The message today was out of I Corinthians 13:1-3:
1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.2 And if I have {the gift of} prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.3 And if I give all my possessions to feed {the poor,} and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.(NAS)
I find it absolutely amazing how important love is. Almost everything that we as humans try to associate with being "spiritual" or what we consider good works mean nothing on their own. It seems to me that we as humans are capable of doing anything for the wrong reason. And if our motivation is anything besides love for God and love for one another, it doesn't mean anything when it comes to eternity. Gifts of charity can be given to make oneself look good, use of spiritual gifts can build up our own selfish pride instead of uplifting others. But when we serve others and honor God, let it be without selfish motivation, let it be done in love.
1 Cor 16:14 Let all that you do be done in love.(NAS)
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Switching Classes
Tomorrow I start classes at SPSCC for Fall quarter. I probably have the absolute worst schedule that I've ever heard of. I have a lab, evening classes, and a very spread out schedule. The advantage to being back: I have access to high-speed internet at the college (as opposed to dial-up at home).
Also, today at church, the youth group Sunday school teacher was gone, so we more or less had a substitute. Actually, we sat in on one of the adult Sunday school classes. My dad's adult Sunday school class. It was interesting seeing my dad teach, as I had never sat in on one of his classes before. His class is going through Ephesians, and today was Ephesians 2:1-10, which means that we went over what is probably one of my favorite Bible verses.
Eph 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, {it is} the gift of God;9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast.(NAS)
This verse says so much about Salvation, and every bit of it is extremely humbling. First of all, Christians are saved by faith in Jesus alone. It has absolutely nothing to do with anything that we've done to deserve God's favor. On top of that, without the gift of faith from God, we wouldn't even have enough faith to accept Jesus as our Saviour. Everything about our Salvation, and our lives, is really a completely undeserved gift from God. As a side note, this also shows strong evidence that Believers were predestined by God. God doesn't randomly give out the faith to believe in His Son, but He knew from beyond time who would receive the gift of faith and the Salvation that follows.
Also, today at church, the youth group Sunday school teacher was gone, so we more or less had a substitute. Actually, we sat in on one of the adult Sunday school classes. My dad's adult Sunday school class. It was interesting seeing my dad teach, as I had never sat in on one of his classes before. His class is going through Ephesians, and today was Ephesians 2:1-10, which means that we went over what is probably one of my favorite Bible verses.
Eph 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, {it is} the gift of God;9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast.(NAS)
This verse says so much about Salvation, and every bit of it is extremely humbling. First of all, Christians are saved by faith in Jesus alone. It has absolutely nothing to do with anything that we've done to deserve God's favor. On top of that, without the gift of faith from God, we wouldn't even have enough faith to accept Jesus as our Saviour. Everything about our Salvation, and our lives, is really a completely undeserved gift from God. As a side note, this also shows strong evidence that Believers were predestined by God. God doesn't randomly give out the faith to believe in His Son, but He knew from beyond time who would receive the gift of faith and the Salvation that follows.
Friday, September 19, 2008
New Reading Material
Earlier this week, I started reading Don't Waste Your Life, by John Piper. The book is, well, about how not to waste your life, spiritually. So far, the point has been that we were created to glorify God. That being the case, the only way not to have a wasted life is to have a Christ centered life, as Christ is the only way for us in our sin to reach God. Obviously, in three chapters Piper has gone into a bit more detail. From what I've read so far, I would highly recommend this book.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Off to England (I wish)
Me being a bit of a nerd when it comes to Lord of The Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia, I was extremely exited to hear that there is an exhibit of weaponry created by WETA workshop at an armoury right now ('till November). (For those of you that are lost at this point, WETA is the workshop that made the weapons for LOTR and Narnia). Of course, after hearing that said armory is located in England, my exitement died. The bright side: admission to the armory is free, and admission to the WETA exhibit is free, so if I can get to England, that's one thing I wouldn't have to pay for.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Tainted Offering
Isa 1:12-17
12 "When you come to appear before me, who requires of you this trampling of My courts?13 "Bring your worthless offerings no longer, incense is an abomination to me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies-- I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly.14 "I hate your new moon {festivals} and your appointed feasts, they have become a burden to me. I am weary of bearing {them.}15 "So when you spread out your hands {in prayer,} I will hide My eyes from you, yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.16 "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil,17 Learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the ruthless; defend the orphan, plead for the widow.(NAS)
Israel was deep in sin at the time that this was written. But the Israelites expected to be able to worship and pray to God in their sin with no change. According to this, that was clearly not the case. God says that he hates their offerings and feasts. Their prayers and offerings had become useless, no matter how numerous they were. They had to cleanse themselves of their sin before they could rightfully worship their holy God.
A similar message is seen in the New Testament.
1 Cor 11:25-2825 In the same way {He took} the cup also, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink {it,} in remembrance of Me."26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.(NAS)
In the same way that the Israelite's sin got in the way of their worship with God, a Christian's sin that he has not repented of can get in the way of his relationship with God. Communion is not just a way to remember Jesus' sacrifice, it is also an opportunity to examine oneself for sin yet to be confessed.
12 "When you come to appear before me, who requires of you this trampling of My courts?13 "Bring your worthless offerings no longer, incense is an abomination to me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies-- I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly.14 "I hate your new moon {festivals} and your appointed feasts, they have become a burden to me. I am weary of bearing {them.}15 "So when you spread out your hands {in prayer,} I will hide My eyes from you, yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.16 "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil,17 Learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the ruthless; defend the orphan, plead for the widow.(NAS)
Israel was deep in sin at the time that this was written. But the Israelites expected to be able to worship and pray to God in their sin with no change. According to this, that was clearly not the case. God says that he hates their offerings and feasts. Their prayers and offerings had become useless, no matter how numerous they were. They had to cleanse themselves of their sin before they could rightfully worship their holy God.
A similar message is seen in the New Testament.
1 Cor 11:25-2825 In the same way {He took} the cup also, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink {it,} in remembrance of Me."26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.(NAS)
In the same way that the Israelite's sin got in the way of their worship with God, a Christian's sin that he has not repented of can get in the way of his relationship with God. Communion is not just a way to remember Jesus' sacrifice, it is also an opportunity to examine oneself for sin yet to be confessed.
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