1 Corinthians 1

"but we preach Christ cruficied: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."

I was just talking to someone about faith, and how often we have some strong doubts about what we believe. I remember hearing the beliefs of Christianity in a philosophy class along with beliefs of other world religions, and it did seem rather crazy to me. But as I believe Peter said, "If not you Lord, then who else?" (or something along those lines).

Romans 15

Paul talks about how the Gentiles are called by God and how they respond more than the Jews. It's kinda weird, but I feel like western Christians are now the Jewish people, and places like China and Africa are the new Gentiles. We've become jaded and stuck in our religion, while over their they have faith. We thank God a lot for such a blessed life, but sometimes I think our blessings are just spoiling us.

Romans 14

"Therefore let us stop passing judgement on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way."

I was thinking the other day that when we say not to judge each other maybe it meant that we shouldn't be condemning each other to hell. But actually we should be pointing out flaws more harshly than we do. That sounds kind of bad, but I thought maybe we've been using the "only God can judge me" card too much. This chapter nullifies that kind of thinking though, clearly Paul wants us to get along far more importantly than being right.

Romans 13

"Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature."

My Dad used to talk about how instead of seeing how much wrong we can get away with, a true Christian should be seeing how much good we can be doing. This is kinda how I live my life, try to do good except when you don't feel like it, and as long as you don't sin TOO much you should be okay. Maybe instead of trying not to sin, I should be focusing only on how to please God. It's kind of like driving a car then, if you're trying to avoid an accident, you don't look where you don't want to go, but rather where you want to steer towards.

Romans 12

Paul talks about love for quite awhile. He has a lot of good things to say on forgiving each other and living in harmony. It is so easy to get caught up with who's right and who's wrong. I think this is one of the dangers when the church starts to close in on itself. We forget that as Christians we need to stick together and work together. Believers who only see other believers though, start infighting and quarreling.

Romans 11:33-36

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things To him be the glory forever! Amen."

I found this appropriate for our talk on prayer. Often times the things we think we want/need are totally different than what God wants, even if we don't see why.

Unanswered Prayers

We talked about Friday's bible study on unanswered prayers. This has been a major tripup for me for a long time. What's the point of praying if we don't even know if we're in God's will. If it is God's will, then he'll answer it on his own without us asking for it. If it is not in God's will He won't give it to us, so again there is no point in asking. Only thing I can see is that God will change his mind if we ask him enough. But then, maybe he had our best interests in mind and we are not getting what is best for us.

Romans 9

"I will have mercy on who I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." This verse is so un-politically correct. It kinda makes you stop and think that God really doesn't need us, nor care about our opinions of him. We need to stop arguing and get in line.

Romans 8

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."

I already wrote earlier in the semester how I felt that Christians are too shortsighted when it comes to heaven. If we really believed in heaven we wouldn't complain so much about our present lives. After reading this verse I saw that I had fallen into the same pattern that I had criticized. Worrying about a job, friends, and where I'm going to stay, it's so easy to lose sight of what really is important.

Romans 7

"So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin."

I find it reassuring that Paul went through what we all went through. I have been reading his letters and he keeps admonishing the other churches not to sin. It is easy to say "Don't sin" but to actually not sin is so difficult. Paul says that when he sins it is not he who is sinning but his sinful nature.

Need to start trying again, do work.

Romans 6

Paul talks at length about being dead to sin and alive in Christ. He makes the comment that we are a slave to either Christ or to sin. The problem is when we dabble in sin. The law is just to make us realize how much grace has saved us, but when we're apathetic to being saved I struggle the most. I know trying to obey the law is futile, but without thoughts of punishment I won't obey Christ on my own will.

Romans 5

"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who he has given us."

Romans 4

"Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him."

In this chapter Paul is again talking about faith, and how it saves us instead of works. I'm confused as to what role works plays then because Paul often chastises other congregations when they sin, but then later he will talk about how God overlooks transgressions because of our faith?

Romans 3:22

"This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe."

 Paul talks about how our righteousness is from God. We really have no good works. I don't know what to think of this. Having repeated sins is so frustrating because it feels like I'm not even trying. I want to do good, but I do bad instead. Sure, righteousness comes from God, but I need to be making an effort.

Romans 3:20

"Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin."

This is a very aptly timed verse for me. I have been struggling with the idea of sin. I have slowly started believing that every time I sin, God will decide to punish me for it. I must continue to do good to win God's favor. Not necessarily salvation, but just blessings. This verse kind of shows how bad we really are though, even when we're good, we're bad. Our sin guilty shouldn't make us just feel bad, but it should draw us closer to God by making us realize how much we really need Him.

Romans 2:1

"You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgement on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgement do the same things."

In other verses Paul tells different churches, such as the one in Corinth, how many things they are doing wrong. I think maybe that we use this verse too liberally to say we don't want to take a stand for righteousness. The judgement could easily be a damning judgement, rather than just a, "Hey I think you need to stop this activity" type of judgement.

Romans 1:20

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities- his eternal power and divine nature- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."

I always hear of people who say that they see God in nature, but I have never seen it. While I appreciate the nice view of a mountain landscape, it still seems so random to me. But the other day as I was walking past a building at Purdue, I looked at the straight lines and design over the windows and I was struck by how obvious God is. I may not see God where other people do, but I see him in my own personal way, and that is comforting.

Psalm 51

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

I'm tired of living this loop over and over. I really pray that God will give me a heart that seeks after him.

Psalm 46

I was thinking that in order to love God more, I should probably be more thankful. I have been slowly getting more bitter over the years and it is difficult to be loving when you keep cynicism in your heart. After skimming some of Psalm I see how much David praises God and gives thanks to him. God calls David a man after his own heart. It is probably a good idea to learn from the best :)

1 Corinthians 13:1

"If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal."

I've been working hard this semester to clean up my life and really put a lot of effort into living a more Christ-like walk. It has been really hard though, some weeks I would do well, and then others I would slip even further. I drove home very frustrated tonight, feeling like I was caught in a cycle. But I had the realization that I have been trying to do this all as a works based effort. The greatest commandment is to love God and then to love others. Really though, I have been loving myself. Thinking that if I do good, I will feel better about myself or perhaps God will reward me.

Good works are important of course, but as Paul says, without love they mean nothing. I am not sure how suddenly start loving like I should, but I have a goal now.

Isaiah 2:10

"Go into the rocks, hide in the ground from dread of the Lord and the splendor of his majesty." This is similar to what Joe was saying in church this morning. God loves us, yes, but he also demands our respect and obedience. I feel like the image of God promoted today is one of love, but love to point that God comes across as weak, or a pushover. Reading the Old Testament is a good reminder of how small we are to God, and how respectful we should be of his power.

Isaiah 1

"Stop doing wrong, learn to do right." This is one of the best things I've read in the my quiet time in a long time. It is so straight and to the point. God requires us to live holy lives, I need to stop making excuses.

Ecclesiastes 12:13

"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man."

I have been trying to find God's will for my life lately and it hasn't been going well. What this verse tells me is that I shouldn't worry about what my purpose is, I should just worry about following God, something I really should be worrying more about.

1st Thessalonians 4:1

Well I was complaining that I didn't know what my life's purpose was. But low and behold, "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."

 I keep coming back to this theme of working honestly. Maybe this is God's calling after all?

Unity in the Body of Christ

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."

It feels like there is more division between Christians than between non-Christians. This is also something that doesn't seem to get addressed enough. The second greatest commandment is to love each other, why does slander seem like such a plague in the church?

Words

I've been thinking alot about sin in my life lately. I think most of us have those 2 or 3 that we struggle with, but it has become more and more obvious to me how much total sin I actually have. The one I really have started noticing a lot is how much I sin with the words that I say. Whether I'm cursing at peope while I'm driving, or making an inappropriate remark with friends, or saying something behind someone's back, I just realize I have so much work to do.

Tonight's Sermon

It was interesting to hear a charismatic preacher after such a long time being away from that kind of setting. I thought his overall message was really good as it is exactly what I had been thinking about. But then at the end, as he went through the familiar alter call and vague prophetic prayers I remembered why I stopped going, and made me question his original message. After all, maybe he's not speaking to me, I'm sure everyone wonders what their life goal is and what God's timing is.

I was reminded of Paul (I think) though, who said he didn't care why peope preached God's word, as long as it was being preached. In essence, maybe I have become jaded to his style of preaching, but that doesn't mean that his words don't mean anything. It's okay to be skeptical, but in the end we need to compare the words against what the Bible says.

Ephesians 4:29

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up accords to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

Jennifer Knapp

One of the comments Jennifer Knapp made was telling pastor Bob that while she appreciates his concern, he has no business interfering outside of his congregation. I didn't really know what to think of that. When we see a brother or sister falling, should we confront/rebuke them even if they don't want to hear it. As I started reading the New Testament again today, I realized that most of Paul's letters are in fact written to instruct members outside of his congregation. We're all one family, and if we don't communicate with each other, we fall apart.

Ecclesiastes 8

All my motivation is slowly fading. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do when I don't even feel like praying.

A life once spent is irrevocable. It will remain to be contemplated through eternity.…The same may be said of each day. When it is once past, it is gone forever. All the marks which we put upon it, it will exhibit forever.…Each day will not only be a witness of our conduct, but will affect our everlasting destiny.…How shall we then wish to see each day marked with usefulness…! It is too late to mend the days that are past. The future is in our power. Let us, then, each morning, resolve to send the day into eternity in such a garb as we shall wish it to wear forever. And at night let us reflect that one more day is irrevocably gone, indelibly marked.

Ecclesiastes 7:15

"I have seen both of these: a righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness."

For a while I have been considering sin to be its own consequence. We reap what we sow. But as I have been reading Ecclesiastes and Jeremiah I am not sure that is the case. God clearly seems to bless those who follow him, and punish those who oppose him. At other times though, like here, he seems to just let things go and neither bless nor curse either party. We need to remember that God is in control, we should do what he commands regardless of the consequences. And just because we're sinning and perhaps getting away with it, doesn't mean that what we are doing is right.

Ecclesiastes 6

Solomon states that he sees an evil, people who have many gifts from God but then cannot enjoy them. When I first read this I thougth that he was saying that he found it unfair. As I thought about it though, I think what he is really saying is that if we don't take the time to appreciate what we have, it doesn't matter how good our lives are.

This makes sense to me, I have so much that I take for granted and never thank God for. Usually my unhappiness stems from not having something I desire, but if I took the time to thank God for what I did have, I would probably be even more happy than if I always got what I wanted.

Ecclesiastes 5

Yay,  back to enjoying work and that what God gives us is a gift to be enjoyed. At the same time he warns that wealth is often the ruin of people.

Earlier in the chapter, Solomon warns that we should take how we speak with God very carefully. I had never thought about this, I talk to God like I would talk to a friend. But really God is so much greater than us, we should have so much respect.

Or not

Oh how Ecclesesiastes plays with my heart. First I'm told to enjoy my work, and now in the next chapter it's all meaningless again. Hopefully in the next chapter there is some actual closure to what I should do.

Prayer

Tonight in prayer meeting I was praying that God would show me some sort of direction for my life. As I read in Ecclesiastes today, there is nothing better than for man to enjoy his work. So at least for the time being it helps to have a little bit of direction, to settle in to my job and believe that it is God's plan for me.

Heaven

I was reading Ecclesiastes and Solomon was saying how everything we do is for nothing. This made me think, why do we struggle so much if in the end we all die? I think the answer is that we are striving for the afterlife. But I realized that in a way, heaven seems too good to be true. I guess I almost feel like there is going to be nothing when we die or some kind of catch to the deal.

I was discouraged with my lack of faith, but really I think everyone is like this. 80 years of ups and downs compared to an eternity of joy? If people truly believed that then why are so many Christians sad all the time? Our life expectancy is so short you would think we could handle misfortune better if we know that it's going to be over so soon. Why aren't Christians more joyful?

I feel like I'm caught in a loop in my quiet times recently. I'm not sure what else I should be learning. Probably loving others would be helpful.

I saw this and I can't help but feeling that this is how I am, chasing after such temporary niceties.

Jeremiah 10:1-5

Talks about how the idols that people worship are worthless, they can do neither good nor harm. If  we consider our own materialism it works the same way; they don't really hurt anything, but often it's strange how we spend so much time running after things that aren't even valuable. Baseball players get paid millions of dollars to hit a little ball with a piece of wood. There is nothing wrong with baseball, but our priorities are really screwed up.

Jeremiah 9:17

"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righeousness on earth, for in these I delight, declares the Lord."

In our small groups, we have been talking about how what people desire is different than what God desires. Often the things we hold valuable are different than what God thinks is valuable. In the end, everything we have will be gone, but the only thing that matters is our relationship to God. Why is it so difficult to see the benefit in really chasing after him then?

Jeremiah 8

Jeremiah has pretty much been the same thing every chapter, God is really angry at Israel for abandoning him, and letting them know that punishment is coming. It was difficult to find any sort of applicability at first, but if we replace Israel with ourselves it's easy to see just how closely we resemble them. God is good to us, we fall away until something bad happens, and then we come back. Repeat this over and over and over.

Jeremiah 5:25

"Your wrongdoings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good."

It's been kinda interesting grading homework for my friends. I sometimes see them make silly mistakes, and I want to overlook it because we're close. But then I think, if I let them get away with it, they'll never learn. Until recently I've been kind of asking God to give blessings, but without really repenting. I realized that if God gave me what I asked for, he would basically be condoning my behavior. This would never lead to a closer relationship.

Prayer

This morning as I was lying in bed praying, I think I finally heard God speak to me after several years. It was unlike the instances before where I wasn't sure if it was me talking or God. At any rate, it was very reassuring, but I also felt I was being challenged at the same time. I'm making progress spiritually, but I can't let my guard down.

Second Wind

I used to ride bikes quite a bit with my family, as the youngest child i often had trouble keeping up with them. Before long I would be out of breath and very tired and wanted nothing more than to take a break. After awhile, I would notice that while I was still exhausted, I had a new level of determination and energy even though I hadn't taken a break or had any food. There is a term for this called getting your second wind.

Spiritually I feel in the same position. I am tired and seem to be lagging behind people. I would like nothing more than some kind of break, like a renewing of my faith or an answered prayer. What I have been feeling in the past week instead though is a sort of spiritual second wind. By simply making the effort to stay spiritually active, and continuing to pray I feel that despite my doubts and struggles I have a newfound determination. Nothing has gotten easier, but I feel a little stronger.

Hope it stays

Jeremiah 4

God is very angry with Israel in this verse. The impression I get of God in the New Testament is of a much more passive God than the Old Testament. However, we know that God's character never changes, so that means that God was as loving back then, but that also means that he is just as temperamental now. We should probably stay on his good side.

So sleepy

I wonder how much God cares about our quiet times if we only do them because we have to, but we have the mindset that we want to continue them in the future?

Jeremiah 3:12

"Return, faithless Israel, declares the Lord, I will frown on you no longer, for I am merciful, declares the Lord, I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your guilt"

This is in the middle of God basically calling Israel worthless because their cries to God were unrepentant. This is exactly how we are, we cry out to God that life is unfair, that it is difficult, and why won't he answer prayers. But at the same time, we live continuously in sin, pausing only to pray and then we resume again. I know I've felt trapped in this vicious cycle. This is such a reassuring verse because basically it is telling me that I haven't really repented if I have no plans on quitting sin. But if we truly have a change of heart, God will hear us.

Jeremiah 2:The whole thing

Israel has an interesting history of going back and forth between loving God, getting in trouble, repenting, and then back again. This could probably be used to describe our own relationships with God.

We get in trouble, ask for God's help, receive it and then go back to our own little idols.

I just realized all my posts are super negative =[

Romans 2:7

"To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life."

This verse means a lot to me because for several years I have been struggling with a feeling of apathy. I didn't really want to live a Christian life, but I wanted to want to. I've spent so much time waiting for the motivation to come, or for some revelation to rekindle the fire. Paul, however says that it is by persistence in doing good. While we are definately saved through faith, I think we are going to be judged on our actions more than we are sometimes led to believe.

Isaiah 1:11

God is talking to the rebellious people of Judah and warns them that he is sick of their offerings. He later tells them to repent and he will forgive their sins. I think this verse addresses the idea that we can sin and just ask God to forgive us. If our hearts are not in the right place then we are asking to be forgiven even though we aren't really repentant, and God is not going to buy it.

Jeremiah 29:13

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." 

I guess I can't expect to get close to God again when I'm only seeking him with half my heart.

Proverbs 24:30-34

    ³⁰I passed by the field of the sluggard
         And by the vineyard of the man ^(A)lacking sense,
    ³¹And behold, it was completely ^(B)overgrown with thistles;
         Its surface was covered with ^(C)nettles,
         And its stone ^(D)wall was broken down.
    ³²When I saw, I reflected upon it;
         I looked, and received instruction.
    ³³"^(E)A little sleep, a little slumber,
         A little folding of the hands to rest,"
    ³⁴Then your poverty will come as a robber
         And your want like an armed man.

Was talking with one of the leaders about how lazy I've become. I entered this semester thinking it was going to finally be my chance to catch my breath and relax before I entered the real world. Instead my relaxation has become a habit. I only want to do what I feel like doing and am avoiding a lot of responsibility. This just makes me stressed and I try even harder to relax by avoiding work and I create a vicious cycle. I'd pray and ask for help from God, but that's too much work.

It's seriously time for me to man up and become the Christian/person I know I should be.

“Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” 

(Deuteronomy 5:16 NRSV)

Really convicted of this, living at home in college doesn't make it easy to get along with your parents.

1 Peter 2:12

"Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."

It seems that this is where Christianity is struggling, we have the being "accused of doing wrong" down to a science, but we're still struggling with doing good deeds. So much of Christianity in the media is stuff like Quran burning, or the Westboro Baptists, but we have nothing for doing good. I don't know if that's because most good deeds aren't newsworthy, but why aren't Christians the first to respond to disasters like the Haiti earthquake or the floods in Pakistan? It would be so much harder to crticize us if we lived as we were called to.

1 Peter 6-8

I was talking to a friend about unanswered prayers and I was saying how God never seems to answer any of my prayers. It gets very discouraging to keep faith when you have so little to hold on to. In this passage, Peter says that our faith is tested to be proved genuine.

God says that he grants those who seek after him the desires of their heart. I guess you can't really count only praying to God when you want something as really seeking after God. I have my priorities backwards I think.

2 Peter 1:5-9

Peter advises Christ's followers to make every effort to add goodnes, faith, knowledge, and self-control. If we don't, he wanrs that it will make us ineffective and unproductive in our knowledge of Jesus Christ. While faith may save us, it doesn't help us further Christ's Kingdom.

: /

I got an email today saying I have 2 weeks to decide if I am going to accept my offer. This is a much scarier decision than I thought it would be initially. I was thinking I should pray for guidance about it, but it seems that none of my prayers get answered one way or another. I don't know if that means that God is letting me decide or if I'm just too distant to even hear anything.

1 John 2:15

"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

I have heard this verse many times, but whenever it is mentioned it is always sugarcoated, as in "Oh, it doesn't mean that we can't enjoy things in this life, God just has to be our first love." I have often wondered if maybe the things we enjoy, such as sports, movies, or videogames are more dangerous than we think.

I've heard it said of dieting that total abstinence is easier than moderation. I think sometimes the same is true of how we spend our time. If anyone was to force me to choose between never reading the Bible again, or never playing Starcraft again, I would of course choose to keep the Bible. If I added up the time I spend on each one though I probably play Starcraft half an hour to an hour a day, whereas I'm lucky if I spend half an hour a week on devotions.

In a few years, Starcraft will have faded away, but my time will probably be filled by some other dumb activity. I would rank any of my hobbies as less important than my walk with God. However, if anyone looked at how I spent my time, it would appear that God was closer to last place rather than first.

Jude

There are a couple of books of the Bible that I hear about all the time, but never read. I thought it would be a good idea to read these and decided to start with Jude. As it turns out Jude is quite short, it is mostly about one topic, unbelievers infiltrating the church and corrupting it. 

It is a somber reminder that we need to always be on our guard against such people. I remember a church youth group I went to. The leaders were so concerned about growing in size that they began to strip the gospel away in favor of playing games to attract people. It worked for awhile, the youth group grew quite a bit bigger. But when the time came that they decided to start really preaching, all the bad influences they brought in ended up dragging a lot of the "good" kids away too and we ended up even smaller than before. 

I feel like cornerstone might be smaller than it used to be, but we should use this opportunity to create a group of really strong believers. People who will be able to train and lead other people in the future are worth so much more than immediate numbers.

Hmmm

This is the most blog ever.