This weekend we had a teen retreat at our church which we like to call "Mid-winter Retreat" because we have it usually the last weekend of January.
This year we went over the topic of Growth. Starting the weekend off, we went off with an adult to a corner of the building(two teens, one adult) and shared with each other what we wanted God to do in our lives, and then we prayed for each other.
A common theme with my group was to learn how to grow, another prayer request was to learn how to apply the lessons learned, then how to be consistent. So we prayed right then for each other and for ourselves that God will work in our lives.
I can't remember exactly how the services were ordered, but one service touched on the mega-promises given to us by our mega-God.
2Pe 1:3-4 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
So, God, according to his divine power, has given us everything we need for life and godliness. And in addition to the power, we are given promises--mega and precious ones-- that by the things we are given for our need to live as God would have us live we are able to partake of His divine nature. We are able to be holy like God!
During this service, I was reminded of a certain area in my life that Satan seems to have a stronghold, a place where I find myself falling again and again. But, God told me(through His word and through the preacher) that He has given me everything I could possibly need to live the Christian life he wants me to live; to be the Christian He wants me to be. I have the power to resist Satan. I have the power to have victory of sin.
However, just because the power has been given to me doesn't mean I automatically live a life of victory. I must choose to claim His promise of his given power. I must be [i]willing[/i] to claim it.
Who doesn't want a victorious Christian life? I definitely would! But...am I willing to live such a life? Am I willing to surrender to Him so I can have this power? I can't be producing good fruit and bad fruit at the same time, I can't drink bitter and sweet water from the same well. I must make my choice--God, or Satan. I must be willing to surrender the temporary pleasures of sin and claim the promise God has given to me to live a life of both temporary and eternal pleasures--pleasures that honor God. The promise to live with the chains broken from my wrists--and thrown hundreds of miles away!
It is my choice. Am I willing to be everything He wants of me?
To quote a song by a Christian artist as my ending note:
I am willing to be
Anything you want from me
Cause you have given
New life to Me
I should be willing to be anything God wants me to be because He has given me new life. Why should I live in the ways of my old life if I have a new, amazing, awe-some, wonderful life? A life where I CAN have victory, a life where I CAN have everything I need for life and godliness, a life where I CAN have power.
Am I willing?
-Kevin
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Measuring Accomplishments
The measure of your accomplishments isn't the number of points you rack in, how many chapters you read from the Bible, how many verses you quote. The measure of your accomplishments, instead is how much you've learned, applied, and put into practice.
Whether you do things for points or not, if you do them without learning, applying, and putting the applied truths to action, then you haven't accomplished anything.
I was lying here on my bed, wondering what I should to for tomorrow(To those not going to my church, Wednesdays are the days we have our "score sheets" turned in--where we tally up the verses said, devotions done, ministries served, books read and reports written on said books. Each with their own point-price-tag).
So, I haven't memorized any verses for sigma(youth program), I haven't read any books or done reports on them, I have only done my devotions and some ministries.
However, I memorized a list of verses published last year as a topical verse sheet that wasn't transferred over to this year's compilation of verse sheets. It had Philippians 4:8, Matt 5;27-28, James 4:7-8, Ps. 19:14, and a few others.
So I was trying to rack my mind...Could I memorize an easy, yet applicable verse sheet on kindness or obedience before tomorrow? Could I read a book and do a report on it by tomorrow afternoon?
Once I started thinking on doing the book report, God reminded me of the truth at the beginning of this blog entry. The measurement of our accomplishment isn't about how many verses we can earn in a week, or how many Bible chapters we can read in a day/week, or how many books we can read/write reports on in a week, or how many verses we can quote.
The measurement is how many times we learned from those things we did; how many times we applied the truths we learned; how many times we put into practice that which was applied. How many time were you able to grow in Christ by doing those things? How many times did you say no to Satan's foolish temptings because you remembered what you read/memorized and then put it into action by resisting him?
After God reminded me of this truth, he reminded me also of the times I was able to use the verses I memorized earlier this week. I remember Satan tempting me to sin in my thoughts, and by applying and putting into action what I memorized, I was able to resist Satan(through God).
God also reminded me of how I learned from what I memorized. That lesson can be found in the blog entry blow this one, "James 4:7-8."
He also reminded me of a few other things that I won't go into. But my point in all of this is to exemplify that even though I didn't "accomplish" anything hardly as far as points go, I was able to accomplish much more important things.
To those in the youth program: Throw out the mentality of points! They won't get you any where in life if that is the only (worthwhile) reason you do spiritual things.
To those out of the youth program: Reading your Bible, "memorizing" verses, "serving" God won't measure your "accomplishments" for the week. The many times you learned, applied, and put into practice those spiritual things you did--that is what measures your accomplishments.
You can "read" your Bible and "memorize" verses all you want, but until you let truths sink in and you learn from those things, and until your apply and practice those things, you won't grow.
Pro 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, [and] apply thine heart to understanding;
Pro 22:17 Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
Jos 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Jam 1:22-25 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
-Kevin
Whether you do things for points or not, if you do them without learning, applying, and putting the applied truths to action, then you haven't accomplished anything.
I was lying here on my bed, wondering what I should to for tomorrow(To those not going to my church, Wednesdays are the days we have our "score sheets" turned in--where we tally up the verses said, devotions done, ministries served, books read and reports written on said books. Each with their own point-price-tag).
So, I haven't memorized any verses for sigma(youth program), I haven't read any books or done reports on them, I have only done my devotions and some ministries.
However, I memorized a list of verses published last year as a topical verse sheet that wasn't transferred over to this year's compilation of verse sheets. It had Philippians 4:8, Matt 5;27-28, James 4:7-8, Ps. 19:14, and a few others.
So I was trying to rack my mind...Could I memorize an easy, yet applicable verse sheet on kindness or obedience before tomorrow? Could I read a book and do a report on it by tomorrow afternoon?
Once I started thinking on doing the book report, God reminded me of the truth at the beginning of this blog entry. The measurement of our accomplishment isn't about how many verses we can earn in a week, or how many Bible chapters we can read in a day/week, or how many books we can read/write reports on in a week, or how many verses we can quote.
The measurement is how many times we learned from those things we did; how many times we applied the truths we learned; how many times we put into practice that which was applied. How many time were you able to grow in Christ by doing those things? How many times did you say no to Satan's foolish temptings because you remembered what you read/memorized and then put it into action by resisting him?
After God reminded me of this truth, he reminded me also of the times I was able to use the verses I memorized earlier this week. I remember Satan tempting me to sin in my thoughts, and by applying and putting into action what I memorized, I was able to resist Satan(through God).
God also reminded me of how I learned from what I memorized. That lesson can be found in the blog entry blow this one, "James 4:7-8."
He also reminded me of a few other things that I won't go into. But my point in all of this is to exemplify that even though I didn't "accomplish" anything hardly as far as points go, I was able to accomplish much more important things.
To those in the youth program: Throw out the mentality of points! They won't get you any where in life if that is the only (worthwhile) reason you do spiritual things.
To those out of the youth program: Reading your Bible, "memorizing" verses, "serving" God won't measure your "accomplishments" for the week. The many times you learned, applied, and put into practice those spiritual things you did--that is what measures your accomplishments.
You can "read" your Bible and "memorize" verses all you want, but until you let truths sink in and you learn from those things, and until your apply and practice those things, you won't grow.
Pro 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, [and] apply thine heart to understanding;
Pro 22:17 Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
Jos 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Jam 1:22-25 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
-Kevin
Saturday, January 22, 2011
James 4:7-8
James 4:7 is a fairly familiar verse: Submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.
And James 4:8 is familiar, too: Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you(Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hears ye double minded.) [I put the last couple of phrases in quotes, because that usually isn't quoted with the first portion, even though that is the entire verse.]
Both verses hold great truths. When you submit yourself to God and resist the devil, the devil will flee from you.
And when you bring yourself close to God, God will come close to you.
But until today I haven't consciously realized those are back to back verses. That they are together in thought.
We first must submit to God. We must give up our desires, our plans, our ideas and submit to him. In that submission, we must resist Satan. We must resist what he offers us, we must resist his temptations to sin. When we keep doing that, submitting and resisting, Satan will flee from us.
I believe that is because God has come closer to us. When we submit to God, and resist Satan, we naturally come close to God. And because we come close to God, God promises to come close to us. And when that happens, Satan flees. Not because of us, but because of God. He flees from the glory and power of God!
But the verse doesn't end there. Once we draw close to God, we are commanded to cleanse our hands and to purify our hearts. I think that is referring to this: Once we submit to God's way of thinking and doing, and when we resist Satan, thus drawing close to God and he to us, and when Satan flees from us, we need to wash our hands from the deeds we had been doing before this process started. We need to cleanse our lives from the dirt that covered us while we were drawing nigh to Satan.
One step of that is going back to those we may have hurt during that time, seeking forgiveness and reconciliation. And then seeking forgiveness from God. And then saturating ourself with the cleaning power of God's word and His Spirit.
And after we cleanse our hands, we need to purify our hearts. But James calls us something interesting in this verse: he calls us double minded. So I think he is referring to Christians who beforehand were serving God with one hand, and bringing him shame with the other. Those people that wanted to serve God, and yet wanted to serve self.
So, he's addressing those double minded Christians: "Submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will from you because when you come close to God, God will come close to you. Now once you are back in submission and fellowship with God, wash yourselves from those things you were doing. Cleanse the dirt from your hands. Also, purify your hearts, your double minded."
We are to purify, make pure, our hearts. No longer should there be even a smudge of desire to serve self and Satan. No more double mindedness. No more impurities. We are to purify our hearts and cleanse our hands.
"Submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands ye sinners; and purify your hearts ye double minded."
-Kevin
And James 4:8 is familiar, too: Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you(Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hears ye double minded.) [I put the last couple of phrases in quotes, because that usually isn't quoted with the first portion, even though that is the entire verse.]
Both verses hold great truths. When you submit yourself to God and resist the devil, the devil will flee from you.
And when you bring yourself close to God, God will come close to you.
But until today I haven't consciously realized those are back to back verses. That they are together in thought.
We first must submit to God. We must give up our desires, our plans, our ideas and submit to him. In that submission, we must resist Satan. We must resist what he offers us, we must resist his temptations to sin. When we keep doing that, submitting and resisting, Satan will flee from us.
I believe that is because God has come closer to us. When we submit to God, and resist Satan, we naturally come close to God. And because we come close to God, God promises to come close to us. And when that happens, Satan flees. Not because of us, but because of God. He flees from the glory and power of God!
But the verse doesn't end there. Once we draw close to God, we are commanded to cleanse our hands and to purify our hearts. I think that is referring to this: Once we submit to God's way of thinking and doing, and when we resist Satan, thus drawing close to God and he to us, and when Satan flees from us, we need to wash our hands from the deeds we had been doing before this process started. We need to cleanse our lives from the dirt that covered us while we were drawing nigh to Satan.
One step of that is going back to those we may have hurt during that time, seeking forgiveness and reconciliation. And then seeking forgiveness from God. And then saturating ourself with the cleaning power of God's word and His Spirit.
And after we cleanse our hands, we need to purify our hearts. But James calls us something interesting in this verse: he calls us double minded. So I think he is referring to Christians who beforehand were serving God with one hand, and bringing him shame with the other. Those people that wanted to serve God, and yet wanted to serve self.
So, he's addressing those double minded Christians: "Submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will from you because when you come close to God, God will come close to you. Now once you are back in submission and fellowship with God, wash yourselves from those things you were doing. Cleanse the dirt from your hands. Also, purify your hearts, your double minded."
We are to purify, make pure, our hearts. No longer should there be even a smudge of desire to serve self and Satan. No more double mindedness. No more impurities. We are to purify our hearts and cleanse our hands.
"Submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands ye sinners; and purify your hearts ye double minded."
-Kevin
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Where is your Focus?
My church has a youth group for teenagers. And with the youth group is a system--program-- that is established so the teens can learn more about God.
Sometimes that system/program is abused. The program has a point-system. When you do your devotions you get points--when you do them on the right days you get additional points. When you say verses, go to church, take sermon notes, participate in different ministries, come up with projects to do for missions--when you do all of that you get points.
There is nothing inherently wrong with that. It is a program that rewards students for actions that will, ideally, produce fruit and enable them to grow.
However, occasionally the focus is transplanted from growth and onto points. The pressure to spend time with God is no longer there because it presents a road to fellowship with God, but rather because it earns points for our team. No longer should we read books on Christian living and do a book report on it to enrich our lives, instead do it for the points. No longer are missionaries being blessed for the purpose of the furtherance of God's kingdom, but rather to earn the most points possible in that category.
Not saying EVERY time a verse is said, a day of devotions done, is it done purely for the points. Nor am I saying every time leaders pressure their followers to do those things, the pressure is for the points.
I can't evaluate the hearts. I can't rightly judge the motives. So I give you this admonition: In everything you do, do it for God's glory; In everything you do, do it for the right reasons.
Your goal in life is to be like Christ, is to abide in Christ, is to walk in to the Spirit. So when you memorize verses, when you read Christian living books, when you spend time in God's Word you should have a motive of growing closer to God. Your focus should be on the cross, on Jesus, not on points or temporal rewards.
It is your decision personally to focus on the right motives. Everyone else around you may be urging you to do your devotions, or to say verses, or to sing in the choir "because it is what you should do," or "because we want to win the year," but it is your responsibility to focus on abiding in Christ.
When you focus on the temporal stress builds. You become a robot. You HAVE to do this or that or you will bring your team down. You HAVE to do this or that or your leaders will chide you for throwing away points.
But when you focus on the eternal, none of that matters. You see doing your devotions as getting closer to God. And that has a much greater reward. When you do things to grow closer, you see that you are closer to God. And when you get closer to God, God moves closer to you. When you abide in Christ, God will produce fruit through you. You will bear the fruit of the Spirit(love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance).
Sometimes that system/program is abused. The program has a point-system. When you do your devotions you get points--when you do them on the right days you get additional points. When you say verses, go to church, take sermon notes, participate in different ministries, come up with projects to do for missions--when you do all of that you get points.
There is nothing inherently wrong with that. It is a program that rewards students for actions that will, ideally, produce fruit and enable them to grow.
However, occasionally the focus is transplanted from growth and onto points. The pressure to spend time with God is no longer there because it presents a road to fellowship with God, but rather because it earns points for our team. No longer should we read books on Christian living and do a book report on it to enrich our lives, instead do it for the points. No longer are missionaries being blessed for the purpose of the furtherance of God's kingdom, but rather to earn the most points possible in that category.
Not saying EVERY time a verse is said, a day of devotions done, is it done purely for the points. Nor am I saying every time leaders pressure their followers to do those things, the pressure is for the points.
I can't evaluate the hearts. I can't rightly judge the motives. So I give you this admonition: In everything you do, do it for God's glory; In everything you do, do it for the right reasons.
Your goal in life is to be like Christ, is to abide in Christ, is to walk in to the Spirit. So when you memorize verses, when you read Christian living books, when you spend time in God's Word you should have a motive of growing closer to God. Your focus should be on the cross, on Jesus, not on points or temporal rewards.
It is your decision personally to focus on the right motives. Everyone else around you may be urging you to do your devotions, or to say verses, or to sing in the choir "because it is what you should do," or "because we want to win the year," but it is your responsibility to focus on abiding in Christ.
When you focus on the temporal stress builds. You become a robot. You HAVE to do this or that or you will bring your team down. You HAVE to do this or that or your leaders will chide you for throwing away points.
But when you focus on the eternal, none of that matters. You see doing your devotions as getting closer to God. And that has a much greater reward. When you do things to grow closer, you see that you are closer to God. And when you get closer to God, God moves closer to you. When you abide in Christ, God will produce fruit through you. You will bear the fruit of the Spirit(love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance).
Saturday, January 1, 2011
All things new.
Well, it is a new year. A fresh start. Although we get a fresh start each morning, the start of a new year bring hope of a beginning of a whole year. Let's forget those sad, irritating, gut-wrenching, anger-filled, annoying moments of 2010. Let us remove all bitterness and wrath and malice and anger from our hearts as we begin this year. What is past is passed(I've only heard this phrase, never really seen it written. So perhaps "passed" is what is being said, and not "past." Meaning, our past has passed. It is no longer our present, so we should stop treating it as such.)
We should swallow our pride and forgive those who have wronged us. We should throw off the blankets of despair we had cast on the light of hope within our hearts.
A new year brings a new hope, a new slate, a new resolve, a new(or refreshed) focus.
If you have screwed up in the past year, ask God for forgiveness, ask other you've hurt for forgiveness, then forget it(not the lessons you learned the hard way, but the incidents).
January 1, 2011 should be a day where the chest of heartache be burnt. That chest only hurts us in the long run, so set a flame to it. Let the fire devour that hatred, that anger, that unwillingness to forgive, that bitterness.
Once you destroy that chest of heartache and negative emotions, build a chest of hope and love and mercy. Choose to lock things away in your heart that encourage you. Lock away verses in that chest, or songs or friends, or incidents where you were lifted out of miry clay in life.
It's a brand new day--a brand new year. Resolve to purge everything in your heart that keeps you anger and bitter and sad and hurt. Resolve to purge everything TODAY.
Ezekiel 36:25-27
Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do [them].
Philippians 3:13-14
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 12:10-15
For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be partakers of his holiness.
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Follow peace with all [men], and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble [you], and thereby many be defiled;
Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.
Lamentations 3:21-26
This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
[It is of] the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
[They are] new every morning: great [is] thy faithfulness.
The LORD [is] my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
The LORD [is] good unto them that wait for him, to the soul [that] seeketh him.
[It is] good that [a man] should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
Isaiah 43:18-19
Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, [and] rivers in the desert.
Revelation 21:5
And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
We should swallow our pride and forgive those who have wronged us. We should throw off the blankets of despair we had cast on the light of hope within our hearts.
A new year brings a new hope, a new slate, a new resolve, a new(or refreshed) focus.
If you have screwed up in the past year, ask God for forgiveness, ask other you've hurt for forgiveness, then forget it(not the lessons you learned the hard way, but the incidents).
January 1, 2011 should be a day where the chest of heartache be burnt. That chest only hurts us in the long run, so set a flame to it. Let the fire devour that hatred, that anger, that unwillingness to forgive, that bitterness.
Once you destroy that chest of heartache and negative emotions, build a chest of hope and love and mercy. Choose to lock things away in your heart that encourage you. Lock away verses in that chest, or songs or friends, or incidents where you were lifted out of miry clay in life.
It's a brand new day--a brand new year. Resolve to purge everything in your heart that keeps you anger and bitter and sad and hurt. Resolve to purge everything TODAY.
Ezekiel 36:25-27
Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do [them].
Philippians 3:13-14
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 12:10-15
For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be partakers of his holiness.
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Follow peace with all [men], and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble [you], and thereby many be defiled;
Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.
Lamentations 3:21-26
This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
[It is of] the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
[They are] new every morning: great [is] thy faithfulness.
The LORD [is] my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
The LORD [is] good unto them that wait for him, to the soul [that] seeketh him.
[It is] good that [a man] should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
Isaiah 43:18-19
Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, [and] rivers in the desert.
Revelation 21:5
And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
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