with us, but extends to us
despite who we are
* Romans 5:6-8- "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
- God is a jealous God and He is just in His jealousy because He rightly deserves our love
*Deuteronomy 4:24, 32:21~ God is jealous when people create idols
- God hurts in His heart when our affections are not truly His
- when our love is constrained, it is not free love
- love others even when they don't love you
--> how can a holy God love a people who have rejected Jesus Christ, His best? how can He love sinners?
- by suffering for us
v.10b: "and sent His Son to be the propitiation of our sins"~ Jesus absorbed the wrath of God which was meant to be poured out on us for our sins
* Isaiah 53:10~ it was the Father's joy to crush His Son --> why? cosmic child abuse? no; it was His joy because He loved you
So?
v.11: "since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another"
During the message, I was reminded of how many times I failed to love the people in my life. I remember instances when I complained about how much I love people and how I felt that I loved them too much and received nothing in return. But, in this message, God showed me what true love is--to love those who are unlovable, to love those who don't love you back. How can I say that sometimes I feel that I love people too much when God received so much rejection from me, from everyone, and yet still loved. God didn't minutely show us how much He cares for us. He sacrificed His best, His One and Only Son! How much more should I love others? Or, how much more should I show God how much I truly love Him?
So, brothers and sisters, I hope that reading this sermon was a blessing to you. I hope it compelled you to love God who is just in His jealousness. And I hope that it struck your heart to just how much He loves you, and then, just how much you should love others--with supernatural love.
In Christ Alone,
With Christ's love,
Andrea
Loving One Another With Supernatural Love
1 John 4:7-11
--> What is John talking about when he says "let us love one another"?
- "love" = agape: divine love, supernatural love
* John 13:34- "love one another even as I love you"
- not how but who
Who is able to love with supernatural love?
1) one who knows God
--> our identity starts with knowing God
v. 7-9: "let us love one another, for love comes from God....because God is love....that he loved us"
* John 13:23- "the disciple whom Jesus loved"
- John understands that God's love for him is not earned by anything he did
- pride vs. humility: pride runs from the love of God, depending on self for penance vs. humility runs toward the love of God, depending on God for forgiveness and love
GOD is the source of love.
so who is able to love with supernatural love?
2) one who is born of God
~ regeneration: God's act of making someone who is spiritually dead, spiritually alive
* John 1:12-14- "who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God"
- you didn't choose to be born. God did!
* 1 John 2:29, 5:18, 5:1- "born of God"
What does supernatural love look like?
- before we imitate the love of God, our hearts must be changed
- before imitation comes meditation
--> don't get caught up with the process (sanctification) instead of position
(justification)~ it is God who saved us first, so that we could live to please and glorify
Him
=> getting caught up with the process will only lead to 1) puffing ourselves up or 2)
beating ourselves up: puffing ourselves up <= those who believe that they are 'good people' and don't need the love/grace of God to be saved vs. those who fail to do every good work and believe that they are unsaveable because they are not 'good people'~ reminds me of the basis of Catholicism that believes we cannot be justified by faith alone <-- THIS IS FALSE
- the Father loved us by giving us His BEST
v.9~ by giving us His Son
* John 3:16- "For God so loved the word that He gave His One and Only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life"
Isaiah 42:1- "my Chosen One in whom my soul delights"
Matthew 17:5~ God's pleasure in His Son was for all eternity. They have an eternity to love.
John 17:24, 1:1; Psalm 2:7-8; Hebrews 1:10~ God will not stop at giving His Son everything
why did God give His Son to us?
- so that we might live through Him
* John 14: 6~ Jesus is the source of life, valuable beyond measure
- if God has given His best to you, what would He not give to you?
* Romans 8:32~ If it was beneficial to us, god would not stop in giving us everything
--> "What saddens me is that we don't want God's best. We don't love God."
* 1 Corinthians 13:4-8--> We don't love God because we are inpatient, unkind, envious, boastful, proud, rude, self-seeking, easily angered, keeping record of all wrongs, delighting in evil, harming, doubting, being hopeless, giving up, failing again and again and again
BUT
- the Father loves us even though we did not love Him
v.10: "not that we loved God but that He loved us"
- the love of God does not depend on us, doesn't start with us, but extends to us
despite who we are
* Romans 5:6-8- "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
- God is a jealous God and He is just in His jealousy because He rightly deserves our love
*Deuteronomy 4:24, 32:21~ God is jealous when people create idols
- God hurts in His heart when our affections are not truly His
- when our love is constrained, it is not free love
- love others even when they don't love you
--> how can a holy God love a people who have rejected Jesus Christ, His best? how can He love sinners?
- by suffering for us
v.10b: "and sent His Son to be the propitiation of our sins"~ Jesus absorbed the wrath of God which was meant to be poured out on us for our sins
* Isaiah 53:10~ it was the Father's joy to crush His Son --> why? cosmic child abuse? no; it was His joy because He loved you
So?
v.11: "since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another"
During the message, I was reminded of how many times I failed to love the people in my life. I remember instances when I complained about how much I love people and how I felt that I loved them too much and received nothing in return. But, in this message, God showed me what true love is--to love those who are unlovable, to love those who don't love you back. How can I say that sometimes I feel that I love people too much when God received so much rejection from me, from everyone, and yet still loved. God didn't minutely show us how much He cares for us. He sacrificed His best, His One and Only Son! How much more should I love others? Or, how much more should I show God how much I truly love Him?
So, brothers and sisters, I hope that reading this sermon was a blessing to you. I hope it compelled you to love God who is just in His jealousness. And I hope that it struck your heart to just how much He loves you, and then, just how much you should love others--with supernatural love.
In Christ Alone,
With Christ's love,
Andrea
Sunday, September 28, 2008
hi you guys,
so I don't really have a topic in mind, so I'm going to just let my streams of consciousness flow out, and hopefully something good comes out of it. =)
well, this week has been pretty overwhelming. lots of work to do and too little sleep. it seemed like every day I would desperately want to go to sleep, but be unable to, because I had work due the next day on top of all these other commitments throughout the day. And yet, somehow I made it through the week alive. So that's reassuring. But I guess what I'm trying to say is that God really provides. Even though I felt physically exhausted and almost to the point of burn out, God gave me the strength to get my work done on time and still follow through with all my commitments. He provided in my weakness and even though I, myself, couldn't handle it, God could. And He made everything work out in the end.
So recently, I've been going through the daily bread, and the passage that I picked out for Thursday really stuck out to me. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." [Galatians 5:22] And this made me think a lot, because throughout this week I've been very consumed with my problems. I would think, why do I have so much on my plate? Everyone else seems to have so much time in comparison and I can't even think straight because I'm so tired.
But then, at Bible study on Wednesday night, we all shared how our highs/lows for the week. And hearing all of them share their experiences in life right now was really humbling, because it made me realize I'm not alone; that everyone is going through their own struggles and God will not give us more than we can handle. And though I know this in the back of my brain, I forgot it because I was so wrapped up in all the things I needed to get done. And so going back to the scripture, the message focused on having patience. And I definitely think that is true. Too often we get so absorbed in the busyness of our lives, that we forget that others have a lot of stuff going on, which we can't see because we don't open our eyes to it. But we need to realize that in spite of what we are going through, we should still rejoice and be patient with others, because their lives could be going so much worse. And even if that is not the case, we need to be there for them (be the encouraging sister/brother to build them up and support when they need it) and put others first. And through this, not only will we be living a more God-centered life, but we will also be glorifying Him by showing others a virtue of God.
By the ways, another thing to mention is that we should not compare our struggles with others, because everyone is on their own walk with God, and so it does not matter whether someone seems to be going through something harder or easier. Because in reality, some test that is very hard for one person could be really easy for another. And so there is no point in comparing, because the effects of such can be very damaging. Instead, we should remember that God has everything under control and just because someone appears to be having the better life, that does not necessarily mean it's true; plus it should not affect one's relationship with God anyways. What we should do though, is trust in God to have the best plans for us and turn to Him especially during our vulnerable times, because those are times in which we need God most, and God is the only one who can answer our problems.
Alright, well take care you guys!
Vickie
so I don't really have a topic in mind, so I'm going to just let my streams of consciousness flow out, and hopefully something good comes out of it. =)
well, this week has been pretty overwhelming. lots of work to do and too little sleep. it seemed like every day I would desperately want to go to sleep, but be unable to, because I had work due the next day on top of all these other commitments throughout the day. And yet, somehow I made it through the week alive. So that's reassuring. But I guess what I'm trying to say is that God really provides. Even though I felt physically exhausted and almost to the point of burn out, God gave me the strength to get my work done on time and still follow through with all my commitments. He provided in my weakness and even though I, myself, couldn't handle it, God could. And He made everything work out in the end.
So recently, I've been going through the daily bread, and the passage that I picked out for Thursday really stuck out to me. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." [Galatians 5:22] And this made me think a lot, because throughout this week I've been very consumed with my problems. I would think, why do I have so much on my plate? Everyone else seems to have so much time in comparison and I can't even think straight because I'm so tired.
But then, at Bible study on Wednesday night, we all shared how our highs/lows for the week. And hearing all of them share their experiences in life right now was really humbling, because it made me realize I'm not alone; that everyone is going through their own struggles and God will not give us more than we can handle. And though I know this in the back of my brain, I forgot it because I was so wrapped up in all the things I needed to get done. And so going back to the scripture, the message focused on having patience. And I definitely think that is true. Too often we get so absorbed in the busyness of our lives, that we forget that others have a lot of stuff going on, which we can't see because we don't open our eyes to it. But we need to realize that in spite of what we are going through, we should still rejoice and be patient with others, because their lives could be going so much worse. And even if that is not the case, we need to be there for them (be the encouraging sister/brother to build them up and support when they need it) and put others first. And through this, not only will we be living a more God-centered life, but we will also be glorifying Him by showing others a virtue of God.
By the ways, another thing to mention is that we should not compare our struggles with others, because everyone is on their own walk with God, and so it does not matter whether someone seems to be going through something harder or easier. Because in reality, some test that is very hard for one person could be really easy for another. And so there is no point in comparing, because the effects of such can be very damaging. Instead, we should remember that God has everything under control and just because someone appears to be having the better life, that does not necessarily mean it's true; plus it should not affect one's relationship with God anyways. What we should do though, is trust in God to have the best plans for us and turn to Him especially during our vulnerable times, because those are times in which we need God most, and God is the only one who can answer our problems.
Alright, well take care you guys!
Vickie
Friday, September 26, 2008
Why Do You Do The Things You Do?
have you ever been asked that question? "why do you do the things you do?" i'm sure it's a question we as Christians would welcome so that we could share the Gospel with our non-Christian friends, right? well, could you answer it? could you really say, the reason for all this is God?
when you wake up in the morning, do you thank God that you're still alive? when you eat your breakfast or put on your clothes, do you worship Him for being Your Great Provider? is everything you do reflective of a God-centered life?
that's the problem with this world. independence and self-reliance are synonymous. if you are truly independent, then do you need God?
this week, i'm going through Titus 3:1-2~ "Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men". after sunday, when i chose this passage to reflect on throughout the week, i couldn't remember my reason for choosing it. the passage no longer seemed to apply. i could feel my prideful spirit stepping up and saying, like the rich man, "all these i have kept" (Matthew 19:20).
only after talking to a friend just a few minutes ago about what God has been teaching us, did God remind me of the real reason for all these works:
bskballangel123 right now i'm in Titus and i'm just going through a chapter a week. this week's was Titus 3:1-2~ Paul telling Titus how to build up the body of Christ, how to remind people to be subject to rulers and authorities...and whatnot. but i guess more than that. because sometimes i get so action-oriented that i forget the reason for what i do. that in all things i was created for the glory of God, to honor Him when i submit to my elders, when i'm obedient to my parents, when i do good in my community, when i love my brothers and sisters and humble myself before them.
i'm constantly reminded, day-to-day, that it's the grace of God that saved me. in high school, i was self-disciplined to the point of legalism and i thought i could pay back God for what He did, or that He didn't love me because i continued to sin. but God freed us from that bondage. even though we are all sinners, He loves us and it is only through His Son's perfect sacrifice that we are saved.
but i guess more than that...it's that when i do things, when i speak or act or think, i do it all for Him because my very life was God-given, my identity is in Christ. i don't do things anymore to please others or to make sure i am seen/viewed a certain way but i do things because i want to please God my Father, because i love Him, and because i am so grateful that He has blessed me and chosen me to be His daughter.
bskballangel123 it's easy to get caught up in the works or the ministry and forget why we're doing everything in the first place. it's important to prepare your heart for anything and everything, thanking God for opportunities, for gifts, for passion, and giving Him ALL the glory.
so, why do you do the things you do? are you serving in church out of obligation or because you love Christ? brothers and sisters, God doesn't need us to serve our church. He doesn't need us to do anything. we are His creation. He could use any one of us to fulfill His purpose.
but the things is, we should want to serve our God. we should want to please Him and use the opportunities we have to glorify Him.
God blessed us mightily. may we praise the Father who gives and takes away.
in Christ alone,
Andrea
when you wake up in the morning, do you thank God that you're still alive? when you eat your breakfast or put on your clothes, do you worship Him for being Your Great Provider? is everything you do reflective of a God-centered life?
that's the problem with this world. independence and self-reliance are synonymous. if you are truly independent, then do you need God?
this week, i'm going through Titus 3:1-2~ "Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men". after sunday, when i chose this passage to reflect on throughout the week, i couldn't remember my reason for choosing it. the passage no longer seemed to apply. i could feel my prideful spirit stepping up and saying, like the rich man, "all these i have kept" (Matthew 19:20).
only after talking to a friend just a few minutes ago about what God has been teaching us, did God remind me of the real reason for all these works:
bskballangel123 right now i'm in Titus and i'm just going through a chapter a week. this week's was Titus 3:1-2~ Paul telling Titus how to build up the body of Christ, how to remind people to be subject to rulers and authorities...and whatnot. but i guess more than that. because sometimes i get so action-oriented that i forget the reason for what i do. that in all things i was created for the glory of God, to honor Him when i submit to my elders, when i'm obedient to my parents, when i do good in my community, when i love my brothers and sisters and humble myself before them.
i'm constantly reminded, day-to-day, that it's the grace of God that saved me. in high school, i was self-disciplined to the point of legalism and i thought i could pay back God for what He did, or that He didn't love me because i continued to sin. but God freed us from that bondage. even though we are all sinners, He loves us and it is only through His Son's perfect sacrifice that we are saved.
but i guess more than that...it's that when i do things, when i speak or act or think, i do it all for Him because my very life was God-given, my identity is in Christ. i don't do things anymore to please others or to make sure i am seen/viewed a certain way but i do things because i want to please God my Father, because i love Him, and because i am so grateful that He has blessed me and chosen me to be His daughter.
bskballangel123 it's easy to get caught up in the works or the ministry and forget why we're doing everything in the first place. it's important to prepare your heart for anything and everything, thanking God for opportunities, for gifts, for passion, and giving Him ALL the glory.
so, why do you do the things you do? are you serving in church out of obligation or because you love Christ? brothers and sisters, God doesn't need us to serve our church. He doesn't need us to do anything. we are His creation. He could use any one of us to fulfill His purpose.
but the things is, we should want to serve our God. we should want to please Him and use the opportunities we have to glorify Him.
God blessed us mightily. may we praise the Father who gives and takes away.
in Christ alone,
Andrea
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Email: Time For God
> Read only if you have time for God
> Let me tell you, make sure you read all the way to the
> bottom. I almost deleted this email but I was blessed when I
> got to the end
>
>
>
> God, when I received this e-mail, I thought...
>
>
> I don't have time for this.... And, this is really
> inappropriate during work.
>
>
> Then, I realized that this kind of thinking is.... Exactly,
> what has caused a lot of the problems in our world today.
>
>
>
> We try to keep God in church on Sunday morning...
>
>
> Maybe, Sunday night...
>
>
> And, the unlikely event of a midweek service.
>
>
> We do like to have Him around during sickness....
>
>
> And, of course, at funerals.
>
>
> However, we don't have time, or room, for Him during
> work or play...
>
>
> Because.. That's the part of our lives we think... We
> can, and should, handle on our own.
>
>
> May God forgive me for ever thinking...
>
>
> That... There is a time or place where..
>
>
> HE is not to be FIRST in my life.
>
>
> We should always have time to remember all HE has done for
> us.
>
>
>
> If, You aren't ashamed to do this...
>
>
> Please follow the directions.
>
> Jesus said, 'If you are ashamed of me, I will be
> ashamed of you before my Father.'
>
>
> Not ashamed?????
>
>
> Pass this on ONLY IF YOU MEAN IT!!
>
>
> Yes, I do Love God.
>
>
> HE is my source of existence and Savior.
>
>
> He keeps me functioning each and every day. Without Him, I
> will be nothing. But, with Christ, HE strengthens me. (Phil
> 4:13)
>
>
>
>
> This is the simplest test.
>
> If You Love God... And, are not ashamed of all the
> marvelous things HE has done for you...
>
> Send this to ten people and the person who sent it to you!
>
>
> Now do you have the time to pass it on?
>
> Make sure that you scroll through to the end.
>
>
>
> Easy vs. Hard
>
> Why is it so hard to tell the truth but Yet so easy to tell
> a lie?
>
> Why are we so sleepy in church but Right when the sermon is
> over we suddenly wake up?
>
> Why is it so easy to delete a Godly e-mail, but yet we
> forward all of the nasty ones?
>
> Of all the free gifts we may receive, Prayer is the very
> best one....
>
> There are no costs, but wonderful rewards... GOD BLESS!
>
>
>
> Notes: Isn't it funny how simple it is for people to
> trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell.
>
>
>
> Isn't it funny how someone can say 'I believe in
> God' but still follow Satan (who, by the way, also
> 'believes' in God).
>
>
> Isn't it funny how you can send a thousand jokes
> through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you
> start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think
> twice about sharing?
>
>
> Isn't it funny how when you go to forward this message,
> you will not send it to many on your address list because
> you're not sure what they believe, or what they will
> think of you for sending it to them
>
>
> Isn't it funny how I can be more worried about what
> other people think of me than what God thinks of me.
>
>
> I pray, for everyone who sends this to their entire address
> book, they will be blessed by God in a way special for them.
> Let me tell you, make sure you read all the way to the
> bottom. I almost deleted this email but I was blessed when I
> got to the end
>
>
>
> God, when I received this e-mail, I thought...
>
>
> I don't have time for this.... And, this is really
> inappropriate during work.
>
>
> Then, I realized that this kind of thinking is.... Exactly,
> what has caused a lot of the problems in our world today.
>
>
>
> We try to keep God in church on Sunday morning...
>
>
> Maybe, Sunday night...
>
>
> And, the unlikely event of a midweek service.
>
>
> We do like to have Him around during sickness....
>
>
> And, of course, at funerals.
>
>
> However, we don't have time, or room, for Him during
> work or play...
>
>
> Because.. That's the part of our lives we think... We
> can, and should, handle on our own.
>
>
> May God forgive me for ever thinking...
>
>
> That... There is a time or place where..
>
>
> HE is not to be FIRST in my life.
>
>
> We should always have time to remember all HE has done for
> us.
>
>
>
> If, You aren't ashamed to do this...
>
>
> Please follow the directions.
>
> Jesus said, 'If you are ashamed of me, I will be
> ashamed of you before my Father.'
>
>
> Not ashamed?????
>
>
> Pass this on ONLY IF YOU MEAN IT!!
>
>
> Yes, I do Love God.
>
>
> HE is my source of existence and Savior.
>
>
> He keeps me functioning each and every day. Without Him, I
> will be nothing. But, with Christ, HE strengthens me. (Phil
> 4:13)
>
>
>
>
> This is the simplest test.
>
> If You Love God... And, are not ashamed of all the
> marvelous things HE has done for you...
>
> Send this to ten people and the person who sent it to you!
>
>
> Now do you have the time to pass it on?
>
> Make sure that you scroll through to the end.
>
>
>
> Easy vs. Hard
>
> Why is it so hard to tell the truth but Yet so easy to tell
> a lie?
>
> Why are we so sleepy in church but Right when the sermon is
> over we suddenly wake up?
>
> Why is it so easy to delete a Godly e-mail, but yet we
> forward all of the nasty ones?
>
> Of all the free gifts we may receive, Prayer is the very
> best one....
>
> There are no costs, but wonderful rewards... GOD BLESS!
>
>
>
> Notes: Isn't it funny how simple it is for people to
> trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell.
>
>
>
> Isn't it funny how someone can say 'I believe in
> God' but still follow Satan (who, by the way, also
> 'believes' in God).
>
>
> Isn't it funny how you can send a thousand jokes
> through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you
> start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think
> twice about sharing?
>
>
> Isn't it funny how when you go to forward this message,
> you will not send it to many on your address list because
> you're not sure what they believe, or what they will
> think of you for sending it to them
>
>
> Isn't it funny how I can be more worried about what
> other people think of me than what God thinks of me.
>
>
> I pray, for everyone who sends this to their entire address
> book, they will be blessed by God in a way special for them.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Saturday, September 20, 2008
flagpole
See You At The Flagpole Day
it's a national thing. held at schools all across america.
christians from all over meet at the flagpole before school.
the last wednesday of september (this coming wednesday)
my school's doing. see if your schools want to.
it's a one time thing. so turnout is usually pretty huge.
get the word out and bring all the christians at your schools together
in the morning at the flagpole. to worship. pray. chill. and just stand together as one.
or. ditch school and come to mine.
--FHS Flagpole. 7-9 am. wednesday.--
miss you guys.be good.
-chin
it's a national thing. held at schools all across america.
christians from all over meet at the flagpole before school.
the last wednesday of september (this coming wednesday)
my school's doing. see if your schools want to.
it's a one time thing. so turnout is usually pretty huge.
get the word out and bring all the christians at your schools together
in the morning at the flagpole. to worship. pray. chill. and just stand together as one.
or. ditch school and come to mine.
--FHS Flagpole. 7-9 am. wednesday.--
miss you guys.be good.
-chin
Thursday, September 18, 2008
prayer! :]
HELLLO :]
soo this is just something short and not deep like andrea.. but its something :D
okay so i was reading screwtape letters and then in chapter 4 (or letter four) i saw that the demons were talking about prayer
so the nephew person.. i forget his name was.. his person he's supposed to be mean to became a "christian" and then so then he was talking about prayer and then he said that we shouldnt (meaning that WE should) pray with bended knees and moving lips and not with just a spirit of love and a sense of supplication.. which i thought was supersuper coolios and then he keeps on going on... and then he says that people who do jusat the second part are lazy "patients" and then this part REALLLY gets me its like a devil's trap ritee??.. :D anyawys here's wut he says
"at the very least, they canbe persuaded that the bodily position make no difference to their prayers; for they cconstantly forget what you always must remember, that they are animals and whatever their bodies do affect their souls. It is always funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds: in reality our best work is done by keeping things out."
YEAH so that totally made me think about that.. so yup :] hope you enjoyed my postss :]
OH WE SHOULD UPDATE
okay so joliet and vicky (did i spell that rite?)
new ppl... get to know them! :]
hm this friday 9/19-- bible study time
next friday 9/26--- pool time.. for fun nite
cool huh
it'll be cold tho BUT THATS OKAYY!
and uhh t-shirts coming up soon.. idk where rob's going with that
and. ANDREA AND KEVIN the last college ppl left :(
andrea's leaving tommorow friday and kevin's leaving on saturday
so say bye to them sumhow :D ! okay cuz we'll mmiiisss you and also dan and carson
and all you college people! AWESOME so cyah guys tmr!
sry there's alot of typos.. but i was writing this in a big rush
soo this is just something short and not deep like andrea.. but its something :D
okay so i was reading screwtape letters and then in chapter 4 (or letter four) i saw that the demons were talking about prayer
so the nephew person.. i forget his name was.. his person he's supposed to be mean to became a "christian" and then so then he was talking about prayer and then he said that we shouldnt (meaning that WE should) pray with bended knees and moving lips and not with just a spirit of love and a sense of supplication.. which i thought was supersuper coolios and then he keeps on going on... and then he says that people who do jusat the second part are lazy "patients" and then this part REALLLY gets me its like a devil's trap ritee??.. :D anyawys here's wut he says
"at the very least, they canbe persuaded that the bodily position make no difference to their prayers; for they cconstantly forget what you always must remember, that they are animals and whatever their bodies do affect their souls. It is always funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds: in reality our best work is done by keeping things out."
YEAH so that totally made me think about that.. so yup :] hope you enjoyed my postss :]
OH WE SHOULD UPDATE
okay so joliet and vicky (did i spell that rite?)
new ppl... get to know them! :]
hm this friday 9/19-- bible study time
next friday 9/26--- pool time.. for fun nite
cool huh
it'll be cold tho BUT THATS OKAYY!
and uhh t-shirts coming up soon.. idk where rob's going with that
and. ANDREA AND KEVIN the last college ppl left :(
andrea's leaving tommorow friday and kevin's leaving on saturday
so say bye to them sumhow :D ! okay cuz we'll mmiiisss you and also dan and carson
and all you college people! AWESOME so cyah guys tmr!
sry there's alot of typos.. but i was writing this in a big rush
Bad Company [And Habitual Sins] Corrupt Good Character
hay capstone! it's me again. don't you guys/gals get tired of me posting? post something so that the blog isn't just andrea ramblings :P!
anyway, recently God has been teaching me about relationships. 1 Corinthians 15:33-34 says, "Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character.' Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame."
this verse applies to me more personally than in the context of the passage. here, Paul is talking about the resurrection of the dead and how if we don't believe that people can be resurrected from the dead, then we don't believe that Christ has been resurrected from the dead, and the Gospel is useless. Paul then says "bad company corrupts good character" because some followers of Christ have been tricked into believing that the dead are not raised (v.33).
i, however, take this in the context of friendships or relationships. oftentimes the people we surround ourselves with have a lot to do with what we believe or how we live our lives. most of our friends share our similar interests. thus it is necessary for us to be wary of the people we spend our time with, because we know that we are influenced by them.
similarly, we have influence over others. our sins affect the people around us. Paul says, "Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God, I say this to your shame" (v.34). do your actions or speech or thoughts make the people around you "ignorant of God"? do your habitual sins stumble your brothers and sisters in Christ? [do your actions or speech or thoughts cause your brothers and sisters to sin as well? do they look at what you do/say/think and follow suit?]
and not only your Christian friends, but your non-Christian ones as well...do you uphold the name of Your Lord with them? then, do they help your relationship with God? or do they hinder it?
i've been convicted of this many times during my first year of college. i was guilty of both. in the beginning of the school year, i hung out with people who hindered my relationship with God. when i stopped hanging out with them, however, positive growth didn't automatically occur. in fact, i think i was on a steady decline for awhile. my own sins (ie. pride in my talents, idolizing relationships, etc.) stumbled my brothers and sisters to gossip. and soon, i earned a bad reputation of hanging out with certain people.
this coming year, i made the commitment of cutting off relationships and cleansing myself from certain habitual sins. but i know i cannot do it on my own.
Titus 2:11-14 says,
11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
God revealed to me through my weekly devotions that i can rely on Him, that the Gospel brings me hope that i am no longer a slave to sin but a slave to righteousness. because i know God is gracious in forgiveness and, especially, that Jesus died once for all of my sins, i have power from Him to continue to do what is holy in His sight, to say "'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live (a) self-controlled, upright and godly (life) in this present age, while" i eagerly anticipate for Christ's return, for my restoration to perfection in godliness (v.12). surely, i want to be a member of Christ's body, to be "(redeemed)...from all wickedness and to (be purified)..., eager to do what is good" (v.14). don't you?
i challenge you to a duel! wahaha... (okay, that didn't sound as corny in my head):
1) judge your relationships~ are you pleasing God in them? are you words glorifying to Him, your actions representing Him, your thoughts centered on Him?
2) judge yourself~ is there habitual sin in your life? does this sin affect not only your relationship with God but your relationships with your non-Christian and/or Christian friends? remember you are accountable to God first, and to your other relationships second. pray to Him to help you rid yourself if this sin.
in Christ alone,
Andrea
anyway, recently God has been teaching me about relationships. 1 Corinthians 15:33-34 says, "Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character.' Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame."
this verse applies to me more personally than in the context of the passage. here, Paul is talking about the resurrection of the dead and how if we don't believe that people can be resurrected from the dead, then we don't believe that Christ has been resurrected from the dead, and the Gospel is useless. Paul then says "bad company corrupts good character" because some followers of Christ have been tricked into believing that the dead are not raised (v.33).
i, however, take this in the context of friendships or relationships. oftentimes the people we surround ourselves with have a lot to do with what we believe or how we live our lives. most of our friends share our similar interests. thus it is necessary for us to be wary of the people we spend our time with, because we know that we are influenced by them.
similarly, we have influence over others. our sins affect the people around us. Paul says, "Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God, I say this to your shame" (v.34). do your actions or speech or thoughts make the people around you "ignorant of God"? do your habitual sins stumble your brothers and sisters in Christ? [do your actions or speech or thoughts cause your brothers and sisters to sin as well? do they look at what you do/say/think and follow suit?]
and not only your Christian friends, but your non-Christian ones as well...do you uphold the name of Your Lord with them? then, do they help your relationship with God? or do they hinder it?
i've been convicted of this many times during my first year of college. i was guilty of both. in the beginning of the school year, i hung out with people who hindered my relationship with God. when i stopped hanging out with them, however, positive growth didn't automatically occur. in fact, i think i was on a steady decline for awhile. my own sins (ie. pride in my talents, idolizing relationships, etc.) stumbled my brothers and sisters to gossip. and soon, i earned a bad reputation of hanging out with certain people.
this coming year, i made the commitment of cutting off relationships and cleansing myself from certain habitual sins. but i know i cannot do it on my own.
Titus 2:11-14 says,
11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
God revealed to me through my weekly devotions that i can rely on Him, that the Gospel brings me hope that i am no longer a slave to sin but a slave to righteousness. because i know God is gracious in forgiveness and, especially, that Jesus died once for all of my sins, i have power from Him to continue to do what is holy in His sight, to say "'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live (a) self-controlled, upright and godly (life) in this present age, while" i eagerly anticipate for Christ's return, for my restoration to perfection in godliness (v.12). surely, i want to be a member of Christ's body, to be "(redeemed)...from all wickedness and to (be purified)..., eager to do what is good" (v.14). don't you?
i challenge you to a duel! wahaha... (okay, that didn't sound as corny in my head):
1) judge your relationships~ are you pleasing God in them? are you words glorifying to Him, your actions representing Him, your thoughts centered on Him?
2) judge yourself~ is there habitual sin in your life? does this sin affect not only your relationship with God but your relationships with your non-Christian and/or Christian friends? remember you are accountable to God first, and to your other relationships second. pray to Him to help you rid yourself if this sin.
in Christ alone,
Andrea
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Do Your Actions Represent What You Believe?
hay capstone :)
i just wanted to share something i have been learning while going out for campus evangelism, during my first year at ucsd. or, rather, something i have realized.
a lot of nonbelievers have misconceptions of "christians". the people i have talked to mostly have the same consensus--that "christians" are hypocrites. whether from their personal experiences of attending a church or from their judgment of "christians" that they know, nonbelievers do sometimes have basis for their assumptions. there are some people that proclaim they believe, but, by their actions, don't represent God.
i just wanted to share something i have been learning while going out for campus evangelism, during my first year at ucsd. or, rather, something i have realized.
a lot of nonbelievers have misconceptions of "christians". the people i have talked to mostly have the same consensus--that "christians" are hypocrites. whether from their personal experiences of attending a church or from their judgment of "christians" that they know, nonbelievers do sometimes have basis for their assumptions. there are some people that proclaim they believe, but, by their actions, don't represent God.
this week i've been going over Titus 1:16-- "They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good" which clearly spoke about this subject of hypocrisy among "christians"
here Paul warns Titus of people "of the circumcision group," that is, the Jewish people (v.10). He tells Titus that these people try to proclaim false messages and deceive new believers "for the sake of dishonest gain" (v.11). Even though some of their testimony could be true, their own lives do not uphold the Gospel that is supposed to be the center of their walk with God. "They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him" (v.16).
As I said before, this sort of hypocrisy is common among some believers. They attend church every Sunday and Friday and, in a sense, wear a Christian label, calling themselves followers of the Living God. But unlike their stronger brothers and sisters, their worldly lives are no different, if not worse, than those who do not believe. They do not represent God correctly. With their sinful actions, they tarnish the name of the LORD.
i am not saying this for you to judge others, but only to judge yourselves, your own actions. i'm sure your friends and family know that you are Christian because you have told them so. but do your actions reflect what you believe? do you love as Christ loves, forgive as Christ forgives, and live as He lives? or do you live by the standards of the world and look no different than the nonbelievers around you?
i had to ask myself this. am i one of those people who claims to know God but deny Him by what i do? do my actions portray and uphold my beliefs? or do i stumble others, nonbelievers and believers alike?
the Scripture clearly says that we are set apart from this world, as believers. in this way, we shouldn't "conform to the pattern of the world but be transformed by the renewing of (our minds)" (Romans 12:1). and how do we renew our minds? through our daily studies of the Bible, of God's Word that is "sharper than any double-edged sword" in defeating the temptations the world offers us (Hebrews 4:12).
i have a challenge for you, brothers and sisters:
- question the jokes you laugh about~ are these jokes pleasing to God, unoffensive to others?
- examine your speech~ do you need to tame your tongue (James 3)? do you say "only what is helpful for building others up" (Ephesians 4)?
- look at your clothing~ why do you wear what you wear? are you dressing for others, for yourself, or for God?
- judge your heart~ are your intentions pure and holy?
let's make God look good !
in Christ alone,
Andrea
Monday, September 8, 2008
Welcome to the New Capstone Blog
What this blog intends to accomplish:
- place where the youth group can gather during the week and post: problems, prayer request, what they learned in devos, cool song they heard, etc.
- better feature, a safer environment, and neater layout than the 1st blog
Site Construction Plan:
- New banner
- New music player
- New contact list with member info
- Church Information
- Each member's contact information
- New photo sharing feature
Please be patient while I experiment with BlogSpot's fancy features and what-not.
-- Alex
- place where the youth group can gather during the week and post: problems, prayer request, what they learned in devos, cool song they heard, etc.
- better feature, a safer environment, and neater layout than the 1st blog
Site Construction Plan:
- New banner
- New music player
- New contact list with member info
- Church Information
- Each member's contact information
- New photo sharing feature
Please be patient while I experiment with BlogSpot's fancy features and what-not.
-- Alex
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