Via: Today I Learned Something New
How far would you go for your beliefs?
“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.”
— Jesus (Matthew 16:24 [NLT])
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
— Paul (Galatians 2:20 [NLT])
In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
— Psalm 10:4
Ever read a verse and think, “mkay, glad that doesn’t reflect me”?
x
“Wicked: sinful; iniquitous…” – dictionary.com
“stinkin’ dictionaries.” – dennis
x
Possible t-shirt tie-in: SIN: Edging God out since Adam & Eve.
x
(if you’re from Boston,
you get the post title)
(i’m not from Boston,
but am somewhat
creative)
The art of losing myself in bringing You praise
– Joel Houston
I’ve heard and sung that lyric many times. Today, the word “art” stuck in my mind.
There are many definitions for the word art, but two can be applied to this lyric:
In all honesty, I’ve probably lived both definitions in my worship.
In truth, both are probably bad; the former because it’s fake, the latter because, without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, it’s of my own initiative.
The key to living that lyric lies later in the song:
In my heart in my soul, I give You control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Oh, but then there’s the words “control” and “consume”…
“Cautious, careful people always casting about to preserve their reputation or social standards never can bring about reform.”
– Susan B. Anthony
In Sunday School this quarter, we’ve been studying the letters to the seven churches in the Book of Revelation. This past week, we looked at the letter to Sardis – a church that seemed OK on the outside; but was, for the most part, different on the inside. A church that was asleep, possibly complacent, just seeking “to fit in and not offend”, or, as a John MacArthur article I read put it, “[Sardis] had disintegrated and was now dead. It was suffering from dry rot while going through the motions of worship and activity.”
Have Your Way
Andrew Peterson
Father hear me now when i am humbled,
i fear that i will soon forget.
now i have no strength to stand and stumble
i have no wish to leave You yet.
oh holy Father, hear me now
when flesh is strong and spirit weak.
please break my back if i won’t bow,
oh won’t You have your way with me.
Father hear me now when i am humbled,
when i am bent with holy shame.
all the lies that i believed have crumbled,
the blood of Christ my only claim.
i cannot trust my own designs;
my heart is prone to disobey.
so listen Lord while there is time,
chain me fast if i won’t stay,
take my life and have Your way.
please hear me Lord this blessed hour,
when sin has loosed its hold on me.
Thy mercy is a mighty tower,
so why should i not trust in Thee
Father have Your way with me.
x
From AP’s: Appendix C: Live with the Captains Courageous
listen to song at last.fm
Purchase at The Rabbit Room
This morning I was reading Isaiah 26 and the second half of verse 8 jumped out at me:
Your name and renown [Lord] are the desire of our hearts. (NIV)
My Observation: It’s all about “heart”…without it appearance, words, & deeds are empty. I saw some HUGE hearts on Sunday. I was Blessed and I have to believe God smiled…
Sunday, our church held its 7th annual Car and Bike Show on our lawn. It’s come to be a great annual event that draws many from the community and offers a chance for car and bike (the motor and the pedal-types) enthusiasts to show off their toys and those who don’t have the toys to check them out, even drool (in a dignified way, of course).
The afternoon is always filled with cars & bikes, food, music, a dunk tank, a jump house, and tons of conversation. As in past years, we had a lot of people and the lawn was filled with cars. People come and hang out for 10 minutes or for three hours…it’s all good!
If that were all it was about, we’d call it good and start planning next year…
But that is not what it was about. As Pastor John put it Sunday morning, “it’s about people.”
It was about people.
It was about community.
It was about getting out of the “cube” in the corner of the lot on 2827 Flint avenue we call “church” and being the tangible hands and feet of Jesus.
Being the true Jesus.
The one that cares unconditionally and that is approachable and interested in talking without any “hitch” or angle – just being a friend.
I saw that. I heard it. I saw people at worship.
For sure, God smiled.
If the title of this post were a Jeopardy question, the answer would be:
What are all things we “have” in relation to God.
Think about it…when we buy someone a gift, often it is something that is a surprise or unexpected (unless someone spills the beans). When we give God our worship (which is all that we are and do: Romans 12:1 & Colossians 3:17), we are giving Him something that He created. We offer back to the One who created that which He created. There is nothing that we can give, write, sing, play, do, say, act,…whatever that doesn’t originate from Him. We never surprise Him with our worship.
It’s mind boggling when you think about it.
Romans 11:36 reads:
“For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen”
“All Things” pretty much covers everything…anything that we can offer.
We all worship something (sports, music, the list goes on…) – but GOD commands, desires, deserves our genuine worship! Our worship of GOD is soooo much more than Sunday mornings! It must be our entire life – a 24/7-kinda thing.
Our worship of GOD must become a HABIT. We’re all basically selfish (worshiping the things that please us or are interesting to us) and it’s probably not our default to worship GOD. Keying off the word HABIT, the old English (and French, thanks to my friend Christian) definition of HABIT is “clothing, a condition, or character of something.”
Keeping in mind the definition above, a nuns garb is called a HABIT. Their HABIT is a reminder to them and a sign to others of the cloistered life they have chosen.
As followers of Christ, we have a HABIT – JESUS CHRIST:
DENNARR(dot)COM 