Jeremiah 29v11: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans for welfare, and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
This is a scripture I believe the Lord has given me recently. Taken in the fact that God's plan for the exiles is welfare (shalom, peace) in a future and hope. There's a glorious promise. It's a promise that still rings true today.
I have been really challenged recently about humility. I joke with my friends, "I am the most humble guy in the room you guys!! No, no, you are not more humble than me!" but actually, I need to challenge myself on this.
Yesterday, I decided to go to the SWYM South Cluster group, as it had been a while since I had been. Brad and Robin Ringer are on their yearly rounds of doing SWYM stuff, which is awesome. I'm always inspired by the teachings by bring.
We were thinking about purity and I could go on for ages about the session, I want to reflect on the end part. As we prayed, we asked God to highlight anything in our life we need to sort out. A big one was me was pride. The other was bitterness. I was quite shocked by this.
How often have I thought, "Why are they doing this? Haven't I paid my dues?" or "How did they get there so quickly when I slaved over it for years?" How many times have I thought I am too good to do the washing up at camps and events? How many times have I considered myself "better" than others, or "more worthy?"
My first prayer request when I joined SWYM was to remove pride. It's my prayer request again. It's time to be a servant again. I remember being told the best leader is the best servant.
What does this have to do with the scriptures? I guess sometimes, I wish ridiculous wishes. Why am I not doing this? Shouldn't I be doing that over that person? God has plans for welfare in my life, not evil. God has a future and a hope for me. And it's the best future. The best hope.
There's my dream. God's big picture! God's future. God's hope.
What about you my friends? It's nice to see a Desmond brought down a level, I think so. But what does this have to do with you?
Jeremiah 29v11: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans for welfare, and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
Dan
Thursday 1 March 2012
Sunday 15 January 2012
When did slipping become okay?
I'm really challenged recently. I guess a lot with myself, but watching other people around me.
When did slipping into sin become okay? When did it become acceptable? And why the heck aren't we doing anything about it?
This is quite a challenging thought to write. I sometimes sound so righteous and I'm possibly the least righteous of you all. But I am going to try and walk this way as much as possible.
It's quite funny. I question people about the speed they drive their car, yet I am angry in an unjust way towards people. I tell people to love their neighbour, yet a lot of my speech is questionable.
We start to go against what God has asked us. How many of us get drunk? Ephesians 5v18 tells us, "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit" where people may say "Well hang on! What about beer?" Wine was the drink used when this scripture was written, but covers alcohol. Lot's daughters (back in Genesis) got him drunk and caused him to cause major sin. Noah got drunk and was seen by his family in a shameful state. Doing things we regret, that could be considered ungodly.
We are commanded to love God with our body, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbour as ourselves (Matthew 22) yet, we seem to get angry with people so often and say horrible things about them. (I am a victim of this)
Just a few examples I have been challenged by. I am also challenged by 1 Peter 4v1 - 5:
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
I hope this isn't coming across as a judgemental blog, but as one we can be encouraged by. Jesus died for us. His body was broken for us and his blood was shed for us. We don't need to live in such a way, where we fall into sinful habits (as mentioned above) but we can live in relationship with God. We can know God and spend the rest of our earthly lives with him, with the joy that we will spend eternity with him. (John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life")
We have to make the choice of whether we want to live in this ungodly way, or spend eternity with God. I know I have not had much motivation last year to choose God. This year, I want to choose God not just with my heart, but with the way I live. I want to put those selfish ways behind way and move forward as a follow of Christ.
What will you do? Will you choose the ways that seem desirous to us, or choose to follow Christ?
Love to you all!
Dan
When did slipping into sin become okay? When did it become acceptable? And why the heck aren't we doing anything about it?
This is quite a challenging thought to write. I sometimes sound so righteous and I'm possibly the least righteous of you all. But I am going to try and walk this way as much as possible.
It's quite funny. I question people about the speed they drive their car, yet I am angry in an unjust way towards people. I tell people to love their neighbour, yet a lot of my speech is questionable.
We start to go against what God has asked us. How many of us get drunk? Ephesians 5v18 tells us, "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit" where people may say "Well hang on! What about beer?" Wine was the drink used when this scripture was written, but covers alcohol. Lot's daughters (back in Genesis) got him drunk and caused him to cause major sin. Noah got drunk and was seen by his family in a shameful state. Doing things we regret, that could be considered ungodly.
We are commanded to love God with our body, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbour as ourselves (Matthew 22) yet, we seem to get angry with people so often and say horrible things about them. (I am a victim of this)
Just a few examples I have been challenged by. I am also challenged by 1 Peter 4v1 - 5:
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. 5 But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
I hope this isn't coming across as a judgemental blog, but as one we can be encouraged by. Jesus died for us. His body was broken for us and his blood was shed for us. We don't need to live in such a way, where we fall into sinful habits (as mentioned above) but we can live in relationship with God. We can know God and spend the rest of our earthly lives with him, with the joy that we will spend eternity with him. (John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life")
We have to make the choice of whether we want to live in this ungodly way, or spend eternity with God. I know I have not had much motivation last year to choose God. This year, I want to choose God not just with my heart, but with the way I live. I want to put those selfish ways behind way and move forward as a follow of Christ.
What will you do? Will you choose the ways that seem desirous to us, or choose to follow Christ?
Love to you all!
Dan
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