Oops. I should have done this Saturday evening or Sunday, but I was so busy, I forgot it. Thankfully I'm OCD so this is chronologically correct in the blog, even though I'm writing it after Day 30.
The theme was "You Were Created to Become Like Christ."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How is "becoming like Jesus Christ" different from the way most people understand "discipleship"?
I think most people's connotation of "disciple" is someone either of higher, status ("special" people like pastors) or very "religious", mysterious people ("special" people in an entirely different way). But the truth is that anyone can be a disciple, but they have to choose to accept Jesus' sacrifice into their lives and live their lives knowing that He came to save them. That's not necessarily an easy thing to grasp right away, but once you see it. . . man. This article is quite good (and quite long) if you're interested in a very fleshed out definition of discipleship. There's some really great stuff in it. Challenging stuff.
What are some of the changes you have seen in your life since you became a believer? What have others noticed?
I think the biggest thing (that answers both questions in a way) is my (recently revived) desire to share the Good News with others. I'm not on the street corners passing out flyers, and I generally don't push people into conversations, but I have always open to a discussion about religion and my beliefs. I hope that people have found this blog and have gained some insight about being a Christian. I originally considered exporting it to facebook notes, but instead I've just been putting links to it in my status and info (mostly because having a daily note from me on people's Livefeed is a great way for them to block posts from me or simply ignore it).
A year from now, how would you like to be more Christlike? What can you do today to move toward that goal?
I want to be less afraid of my emotions. Jesus went through everything, from anger (remember: flipping tables over in the temple) to great joy to sadness to suffering, and everything in between. More importantly, I need to make sure my emotions are matching the situation, and then I am reacting the appropriate way to said situation. For example, if something clearly unBiblical is going on and I'm not offended and speaking up about it (when appropriate), I need to check my thoughts (and in some cases, not be afraid). I think the biggest thing I can do now is just be more open with people and not put on the "everything is always in control" face. That doesn't mean I'm going to start moping around and sharing all my troubles, but I need to be sure that I'm having true joy when things aren't going right, since I know that those times and situations are meant to help me grow, and I should be thankful that He wants to make me stronger (and excited to become stronger so that I can continue to serve Him better!).
Where in your spiritual growth are you having to be patient because there seems to be little progress?
I'm not sure. I don't know if I even know all the areas I need to work on yet. I'm still working on giving my job over to God and always doing it with the right attitude.
How has God used pain or trouble to help you grow?
This past summer (and by summer it was really like late March until mid-October) was probably the toughest time I've faced so far. God's message to me? "STOP RELYING ON THE WORLD AND TRUST IN ME."
When are you most vulnerable to temptation? Which of the steps to defeating temptation could help you most?
Generally frustration/stress/anger is what gets me into the most trouble. What I've been doing lately (and successfully, at least so far) is changing my attention to something else. Instead of fighting the mental battle and making it worse, I just turn away from it and towards something else, often Scripture (I've been recommitting 1 Corinthians 13 to memory) or a song.
1/31/2010
1/30/2010
Day 28: It Takes Time
I really wanted to put "Time" in all caps, for myself mostly.
In the meanwhile, best to get on my way of catching up. I don't want to fall behind now, especially since my next week is pretty crazy (OLOF and YES tomorrow, Monday ASB (After School Band) and choir rehearsal (I don't have to go since I can't do Friday night's performance, but that's all the more reason I want to go!), Tuesday S&E rehearsal at DeLand HS, Wednesday SBC orchestra, Thursday S&E rehearsal at Mainland HS, Friday ASB and S&E at Deltona MS (the actual event), Saturday rehearsal with Ginny in the morning sometime and 1 event (I think only one anyway) for S&E, and then it'll be a normal Sunday I think. A three day weekend is in my near future (President's Day) but it looks like I'll be earning it again).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Great statement from the beginning of this chapter: we are concerned with how fast we grow, whild God is concerned with how strong we grow. We are so concerned with the fastest way, but it is not always the best way. If we were to keep His view of eternity in our minds, we would probably change a lot of how we act and think. I really enjoy the war analogy used for how Christ works in us: He might start out bombing us to soften us up, and establishing beach heads, and eventually taking over all territory.
The book lists a few reasons why it takes a long time to change, and also gives us ways to help us see and continue progress towards God's ultimate goal. As a race, we are slow learners. Just look at the Israelites. Second, we have to unlearn a lot. We don't develop bad habits overnight; why do we expect to conquer them in a day? After all, habits take time to develop. I didn't become an excellent sightreader by just willing it to happen and working on it once. I became a sight-reading maniac: musicals, accompanying, using it as a warm-up, filling in for rehearsals. . . really the biggest way I became a great reader was when I started musical theater, and from then (my first show I played piano in was junior year of HS; I was 16 I think. . . Guys and Dolls) I got way better (and now I'm on like show 12 or 13. . . and I can still improve!). One great thing about being a musician is that I have seen what time and practice can do (and have a great appreciation for delayed gratification. . . like starting music in June for a recital in February). Another problem is that we are afraid to humbly face the truth. We don't like to feel bad about ourselves, so instead of facing our problems, we ignore them or shove them aside. We cannot get better at something we are not working actively to fix! Finally, growth can be painful and scary. This is all the more reason to get hooked up with a group of believers who will support you. We don't like change because it is uncomfortable and unfamiliar. Even if it's changing something we don't like, it's still tough, and we end up falling back to old habits because we know them so well. Also, sometimes our problems is how we have aligned our identity. But, when we accepted Christ into our lives, we put on a new self.
So what can we do to help our maturity? First, we believe God is working in our lives, even when we can't see it. It's kind of like weight loss; you have to wait a little bit to see results. Working out for a week doesn't make us start shedding pounds, but if we keep with it, we see progress over time. That's one thing I like about WiiFit; you can look at a graph of your progress. Although I'm still trying to get back to where I was before Christmas break (sadness. . . haha) I'm still a considerable amount less than when I first bought the game, so I know that my 153 days of working out have not been in vain.
Second, we can keep a notebook of lessons learned. As I mentioned above, a visual representation is something that can be used as a reference and see that what we are doing is actually progressing us somewhere. It's the reason we record practice times and rehearsals; it allows us to see where we've come from and where we are going.
Third, we have to be patient, both with God and ourselves. Our timetables and God's generally do not line up very well. Another song from my childhood comes to mind: if we stay focused on Him, we will remember He is in total control. I love this: "When God wants to make a mushroom, he does it overnight, but when he wants to make a giant oak, he takes a hundred years." I know I don't want to be a mushroom!
Finally, we must not get discouraged. After all, although we might not be where we want to be, we have probably come quite far from where we used to be. For me, I know the past few months (and even really the past few weeks) have been a spiritual springtime; lots of growth, blossoming, and ripening of things long since frozen in the winter of my college and even somewhat my HS years. It's very exciting for me to be experiencing these changes, and I keep seeking more and more information as each day passes. But I also know that soon, my resolve will be tested, and for a while I won't be in the process of discovering and starting change but establishing the changes I've been making, digging my roots deeper and deeper into Him.
Point to Ponder: There are no shortcuts to maturity.
I know I can be impatient, but I think a lot of it is fueled from finally seeking and knowing something that I want in my life. It's not bad for me to throw myself completely into it, but I need to remember that I only know a small portion of the picture right now.
Verse to Remember: Philippians 1:6- "God began doing a great work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again." New Century Version
I could argue that this began all the way back to me being a 3 or 4 year old at MGBC. And a few years after that, God made His beachhead in my life when I was in Sparks (AWANA), and never left me alone, even through all I went through with the break-up of MGBC and the whole craziness that is a 4-year college degree at a public institution (and a music degree no less).
Question to Consider: In what area of my spiritual growth do I need to be more patient and persistent?
I don't know if this is stupid to say, but I need to patiently work out being patient! The best teacher is experience, after all. . .
In the meanwhile, best to get on my way of catching up. I don't want to fall behind now, especially since my next week is pretty crazy (OLOF and YES tomorrow, Monday ASB (After School Band) and choir rehearsal (I don't have to go since I can't do Friday night's performance, but that's all the more reason I want to go!), Tuesday S&E rehearsal at DeLand HS, Wednesday SBC orchestra, Thursday S&E rehearsal at Mainland HS, Friday ASB and S&E at Deltona MS (the actual event), Saturday rehearsal with Ginny in the morning sometime and 1 event (I think only one anyway) for S&E, and then it'll be a normal Sunday I think. A three day weekend is in my near future (President's Day) but it looks like I'll be earning it again).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Great statement from the beginning of this chapter: we are concerned with how fast we grow, whild God is concerned with how strong we grow. We are so concerned with the fastest way, but it is not always the best way. If we were to keep His view of eternity in our minds, we would probably change a lot of how we act and think. I really enjoy the war analogy used for how Christ works in us: He might start out bombing us to soften us up, and establishing beach heads, and eventually taking over all territory.
The book lists a few reasons why it takes a long time to change, and also gives us ways to help us see and continue progress towards God's ultimate goal. As a race, we are slow learners. Just look at the Israelites. Second, we have to unlearn a lot. We don't develop bad habits overnight; why do we expect to conquer them in a day? After all, habits take time to develop. I didn't become an excellent sightreader by just willing it to happen and working on it once. I became a sight-reading maniac: musicals, accompanying, using it as a warm-up, filling in for rehearsals. . . really the biggest way I became a great reader was when I started musical theater, and from then (my first show I played piano in was junior year of HS; I was 16 I think. . . Guys and Dolls) I got way better (and now I'm on like show 12 or 13. . . and I can still improve!). One great thing about being a musician is that I have seen what time and practice can do (and have a great appreciation for delayed gratification. . . like starting music in June for a recital in February). Another problem is that we are afraid to humbly face the truth. We don't like to feel bad about ourselves, so instead of facing our problems, we ignore them or shove them aside. We cannot get better at something we are not working actively to fix! Finally, growth can be painful and scary. This is all the more reason to get hooked up with a group of believers who will support you. We don't like change because it is uncomfortable and unfamiliar. Even if it's changing something we don't like, it's still tough, and we end up falling back to old habits because we know them so well. Also, sometimes our problems is how we have aligned our identity. But, when we accepted Christ into our lives, we put on a new self.
So what can we do to help our maturity? First, we believe God is working in our lives, even when we can't see it. It's kind of like weight loss; you have to wait a little bit to see results. Working out for a week doesn't make us start shedding pounds, but if we keep with it, we see progress over time. That's one thing I like about WiiFit; you can look at a graph of your progress. Although I'm still trying to get back to where I was before Christmas break (sadness. . . haha) I'm still a considerable amount less than when I first bought the game, so I know that my 153 days of working out have not been in vain.
Second, we can keep a notebook of lessons learned. As I mentioned above, a visual representation is something that can be used as a reference and see that what we are doing is actually progressing us somewhere. It's the reason we record practice times and rehearsals; it allows us to see where we've come from and where we are going.
Third, we have to be patient, both with God and ourselves. Our timetables and God's generally do not line up very well. Another song from my childhood comes to mind: if we stay focused on Him, we will remember He is in total control. I love this: "When God wants to make a mushroom, he does it overnight, but when he wants to make a giant oak, he takes a hundred years." I know I don't want to be a mushroom!
Finally, we must not get discouraged. After all, although we might not be where we want to be, we have probably come quite far from where we used to be. For me, I know the past few months (and even really the past few weeks) have been a spiritual springtime; lots of growth, blossoming, and ripening of things long since frozen in the winter of my college and even somewhat my HS years. It's very exciting for me to be experiencing these changes, and I keep seeking more and more information as each day passes. But I also know that soon, my resolve will be tested, and for a while I won't be in the process of discovering and starting change but establishing the changes I've been making, digging my roots deeper and deeper into Him.
Point to Ponder: There are no shortcuts to maturity.
I know I can be impatient, but I think a lot of it is fueled from finally seeking and knowing something that I want in my life. It's not bad for me to throw myself completely into it, but I need to remember that I only know a small portion of the picture right now.
Verse to Remember: Philippians 1:6- "God began doing a great work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again." New Century Version
I could argue that this began all the way back to me being a 3 or 4 year old at MGBC. And a few years after that, God made His beachhead in my life when I was in Sparks (AWANA), and never left me alone, even through all I went through with the break-up of MGBC and the whole craziness that is a 4-year college degree at a public institution (and a music degree no less).
Question to Consider: In what area of my spiritual growth do I need to be more patient and persistent?
I don't know if this is stupid to say, but I need to patiently work out being patient! The best teacher is experience, after all. . .
1/29/2010
Day 27: Defeating Temptation
WHERE DID JANUARY GO??
My school day was kind of a blah teaching day (which is sad, since we were playing the Rhythm Game. It would be more fun with pretzels and candy, but I'm not allowed to do that, and because I have carpet, I would be hesitant to do it even if I could), but when I got home, I looked up the full moon schedule; biggest full moon is tonight. It always makes me feel a little better when it's not my fault that teaching goes poorly (seriously, middle schooler's brains get sucked away by the full moon. I don't know why, but it's true).
I am truly exhausted (but 17 hours awake and mostly being active will do that to you). I want to reflect a little on this evening before going to bed. After finally getting back to my apartment at 5 (I had after school band, and then stopped by to see Ted Shistle. I am now playing for like. . . 12 students next weekend for S&E. It's just like college. . . but I'm glad that I can help out. Not every pianist is a good reader/accompanist, but I will say that role is definitely my strength). Then I walked back to Deland HS and got picked up by Nicki, our pastor's wife, so that we could ride together to what turned out to be a 2 hour concert put on by the Florida Worship Choir. It was really really good (and I was a little geeked about the pipe organ, although it didn't really get used since they had 380 MUSICIANS ON STAGE. Mostly singers, but a filled-out orchestra as well. I'm going to see if I can't put Gordon in touch with the people involved with this group (namely Reggie) and see if any of them are interested in publishing his Mass; I think that'd be amazing), and to me it didn't feel like 2 hours. I had a good time chatting on the ride up there, and afterwards the group of us went to Cracker Barrel (only my second experience there, both in the south; it's amazing the things you end up doing when you move halfway across the country). Good food, but I'm stuffed (which is contributing to the wanting to go to sleep). I had a nice talk with Dan on the way back too.
What I want to leave you with is this:
I had never heard it before tonight's concert. . . and Mandisa is great. The lyrics. . . oh, the lyrics. . .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I started this entry with every intent of finishing it tonight, but it's 11 PM, and I've been up since 5 AM (I woke up twice this week before my alarm! I don't like it when I do that, because I can never fall back asleep very easily). I did read the chapter, and started my reflection on the three things at the end, so that'll have to do until tomorrow morning.
EDIT (the next day): So, I suppose I should actually start talking about the book rather than rambling.
PDL gives us four keys to defeating temptation. FIrst, we should refocus our attention on something else. It doesn't do us any good to fight the thought away; it's the same problem with telling someone "Don't think of a polar bear." By even naming the problem, we are bringing it back to our mind. Instead, we have to put our attention to something else; I think that's why Paul tells us to always think on "good things." Same idea here. It's also a great reason to memorize Bible verses; we can recall them when we need to shift our attention away from the world. "[R]epeating 'I must stop _____' is a self-defeating strategy. It keeps you focused on what you don't want." We need to move our minds away from things that get us into trouble. Go listen to this song.
Second, we should reveal our struggle to a godly friend/support group. That can be so tough, and the book says exactly why. We are either so shamed by our problem that we want to hide it, or we want people to think everything is under control, and that we don't need help. If you've ever been in the "repeating cycle of good intention->failure->guilt" then you know you can't do it alone. But guess what? All have sinned. If you find a supportive group of Christians, they will be able to relate (maybe not to the thing you're dealing with, but who knows? You won't until you open up).
Third, we have to resist the Devil. We all know the verse from James that this phrase comes from, and Paul gave us a list of the Armor of God. Our spiritual regalia is made up of truth, righteousness, readiness, faith, salvation, and the Word. I won't go into a whole discussion of this passage (being that I am not a theologian), but I think it's interesting that our salvation (helmet) protects our heads/minds, our faith (shield) extinguishes the Devil's arrows (and is a mobile thing; it goes with us, and we can put it in front of us when in battle), and the Word of God (sword) is our way to fight back! I love the whole warrior aspect of being a believer (if you haven't picked up on that yet). I imagine that is because I am only 21, and maybe don't always realize the seriousness of the attacks being made, but at the same time, I serve this guy, and it's hard not to be honored and excited to be part of His army on Earth!
Lastly, we must realize our vulnerability. We are good at fooling ourselves; "we lie best when we lie to ourselves." There is no reason for us to get ourselves into tempting situations. And we will never be beyond temptation (remember, temptations are used in the process of developing fruit of the Spirit- see the entry previous). Remember these verses.
Point to Ponder: There is always a way out.
I have found this true in my personal life. Everything from the phone ringing unexpectedly to a certain song coming on to just having someone's face pop up into view of my mental eye have all been doors for me to escape the clutches of temptation. Only recently have I realized that that's what all those things are and have been, and now being aware of them, I have been doing better. But I should also be careful, because if I'm getting better at resisting temptation, then the Devil will just try harder or new ways. As God builds strength in me, He will also allow more difficult trials.
Verse to Remember: 1 Corinthians 10:13b- "God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it." New Living Translation
What I've said above is not just conjecture; it's Biblical. What a comforting verse! It implies action and choice on our part we have to stand up against it and follow the way out. God never says that He will do everything for us. Going back to yesterday, the teacher can only show the student the truth and give him tools to work with; eventually the student has to put effort in and do the homework.
Question to Consider: Who could I ask to be a spiritual partner to help me defeat a persistent temptation by praying for me?
This is something I have been thinking about for a little while now (maybe a couple months). Unfortunately (fortunately? it's hard to say) I won't really see my SS class tomorrow morning (One Lord, One Faith is being sung for both morning services, and then I have the YES concert so no evening church for me), but. . . well, we'll see what comes from this in the near future.
My school day was kind of a blah teaching day (which is sad, since we were playing the Rhythm Game. It would be more fun with pretzels and candy, but I'm not allowed to do that, and because I have carpet, I would be hesitant to do it even if I could), but when I got home, I looked up the full moon schedule; biggest full moon is tonight. It always makes me feel a little better when it's not my fault that teaching goes poorly (seriously, middle schooler's brains get sucked away by the full moon. I don't know why, but it's true).
I am truly exhausted (but 17 hours awake and mostly being active will do that to you). I want to reflect a little on this evening before going to bed. After finally getting back to my apartment at 5 (I had after school band, and then stopped by to see Ted Shistle. I am now playing for like. . . 12 students next weekend for S&E. It's just like college. . . but I'm glad that I can help out. Not every pianist is a good reader/accompanist, but I will say that role is definitely my strength). Then I walked back to Deland HS and got picked up by Nicki, our pastor's wife, so that we could ride together to what turned out to be a 2 hour concert put on by the Florida Worship Choir. It was really really good (and I was a little geeked about the pipe organ, although it didn't really get used since they had 380 MUSICIANS ON STAGE. Mostly singers, but a filled-out orchestra as well. I'm going to see if I can't put Gordon in touch with the people involved with this group (namely Reggie) and see if any of them are interested in publishing his Mass; I think that'd be amazing), and to me it didn't feel like 2 hours. I had a good time chatting on the ride up there, and afterwards the group of us went to Cracker Barrel (only my second experience there, both in the south; it's amazing the things you end up doing when you move halfway across the country). Good food, but I'm stuffed (which is contributing to the wanting to go to sleep). I had a nice talk with Dan on the way back too.
What I want to leave you with is this:
I had never heard it before tonight's concert. . . and Mandisa is great. The lyrics. . . oh, the lyrics. . .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I started this entry with every intent of finishing it tonight, but it's 11 PM, and I've been up since 5 AM (I woke up twice this week before my alarm! I don't like it when I do that, because I can never fall back asleep very easily). I did read the chapter, and started my reflection on the three things at the end, so that'll have to do until tomorrow morning.
EDIT (the next day): So, I suppose I should actually start talking about the book rather than rambling.
PDL gives us four keys to defeating temptation. FIrst, we should refocus our attention on something else. It doesn't do us any good to fight the thought away; it's the same problem with telling someone "Don't think of a polar bear." By even naming the problem, we are bringing it back to our mind. Instead, we have to put our attention to something else; I think that's why Paul tells us to always think on "good things." Same idea here. It's also a great reason to memorize Bible verses; we can recall them when we need to shift our attention away from the world. "[R]epeating 'I must stop _____' is a self-defeating strategy. It keeps you focused on what you don't want." We need to move our minds away from things that get us into trouble. Go listen to this song.
Second, we should reveal our struggle to a godly friend/support group. That can be so tough, and the book says exactly why. We are either so shamed by our problem that we want to hide it, or we want people to think everything is under control, and that we don't need help. If you've ever been in the "repeating cycle of good intention->failure->guilt" then you know you can't do it alone. But guess what? All have sinned. If you find a supportive group of Christians, they will be able to relate (maybe not to the thing you're dealing with, but who knows? You won't until you open up).
Third, we have to resist the Devil. We all know the verse from James that this phrase comes from, and Paul gave us a list of the Armor of God. Our spiritual regalia is made up of truth, righteousness, readiness, faith, salvation, and the Word. I won't go into a whole discussion of this passage (being that I am not a theologian), but I think it's interesting that our salvation (helmet) protects our heads/minds, our faith (shield) extinguishes the Devil's arrows (and is a mobile thing; it goes with us, and we can put it in front of us when in battle), and the Word of God (sword) is our way to fight back! I love the whole warrior aspect of being a believer (if you haven't picked up on that yet). I imagine that is because I am only 21, and maybe don't always realize the seriousness of the attacks being made, but at the same time, I serve this guy, and it's hard not to be honored and excited to be part of His army on Earth!
Lastly, we must realize our vulnerability. We are good at fooling ourselves; "we lie best when we lie to ourselves." There is no reason for us to get ourselves into tempting situations. And we will never be beyond temptation (remember, temptations are used in the process of developing fruit of the Spirit- see the entry previous). Remember these verses.
Point to Ponder: There is always a way out.
I have found this true in my personal life. Everything from the phone ringing unexpectedly to a certain song coming on to just having someone's face pop up into view of my mental eye have all been doors for me to escape the clutches of temptation. Only recently have I realized that that's what all those things are and have been, and now being aware of them, I have been doing better. But I should also be careful, because if I'm getting better at resisting temptation, then the Devil will just try harder or new ways. As God builds strength in me, He will also allow more difficult trials.
Verse to Remember: 1 Corinthians 10:13b- "God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it." New Living Translation
What I've said above is not just conjecture; it's Biblical. What a comforting verse! It implies action and choice on our part we have to stand up against it and follow the way out. God never says that He will do everything for us. Going back to yesterday, the teacher can only show the student the truth and give him tools to work with; eventually the student has to put effort in and do the homework.
Question to Consider: Who could I ask to be a spiritual partner to help me defeat a persistent temptation by praying for me?
This is something I have been thinking about for a little while now (maybe a couple months). Unfortunately (fortunately? it's hard to say) I won't really see my SS class tomorrow morning (One Lord, One Faith is being sung for both morning services, and then I have the YES concert so no evening church for me), but. . . well, we'll see what comes from this in the near future.
1/28/2010
Day 26: Growing Through Temptation
PS (from yesterday): I just realized my desktop wallpaper is Romans 8:28.
I am looking forward to Saturday for a number of reasons. Don't get me wrong; the next couple days should be pretty easy (today I have an observation, but my activity is a group project so I don't have to do a ton of work, and Friday we're playing the Rhythmic Notation game, which is one of my favorite lessons and one of the few things that I brought with me from Western (MTNA to be exact. . . I wonder if that group even exists anymore. . .) and Friday night is a free concert by the Florida Worship Choir in Daytona, and they are premiering a musical (which is really cool), and some of our church members (including Reggie and Dan) are singing in it (which makes it even cooler). I was hoping to find a ride, not because I don't have a car, but I try to drive it only when necessary. I am thankful every morning I make it to school and every day that I arrive back home; there's some mystery problem, and I think it's transmission related, so yeah. . . enough of this parenthetical interruption). Saturday will be a nice day to regroup, take it easy physically (no cleaning or rehearsals or anything really; I might go see an Upward game or two), and reflect on the many many things that have been on my mind lately without the distractions of school and church. Sunday I have to miss the evening service (and the business meeting! :( I don't really know all that much about life and how the church functions, being that I am only 21 and this is my first church as an "adult," so I like to find out as much as possible) because there is a YES concert that afternoon. It's a semi-staged production of Verdi's "Rigoletto" in Daytona, but I have to drive out to Pierson and ride the bus as a chaperone. I won't be back in Deland until after 7 probably. . . but it is a great opportunity for my students to get some different cultural perspective, even if they don't understand the opera (which, it's a dark story and a little twisted, so that's not a bad thing).
In other news, my current 8th grade group actually seems interested in learning! . . . well, some of them anyway. It is a relief to not have to deal with constant chatter and disrespect (and the one student who gave me problems on Day 2 has officially transferred out of my class!). I don't know if they're afraid of me or just shy, or just a good combination of students. I'm thankful, whatever it is. In unhappy news, I fail at fundraising and am started to get annoyed with stuff being sent to me when I don't ask for it. I'm not talking about flyers or info sheets, I'm talking about BOXES OF FUNDRAISING KITS. I have a box right now in my office with 30 "prizes" in it for the top students; I don't even have 30 students to go out and fundraise!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This chapter opens with a great quote from Martin Luther: "My temptations have been my masters in divinity." I am a huge proponent of "experience is the best teacher." In college I did everything I could, and then some. I tried to absorb everything about music I could (I should add that it was mostly music that I liked, but I like a lot of different things, and there's so much music in existence that 4 years is not enough time to get everything). I played in the marching and concert bands, accompanied like a crazy, CRAZY fool (everything from freshmen baritones/tenors to the entire flute and clarinet studio (or so it seemed) to musical theater sopranos to harpsichord in a small baroque ensemble to organ in "L'Orfeo" and for Mozart's "Exsultate Jubilate" with the USO), took classes I didn't have to (counterpoint was a BLAST, as was Musical Theater in America, but then again Music For the Special Student was a whole lot of fail), attended countless concerts and recitals (on average, I would say at least one a week, and 95% of the time it was great music/performances), even turned pages for performances (page turning is WAY stressful). I immersed myself not just in the study of music (although that also appeals to me) but in the MAKING of music. I don't see a reason that this can't apply to anything, including sanctification. What good does it do to read about how we should live our lives if we aren't actually living that way and being tested? How else do we grow??
(Man. . . I was insane in college, but I am thankful for all the experiences and at times miss parts of it, like the constant exposure to great performances)
The difference between life and college is that we don't always choose the courses (. . . get the pun? It's ok, take your time. . . got it? haha) that we will go down and learn from (NOW I bet you got it). But we have the best teacher: the Creator of the universe! Not only does He know the best way to teach us, but He also knows exactly what we need to learn! He is the ultimate Advisor for the college of Life (and should be the only one, if we're doing it right).
So, to get back to the book (and most of the reason I'm writing this blog anyway), we have to remember that temptation is not an opportunity for us to fail but an opportunity to choose to do good or bad. I love the idea that all our temptations are used to develop different fruits of the Spirit. In fact, by choosing to give in to temptation, we are usually doing an action that is the opposite of those fruits. We have to love the people that are the hardest for us to get along with. We have to be joyful even when things are bad (see yesterday's entry). Our sense of peace is about how we feel when things are chaotic, not when things are going fine. How do we know that we are "good" if we are never given the choice to be "bad"? Some day I'm going to examine each of the fruits and see how I'm doing in my own life.
There is a four-step formula which, when we know it, can help us stop ourselves from giving into temptation (which is step four). First, Satan finds a desire. Inherently sinful or not, temptation starts inside of us. A lot of people don't want to believe that; it would be nice if we were inherently innocent, and we could blame "the world" for corruptings us and pushing pushes those desires on us, but guess what? The Bible says evil comes from men's hearts. Is everything from our hearts evil? No, of course not. But I think if we all take a look at the list of things from those verses, we have had problems with at least one of the things there, and it wasn't because anyone made us feel that way. In fact, you can't make anyone else feel anything, because feelings are responses. You can try and elict a response through doing something, but ultimately there is something that happens inside a person, and that is under no one's control but the person. And then the person can choose how to react to the feeling. "You made me do it!" is the poorest excuse for anything that I can think of, because there are two steps and both are happening WITHIN THE USER.
And therefore "The Devil made me do it" is just as empty.
But, I'm getting ahead of myself. The second step in temptation is doubt. Satan wants us to think that sin isn't really wrong, or at least not all that wrong. Related is the third phase of deception. Thoughts like "I won't die from it. I can get away with it, because no one will know. It will solve my problems, or make my life feel better" ARE NOT TRUE. My favorite part from this chapter: "A little sin is like being a little pregnant; it will eventually show itself." Finally, after all that, we disobey and give in. BUT WE DO NOT HAVE TO! I think awareness of the process will help me as I face temptations. If we can recognize the steps as they are happening, it's way easier to intervene. The book gives a few suggestions.
First, we must refuse to be intimidated. Being tempted is not a sin. Wait. . . I need to say that again. Being tempted is NOT A SIN. In fact, having any desire is not a sin; it is whether you act on it or not! Some desires we should not act on, and if we do it is sin; others we should act on, and if we don't it is sin. Sin is not the feeling but what we do about it. The book makes a point about the difference between sexual attraction and lust. I think of envy. Even with our closest friends, there are sometimes great things that happen in their lives that, while you are happy for them, you wish would happen for you. Now, if we continue to think about it, brood, and covet, boom! Sin. But, if we take that opportunity to be thankful for what we have and seek contentment and not dwell on what we want but rather just be happy for said friend, boom! Growth.
(. . . I don't know why I used "boom!" I think it's because sometimes things just hit you like a brick wall)
This is great: "In one sense you can consider temptation a compliment." Satan hates what Christians are and do, and wants us to mess up and do everything to go against God's plans. And really, the closer we get to God, the more Satan wants to split that up. Satan has a target on all our church ministers and leaders, which is all the more reason to pray for them daily. It's already got to be tough enough, with everything that is required of the job, and then you have a supernatural force working against you? And I thought middle schoolers were bad.
(By the way, if you still think temptation is a sin, Jesus was tempted, and He is sinless. So stop arguing with me)
Second, we have to recognize our pattern of temptation. This seems to be another "duh!" moment, but I know that I have done some stupid things that have set me up for failure. If we use the journalists' questions (which, I don't know if it's a generation gap thing or a North/South thing or just a Pierson thing, but none of my students have been familiar with this terminology during any of my wheel classes. I'd love some insight on this) to examine the situations we put ourselves in (with temptation answering "what?"), most of us have very obvious patterns. For example, I drink when I hang out with _______ ("who?"). I go onto inappropriate websites when I feel ______ (either "why?" or "how (I feel)?"). I swear when I visit the ________ ("where?"). I usually do something bad at _________ AM/PM ("when?"). Saber is poder: knowledge is power. If we know we are likely to do something we shouldn't, we should avoid those situations. Just as a teacher does not set up his students to fail, we too should always try and set ourselves up for success. Enough problems will arise without us trying to get into trouble.
Finally, we have to request God's help. Again, seems like "no duh!" but when we examine our situations, we either want to give in to temptation or feel embarassed because we keep needing help over and over for the same thing. But God's love and patience endure forever (hallelujah! This is not something to be taken lightly, and definitely not taken advantage of). What we should be warned about is complacency; in fact, I would argue that if you are complacent about your reaction to temptation, you may want to check with whom you have aligned your life. If you are continually falling into temptation and doing nothing about it, you have got more problems than just the temptation. I speak from experience.
Point to Ponder: Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.
There has been a ton of teacher talk this entry, so to wrap it up: God, as our teacher, does not allow us to be tempted so that we will fail. We are tempted so that we will choose NOT to fail. But ultimately it's still up to us, the students.
Verse to Remember: James 1:12- "God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." New Living Translation
I know that God has been teaching me patience with a lot of things recently. The answer "wait" can be so frustrating, because we don't know if it is "Yes, but not now" or "No, but you can't see why yet." So, I have to start developing my trust legs (you know, like sea legs and land legs. . . or something like that. . .).
Question to Consider: What Christlike character quality can I develop by defeating the most common temptation I face?
. . . see above. Patience for sure, at least right now. I need to not rush into things and try and make them happen on my time (but it's also a delicate balance, because I can't just sit and think that God will make everything happen while I sit by inactive). I need to learn to listen to Him and trust His will, and take steps of faith when prompted, and ultimately be sure that everything I am doing is part of my worship.
I want to put up one last verse before I leave for the night. Tomorrow's chapter is also about temptation.
I am looking forward to Saturday for a number of reasons. Don't get me wrong; the next couple days should be pretty easy (today I have an observation, but my activity is a group project so I don't have to do a ton of work, and Friday we're playing the Rhythmic Notation game, which is one of my favorite lessons and one of the few things that I brought with me from Western (MTNA to be exact. . . I wonder if that group even exists anymore. . .) and Friday night is a free concert by the Florida Worship Choir in Daytona, and they are premiering a musical (which is really cool), and some of our church members (including Reggie and Dan) are singing in it (which makes it even cooler). I was hoping to find a ride, not because I don't have a car, but I try to drive it only when necessary. I am thankful every morning I make it to school and every day that I arrive back home; there's some mystery problem, and I think it's transmission related, so yeah. . . enough of this parenthetical interruption). Saturday will be a nice day to regroup, take it easy physically (no cleaning or rehearsals or anything really; I might go see an Upward game or two), and reflect on the many many things that have been on my mind lately without the distractions of school and church. Sunday I have to miss the evening service (and the business meeting! :( I don't really know all that much about life and how the church functions, being that I am only 21 and this is my first church as an "adult," so I like to find out as much as possible) because there is a YES concert that afternoon. It's a semi-staged production of Verdi's "Rigoletto" in Daytona, but I have to drive out to Pierson and ride the bus as a chaperone. I won't be back in Deland until after 7 probably. . . but it is a great opportunity for my students to get some different cultural perspective, even if they don't understand the opera (which, it's a dark story and a little twisted, so that's not a bad thing).
In other news, my current 8th grade group actually seems interested in learning! . . . well, some of them anyway. It is a relief to not have to deal with constant chatter and disrespect (and the one student who gave me problems on Day 2 has officially transferred out of my class!). I don't know if they're afraid of me or just shy, or just a good combination of students. I'm thankful, whatever it is. In unhappy news, I fail at fundraising and am started to get annoyed with stuff being sent to me when I don't ask for it. I'm not talking about flyers or info sheets, I'm talking about BOXES OF FUNDRAISING KITS. I have a box right now in my office with 30 "prizes" in it for the top students; I don't even have 30 students to go out and fundraise!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This chapter opens with a great quote from Martin Luther: "My temptations have been my masters in divinity." I am a huge proponent of "experience is the best teacher." In college I did everything I could, and then some. I tried to absorb everything about music I could (I should add that it was mostly music that I liked, but I like a lot of different things, and there's so much music in existence that 4 years is not enough time to get everything). I played in the marching and concert bands, accompanied like a crazy, CRAZY fool (everything from freshmen baritones/tenors to the entire flute and clarinet studio (or so it seemed) to musical theater sopranos to harpsichord in a small baroque ensemble to organ in "L'Orfeo" and for Mozart's "Exsultate Jubilate" with the USO), took classes I didn't have to (counterpoint was a BLAST, as was Musical Theater in America, but then again Music For the Special Student was a whole lot of fail), attended countless concerts and recitals (on average, I would say at least one a week, and 95% of the time it was great music/performances), even turned pages for performances (page turning is WAY stressful). I immersed myself not just in the study of music (although that also appeals to me) but in the MAKING of music. I don't see a reason that this can't apply to anything, including sanctification. What good does it do to read about how we should live our lives if we aren't actually living that way and being tested? How else do we grow??
(Man. . . I was insane in college, but I am thankful for all the experiences and at times miss parts of it, like the constant exposure to great performances)
The difference between life and college is that we don't always choose the courses (. . . get the pun? It's ok, take your time. . . got it? haha) that we will go down and learn from (NOW I bet you got it). But we have the best teacher: the Creator of the universe! Not only does He know the best way to teach us, but He also knows exactly what we need to learn! He is the ultimate Advisor for the college of Life (and should be the only one, if we're doing it right).
So, to get back to the book (and most of the reason I'm writing this blog anyway), we have to remember that temptation is not an opportunity for us to fail but an opportunity to choose to do good or bad. I love the idea that all our temptations are used to develop different fruits of the Spirit. In fact, by choosing to give in to temptation, we are usually doing an action that is the opposite of those fruits. We have to love the people that are the hardest for us to get along with. We have to be joyful even when things are bad (see yesterday's entry). Our sense of peace is about how we feel when things are chaotic, not when things are going fine. How do we know that we are "good" if we are never given the choice to be "bad"? Some day I'm going to examine each of the fruits and see how I'm doing in my own life.
There is a four-step formula which, when we know it, can help us stop ourselves from giving into temptation (which is step four). First, Satan finds a desire. Inherently sinful or not, temptation starts inside of us. A lot of people don't want to believe that; it would be nice if we were inherently innocent, and we could blame "the world" for corruptings us and pushing pushes those desires on us, but guess what? The Bible says evil comes from men's hearts. Is everything from our hearts evil? No, of course not. But I think if we all take a look at the list of things from those verses, we have had problems with at least one of the things there, and it wasn't because anyone made us feel that way. In fact, you can't make anyone else feel anything, because feelings are responses. You can try and elict a response through doing something, but ultimately there is something that happens inside a person, and that is under no one's control but the person. And then the person can choose how to react to the feeling. "You made me do it!" is the poorest excuse for anything that I can think of, because there are two steps and both are happening WITHIN THE USER.
And therefore "The Devil made me do it" is just as empty.
But, I'm getting ahead of myself. The second step in temptation is doubt. Satan wants us to think that sin isn't really wrong, or at least not all that wrong. Related is the third phase of deception. Thoughts like "I won't die from it. I can get away with it, because no one will know. It will solve my problems, or make my life feel better" ARE NOT TRUE. My favorite part from this chapter: "A little sin is like being a little pregnant; it will eventually show itself." Finally, after all that, we disobey and give in. BUT WE DO NOT HAVE TO! I think awareness of the process will help me as I face temptations. If we can recognize the steps as they are happening, it's way easier to intervene. The book gives a few suggestions.
First, we must refuse to be intimidated. Being tempted is not a sin. Wait. . . I need to say that again. Being tempted is NOT A SIN. In fact, having any desire is not a sin; it is whether you act on it or not! Some desires we should not act on, and if we do it is sin; others we should act on, and if we don't it is sin. Sin is not the feeling but what we do about it. The book makes a point about the difference between sexual attraction and lust. I think of envy. Even with our closest friends, there are sometimes great things that happen in their lives that, while you are happy for them, you wish would happen for you. Now, if we continue to think about it, brood, and covet, boom! Sin. But, if we take that opportunity to be thankful for what we have and seek contentment and not dwell on what we want but rather just be happy for said friend, boom! Growth.
(. . . I don't know why I used "boom!" I think it's because sometimes things just hit you like a brick wall)
This is great: "In one sense you can consider temptation a compliment." Satan hates what Christians are and do, and wants us to mess up and do everything to go against God's plans. And really, the closer we get to God, the more Satan wants to split that up. Satan has a target on all our church ministers and leaders, which is all the more reason to pray for them daily. It's already got to be tough enough, with everything that is required of the job, and then you have a supernatural force working against you? And I thought middle schoolers were bad.
(By the way, if you still think temptation is a sin, Jesus was tempted, and He is sinless. So stop arguing with me)
Second, we have to recognize our pattern of temptation. This seems to be another "duh!" moment, but I know that I have done some stupid things that have set me up for failure. If we use the journalists' questions (which, I don't know if it's a generation gap thing or a North/South thing or just a Pierson thing, but none of my students have been familiar with this terminology during any of my wheel classes. I'd love some insight on this) to examine the situations we put ourselves in (with temptation answering "what?"), most of us have very obvious patterns. For example, I drink when I hang out with _______ ("who?"). I go onto inappropriate websites when I feel ______ (either "why?" or "how (I feel)?"). I swear when I visit the ________ ("where?"). I usually do something bad at _________ AM/PM ("when?"). Saber is poder: knowledge is power. If we know we are likely to do something we shouldn't, we should avoid those situations. Just as a teacher does not set up his students to fail, we too should always try and set ourselves up for success. Enough problems will arise without us trying to get into trouble.
Finally, we have to request God's help. Again, seems like "no duh!" but when we examine our situations, we either want to give in to temptation or feel embarassed because we keep needing help over and over for the same thing. But God's love and patience endure forever (hallelujah! This is not something to be taken lightly, and definitely not taken advantage of). What we should be warned about is complacency; in fact, I would argue that if you are complacent about your reaction to temptation, you may want to check with whom you have aligned your life. If you are continually falling into temptation and doing nothing about it, you have got more problems than just the temptation. I speak from experience.
Point to Ponder: Every temptation is an opportunity to do good.
There has been a ton of teacher talk this entry, so to wrap it up: God, as our teacher, does not allow us to be tempted so that we will fail. We are tempted so that we will choose NOT to fail. But ultimately it's still up to us, the students.
Verse to Remember: James 1:12- "God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." New Living Translation
I know that God has been teaching me patience with a lot of things recently. The answer "wait" can be so frustrating, because we don't know if it is "Yes, but not now" or "No, but you can't see why yet." So, I have to start developing my trust legs (you know, like sea legs and land legs. . . or something like that. . .).
Question to Consider: What Christlike character quality can I develop by defeating the most common temptation I face?
. . . see above. Patience for sure, at least right now. I need to not rush into things and try and make them happen on my time (but it's also a delicate balance, because I can't just sit and think that God will make everything happen while I sit by inactive). I need to learn to listen to Him and trust His will, and take steps of faith when prompted, and ultimately be sure that everything I am doing is part of my worship.
I want to put up one last verse before I leave for the night. Tomorrow's chapter is also about temptation.
1/27/2010
Day 25: Transformed by Trouble
I was riding the struggle bus this morning, and I didn't even realize it until it was almost too late. I didn't get out of bed until after 6 (it wasn't so much sleeping past 5:30 as it was that I just layed there and had no desire to leave the warmth of my bed). Usually on mornings like that, I just skip the shower step and move to the heat tea water and get dressed steps of my morning routine. However, one look in the mirror convinced me to go ahead and "take a quick shower," which is not part of my vocabulary. My hair is just long enough that it can't be combed down but needs water to be able to be formed into a socially acceptable fashion (i.e. so I can go to school and not look like I just got out of bed, hair going every which way). I got out of the shower, thinking it was a little after 6:20. I went out to start tea water and looked at the oven clock: 6:22. Perfect! When I got back into my bedroom and put my glasses on, a glance at my alarm clock told me it was 6:39!!! (my alarm clock is 5 minutes fast). My phone confirmed: 6:34! My bad eyes and my mind tricked me into seeing a "2" instead of a "3" on the oven clock! It was the latest I've ever left for school; my car clock said 6:40 when I pulled out of my apartment complex. Pierson is nearly exactly a 30 minute drive from my apartment, barring red lights and traffic problems, and I'm supposed to be at school and signed it at 7:10. Now, usually I am an early person, but because I don't have a 1st period right now I don't get to school super early (around 6:55). However, today we had to hand out report cards in homeroom, and I am a homeroom teacher. EEEEK! I prayed quickly, asking God to get me to school safely and on time. I then proceeded to speed out to 92, and the thought hit me: I just asked God to do something, and now here I am, taking the situation into my own hands and disobeying the law (sinning). Although it was a tough thing to resist (especially on the long stretches of 17), I forced myself to drive the speed limit the whole way to school.
Guess when I arrived at school?
7:07. I was in my room with the report cards before the first bell rang at 7:10.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is another one of those chapters that I wish I would have read a year ago. It doesn't really apply to my current situation, but it's still very practical and useful as a reference for when bad times come (as they will inevitably).
It is important to realize first of all that God uses problems to help us grow. Even the things that Satan means to be bad for us, God uses to test us and temper our character. Secondly, we must also realize that ANY problem, big or small, is a chance to grow. Generally the bigger the problem, the more we realize we have to rely on Him for everything, but if we have experienced that, then it is our task to trust Him even with the smallest of problems! It's a hard concept, to think that the all powerful God wants us to incorporate Him in our little struggles as well as in our big upsets. The book makes a good point: "When we're in pain, we don't have the energy for superficial prayers."
I LOVE the broken down analysis of Romans 8:28-29. Huge appeal to the intellectual side of me. To synthesize and paraphrase the book's analysis: We have certainty that God is in control of all that happens to us (mistakes, sins, and hurts included), and plans them to be interdependent parts of the process of His purpose for we that are God's children to become more Christlike. The idea of the separate ingredients for a cake being bad by themselves but being overall good when put together is a good analogy to remind us that the bad things seem bad individually but overall have a good purpose.
"What happenes outwardly in your life is not as important as what happens inside you." After all, we have the promise of eternal life in Heaven when it's all said and done! But it's hard to see that when things aren't going well. It feels like the world is going to end (which in some cases would be a relief) and that nothing will ever bring relief. . . and this is where most people (even those who are only remotely "religious") usually turn to God for help. I've found that I am not this way, however. I praise God in the great times, because I know that He is there and working in my life. When things go bad, I usually blame Him for letting it happen and make things worse. This is something I know I need to work out. We have to remember that Jesus went through times of loneliness, temptation, stress, criticism, and rejection (reminds me of the song "Empty and Beautiful).
There are three ways we should respond to problems. First, we HAVE to remember that God's plan is good. I would add "and perfect" to the rest of that idea from the book. The best part of this section is here: "If you look at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within, you'll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you'll be at rest!" I always think of Paul in this kind of situation. Through everything he went through (like shipwreck and jailing) he was always focused on the end goal. Phillipians is one of my favorite books because of that attitude of constant joy even in "bad" situations.
Second, we must always rejoice and give thanks. We don't need to be thankful for all circumstances, but in them. If we know that we will get through the situation, and that it will make us stronger, than we can rejoice in the knowledge that the situation is given by God to make us that way and further His purpose in the world. We must never forget that Jesus suffered much as a human; why would we expect any different in our lives?
Finally, we must refuse to give up. Becoming a new and better person takes time. James is another great book, and here it talks about how trials are used to make us better. An interesting thought; as we mature, we pray less "comfort me" type prayers and replace them with "conform me to Your will" prayers. It's not about "why me?" but about "what do You want me to learn?" If we trust God in everything, He will always be there with us, working directly on us to make us better.
"Growing up means admitting the things you want the most: can't pursue every possible line. . . folding tents, making choices, ignoring all other voices, including mine. . . you're divine. . ." Although those lyrics were not intended to be particularly Christian, I think they directly to apply to this chapter's theme.
Point to Ponder: There is a purpose behind every problem.
They say that hindsight is 20/20. I think, if we all reflect on some problematic times in our lives, we see the good that came out of it, every time.
Verse to Remember: Romans 8:28- "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." New International Version
He is always in control, and His plan is perfect.
Question to Consider: What problem in my lfe has caused the greatest growth in me?
Well, the depression that came out of the search for employement this summer has brought me to the place I am now (meaning Florida and all the wonderful things that have happened since the move), but really that started with not getting a job with TFA. I don't regret trying out for it, because a)it put me in my place, b)it opened up communication, and c)I would not have moved to Deland.
Guess when I arrived at school?
7:07. I was in my room with the report cards before the first bell rang at 7:10.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is another one of those chapters that I wish I would have read a year ago. It doesn't really apply to my current situation, but it's still very practical and useful as a reference for when bad times come (as they will inevitably).
It is important to realize first of all that God uses problems to help us grow. Even the things that Satan means to be bad for us, God uses to test us and temper our character. Secondly, we must also realize that ANY problem, big or small, is a chance to grow. Generally the bigger the problem, the more we realize we have to rely on Him for everything, but if we have experienced that, then it is our task to trust Him even with the smallest of problems! It's a hard concept, to think that the all powerful God wants us to incorporate Him in our little struggles as well as in our big upsets. The book makes a good point: "When we're in pain, we don't have the energy for superficial prayers."
I LOVE the broken down analysis of Romans 8:28-29. Huge appeal to the intellectual side of me. To synthesize and paraphrase the book's analysis: We have certainty that God is in control of all that happens to us (mistakes, sins, and hurts included), and plans them to be interdependent parts of the process of His purpose for we that are God's children to become more Christlike. The idea of the separate ingredients for a cake being bad by themselves but being overall good when put together is a good analogy to remind us that the bad things seem bad individually but overall have a good purpose.
"What happenes outwardly in your life is not as important as what happens inside you." After all, we have the promise of eternal life in Heaven when it's all said and done! But it's hard to see that when things aren't going well. It feels like the world is going to end (which in some cases would be a relief) and that nothing will ever bring relief. . . and this is where most people (even those who are only remotely "religious") usually turn to God for help. I've found that I am not this way, however. I praise God in the great times, because I know that He is there and working in my life. When things go bad, I usually blame Him for letting it happen and make things worse. This is something I know I need to work out. We have to remember that Jesus went through times of loneliness, temptation, stress, criticism, and rejection (reminds me of the song "Empty and Beautiful).
There are three ways we should respond to problems. First, we HAVE to remember that God's plan is good. I would add "and perfect" to the rest of that idea from the book. The best part of this section is here: "If you look at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within, you'll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you'll be at rest!" I always think of Paul in this kind of situation. Through everything he went through (like shipwreck and jailing) he was always focused on the end goal. Phillipians is one of my favorite books because of that attitude of constant joy even in "bad" situations.
Second, we must always rejoice and give thanks. We don't need to be thankful for all circumstances, but in them. If we know that we will get through the situation, and that it will make us stronger, than we can rejoice in the knowledge that the situation is given by God to make us that way and further His purpose in the world. We must never forget that Jesus suffered much as a human; why would we expect any different in our lives?
Finally, we must refuse to give up. Becoming a new and better person takes time. James is another great book, and here it talks about how trials are used to make us better. An interesting thought; as we mature, we pray less "comfort me" type prayers and replace them with "conform me to Your will" prayers. It's not about "why me?" but about "what do You want me to learn?" If we trust God in everything, He will always be there with us, working directly on us to make us better.
"Growing up means admitting the things you want the most: can't pursue every possible line. . . folding tents, making choices, ignoring all other voices, including mine. . . you're divine. . ." Although those lyrics were not intended to be particularly Christian, I think they directly to apply to this chapter's theme.
Point to Ponder: There is a purpose behind every problem.
They say that hindsight is 20/20. I think, if we all reflect on some problematic times in our lives, we see the good that came out of it, every time.
Verse to Remember: Romans 8:28- "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." New International Version
He is always in control, and His plan is perfect.
Question to Consider: What problem in my lfe has caused the greatest growth in me?
Well, the depression that came out of the search for employement this summer has brought me to the place I am now (meaning Florida and all the wonderful things that have happened since the move), but really that started with not getting a job with TFA. I don't regret trying out for it, because a)it put me in my place, b)it opened up communication, and c)I would not have moved to Deland.
1/26/2010
Day 24: Transformed by Truth
What a difference a day makes. I feel like a completely different person, and I only went to bed at 10:30 (which is adequate. . . I think my days of 9 PM bedtime are finally over). I think a few things played into that. First, there was One Lord, One Faith rehearsal last night, and you can't sing that music and not get energized from it, no matter what kind of mood you are in. Second, I had a short phone call with one of my favorite people in the world yesterday afternoon (one of my hometown theater friends) and I think I'm going to be able to have lunch with the OTP gang when I go up in March for my brother's wedding (which is really exciting, since I didn't have the opportunity to see any of them over Christmas break). Finally, and most importantly, I spent more than just a couple minutes in prayer last night before I went to bed. I think I've mentioned this before, but it's amazing what spending time with God does for insomnia and quality of sleep.
I feel empowered today (and not nearly as tired as I have been this past week). I am planning out my trips to the elementary schools (I can get to McGinnis on an early release day, so no sub required! Unfortunately Pierson Elementary isn't as conveniently timed, but it's also across the street). I've got to meet with my mentor teacher for my observation later this week, but now I'm not so. . . concerned about it. I still don't know what to do with my HS guys, but I've got some ideas that are more interesting than the methods book because AHHH I JUST HAD AN EPIPHANY!!
I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to makes us like the Son of God." It's true; it's here in the Bible. This chapter is all about how God's Word can and should affect our daily life. For a long time in our world history, only priests were able to read the Bible. Now it is available to all (even online: I use Biblegateway.com because it has many translations and some neat features), and how wonderful that is! The list of what the Bible does is awesome: it "generates life, creates faith, produces change, frightens the Devil, causes miracles, heals hurts, builds character, transforms circumstances, imparts joy, overcomes adversity, defeats temptation, infuses hope, releases power, cleanses our minds, brings things into being, and guarantees our future forever." Some day I'll link all the verses to that list. Some people anticipate every Sunday because it is their only feeding time from God. I love Sunday's, and getting those learning experiences, but I can't wait six more days before I want to hear from God again!
Guess how many "activities" help us to abide in God's Word? . . . . if you guessed three, congrats; four is a close second.
First, we have to accept the Bible's authority. The Bible and its teachings should be our standard by which we base our lives. After all, if we are trying to live a life that pleases God, why wouldn't we listen to what He tells us? The book lists four (hah) authorities we sometimes use that get us into trouble: culture, tradition, reason, and emotion. Just because "everyone" is doing or thinking something does not make it right. Besides, there are truly few things that "everyone" has agreement on (parfaits are one of those things, however). Don't tell me to "step into the 21st Century thinking" and be open-minded about things that I believe are wrong. I used to be an advocate of this kind of thinking, but that has changed. I do not have to accept as valid the ways that other people choose to live, BUT that also does not give me the authority to persecute or hate them for their beliefs. Get ready, because I'm going to step on some toes here. But I get passionately frustrated with groups that manipulate God's Word and teachings and yet proclaim to be Christian. For example, God does NOT "hate fags" (Westboro Baptist Church; be warned, there's some scary stuff on this website, but the fact that they claim God hates any human via the name of their website alone discredits most of what they have to say. GOD DOES NOT HATE HUMAN BEINGS; He hates sin) but He also does NOT approve of homosexuality as a lifestyle (Gay Christian Network is the one I have heard the most about, although I'm sure there are plenty, just as there are other extremists like WBC; if you go check out the video section, there's a lot of interesting things in there, but here's my deal: if someone can explain how Romans 1 and 1 Corinthians 6 say that homosexuality is not a sin, or tell me where it says "it is OK to act on homosexual desires" in the Bible, I would love to chat. I don't want to touch Leviticus because, unfortunately both sides of the debate look at it wrong ("religous" Christians take it out of context, as the one video notes, and gay Christians use the "freedom from the Law of the Old Testament" argument, but two things wrong with that: homosexuality IS mentioned specifically as a sin in the New Testament (that mystery word "arsenokoitai" that also gets abused? It literally means "man" (arseno) and "bed"(koitai) and is likely Paul's way of translating into Greek the Hebrew from those Leviticus verses about men not lying with men (check here for more) and second, because we are free from the law does not mean that the law still does not serve as a way to determine what is sin and what isn't (look here). Ultimately, the laws from Levicitus were used to set apart the Israelites from all the other cultures and peoples around them; while the "rules" have changed, the idea that Christians are supposed to be different from the surrounding cultures has not). And please don't talk to me about homosexuality in the animal kingdom, because we are not animals. And lastly, paraphrased from my life application Bible: just because you have a desire/attraction within you does not mean that it is OK to act on it. Can you be saved as a gay person? Yes. But if you continue to live that lifestyle, are you really following God? I don't think so, because we are supposed to be dead to sin, and if the Holy Spirit is within us and we are following God's will, then He should be working in us to change all sinful behavior. We will never be perfect, but that is not an excuse! Look at Romans 6.) (don't misinterpret all that; I could have put a slew of verses and websites proclaiming God's love for every person, but I think that's a little unnecessary, because most people in our society agree that WBC is out of line. Most people in our society, however, do not agree with the issue of sexuality. But I feel just as passionately about how wrong both of them are. Does that mean I hate those people, condemn them? No. I hope that God will truly work in them, help them to see His will and change their ways, as we are called to do. Faith alone gets us to Heaven, but is faith without deeds true faith? Look at James 2. My LASB offers better insight than my limited mind could come up with: When someone claims to have faith, what he or she may have is intellectual assent- agreement with a set of Christian teachings- and as such it would be incomplete faith. True faith transforms our conduct as well as our thoughts. If our lives remain unchanged, we don't truly believe the truths we claim to believe. We cannot earn our salvation by serving and obeying God. But such actions show that our commitment to God is real. Deeds of loving service are not a substitute for, but rather a verification of, our faith in Christ. At first glance, James 2:18 seems to contradict Romans 3:28, "man is justified by faith apart from observing the law." Deeper investigation, however, shows that the teachings of James and Paul are not at odds. While it is true that our good deeds can never earn salvation, true faith always results in a changed life and good deeds. Paul speaks against those who try and be saved by deeds instead of truth faith; James speaks against those who confuse mere intellecual assent with true faith. After all, even demons know who Jesus is, but they don't obey him. True faith involves a commitment of your whole self to God.
. . . . I'm sorry I went on such a spree there. Again, I could have made just as many arguments against Westboro, but most people probably agree with my feelings on them already. And really the point was that both sides misinterpret and hold specific prejudices against the opposing viewpoint(s). So. . . back to the book. . .)
So, the Bible has to be our moral compass, not society, because in the end, we are judged by God, not by people on Earth. That is one reason I really like the journey through this book; it is FILLED with references from Scripture.
Second, we have to assimilate the Bible's truth. The Holy Spirit can only do so much if we are not taking in God's Word. There are five parts to this (wow, we've had three, four, and five now. . .): receive (listen to/accept teachings from others, like pastors and SS teachers; the biggest obstacle here is NOT the speaker but our ATTITUDE towards the speaker), read (duh! Remember that that's how God talks to us), research/study (we don't learn much by just reading information; we need to ask questions about what we are reading), remember(everyone CAN memorize; do you know your phone number? How about home address? We memorize what is important to us; what could be more important than God's Word?), and reflect (this idea has already come up as "meditation" from Day 11. For me, this blog has been a big part of my meditation, at least on the days where I wasn't completely scatterbrained).
Lastly, we have to apply its principles to daily life. When we don't, it is what Pastor Dan refers to as "spiritual obesity." We take in the Word of God constantly, but if we aren't doing anything with it, we are basically letting our spiritual lives waste away. We have to be doers of the Word. Is practical application easy? Not always. Sometimes we have to face the hardest things; I know I have been and am dealing with tough areas in my life, trying to either change them or repent from them so that I might truly worship. Does it always make sense? No. Often the things the Bible points out to us about our lives, though convicting, might not fit within our reason or our emotions. However: God's Word is flawless. I would argue that, when we take a step of faith into God's will, we eventually see why He had us do it. I like the idea of always creating something practical out of Bible study. Not to just think, but to do. As I told my SS class, my personality type is more doer than thinker (although generally everyone is capable of both, most people lean towards one side or the other). I've done a lot of thinking and some doing; I need to keep the thinking, and increase the doing.
Point to Ponder: The truth transforms me.
I have changed so much in the past five months, and you know why? Regular prayer, regularly attending church, and regular reading of the Bible. Actually, it started with the Bible, and then church, and then prayer. As I continue down this path, I find things have new meaning for me; even the songs I hear on Z Radio I have some different perspectives on how I interpret them (most people can understand lyrics, but what they make you feel when you listen or what you feel when you sing them is a step beyond basic understanding; I guess that's the musician in me).
Verse to Remember: John 8:31-2 "If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." King James Version
I also really like this verse. Actually, if you read the verse from John and use that as a continuing thought, it's kind of neat.
Questions to Consider: What has God already told me in his Word that I haven't started doing yet?
I feel like I am being led to have a more active role at Stetson Baptist. I still don't know what it is yet, but I've been reading in the New Testament about unity in the Body of Christ and using your spiritual gifts to do His work on Earth.
Two last things. First, this is probably the best definition of Christianity that I have found so far. Second, I apologize for the length of this entry, but hopefully it has made someone out there think. I am always open to conversation about anything.
I feel empowered today (and not nearly as tired as I have been this past week). I am planning out my trips to the elementary schools (I can get to McGinnis on an early release day, so no sub required! Unfortunately Pierson Elementary isn't as conveniently timed, but it's also across the street). I've got to meet with my mentor teacher for my observation later this week, but now I'm not so. . . concerned about it. I still don't know what to do with my HS guys, but I've got some ideas that are more interesting than the methods book because AHHH I JUST HAD AN EPIPHANY!!
I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to makes us like the Son of God." It's true; it's here in the Bible. This chapter is all about how God's Word can and should affect our daily life. For a long time in our world history, only priests were able to read the Bible. Now it is available to all (even online: I use Biblegateway.com because it has many translations and some neat features), and how wonderful that is! The list of what the Bible does is awesome: it "generates life, creates faith, produces change, frightens the Devil, causes miracles, heals hurts, builds character, transforms circumstances, imparts joy, overcomes adversity, defeats temptation, infuses hope, releases power, cleanses our minds, brings things into being, and guarantees our future forever." Some day I'll link all the verses to that list. Some people anticipate every Sunday because it is their only feeding time from God. I love Sunday's, and getting those learning experiences, but I can't wait six more days before I want to hear from God again!
Guess how many "activities" help us to abide in God's Word? . . . . if you guessed three, congrats; four is a close second.
First, we have to accept the Bible's authority. The Bible and its teachings should be our standard by which we base our lives. After all, if we are trying to live a life that pleases God, why wouldn't we listen to what He tells us? The book lists four (hah) authorities we sometimes use that get us into trouble: culture, tradition, reason, and emotion. Just because "everyone" is doing or thinking something does not make it right. Besides, there are truly few things that "everyone" has agreement on (parfaits are one of those things, however). Don't tell me to "step into the 21st Century thinking" and be open-minded about things that I believe are wrong. I used to be an advocate of this kind of thinking, but that has changed. I do not have to accept as valid the ways that other people choose to live, BUT that also does not give me the authority to persecute or hate them for their beliefs. Get ready, because I'm going to step on some toes here. But I get passionately frustrated with groups that manipulate God's Word and teachings and yet proclaim to be Christian. For example, God does NOT "hate fags" (Westboro Baptist Church; be warned, there's some scary stuff on this website, but the fact that they claim God hates any human via the name of their website alone discredits most of what they have to say. GOD DOES NOT HATE HUMAN BEINGS; He hates sin) but He also does NOT approve of homosexuality as a lifestyle (Gay Christian Network is the one I have heard the most about, although I'm sure there are plenty, just as there are other extremists like WBC; if you go check out the video section, there's a lot of interesting things in there, but here's my deal: if someone can explain how Romans 1 and 1 Corinthians 6 say that homosexuality is not a sin, or tell me where it says "it is OK to act on homosexual desires" in the Bible, I would love to chat. I don't want to touch Leviticus because, unfortunately both sides of the debate look at it wrong ("religous" Christians take it out of context, as the one video notes, and gay Christians use the "freedom from the Law of the Old Testament" argument, but two things wrong with that: homosexuality IS mentioned specifically as a sin in the New Testament (that mystery word "arsenokoitai" that also gets abused? It literally means "man" (arseno) and "bed"(koitai) and is likely Paul's way of translating into Greek the Hebrew from those Leviticus verses about men not lying with men (check here for more) and second, because we are free from the law does not mean that the law still does not serve as a way to determine what is sin and what isn't (look here). Ultimately, the laws from Levicitus were used to set apart the Israelites from all the other cultures and peoples around them; while the "rules" have changed, the idea that Christians are supposed to be different from the surrounding cultures has not). And please don't talk to me about homosexuality in the animal kingdom, because we are not animals. And lastly, paraphrased from my life application Bible: just because you have a desire/attraction within you does not mean that it is OK to act on it. Can you be saved as a gay person? Yes. But if you continue to live that lifestyle, are you really following God? I don't think so, because we are supposed to be dead to sin, and if the Holy Spirit is within us and we are following God's will, then He should be working in us to change all sinful behavior. We will never be perfect, but that is not an excuse! Look at Romans 6.) (don't misinterpret all that; I could have put a slew of verses and websites proclaiming God's love for every person, but I think that's a little unnecessary, because most people in our society agree that WBC is out of line. Most people in our society, however, do not agree with the issue of sexuality. But I feel just as passionately about how wrong both of them are. Does that mean I hate those people, condemn them? No. I hope that God will truly work in them, help them to see His will and change their ways, as we are called to do. Faith alone gets us to Heaven, but is faith without deeds true faith? Look at James 2. My LASB offers better insight than my limited mind could come up with: When someone claims to have faith, what he or she may have is intellectual assent- agreement with a set of Christian teachings- and as such it would be incomplete faith. True faith transforms our conduct as well as our thoughts. If our lives remain unchanged, we don't truly believe the truths we claim to believe. We cannot earn our salvation by serving and obeying God. But such actions show that our commitment to God is real. Deeds of loving service are not a substitute for, but rather a verification of, our faith in Christ. At first glance, James 2:18 seems to contradict Romans 3:28, "man is justified by faith apart from observing the law." Deeper investigation, however, shows that the teachings of James and Paul are not at odds. While it is true that our good deeds can never earn salvation, true faith always results in a changed life and good deeds. Paul speaks against those who try and be saved by deeds instead of truth faith; James speaks against those who confuse mere intellecual assent with true faith. After all, even demons know who Jesus is, but they don't obey him. True faith involves a commitment of your whole self to God.
. . . . I'm sorry I went on such a spree there. Again, I could have made just as many arguments against Westboro, but most people probably agree with my feelings on them already. And really the point was that both sides misinterpret and hold specific prejudices against the opposing viewpoint(s). So. . . back to the book. . .)
So, the Bible has to be our moral compass, not society, because in the end, we are judged by God, not by people on Earth. That is one reason I really like the journey through this book; it is FILLED with references from Scripture.
Second, we have to assimilate the Bible's truth. The Holy Spirit can only do so much if we are not taking in God's Word. There are five parts to this (wow, we've had three, four, and five now. . .): receive (listen to/accept teachings from others, like pastors and SS teachers; the biggest obstacle here is NOT the speaker but our ATTITUDE towards the speaker), read (duh! Remember that that's how God talks to us), research/study (we don't learn much by just reading information; we need to ask questions about what we are reading), remember(everyone CAN memorize; do you know your phone number? How about home address? We memorize what is important to us; what could be more important than God's Word?), and reflect (this idea has already come up as "meditation" from Day 11. For me, this blog has been a big part of my meditation, at least on the days where I wasn't completely scatterbrained).
Lastly, we have to apply its principles to daily life. When we don't, it is what Pastor Dan refers to as "spiritual obesity." We take in the Word of God constantly, but if we aren't doing anything with it, we are basically letting our spiritual lives waste away. We have to be doers of the Word. Is practical application easy? Not always. Sometimes we have to face the hardest things; I know I have been and am dealing with tough areas in my life, trying to either change them or repent from them so that I might truly worship. Does it always make sense? No. Often the things the Bible points out to us about our lives, though convicting, might not fit within our reason or our emotions. However: God's Word is flawless. I would argue that, when we take a step of faith into God's will, we eventually see why He had us do it. I like the idea of always creating something practical out of Bible study. Not to just think, but to do. As I told my SS class, my personality type is more doer than thinker (although generally everyone is capable of both, most people lean towards one side or the other). I've done a lot of thinking and some doing; I need to keep the thinking, and increase the doing.
Point to Ponder: The truth transforms me.
I have changed so much in the past five months, and you know why? Regular prayer, regularly attending church, and regular reading of the Bible. Actually, it started with the Bible, and then church, and then prayer. As I continue down this path, I find things have new meaning for me; even the songs I hear on Z Radio I have some different perspectives on how I interpret them (most people can understand lyrics, but what they make you feel when you listen or what you feel when you sing them is a step beyond basic understanding; I guess that's the musician in me).
Verse to Remember: John 8:31-2 "If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." King James Version
I also really like this verse. Actually, if you read the verse from John and use that as a continuing thought, it's kind of neat.
Questions to Consider: What has God already told me in his Word that I haven't started doing yet?
I feel like I am being led to have a more active role at Stetson Baptist. I still don't know what it is yet, but I've been reading in the New Testament about unity in the Body of Christ and using your spiritual gifts to do His work on Earth.
Two last things. First, this is probably the best definition of Christianity that I have found so far. Second, I apologize for the length of this entry, but hopefully it has made someone out there think. I am always open to conversation about anything.
1/25/2010
Day 23: How We Grow
I did not want to come to school today at all. I seriously considered using another sick day for mental health, but ultimately the desire to see my after school guys overcame my extreme aversion to waking up and driving out to school. I don't know exactly why I felt that way, but I just wanted to cry on the way to school. I think it's a combination of trying not to feel overwhelmed with the task at hand, lack of sleep since Wednesday because of All County rehearsals, and not really having had much of a weekend (I only had Sunday to recover from all the AC stuff; my legs are still a little achy).
Oh well. The important thing is that I didn't call in and I did in fact come to school. And I am being observed Thursday. . . I hope she doesn't want a lesson plan, because I don't really do those.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unlike physical growth, spiritual growth requires a committment (I suppose you could argue that we commit to our own survival, but it's not like we can choose to remain toddlers). Committment is such a touchy word for some people. We don't want to tie ourselves down to something in case it fails or we fail or we find something better. It's easier to just float around (reminds me of "Dancing Through Life" from Wicked) than it is to stick with something. Ugh. . . I'm being beat over the head with this idea, aren't I?
The book goes into the whole "working out" our salvation while the Spirit "works in" us. This is an important distinction though; we do not work FOR the salvation! If we truly understand and believe the implication of Christ's death and God's presence in our lives, we should WANT to be developing our spirit (in the same way that we work out and develop our bodies). The book also uses the analogy of a puzzle; when we work out the puzzle, we just have to figure out the arrangement of the pieces. I bought a puzzle yesterday, and I'm going to carry the analogy further. As most puzzles are rectangles (at least that's what I always think of), what's the first thing we do? Find all the edge pieces, of course. We need a structure so that we can figure out how all the other pieces will fit in. And which of the edge pieces are particularly special? The corner pieces. There are four of them. There are four parts to the greatest commandment. So, the edge pieces are like our heart, soul, strength, and mind. We have to root them in place, and make sure that they are all interconnected and holding together the frame of our lives. From there, we have all the pieces, and we have the final picture (perfection in heaven), and we have to figure out how to arrange all the pieces WITHIN THE STRUCTURE ALREADY CREATED. In our case, the structure is a combination of Biblical truths and teachings, fellowship with others, and prayer, to name some of the pieces. But it's not just about making that foundation; we have to act on it and put things together. The only thing is that God has some of the pieces to the puzzle, which we won't get until we join Him in heaven.
. . . that was a lot more convoluted than it should have been, but hopefully you got the idea.
The second main point in this chapter is also very powerful. We do not change only by acting; we change by thinking. The speedboat autopilot analogy is great (we can physically force the boat to change course, but eventually we tire out and it turns itself back. However, if we just change the autopilot, we have nothing to worry about). Willpower is great, but by itself it is not a strong enough force to create real change. I could force myself to work out every day just because "I should," but that's not why I'm working out; I want to be healthier. I know that by thinking about being healthier, I feel that I can do things to change that, and then I do them. Skipping the first couple steps are the reasons most people's diets, exercise routines, and New Year's Resolutions end up failing. They try to change their actions, but they never change their thinking. For developing Christians, we have to get rid of selfish, immature thoughts and start having mature thoughts focused on loving others.
Finally, because I like this quote: "Christianity is not a religion or a philosophy, but a relationship and a lifestyle."
Point to Ponder: It is never too late to start growing.
People say that older people can't change. I have never believed that. Is it harder? Sure. Fighting years of habit is never easy. But when did anyone say that the journey of life was supposed to be easy?
Verse to Remember: Romans 12:2b- "Let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God- what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect." Today's English Version
I used to think these lyrics from "Into the Woods": But how can you know what you want 'til you get what you want and you see if you like it? What I want most of all is to know what I want. I want what this verse says more than anything else in my life. This song more accurately describes what I think now.
Question to Consider: What is one area where I need to stop thinking my way and start thinking God's way?
The answer, over and over, is my job. Read last night's entry for more information.
I'm all over the place with this entry today; but in my defense, this was also a short chapter.
Oh well. The important thing is that I didn't call in and I did in fact come to school. And I am being observed Thursday. . . I hope she doesn't want a lesson plan, because I don't really do those.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unlike physical growth, spiritual growth requires a committment (I suppose you could argue that we commit to our own survival, but it's not like we can choose to remain toddlers). Committment is such a touchy word for some people. We don't want to tie ourselves down to something in case it fails or we fail or we find something better. It's easier to just float around (reminds me of "Dancing Through Life" from Wicked) than it is to stick with something. Ugh. . . I'm being beat over the head with this idea, aren't I?
The book goes into the whole "working out" our salvation while the Spirit "works in" us. This is an important distinction though; we do not work FOR the salvation! If we truly understand and believe the implication of Christ's death and God's presence in our lives, we should WANT to be developing our spirit (in the same way that we work out and develop our bodies). The book also uses the analogy of a puzzle; when we work out the puzzle, we just have to figure out the arrangement of the pieces. I bought a puzzle yesterday, and I'm going to carry the analogy further. As most puzzles are rectangles (at least that's what I always think of), what's the first thing we do? Find all the edge pieces, of course. We need a structure so that we can figure out how all the other pieces will fit in. And which of the edge pieces are particularly special? The corner pieces. There are four of them. There are four parts to the greatest commandment. So, the edge pieces are like our heart, soul, strength, and mind. We have to root them in place, and make sure that they are all interconnected and holding together the frame of our lives. From there, we have all the pieces, and we have the final picture (perfection in heaven), and we have to figure out how to arrange all the pieces WITHIN THE STRUCTURE ALREADY CREATED. In our case, the structure is a combination of Biblical truths and teachings, fellowship with others, and prayer, to name some of the pieces. But it's not just about making that foundation; we have to act on it and put things together. The only thing is that God has some of the pieces to the puzzle, which we won't get until we join Him in heaven.
. . . that was a lot more convoluted than it should have been, but hopefully you got the idea.
The second main point in this chapter is also very powerful. We do not change only by acting; we change by thinking. The speedboat autopilot analogy is great (we can physically force the boat to change course, but eventually we tire out and it turns itself back. However, if we just change the autopilot, we have nothing to worry about). Willpower is great, but by itself it is not a strong enough force to create real change. I could force myself to work out every day just because "I should," but that's not why I'm working out; I want to be healthier. I know that by thinking about being healthier, I feel that I can do things to change that, and then I do them. Skipping the first couple steps are the reasons most people's diets, exercise routines, and New Year's Resolutions end up failing. They try to change their actions, but they never change their thinking. For developing Christians, we have to get rid of selfish, immature thoughts and start having mature thoughts focused on loving others.
Finally, because I like this quote: "Christianity is not a religion or a philosophy, but a relationship and a lifestyle."
Point to Ponder: It is never too late to start growing.
People say that older people can't change. I have never believed that. Is it harder? Sure. Fighting years of habit is never easy. But when did anyone say that the journey of life was supposed to be easy?
Verse to Remember: Romans 12:2b- "Let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God- what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect." Today's English Version
I used to think these lyrics from "Into the Woods": But how can you know what you want 'til you get what you want and you see if you like it? What I want most of all is to know what I want. I want what this verse says more than anything else in my life. This song more accurately describes what I think now.
Question to Consider: What is one area where I need to stop thinking my way and start thinking God's way?
The answer, over and over, is my job. Read last night's entry for more information.
I'm all over the place with this entry today; but in my defense, this was also a short chapter.
1/24/2010
Day 22: Created to Become Like Christ
God certainly must enjoy speaking to us, or He wouldn't use such creative ways. Twice today, music choices have directly related to what I was doing or feeling. It was raining earlier when I was planning on spending time outside, and the song that came on was "Praise You in This Storm." Just now, when I got home, the song "How Amazing is Your Love" came on as I was feeling a mixture of resolve and discouragement. That song has been a kind of anthem for me lately, and I was just thinking about it earlier today.
It's strange the ways He works in us. . . the sermon tonight, continuing in Nehemiah, was entitled "Sticktoitiveness" (it's on dictionary.com, which is one of my favorite sites, and therefore must be a real word). If I haven't mentioned this already, I have been applying this series of messages not only to what's going on at SBC, but also directly to my job. There have been many parallels (the need for vision, a negative historical precedent, and attacks/ridicule from the outside, just to name a few) and overall it has been an encouraging series to engage in. Tonight was a little different, though. The message still applied and in ways was encouraging, but it wasn't really. . . uplifting for me. I've been toying (only a little) with the notion of this other position that I know is opening up in my district. I wouldn't have to move, and in fact I wouldn't have a commute anymore. I would be stepping into a successful program and doing what I love. It wouldn't be all positives, but no job is perfect, right?
Well, I might be wrong there.
If I believe that God brought me down to Florida to live in this community and to do the work that needs to be done at my school to establish a music program, then it stands to reason that I need to do what He has given me. And deep down I truly believe that. So these other thoughts, this other job. . . it's a distraction. I need to put 100% focus on God's purpose for my life, and while I'm still discovering all the aspects that entails (and probably that is an ongoing process), I don't really have a question in this area of my life right now. I think the reason this sermon wasn't as uplifting (a lot of times, after the Nehemiah messages, I have left the church brandishing a sword and saying "Bring it on!") (figuratively of course, though it'd be pretty awesome if I had a sword. I don't know why I would be bringing it to church though. . .) was because it reminded me that while I have a lot of support, I also have a lot of opposition. The past is against me. I've got to be wary of the criticisms and attacks of the Sanballats, Tobiahs, and Geshem the Arabs in my life. I have to continue the work, and sometimes that means working while carrying a spear. I also have to be aware of the opposition from within myself. Enemies are on all sides. This is not going to happen in a day. It won't be easy, and it will (and does) get harder before it gets easier. And sticking with this job means that I will have to face these obstacles.
But there's more.
Where I am in life is not a mistake. I need to stop living by land and start living by sea. Who am I to put limits on God? I need to realize all the amazing things He is doing for me and through me, and not get bogged down by the little things that don't matter in the end. I need to chase after what can be in my life (not just the job) and know that, if I let Him, He will do great things through me. I need not be afraid (if God gave me the job, then He wants me to succeed) nor give up, but stick to it and trust that this is my calling. God has a direction for me; am I committed to following it?
I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Romans 8:29 is so awesome in many ways and also a little scary. I have it in NIV and The Message because the language of The Message sounds less scary but still keeps the same idea. I'm not going to open up the whole "predestination" thing, because God does not make us do anything. But, He sets us up to find Him, and allows us to change His plans through prayer (Abraham- Sodom and Gomorrah (though it didn't work out), Moses- all sorts of things throughout his life, Elijah- kept it from raining). Anyway, I'm getting off track. He made us not only like Him (with spirits, intellect, love, and moral consciousness) but also to BE like Him. And guess who we have to look for to find the blueprint for how our lives were supposed to be (if Adam and Eve hadn't messed up): Jesus! It's so simple.
An important point the book makes is that it is a change of character, not personality. These verses outline those character traits; they apply to ANY personality. Also, God never told us that life will always be great down here. It won't be great until we're in Heaven, so why are we trying to achieve "heaven on earth"? WE exist for HIM (and because of Him), NOT the other way around. He's not an all powerful butler, taking our orders; HE CREATED US. That alone, at least for me, always reminds me that it is not about me, and makes me thankful for the opportunity to live and serve Him.
The theme of this week, if you missed the title of the chapter, is in a word, "sanctification." There are two parts to sanctification: we "work out" our salvation as the Holy Spirit "works in us." Check this out if you don't believe me. My LASB has a good point: Often it is in doing God's will that we gain the desire to do it. We are asked not just to pray, but to act on our prayers and concerns. It means that we need to not only read the Bible, but to put what we learn from it into practice. And, to throw a small yet related caveat in here from this morning's sermon, in order to worship we need to have both spirit and truth. To me, that means that we have to be talking to God and searching His word (to find truth), and we also have to be open to listening and feeling what the Holy Spirit leads us to and act on it! That doesn't nearly cover everything, but that's more than enough to chew for now.
Whoa. . . a Z-Radio ad on the verses from Philippians. God doesn't tell us to work FOR our salvation, but to work OUT our salvation. We have to do what He has already started for us, and go for it, knowing that His grace will come. Thanks for the back-up again, God.
Anyway.
God wants us to make choices in every situation that follow His will, even when we feel weak or uncertain. We have to have to HAVE to be willing to take that step of faith. We know that He can and will give us the strength and confidence to tackle whatever it is we are facing because He has given us the Holy Spirit. We have to choose to let go of our old ways of acting. This is something I'm working on, and finally finding success because I am giving it over to God. I can't do it with my own strength. We also have to choose to change our way of thinking. When our insides start changing, the outside will too, and it usually doesn't work the other way around (I think that's one of the problems when people go cold turkey on something; they try to fix the problem through action only, rather than thinking). Finally, we have to choose to develop godly habits. Simply put (by the book, not by me), character is the sum of our habits.
Another thing we need to keep in mind is that God uses not only the Bible, but the people and circumstances of our lives to shape our character development. As I said above, we are not where we are in life by accident. The book mentions the isolated spiritualists who "discover God and the meaning of life" by spending their lives alone on a mountain. What??? Hello! God created a world full of people; how can we experience the love of God if we don't interact with other people? Besides, it's the second greatest commandment: love your neighbor as yourselves. Feel free to insert your own "By moving to the top of a mountain, I am treating my (annoying) neighbor the way I want them to treat me" joke here.
Finally, and again this is a tough thing for me often, we have to know that sanctification is a life-long process. It's not instant, nor is it automatic. Just as our bodies develop and grow with age, so does our spirit. One thing we have to remember is that "God is far more interested in what you are than in what you do." That goes back to that whole idea of what worship really is. It's meant to be not just a "church thing" but a lifestyle; it is how we feel than where we are doing whatever it is. I love this: "we are human beings, not human doings."
So, for me, it means that it's more about how I approach the work to be done at Taylor, and not just that I am doing it. . . I think if I keep in mind that this is what God set me up to do, I will end up approaching it in a worshipful fashion.
Point to Ponder: I was created to become like Christ.
AND when I get to Heaven, I WILL be like Christ! Go back to the Romans verse above. What could be more exciting than that???
Verse to Remember: 2 Corinthians 3:18b- "As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more." New Living Translation
I was reminded of a song I learned as a young child. I've thought about the lyrics again, and I'm pretty sure they are Biblically sound (this idea also came up in today's sermon).
Question to Consider: In what area of my life do I need to ask for the Spirit's power to be like Christ today?
I shouldn't be surprised to come to this conclusion, but right now I think I need to trust God and give my job over to Him. Again, this doesn't mean that I just sit back and expect Him to do everything, but I need to use Him as my Consultant, my Comforter, my Strength and Firm Foundation, and ultimately my goal has to be that I am pleasing Him in my actions.
PS- From yesterday's entry: "Ph" is the "New Testament in Modern English" translation by J. B Phillips. I stumbled upon a reference at the end of the book.
It's strange the ways He works in us. . . the sermon tonight, continuing in Nehemiah, was entitled "Sticktoitiveness" (it's on dictionary.com, which is one of my favorite sites, and therefore must be a real word). If I haven't mentioned this already, I have been applying this series of messages not only to what's going on at SBC, but also directly to my job. There have been many parallels (the need for vision, a negative historical precedent, and attacks/ridicule from the outside, just to name a few) and overall it has been an encouraging series to engage in. Tonight was a little different, though. The message still applied and in ways was encouraging, but it wasn't really. . . uplifting for me. I've been toying (only a little) with the notion of this other position that I know is opening up in my district. I wouldn't have to move, and in fact I wouldn't have a commute anymore. I would be stepping into a successful program and doing what I love. It wouldn't be all positives, but no job is perfect, right?
Well, I might be wrong there.
If I believe that God brought me down to Florida to live in this community and to do the work that needs to be done at my school to establish a music program, then it stands to reason that I need to do what He has given me. And deep down I truly believe that. So these other thoughts, this other job. . . it's a distraction. I need to put 100% focus on God's purpose for my life, and while I'm still discovering all the aspects that entails (and probably that is an ongoing process), I don't really have a question in this area of my life right now. I think the reason this sermon wasn't as uplifting (a lot of times, after the Nehemiah messages, I have left the church brandishing a sword and saying "Bring it on!") (figuratively of course, though it'd be pretty awesome if I had a sword. I don't know why I would be bringing it to church though. . .) was because it reminded me that while I have a lot of support, I also have a lot of opposition. The past is against me. I've got to be wary of the criticisms and attacks of the Sanballats, Tobiahs, and Geshem the Arabs in my life. I have to continue the work, and sometimes that means working while carrying a spear. I also have to be aware of the opposition from within myself. Enemies are on all sides. This is not going to happen in a day. It won't be easy, and it will (and does) get harder before it gets easier. And sticking with this job means that I will have to face these obstacles.
But there's more.
Where I am in life is not a mistake. I need to stop living by land and start living by sea. Who am I to put limits on God? I need to realize all the amazing things He is doing for me and through me, and not get bogged down by the little things that don't matter in the end. I need to chase after what can be in my life (not just the job) and know that, if I let Him, He will do great things through me. I need not be afraid (if God gave me the job, then He wants me to succeed) nor give up, but stick to it and trust that this is my calling. God has a direction for me; am I committed to following it?
I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Romans 8:29 is so awesome in many ways and also a little scary. I have it in NIV and The Message because the language of The Message sounds less scary but still keeps the same idea. I'm not going to open up the whole "predestination" thing, because God does not make us do anything. But, He sets us up to find Him, and allows us to change His plans through prayer (Abraham- Sodom and Gomorrah (though it didn't work out), Moses- all sorts of things throughout his life, Elijah- kept it from raining). Anyway, I'm getting off track. He made us not only like Him (with spirits, intellect, love, and moral consciousness) but also to BE like Him. And guess who we have to look for to find the blueprint for how our lives were supposed to be (if Adam and Eve hadn't messed up): Jesus! It's so simple.
An important point the book makes is that it is a change of character, not personality. These verses outline those character traits; they apply to ANY personality. Also, God never told us that life will always be great down here. It won't be great until we're in Heaven, so why are we trying to achieve "heaven on earth"? WE exist for HIM (and because of Him), NOT the other way around. He's not an all powerful butler, taking our orders; HE CREATED US. That alone, at least for me, always reminds me that it is not about me, and makes me thankful for the opportunity to live and serve Him.
The theme of this week, if you missed the title of the chapter, is in a word, "sanctification." There are two parts to sanctification: we "work out" our salvation as the Holy Spirit "works in us." Check this out if you don't believe me. My LASB has a good point: Often it is in doing God's will that we gain the desire to do it. We are asked not just to pray, but to act on our prayers and concerns. It means that we need to not only read the Bible, but to put what we learn from it into practice. And, to throw a small yet related caveat in here from this morning's sermon, in order to worship we need to have both spirit and truth. To me, that means that we have to be talking to God and searching His word (to find truth), and we also have to be open to listening and feeling what the Holy Spirit leads us to and act on it! That doesn't nearly cover everything, but that's more than enough to chew for now.
Whoa. . . a Z-Radio ad on the verses from Philippians. God doesn't tell us to work FOR our salvation, but to work OUT our salvation. We have to do what He has already started for us, and go for it, knowing that His grace will come. Thanks for the back-up again, God.
Anyway.
God wants us to make choices in every situation that follow His will, even when we feel weak or uncertain. We have to have to HAVE to be willing to take that step of faith. We know that He can and will give us the strength and confidence to tackle whatever it is we are facing because He has given us the Holy Spirit. We have to choose to let go of our old ways of acting. This is something I'm working on, and finally finding success because I am giving it over to God. I can't do it with my own strength. We also have to choose to change our way of thinking. When our insides start changing, the outside will too, and it usually doesn't work the other way around (I think that's one of the problems when people go cold turkey on something; they try to fix the problem through action only, rather than thinking). Finally, we have to choose to develop godly habits. Simply put (by the book, not by me), character is the sum of our habits.
Another thing we need to keep in mind is that God uses not only the Bible, but the people and circumstances of our lives to shape our character development. As I said above, we are not where we are in life by accident. The book mentions the isolated spiritualists who "discover God and the meaning of life" by spending their lives alone on a mountain. What??? Hello! God created a world full of people; how can we experience the love of God if we don't interact with other people? Besides, it's the second greatest commandment: love your neighbor as yourselves. Feel free to insert your own "By moving to the top of a mountain, I am treating my (annoying) neighbor the way I want them to treat me" joke here.
Finally, and again this is a tough thing for me often, we have to know that sanctification is a life-long process. It's not instant, nor is it automatic. Just as our bodies develop and grow with age, so does our spirit. One thing we have to remember is that "God is far more interested in what you are than in what you do." That goes back to that whole idea of what worship really is. It's meant to be not just a "church thing" but a lifestyle; it is how we feel than where we are doing whatever it is. I love this: "we are human beings, not human doings."
So, for me, it means that it's more about how I approach the work to be done at Taylor, and not just that I am doing it. . . I think if I keep in mind that this is what God set me up to do, I will end up approaching it in a worshipful fashion.
Point to Ponder: I was created to become like Christ.
AND when I get to Heaven, I WILL be like Christ! Go back to the Romans verse above. What could be more exciting than that???
Verse to Remember: 2 Corinthians 3:18b- "As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more." New Living Translation
I was reminded of a song I learned as a young child. I've thought about the lyrics again, and I'm pretty sure they are Biblically sound (this idea also came up in today's sermon).
Question to Consider: In what area of my life do I need to ask for the Spirit's power to be like Christ today?
I shouldn't be surprised to come to this conclusion, but right now I think I need to trust God and give my job over to Him. Again, this doesn't mean that I just sit back and expect Him to do everything, but I need to use Him as my Consultant, my Comforter, my Strength and Firm Foundation, and ultimately my goal has to be that I am pleasing Him in my actions.
PS- From yesterday's entry: "Ph" is the "New Testament in Modern English" translation by J. B Phillips. I stumbled upon a reference at the end of the book.
Week 3 In Review
Week Three already?? Time flies when you teach all day and rehearse all evening I suppose. It's a gorgeous day, and I have to go to the store later, so I might pick up something to do that involves being outside (because it's January and it feels like May).
So, if you forgot, the theme was "You Were Formed for God's Family."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How is "being committed to each other as we are to Jesus Christ" different from the way most people understand "fellowship"?
Most people think of fellowship as just hanging out or having a meal. While these are circumstances where fellowship can (and often) happen, fellowship is about our relationships with one another. It's about how we treat our brothers and sisters in Christ, how we interact with them, and even what we do when they are not around (do we pray for them? Are we sending them notes of encouragement when we're home from work? Do we give them a call every now and then? Are we talking highly of them to others, or do we gossip about them or put them down?).
What are the barriers that keep us from loving and caring for other believers?
Prejudice, stubbornness, being busy, ignorance (whether intended or not), distrust, fear, need I go on?
What would make it easier for you to be able to share your needs, hurts, fears, and hopes with others?
I prefer a medium that is not my own voice. I think that's one reason music is so great for me: I can express things through it that I don't want to or am unable to say. Even when I'm teaching music, I sort of come out of myself, and while I am opening up vocally, it's not about what I'm saying as it is helping other people get to "speak" music better. It's no longer about me and my life but about other people. That's why, when I introduce myself, I often don't say much (or at least I don't like to talk much). If I go try to talk to someone about myself, I freeze up; hat's why I like to type out my feelings in a blog or via e-mail or something. I get overwhelmed easily when the emotional focus is on me and my life; when it becomes about something else, it's WAY easier.
What are the most common excuses people give for not joining a church, and how would you answer them?
I feel like a lot of people are either intimidated or afraid of the church, or they have been burned before and are gun-shy. For those that are intimidated, I would say you just need to find a congregation of people that are friendly and open (if you find you are ignored as a visitor) or one that lets you be when you first come (if you find that churches are too up-in-yo-bizness when you visit). For those that are gun-shy, we need to remember that no one church is perfect because every church is filled with imperfect people. Again, it's about sampling and finding the place where you will fit in. As Pastor Dan said this morning, it's not where you worship but that you go somewhere and worship!
What could our group do to protect and promote the unity in our church?
I think we (meaning the SS class) are already doing a lot of great things. We meet regularly, share concerns with each other and pray for each other, get involved with different areas of the church (from the choir to nursery duty to Upward to MOPS and so on), and support our leadership. There are always places for improvement, but most importantly we need to not let go of the things we are doing well.
Is there someone you need to restore a relationship with that we could pray about for you?
The one that lays heaviest on my life right now is the relationship with my parents. There was a breakdown of communication the past few years and things aren't great, but they are improving. I won't go into details, but this is one that I need a lot of help with.
So, if you forgot, the theme was "You Were Formed for God's Family."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How is "being committed to each other as we are to Jesus Christ" different from the way most people understand "fellowship"?
Most people think of fellowship as just hanging out or having a meal. While these are circumstances where fellowship can (and often) happen, fellowship is about our relationships with one another. It's about how we treat our brothers and sisters in Christ, how we interact with them, and even what we do when they are not around (do we pray for them? Are we sending them notes of encouragement when we're home from work? Do we give them a call every now and then? Are we talking highly of them to others, or do we gossip about them or put them down?).
What are the barriers that keep us from loving and caring for other believers?
Prejudice, stubbornness, being busy, ignorance (whether intended or not), distrust, fear, need I go on?
What would make it easier for you to be able to share your needs, hurts, fears, and hopes with others?
I prefer a medium that is not my own voice. I think that's one reason music is so great for me: I can express things through it that I don't want to or am unable to say. Even when I'm teaching music, I sort of come out of myself, and while I am opening up vocally, it's not about what I'm saying as it is helping other people get to "speak" music better. It's no longer about me and my life but about other people. That's why, when I introduce myself, I often don't say much (or at least I don't like to talk much). If I go try to talk to someone about myself, I freeze up; hat's why I like to type out my feelings in a blog or via e-mail or something. I get overwhelmed easily when the emotional focus is on me and my life; when it becomes about something else, it's WAY easier.
What are the most common excuses people give for not joining a church, and how would you answer them?
I feel like a lot of people are either intimidated or afraid of the church, or they have been burned before and are gun-shy. For those that are intimidated, I would say you just need to find a congregation of people that are friendly and open (if you find you are ignored as a visitor) or one that lets you be when you first come (if you find that churches are too up-in-yo-bizness when you visit). For those that are gun-shy, we need to remember that no one church is perfect because every church is filled with imperfect people. Again, it's about sampling and finding the place where you will fit in. As Pastor Dan said this morning, it's not where you worship but that you go somewhere and worship!
What could our group do to protect and promote the unity in our church?
I think we (meaning the SS class) are already doing a lot of great things. We meet regularly, share concerns with each other and pray for each other, get involved with different areas of the church (from the choir to nursery duty to Upward to MOPS and so on), and support our leadership. There are always places for improvement, but most importantly we need to not let go of the things we are doing well.
Is there someone you need to restore a relationship with that we could pray about for you?
The one that lays heaviest on my life right now is the relationship with my parents. There was a breakdown of communication the past few years and things aren't great, but they are improving. I won't go into details, but this is one that I need a lot of help with.
1/23/2010
Day 21: Protecting Your Church
Ah sleep. . . how I had missed thee. My legs are achy from three days of being upright from 5:30 AM - 9:30 PM. Today isn't as bad: I *should* go to rehearsal around 10:30 to see some of the MS stuff, and then the HS rehearsal is 1-4 and the concert at 7 (and then it's over! which is bittersweet, because I have really enjoyed teaching these past couple weeks). I only have two rehearsals next week, and next weekend is free (as far as I know). So I'll get back on schedule starting tomorrow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Nehemiah series Pastor Dan has been leading on Sunday evenings provide a lot of great, practical ideas about today's chapter, so I will be using some information from that series (go here if you want to check those sermons out: they are labeled with verses from "Nem." or with "evening service" They start on the 3rd page (but it's recent to old, so you have to move left on the number line) (oh number lines. . . I'm such a teacher :-p).
The key word in here is unity. If we aren't getting along and working towards the same goal, what chance is there that we can have fellowship with one another? And how does a church that is having internal struggles look to outsiders? Criticism from outside the church, be it making fun of our character, attacking our ability, or expressing doubt about our committment, are inevitable. We need to prove them wrong by showing that God is moving in us, and while we are human, we can still stand together and continue the work. However, we also have to be wary and protect ourselves from attacks from within, which is what this chapter focuses on.
First, we need to focus on what we have in common, not our differences. This verse sums up exactly what we have in common. We need not focus on personalities, preferences, interpretations, styles, or methods. That's the "how" of the picture, and everyone has their own idea of what that should entail. What we need to be united in is our vision and the end goal of our existence as a church, Our church is putting another performance of "One Lord, One Faith" in a couple Sundays, and there's another community performance the week after that. The message is clear; we may have some differences in what we do in our own churches, but ultimately we stand together in the idea that we believe in the same God. If only the whole Church body could be so connected. . .
Second, we need to have realistic expectations. I know I have to be careful with this. The break-up of MGBC was very tough for me, partially because I was young and didn't really understand how it happened, and partially because I didn't see it coming, but mostly because I am an idealist and like the believe the best in people until proven otherwise. I need to remember that we are all human and still prone to mistakes and sin, however hurtful the situations might end up. I wouldn't go as far to say that one should never leave their church, but we have to understand that people are just that (people) and things will not always be perfect. In fact, they will never be perfect here on Earth.
Third, we must choose encouragement rather than criticism. Oh, but it is so easy to tell other people that they are doing it wrong. Instead of complaining about a problem, why not do something about it?? Pastor Dan has talked about this the past few weeks. If you don't like the dead leaves on the sidewalk, sweep them up. If you think the choir needs more voices, go recruit people, or better yet, join it! There are four things that happen when we judge our brothers and sisters: we lose fellowship with God, we expose our own pride and insecurity, we set ourselves to be judged by God, and we hurt the church's fellowship. I think of the song "Come Just as You Are" and I think that every church congregations needs to remember this song when visitors come in. If they aren't in a suit and tie, if they don't know the words or tunes to the song (or if they can't sing), if they don't know when to stand and when to sit, IT'S OK.
We must also refuse to listen to gossip. I don't have much to add to that, but the book makes a very good point: people that gossip to you will gossip about you. Definitely something to think about.
Practicing God's method for conflict resolution is important. See yesterday's entry for lots of information on this; no need for me to rehash.
Finally, we have to support our pastors and leaders. I can't imagine being the pastor of a church. So many things to know, to do, to juggle around. . . families to know, couples to counsel, problems to resolve, funerals and grief, criticisms to receive. . . and the positive stuff too, with births, and weddings, and dedications, and baptisms. . . and all the behind the scenes work, coordinating with all the different aspects and departments of a church. . . I have the uttmost respect for all of the SBC staff and leadership, from SS teachers to deacons to volunteers for various functions. . . it's a lot of work. We need to be encouraging not only when it's Easter, Christmas, or Pastor Appreciation Month, or only when we hear sermons that we really like. It's a 24/7 job, and we should be at least weekly telling him/them how much we appreciate their work.
Point to Ponder: It is my responsibility to protect the unity of my church.
Each member of the church has to be working together, or it will fall apart. That means that each individual does have responsibility to the whole group, and that's not something to be taken lightly.
Verse to Remember: Romans 14:19- "Let us concentrate on the things which make for harmony and the growth of our fellowship together."
The translation is "Ph". . . I don't know what that means. . . Phillipine translation?
Question to Consider: What am I personally doing to protect unity in my church family right now?
Hmmm. . . I don't know that this is something I have really thought about. I mean, I guess I'm not doing any of the negative things mention in the chapter, but I think I need to start being on the look out for those and not be afraid to say, "Stop it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Nehemiah series Pastor Dan has been leading on Sunday evenings provide a lot of great, practical ideas about today's chapter, so I will be using some information from that series (go here if you want to check those sermons out: they are labeled with verses from "Nem." or with "evening service" They start on the 3rd page (but it's recent to old, so you have to move left on the number line) (oh number lines. . . I'm such a teacher :-p).
The key word in here is unity. If we aren't getting along and working towards the same goal, what chance is there that we can have fellowship with one another? And how does a church that is having internal struggles look to outsiders? Criticism from outside the church, be it making fun of our character, attacking our ability, or expressing doubt about our committment, are inevitable. We need to prove them wrong by showing that God is moving in us, and while we are human, we can still stand together and continue the work. However, we also have to be wary and protect ourselves from attacks from within, which is what this chapter focuses on.
First, we need to focus on what we have in common, not our differences. This verse sums up exactly what we have in common. We need not focus on personalities, preferences, interpretations, styles, or methods. That's the "how" of the picture, and everyone has their own idea of what that should entail. What we need to be united in is our vision and the end goal of our existence as a church, Our church is putting another performance of "One Lord, One Faith" in a couple Sundays, and there's another community performance the week after that. The message is clear; we may have some differences in what we do in our own churches, but ultimately we stand together in the idea that we believe in the same God. If only the whole Church body could be so connected. . .
Second, we need to have realistic expectations. I know I have to be careful with this. The break-up of MGBC was very tough for me, partially because I was young and didn't really understand how it happened, and partially because I didn't see it coming, but mostly because I am an idealist and like the believe the best in people until proven otherwise. I need to remember that we are all human and still prone to mistakes and sin, however hurtful the situations might end up. I wouldn't go as far to say that one should never leave their church, but we have to understand that people are just that (people) and things will not always be perfect. In fact, they will never be perfect here on Earth.
Third, we must choose encouragement rather than criticism. Oh, but it is so easy to tell other people that they are doing it wrong. Instead of complaining about a problem, why not do something about it?? Pastor Dan has talked about this the past few weeks. If you don't like the dead leaves on the sidewalk, sweep them up. If you think the choir needs more voices, go recruit people, or better yet, join it! There are four things that happen when we judge our brothers and sisters: we lose fellowship with God, we expose our own pride and insecurity, we set ourselves to be judged by God, and we hurt the church's fellowship. I think of the song "Come Just as You Are" and I think that every church congregations needs to remember this song when visitors come in. If they aren't in a suit and tie, if they don't know the words or tunes to the song (or if they can't sing), if they don't know when to stand and when to sit, IT'S OK.
We must also refuse to listen to gossip. I don't have much to add to that, but the book makes a very good point: people that gossip to you will gossip about you. Definitely something to think about.
Practicing God's method for conflict resolution is important. See yesterday's entry for lots of information on this; no need for me to rehash.
Finally, we have to support our pastors and leaders. I can't imagine being the pastor of a church. So many things to know, to do, to juggle around. . . families to know, couples to counsel, problems to resolve, funerals and grief, criticisms to receive. . . and the positive stuff too, with births, and weddings, and dedications, and baptisms. . . and all the behind the scenes work, coordinating with all the different aspects and departments of a church. . . I have the uttmost respect for all of the SBC staff and leadership, from SS teachers to deacons to volunteers for various functions. . . it's a lot of work. We need to be encouraging not only when it's Easter, Christmas, or Pastor Appreciation Month, or only when we hear sermons that we really like. It's a 24/7 job, and we should be at least weekly telling him/them how much we appreciate their work.
Point to Ponder: It is my responsibility to protect the unity of my church.
Each member of the church has to be working together, or it will fall apart. That means that each individual does have responsibility to the whole group, and that's not something to be taken lightly.
Verse to Remember: Romans 14:19- "Let us concentrate on the things which make for harmony and the growth of our fellowship together."
The translation is "Ph". . . I don't know what that means. . . Phillipine translation?
Question to Consider: What am I personally doing to protect unity in my church family right now?
Hmmm. . . I don't know that this is something I have really thought about. I mean, I guess I'm not doing any of the negative things mention in the chapter, but I think I need to start being on the look out for those and not be afraid to say, "Stop it."
1/22/2010
Day 20: Restoring Broken Fellowship
Seeing as I have after school band today and am going immediately to All County Rehearsal after (because I have to tune the timpani beforehand!! It'll be a shoddy job until break, when I'll have a little more time and a lot more peace and quiet), I won't be doing this entry until tonight, and possibly not until tomorrow morning (because I'm already exhausted, and I still have 4 hours of rehearsal to attend; no sticking around tonight though. I NEED sleep).
And now I'm home, and although I'm going to get up "early," I still want to finish this entry tonight. This will probably have sparse (if any) links. I need to go catch up my other entries. . . someday. Anyway, here we go.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Interesting. . . we are actually called to the "ministry of reconciliation." And it's not about loving peace or being peaceable, but making peace. We have to confront problems and work towards rebuilding the relationship and finding some kind of resolve. I know that sometimes I can be an appeaser, because it feels easier to just let someone have their way rather than fight with them. However, on important issues, I need to be careful not to do this, but to stand my ground (but still working towards making peace). There are seven (whoa! that's a lot) different steps in which we can restore relationships.
First off is talking to God before talking to the person. If we remember back a few entries, we are supposed to be completely honest with our feelings when we talk to God. We vent to Him for the same reasons we vent to others; the negative feelings have to escape somewhere, and better in a safe environment than in one that is self-damaging or hurtful to others. A great thing to remember in this passage: "When you expect anyone- a friend, spouse, boss, or family member- to meet a need that only God can fulfill, you are setting yourself up for disappointment and bitterness. No one can meet all of your needs except God."
Second, we have to take the initiative!. On one hand, that doesn't mean that it has to be done RIGHT THEN, but on the other it needs to happen at a mutual situation where both people are mentally and emotionally stable and have enough time to devote to making it better. Go look at this.
Third, we have to sympathize with their feelings. Man. . . this list keeps getting tougher and tougher. How hard is it to listen to the other person's side, especially when we are the hurt party? However, if we are looking for true forgiveness and resolution, this is a vital step. And, I think this also reminds us that we aren't perfect, so when we are on the side that has offended, we want to be heard out.
Confessing our part of the conflict is next. It is so much easier to talk with someone that has hurt you or been hurt by you when they start out with "I'm sorry that this happened and that I ______." So, shouldn't we try and have that attitude when we go to resolve a problem with someone? If we admit our mistake, often the other person will not react defensively but will also open up. And how are we to be forgiven for something if we won't own up to it?
Fifth, we need to be careful we are attacking the problem and not the person. We all like to play the blame game, but ultimately that only leads to more negative feelings. We also like to say "positive," forward moving ideas in negative tones (which is why they are "positive"). The book talks about disarming our relational nuclear weapons; what a powerful image.
Penultimately, we have to cooperate as much as possible. Peace may have a price, but does having your way matter to you more than the relationship you are trying to fix? Look at these verses.
Finally, we have to emphasize reconciliation and not resolution. Reconciliation is fixing the relationship; resolution is getting everyone to agree on the outcome of the problem. We usually want to change the other person to think like us, and that will bring about peace. While this might work, it's not usually something that can happen right away. Fix the relationship, THEN fix the problem. It's OK to disagree, as long as we can continue to work together and work it out.
Point to Ponder: Relationships are always worth restoring.
We are blessed to be able to participate in God's love, so we should not pass up opportunities to make relationships happen, especially when they already exist and then a division comes.
Verse to Remember: Romans 12:18- "Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody." Today's English Version
We can be so derisive and harsh at times, and often we don't even realize we're doing it until someone calls attention to it. Speak less and with much thought is pretty much a good motto for the world.
Question to Consider: Who do I need to restore a broken relationship with today?
I can think of three in particular that I need (and have been) working on. But it's nice to have some specific strategies. Unfortunately, all these people are in Michigan, and I'm in Florida. . . that makes it tougher.
Tomorrow's a long day; I'm hoping to get to this next chapter early in the morning.
And now I'm home, and although I'm going to get up "early," I still want to finish this entry tonight. This will probably have sparse (if any) links. I need to go catch up my other entries. . . someday. Anyway, here we go.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Interesting. . . we are actually called to the "ministry of reconciliation." And it's not about loving peace or being peaceable, but making peace. We have to confront problems and work towards rebuilding the relationship and finding some kind of resolve. I know that sometimes I can be an appeaser, because it feels easier to just let someone have their way rather than fight with them. However, on important issues, I need to be careful not to do this, but to stand my ground (but still working towards making peace). There are seven (whoa! that's a lot) different steps in which we can restore relationships.
First off is talking to God before talking to the person. If we remember back a few entries, we are supposed to be completely honest with our feelings when we talk to God. We vent to Him for the same reasons we vent to others; the negative feelings have to escape somewhere, and better in a safe environment than in one that is self-damaging or hurtful to others. A great thing to remember in this passage: "When you expect anyone- a friend, spouse, boss, or family member- to meet a need that only God can fulfill, you are setting yourself up for disappointment and bitterness. No one can meet all of your needs except God."
Second, we have to take the initiative!. On one hand, that doesn't mean that it has to be done RIGHT THEN, but on the other it needs to happen at a mutual situation where both people are mentally and emotionally stable and have enough time to devote to making it better. Go look at this.
Third, we have to sympathize with their feelings. Man. . . this list keeps getting tougher and tougher. How hard is it to listen to the other person's side, especially when we are the hurt party? However, if we are looking for true forgiveness and resolution, this is a vital step. And, I think this also reminds us that we aren't perfect, so when we are on the side that has offended, we want to be heard out.
Confessing our part of the conflict is next. It is so much easier to talk with someone that has hurt you or been hurt by you when they start out with "I'm sorry that this happened and that I ______." So, shouldn't we try and have that attitude when we go to resolve a problem with someone? If we admit our mistake, often the other person will not react defensively but will also open up. And how are we to be forgiven for something if we won't own up to it?
Fifth, we need to be careful we are attacking the problem and not the person. We all like to play the blame game, but ultimately that only leads to more negative feelings. We also like to say "positive," forward moving ideas in negative tones (which is why they are "positive"). The book talks about disarming our relational nuclear weapons; what a powerful image.
Penultimately, we have to cooperate as much as possible. Peace may have a price, but does having your way matter to you more than the relationship you are trying to fix? Look at these verses.
Finally, we have to emphasize reconciliation and not resolution. Reconciliation is fixing the relationship; resolution is getting everyone to agree on the outcome of the problem. We usually want to change the other person to think like us, and that will bring about peace. While this might work, it's not usually something that can happen right away. Fix the relationship, THEN fix the problem. It's OK to disagree, as long as we can continue to work together and work it out.
Point to Ponder: Relationships are always worth restoring.
We are blessed to be able to participate in God's love, so we should not pass up opportunities to make relationships happen, especially when they already exist and then a division comes.
Verse to Remember: Romans 12:18- "Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody." Today's English Version
We can be so derisive and harsh at times, and often we don't even realize we're doing it until someone calls attention to it. Speak less and with much thought is pretty much a good motto for the world.
Question to Consider: Who do I need to restore a broken relationship with today?
I can think of three in particular that I need (and have been) working on. But it's nice to have some specific strategies. Unfortunately, all these people are in Michigan, and I'm in Florida. . . that makes it tougher.
Tomorrow's a long day; I'm hoping to get to this next chapter early in the morning.
1/21/2010
Day 19: Cultivating Community
Well, my brain feels less fuzzy after last night. Sometimes I just need to be brought out of my own bubble and keep remembering the bigger picture (see last night's entry). I think part of my problem is that I'm becoming discouraged again with my job. But I also have to remember all the great things that have come about because of it: 1)I actually have a job in the field that I want, and while I'm not quite saving money yet (I paid off my Christmas credit card bill) I'm not in the red, 2)the job brought me down to Florida and to the community of believers at SBC, which has been one of the best things that has happened in the move, 3)I have wonderful facilities and great support from staff and administration, 4)I know that God brought me here, and if I give this job over to God, He will do great things through me. I know that I still have a long way to mature in my faith, but that doesn't mean I should lose sight of the end goal: living a life of total worship and service. So easy to say, so easy to feel that way. . . but making it happen in this world? Not always so easy. I need lots of guidance and practical information.
So, keeping that in mind, let's see what PDL holds in store for us today.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the same way that prayer disconnected from action can be ineffective, fellowship without commitment is nothing. The Holy Spirit might connect us and bring us together, but once we're in that place, we then have to work at making it continue to happen. Look at these verses. Any relationship, be it one-on-one or with a group, needs more than just good intent. I think we all have been in relationships that fall apart because there is no contribution by at least one of the people involved. Sometimes it's familial, sometimes friendly, sometimes even mentoring type situations, but lack of devotion and care is always fatal. I think I'm going to check out 1 Timothy this evening (or later today at least; I've got ACB rehearsal again so it's going to be a long day). There are five (we're upgrading!) more qualities to creating true fellowship, so let's explore those a little.
First, we have to be honest. We've already seen authenticity, which is us being honest with others. This is talking about being honest to others about their lives. It can be so difficult to tell someone that they are doing something that is self-destructive or gloss over a problem they are having. We are told to speak the truth in love, with special attention to "truth" and "love." To be able to confront someone, it requires a whole lot of care and courage. So, you have to establish a relationship first (the love aspect) so that you will be able to "speak the truth" and help the other person out. After all, if you truly care about them, you don't want them to continue down a path that is harming them. When it's something physical, like alcoholism or drug addiction, it's a little easier to say, "Look, you are hurting yourself and out of control." It's the "intangible" sins, like lack of worship, covetousness, or lust, that prove very difficult to bring up and discuss, especially in our you-live-your-way-I'll-live-my-way society. Granted, with fellow Christians it should be easier, but I think it's a good thing to remember that, if we are approached by someone out of love, we need to listen. It's not easy, but it is necessary if we need that change to happen in our lives, which we ought to be concerned about (that is, getting rid of sin). And it brings us closer to the person who confronts us, that they care enough about us to see that we get the best out of our lives (and that they would take the risk of pushing us away by creating confrontation. Actually, I think there needs to be more confrontation in both the church and in society, but that's the social anarchist in me). The book does make a good point that being frank does not mean being rude. The Bible says that there's a proper time and way to do it. And, we are supposed to treat the person we are confronting as if they are a family member, because THEY ARE!
Second, we have to have humility. I know in the music world that egos do not make you attractive when dealing with the personal realm (fortunately for some people, auditions are often blind so that the best player gets the job, rather than the best all-around person. I'm not saying it shouldn't be that way, but still. . . just something to think about). There are four very good pieces of advice from the book about how to develop humility: admitting weakness, patience with others' weaknesses, openness to correction, and putting others in the spotlight. There's a perfect song for this (there's a perfect song for EVERY situation haha), but I can't recall it right now. It talks about how we aren't allowed to show weakness in today's world. PERFECT PEOPLE!!. Go check out the lyrics (or listen to Z-Radio. . . they're bound to play it at least 3 times throughout the day). Finally, a great quote: "Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less."
Third, community and fellowship need courtesy. Sometimes it's hard to love people who are different than us, and the more different they are, the harder it is for us to see that they were still created and loved by God. They still deserve to be treated with dignity, and their feelings about whatever is going on in their lives deserve validation from their Christian family. After all, we all have different strengths and weaknesses, and how are we to grow in our spiritual life if we don't have anyone to bounce ideas off of or learn from?
Fourth, there needs to be confidentiality. I remember one morning in SS, we were talking about "gossip prayer requests." The book talks about this very thing. We have to feel we can trust people in our fellowship to take our concerns to heart, but to keep them only within the group's knowledge base, unless we have revealed it publicly.
Finally, there must be frequency. We don't become close to people by seeing them once every month. At the very least, a couple times a week is needed to really get to know people. However, it requires "a lot of time" to build deep relationships. This is something I have to keep in mind, having moved 1,200 miles away from everyone I know. Yeah, I've found awesome people, but it'll still take time before I can have any deep relationships because it requires time for deep relationships to develop. Although I haven't disconnected myself from my MI contacts, and I often call people or talk to them online, I know that I need to build connections here too, especially if I'm going to be sticking around at Taylor for the next 8-10 years. YEARS. I can't even really fathom it (and right now, I'm pretty much still living day to day/week to week with my job).
(I just came up with a GREAT analogy for mallet players; it's like driving a car. The music is your windshield to the road, and the keyboard is the dashboard and mirrors. You gotta keep most of your focus on the road, but be constantly checking the dash and mirrors. I love analogies :D )
Point to Ponder: Community requires commitment.
Whether it's church, school band, drumline, whatever, this is true. You don't have a group of united people unless there's a common cause and committment from the members.
Verse to Remember: 1 John 3:16 "We understand what love is when we realize that Christ gave his life for us. That means we must give our lives for other believers." God's Word Translation
It's the same idea of giving non-believers the grace that has been given us; how can we not be treating our brothers and sisters in Christ with the love of God that we share?
Question to Consider: How can I help cultivate today the characteristics of real community in my small group and my church?
Well, as I've already said, I need myself to start opening up and getting more involved (emotionally or otherwise) in what's going on in my SS class. I can't be a part of the community happening if I don't throw myself into it. I know it takes time. But I still need to work on it.
So, keeping that in mind, let's see what PDL holds in store for us today.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the same way that prayer disconnected from action can be ineffective, fellowship without commitment is nothing. The Holy Spirit might connect us and bring us together, but once we're in that place, we then have to work at making it continue to happen. Look at these verses. Any relationship, be it one-on-one or with a group, needs more than just good intent. I think we all have been in relationships that fall apart because there is no contribution by at least one of the people involved. Sometimes it's familial, sometimes friendly, sometimes even mentoring type situations, but lack of devotion and care is always fatal. I think I'm going to check out 1 Timothy this evening (or later today at least; I've got ACB rehearsal again so it's going to be a long day). There are five (we're upgrading!) more qualities to creating true fellowship, so let's explore those a little.
First, we have to be honest. We've already seen authenticity, which is us being honest with others. This is talking about being honest to others about their lives. It can be so difficult to tell someone that they are doing something that is self-destructive or gloss over a problem they are having. We are told to speak the truth in love, with special attention to "truth" and "love." To be able to confront someone, it requires a whole lot of care and courage. So, you have to establish a relationship first (the love aspect) so that you will be able to "speak the truth" and help the other person out. After all, if you truly care about them, you don't want them to continue down a path that is harming them. When it's something physical, like alcoholism or drug addiction, it's a little easier to say, "Look, you are hurting yourself and out of control." It's the "intangible" sins, like lack of worship, covetousness, or lust, that prove very difficult to bring up and discuss, especially in our you-live-your-way-I'll-live-my-way society. Granted, with fellow Christians it should be easier, but I think it's a good thing to remember that, if we are approached by someone out of love, we need to listen. It's not easy, but it is necessary if we need that change to happen in our lives, which we ought to be concerned about (that is, getting rid of sin). And it brings us closer to the person who confronts us, that they care enough about us to see that we get the best out of our lives (and that they would take the risk of pushing us away by creating confrontation. Actually, I think there needs to be more confrontation in both the church and in society, but that's the social anarchist in me). The book does make a good point that being frank does not mean being rude. The Bible says that there's a proper time and way to do it. And, we are supposed to treat the person we are confronting as if they are a family member, because THEY ARE!
Second, we have to have humility. I know in the music world that egos do not make you attractive when dealing with the personal realm (fortunately for some people, auditions are often blind so that the best player gets the job, rather than the best all-around person. I'm not saying it shouldn't be that way, but still. . . just something to think about). There are four very good pieces of advice from the book about how to develop humility: admitting weakness, patience with others' weaknesses, openness to correction, and putting others in the spotlight. There's a perfect song for this (there's a perfect song for EVERY situation haha), but I can't recall it right now. It talks about how we aren't allowed to show weakness in today's world. PERFECT PEOPLE!!. Go check out the lyrics (or listen to Z-Radio. . . they're bound to play it at least 3 times throughout the day). Finally, a great quote: "Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less."
Third, community and fellowship need courtesy. Sometimes it's hard to love people who are different than us, and the more different they are, the harder it is for us to see that they were still created and loved by God. They still deserve to be treated with dignity, and their feelings about whatever is going on in their lives deserve validation from their Christian family. After all, we all have different strengths and weaknesses, and how are we to grow in our spiritual life if we don't have anyone to bounce ideas off of or learn from?
Fourth, there needs to be confidentiality. I remember one morning in SS, we were talking about "gossip prayer requests." The book talks about this very thing. We have to feel we can trust people in our fellowship to take our concerns to heart, but to keep them only within the group's knowledge base, unless we have revealed it publicly.
Finally, there must be frequency. We don't become close to people by seeing them once every month. At the very least, a couple times a week is needed to really get to know people. However, it requires "a lot of time" to build deep relationships. This is something I have to keep in mind, having moved 1,200 miles away from everyone I know. Yeah, I've found awesome people, but it'll still take time before I can have any deep relationships because it requires time for deep relationships to develop. Although I haven't disconnected myself from my MI contacts, and I often call people or talk to them online, I know that I need to build connections here too, especially if I'm going to be sticking around at Taylor for the next 8-10 years. YEARS. I can't even really fathom it (and right now, I'm pretty much still living day to day/week to week with my job).
(I just came up with a GREAT analogy for mallet players; it's like driving a car. The music is your windshield to the road, and the keyboard is the dashboard and mirrors. You gotta keep most of your focus on the road, but be constantly checking the dash and mirrors. I love analogies :D )
Point to Ponder: Community requires commitment.
Whether it's church, school band, drumline, whatever, this is true. You don't have a group of united people unless there's a common cause and committment from the members.
Verse to Remember: 1 John 3:16 "We understand what love is when we realize that Christ gave his life for us. That means we must give our lives for other believers." God's Word Translation
It's the same idea of giving non-believers the grace that has been given us; how can we not be treating our brothers and sisters in Christ with the love of God that we share?
Question to Consider: How can I help cultivate today the characteristics of real community in my small group and my church?
Well, as I've already said, I need myself to start opening up and getting more involved (emotionally or otherwise) in what's going on in my SS class. I can't be a part of the community happening if I don't throw myself into it. I know it takes time. But I still need to work on it.
1/20/2010
Thoughts from choir rehearsal
As much as my OCD side doesn't want me to split up my PDL entries (but let's face it; there are only 40 days anyway, so eventually I'll have to move on to something else), I want to set this down/put it out there, more for me than anything else. Reggie (who always has great little nuggets about worship) said some things tonight that impacted me once again to jot them down. And since I put them on my music (which will be turned in), I need to put them down somewhere more permanent. So:
-We are supposed to be creating an environment for worship, but at the same time the audience has to bring worship with them; we won't make it happen.
-We perform for an audience of ONE.
-It is more important to reach others than to stay in our own personal comfortable places.
-When people complain about the music used for the service, we must ask: which song did not honor God?
I also wrote Don't stretch neck! but that's not really about worship. And it looks like I put "Don't shc tca heak!" I'm glad someone can interpret my writing.
The second and third points challenge me, especially the second one. I need to remember that playing or singing a "Godly" song does not make it an act of worship. After all, God doesn't care if you have the most beautiful voice in the world or if you're monotone and tone deaf; He looks at your heart and the spirit with which you are performing. I have to avoid the thinking trap of "I'm a good musician so anything musical I do pleases God."
And if I can start applying that principle to all areas of my life. . . well, I'm on my way. Gotta keep forward motion.
I'm coming back to the heart of worship, and it's all about You.
Finally, great quote for the night about Berry's arrangement of "How Great Thou Art": God has that one on his Ipod.
-We are supposed to be creating an environment for worship, but at the same time the audience has to bring worship with them; we won't make it happen.
-We perform for an audience of ONE.
-It is more important to reach others than to stay in our own personal comfortable places.
-When people complain about the music used for the service, we must ask: which song did not honor God?
I also wrote Don't stretch neck! but that's not really about worship. And it looks like I put "Don't shc tca heak!" I'm glad someone can interpret my writing.
The second and third points challenge me, especially the second one. I need to remember that playing or singing a "Godly" song does not make it an act of worship. After all, God doesn't care if you have the most beautiful voice in the world or if you're monotone and tone deaf; He looks at your heart and the spirit with which you are performing. I have to avoid the thinking trap of "I'm a good musician so anything musical I do pleases God."
And if I can start applying that principle to all areas of my life. . . well, I'm on my way. Gotta keep forward motion.
I'm coming back to the heart of worship, and it's all about You.
Finally, great quote for the night about Berry's arrangement of "How Great Thou Art": God has that one on his Ipod.
Day 18: Experiencing Life Together
Nothing particularly exciting has happened in the past 24 hours (well, unless you count getting new students today, but really I was more excited about who was leaving rather than who was coming; I do have three of my bandies in my 9 week classes now, though, so that'll be interesting. . . I think we'll see each other in quite a different light. I just hope they don't find my GM class boring. . . but band is WAY more exciting). I'm updating earlier because I have a lot going on tonight, and I want to give this the time it deserves (and it's early release, so I'm done with students already! Gotta love southern school systems). As much fun as I'm going to have the next few days, it's also going to be long, and half my weekend is shot with ACB, so I'm just hoping to stay above water on everything I want to accomplish and continue doing (namely, going through PDL and working out while still keeping a reasonable sleep schedule. We'll see how that goes). And I need to reach out to the elementary schools. And schedule concerts. And fundraise at some point. And I have an observation a week from tomorrow.
Blah blah blah unfocused ramble. I'm excited about the next few days of PDL topics.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The book is so true when it says that we think of fellowship as where we go to eat. And from what I've heard and experienced, Baptists do food quite well. But it's not the only part of fellowship. "It is experiencing life together." All those "do unto one another" type commandments in the Bible? Those are what fellowship is all about. And the book also makes a good point about group size. We worship with huge groups (or can), but fellowship is really an intimate setting. Think about the disciples: Jesus easily could have picked hundreds of followers, but he chose only 12 because that allowed all of them to see and experience and be able to share every moment firsthand. When I think of my fellowship experiences, I think of my Sunday School class and of Dalton's Fellowship of Christian Musicians (formerly Fusion, which is when I joined it). As I go through the four (hah!) signs of "real fellowship" I'll probably mention either of these two situations.
Oh, and I really like the "cells of Christ's Body" analogy. I think there was something similar in my LASB. . .I'll have to check when I get home. Anyway. . .
First, real fellowship provides authenticity. Not surface-y, idle talk, but true, heart-to-heart type stuff. Now, that's not to say that there can't also be authentic joy and fun as well. I know with my Sunday School class, we are all quite open with sharing what's going on in our lives, good and bad, and praying for each other and supporting each other. That's something that has impressed me since I found the class. It's just a really great group of people who care about each other and watch out for each other. They took me under their wing the week that Brandon died. Pretty much it was just like "Hi, you're going to come hang out with us and not stay at home wallowing in sadness." I know I need to start being more open with them in general, not because things are going badly in my life or I need attention, but because when something is going on, I know I will be validated by them.
Second, real fellowship has mutuality. We aren't responsible for everyone in the Church (or the church for that matter), but we are responsible to them. Some of what I said above touches on this. In Fusion there was definitely this; we were already brought together by our mutual living quarters (the music building) and we had a lot of ways to connect through our experiences because of that. It was very encouraging to me to be able to come there every Monday night and sing and hear Gordon (or whomever) lead us in a discussion about faith, God, music, life, whatever the topic was for the day, because often it would relate to how to apply it to our lives as music majors. When the group started to get bigger and became FCM, we started to do some more group serving and spending time together type things. I remember one night we went around and picked up all the trash and papers from all the practice rooms and threw away/recycled it all in an effort to give to the Dalton community (because sometimes, there would be a banana peel in a plastic trash can for quite a while. . . or you'd see the same paper everytime you went into 1321. . . that kind of thing).
Third, fellowship has true sympathy. Sympathy is not just feeling bad for someone (that's more empathy): it is understanding what someone is going through and affirming the way they feel is appropriate and necessary for healing. Recently (well, I think November. . . I don't remember exactly) but I got a fb message from an FCM member whom I didn't know (unfortunately I didn't get to be part of it my last semester because I was interning an hour away) sent out a message asking for prayer as her uncle had just passed away. Although I haven't interacted with her since that message, I was able to provide sympathy for her at that moment as a brother in Christ, and all because I had been involved with a fellowship of believers previously. Although that's not exactly what this topic may be talking about, I still think it relates.
Finally, people will experience mercy in real fellowship. Although at this point I don't know that I've seen this in action (since I was only with Fusion for about 3 or 4 semesters and I've just moved down here), there is some great stuff in here. We have to remember that NO ONE is perfect. If someone messes up and hurts us, well, guess what? If we really thought about it, we have probably done the same thing to another person, or even worse, done it to that person! The Lord forgave us of everything; how can we not at least attempt to do the same for our fellow believers? Another great question- when we are hurt, do we use our energy and emotions for retaliation or for resolution? Finally, "Forgiveness must be immediate. . . Trust must be rebuilt over time." This is a HUGE difference that I know I need to think about in my life. It's OK not to trust someone that has a track record of hurting you, but it is NOT OK to leave the problem unforgiven.
Point to Ponder: I need others in my life.
"I hope this chapter has made you hungry to experience the authenticity, mutuality, sympathy, and mercy of real fellowship." I know I have felt that hunger, and I know I am finding it sated at SBC.
Verse to Remember: Galatians 6:2 "Share each other's troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ." New Living Translation
Love your neighbor as yourself, right? 2nd greatest commandment that is weaved into all the laws in the Bible. . . pretty neat.
Question to Consider: What one step can I take today to connect with another believer at a more genuine, heart-to-heart level?
I think something as simple as asking "How is it going with _________?" and listening (truly listening) is something I could do. Sometimes all we need to open up is to be asked.
I'm super unfocused today. I hope it didn't show up too much in this entry. My brain feels like it's covered in fuzz.
Blah blah blah unfocused ramble. I'm excited about the next few days of PDL topics.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The book is so true when it says that we think of fellowship as where we go to eat. And from what I've heard and experienced, Baptists do food quite well. But it's not the only part of fellowship. "It is experiencing life together." All those "do unto one another" type commandments in the Bible? Those are what fellowship is all about. And the book also makes a good point about group size. We worship with huge groups (or can), but fellowship is really an intimate setting. Think about the disciples: Jesus easily could have picked hundreds of followers, but he chose only 12 because that allowed all of them to see and experience and be able to share every moment firsthand. When I think of my fellowship experiences, I think of my Sunday School class and of Dalton's Fellowship of Christian Musicians (formerly Fusion, which is when I joined it). As I go through the four (hah!) signs of "real fellowship" I'll probably mention either of these two situations.
Oh, and I really like the "cells of Christ's Body" analogy. I think there was something similar in my LASB. . .I'll have to check when I get home. Anyway. . .
First, real fellowship provides authenticity. Not surface-y, idle talk, but true, heart-to-heart type stuff. Now, that's not to say that there can't also be authentic joy and fun as well. I know with my Sunday School class, we are all quite open with sharing what's going on in our lives, good and bad, and praying for each other and supporting each other. That's something that has impressed me since I found the class. It's just a really great group of people who care about each other and watch out for each other. They took me under their wing the week that Brandon died. Pretty much it was just like "Hi, you're going to come hang out with us and not stay at home wallowing in sadness." I know I need to start being more open with them in general, not because things are going badly in my life or I need attention, but because when something is going on, I know I will be validated by them.
Second, real fellowship has mutuality. We aren't responsible for everyone in the Church (or the church for that matter), but we are responsible to them. Some of what I said above touches on this. In Fusion there was definitely this; we were already brought together by our mutual living quarters (the music building) and we had a lot of ways to connect through our experiences because of that. It was very encouraging to me to be able to come there every Monday night and sing and hear Gordon (or whomever) lead us in a discussion about faith, God, music, life, whatever the topic was for the day, because often it would relate to how to apply it to our lives as music majors. When the group started to get bigger and became FCM, we started to do some more group serving and spending time together type things. I remember one night we went around and picked up all the trash and papers from all the practice rooms and threw away/recycled it all in an effort to give to the Dalton community (because sometimes, there would be a banana peel in a plastic trash can for quite a while. . . or you'd see the same paper everytime you went into 1321. . . that kind of thing).
Third, fellowship has true sympathy. Sympathy is not just feeling bad for someone (that's more empathy): it is understanding what someone is going through and affirming the way they feel is appropriate and necessary for healing. Recently (well, I think November. . . I don't remember exactly) but I got a fb message from an FCM member whom I didn't know (unfortunately I didn't get to be part of it my last semester because I was interning an hour away) sent out a message asking for prayer as her uncle had just passed away. Although I haven't interacted with her since that message, I was able to provide sympathy for her at that moment as a brother in Christ, and all because I had been involved with a fellowship of believers previously. Although that's not exactly what this topic may be talking about, I still think it relates.
Finally, people will experience mercy in real fellowship. Although at this point I don't know that I've seen this in action (since I was only with Fusion for about 3 or 4 semesters and I've just moved down here), there is some great stuff in here. We have to remember that NO ONE is perfect. If someone messes up and hurts us, well, guess what? If we really thought about it, we have probably done the same thing to another person, or even worse, done it to that person! The Lord forgave us of everything; how can we not at least attempt to do the same for our fellow believers? Another great question- when we are hurt, do we use our energy and emotions for retaliation or for resolution? Finally, "Forgiveness must be immediate. . . Trust must be rebuilt over time." This is a HUGE difference that I know I need to think about in my life. It's OK not to trust someone that has a track record of hurting you, but it is NOT OK to leave the problem unforgiven.
Point to Ponder: I need others in my life.
"I hope this chapter has made you hungry to experience the authenticity, mutuality, sympathy, and mercy of real fellowship." I know I have felt that hunger, and I know I am finding it sated at SBC.
Verse to Remember: Galatians 6:2 "Share each other's troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ." New Living Translation
Love your neighbor as yourself, right? 2nd greatest commandment that is weaved into all the laws in the Bible. . . pretty neat.
Question to Consider: What one step can I take today to connect with another believer at a more genuine, heart-to-heart level?
I think something as simple as asking "How is it going with _________?" and listening (truly listening) is something I could do. Sometimes all we need to open up is to be asked.
I'm super unfocused today. I hope it didn't show up too much in this entry. My brain feels like it's covered in fuzz.
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