A Consideration
One of my new favorite blogs to visit is Happenstance and Geography, I am always fed in some form or fashion through the words of this particular blogger, and I also realize how lacking in my diligence to the whole blogging agenda I am through her determination to plug away. In-depth, powerful, and usually knocks me to my knees. I have been living in a very dry place spiritually. Growing up in church, getting saved at 13, and generally concerning myself with living a "good" life so others won't think poorly of me have gotten me in somewhat of a routine in my life. Also, here lately I have been taking my whole existance on my shoulders and trying to work it out in great big spoonfuls. Through Kat's blog and my quiet time today I learned one great truth that I can't fix everything in one day, truthfully I'm not the one in control of fixing anything. I simply must learn to take one moment at a time, and perserve myself in that moment. I truly need to focus on me now, where I'm at now, plan for the future that is great, but if I can't manage the present then where am I. I have always struggled with the present, and that is one thing that God is tried to draw me into. I love the nostalgic feel of the past, and I anxiously emplore the future, but the present seems to be a holding place between the two, and the bars are frankly becoming a little to cramped. This also has a lot to do with my ADD and my mind going a hundred miles a minute with a million things flooding through. I'm like brain could you please stop. The only time it really does is when I'm either writing down my thoughts or deep in reading. Otherwise my mind is rollercoaster. Anyway, I digress...see what I mean.
I want to share some truths passed onto me from Kat's blog on the Purpose Driven Life. In general I have been oppossed to this book for various personal reasons, and I was amazed with the truth that spilled forth, she also shared truths on satanic doctrine and placing satan in a box. All of these things made an impact on me...
Fellowship is so utterly important to our survival as Christians, but many churches have their perspective skewed on what dynamic is needed for true growth, intamicy, and unity within church walls...
Rick Warren states in the Purpose Driven life that their are 9 characteristics of Biblical Fellowship:
1. We will share our true feelings (authenticity) - so hard to do sometimes
2. Encourage each other (mutuality)- I enjoy and think I'm fairly good at that
3. Support Each Other (Sympathy)- I honestly think I can sometimes be to self-obsorbed for this.
4. Forgive each other (Mercy)- I'm utterly stubborn when it comes to forgiveness...Lord Help Me!
5. Speak the Truth of Love (Honesty)- One of the biggest things I need to work on, sometimes I will not speak truth afraid of what others will think of me.
6. Admit our Weaknesses (Humility) - sometimes I think I do this to much, and I feel people believe I'm stuck in a pit all of the time, which is simply not true, and sometimes I'm annoyed again at how self consumed I can be...HUMILITY IS NOT THINKING LESS OF YOURSELF; IT IS THINKING OF YOURSELF LESS... when I read that I was like Hello!
7. Respect our Differences (Courtesy) - Amen! that is the hardest thing I'm finding in my church
8. Not Gossip (Confidentiality)- I AM A BIG MOUTH! O LORD HELP ME!
9. Make group your priority (Frequency) - Hello, if we don't fellowship together how are we going to know one another!
There was also something else that was discussed about putting satan in a box. I had never thought about this before. We often consider ourselves putting God in a box, but placing satan in a box is rarely considered. Most people believe that if they don't bother satan he won't bother them. However, we do battle over principalities of darkness, and satan is a real enemy. Now, I'm not saying give him all your attention, for like a spoiled child he will act out for that attention, but don't discredit the power that he does have, after all he is the current ruler of this earth. He wants to destroy us, kill us, empty us out, until we have nothing left. Just like Job or Peter he asks God for us so that he might sift us through, and God grants his request because that is the only way we can grow, the only way we can learn how to fight, the only way we can be refined. My quiet time this evening discussed the time in which satan tempted Jesus, satan comes to us when we are hungry and in need, and says here take this bandaid for your gaping wound, it will be a sure quick fix. You don't have to go around suffering, and bleeding all over the place, just take what you need now, you can make things better. God wants us to come to Him in order that He might stitch the wound up. Now, the wound and the stitching might hurt, but in the end the healing will be complete, and utterly satisfying. (I will discuss this further when I touch on some things that I studied in my quiet time in another blog!)
The last and final thing that was discussed was some good old fashioned satanic doctrine. Kat has been becoming knowledgable on occult doctrine and some of the things she pointed out are quite frightening due in part in how often I tred the line on who I follow concerning these things. Satanists believe that you should "Do nothing unless it glorifies you and makes you feel good." They consider one who does something for another, selflessly, to be a sinner. They consider one who does something without expectation of reimbursement to be sinning. She asks in her blog, How often do we sin before God in order to adhere to this satanic 'truth'?...I'm exemplifying the laws of satan and showing the world his lies instead of my Father's truths!
...Well, I have been searching for the last several moments for a quote that I thought was in a particular book that would wind this up, but unfortunately I believe now it was in another book. I keep the quote in the front of my Bible which is carefully stowed away in my car, so I will give you the quote tomorrow. However, it leaves the ending of this blog a little dry. I'll leave you with this thought. We cannot serve two masters. We are either for God or for the devil.
Praise be to God for His mercy, His Grace, His Majesty, His Glory, His Wonders, Oh May I not forget to tremble, and May I remember to tred carefully over lifes cords!!!!
I want to share some truths passed onto me from Kat's blog on the Purpose Driven Life. In general I have been oppossed to this book for various personal reasons, and I was amazed with the truth that spilled forth, she also shared truths on satanic doctrine and placing satan in a box. All of these things made an impact on me...
Fellowship is so utterly important to our survival as Christians, but many churches have their perspective skewed on what dynamic is needed for true growth, intamicy, and unity within church walls...
Rick Warren states in the Purpose Driven life that their are 9 characteristics of Biblical Fellowship:
1. We will share our true feelings (authenticity) - so hard to do sometimes
2. Encourage each other (mutuality)- I enjoy and think I'm fairly good at that
3. Support Each Other (Sympathy)- I honestly think I can sometimes be to self-obsorbed for this.
4. Forgive each other (Mercy)- I'm utterly stubborn when it comes to forgiveness...Lord Help Me!
5. Speak the Truth of Love (Honesty)- One of the biggest things I need to work on, sometimes I will not speak truth afraid of what others will think of me.
6. Admit our Weaknesses (Humility) - sometimes I think I do this to much, and I feel people believe I'm stuck in a pit all of the time, which is simply not true, and sometimes I'm annoyed again at how self consumed I can be...HUMILITY IS NOT THINKING LESS OF YOURSELF; IT IS THINKING OF YOURSELF LESS... when I read that I was like Hello!
7. Respect our Differences (Courtesy) - Amen! that is the hardest thing I'm finding in my church
8. Not Gossip (Confidentiality)- I AM A BIG MOUTH! O LORD HELP ME!
9. Make group your priority (Frequency) - Hello, if we don't fellowship together how are we going to know one another!
There was also something else that was discussed about putting satan in a box. I had never thought about this before. We often consider ourselves putting God in a box, but placing satan in a box is rarely considered. Most people believe that if they don't bother satan he won't bother them. However, we do battle over principalities of darkness, and satan is a real enemy. Now, I'm not saying give him all your attention, for like a spoiled child he will act out for that attention, but don't discredit the power that he does have, after all he is the current ruler of this earth. He wants to destroy us, kill us, empty us out, until we have nothing left. Just like Job or Peter he asks God for us so that he might sift us through, and God grants his request because that is the only way we can grow, the only way we can learn how to fight, the only way we can be refined. My quiet time this evening discussed the time in which satan tempted Jesus, satan comes to us when we are hungry and in need, and says here take this bandaid for your gaping wound, it will be a sure quick fix. You don't have to go around suffering, and bleeding all over the place, just take what you need now, you can make things better. God wants us to come to Him in order that He might stitch the wound up. Now, the wound and the stitching might hurt, but in the end the healing will be complete, and utterly satisfying. (I will discuss this further when I touch on some things that I studied in my quiet time in another blog!)
The last and final thing that was discussed was some good old fashioned satanic doctrine. Kat has been becoming knowledgable on occult doctrine and some of the things she pointed out are quite frightening due in part in how often I tred the line on who I follow concerning these things. Satanists believe that you should "Do nothing unless it glorifies you and makes you feel good." They consider one who does something for another, selflessly, to be a sinner. They consider one who does something without expectation of reimbursement to be sinning. She asks in her blog, How often do we sin before God in order to adhere to this satanic 'truth'?...I'm exemplifying the laws of satan and showing the world his lies instead of my Father's truths!
...Well, I have been searching for the last several moments for a quote that I thought was in a particular book that would wind this up, but unfortunately I believe now it was in another book. I keep the quote in the front of my Bible which is carefully stowed away in my car, so I will give you the quote tomorrow. However, it leaves the ending of this blog a little dry. I'll leave you with this thought. We cannot serve two masters. We are either for God or for the devil.
Praise be to God for His mercy, His Grace, His Majesty, His Glory, His Wonders, Oh May I not forget to tremble, and May I remember to tred carefully over lifes cords!!!!
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