Dear friends,
I hope you have all been well! And happy Father's day to all the wonderful fathers out there! I'm a little sad to be separated from my own father on this special day, but thank the Lord for technology! I could talk to him on the phone all day if I wanted! (More like if he wanted... which he doesn't.) But that is okay! I hope you all have an amazing day today filled with very special time with your families :)
Today, I would like to share with you a couple of verses that have been speaking to me in the past couple of days. You see, I'm preparing to go to Haiti in August and as we train together as a team, we are supposed to memorize a whole pile of bible verses, which is an excellent idea, but I have a very unfortunate memory. I've memorized next to nothing and no matter how hard I try, it just won't stick! But they've still been speaking to me. :)
Romans 12:1
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your act of spiritual worship."
Galatians 2:20
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
The life I had previously lived had been a Kristen-centered life. What was the purpose of my life? Earn money, buy a car, buy a house, buy clothes, buy food, be popular, be funny, be "loved," be famous, be fit... and the list goes on and on. These are the only things I wanted in life and I worked hard for them. I earned a lot of money in high school and I was able to buy many different objects, but I got bored of every single one of them. I also had many friends in high school, but I was never satisfied. I wanted more. I wanted them to love me the MOST. I wanted to be everybody's best friend.
I was, and still am, very sinful. My heart was so full of sin and pride... But at the time, I didn't realize the extent of it. Even now, I am still realizing every day exactly how sinful I really am, and it makes me all the more thankful for the mercy God poured out onto us. Have you ever thought about it? Have you ever realized how merciful our God truly is?
In Romans, Paul is urging us, but not telling us, to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to God. He is exhorting us to offer our lives to God. I was reading a commentary on this verse and it was explaining how the greek word for spiritual is logikos. But derived from logikos is also the English word logical - which is normally associated with the mind. The definition is a little confusing, but it makes sense when you put it into context. When it says "this is your spiritual act of worship," it makes sense for the word logikos to be inserted there. For it should be logical that since God has shown us mercy, we would offer our bodies as living sacrifices to him! He has freed us from our old masters... So now that we are free, why would we continue to serve our old masters?
Just as Galatians says, we have been given this new life to live where Christ lives in us! We are now in union with Christ - both actively and passively. Further on in Galatians (5:13-6:10), it speaks of both walking in the Spirit and being led by the Spirit. It is not only one or only the other, but it is both. Christ now lives in us, but we now also live by faith in the Son of God!
Amen to that! We have been freed from our old masters and are now able to serve our merciful God with our lives. We are able to walk in the Spirit and be led by the Spirit! I am truly so grateful that God has allowed my eyes to be opened to his great works. Every single time I heard the truth of how a God sent his one and only son to die on a cross for an undeserving human... I feel nothing but overwhelming thankfulness in my heart and the desire to give everything I am to my creator. How blessed are we, dear friends, to be able to serve such a wonderful God. I don't want to sit around and live for myself anymore!
Brothers and sisters, may we learn to love like our creator! May we learn to die to ourselves every single day and live for God! May we learn to love one another selflessly!
Much love. :)
-kjoosaurus out!
Showing posts with label Christians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christians. Show all posts
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Thursday, January 24, 2013
You've got a friend in me [01/23/13]
Hello!
I just came home from a lovely night at youth hangout and although it consisted of two youth and around five c&c members, it was still a great night! While we were spending time together, PG asked us what we valued and wanted in a friend. I've been asked this question before and I had a list of things that I value in a friend (such as honesty, loyalty, acceptance, the ability to be comfortable around them, etc.) but then he asked us if we believe we are being that kind of friend to others and it really made me think. I began to wonder what kind of friend I'm really being and if I'm being the kind of friend that I am called to be to others!
I believe that as Christians, we should do our best to be a certain kind of friend to others! To be encouraging, to always be building each other up, and to be constantly praying for one another. That's the kind of friend I would hope to be to others and I would hope to have!
Ephesians 4:29-32
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
God calls us to be supportive and forgiving friends. Wouldn't it be great if being always encouraging, kind and forgiving was possible? But, unfortunately, it is VERY hard to be these things. Often in close relationships, there are conflicts. People and their feelings tend to get hurt and if they don't know how to forgive, then the relationship could possibly be lost. From previous experience, I've noticed that holding in feelings of pain and hurt have been hindering to not only the other person, but to myself as well. We should always be seeking to forgive as we are called to forgive just as God forgave us!
God also blesses us with one other so that we may grow as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Proverbs 27:17
Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
At times, it's hard to sharpen your friends. It can be hard to say something constructive and also have it filled with love. I believe that we naturally get defensive of our flaws and prefer not to be reminded of them and because of this, we become offended when our flaws and mistakes are pointed out to us. But I also believe that this is something we should be doing. We should be encouraging one another to become better followers of Christ! Of course we wouldn't be sharpening one another out of pride, but we would be doing it out of love! Sharpening one another is a part of loving one another. We want each other to become better followers of Christ and at times, other people can see things in you that you wouldn't be able to see in yourself.
After tonight, I think I'll personally be trying to find ways to become the friend I am called to be! My prayer is to become more encouraging, supportive, loving and forgiving! I hope we can all be this friend and have this friend. (:
Thanks for reading~~
- kjoosaurus out!
I just came home from a lovely night at youth hangout and although it consisted of two youth and around five c&c members, it was still a great night! While we were spending time together, PG asked us what we valued and wanted in a friend. I've been asked this question before and I had a list of things that I value in a friend (such as honesty, loyalty, acceptance, the ability to be comfortable around them, etc.) but then he asked us if we believe we are being that kind of friend to others and it really made me think. I began to wonder what kind of friend I'm really being and if I'm being the kind of friend that I am called to be to others!
I believe that as Christians, we should do our best to be a certain kind of friend to others! To be encouraging, to always be building each other up, and to be constantly praying for one another. That's the kind of friend I would hope to be to others and I would hope to have!
Ephesians 4:29-32
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
God calls us to be supportive and forgiving friends. Wouldn't it be great if being always encouraging, kind and forgiving was possible? But, unfortunately, it is VERY hard to be these things. Often in close relationships, there are conflicts. People and their feelings tend to get hurt and if they don't know how to forgive, then the relationship could possibly be lost. From previous experience, I've noticed that holding in feelings of pain and hurt have been hindering to not only the other person, but to myself as well. We should always be seeking to forgive as we are called to forgive just as God forgave us!
God also blesses us with one other so that we may grow as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Proverbs 27:17
Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
At times, it's hard to sharpen your friends. It can be hard to say something constructive and also have it filled with love. I believe that we naturally get defensive of our flaws and prefer not to be reminded of them and because of this, we become offended when our flaws and mistakes are pointed out to us. But I also believe that this is something we should be doing. We should be encouraging one another to become better followers of Christ! Of course we wouldn't be sharpening one another out of pride, but we would be doing it out of love! Sharpening one another is a part of loving one another. We want each other to become better followers of Christ and at times, other people can see things in you that you wouldn't be able to see in yourself.
After tonight, I think I'll personally be trying to find ways to become the friend I am called to be! My prayer is to become more encouraging, supportive, loving and forgiving! I hope we can all be this friend and have this friend. (:
Thanks for reading~~
- kjoosaurus out!
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Sharing is Caring [6/6/12]
Hi everybody!!
Sorry, once again, for not posting for a while... At times I feel like giving up this blog completely, but I made a promise, and I'm planning on keeping it! There has been a lot going on in my life. Last night, I was given the opportunity to share my testimony with the youth at my church! I was super excited and nervous, but I think it went well! (Well, that's what I heard from other people.) It was really great to hear that after I shared my testimony, many of the youth opened up in their small groups... :)
Lately, I have been reading Acts because it is the book we are studying at my bible study. It has quite a bit of material, and there is a lot of heavy stuff involved. There is one story of how a couple lied to the church about how much money they were giving, and after both of them lied, they dropped dead. (Acts 5) But, what I wanted to share with you guys today is a lighter, yet inspiring story. It is found in Acts 4.
Sorry, once again, for not posting for a while... At times I feel like giving up this blog completely, but I made a promise, and I'm planning on keeping it! There has been a lot going on in my life. Last night, I was given the opportunity to share my testimony with the youth at my church! I was super excited and nervous, but I think it went well! (Well, that's what I heard from other people.) It was really great to hear that after I shared my testimony, many of the youth opened up in their small groups... :)
Lately, I have been reading Acts because it is the book we are studying at my bible study. It has quite a bit of material, and there is a lot of heavy stuff involved. There is one story of how a couple lied to the church about how much money they were giving, and after both of them lied, they dropped dead. (Acts 5) But, what I wanted to share with you guys today is a lighter, yet inspiring story. It is found in Acts 4.
Acts 4:32-37
All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt
that what they owned was not their own, so they shared
everything they had. The apostles testified powerfully to the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God's great blessing was upon
them all. There were no needy people among them, because
those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the
money to the apostles to give to those in need.
For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles
nicknamed Barnabas (which means "Son of Encouragement").
He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus.
He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles.
I really enjoyed reading this. This is something I truly, truly desire! To be united in heart and mind with other believers. To understand that the possessions I have in this world are not my own; they have all been given to me by God! They are all things of this world. It would be so wonderful and great if we could all let go of our worldly possessions, and learn to share them amongst ourselves! What I have is what you have. I often find myself being so caught up in my own possessions; I went through a phase when nobody was allowed to touch my stuff!
But look at what these believers were doing! They were sharing everything God had provided them with; because they were sharing, they were able to say "there were no needy people among them"! How great would it be to say that!?
I have to admit, I'm not really ready to sell all of my stuff to help everybody else out... But I hope God will one day turn me into somebody who is that loving and generous! But for now, I do know that I want to start sharing what I do have with others... Whatever I have, no matter how small! I have no right to be possessive over clothes, over gadgets, over food, over money... Everything I "own" has been provided to me by God! I can't say I "own" these things, because it wasn't even me who did any work for these things! God was the one who allowed me to put my hands on whatever I have, and I should just as easily let them go!
I pray that God will help us all realize how little significance our worldly possessions have... That we will not shy away from being generous with these possessions, but we will rejoice when we are able to let go of these possessions! We already have so much more than we need... Yet we keep collecting more and more and seem to give away so little!
Thanks for reading this post! :D
- kjoosaurus out!
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