well, its been a while..yet again.
in the past 2 weeks i've heard this calvin quote 2-3 times in sermons and at a wedding. now, I'm not one to matter-of-factly say that the reason I've heard this is because God has a point to make...but I'm open to that suggestion.
The human heart is a factory of idols...Everyone of us is, from his mother's womb, expert in inventing idols.” John Calvin
it helps that "everyone of us" has this heart...but when its you, personally that are experiencing the knowledge of this..well then ...its a bit more depressing.
For years I haven't had an issue with confessing I'm a deep sinner and have nothing good in an of myself to show. But the fact that I worship other created things instead of the Lord above still shakes me to my core.
Why on earth would I look to anyone/thing other than Christ alone for salvation..for peace...for happiness....for contentment...and for safety? because my flesh continues to seek for someone else other than Christ. It wants it to be someone...something else other than the true One.
My husband is my authority on this earth..The Lord works through Him..but he certainly is not the Lord. I realize that..in many ways...but I still look to him to satisfy longings that only Christ can satisfy...my emptiness...my sadness...my bitter anger and selfish lust.
No Idol can make this any lighter. the jealousy, gossip, and slander that pervade me through the days cannot be stopped by complaining to someone about it. it cannot help by holding it in...or by ignoring it with funny jokes or friendly competition.
no..in fact these things make it worse.
O my Lord, burn down these idols in my heart, take away my reliances on all these things that fail me each day and the things I find more appealing than Christ. May You be the only One Johnny and I worship, day in and day out. I must turn to you in the day of trouble...not to the created things I feel will help...
Lord...dissapoint us with everything except thine own self.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Bean town
As a child I was obsessed with New England sports teams...and well Michael Jordan. I had the patriots football, big starter jacket and all the football cards. I loved the celtics even though when they played the bulls...i had to root for my jordan and the bulls squad at that time. And I adored by UMASS team with Camby...which is now sadly not as good but I still support them. And ya the Red Sox are cool..but i can't say ima fan since i dont watch them play.
Once we moved to Florida my life changed a bit and i really stopped most of my obsessions especially after jordan retired and i started to get more involved with my own sports more and more.
Slowly but surely Ive become hooked again and it could be a bad thing. I've watched the NBA playoffs the last 3 years now and have realized how nutty I am. The celtics are hot even without mr. garnett and i love watching them play as a team..and hate watching them when they get out of sorts.
But this series is giving me a heart attack night after night. It is almost over thankfully and I think we can pull it off (o please o pretty please).
O, and Doc Rivers is an animal: (from an espn article about the amazing series)
And if there's such a thing as an opening-round classic, then the Bulls-Celtics qualifies. It's the series that keeps giving, thanks to the Bulls' rookie point guard Rose, the Celtics' third-year point guard Rondo, the veteran guards -- the Bulls' ridiculously fearless Gordon, the Celtics' shaved-headed assassin Allen. It's the series you don't want to see end -- and it might not for another three games.
"Maybe we like Chicago a lot,'' said Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who was born and raised here. "Maybe we want to come back. The pizza's frickin' good.''
Once we moved to Florida my life changed a bit and i really stopped most of my obsessions especially after jordan retired and i started to get more involved with my own sports more and more.
Slowly but surely Ive become hooked again and it could be a bad thing. I've watched the NBA playoffs the last 3 years now and have realized how nutty I am. The celtics are hot even without mr. garnett and i love watching them play as a team..and hate watching them when they get out of sorts.
But this series is giving me a heart attack night after night. It is almost over thankfully and I think we can pull it off (o please o pretty please).
O, and Doc Rivers is an animal: (from an espn article about the amazing series)
And if there's such a thing as an opening-round classic, then the Bulls-Celtics qualifies. It's the series that keeps giving, thanks to the Bulls' rookie point guard Rose, the Celtics' third-year point guard Rondo, the veteran guards -- the Bulls' ridiculously fearless Gordon, the Celtics' shaved-headed assassin Allen. It's the series you don't want to see end -- and it might not for another three games.
"Maybe we like Chicago a lot,'' said Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who was born and raised here. "Maybe we want to come back. The pizza's frickin' good.''
Thursday, February 19, 2009
justified
the truth project has been a great bible study to be a part of. i think it is really challenging myself and all of us who are a part of it to think deeper beyond our shallow, "just because" mindsets and giving us opportunity to know the word in a great way.
last night hit a new depth and i cannot stop thinking about it. i went to bed pondering and woke up with the same thought. and even know i cannot remove it from the forefront of my mind.
here is my question: If we believe (presuppose) that salvation is done by God, through Christ, and by the Holy Spirit and that we believe that we are sinners, Christ died on the cross for our sins and that He rose again. What else must we believe to be a christian?
Now, there are so many details to this answer. so many verses, so many ifs, ands, and buts. Here is the issue though: at the bible study it was almost assumed that if you believe in evolution than you cannot be a christian. well understandable if you do not believe their is a God, you probably do not believe in Christ. if you do you have a completely warped understanding and yes, it would be hard to determine yourself a Christian and not believe that God created the heavens and the earth..but there is a difference between not understanding and not wanting to understand.
but for those who claim Christ...yet for some reason do not take the word literally or who have an misunderstanding of what something means in scripture and HOW God did something...why discourage them in their faith by bringing to the forefront that they may not be a Christian because they do not believe something in the bible?
to me that is sheer arrogance on our part. there have been times in my own faith that i have doubted the word, doubted its complete ability to answer all earth's many questions and really doubted Gods love for me...with that said...was I not a Christian until i came back to understanding those things. so is it that i can have confidence and security in Christ now...but in a year or two when I am confronted with doubts or I have a belief that most people would consider unbiblical...and yes at the moment refuse to listen because i am sooo sure about what i believe.....do i need to say maybe im not a Christian...NO! I will never doubt my security in Christ because I did not bring myself to this belief...Christ alone did. and the same sin that keeps me focused on so many things besides Christ in this world cannot separate me from His love!
This seems to me...although I am not the expert and I do know my Pastor is a very wise man...a confusion between justification and santification.
We are justified when we believe on Christ. and yes there are many wolves in sheeps clothing. I belive when you get down to the issues with them about why they need Christ...or who Christ really is...they probably do not believe like they say they do...however...I cannot right them off but only lovingly rebuke with the Word of God...and see their response....
lets say they respond with "I dont care what the Word of God says"...there maybe room for concern. however, if someone is just confused or wary of just believing something without studying it and praying about it..more power to them.
some believe that God used evolution to set the world in motion. i dont ...but how does that make them not a Christian. they are intellectuals...studiers..they are obviously interested in things many of us could care less about. should they settle in that believe? no...should we settle and not continue to grow in anything we believe ...no.
i once was an arminian. i was appalled that anyone could believe that God chose some and not others.....well, in time i found God was making this clearer to me. but i was a Christian before I believed that! i was severely wrong and was angry at thsoe who said they were reformed. but the scriptures made it clear.
I understand what my pastor and several others mean. they are talking about people who think they can just do their buffet line Christianity. i oppose that. but if they look to Christ as their only hope and believe that He is the only way, truth, and life....wouldn't this be a sanctification issue not a justification issue.
this opens up a can that i do not want to think about. if it is possible to not be a Christian because at some moment you do not understand or have had bad teaching....than is it possible to become a Christian because you do understand...absolutely not!...read romans.
at any given moment i have so much sin in my heart..in my mind than anyone will ever know...here is how i deal with that..CHRIST is my redemption. i trust in His blood....i probably believe things that ive read or heard ...or misunderstood that are completely wrong and unscriptural...but God will not leave me to myself...He is my surety and salvation. not my understanding...not my knowledge of scriputre...not to me but to God be the glory!
last night hit a new depth and i cannot stop thinking about it. i went to bed pondering and woke up with the same thought. and even know i cannot remove it from the forefront of my mind.
here is my question: If we believe (presuppose) that salvation is done by God, through Christ, and by the Holy Spirit and that we believe that we are sinners, Christ died on the cross for our sins and that He rose again. What else must we believe to be a christian?
Now, there are so many details to this answer. so many verses, so many ifs, ands, and buts. Here is the issue though: at the bible study it was almost assumed that if you believe in evolution than you cannot be a christian. well understandable if you do not believe their is a God, you probably do not believe in Christ. if you do you have a completely warped understanding and yes, it would be hard to determine yourself a Christian and not believe that God created the heavens and the earth..but there is a difference between not understanding and not wanting to understand.
but for those who claim Christ...yet for some reason do not take the word literally or who have an misunderstanding of what something means in scripture and HOW God did something...why discourage them in their faith by bringing to the forefront that they may not be a Christian because they do not believe something in the bible?
to me that is sheer arrogance on our part. there have been times in my own faith that i have doubted the word, doubted its complete ability to answer all earth's many questions and really doubted Gods love for me...with that said...was I not a Christian until i came back to understanding those things. so is it that i can have confidence and security in Christ now...but in a year or two when I am confronted with doubts or I have a belief that most people would consider unbiblical...and yes at the moment refuse to listen because i am sooo sure about what i believe.....do i need to say maybe im not a Christian...NO! I will never doubt my security in Christ because I did not bring myself to this belief...Christ alone did. and the same sin that keeps me focused on so many things besides Christ in this world cannot separate me from His love!
This seems to me...although I am not the expert and I do know my Pastor is a very wise man...a confusion between justification and santification.
We are justified when we believe on Christ. and yes there are many wolves in sheeps clothing. I belive when you get down to the issues with them about why they need Christ...or who Christ really is...they probably do not believe like they say they do...however...I cannot right them off but only lovingly rebuke with the Word of God...and see their response....
lets say they respond with "I dont care what the Word of God says"...there maybe room for concern. however, if someone is just confused or wary of just believing something without studying it and praying about it..more power to them.
some believe that God used evolution to set the world in motion. i dont ...but how does that make them not a Christian. they are intellectuals...studiers..they are obviously interested in things many of us could care less about. should they settle in that believe? no...should we settle and not continue to grow in anything we believe ...no.
i once was an arminian. i was appalled that anyone could believe that God chose some and not others.....well, in time i found God was making this clearer to me. but i was a Christian before I believed that! i was severely wrong and was angry at thsoe who said they were reformed. but the scriptures made it clear.
I understand what my pastor and several others mean. they are talking about people who think they can just do their buffet line Christianity. i oppose that. but if they look to Christ as their only hope and believe that He is the only way, truth, and life....wouldn't this be a sanctification issue not a justification issue.
this opens up a can that i do not want to think about. if it is possible to not be a Christian because at some moment you do not understand or have had bad teaching....than is it possible to become a Christian because you do understand...absolutely not!...read romans.
at any given moment i have so much sin in my heart..in my mind than anyone will ever know...here is how i deal with that..CHRIST is my redemption. i trust in His blood....i probably believe things that ive read or heard ...or misunderstood that are completely wrong and unscriptural...but God will not leave me to myself...He is my surety and salvation. not my understanding...not my knowledge of scriputre...not to me but to God be the glory!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
new year ... new plans
"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." Proverbs 16:9
I like to make resolutions and say I'm going to do this or that. I fail miserably most of the time but that's not to say I should not try. i hope my plans and the Lords establishment line up.
My resolutions are not as great as the resolutions of Jonathon Edwards. Example:
5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.
Yes, ive lost many a moment today looking at random crap online. yes, ive lost moments this week thinking such negative thoughts about myself and others. so i would resolve it...i should resolve it...but i doubt my ability...not the Lord.
So my resolutions are just a tad more simplistic:
1. read the bible through- meditate and memorize
2. cont'd from forever- control my blood sugars
3. take my thyroid medication
4. lose 20-30 lbs.
5. impact the community through service
6. love people and watch my sarcasm
7. appreciate my mom more
8. organize my desk consistently
8 is good for now.
I like to make resolutions and say I'm going to do this or that. I fail miserably most of the time but that's not to say I should not try. i hope my plans and the Lords establishment line up.
My resolutions are not as great as the resolutions of Jonathon Edwards. Example:
5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.
Yes, ive lost many a moment today looking at random crap online. yes, ive lost moments this week thinking such negative thoughts about myself and others. so i would resolve it...i should resolve it...but i doubt my ability...not the Lord.
So my resolutions are just a tad more simplistic:
1. read the bible through- meditate and memorize
2. cont'd from forever- control my blood sugars
3. take my thyroid medication
4. lose 20-30 lbs.
5. impact the community through service
6. love people and watch my sarcasm
7. appreciate my mom more
8. organize my desk consistently
8 is good for now.
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