March 28, 2006
March 26, 2006
Ravi Asks:
Is life defined by what we pursue, or must our pursuit be defined by what life was meant to be?
March 19, 2006
Following Christ
American life is cut and dried and easy. It is so easy that we have time to think about entertainment often, and we think about it often. We are conditioned that the things that occupy our mind are the utmost important.
We are no longer cultured to lookout for our ‘brother.’ Maybe because our ‘brother’ can take care of himself or maybe because the things our ‘brother’ faces are no life and death situations.
I have a friend here who is trying to find a job. We’ve talked about it and I’ve treated him exactly how I would treat someone at home who was trying to find a job.—the occasional prayer and the ‘good luck.’ But things are different here. Getting a job is not the same because nothing is fair. He needs a job to help his family but nothings opened. He doesn’t want to pay a bribe and he doesn’t want to lie which makes finding a job almost impossible. I can’t understand it but it is much more important here than at home. As a reflection of Jesus, I need to invest my life into his in caring about this as he cares about it and praying about it as he would want me to pray for him. But have I been…no, because I’m preoccupied with self and I don’t understand the importance of the situation.
As I write this I am again blown away with the intensity and depth to which Jesus invested his life into others. ~That’s what followers of Jesus do~
We are no longer cultured to lookout for our ‘brother.’ Maybe because our ‘brother’ can take care of himself or maybe because the things our ‘brother’ faces are no life and death situations.
I have a friend here who is trying to find a job. We’ve talked about it and I’ve treated him exactly how I would treat someone at home who was trying to find a job.—the occasional prayer and the ‘good luck.’ But things are different here. Getting a job is not the same because nothing is fair. He needs a job to help his family but nothings opened. He doesn’t want to pay a bribe and he doesn’t want to lie which makes finding a job almost impossible. I can’t understand it but it is much more important here than at home. As a reflection of Jesus, I need to invest my life into his in caring about this as he cares about it and praying about it as he would want me to pray for him. But have I been…no, because I’m preoccupied with self and I don’t understand the importance of the situation.
As I write this I am again blown away with the intensity and depth to which Jesus invested his life into others. ~That’s what followers of Jesus do~
March 18, 2006
March 15, 2006
Ready...
Do I live my life in a way that I am spiritually prepared/ready for God to say anything and I am in a position to respond immediately? God revealed to Abram to leave his country, everything, and that he would make him into a great nation and he would bless him. Abram’s response wasn’t to formulate a vision of how that would look or to even think and begin to get ideas of what to do. His response; he left. What made Abram so ready to just leave. I believe it was his relationship with God before the revelation came.
March 14, 2006
Paradise
"The word Paradise is a Persian word that refers to a walled garden belonging to a king. Emperors would specially honor individuals by allowing them to walk in paradise with them. It became a synonym for the best and safest of places."
This adds new light to Jesus response on the cross to the criminal, "Today you will be with me in paradise."
This adds new light to Jesus response on the cross to the criminal, "Today you will be with me in paradise."
March 9, 2006
March 6, 2006
Delicious Dish
If you thought SuperSize Me was a disgusting movie, wait until they make one on this dish. This dish is pasta, yogurt, meat and tons and tons of butter. When this dish cools it is non edible cause the butter, otherwise known as FAT, all hardens. This truly is a heart attack on a plate.
February 28, 2006
Is my thinking correct??
God did not do stuff just for us. He did them for his son. We do not have eternal life cause God gave it to 'us.' Christ has life and we are included in him.
February 22, 2006
Toilet Paper for God
Worship leaders and specifically song writers understand something that I have often missed. They do something that I’ve just recently begun doing.
If you are a parent or when you are a parent, we all know that the most precious gift our children can give us are ones of their own creation. My dad loved the ‘Santa’s Workshop’ toolkits my sister and I got him every year, but it was my sister’s homemade airplane made from a toilet paper roll and colored in exorborant gaudy colors that he cherishes and can still be found to this day, front and center, on top of his dresser. We all know why this is his favorite gift, the one that touched his heart the most.
Worship songwriters pour their own hearts out in words and music and express their love and praise to their father. They sing a new song to the Lord and then they minister to us and share it with us.
It took me till last month to express myself in that way. (sidenote—there are other ways to build toilet paper airplanes for God other than singing or music)
I found myself laying on the floor singing a song to God. I am not a musician. My sister is not an artist, but to my dad she was. I don’t have excellent singing or musical skills, in fact, I didn’t even follow musical “rules.” (My sisters toilet paper airplane would have probably helped her fail art class.) But to my dad it was the most beautiful creation in the world.
My heart and soul were free and they were truly crying out and lifting their praise to God. I couldn’t sing that same song again if I tried, because it was sincere, it was honest, it was adoration, it was worship.
If you are a parent or when you are a parent, we all know that the most precious gift our children can give us are ones of their own creation. My dad loved the ‘Santa’s Workshop’ toolkits my sister and I got him every year, but it was my sister’s homemade airplane made from a toilet paper roll and colored in exorborant gaudy colors that he cherishes and can still be found to this day, front and center, on top of his dresser. We all know why this is his favorite gift, the one that touched his heart the most.
Worship songwriters pour their own hearts out in words and music and express their love and praise to their father. They sing a new song to the Lord and then they minister to us and share it with us.
It took me till last month to express myself in that way. (sidenote—there are other ways to build toilet paper airplanes for God other than singing or music)
I found myself laying on the floor singing a song to God. I am not a musician. My sister is not an artist, but to my dad she was. I don’t have excellent singing or musical skills, in fact, I didn’t even follow musical “rules.” (My sisters toilet paper airplane would have probably helped her fail art class.) But to my dad it was the most beautiful creation in the world.
My heart and soul were free and they were truly crying out and lifting their praise to God. I couldn’t sing that same song again if I tried, because it was sincere, it was honest, it was adoration, it was worship.
February 18, 2006
February 16, 2006
I bet when Jesus saw Peter for the first time and he looked “intently” at him, he saw deep in those eyes everything Cephas would do, both good and evil. He saw the many times he would put his foot in his mouth. He saw his ignorance. He saw him denying him and abandoning him. He saw all this, yet he still chose to call him “Rock.” I’m sure that moment stuck out to Peter the rest of his life. What an initial solidifying moment.
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