So ACF held our retreat this past weekend. It was pretty sweet. I hadn't really gotten a chance to know any of the freshmen yet, but I did at the retreat and of course Matt Cohen was sharing with us, but there was one thing that kind of bugs me. It's about what Matt said Saturday morning or more about what he didn't say.
Saturday morning he was talking about heaven and how most view heaven compared to how the bible describes heaven. The part that has been bothering me was he said about the up in the clouds kind of heaven that most people think of is boring and dull, and then he went on to read from revelation about what heaven will really be like. All I thought for the rest of that time was how screwed up our view of heaven and of God is.
When we die we get to have a perfect relationship with God and spend eternity worshiping him. That's AWESOME!!! I could care less about my perfected body or the new earth or the capital city 1,000 miles high and 1,000 miles wide. It's not the place, heaven, that makes it paradise, but the heavenly state we will be in of being able to spend eternity in a right relationship with God and with NO SIN!!! No matter what the surroundings are, that is going to be amazing. It's good to know what heaven will be like, but I could care less if it's the new earth heaven, the cloudy heaven, or any other heaven you can imagine. We should be excited about going to heaven because we finally get to restore our relationship with God because that is what's going to make heaven heavenly.
Because of his grace and for his glory
Monday, October 27, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Love with Reckless Abandon
It's been a pretty interesting week at ACF.
After Pastor called an "audible" on Sunday and decided not to do the outreach sermon he prepared this past Sunday, a lot of people were left confused. On Wednesday Aaron shared more about what was going on and what he was feeling. In our small group, Chase brought up how there is just a lack of a desire to see people saved, and we talked about why that is if it's true at all (and I believe it is absolutely true. I think the answer is simple.
We don't have a burning desire to see people saved because we don't really love them the way we should.
If your best friend is not a Christian and you love them then should there salvation be of great concern to you? Because ultimately no matter what other way you may show your love for them or show that you care for them if you aren't concerned about their soul then the rest doesn't matter. If we want to support them in their relationships and their work and whatever else then why don't we want to help them work out their salvation? Isn't that so much more important? If we really love them then shouldn't we be willing to throw off our own inhibitions and insecurities to help them?
I think one of the biggest problems is in our constitution. Freedom of religion is a trap. It says that it's okay for people to believe and follow whatever they want, but that's absolutely not true. It's not okay for people to turn away from God. It's not okay for us to reject the truth. If you believe that Jesus is the truth than you can't just be satisfied with letting people believe what ever they want. you can't tolerate the practicing of other religions because if you do then you don;t really care about that person. Now I'm not saying we need to make Christianity the only acceptable religion to practice (even though it is) or that we should persecute people who aren't Christians, but we do need to go after people by loving with a reckless abandon.
Because of his grace and for his glory.
After Pastor called an "audible" on Sunday and decided not to do the outreach sermon he prepared this past Sunday, a lot of people were left confused. On Wednesday Aaron shared more about what was going on and what he was feeling. In our small group, Chase brought up how there is just a lack of a desire to see people saved, and we talked about why that is if it's true at all (and I believe it is absolutely true. I think the answer is simple.
We don't have a burning desire to see people saved because we don't really love them the way we should.
If your best friend is not a Christian and you love them then should there salvation be of great concern to you? Because ultimately no matter what other way you may show your love for them or show that you care for them if you aren't concerned about their soul then the rest doesn't matter. If we want to support them in their relationships and their work and whatever else then why don't we want to help them work out their salvation? Isn't that so much more important? If we really love them then shouldn't we be willing to throw off our own inhibitions and insecurities to help them?
I think one of the biggest problems is in our constitution. Freedom of religion is a trap. It says that it's okay for people to believe and follow whatever they want, but that's absolutely not true. It's not okay for people to turn away from God. It's not okay for us to reject the truth. If you believe that Jesus is the truth than you can't just be satisfied with letting people believe what ever they want. you can't tolerate the practicing of other religions because if you do then you don;t really care about that person. Now I'm not saying we need to make Christianity the only acceptable religion to practice (even though it is) or that we should persecute people who aren't Christians, but we do need to go after people by loving with a reckless abandon.
Because of his grace and for his glory.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
The Sparrow and The Crow
So i've posted a couple times about some of my favorite bands that nobody knows about because most of the stuff I listen to is really obscure. One of my favorite artists of all time released a new album on September 30th, and I've probably listened to it at least 20 times. It's pretty much amzaing. I thought his first two cd's were good, but this one is incredible. The cd is "The Sparrow and The Crow" by William Fitzsimmons. Not only is the music really good, but I love how he plays off his old songs.
The last song on his second cd is "After All" and the first song on this cd is "After After All", and on the second cd he had a song "Good night", now he has a song "Good Morning". If you didn't check him out last time I wrote about him you definitely should now. The first three songs on his myspace are new songs.
http://www.myspace.com/williamfitzsimmons
The last song on his second cd is "After All" and the first song on this cd is "After After All", and on the second cd he had a song "Good night", now he has a song "Good Morning". If you didn't check him out last time I wrote about him you definitely should now. The first three songs on his myspace are new songs.
http://www.myspace.com/williamfitzsimmons
Friday, October 3, 2008
Time to call it quits
Have you ever tried to stop being friends with someone? It kind of sucks. Especially when you still see them around a good bit. I'm kind of at the point with some people where I don't want to be friends with them. Not because of enything that they did or said, but because I don't want to care about them anymore. I know this sounds stupid and I feel stupid about feeling this way, but it's just a way I feel.
I love taking care of peopl. I love knowing what's on people's hearts and be able to share their burdens and be there for them, but sometimes it just takes too much out of me to even get some people to that point. There are some people that I clearly care for more than they care about me, and for the most part that doesn't really bother me that much, but I just wish I didn't for them as much. I wish that I ddn't get as frustrated when they refuse to talk to me or don't call me back. I wish I didn't love them, so I'm trying not to love them less, but to love them in a way that doesn't cost me so much. Is that right? If we really love someone shouldn't we be willing to give them everything? Should we really be able to say I love you just enough so I don't get hurt? It's true that there are some people I wish I didn't love, but I do love them, and I can't stop loving them. No matter how hard I try, so what do I do? Give them everything until I can't takt it anymore? Back off and let them make a move?
"This house is full of secrets that
i have kept from her for far too long
i hope i make it through the day
my conduct should be suspect and my
intentions should be checked buy i'm too
involved in making plans for my soul
her heart is full of kindness that she's
given away and now she is tired
of all the parts of life that she made
she tries to help out everyone
but i can only help myself
i question whether she knows she's saved
i hope you find it
cause i could not find it in me
i can't say when i'll leave you for good
my selfish heart hopes you don't go first
God knows i couldn't make it one day
i'll ask that you find someone to help
like you treated me like you were myself
you broke your back to make it okay
these parts of life that i cannot hold
you carry me along with your load
you're more than i could ever repay
i hope you find it cause i could not find it in me" -"Find it in me" ny William Fitzsimmons
Because of his grace and for his glory.
I love taking care of peopl. I love knowing what's on people's hearts and be able to share their burdens and be there for them, but sometimes it just takes too much out of me to even get some people to that point. There are some people that I clearly care for more than they care about me, and for the most part that doesn't really bother me that much, but I just wish I didn't for them as much. I wish that I ddn't get as frustrated when they refuse to talk to me or don't call me back. I wish I didn't love them, so I'm trying not to love them less, but to love them in a way that doesn't cost me so much. Is that right? If we really love someone shouldn't we be willing to give them everything? Should we really be able to say I love you just enough so I don't get hurt? It's true that there are some people I wish I didn't love, but I do love them, and I can't stop loving them. No matter how hard I try, so what do I do? Give them everything until I can't takt it anymore? Back off and let them make a move?
"This house is full of secrets that
i have kept from her for far too long
i hope i make it through the day
my conduct should be suspect and my
intentions should be checked buy i'm too
involved in making plans for my soul
her heart is full of kindness that she's
given away and now she is tired
of all the parts of life that she made
she tries to help out everyone
but i can only help myself
i question whether she knows she's saved
i hope you find it
cause i could not find it in me
i can't say when i'll leave you for good
my selfish heart hopes you don't go first
God knows i couldn't make it one day
i'll ask that you find someone to help
like you treated me like you were myself
you broke your back to make it okay
these parts of life that i cannot hold
you carry me along with your load
you're more than i could ever repay
i hope you find it cause i could not find it in me" -"Find it in me" ny William Fitzsimmons
Because of his grace and for his glory.
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