"Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." John 18:37 (New American Standard Bible)
I read this verse last night before I went to bed and I woke up with it on my mind. So I hopped on my computer and looked this verse up in various bibles. I don't usually use NASB but I love this version for this verse. Everyone who is of the truth, hears my voice. Now the usual response you will get when reading this verse or quoting it to someone is the very response that Pilate gave in the very next sentence. "What is truth?" Pilate was standing face to face with God Himself and asked the question, "what is truth!" There is another interesting point in this verse, Jesus says "Everyone who is of the truth." This is not a statement concerning those who think that they know the truth, rather those who are led by the Holy Spirit in truth. In other words the truth is not necessarily something from the mind, rather somewhere that the Holy Spirit leads you.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Moving mountains in the community
There is a Chinese proverb that says, "It is possible to move a mountain by carrying away small stones." Now as I read this I realize a few things.
1. We have the possibility everyday to move enormous mountains. Whether it be a pebble at a time or the whole mountain in one fair swoop.
2. We can move these mountains on our own (with the help of God) or we can move mountains as a community.
Matthew 21:21 - Jesus says; "I tell you the truth, if you have the faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
I find at times in my life since my conversion, it is easier to move these "mountains" then it is at others. Is it because I lacked faith or is it because I doubted? I do know this much, when God makes that mountain move, it is an overwhelming flood of emotions. Whether this mountain is one of emotional or physical weight, it can certainly bring relief, satisfaction, forgiveness, joy, amazement and even pain. The most wonderful thought though is one that I have thought many times, Jesus says, "You can say to this mountain." See it is certainly God who is moving these mountains, but He is wanting us to want it also. So many times we sit back and just 'wish' God would do it. He wants us to ask, He wants us to desire that mountain to be moved. He wants us to get out of our seats and show some motivation, and make the mountain move. So many times I have EXPECTED God to use me, never really asking Him to. I think that is the difference in this situation for me. I desire to be used in this community. I wholeheartedly desire change and wish to spread hope in this community. Now how do we spread this idea and thought throughout our community to make this change happen? Maybe that will be my next post when God reveals that to me.
1. We have the possibility everyday to move enormous mountains. Whether it be a pebble at a time or the whole mountain in one fair swoop.
2. We can move these mountains on our own (with the help of God) or we can move mountains as a community.
Matthew 21:21 - Jesus says; "I tell you the truth, if you have the faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
I find at times in my life since my conversion, it is easier to move these "mountains" then it is at others. Is it because I lacked faith or is it because I doubted? I do know this much, when God makes that mountain move, it is an overwhelming flood of emotions. Whether this mountain is one of emotional or physical weight, it can certainly bring relief, satisfaction, forgiveness, joy, amazement and even pain. The most wonderful thought though is one that I have thought many times, Jesus says, "You can say to this mountain." See it is certainly God who is moving these mountains, but He is wanting us to want it also. So many times we sit back and just 'wish' God would do it. He wants us to ask, He wants us to desire that mountain to be moved. He wants us to get out of our seats and show some motivation, and make the mountain move. So many times I have EXPECTED God to use me, never really asking Him to. I think that is the difference in this situation for me. I desire to be used in this community. I wholeheartedly desire change and wish to spread hope in this community. Now how do we spread this idea and thought throughout our community to make this change happen? Maybe that will be my next post when God reveals that to me.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
So reading through Dietrich Bonhoeffer's book entitled "Meditating on the Word" I came across this great quote that I wanna share.
"What do we mean by love? It is love whereby we exist not for ourselves but for others. It is love whereby we rejoice in contemplating others' perfections as truly as if they were our own. It is love whereby we acknowledge our obligations to others and seek to make return to them for all the good we have received. The heart must confess that there is a sense of unity involving the moral obligation of love which binds us to the whole human race...... They are the totality out of which we have emerged, and we parish in the void if we seek to live as individuals for ourselves alone."
"What do we mean by love? It is love whereby we exist not for ourselves but for others. It is love whereby we rejoice in contemplating others' perfections as truly as if they were our own. It is love whereby we acknowledge our obligations to others and seek to make return to them for all the good we have received. The heart must confess that there is a sense of unity involving the moral obligation of love which binds us to the whole human race...... They are the totality out of which we have emerged, and we parish in the void if we seek to live as individuals for ourselves alone."
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
The Psalms of life
1 "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night."
When I read these two versus so much runs through my head....what does it mean to walk in the counsel of the wicked? Have I ever stood in the way of a sinner? I know that I have sat in the seat of a mocker. But really, these questions don't much matter as long as I am meditating on the Word and delighting in Gods law. Frankly if I am following these two examples "day and night" then the change within my heart and mind will be so significant that "walking in the counsel of the wicked or sitting in the seat of mockers" should not even be a question I ask myself. Rather I will ask, "Have I loved today as Christ would have loved and as Christ loves me?" You see if we allow the Holy Spirit to control our every action and our every thought, there will be no question as to where my heart lies. Book 1 of the Psalms continues on to answer this very idea of what happens when we allow the Holy Spirit to control our lives,
3 "He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."
That's quiet a promise from our Lord that our fruit will always yield and our leaves will never wither! That is a tree that is alive forever! Man that makes me excited that God wants to give me that gift. It makes me more happy thought that "Whatever he does prospers." Now this may sound conceited but I want my life and ministry to prosper greatly! And with that its my life's work to delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on it day and night!
When I read these two versus so much runs through my head....what does it mean to walk in the counsel of the wicked? Have I ever stood in the way of a sinner? I know that I have sat in the seat of a mocker. But really, these questions don't much matter as long as I am meditating on the Word and delighting in Gods law. Frankly if I am following these two examples "day and night" then the change within my heart and mind will be so significant that "walking in the counsel of the wicked or sitting in the seat of mockers" should not even be a question I ask myself. Rather I will ask, "Have I loved today as Christ would have loved and as Christ loves me?" You see if we allow the Holy Spirit to control our every action and our every thought, there will be no question as to where my heart lies. Book 1 of the Psalms continues on to answer this very idea of what happens when we allow the Holy Spirit to control our lives,
3 "He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."
That's quiet a promise from our Lord that our fruit will always yield and our leaves will never wither! That is a tree that is alive forever! Man that makes me excited that God wants to give me that gift. It makes me more happy thought that "Whatever he does prospers." Now this may sound conceited but I want my life and ministry to prosper greatly! And with that its my life's work to delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on it day and night!
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