Sword

So, although I have been having a great time in Grand Rapids this past year, it has been somewhat at the expense of my journey after Jesus. I have been realising more and more (as you know if you read my last post) how far I have wandered from truly following Christ. Let me state just some of my beliefs here clearly, for my own benefit and so you my readers know where I believe the path to God lies:

I believe Jesus was and is the promised Messiah of the Jews.
I believe Jesus was and is the Son of God, the Word of God, and God incarnate.
I believe Jesus died on the cross in order to bear the sins of mankind.
I believe Jesus rose from the dead and is now with God.
I believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

Re-affirming these is important to me right now, as I have found myself adrift in a sea of spirituality which was carrying me away from Jesus. Being back in Lansing for a little while over the holidays has helped me to look more intently at my actions, thoughts, and motives. It has also reminded me of the visions and truths I have received from God here in the past. One of these visions was of me holding out my hands to God, and receiving a sword. This sword, as far as I have been able to determine through words given to me by others and other images, is prayer. It represents not just speaking to God, but prayers of intercession and spiritual warfare. I have taken it back up tonight, and do not intend to lay it down again. Jesus' seal is on my arm, and I can no longer ignore the fight to which He has called me.

Peace.

Resurrection

"He began to reflect: there was nothing foul, no bad act, but there were thoughts, bad thoughts, which were that all his present intentions - marrying Katyusha and giving the land away to the peasants - that all this was an unrealizable dream, that he would not carry it to its conclusion, that it was all artificial, unnatural, and that he ought to live as he had been living.

"There was no bad act, but there was something much worse than a bad act: there were those thoughts from which spring all bad deeds. A bad act may not be repeated, and one may repent of it; but evil thoughts generate all evil deeds.

"A bad act only smooths out the path for other bad acts; bad thoughts irresistibly drag one down that path."

~Tolstoy, "Resurrection"

So, there's that. I had no idea reading a Tolstoy book would have an impact on my spiritual life, and yet as I read it today I realised this is, in fact, the case. I have seen the truth of the above words in my own life. Life in Grand Rapids is easy and good, and I have become lazy in my mind and spirit here. I have finally seen some of the wickedness which has crept into my mind, and it pains me to realise I have left it alone for so long. I miss the teachings of Jesus, the words of life I have taken for granted, the community of the church. Having realised these things, now is the time for spiritual and physical action. Please pray for me as I seek God's guidance.

Peace.

Your kingdom come

"Your kingdom come."

Not my kingdom: His. Jesus did not tell us to pray, "God make my plans happen so I can glorify You through them." Nope. He told us to pray for the coming of His Father's kingdom. God's kingdom is already at hand and is here to some extent, but Jesus hasn't come back yet, so we are still to pray for His arrival.

 "Your kingdom come."

We also should pray for God's kingdom to continue manifesting here on earth before Jesus comes back. What is true about God's kingdom? There is no sickness, no pain, no oppression, no condemnation, no hatred...the list goes on. Although the fullness of these things won't be experienced until God's kingdom takes over everything and the world is made new, God loves breaking in and revealing bits and pieces of it to the world. Pray for this. Ask God for healing, for justice, for unity, for peace.

"The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.' And let the one who hears say, 'Come.'"

Come, Lord Jesus.

Peace.

Hallowed be Your Name

 "Hallowed be Your name."

Hallowed, according to Merriam-Webster:

Sacred, consecrated, holy, revered.

To me, "hallowed" has always been more of a picture and a feeling: a place of silence, pure shining light, a sense of awe, a feeling of deep power and reverence, great power, something to be respected and feared, set apart, not to be touched, tread on, or even spoken of by the unworthy, rest, peace, incomparable beauty, something priceless, one-of-a-kind, a sense of huge greatness and grandeur. All at the same time.

Think of God's name in this way, for that is just a taste of what it truly is.

"Hallowed be Your name."

God's name alone is hallowed. His name alone is worthy of praise.

"Therefore God has highly exalted him, and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." - Paul, Philippians 2

Wow. The first two phrases of Jesus' prayer are both repeated here in different words. God's name is above every other name, and His name alone has power.\

"Hallowed be Your name."

Taken from About.com:

• Advocate - 1 John 2:1
• Almighty - Revelation 1:8
• Alpha - Revelation 1:8
• Amen - Revelation 3:14
• Angel of the Lord - Genesis 16:7
• Anointed One - Psalm 2:2
• Apostle - Hebrews 3:1
• Author and Perfecter of our Faith - Hebrews 12:2
• Beginning - Revelation 21:6
• Bishop of Souls - 1 Peter 2:25
• Branch - Zechariah 3:8
• Bread of Life - John 6:35,48
• Bridegroom - Matthew 9:15
• Carpenter - Mark 6:3
• Chief Shepherd - 1 Peter 5:4
• The Christ - Matthew 1:16
• Comforter - Jeremiah 8:18
• Consolation of Israel - Luke 2:25
• Cornerstone - Ephesians 2:20
• Dayspring - Luke 1:78
• Day Star - 2 Peter 1:19
• Deliverer - Romans 11:26
• Desire of Nations - Haggai 2:7
• Emmanuel - Matthew 1:23
• End - Revelation 21:6
• Everlasting Father - Isaiah 9:6
• Faithful and True Witness - Revelation 3:14
• First Fruits - 1 Corinthians 15:23
• Foundation - Isaiah 28:16
• Fountain - Zechariah 13:1
• Friend of Sinners - Matthew 11:19
• Gate for the Sheep - John 10:7
• Gift of God - 2 Corinthians 9:15
• God - John 1:1
• Glory of God - Isaiah 60:1
• Good Shepherd - John 10:11
• Governor - Matthew 2:6
• Great Shepherd - Hebrews 13:20
• Guide - Psalm 48:14
• Head of the Church - Colossians 1:18
• High Priest - Hebrews 3:1
• Holy One of Israel - Isaiah 41:14
• Horn of Salvation - Luke 1:69
• I Am - Exodus 3:14
• Jehovah - Psalm 83:18
• Jesus - Matthew 1:21
• King of Israel - Matthew 27:42
• King of Kings - 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 19:16
• Lamb of God - John 1:29
• Last Adam - 1 Corinthians 15:45
• Life - John 11:25
• Light of the World - John 8:12; John 9:5
• Lion of the Tribe of Judah - Revelation 5:5
• Lord of Lords - 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 19:16
• Master - Matthew 23:8
• Mediator - 1 Timothy 2:5
• Messiah - John 1:41
• Mighty God - Isaiah 9:6
• Morning Star - Revelation 22:16
• Nazarene - Matthew 2:23
• Omega - Revelation 1:8
• Passover Lamb - 1 Corinthians 5:7
• Physician - Matthew 9:12
• Potentate - 1 Timothy 6:15
• Priest - Hebrews 4:15
• Prince of Peace - Isaiah 9:6
• Prophet - Acts 3:22
• Propitiation - I John 2:2
• Purifier - Malachi 3:3
• Rabbi - John 1:49
• Ransom - 1 Timothy 2:6
• Redeemer - Isaiah 41:14
• Refiner - Malachi 3:2
• Refuge - Isaiah 25:4
• Resurrection - John 11:25
• Righteousness - Jeremiah 23:6
• Rock - Deuteronomy 32:4
• Root of David - Revelation 22:16
• Rose of Sharon - Song of Solomon 2:1
• Ruler of God's Creation - Revelation 3:14
• Sacrifice - Ephesians 5:2
• Savior - 2 Samuel 22:47; Luke 1:47
• Second Adam - 1 Corinthians 15:47
• Seed of Abraham - Galatians 3:16
• Seed of David - 2 Timothy 2:8
• Seed of the Woman - Genesis 3:15
• Servant - Isaiah 42:1
• Shepherd - 1 Peter 2:25
• Shiloh - Genesis 49:10
• Son of David - Matthew 15:22
• Son of God - Luke 1:35
• Son of Man - Matthew 18:11
• Son of Mary - Mark 6:3
• Son of the Most High - Luke 1:32
• Stone - Isaiah 28:16
• Sun of Righteousness - Malachi 4:2
• Teacher - Matthew 26:18
• Truth - John 14:6
• Way - John 14:6
• Wonderful Counselor - Isaiah 9:6
• Word - John 1:1
• Vine - John 15:1 

Think on some of these names. Look up the passages attached to them. Remind yourself of Who God has been in your life. What name have you or can you personally given to God by which you can praise Him?

Peace.

Psalm 37:1

So, this is the first blog in a series of forty I'll be doing until Easter. They will likely all be short, but maybe not. I'll be taking one verse of Psalm 37 for each blog.

"Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!"

These two commands seem simple and easy to follow. Have you ever been furious at someone driving selfishly and recklessly on the highway, though?

"Fret not yourself because of evildoers."

Once it's put in those terms, we can probably think of all sorts of applications for this command. Are you jealous of the amount of music someone has, which they illegally downloaded?

"Be not envious of wrongdoers!"

Interesting how quickly two "simple" commands can quickly morph into two rather difficult ones. This verse may not be the quaint little introduction which it seems to be on the surface.

Thinking about it more and more, these commands keep getting more difficult. However, the point of the Law is not to make us into perfect people, so we need not make ourselves feel guilty. The point of the Law is to reveal how much we really cannot do ourselves, and direct us to Jesus Christ. He is the fulfillment of all the Law and the Prophets; the only One, in fact. By believing in Him and allowing Him to live His perfection through us, we can approach and know God. Then, instead of seeing imperfection, God sees Christ, and thus perfection.

Peace.

More Mark

So, as I've said in some previous posts, I'm working through the book of Mark right now. Yesterday I was in chapter nine, which contains the account of Jesus healing a boy who is possessed by a spirit which made him mute and deaf, along with giving him convulsions. Poor kid. When the boy's father comes to Jesus asking for help, he expresses his belief that Jesus has the power to heal his son, but he still shows a little doubt. Jesus responds: "All things are possible for one who believes." The father exclaims after this, "I believe; help my unbelief!"

Wow. I've heard that phrase before, but I don't think I ever realised it originated in Scripture. I'm jealous of this man's faith and humility before Christ. He recognised his own unbelief, and wanted it gone; he wanted to believe with his whole heart, but at the same time knew he did not yet believe so strongly.

I know this man's situation well (not the part about having a possessed son). One of my most often used prayers is just this: "Jesus, change my heart so that I WANT to love You more." It's so easy to forget the spiritual warfare going on around me every day, the nearness of God, the love of Christ...sigh. Sometimes my own ignorance baffles me.

Well, in other news, I've finally landed a job, for those who read this and haven't heard yet. Starting next week, I'm going to be a park ranger with the Ingham County Parks Department. I'll be doing maintenance work throughout several dozen county parks around Lansing; primarily at Hawk Island County Park. Most of the work will be snow removal (if we get more...), trash duty, and mowing when it gets warmer. However, it's just a temporary job; the regular team will be re-hired in May, and I will probably be let go by June. I'm just happy to have a job, though, especially one which suits me so well. The pay is low, but I should have 35-40 hours every week, which will be great. If it does end in May, then I will also have an opportunity to get a summer job with the DNR, which I would also love.

Getting my foot in the door.

Peace.

A lot of pigs...

So I was reading in Mark chapter five today, specifically the story of the demon-possessed man who Jesus heals. Here, Jesus meets a man possessed by a legion of demons, referred to, in fact, as Legion. He casts them out of the man, but per their request sends them into a herd of pigs, which subsequently rushed down a steep bank and drowned in the Sea of Galilee.

Many Christians have read this passage before, but today I noticed something I've never heard anyone point out before. Verse fourteen says, "The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country."

"The herdsmen." The people whose income depended on those pigs surviving that day. Jesus knew what would happen, yet he still sent the demons into the herd. I'm glad I read this today, since I needed reminding that God's will is more important than anything else. He doesn't want to see people suffer, nor does He enjoy it. However, sometimes I think, "Oh, well, God wouldn't do that," or, "God doesn't want me to do that because it would get in this person's way, and He would never have me do that." I sometimes take the verse, "I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some," but forget about this one: "For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I still trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ."

I don't often think this way, and some people might even strongly disagree with me, but serving and loving those around us is not the ultimate goal of Christianity. Serving and loving God comes first, and although those two are almost always hand-in-hand, sometimes we may have to choose between serving God and making things hard for someone else, or choosing to please those around us and ignoring God's call.

Peace.

A good defense?

So, this started as a short thought I had while driving, but I think it's worth its own post. We often make fun of the question, "What would Jesus do," right? I know I have before. I'm not here to defend that question in particular; I'd rather ask another one. When you're about to make a decision about how you act toward other people or authority while you're driving, or really in any situation, I dare you to ask this question:

"If God were to go through every action in my life, and we get to this moment, could Jesus stand beside me and defend my actions?"

"Oh, that one was okay. The speed limits don't really matter. That one was fine too; she was just joking, even though it sounded like a really mean insult."

The question becomes not, "What would Jesus do," but rather, "Would Jesus stand beside my decision here?" I think it's a very interesting one.

As a Christian, however, I know even though Jesus won't defend all my decisions, He will defend me when I stand on the day of judgment. My sins are washed away by His blood, and His sacrifice atoned for every action I've made against Him.

Thank God.

Peace.

Stephen

So, I've been reading through the book of Acts lately. I've been asking God to show me how His less well-known disciples lived in those days, not just the Apostles, as their actions and lives are more widely known. I've never felt like much of a leader myself, so sometimes it's more difficult to identify with charismatic figures such as Paul or Peter. Through this study, I've noticed some interesting points in the stories.

First, and probably most obvious, is Acts 2:42-47. "And they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching...." This says the whole following passage is referring to those believers who weren't apostles. It's a beautiful picture of unity among the Body of Christ.

One of the more interesting story moments occurs during Saul's conversion in chapter nine. While Paul is having a vision of the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, the men traveling with him were also having a spiritual experience. Verses seven and eight say, "The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus." The men traveling with Saul, on his way to persecute Christians, also heard the voice of Christ, and were very likely with him when Ananias laid hands on Saul, when his sight was restored, and he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Doubtless, these men were going to accompany Saul in his persecution of the Christians, or at least support him in some way, so what happened to them after all these events? Did they also come to know Christ as the Son of God? They're never mentioned again.

My favorite discovery in this study, however, has to be Stephen. He was the first Christian martyr, and many people look to his example of preaching the Word and loving his enemies as an inspiration. However, he was not an apostle, nor did he even hold an important leadership role in the early church. He was originally one of seven men chosen to make sure the widows were fed daily; in the apostles' own words, to "serve tables" (v.2, ESV). Yet in this lowly task, which the apostles didn't even have time for, Stephen outshone everyone else through his deep love for God and others. Verse 8-10 show the first actions Stephen makes immediately after he was chosen: "And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some...rose up and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking." All that from some guy who was serving in what might have been the very lowest position in the early Christian church. Reading this was an inspiration to me, and I hope you can also be encouraged with it.

Peace.

Anew

So, this week has been craaazy. Not in a schoolwork or traveling way like usual, but in a spiritual way. Last Friday, I was reading John 15:1-17 for a class assignment. I went through the passage really slowly and prayerfully, trying to be open to whatever God might say to me through it. I got to verse 15, and read it several times:

"No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you."

As I read those words, I was one of Jesus' disciples, and He was speaking directly to me. I couldn't imagine why I had read those words so many times before, yet had never read them with the understanding I did this time. For years, I have felt distant from God: always trying to get closer to Him, but rarely able. I had no idea where I was going or what God was doing with and around me. I have never experienced Jesus calling me His friend until now. He then showed me verse 11:

"These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."

I have been asking God for a while to open me to His love, and to change my heart so I actually desire Him. In these moments when God was speaking to me, the Holy Spirit helped me understand a little more how God really does take joy in me as His son and also began really noticeably changing my desires.

In chapel on Wednesday, the Holy Spirit moved again through the speaker, and God helped me realise the freedom I have in Christ's sacrifice. I knew in my head that I was free from sin, but that day God spoke freedom into my heart. These two intense experiences with God gave me the strangest feeling. I can hardly put it into words...but I kind of felt like I had just become a Christian. I had all this head knowledge about God before...but now I feel like I actually know God. It's...awesome.

Peace.

Call me a heretic

So, some of you may not like what I'm going to say today. I've been doing a lot of thinking (always dangerous, yes), and I've been finding myself moving further and further from the typical mindset of students at Spring Arbor. As some know, I'm looking at going into the sciences at MSU after I graduate from the Arb, specifically their environmental biology/zoology program. If you've read certain of my posts, you may also know I'm terribly sick of watching the generally bad interactions between the Church and scientists, particularly naturalists. Today in my doctrines class, we watched a video about a Christian man named Francis Collins who is also a geneticist, and learned about his coming to faith and attempt to reconcile science and Christianity. My professor, during the discussion afterward, said many theologians often make fools of themselves in trying to argue science when they really have no idea what they're talking about. On the flip side, people like Richard Dawkins end up being made out to be fools when it comes to talking about philosophy. He also said the overwhelming scientific evidence points toward evolution as being an accurate theory.

The thing is, I have very little issue with evolution at this point. *collective gasp*

The more I learn, even in my religion courses, the less I care about arguing this issue...heck, the more I think the evolutionary theory really isn't that bad. Certain philosophical principles people draw from it aren't compatible with Christianity, but the scientific facts pointing to evolution are. My professor said, in fact, science and Christianity are closer in beliefs than ever in the present time. Plenty of people I know would argue with this statement, but many Christians are realising the merits of the new scientific discoveries in genetics and physics, and many scientists are realising the merits of intelligent design theory in explaining the origins of the universe. This is huge. I want to be a part of the group working to reconcile scientists and the church, as I think this discussion has been too long in arriving. Scholars, sure, have been talking about it for a long time, but the Church in general needs to start practicing love and acceptance toward the scientists, especially the atheists and the naturalists which it has shunned for so long. I'm sure some people reading this will strongly disagree with my stance on evolution; go ahead and argue, but you're not helping.

And now, something completely different:

I was chosen to play Jesus for a short skit in a class today. I expressed some thoughts to everyone afterward about this. People who look like me (full beard, long hair, etc.) are often chosen to play Jesus, John the Baptist, Moses, and other similar characters because of how we look on the outside. I cannot think of an instance where someone was chosen to play Jesus because they truly look like Jesus, not in physical appearance, but in character. I may look like some depictions of Jesus, but I don't feel like my life looks like His.

Peace.