Well, really I am just sick and stuck in bed.....
So this is a blog that I try to keep up on because it is always really encouraging. You may have heard of the recent book "Worldliness" but CJ Mahaney (I def. recommend it btw). Well, this blog is by his wife and daughters. All that to say you should at least humor me by reading this link (if not previous posts...the series on singleness from last week being highly recommended also) because it reminded me of our little group and how we try to ask each other what God has been teaching us and how we are trying to use this blog to tell each other that. I liked what she said in that second to last paragraph about having a "professor." Anyway, here it is. Take it or leave it.
http://girltalk.blogs.com/girltalk/2009/02/school-of-the-word.html
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Additional thoughts
Contrast the boy in my last post with Jonathan Edwards. Here are just a few of his many resolutions:
1. Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to act as I think I should do if I had
already seen the happiness of heaven, and hell torments.
2. Resolved, never hence foreword till I die to act as if I were any way my own, but entirely and all together God’s.
3. Resolved, to study the scriptures so steadily, constantly, and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly preserve myself to grown in the knowledge of the same.
4. Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in religion and to a higher exercise of grace than I was the week before.
1. Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to act as I think I should do if I had
already seen the happiness of heaven, and hell torments.
2. Resolved, never hence foreword till I die to act as if I were any way my own, but entirely and all together God’s.
3. Resolved, to study the scriptures so steadily, constantly, and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly preserve myself to grown in the knowledge of the same.
4. Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in religion and to a higher exercise of grace than I was the week before.
Thoughts of a week past
I wrote this last week and just finally found some internet to post it :D
This week the Lord has really opened my eyes to what John calls “the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does.” The Lord has graciously shown me the emptiness of worldliness (not to say that I am above these sins at all…)
My journalism teacher gave me an article to read this week about a fifteen-year-old boy who was supposedly beyond his age in thought. He wrote himself a “Code of Morals” which are as follows:
1. All moral decisions should be weighed by determining if the overall benefits outweigh the costs.
2. Religion only brings about hatred, war, and conflict, never peace or unity.
3. Never allow fear to run one’s life.
4. Inanimate objects are never inherently good or evil.
5. Know one’s limitations.
6. Simple things have simple answers; complex things have complex answers.
7. Only perform desperate measures when in desperate situations.
8. Never allow anger to cloud one’s own judgment.
9. People are, despite all their faults, inherently “good.”
10. Remember, but do not worship, the past; live for but not only for, the present, and prepare for, but do not panic over, the future.
11. Nothing is of more importance than love.
Contrast that with the Bible.
How can you live by it? How does this satisfy life’s questions? I mean, number 9 doesn’t even make sense. How can you be “inherently good” but still full of faults? And I could go on…but the saddest part about this story is that the boy died suddenly and is burning in hell. And he is just one of many who believe that nonsense.
I was also asked to participate in a poll this week. The question: What are your thoughts about the end of the world? The answer choices included: I go to church every Sunday so I’m pretty much covered. And: It seems I’ve been lugging five gallons of distilled water and cans of non-perishable food, bandages and a flashlight in the trunk of my car for nothing.
Is this matter something that should be dealt with lightly? By no means! Just read Revelation or Luke 21 or Mark 13: 32-37 or Matthew 25: 31-46. The Bible, (and specifically Jesus) reminds us and exhorts us so many times to “be on guard, be alert…watch!” How awful would it be to have the Lord tell us “ depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
But who can stand blameless before God almighty? There is none other Lamb but Jesus Christ. In Him we find forgiveness, in him is redemption even though we despised and afflicted him. All I can then ask is “Why was I made to hear Thy voice and enter while there’s room, while thousands made a wretched choice and rather starve than come?”
God did all the work and in Love He predestined me to be numbered among his chosen and calls me his friend even when I opposed him.
My song is love unknown,
My Savior’s love to me;
Love to the loveless shown,
That they might lovely be.
O who am I, that for my sake
My Lord should take, frail flesh and die?
He came from His blest throne
Salvation to bestow;
But men cared not, and none
The longed for Christ would know:
But O! My friend, my friend indeed,
Who at my need His life did spend.
Sometimes they strew His way,
And his sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the day
Hosannas to their King:
Then “Crucify!” is all their breath,
And for His death they thirst and cry.
Why, what hath my Lord done?
What makes this rage and spite?
He made the lame to run,
He gave the blind their sight,
Sweet injuries! Yet they at these
Themselves displease, and ‘gainst Him rise.
They rise and needs will have
My dear Lord made away;
A murderer they saved,
The Prince of Life they slay,
Yet cheerful He to suffering goes,
That He His foes from thence might free.
In Life no house, no home
My Lord on earth might have;
In death no friendly tomb
But what a stranger gave.
What may I say? Heav’n was His home;
But mind the tomb wherein He lay.
Here might I stay and sing,
No story so divine;
Never was love, dear King!
Never was grief like thine.
This is my friend, in whose sweet praise
I all my days could gladly spend.
This week the Lord has really opened my eyes to what John calls “the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does.” The Lord has graciously shown me the emptiness of worldliness (not to say that I am above these sins at all…)
My journalism teacher gave me an article to read this week about a fifteen-year-old boy who was supposedly beyond his age in thought. He wrote himself a “Code of Morals” which are as follows:
1. All moral decisions should be weighed by determining if the overall benefits outweigh the costs.
2. Religion only brings about hatred, war, and conflict, never peace or unity.
3. Never allow fear to run one’s life.
4. Inanimate objects are never inherently good or evil.
5. Know one’s limitations.
6. Simple things have simple answers; complex things have complex answers.
7. Only perform desperate measures when in desperate situations.
8. Never allow anger to cloud one’s own judgment.
9. People are, despite all their faults, inherently “good.”
10. Remember, but do not worship, the past; live for but not only for, the present, and prepare for, but do not panic over, the future.
11. Nothing is of more importance than love.
Contrast that with the Bible.
How can you live by it? How does this satisfy life’s questions? I mean, number 9 doesn’t even make sense. How can you be “inherently good” but still full of faults? And I could go on…but the saddest part about this story is that the boy died suddenly and is burning in hell. And he is just one of many who believe that nonsense.
I was also asked to participate in a poll this week. The question: What are your thoughts about the end of the world? The answer choices included: I go to church every Sunday so I’m pretty much covered. And: It seems I’ve been lugging five gallons of distilled water and cans of non-perishable food, bandages and a flashlight in the trunk of my car for nothing.
Is this matter something that should be dealt with lightly? By no means! Just read Revelation or Luke 21 or Mark 13: 32-37 or Matthew 25: 31-46. The Bible, (and specifically Jesus) reminds us and exhorts us so many times to “be on guard, be alert…watch!” How awful would it be to have the Lord tell us “ depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
But who can stand blameless before God almighty? There is none other Lamb but Jesus Christ. In Him we find forgiveness, in him is redemption even though we despised and afflicted him. All I can then ask is “Why was I made to hear Thy voice and enter while there’s room, while thousands made a wretched choice and rather starve than come?”
God did all the work and in Love He predestined me to be numbered among his chosen and calls me his friend even when I opposed him.
My song is love unknown,
My Savior’s love to me;
Love to the loveless shown,
That they might lovely be.
O who am I, that for my sake
My Lord should take, frail flesh and die?
He came from His blest throne
Salvation to bestow;
But men cared not, and none
The longed for Christ would know:
But O! My friend, my friend indeed,
Who at my need His life did spend.
Sometimes they strew His way,
And his sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the day
Hosannas to their King:
Then “Crucify!” is all their breath,
And for His death they thirst and cry.
Why, what hath my Lord done?
What makes this rage and spite?
He made the lame to run,
He gave the blind their sight,
Sweet injuries! Yet they at these
Themselves displease, and ‘gainst Him rise.
They rise and needs will have
My dear Lord made away;
A murderer they saved,
The Prince of Life they slay,
Yet cheerful He to suffering goes,
That He His foes from thence might free.
In Life no house, no home
My Lord on earth might have;
In death no friendly tomb
But what a stranger gave.
What may I say? Heav’n was His home;
But mind the tomb wherein He lay.
Here might I stay and sing,
No story so divine;
Never was love, dear King!
Never was grief like thine.
This is my friend, in whose sweet praise
I all my days could gladly spend.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Melissa
For those of you who didn't make it to our meeting last night: We got a christmas card from Melissa wishing us a christmas full of happiness and kindness and a new years letter: Hello dear sponsor!
I hope you are in good health surrounded by all your beautiful family, friends and all those who you love.
My name is Francisca Ercilia Palacios and I am Melissa’s mother.
I am writing this letter to you because Melissa can not write yet. I thank you a lot for the beautiful letter that you sent to her. I also thank you for the words that you wrote in the letter.
We are happy to receive this letter. Let me tell you that Melissa likes to play with dolls.
She has a doll called Belinda. This doll is beautiful and Melissa loves it.
Melissa has 5 siblings and she also lives with her father and mother. She is not attending school yet, because she is still too young.
Our community is beautiful. There is a river near my house and there are many trees, houses and animals too.
People are lovely and friendly here.
We always pray for you and your family and we ask God to bless you with health in large amounts. We also ask God to protect you in this New Year.
Thank you so much for everything.
God bless you.
With Love,
Melissa and Francisca
Also, we currently have hit our treasury amount and are in need of more funds to support this dear little girl and her family!
I hope you are in good health surrounded by all your beautiful family, friends and all those who you love.
My name is Francisca Ercilia Palacios and I am Melissa’s mother.
I am writing this letter to you because Melissa can not write yet. I thank you a lot for the beautiful letter that you sent to her. I also thank you for the words that you wrote in the letter.
We are happy to receive this letter. Let me tell you that Melissa likes to play with dolls.
She has a doll called Belinda. This doll is beautiful and Melissa loves it.
Melissa has 5 siblings and she also lives with her father and mother. She is not attending school yet, because she is still too young.
Our community is beautiful. There is a river near my house and there are many trees, houses and animals too.
People are lovely and friendly here.
We always pray for you and your family and we ask God to bless you with health in large amounts. We also ask God to protect you in this New Year.
Thank you so much for everything.
God bless you.
With Love,
Melissa and Francisca
Also, we currently have hit our treasury amount and are in need of more funds to support this dear little girl and her family!
Monday, December 22, 2008
The Holy Spirit's Work
I realize more and more lately that no scientific or historical evidence can convince people that Jesus is their personal savior. Sure science has disproved the theory of evolution. Sure it is historically proven that there was a man named Jesus who performed miracles and was even raised from the dead. But no miracle is great enough to convince a totally depraved human being to believe the gospel except through the Holy Spirit’s opening their eyes to the truth (Luke 10: 21-24, Matthew 17: 14-23, John 16:7-11). I certainly cannot convince them, neither could Paul or any other great apostle or martyr or preacher, but it is God who works in their hearts to show them the truth. With this in mind, it is still my job to be a witness for Christ, pointing everyone I possibly can to that open door. But I shouldn’t get discouraged by their stubborn rejection because it is the Holy Spirit’s work to open their hearts and make them receptive to His word. (See pastor Rayburn’s recent sermon on Revelation 3:7-13, “The Power of the Weak on Behalf of the Helpless.”)
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Do Hard Things
So I just finished the book by Brett and Alex Harris, Do Hard Things. Very inspiring, and I think you all should read it--they basically are thinking the exact same thing that we all were! Maybe God really is starting a movement--as they call it, a Rebelution. If you can, definitely read it over Christmas break! And we all need to get together.... more details to follow.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
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