John 3:26-30
26 And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have borne witness, behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him."
27 John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven.
28 "You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before Him.'
29 "He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. And so this joy of mine has been made full.
30 "He must increase, but I must decrease.
(NAS)
This passage is at the tail end of John the Baptist’s ministry. Many of the crowds that were coming to John to be baptized were now going to Jesus. Some of those around John approached him and in a way, they asked if John was jealous that the crowds had moved from John to Jesus.
John’s response is what every believer’s attitude, especially those in ministry of any kind, should be. Basically, “I’m not God, I’m just a servant, a messenger for Him. He’s the one that deserves the glory and it brings me joy to see His people coming to Him.” Verse 30 is the key. The attitude of the believer needs to be that Jesus is ever more important, and we continue to think of ourselves as less important.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
New Classes
I am now three weeks into winter quarter at SPSCC. My classes this quarter are a little bit lighter. I'm taking two music classes: a piano class and a voice class. I'm also taking CAD, or Computer Aided Drafting. My fourth class is principles of fitness, which is basically a class to tell me how out of shape I am and how much I have to do to be "in shape." Sounds fun, huh?
Being a couple weeks into it, I'd like to give a disclaimer on taking a voice class. If you don't like (or do like) speaking and singing in gibberish, doing lots of embarrassing vocal exercises, stretches, etc., you should take voice class because it will either very quickly help you get over any shyness that you have about making a fool of yourself and you will have a lot of fun. The flip side is, you could hate it, in which case you can drop the class. I really doubt there are many people that couldn't enjoy themselves at least a little bit making all those sounds that you get in trouble for making at the dinner table when you're 8, but to each his own. On top of everything else, if you can sing, you'll sing better, and if you can't, you just might learn how to. Definitely worthwhile.
Being a couple weeks into it, I'd like to give a disclaimer on taking a voice class. If you don't like (or do like) speaking and singing in gibberish, doing lots of embarrassing vocal exercises, stretches, etc., you should take voice class because it will either very quickly help you get over any shyness that you have about making a fool of yourself and you will have a lot of fun. The flip side is, you could hate it, in which case you can drop the class. I really doubt there are many people that couldn't enjoy themselves at least a little bit making all those sounds that you get in trouble for making at the dinner table when you're 8, but to each his own. On top of everything else, if you can sing, you'll sing better, and if you can't, you just might learn how to. Definitely worthwhile.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Joy!
I Jn 1:1-4
1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands handled, concerning the Word of Life--2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us--3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.4 And these things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.(NAS)
In the opening passage of 1 John, John explains the purpose for sending this letter. Later it gives reasons such as "that you might not sin." The book also warns of false teachers rising up from the church. But in the above verses, the purpose revealed is something that all Believers should be actively doing. We should be telling others what we have experienced concerning Jesus Christ in our lives. We should share Him with others.
Through this, we can share the best fellowship with those we witness to, the common Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It also says that by sharing Jesus with others and even by teaching other believers, "our joy," the disciples' joy, is made complete. Sharing with others not only brings them into fellowship with God, but also brings us joy.
1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands handled, concerning the Word of Life--2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us--3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.4 And these things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.(NAS)
In the opening passage of 1 John, John explains the purpose for sending this letter. Later it gives reasons such as "that you might not sin." The book also warns of false teachers rising up from the church. But in the above verses, the purpose revealed is something that all Believers should be actively doing. We should be telling others what we have experienced concerning Jesus Christ in our lives. We should share Him with others.
Through this, we can share the best fellowship with those we witness to, the common Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It also says that by sharing Jesus with others and even by teaching other believers, "our joy," the disciples' joy, is made complete. Sharing with others not only brings them into fellowship with God, but also brings us joy.
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