what would my life look like if i was entirely obedient to God and his word? sadly to say, i think it would look totally different from what i am doing right now in my life as far as how i live day to day. how i view my day. how i see myself. how i view god. how i spend my time. how i love the people in my life. i couldn't even imagine how amazing that would be. what would your life look like if you were completely obedient to god and his word?
what would it look like if there were 5 people living out the gospel?
what would it look like if 10 people lived in that way?
what would it look like if 50 people lived in that way?
i think the world would look completely different.
it would be hard. but it would be worth it. he is worth it.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
.005
how far would you be willing to go. foxes have holes, birds have nests.... would you go so far to defend the gospel that you arent welcome in your own home? would you go so far as to lose your friends? would you go so far as to be disowned by your family? are you willing to live that life? a life that loves and fears God to the point that you would rather stand alone with God rather than stand with your friends and family without God?
id like to think that i could.
would you? could you?
id like to think that i could.
would you? could you?
Friday, September 12, 2008
.004
1 pet. 1.10-12
to think that the prophets of the old testament didn't even see the grace of god, yet they labored for US. the salvation that has been given to us is what "angels long to look" at. to think, grace and salvation wasn't made available to satan when he rebelled against god. satan. an angel that has fallen does not get the salvation that we have access to. to think, angels that are before the throne of God are intrigued with the gift of salvation, that they long to look at it. Do we really realize what we have been given?
we have been given something that is so foreign to all. this is truly a holy gift. there is nothing like salvation. everything that God is & does is entirely holy. there is nothing that compares to the grace that we have been given.
being receivers of such a gift, we are able to experience the divine nature of God. to be on the receiving end of such should send us off the deep end.... this is the gospel. and this is how we should be living.. giving grace to to others because we have been given grace abundant.
have you ever been given a gift on Christmas day by someone you didn't "gift"? you suddenly feel in debt to them. ... to the effect that you feel guilty and immediately want to settle the score by getting them a gift as soon as you can. you throw out comments like "i have your gift but I didnt get around to wrapping it..". and you think in your mind that by saying that it would make them feel better about not receiving a gift in return. but really. does the person really feel better? what is really going on is that you are lying to yourself... trying to make yourself feel better. also, they most likely can see right through that. they know you didnt get them a gift...
but here is the problem. we have such a huge pride that we can just accept gifts. we dont know how to just take it in joy. everything in our culture tells us that such behavior is rude and disrespectful. but is it? it would be if we didnt value the gift. it is easier to "show" our appreciation by giving back rather than truly "appreciating" the gift.
this is just too foreign to us.
think about this.
how will a non-believer be able to accept the infinitely valuable grace of god... if we cant even accept a snow globe on christmas?
we need to make this "grace" more familiar. this grace shouldnt be foreign to those around the body of christ. if they are exposed to the grace then maybe they will be able to grasp the weight of the grace of God and salvation.
to learn that maybe guilt shouldnt be the first emotion we feel when we get "gifted".
maybe our first response should be joy.
how does this relate to god?
i dont know if this is a stretch or not.
but, remember when i said that this feeling of guilt and debt is because of our pride?
yes. the pride. we need to humble ourselves before God and see that the only thing we can give to him is our lives.
NOT to settle the debt. NO. because we LOVE a God that is THAT GOOD to us.
grace and peace.
al
to think that the prophets of the old testament didn't even see the grace of god, yet they labored for US. the salvation that has been given to us is what "angels long to look" at. to think, grace and salvation wasn't made available to satan when he rebelled against god. satan. an angel that has fallen does not get the salvation that we have access to. to think, angels that are before the throne of God are intrigued with the gift of salvation, that they long to look at it. Do we really realize what we have been given?
we have been given something that is so foreign to all. this is truly a holy gift. there is nothing like salvation. everything that God is & does is entirely holy. there is nothing that compares to the grace that we have been given.
being receivers of such a gift, we are able to experience the divine nature of God. to be on the receiving end of such should send us off the deep end.... this is the gospel. and this is how we should be living.. giving grace to to others because we have been given grace abundant.
have you ever been given a gift on Christmas day by someone you didn't "gift"? you suddenly feel in debt to them. ... to the effect that you feel guilty and immediately want to settle the score by getting them a gift as soon as you can. you throw out comments like "i have your gift but I didnt get around to wrapping it..". and you think in your mind that by saying that it would make them feel better about not receiving a gift in return. but really. does the person really feel better? what is really going on is that you are lying to yourself... trying to make yourself feel better. also, they most likely can see right through that. they know you didnt get them a gift...
but here is the problem. we have such a huge pride that we can just accept gifts. we dont know how to just take it in joy. everything in our culture tells us that such behavior is rude and disrespectful. but is it? it would be if we didnt value the gift. it is easier to "show" our appreciation by giving back rather than truly "appreciating" the gift.
this is just too foreign to us.
think about this.
how will a non-believer be able to accept the infinitely valuable grace of god... if we cant even accept a snow globe on christmas?
we need to make this "grace" more familiar. this grace shouldnt be foreign to those around the body of christ. if they are exposed to the grace then maybe they will be able to grasp the weight of the grace of God and salvation.
to learn that maybe guilt shouldnt be the first emotion we feel when we get "gifted".
maybe our first response should be joy.
how does this relate to god?
i dont know if this is a stretch or not.
but, remember when i said that this feeling of guilt and debt is because of our pride?
yes. the pride. we need to humble ourselves before God and see that the only thing we can give to him is our lives.
NOT to settle the debt. NO. because we LOVE a God that is THAT GOOD to us.
grace and peace.
al
.003
i have just finished my third week of classes. supposedly thats a fifth of my semester already.
classes have been going great. although i had to drop my greek grammar class, i still feel pretty busy with my workload and class schedule.
final class schedule:
discipleship counseling
theology I
old testament survey
bible study methods (hermeneutics)
pastoral epistles
classes have been great. im learning so much through it. but i feel that the things that im learning are just foundational and is giving me the means to learn more on my own...... which is what it should do.. right? anyway, here is what ive been chewing on as of late.
how do i view the bible?
2 pet. 1.16-21.
for we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. for when he received honor and glory from God the Father (transfiguration), and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, which whom I am well pleased," we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. and we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was every produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
this passage is huge. this is peter talking here. he is saying that WE have something more sure. MORE SURE than hearing the voice of God coming down from heaven at the transfiguration. MORE SURE than being eyewitnesses of Jesus Christ. WE HAVE SOMETHING MORE SURE! and that is the PROPHETIC WORD OF GOD. the BIBLE.
do we really know the value of what we hold in our hands?
do we see the weight of this gift?
I was reading in my hermeneutics text book about men who translated the bible in the days of old... about how they were so driven to get the word out to many.... how they were willing to die for this book. and they have died.
you hear how of those who really GET God lay down their lives for him.
but do we feel the same about the living word of God?
are you willing to die for it?
this really puts into perspective on our view of Gods word and its importance in our lives.
how dependent are we on this word?
how driven are we to learn more about God?
just thinking about this is humbling, to know that i really dont get how valuable His Word is. to look at my life and see that what i hold in my hand is worth more than anything else the world has to offer. thats it truly everything i need for life.
grace and peace
al
classes have been going great. although i had to drop my greek grammar class, i still feel pretty busy with my workload and class schedule.
final class schedule:
discipleship counseling
theology I
old testament survey
bible study methods (hermeneutics)
pastoral epistles
classes have been great. im learning so much through it. but i feel that the things that im learning are just foundational and is giving me the means to learn more on my own...... which is what it should do.. right? anyway, here is what ive been chewing on as of late.
how do i view the bible?
2 pet. 1.16-21.
for we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. for when he received honor and glory from God the Father (transfiguration), and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, which whom I am well pleased," we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. and we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was every produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
this passage is huge. this is peter talking here. he is saying that WE have something more sure. MORE SURE than hearing the voice of God coming down from heaven at the transfiguration. MORE SURE than being eyewitnesses of Jesus Christ. WE HAVE SOMETHING MORE SURE! and that is the PROPHETIC WORD OF GOD. the BIBLE.
do we really know the value of what we hold in our hands?
do we see the weight of this gift?
I was reading in my hermeneutics text book about men who translated the bible in the days of old... about how they were so driven to get the word out to many.... how they were willing to die for this book. and they have died.
you hear how of those who really GET God lay down their lives for him.
but do we feel the same about the living word of God?
are you willing to die for it?
this really puts into perspective on our view of Gods word and its importance in our lives.
how dependent are we on this word?
how driven are we to learn more about God?
just thinking about this is humbling, to know that i really dont get how valuable His Word is. to look at my life and see that what i hold in my hand is worth more than anything else the world has to offer. thats it truly everything i need for life.
grace and peace
al
Thursday, August 21, 2008
.002
hello!
this was my old blog that i started a few months ago, but i decided to open it up for you all to see how im doing up here in simi valley. enjoi.
i believe it was on the 9th of aug i met up with fred and matt (roomates) and got to move into the apartment. its a really nice apartment complex. its a three bed two bath unit. and for the first week i was sleeping on the floor. it was great. it just felt so nice to be..
here....
on my own...
sleeping on the ground...
trying to follow the path that god has for me.
The reason i was in such a great mood to be sleeping on the ground is because i had a very humbling experience the first night i got into cali. the first night i stayed at denise hendons house and slept in the living room on a couch. it turns out that they had just got a cat and the whole room was flea ridden. At first i thought it would be fine sleeping in the same room with the fleas and a cat, but my attitude changed very quickly.
so, after being awake for about two hours laying on the couch, i finally fell asleep..... then it was about 3 in the morning and there is a cat jumping on me and im just itching like no other, and its so warm, but i have to keep my blankets on because of the fleas...and.... it was just frustrating. cats jumping, heat rising, fleas biting. 3.30 in the morning....
then i feel awakened to the truth of the situation. I am sleeping in a house, with a roof with a couch, with blankets, with tv's, with my computer, with my ipod, with food....
people have endured so much more.
people have endured so much more to follow the will of the father.
i am so pampered by living in america.
at that moment, i was so happy to be sleeping in a room with a hyper cat, fleas and heat. my sorrow turned into joy.
that was on the first night!
well, other than that amazing night, im doing well. im sharing a room with jason pedersen and actually sharing a queen size bed with him. hahaha. this semester will be one for the books.
thank you for all your prayers and support.
grace and peace.
alden
this was my old blog that i started a few months ago, but i decided to open it up for you all to see how im doing up here in simi valley. enjoi.
i believe it was on the 9th of aug i met up with fred and matt (roomates) and got to move into the apartment. its a really nice apartment complex. its a three bed two bath unit. and for the first week i was sleeping on the floor. it was great. it just felt so nice to be..
here....
on my own...
sleeping on the ground...
trying to follow the path that god has for me.
The reason i was in such a great mood to be sleeping on the ground is because i had a very humbling experience the first night i got into cali. the first night i stayed at denise hendons house and slept in the living room on a couch. it turns out that they had just got a cat and the whole room was flea ridden. At first i thought it would be fine sleeping in the same room with the fleas and a cat, but my attitude changed very quickly.
so, after being awake for about two hours laying on the couch, i finally fell asleep..... then it was about 3 in the morning and there is a cat jumping on me and im just itching like no other, and its so warm, but i have to keep my blankets on because of the fleas...and.... it was just frustrating. cats jumping, heat rising, fleas biting. 3.30 in the morning....
then i feel awakened to the truth of the situation. I am sleeping in a house, with a roof with a couch, with blankets, with tv's, with my computer, with my ipod, with food....
people have endured so much more.
people have endured so much more to follow the will of the father.
i am so pampered by living in america.
at that moment, i was so happy to be sleeping in a room with a hyper cat, fleas and heat. my sorrow turned into joy.
that was on the first night!
well, other than that amazing night, im doing well. im sharing a room with jason pedersen and actually sharing a queen size bed with him. hahaha. this semester will be one for the books.
thank you for all your prayers and support.
grace and peace.
alden
Sunday, June 1, 2008
see these bones
"the hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley, it was full of bones. and he led me around them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, "son of man, can these bones live?" and I answered, "O Lord GOD, you know." Then he said to me, "Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones; behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And i will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the LORD."
only god knows.
We are called by God to speak the gospel to dead bones. When we do, the Lord can bring life to those that have been dead. He can give breath to those who did not have lungs.
only god knows.
We are called by God to speak the gospel to dead bones. When we do, the Lord can bring life to those that have been dead. He can give breath to those who did not have lungs.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
sacrifices
"For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins."
to make light of his sacrifice is to make light of our sin.
to make light of his sacrifice is to make light of our sin.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
.001
when i get down to it, it really is quite confusing. are my motives pure? is there an underlying drive to avoid the wrath of God? am i really fully in love with him and not just choosing him because he should be the best thing. is what i know taking over my general feelings for him?
sorting through these thoughts i realize that america is riddled with things that are quite meretricious... (i just looked that up, it means it looks attractive but has no value...sweet deals) ...
there are questions that are far more worthy of my time and thought.... like... do you really love god? or just love the benefits of god? would you still want to go to heaven if god wasnt there? are you being real with yourself?...i hope so. im trying to
sorting through these thoughts i realize that america is riddled with things that are quite meretricious... (i just looked that up, it means it looks attractive but has no value...sweet deals) ...
there are questions that are far more worthy of my time and thought.... like... do you really love god? or just love the benefits of god? would you still want to go to heaven if god wasnt there? are you being real with yourself?...i hope so. im trying to
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)