Introduction
Grace and Peace to you from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let me ask you a question, have you ever loved someone? I’m sure all of you have, your parents – maybe a friend or significant other. Didn’t you ever want to show your love for that person? Now, what would it look like if you wanted to show God your love for him?
A popular question to ask is, “what is a work,” in the Christian use of the term? Well, the answer is something you personally do for the Kingdom of God. Like when you did the rake-n-run, or when if you worked in a soup kitchen, or perhaps the 30 hour famine. Then you were doing a work. Through out the history of the church, the relation of works to faith in regards to salvation has raised many debates. I do not wish to bore you with the history of the debate. The essential argument is, “nothing you do earns salvation, it is by grace alone.” This is true, we are saved only through the grace of God, however, works plays a bigger role than some may want to admit.
Section 1 - Moses
After 400 years, a Pharaoh came to power who did not know. A Hebrew boy was born in the land of Egypt, as a matter of fact – to many were. Out of fear of loosing his empire and to end any fear of an uprising, the Pharaoh ordered the slaughter of the innocence. All infant boys were to be thrown into the Nile with the crocodiles. One mother refused to give up her son, she made a basket and placed him among the reeds of the Nile only to be found by the Pharaoh’s daughter. The boy Moses grew up as a son of the great Nation, and one day saw a soldier beating a Hebrew slave. Out of rage and caught up in the moment, Moses killed the soldier. His crime forces him to flee the country and embrace the life of a lowly shepherd.
For forty years he lived among the sheep and took for himself a wife named Zipporah, the daughter of the local priest. They have a simple life together – a burning bush changes all of that. When I read this story in Exodus 2 I imagine God as having a low, clearing, and soothing voice. When he speaks, the fire burns brighter. The command comes, remove your sandals for the place you are standing is holy ground. God asks Moses to return to his home land. So he goes baring a message from the God who is named Yahweh which means something like I am I be, “Let my people go,” and the anguish begins. Ramasees II of course does not take the message very well. In response, The Lord said to Moses I make you as God to Pharaoh. Moses sends the ten plagues starting with turning the river Nile into blood and ending with the slaughtering of the first born son. The cries of the people who lost a child fill the city. Pharaoh losing his son was more pain than he could bare and lets the Hebrew slaves leave Egypt.
A short time later Pharaoh looks around and realizes he just sent away all his workers to build up his empire. He takes 600 of his best chariots to chase down their slaves and return them to their chains. The Israelites scream out in horror to Moses “Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians. It would have been better to serve in Egypt then to die in the Wilderness.” I wonder what Moses thought at this point. He looks them all in the eye and says to them “stand by the sea and you will see the salvation of God.” Moses stretched out his hands and God pushed back the sea on either side with a powerful wind so the Israelites could cross on dry land. The chariots follow them on the bed rock of the sea so after all the Israelites reach dry ground Moses lowers his arms so the waters crush down on the soldiers and everything went still and silent. After all the work Moses does for his people he scales mount Sinai to talk with Yahweh. A month later he descended. His skin glowed from being with God, and the people saw the presence of the one called “I am”.
Section 2 - Elijah
About 600 years later a prophet named Elijah arose to play the role of conscience for the nation of Israel. He went here and there traveling through the now separated Israel and Judah. Ahab was a very bad King. He no longer followed Yahweh but instead worshiped an idol named Baal and directed his subjects and kingdom to follow suite. Elijah came upon a man named Obadiah who was a servant to the King of Israel. They were looking for water because of a famine in the land. Elijah tells Obadiah, “go to your master and tell him Elijah is here.”
Ahab finds Elijah and they have an exchange of words. Elijah sets up a competition to lay to rest who the real God of the land is. Ahab is to rally all the prophets of Baal and meet up on Mount Carmel where the altars are. The deal is, who ever can get their deity to send fire to burn the offering they have prepared than their God is the real God of the land. The Prophets of Baal go first, all 450 of them and an extra 400 prophets of Asherah. They gather their wood, then they cut the flesh from the sacrifice and prepare it to be offered up. They danced, chanted, and called out to Baal to send fire to burn the offering from dawn to noon. "O Baal, answer us!" they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made. In fact Elijah began to make fun of them and taunt them. He laughed as they danced and did as they did. He told them to shout louder maybe he is asleep or on vacation. The Baal prophets thought they needed to do more to get Baal’s attention so they began to turn the knife on themselves and cutting their arms and legs to show their devotion. They shed their own blood but as before there was no response, nothing happened.
Well, Elijah had just about enough of this nonsense. He called all who were in attendance to him and he began to rebuild the Altar of the true Lord which previously laid in ruin. He took twelve stones for the twelve tribes of Israel and placed them together. He then took some logs and cut them down and placed them on the altar. He then prepared the meat, drained the blood, cut it up and placed that on the altar. He also dug a trench around the altar Then, Elijah told four people to take four large jugs of water and douse the altar with water. He asked them to do it again, and a third time. So much water was poured on the altar the trench was full of water and no dry spot remained. Finally, he prayed. He prayed, "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again." Fire rained down from the heavens drying up all the water, burning up the sacrificial bull and the wood it laid on, and even consuming the twelve stones and earth around the altar. When all the people saw this, they laid face down and cried, "The LORD -he is God! The LORD -he is God!"
Section 3 – Daniel
It so happens that eventually the kingdom of Israel was carried off into exile by the Assrians of the north, the southern kingdom of Judah was also defeated and taken into exile but by the Babylonians. The Babylonians were overrun by the mighty Persians. A king named Darius came to power over Babylon. Darius established 120 governors throughout Babylon to keep order and collect the tax. Over those 120 governors, he put in power three administrators to keep the governors accountable. One of those three administrators was the prophet Daniel from Judah. Daniel did such a great job that Darius considered giving all of Babylon to him to rule over. Well, the other administrators and governors didn’t like that, not one bit. They met secretly to try and find fault with Daniel’s governmental affairs but could not because he was so honest and trustworthy. Instead, they devised another method to usurp him. They knew he only worshiped the God of Israel and non other. The governors and administrators went to king Darius and told him that he should make an edict that for the next thirty days the people of his kingdom, which was most of the known world at this point, could only worship him and if anyone disobeyed they would be thrown into the lion’s den. Well of course the king of Persia thought this was a great plan.
The word traveled quickly throughout the land and messengers on horse back traveled from city to city. It outraged Daniel. He continued to pray three times a day in his upper room. The governors went to his home and found him praying to Yahweh so they carried him off to be dealt with by the king. This made Darius distressed for he greatly liked and cared for Daniel, he even tried to find a way to let Daniel go but the governors’ plan was sound and an edict of the king cannot be repealed or reneged. The order was given to cast him to the lions. Darius yelled down to Daniel, “may the God you serve continually rescue you.” They rolled a stone in front of the entrance and the King sealed with his ring. Through the night, the king refused entertainment, refused food, and tossed and turned in his bed. Day break came after a long night of waiting, and the king dashed to the den to see what might remain of his favorite administrator. He called down and said, Has the God you served continuously saved you from the lions? He replied, my God has sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lions. When he was brought up from the den no wound was found on his body because he trusted the Lord God. Consequently Darius threw Daniel’s accusers and their families into the den and they were all ripped to shreds before their bodies could hit the floor. To all the peoples of his kingdom, Darius wrote Fear and revere the God of Daniel, the true living God.
-(pause)-
Darius wrote Fear and revere the God of Daniel, the true living God.
-and-
they laid face down and cried, "The LORD -he is God! The LORD -he is God!"
-and-
His skin glowed from being with God, and the people saw the presence of the one called “I am”.
Section 4 – James 2
What is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, Go in peace be warmed and be filled, and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if is has no works is dead, being by itself. 18 But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works’ show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by what I do.” You believe that God is one. You do well’ the demons also believe and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected” 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
This text shows us how our faith is to be carried out. In the beginning I asked what would it look like for you to show your love to someone? Moses showed his love for God by carrying a message and the people were freed. Elijah showed his love for God by being a conscience to an immoral society and it rained fire from the heavens. Daniel showed his love for God by being honest and trustworthy and it shut the mouths of lions. This is what their faith in works looked like.
Closing
Moses, Elijah, and Daniel all were great men of the Old testament and their stories will remain legend for all eternity. They all started from humble backgrounds and became heroes of the faith because they Loved God and did was he commanded. Out faith is tied to our love, if we do not act do we actually have it. Each story ended with what God wanted, to be known to his creation. None of these stories would have happened had they not acted on their faith, had they not put their love into action. So may you see that your faith is not merely words in a book but the footsteps of your life and actions of your body. Love God and Love people, this is the greatest commandment.
(Thesis)
Put your love for God into action and make him known to his creation.
Amen.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
My Ordination - Thank You Speech -
I suppose this is when I say thank you to a bunch of people for getting me here today. I promise I won’t take to long, but you may want to get comfortable. I kind of feel like I am at the Oscars, I would like to thank the academy.
I give my gratitude to those who have traveled to support me today. Most of you have known me for a long time, some of you have known me for a good amount of time, a few of you have known me for only a short time, and a couple of you are probably wondering who I am. I thank all of you for the impact you have made on my life.
I want to thank all of my friends, my Johnson friends and Cincinnati friends. Especially, Andrew, Monica, and Ricky. The three of you have taught me much about God, relationships, and friendship. I have only ever given the power of accountability to Andrew and Ricky. Something, my sister Laura often wished she had.
I am humbled by the endorsement and commissioning of my elders. I do not take this ordination lightly. I have always looked up to all of you, especially Jon Weatherly, my half-sixth cousin, Tom Flishel and Bruce Maxwell. Your good characters and wisdom has always presented a positive model for God’s people.
Thank you Nathan Hinkle. I am grateful God sent you to us. I know I would not be entering Christian ministry if it weren’t for you. You gave me a chance when the previous youth minister did not. I will never forget all the times we spent together in worship planning meetings and trips. I owe so much to you.
Howard and David Empson, my grandfather and uncle, provided me a model of what it means to live as a Godly man. Grandpa is the wisest man I have ever known, and Uncle David is not far behind. David has mentored me and shared with me his heart. He has taken me on three mission trips, one of which changed my life forever. Without these two wonderful men in my life, I would not be standing before you today. I say to the two of you, thank you.
My family has obviously played a major role in my development. My sister Erin was like a second mother, helping to raise me in my earlier years when Mom and Dad were working long hours to provide for us. If Erin were like a mother, then Laura would be like the disciplining father. She ripped into me more times then I can count with an iron fist, and sharp nails. Thank you Erin and Laura. To mom and dad I owe the most, but will never be able to repay. Mom drove me to succeed by reminding me of her five ‘C’s in her entire academic career and not letting me slack off. It is because of my mother that Dad has developed into the Christian leader he is today. She is an ethical and moral woman that instilled in me those same values. Thank you mom. Dad has shared with me so much about life, and I will never forget our time together in the Boy Scouts. He taught me compassion through his work with First Student.
My last thanks goes to someone who has not helped in my development in the past but who will greatly affect my future. I thought long and hard about what I was going to say this morning, I’m probably going to embarrass you a bit, but here is what I have to say.
To Erica whom I love,
So far, today has been about the development of my past, but with you I look to the future, my future as a minister or teacher, and our future together as a couple. You have taught me how to share a bond of love. A little over a year ago, I discovered your feelings for me, and luckily I felt the same way. I knew you were a keeper when you agreed to a first date consisting of Sonic for dinner and then seeing The Dark Knight. I remember diving into the typical discussions a couple would have after a month of dating, but I thought what the heck. Luckily you agreed to a second date, and here we are today; 11 months, 13 days and 18 hours, but who is counting? Every day, I have thanked the Lord for blessing me with you. I look to the next year with great anticipation.
A friend of mine uses the last part of Proverbs as guidance in her life to be a Godly woman. This, however, was really intended for men to discern the right woman. I remember the advice the author gave. She is to be worth more then jewels, the heart of her husband ought to trust in her. She is to take care of her children, have her house in order, and clothed in strength and dignity. Most importantly she is to Fear the lord, and worthy of praise. I have found all of these in you, other then the children part.
At the beginning of my search for a wife, I explored and examined God’s word to reveal the biblical definition of love. Of course, I found 1 Corinthians 13. Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it is not rude. It is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it does not keep records of wrong. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails.
-I went to her in the audience-
Over the last 23 years, I have been educated, and accumulated knowledge. I gained several possessions. I have many friends, family, mentors, and leaders. I have traveled, and seen a few parts of the world. I have lacked, however, a partner; someone to love and to love me intimately. I love you Erica, and only you have my heart.
Erica Guyer, will you love me for the rest of your life, will you be my partner in everything I do. Erica, will you marry me?
I give my gratitude to those who have traveled to support me today. Most of you have known me for a long time, some of you have known me for a good amount of time, a few of you have known me for only a short time, and a couple of you are probably wondering who I am. I thank all of you for the impact you have made on my life.
I want to thank all of my friends, my Johnson friends and Cincinnati friends. Especially, Andrew, Monica, and Ricky. The three of you have taught me much about God, relationships, and friendship. I have only ever given the power of accountability to Andrew and Ricky. Something, my sister Laura often wished she had.
I am humbled by the endorsement and commissioning of my elders. I do not take this ordination lightly. I have always looked up to all of you, especially Jon Weatherly, my half-sixth cousin, Tom Flishel and Bruce Maxwell. Your good characters and wisdom has always presented a positive model for God’s people.
Thank you Nathan Hinkle. I am grateful God sent you to us. I know I would not be entering Christian ministry if it weren’t for you. You gave me a chance when the previous youth minister did not. I will never forget all the times we spent together in worship planning meetings and trips. I owe so much to you.
Howard and David Empson, my grandfather and uncle, provided me a model of what it means to live as a Godly man. Grandpa is the wisest man I have ever known, and Uncle David is not far behind. David has mentored me and shared with me his heart. He has taken me on three mission trips, one of which changed my life forever. Without these two wonderful men in my life, I would not be standing before you today. I say to the two of you, thank you.
My family has obviously played a major role in my development. My sister Erin was like a second mother, helping to raise me in my earlier years when Mom and Dad were working long hours to provide for us. If Erin were like a mother, then Laura would be like the disciplining father. She ripped into me more times then I can count with an iron fist, and sharp nails. Thank you Erin and Laura. To mom and dad I owe the most, but will never be able to repay. Mom drove me to succeed by reminding me of her five ‘C’s in her entire academic career and not letting me slack off. It is because of my mother that Dad has developed into the Christian leader he is today. She is an ethical and moral woman that instilled in me those same values. Thank you mom. Dad has shared with me so much about life, and I will never forget our time together in the Boy Scouts. He taught me compassion through his work with First Student.
My last thanks goes to someone who has not helped in my development in the past but who will greatly affect my future. I thought long and hard about what I was going to say this morning, I’m probably going to embarrass you a bit, but here is what I have to say.
To Erica whom I love,
So far, today has been about the development of my past, but with you I look to the future, my future as a minister or teacher, and our future together as a couple. You have taught me how to share a bond of love. A little over a year ago, I discovered your feelings for me, and luckily I felt the same way. I knew you were a keeper when you agreed to a first date consisting of Sonic for dinner and then seeing The Dark Knight. I remember diving into the typical discussions a couple would have after a month of dating, but I thought what the heck. Luckily you agreed to a second date, and here we are today; 11 months, 13 days and 18 hours, but who is counting? Every day, I have thanked the Lord for blessing me with you. I look to the next year with great anticipation.
A friend of mine uses the last part of Proverbs as guidance in her life to be a Godly woman. This, however, was really intended for men to discern the right woman. I remember the advice the author gave. She is to be worth more then jewels, the heart of her husband ought to trust in her. She is to take care of her children, have her house in order, and clothed in strength and dignity. Most importantly she is to Fear the lord, and worthy of praise. I have found all of these in you, other then the children part.
At the beginning of my search for a wife, I explored and examined God’s word to reveal the biblical definition of love. Of course, I found 1 Corinthians 13. Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it is not rude. It is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it does not keep records of wrong. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails.
-I went to her in the audience-
Over the last 23 years, I have been educated, and accumulated knowledge. I gained several possessions. I have many friends, family, mentors, and leaders. I have traveled, and seen a few parts of the world. I have lacked, however, a partner; someone to love and to love me intimately. I love you Erica, and only you have my heart.
Erica Guyer, will you love me for the rest of your life, will you be my partner in everything I do. Erica, will you marry me?
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
The Summer
“The summer always seems to go rather quickly,” people always say; it just flies by. Currently I reside in Tampa Florida with a nice family who has taken me in for the next 9 weeks. I am working at a small recovering church recently renamed Discovery Christian Church in hopes to lay down a brighter future in spite of the strenuous past. I am not sure what to expect from this summer, what lessons to learn, what about ministry I need to understand but I hope that God can use me and let me grow. Things never seem to happen as I plan them and if they do then great. This summer I live away from my home, my family, my friends, and my normal everyday life. What will happen? I do not know but I expect great things.
Moses never had things go the way he would have planned them. He grew up under the care of the pharaoh escaping the slaughtering of the innocence, a Hebrew amongst Egyptians, living as an Egyptian. Then around the age of 40, kills a guard for attacking a Hebrew and fleeing into the desert to escape retribution. There he becomes a lowly shepherd tending to sheep and marries a local girl. Then does that for another 40 years until a burning bush begins to talk. Commissioned by God he returns to his “home” land and demands his people be let go. Only After devastating Egypt with ten plagues and at the death of Pharaoh’s own son does Ramesses II (Pharaoh) relinquish his assertion over the slaves. God used Moses to accomplish greatness for his predestined people.
I sometimes wonder what could possibly happen this summer, what I might learn, who I could meet. When will I come across the next burning bush? God used the unexpected to change the course of history. Only he knows whom he will use next. This summer I look forward to the unexpected, when I find it, I will look for greatness. Right now I am just expecting a summer job but who knows what God could do with a college student, a staff of three, and a small congregation.
Moses never had things go the way he would have planned them. He grew up under the care of the pharaoh escaping the slaughtering of the innocence, a Hebrew amongst Egyptians, living as an Egyptian. Then around the age of 40, kills a guard for attacking a Hebrew and fleeing into the desert to escape retribution. There he becomes a lowly shepherd tending to sheep and marries a local girl. Then does that for another 40 years until a burning bush begins to talk. Commissioned by God he returns to his “home” land and demands his people be let go. Only After devastating Egypt with ten plagues and at the death of Pharaoh’s own son does Ramesses II (Pharaoh) relinquish his assertion over the slaves. God used Moses to accomplish greatness for his predestined people.
I sometimes wonder what could possibly happen this summer, what I might learn, who I could meet. When will I come across the next burning bush? God used the unexpected to change the course of history. Only he knows whom he will use next. This summer I look forward to the unexpected, when I find it, I will look for greatness. Right now I am just expecting a summer job but who knows what God could do with a college student, a staff of three, and a small congregation.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Another Discussion on Faith
I want to be honest with you, I am not sure that I totally understand faith. Now I know that as a future minister this causes a bit of a problem. If I don’t even understand it how am I suppose to tell others about it and expect others to know of it? So I will tell you what I have come to understand as faith up to this point in my life. The Hebrews writer puts faith in terms for us to better understand, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Okay, that is not too difficult to understand but this does not really work as a working definition. After giving this phrase in verse 1 the writer then goes on to list 16 or so people who were noted as having great faith. Yet in all 16 people I could tell you where they all doubted God. I think it is okay to doubt, it makes you human. I would say that verse one would be an example of perfect faith, the kind of faith Jesus had in his father. So I strive to grasp better the idea of faith.
There are for certain, some points faith is tied to.
-Faith is tied to experience. Like a child you grow up and become an adult and mature. No longer do you dally in the ways of youth, but you learn what is appropriate and right, same thing with faith. Faith grows by life experiences. When you begin to see that God really is working for your good then you will step out on that limb again even for greater things allowing your faith to grow.
Here is an example. You have a rich man and a poor man. The rich man does not have to worry about where his next meal comes from because he can afford it, he worked for pay and his faith rests in his money to provide for him. On the other hand the poor man cannot afford to pay for his next meal and does not know where he is going to eat next. He has faith in God that he will provide for his needs and when God comes through for him, and he is able to recognize it then his faith grows, for he sees the fruits of his faith.
The more life experience you have the more cause or reason you have to be a warrior in your faith. Yet I urge you not to forget the young David who at an early age believed God would help him fight a seasoned soldier and win. In most cases, I have found the more life experience a person has in times of struggle and living in a view of faith the stronger his faith has become. He has more evidence to back up his reason for believing in God.
-Faith is based from reason not emotion. J.R. is actually talking about this very issue on Sunday. If we relied on our emotions to feed our faith then little things such as a rainy day affects our faith. Or our tempers when driving would control our faith at that time. Instead of faith being based on emotions it is based from reason, the conscious choice to believe Christ in the teeth of anger and the awful days that make us tired.
C.S. Lewis said this, “It is not reason that [takes] away my faith: on the contrary, my faith is based on reason. It is my imagination and emotions. The battle is between faith and reason on one side and emotion and imagination on the other… Now Faith, in the sense in which I am here using the word, is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods. Of r moods will change, whatever view your reason takes. I know that by experience.” –Mere Christianity pg. 139-140
I think to many times youth go to CIY or some major worship network and their emotions get raised, then make rash decisions based on those heightened emotions and that is dangerous.
-Faith and works always seem to be in some sort of battle. Paul says we live by faith alone and James says we faith without works are dead. Who is right? Which is right? The answer is yes. The idea of grace takes away anything you do for salvation, which includes your faith and works. You can never have enough faith or do enough works to merit salvation. So do not worry about either regarding salvation, salvation only comes from grace which God gives you. It is by faith we trust God to give us his gift but his gift is his alone to give.
Now we have the choice of either being an insane person or a sane person. The insane person would say with his mouth he believes in God but does not conform to the teachings of Jesus. The sane person would say with his mouth he believes and follow through with conforming to the teachings of Christ. You do not attempt at these new teachings with the view of doing this to be saved but because God has begun to save you already. Not working to receive heaven as some sort of gift but because a sliver of heaven already exists inside of you.
People argue so much over this tussle between faith and works probably because both ideas are in the Bible. Philippians 2 says, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,” and the opposite, “It is God working inside of you to the completion.” God does all the work or you do the work. The real job is not to argue over faith verses works but to see how they are the same. Saying God did this and I did that does not work because God does not exactly work like the man beside you but inside of you. You reach an idea of working together inside and out.
This reflection of faith probably does not express the true meaning of faith, like I said earlier I am not sure entirely what faith is. As of now this seems to be what I understand and think about the matter and was probably much clearer at the beginning
There are for certain, some points faith is tied to.
-Faith is tied to experience. Like a child you grow up and become an adult and mature. No longer do you dally in the ways of youth, but you learn what is appropriate and right, same thing with faith. Faith grows by life experiences. When you begin to see that God really is working for your good then you will step out on that limb again even for greater things allowing your faith to grow.
Here is an example. You have a rich man and a poor man. The rich man does not have to worry about where his next meal comes from because he can afford it, he worked for pay and his faith rests in his money to provide for him. On the other hand the poor man cannot afford to pay for his next meal and does not know where he is going to eat next. He has faith in God that he will provide for his needs and when God comes through for him, and he is able to recognize it then his faith grows, for he sees the fruits of his faith.
The more life experience you have the more cause or reason you have to be a warrior in your faith. Yet I urge you not to forget the young David who at an early age believed God would help him fight a seasoned soldier and win. In most cases, I have found the more life experience a person has in times of struggle and living in a view of faith the stronger his faith has become. He has more evidence to back up his reason for believing in God.
-Faith is based from reason not emotion. J.R. is actually talking about this very issue on Sunday. If we relied on our emotions to feed our faith then little things such as a rainy day affects our faith. Or our tempers when driving would control our faith at that time. Instead of faith being based on emotions it is based from reason, the conscious choice to believe Christ in the teeth of anger and the awful days that make us tired.
C.S. Lewis said this, “It is not reason that [takes] away my faith: on the contrary, my faith is based on reason. It is my imagination and emotions. The battle is between faith and reason on one side and emotion and imagination on the other… Now Faith, in the sense in which I am here using the word, is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods. Of r moods will change, whatever view your reason takes. I know that by experience.” –Mere Christianity pg. 139-140
I think to many times youth go to CIY or some major worship network and their emotions get raised, then make rash decisions based on those heightened emotions and that is dangerous.
-Faith and works always seem to be in some sort of battle. Paul says we live by faith alone and James says we faith without works are dead. Who is right? Which is right? The answer is yes. The idea of grace takes away anything you do for salvation, which includes your faith and works. You can never have enough faith or do enough works to merit salvation. So do not worry about either regarding salvation, salvation only comes from grace which God gives you. It is by faith we trust God to give us his gift but his gift is his alone to give.
Now we have the choice of either being an insane person or a sane person. The insane person would say with his mouth he believes in God but does not conform to the teachings of Jesus. The sane person would say with his mouth he believes and follow through with conforming to the teachings of Christ. You do not attempt at these new teachings with the view of doing this to be saved but because God has begun to save you already. Not working to receive heaven as some sort of gift but because a sliver of heaven already exists inside of you.
People argue so much over this tussle between faith and works probably because both ideas are in the Bible. Philippians 2 says, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,” and the opposite, “It is God working inside of you to the completion.” God does all the work or you do the work. The real job is not to argue over faith verses works but to see how they are the same. Saying God did this and I did that does not work because God does not exactly work like the man beside you but inside of you. You reach an idea of working together inside and out.
This reflection of faith probably does not express the true meaning of faith, like I said earlier I am not sure entirely what faith is. As of now this seems to be what I understand and think about the matter and was probably much clearer at the beginning
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Love?!... (Part 5)
This begins my last and final post in this series on love. I have talked much on this subject, mainly discerning between the different types of relationship that we know to share; friendship, companionship, sharing, affection, and of course God’s love. I began this whole topic looking into my own heart and I feel that maybe I ventured from that getting lost in the verbose verbiage and for that I apologize first to my own heart and then to the reader.
Love always seemed to be a sappy touchy topic that everyone always wants to discuss or the opposite, neglect to mention when needed. In the beginning I asked a series of questions all of which I had asked myself because the occasion has called. The only problem with that was I never asked the people who mattered. I cowered and hid in my small corner and watched, hoping my chance would pass so that I would not have to risk being caught on a weak limb waiting to break and fall. I fled from opportunity unlike the wise who would pursue it. Does my cowardliness out weigh my wisdom, i think not. My problem lies with my thoughts meeting my passions. My thoughts defend me while my actions accuse me. I know what others might say but choose not to act, this problem above all others defines the human failure to Love God.
This past week I spent much time with friends, three great people. We worked our way through one of my favorite books in the Bible, Philippians. I am not sure if you have ever read this short book of four chapters, but one thing I do know; you must! The language seems different from all of his other books, I think maybe because Paul never wanes in one area of his life, that being passion. His passion screams from his wording, his phrases, how he demonstrates a continual devotion to God even though suffering much, while in chains. He suffers because of the gospel, he lives it, breathes it and never takes his eye off that Goal, the one thing he lives for and in death reaches, and the goal’s name is Christ. In the study I got to see something, something I had not seen before, the passion of a brother who has found purpose in his faith, a kind of newly birthed passion. I got to see the pain of another brother, the turmoil that fills his family’s life and the strength he has to hold them together. I witnessed the friendship of a sister whose passion never ceases to amaze me and her Love for God and his creation is truly inspiring. The one thing I have yet to share with you about love is passion.
Love requires a kind of passion, one not easily attained and harder to toss aside. Passion will overlook the evil and the difficulties. Passion will create endurance and with endurance, strength. Here you may begin to question my words; what if I told you Love was a sort of suffering. I believe it. People always associate suffering with the terrible parts of life such as illness, loss of a job, death of a relative or friend. What people seem to be blind to is that those sufferings make them stronger, especially for the Christians. The suffering of Love strengthens you. One thing is true, happiness comes and goes like the tide, but when you choose to remain strong in Love your suffering adds to your passion so you begin to live off of the suffering for you know what great things it leads love to. Love does not hinge on the emotion of happiness, but rejoices with the continual obedience to live for the love you will. My point is love will not always include fun or happiness, but that because you suffer through the times when it brings hardships, love abounds all the more. Those who give up can never understand the true suffering of Love. C.S. Lewis once said that those who give into temptation are the weak because they had not the strength to survive through the temptation. They gave in only after five minutes so really the bad people had no idea about the strength of temptation. Well the bad or the weak are the ones who gave in only after five minutes not becoming stronger by this suffering of Love failing to grasp its supreme power as well as beauty. Cowering in the corner afraid of that weak limb to crawl out on, there the bad people sit and forever wait praying their opportunity doesn't see them.
Passion comes from the suffering; those who suffer have passion that grows. I think maybe I give into the suffering and because of that I wave each opportunity by never quite knowing the true passion I could have. Now I am not talking about my Bond with God, I want that made clear, also my family and friendships are all in tact doing great. So what is left? Perhaps the passion to seek what my heart desires and longs for, to meet another to suffer with.
Tonight I shall begin a prayer, a prayer for the strength to suffer through Love so I have a new source of passion, the kind that builds only with every passing hardship. And here I conclude what I call Love; no matter how many words I throw at it, they all seem pointless. After all, Love is indescribable. ;-)
-Jonny Heart
Love always seemed to be a sappy touchy topic that everyone always wants to discuss or the opposite, neglect to mention when needed. In the beginning I asked a series of questions all of which I had asked myself because the occasion has called. The only problem with that was I never asked the people who mattered. I cowered and hid in my small corner and watched, hoping my chance would pass so that I would not have to risk being caught on a weak limb waiting to break and fall. I fled from opportunity unlike the wise who would pursue it. Does my cowardliness out weigh my wisdom, i think not. My problem lies with my thoughts meeting my passions. My thoughts defend me while my actions accuse me. I know what others might say but choose not to act, this problem above all others defines the human failure to Love God.
This past week I spent much time with friends, three great people. We worked our way through one of my favorite books in the Bible, Philippians. I am not sure if you have ever read this short book of four chapters, but one thing I do know; you must! The language seems different from all of his other books, I think maybe because Paul never wanes in one area of his life, that being passion. His passion screams from his wording, his phrases, how he demonstrates a continual devotion to God even though suffering much, while in chains. He suffers because of the gospel, he lives it, breathes it and never takes his eye off that Goal, the one thing he lives for and in death reaches, and the goal’s name is Christ. In the study I got to see something, something I had not seen before, the passion of a brother who has found purpose in his faith, a kind of newly birthed passion. I got to see the pain of another brother, the turmoil that fills his family’s life and the strength he has to hold them together. I witnessed the friendship of a sister whose passion never ceases to amaze me and her Love for God and his creation is truly inspiring. The one thing I have yet to share with you about love is passion.
Love requires a kind of passion, one not easily attained and harder to toss aside. Passion will overlook the evil and the difficulties. Passion will create endurance and with endurance, strength. Here you may begin to question my words; what if I told you Love was a sort of suffering. I believe it. People always associate suffering with the terrible parts of life such as illness, loss of a job, death of a relative or friend. What people seem to be blind to is that those sufferings make them stronger, especially for the Christians. The suffering of Love strengthens you. One thing is true, happiness comes and goes like the tide, but when you choose to remain strong in Love your suffering adds to your passion so you begin to live off of the suffering for you know what great things it leads love to. Love does not hinge on the emotion of happiness, but rejoices with the continual obedience to live for the love you will. My point is love will not always include fun or happiness, but that because you suffer through the times when it brings hardships, love abounds all the more. Those who give up can never understand the true suffering of Love. C.S. Lewis once said that those who give into temptation are the weak because they had not the strength to survive through the temptation. They gave in only after five minutes so really the bad people had no idea about the strength of temptation. Well the bad or the weak are the ones who gave in only after five minutes not becoming stronger by this suffering of Love failing to grasp its supreme power as well as beauty. Cowering in the corner afraid of that weak limb to crawl out on, there the bad people sit and forever wait praying their opportunity doesn't see them.
Passion comes from the suffering; those who suffer have passion that grows. I think maybe I give into the suffering and because of that I wave each opportunity by never quite knowing the true passion I could have. Now I am not talking about my Bond with God, I want that made clear, also my family and friendships are all in tact doing great. So what is left? Perhaps the passion to seek what my heart desires and longs for, to meet another to suffer with.
Tonight I shall begin a prayer, a prayer for the strength to suffer through Love so I have a new source of passion, the kind that builds only with every passing hardship. And here I conclude what I call Love; no matter how many words I throw at it, they all seem pointless. After all, Love is indescribable. ;-)
-Jonny Heart
Love (Part 4)
Nature, what to say about it? It is Beautiful and at other times terrifying, not terrifying in the sense I shiver with fear but a fear that stands in awe of a presence that compares you to a tiny blade of grass and itself the greatest of all mountains. The beauty molded into trees and rivers or the vast blue sky that protects us from a span greater then I may comprehend or pretend to. The great features are made up of all the little details like texture, creatures, colors, quantity, heat or cold. A friend once told me how she could see God in a swarm of gnats and it was beautiful, I do not have that talent, but desire it. This post will base more on reason then poetry.
The question brought up at sonic and I now inquire about is this; “Is it possible to Love nature?” Monokardia spat quickly back, “Yes!” Now I consider if that to be true. A man says he may love his dog, but the question of Love remains, does the object of affection have to return such a desire. The Dog lives off its master, like a baby relies on a parent. Can the baby love? It thinks only of itself and of course has to in order to survive. You could say that the dog feels love for the master, making it an emotional based love. The dog is happy when you return home, and wishes you to give it attention and pet him. Yet again the direction of attention is one way, from the master to the Dog and never in return. Now is that the love that a human has for another human, or on a higher level the love God has for man? The dog serves and does tricks, but for the satisfaction of praise and a treat. I am convinced now that if we keep love to a core value of an action of will serving another then no, a dog cannot love but has the appearance of love.
This only answers the question can nature love in return, not can man love nature?
My Grandfather gave me a boat shelf made out of cherry wood, a wonderful gift. Now, I could say I love those shelves, but is that true? Do I love them because of what it is or because of who gave them to me and the time and energy he put into it just for me? After considering it I found that the later was true. So when God gave us nature as a gift and made us stewards over it, does that mean we love nature because of what it is or because God gave it to us? Take this argument outside of Christianity; does an atheist love nature for the simple fact it is appealing to observe? I should say yes. Now does his idea of love match ours/mine? I should say not. I am not sure what I would say of nature if I were not a Christian, I have always been one so I have no way of knowing. I think they care as much, if not more of it then Christians. Could this mean then that it is possible to love nature though you do not acknowledge a divine creator? I should say no. A non-creator idealist still has faith that it is mere chance we exist. They put faith in evolution or something to that nature. Now it can be said of them they have respect for nature because they acknowledge the complexity of it but have not love for it (by our stricter sense of the word love). The point is that when you realize your own insignificance you gain a respect for what seems greater. When a Christian says he or she loves nature, what they mean is they love the gift God has given them. So they love God, not nature.
Well let us ponder on the idea of sharing love. A man and wife, in the truest sense, love one another by serving the other. This is the highest level of love; only fitting it comes in the worldly ideal, as the lowest notion of acts, serving. In the beginning of the first post I asked the question is it possible to love someone or something if they do not return the favor? Depends on the love. If you think of erotic love then no you cannot, it is a love you share. Now if you take agape love then yes, you could say that but a man who “loves” a girl though she does not love in return may actually be suffering from his own infatuation, which is not love but a envy or lust. Is it possible for a man or woman to love a person as a husband should love a wife or vice versa yet the recipient denies such affection? To that I am still searching for an answer. So I suppose the discussion of love comes down to matter of diction. The English language simply cannot contain the meanings of Love. Maybe that is why people have taken the word and abused it with everyday matters such as “I love that car.” No proper meaning of Love exists because one word is forced to support many different kinds of thoughts.
The question brought up at sonic and I now inquire about is this; “Is it possible to Love nature?” Monokardia spat quickly back, “Yes!” Now I consider if that to be true. A man says he may love his dog, but the question of Love remains, does the object of affection have to return such a desire. The Dog lives off its master, like a baby relies on a parent. Can the baby love? It thinks only of itself and of course has to in order to survive. You could say that the dog feels love for the master, making it an emotional based love. The dog is happy when you return home, and wishes you to give it attention and pet him. Yet again the direction of attention is one way, from the master to the Dog and never in return. Now is that the love that a human has for another human, or on a higher level the love God has for man? The dog serves and does tricks, but for the satisfaction of praise and a treat. I am convinced now that if we keep love to a core value of an action of will serving another then no, a dog cannot love but has the appearance of love.
This only answers the question can nature love in return, not can man love nature?
My Grandfather gave me a boat shelf made out of cherry wood, a wonderful gift. Now, I could say I love those shelves, but is that true? Do I love them because of what it is or because of who gave them to me and the time and energy he put into it just for me? After considering it I found that the later was true. So when God gave us nature as a gift and made us stewards over it, does that mean we love nature because of what it is or because God gave it to us? Take this argument outside of Christianity; does an atheist love nature for the simple fact it is appealing to observe? I should say yes. Now does his idea of love match ours/mine? I should say not. I am not sure what I would say of nature if I were not a Christian, I have always been one so I have no way of knowing. I think they care as much, if not more of it then Christians. Could this mean then that it is possible to love nature though you do not acknowledge a divine creator? I should say no. A non-creator idealist still has faith that it is mere chance we exist. They put faith in evolution or something to that nature. Now it can be said of them they have respect for nature because they acknowledge the complexity of it but have not love for it (by our stricter sense of the word love). The point is that when you realize your own insignificance you gain a respect for what seems greater. When a Christian says he or she loves nature, what they mean is they love the gift God has given them. So they love God, not nature.
Well let us ponder on the idea of sharing love. A man and wife, in the truest sense, love one another by serving the other. This is the highest level of love; only fitting it comes in the worldly ideal, as the lowest notion of acts, serving. In the beginning of the first post I asked the question is it possible to love someone or something if they do not return the favor? Depends on the love. If you think of erotic love then no you cannot, it is a love you share. Now if you take agape love then yes, you could say that but a man who “loves” a girl though she does not love in return may actually be suffering from his own infatuation, which is not love but a envy or lust. Is it possible for a man or woman to love a person as a husband should love a wife or vice versa yet the recipient denies such affection? To that I am still searching for an answer. So I suppose the discussion of love comes down to matter of diction. The English language simply cannot contain the meanings of Love. Maybe that is why people have taken the word and abused it with everyday matters such as “I love that car.” No proper meaning of Love exists because one word is forced to support many different kinds of thoughts.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Love?!... (Part 3)
“Love, in the Christian sense, does not mean an emotion. It is a state not of the feelings but of the will; that state of the will which we have naturally about ourselves, and must learn to have about other people.”
-C.S. Lewis Mere Christianity
I return to you once again continuing this idea of Love. In all the books and poems, in all the plays and songs, the author of all such expressions speaks more on love then any other thought; why is that? It seems to me that through life, Christians and non-Christians search to satisfy their thirst for fulfillment and in the end the non-Christians find themselves in a desert wandering aimlessly for the next oasis to sooth their throats until once again the vision vanishes, another hallucination, and the lost end in disappointment concerning life. The human race depends upon love, always seeking it and always exploring it but aside from God, mankind will never experience a true love for all will fail.
The four at sonic said this about God’s Love. The nature of God’s love, agape, requires a relinquish of personal concern with the denial of self, and then give willingly without expecting a return. King James, I think, had the better translation for this Greek word; charity. Agape has more then choice imbedded in its use, a constant state of a certain will could only use this form of love. When you think about acting on this love, and must consciously choose this course of action then you miss the greatest form of it. Granted, choosing it will always supersede then to not, yet the beauty of it comes with the will of the person. Nothing else comes to their mind, no other plausible choice arrives, so quick it seems thinking doesn’t even happen but an instant action. Thus so God acts in accordance of his will, he poured himself out and gave his own life to bring us the eternal. As I stated earlier, Agape means charity and that form of love requires the giver not to require a response of gratitude, and here we fail. How does he act so graciously, how can he? I know of times when I acted selflessly without thinking and showed a degree of agape love, however not long after the realization set in I thought to myself how well I acted; what a shame.
If you can’t tell from the blog page, I adore C.S. Lewis; he had a way with words and spoke such great truths in few phrases. I relate to his words above, I know the person I love most (of any form) is myself, that naturally came to me, I respect myself. I would do anything to rescue my body from danger or harmful intent. Christian love demonstrates those same qualities but in the direction of others. A Christian must take what love he has learned for himself and deliver it to others, a very different view and action from society yet that defines Christian love.
I would now like to quote from Corinthians one chapter thirteen. “Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” (NASB). Many times you can here this cited in a wedding progression yet as Mark Moore says, that is the worst of places to have it. Many seem to forget what surrounds this passage; turmoil, competition, hatred, an infatuation of spiritual gifts, argument, and separation. A wedding should have a since of love in the air, rejoicing, and happiness, none of the things conspiring in Corinth. This passage was not for defining the word Love (Agape) but a plea to the church to stop all this argument and separation, a petition to put aside the requirements of faith and show that Love rises above all gifts of the spirit. This was what I wanted to share with you, that love is greater then all rewards, greater then faith and hope. All acts of kindness and charity are great but with out agape, mean nothing. Agape is the greatest of all loves for us to acquire but because of our selfishness and disdain this becomes increasingly difficult. Put aside that filth and love intently.
The night progressed and the hands on the clock made their trip around its face. The four men started to raise tension in their voices, for they could not agree on this topic. After the discussion on the separate Greek words Peoden brought up another idea, can Man really love Nature?
More on this next time…
-C.S. Lewis Mere Christianity
I return to you once again continuing this idea of Love. In all the books and poems, in all the plays and songs, the author of all such expressions speaks more on love then any other thought; why is that? It seems to me that through life, Christians and non-Christians search to satisfy their thirst for fulfillment and in the end the non-Christians find themselves in a desert wandering aimlessly for the next oasis to sooth their throats until once again the vision vanishes, another hallucination, and the lost end in disappointment concerning life. The human race depends upon love, always seeking it and always exploring it but aside from God, mankind will never experience a true love for all will fail.
The four at sonic said this about God’s Love. The nature of God’s love, agape, requires a relinquish of personal concern with the denial of self, and then give willingly without expecting a return. King James, I think, had the better translation for this Greek word; charity. Agape has more then choice imbedded in its use, a constant state of a certain will could only use this form of love. When you think about acting on this love, and must consciously choose this course of action then you miss the greatest form of it. Granted, choosing it will always supersede then to not, yet the beauty of it comes with the will of the person. Nothing else comes to their mind, no other plausible choice arrives, so quick it seems thinking doesn’t even happen but an instant action. Thus so God acts in accordance of his will, he poured himself out and gave his own life to bring us the eternal. As I stated earlier, Agape means charity and that form of love requires the giver not to require a response of gratitude, and here we fail. How does he act so graciously, how can he? I know of times when I acted selflessly without thinking and showed a degree of agape love, however not long after the realization set in I thought to myself how well I acted; what a shame.
If you can’t tell from the blog page, I adore C.S. Lewis; he had a way with words and spoke such great truths in few phrases. I relate to his words above, I know the person I love most (of any form) is myself, that naturally came to me, I respect myself. I would do anything to rescue my body from danger or harmful intent. Christian love demonstrates those same qualities but in the direction of others. A Christian must take what love he has learned for himself and deliver it to others, a very different view and action from society yet that defines Christian love.
I would now like to quote from Corinthians one chapter thirteen. “Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” (NASB). Many times you can here this cited in a wedding progression yet as Mark Moore says, that is the worst of places to have it. Many seem to forget what surrounds this passage; turmoil, competition, hatred, an infatuation of spiritual gifts, argument, and separation. A wedding should have a since of love in the air, rejoicing, and happiness, none of the things conspiring in Corinth. This passage was not for defining the word Love (Agape) but a plea to the church to stop all this argument and separation, a petition to put aside the requirements of faith and show that Love rises above all gifts of the spirit. This was what I wanted to share with you, that love is greater then all rewards, greater then faith and hope. All acts of kindness and charity are great but with out agape, mean nothing. Agape is the greatest of all loves for us to acquire but because of our selfishness and disdain this becomes increasingly difficult. Put aside that filth and love intently.
The night progressed and the hands on the clock made their trip around its face. The four men started to raise tension in their voices, for they could not agree on this topic. After the discussion on the separate Greek words Peoden brought up another idea, can Man really love Nature?
More on this next time…
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)