Saturday, August 31, 2013
The effect of grace
"For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect."
I Corinthians 15:9-10a
Just prior to this verse Paul is talking about all of the apostles and how they were chosen by Christ or came to follow Christ. He ends with himself that he was one "abnormally born." Paul was a terrible man to the early church. He was feared, he was hated. And then God called him, changed him and showered him with Grace. And forever Paul was affected by that grace and that grace affected millions.
How much do we allow the grace we've received to have an effect on us, on our lives and on others?
Do not let your grace go without effect.
"For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect."
I Corinthians 15:9-10a
Just prior to this verse Paul is talking about all of the apostles and how they were chosen by Christ or came to follow Christ. He ends with himself that he was one "abnormally born." Paul was a terrible man to the early church. He was feared, he was hated. And then God called him, changed him and showered him with Grace. And forever Paul was affected by that grace and that grace affected millions.
How much do we allow the grace we've received to have an effect on us, on our lives and on others?
Do not let your grace go without effect.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
See it, take it
"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted byond what you can bear. but when you ar tempted, he will aslo provide a way out so that you can endure it." - 1 Corinthians 10:13
This is a rather common scripture - one those of us who have been Christians all of our lives have heard over and over. It is a sort of rallying cry to remind us that God is looking out for us.
But... we have to take the way out.
That's big. Think about it. It has vast connotations.
God will not make you not sin.
He will not force your hand. Sure, sometimes circumstances get in the way, which we can attribute to the hand of God. But in general the choice of what to do remains by and large ours.
At work I struggle with focus. It can be Facebook, it can be watching videos from the international space station, it can be taking a walk to get a soda from the store, or it can be anything else. But whatever it is, I know my focus has to be the job at hand. To bring glory to God in all that I do I must focus on the task at hand, for the rewards are plenty... both in honoring God, and in honoring my work.
The choice to do that remains mine.
No matter what.
The choice is always ours... The path is there, when you see it, take it, and reap good rewards from the good that you sow.
"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted byond what you can bear. but when you ar tempted, he will aslo provide a way out so that you can endure it." - 1 Corinthians 10:13
This is a rather common scripture - one those of us who have been Christians all of our lives have heard over and over. It is a sort of rallying cry to remind us that God is looking out for us.
But... we have to take the way out.
That's big. Think about it. It has vast connotations.
God will not make you not sin.
He will not force your hand. Sure, sometimes circumstances get in the way, which we can attribute to the hand of God. But in general the choice of what to do remains by and large ours.
At work I struggle with focus. It can be Facebook, it can be watching videos from the international space station, it can be taking a walk to get a soda from the store, or it can be anything else. But whatever it is, I know my focus has to be the job at hand. To bring glory to God in all that I do I must focus on the task at hand, for the rewards are plenty... both in honoring God, and in honoring my work.
The choice to do that remains mine.
No matter what.
The choice is always ours... The path is there, when you see it, take it, and reap good rewards from the good that you sow.
Monday, August 26, 2013
LISTEN before discipline
"Listen to advice and accept discipline,
and at the end you will be counted among the wise.
Many are the plans in a person's heart,
but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."
- Proverbs 19:20-21
Proverbs 19:20 is one of the verses that is (or perhaps was) scribed on the cornerstone of Knoch High School when I was there in the 80s. It's pertinent advice for kids in school... it reminds them of the value of listening to their teachers and elders - for although it may not make sense, or make you happy today, in the long run it is for your best. I believed that wholeheartedly when I was there.
I still do as an adult... but it's different.
As a student (high school, college), there was always a figure of authority... a teacher, a pastor, a parent, an upperclassman, etc. In adulthood we have authority figures... those of political authority; police, officials, etc... those of our employment; supervisors, bosses, executives... and those of our faith; pastors, priests, elders.
It's funny... I started this thinking I had less authority in my life than I did as a child, but just typing that last paragraph revealed to me the authority that is there. I am fortunate in that my bosses at work feel less like bosses and more like partners or friends. But they are my elders... they have "been there, done that" and have great advice and a good record for "discipline." But that discipline is much different than from when I was a child.
Children fall under the stewardship of adults; parents and trusted community leaders. They are in their formative years and are still learning how to learn, how to think, how to discern what is right and what is wrong. Part of the stewardship of parenting is not abusing the position you've been given and being a steadfast example of good leadership.
As an adult... I think it's key that LISTEN appears first and then discipline. It is important that in our learning we learn how to listen, how to think, and how to discern. We must be able to truly listen to the advice of our elders. Listening means hearing, understanding, evaluating, and practicing. IN that process we can determine the purity of the respective discipline.
It is no secret that the power inherent in religious or faith-based authority is easily corrupted. History has shown that religion has been used as a tool to control, manipulate, and suppress societies for eons. This is especially true when religion is in bed with politics. Our learned founding fathers had the forethought, knowledge, and wisdom to recognize this and thereby took steps to separate church from the state. Though now it seems some wish to ignore history and their wishes and bring the two together.
But I digress.
It is important that we listen, that we desire knowledge and wisdom, and that we discern and take good discipline so that in the long run, we will be counted among the wise. We must always fully listen first. For blindly taking poor discipline will not land us among the wise, but among the oppressed and abused.
"Listen to advice and accept discipline,
and at the end you will be counted among the wise.
Many are the plans in a person's heart,
but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."
- Proverbs 19:20-21
Proverbs 19:20 is one of the verses that is (or perhaps was) scribed on the cornerstone of Knoch High School when I was there in the 80s. It's pertinent advice for kids in school... it reminds them of the value of listening to their teachers and elders - for although it may not make sense, or make you happy today, in the long run it is for your best. I believed that wholeheartedly when I was there.
I still do as an adult... but it's different.
As a student (high school, college), there was always a figure of authority... a teacher, a pastor, a parent, an upperclassman, etc. In adulthood we have authority figures... those of political authority; police, officials, etc... those of our employment; supervisors, bosses, executives... and those of our faith; pastors, priests, elders.
It's funny... I started this thinking I had less authority in my life than I did as a child, but just typing that last paragraph revealed to me the authority that is there. I am fortunate in that my bosses at work feel less like bosses and more like partners or friends. But they are my elders... they have "been there, done that" and have great advice and a good record for "discipline." But that discipline is much different than from when I was a child.
Children fall under the stewardship of adults; parents and trusted community leaders. They are in their formative years and are still learning how to learn, how to think, how to discern what is right and what is wrong. Part of the stewardship of parenting is not abusing the position you've been given and being a steadfast example of good leadership.
As an adult... I think it's key that LISTEN appears first and then discipline. It is important that in our learning we learn how to listen, how to think, and how to discern. We must be able to truly listen to the advice of our elders. Listening means hearing, understanding, evaluating, and practicing. IN that process we can determine the purity of the respective discipline.
It is no secret that the power inherent in religious or faith-based authority is easily corrupted. History has shown that religion has been used as a tool to control, manipulate, and suppress societies for eons. This is especially true when religion is in bed with politics. Our learned founding fathers had the forethought, knowledge, and wisdom to recognize this and thereby took steps to separate church from the state. Though now it seems some wish to ignore history and their wishes and bring the two together.
But I digress.
It is important that we listen, that we desire knowledge and wisdom, and that we discern and take good discipline so that in the long run, we will be counted among the wise. We must always fully listen first. For blindly taking poor discipline will not land us among the wise, but among the oppressed and abused.
