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Friday, 10 July 2009

  • Impossible

    It is impossible for us, of ourselves, to escape from the pit of sin in which we are sunken.  Our hearts are evil, and we cannot change them. "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one." "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Job 14:4; Romans 8:7. 

    Education, culture, the exercise of the will, human effort, all have their proper sphere, but here they are powerless.      They may produce an outward correctness of behavior, but they cannot change the heart; they cannot purify the springs of life.  There must be a power working from within, a new life from above, before men can be changed from sin to holiness.  That power is Christ.  His grace alone can quicken the lifeless faculties of the soul, and attract it to God, to holiness. [STC 18]

Friday, 03 July 2009

  • Only the Beginning of Wisdom

    You look at the life of Solomon and he got all the bells and whistles added to his life in his desire for wisdom to honor God.  In my greedy economical mind, I'm like, I should ask for some wisdom too so I get everything else thrown in.

    It reminds me of a fable where this woodcutter guy drops an iron axe in the pond.  The pond genie/fairy/god pops up with a solid golden axe and asks, "Is this your axe?"  The honest lumberjack says no and the pond genie/fairy/god goes down again and emerges with a solid silver axe.  Again the question and the honest answer.  As a result the lumberjack gets all three and he became rich.

    His lumberjack partner finds out that the reason the other guy hasn't been showing up to work was because he was ballin' with his gold and silver axe so he asks how it happened.  To shorten the story, he finds out and goes up into the mountains with his own iron axe.  Then he chucks in his iron axe in the pond and starts weeping to get the pond genie/fairy/god's attention.

    The pond genie/fairy/god pops up with a golden one and the lumberjacks eyes light up and yells, "YES! that one is mine!"  and of course he gets nothing and loses his own axe.

    Don't be like that woodcutter that lost his axe.  When your motive is right, the blessings get thrown in as bonus.  Don't play thinking you can fool God.  He knows...

    And I know James 1:5 says to ask God for wisdom and he'll give liberally, but if that is your end purpose, you're not getting it.  Check out these verses and apply the law of transitivity (if A = B and B = C, A = C).

    1. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom and with all thy getting get understanding. - Proverbs 4:7
    2. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. - Psalm 111:10
    3. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. - Proverbs 8:13

Wednesday, 13 May 2009

  • Gangster Mob Boss vs. Jesus

    Where in the Bible does it say Jesus is your best friend?  Where in the world do we get this "Jesus is my homeboy" idea?  Other nonsensical statements I've heard include: "Oh, He's my husband..." ; "I'm married to Jesus..." ; "I love Him..." NO! Don't play like you have a romantic relationship.  He's not your boyfriend, lover, or bowling buddy.

    I think the American mindset has messed it up in instilling the belief everyone is equal and everyone has rights.  Just drives me crazy how some children talk back to their parents and get away with it.  Little kids call their teachers, parents, pastors, etc. by their first names and whatnot... Absolutely no respect. 

    I think there's a problem when a gangster mob boss gets more reverence and respect than this "homeboy Jesus"?  Don't give me the it's-because-of-serving-out-of-fear-or-love argument; this is the God that made the universe that you're talking about.  He IS love.  Doesn't the lack of reverence bother you?

Tuesday, 07 April 2009

  • The only reason why we have second thoughts about our lives after college/school/graduation is because we're not sure how we'll be able to support or sustain ourselves through life if we were to fully serve God.  Of course that's not how most of us would word it, but that is what it is at the root of it all.  You can't make money keeping the Sabbath--you'll lose your job.  What about your family?...

    "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God."  Often the follower of Christ is brought where he cannot serve God and carry forward his worldly enterprises.  Perhaps it appears that obedience to some plain requirement of God will cut off his means of support.  Satan would make him believe that he must sacrifice his conscientious convictions.  But the only thing in our world upon which we can rely is the word of God.

    When we learn the power of His word, we shall not follow the suggestions of Satan in order to obtain food or to save our lives.  Our only questions will be, What is God's command? and what His promise? [DA 121]

Thursday, 12 March 2009

  • He was the "lamb without blemish and without spot." 1 Pet 1:19.  His physical structure was not marred by any defect; His body was strong and healthy.  And throughout His lifetime He lived in conformity to nature's laws.  Physically as well as spiritually, He was an example of what God designed all humanity to be through obedience to His laws. [DA 50-51]

    I hear so much about spiritual excellence and academic excellence.  I also do hear a little bit about the whole your-body-is-the-temple-of-God, but how many people really live like it?  You miss a few church services or skip out on Bible studies, you'll get elders and church folks calling to see whats up...  You start doing poorly in school and the academic probation office will contact you...  You skip a few days of working out, you let you stuff leak out all over the place... no one says anything.

    The passage from Desire of Ages has challenged and rebuked me.  I want to be more like Jesus.  I want to follow the example of what God designed all humanity to be both physically and spiritually.  It'll be hard trying to follow the laws of nature as a college student, but keep me accountable.  I won't be bbeejed if you call me out. :)

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