Idolatry

 I started the first day of reading my list of books by reading Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller. This book has already put me in my place. I have a bad habit of putting other people and things before God and I had a small battle of it today. And just like God is known to do, He made me realize it. The realization came when I read "An idol has such a controlling position in your heart that you can spend most of your passion and energy, your emotional and financial resources, on it without a second thought" How many times had I spent most of my passion and energy or emotions on people and things without giving it a second thought? I don't even think I could count all the times. But I pray that, like today, when I'm battling with idolatry that God will let me know, that He will show me one way or another.

The book recanted the tale of Abraham and Isaac and put the story into a light that I had never thought of. What would have happened if God never asked Abraham to sacrifice his son? Would he have spoiled him rotten or become over protective? Either would have been detrimental to life as we know it. Abraham is claimed as the founder of three major religions: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. But they wouldn't be what they are today without Abraham's obedience to God and his willingness to give up his "idol".

I pray God shows me what I consider idols, that He opens my eyes and that He opens yours as well. We all deal with idolatry and we can't escape it. But God is there to help us through. If we offer our idols up to Him, He will be faithful in His promises to us.
Just as He told Abraham, we should tell Him "Now we know that you love us. For you did not withhold your son, your only son whom you love, from us" (Genesis 22:16)

2010

I know I am just another New Year's blog but it's ok. I'm looking forward to this year. I've had this insatiable appetite for knowledge lately, reading anything and everything I can get my hands on. I've compiled a list of books for this new year. Books that have made a difference in Christianity and many that I have pilfered from some trusted pastors top 5 list (The Louisville Project) I have a terrible, TERRIBLE time finishing books. Most of the times I just flit from one book to another. But I am committed to read these books and more this year, read them from cover TO cover. I pray that as I grow and learn, Christ's light will shine through me. I want nothing more than to know Him and have others know Him. I pray my relationship with Him is strengthened, that we will be like two books whose pages are woven together. This year will be interesting and I'm more than a little excited about it. So let's BEGIN!!

Book list

• Trellis and the vine -- Colin Marshall and Tony payne
• Counterfeit gods -- Tim Keller
• Pursuit of God -- A. W. Tozer
• The Reason for God -- Tim Keller
• The Prodigal God -- Tim Keller
• Knowledge of the Holy -- A. W. Tozer
• Operation World -- Patrick Johnstone
• Desiring God -- John Piper
• The Cost of Discipleship -- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
• Through the Gates of Splendor -- Elisabeth Elliott
• The Myth of a Christian Religion -- Boyd
• The Hole in Our Gospel -- Stearns
• Jesus' Plan for a New World -- Richard Rohr
• Blue like Jazz -- Donald Miller
• Crazy Love -- Francis Chan
• Forgotten God -- Francis Chan
• The Radical Cross -- A.W Tozer
• In His Steps -- Charles Sheldon
• Walking With God -- John Eldredge

So that's the list for now...hopefully more will be added!!

What keeps people from God?

I was thinking today of an idea that keeps many people from a relationship with God.

That God is full of himself.
That God is egotistical for making being to praise Him.
That God is a puppeteer.
That God is just sitting back and doing nothing while his creatures destroy themselves.

 
I can see where many people would have these ideas. To the majority of the world this is what God looks like. I'm not going to lie, some of these thoughts have slipped into my head before. But I was thinking about it, thinking of ways to explain who my God is to others who are bound by the world's ideas.

My thoughts took a weird turn. Imagine making a table set. Chairs and a table for you to use. Then imagine them turning from you. No longer will they let you use them for what they were made for. It would hurt, your creation turning against you. It would be terrible.
God didn't make us to just praise Him, he doesn't need our praise. God is not full of himself, everything He does and lets happen is for the good of his kingdom and we are part of his kingdom therefore it's for our good.

God is not a puppeteer.

Yes, he does use us. He is above, through, and in everything. But like I said before He uses us for the good and glory of the kingdom therefore for our own good.

And lastly...God IS NOT sitting back and watching everyone destroy themselves. He is EVERYWHERE.

He is working. Battle lines are being drawn, spiritual warfare is happening all around us. He is with his troops, leading them to victory. He is hard and busy at work. But still takes the time to see how we're doing and listen to us..because the awesome thing about God is that he is not bound by time.

I'm starting to ramble...but rambling about God is fun. So yeah...my thoughts this morning....which I'm posting this evening =)

and song of the day. One of my favorite. Sing by Sanctus Real. I really can't wait until that day. Video is not that great but the song is WONDERFUL

Scorning the Shame of the Cross

Hebrews 12:2-3 -- Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Three words popped out at me in these verses. "Scorning its Shame" I love that. God used a method of fatal humiliation in his plan of ultimate love. I doubt many people before Christ were praising God while being crucified...but after Christ was sacrificed they considered it a privilege to die like and for their Master. Jesus LITERALLY scorned the shame that a cross held. I find that truly fascinating--

The Cure

"If you, Israel, will return, then return to me," declares the Lord. "If you put your destestable idols out of my sight and no longer go astray and if in a truthful, just and rightous way you swear, 'As surely as the Lord lives,' then the natons will invole blessings by him and in him they will boast " Jeremiah 4:1-2

That first line is what captured my attention. "If you, Israel, will return, then return to me" It's almost pleading. I can hear the breaking of God's heart in that sentence. "Return to me, let me bless you, let me LOVE you" but Israel kept going back to their idols, time after time. They are just like us. In times of good we worship everything but the Lord; in times of distress He is one of the first people we cry out to and it's usually "Lord, why me?" That's what Israel did. When Israel cried out "Why me?" God answered them point blank "Because you have forsaken me."
But time and time again God calls them to return. Israel says they will but it is an empty promise. God wants sincerity. "If you will return...then return to me"
Once we start sinning it is hard to stop. Greed, lust, and a hundred other things get in our way.
But God gives us hope "Return faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding" (Jeremiah 3:22a) The word that popped out at me in this verse is "cure". A cure is not instanteous, it's gradual. The disease slowly goes away and you get better. It may take time to take into effect. It may be days, weeks, or months before you see a change. But you trust the cure to make you better. And that is what we need to do with God. We need to let him cure us. To trust him and the work he is doing within our soul.
So yeah...I was reading...and there's my thoughts. =)

When I was one-and-twenty
I heard a wise man say,
'Give crowns and pounds and guineas
But not your heart away;
Give pearls away and rubies
But keep your fancy free.'
But I was one-and-twenty,
No use to talk to me.


When I was one-and-twenty
I heard him say again,
'The heart out of the bosom
Was never given in vain;
'Tis paid with sighs a plenty
And sold for endless rue.'
And I am two-and-twenty,
And oh, 'tis true, 'tis true.

When my mind starts to wander.....

Not long ago a non-Christian asked me what I thought about other religions. As much as I hated to admit I said that I didn't have the knowledge or information to provide a valid argument as to why I oppose those religions. Most religions I didn't know anything about. So I decided to educate myself on the basics of some of the world's most popular religions. And today I read about Buddhism. I don't agree with Buddhism at all, mind you, BUT I think that if I applied some of their ideas to my relationship with God it would help me to become closer to Him and bring Him glory.
Today I read about the Noble Eightfold Path. While Buddhists use this path to gain enlightenment, I would rather use to for God's glory.
1. Right view: the right way of looking at life, nature and the world as they really are. A reality check if you will. It reminds me of a C. S Lewis quote I read "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun rises, not only because I see it but because by it I see everything else."
2.Right intention: constantly aspire to get rid of any qualities that are wrong or immoral. Immediately my mind jumped to Phillipians 4:8 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." And then I looked up "immoral" in my concordance and this verse jumped at me. Colossians 3:5 "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry." and then it goes on later to say Colossians 3:7-8"You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips." We are called to rid ourselves of these qualities and with God's help we can. God's amazing like that ^_^
3. Right speech: abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, and from idle chatter. Something I think we should ALL do because it is something we are all guilty of. There are many proverbs that mention this. Proverbs 10:31 "The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be cut out." I really liked Proverbs 12:18 "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." What first came to mind was the verse about the tongue being a double edged sword, but I couldn't find it anywhere. :(
4. Right action: living morally upright in the activities of life. What sprang to mind was what Jesus said in Matthew 25: 34-40 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
Ok that is all for now....I will give you the rest of the 8 after lunch (Office quote...I couldn't help myself!)