Thanks to the recent absence from writing in this blog, and everything I have been learning, I have decided to shift gears from previous posts, and will now start with lessons I am learning almost from the beginning of the Bible. Today I will begin with Cain and Abel.
This is a story that is so popular that even people who haven’t read the Bible have heard of it. Out of all the stories in the Bible, this one is the most over analyzed, and by that I have seen books written on the psychology of Cain, why he did what he did, and why his sacrifice wasn’t accepted.
While this may be fine for those who believe the simple answer is never right, but for me, the story can be summed up in one verse; and that verse is Genesis 4:7. “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”
The first part of this verse isn’t just doing the right thing; it’s also talking about doing it for the right reasons. Both Cain and Abel made sacrifices of something they worked to produce. Abel’s offering was described as “fat portions from the first born of his flock.” Cain’s offering was described as “some of the fruit.” There was no mention of the quality of produce. Abel wanted the finest, and the first, out of respect and love for God, but Cain was sacrificing out of duty; not because he wanted to show respect.
The second part of this verse is a warning to Cain to “adjust your attitude.” Sin is a part of everyone, and there is no exception, (For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23) and God has given us a choice. Sin can’t control us without our invitation. It waits patiently for us, and it won’t go away. We can’t kill it, run away from it, or send it away. The only thing left for us to do is control it. We do this by following God’s calling, with a grateful spirit for all God has given us.
At this point I feel it’s important to point out that whatever we focus on we allow into our lives. If we want to keep sin in its proper place, we can’t focus on getting rid of sin; if we do that we are still focusing on the sin, and opening the door. Instead, when you focus, focus only on doing what God called you for, and on having a positive attitude, and reinforce the door with gratitude for the strength God has given you.
In the end, Cain allowed his anger, and jealousy of Abel’s success to rule him, and he killed Abel for it. For those who think of God, in the Old Testament, as a merciless God, who struck sinners down with lightning, this might prove interesting. God did not execute Cain. Instead, he banished him from his land, so he could wander, living with the guilt of killing an innocent man.
Allen
If you have enjoyed this, or know of someone who might learn from this, please share it.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Christianity, and the Law of Attraction
After almost two years, and much soul searching, I have decided to come back to writing on this site. While I was "away" I was reading a lot of books, and doing research in a lot of areas. I can honestly say I am no expert in these areas, but I have learned some valuable lessons, that I feel compelled to share.
In June of 2013 I saw a movie, titled "The Secret", which talks about a process called the law of attraction. The law of attraction talks about the nature of energy, and the power of the mind to attract the life you desire. For some, this is thought of as a joke. For others, this has become the starting place of their journey to success. For even more people, they feel this is taking God out of our lives. This is what I wanted to talk about with today's blog.
I know that the premise of the law of attraction sounds a little too much like eastern religion, or in Star Wars the force, but the truth is, that the law of attraction transcends anything religious. Like gravity, the law of attraction is just a law of nature. There is no turning it off, or on. It is always there, whether you believe in it or not, and it's always working. It is a perfect system that allows us to create our lives.
So if this is not taking God out of the equation, how does it fit into the Christian life style? The Bible verse I have come to adopt as a mantra for life is Mark 11:24. It says, "Whatever you desire, when you pray, believe you have received it, and it shall be yours." This is the essence of creating your life, and the law of attraction. Does this take God out of the picture? Of course not!
Here is one of the conclusions I came up with during my research. God created the law of attraction to help us live life to our fullest potential. As I described it, the law of attraction is a PERFECT SYSTEM. It is to perfect to have happened by chance; there is obviously an intelligence behind it. Very few people have taken full advantage of this system, but they have learned to use it for success, and so can we.
So why is it important for us, as Christians, to learn such a system? It has to do with working with the full potential God has created in us to be examples for the world of what God can do for everyone. At the end of the first chapter, of the book The Science of Getting Rich, Wallace Wattles says, "You can render to God and humanity no greater service than to make the most of yourself." If we don't strive to reach our full potential, we might as well tell God, "Sorry, but you made a mistake."
There is no way I could use this blog to give you everything about reaching your full potential, and how the law of attraction could help you to do so, but I would be honored if you would use this as a starting point in your search, just as I used The Secret as mine. I would also recommend you get a copy of the book "The Science of Getting Rich" by Wallace Wattles to help with learning. It's worth it.
Allen
I hope to do at least one to two blogs per week, and Sundays are one of them. Have a wonderful day.
In June of 2013 I saw a movie, titled "The Secret", which talks about a process called the law of attraction. The law of attraction talks about the nature of energy, and the power of the mind to attract the life you desire. For some, this is thought of as a joke. For others, this has become the starting place of their journey to success. For even more people, they feel this is taking God out of our lives. This is what I wanted to talk about with today's blog.
I know that the premise of the law of attraction sounds a little too much like eastern religion, or in Star Wars the force, but the truth is, that the law of attraction transcends anything religious. Like gravity, the law of attraction is just a law of nature. There is no turning it off, or on. It is always there, whether you believe in it or not, and it's always working. It is a perfect system that allows us to create our lives.
So if this is not taking God out of the equation, how does it fit into the Christian life style? The Bible verse I have come to adopt as a mantra for life is Mark 11:24. It says, "Whatever you desire, when you pray, believe you have received it, and it shall be yours." This is the essence of creating your life, and the law of attraction. Does this take God out of the picture? Of course not!
Here is one of the conclusions I came up with during my research. God created the law of attraction to help us live life to our fullest potential. As I described it, the law of attraction is a PERFECT SYSTEM. It is to perfect to have happened by chance; there is obviously an intelligence behind it. Very few people have taken full advantage of this system, but they have learned to use it for success, and so can we.
So why is it important for us, as Christians, to learn such a system? It has to do with working with the full potential God has created in us to be examples for the world of what God can do for everyone. At the end of the first chapter, of the book The Science of Getting Rich, Wallace Wattles says, "You can render to God and humanity no greater service than to make the most of yourself." If we don't strive to reach our full potential, we might as well tell God, "Sorry, but you made a mistake."
There is no way I could use this blog to give you everything about reaching your full potential, and how the law of attraction could help you to do so, but I would be honored if you would use this as a starting point in your search, just as I used The Secret as mine. I would also recommend you get a copy of the book "The Science of Getting Rich" by Wallace Wattles to help with learning. It's worth it.
Allen
I hope to do at least one to two blogs per week, and Sundays are one of them. Have a wonderful day.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Proud is a 5 Letter Word
Proud is a 5 Letter Word
1 Corinthians 13:4
Pride goes before destruction, or so it says in Proverbs 16:18. This verse shows pride to be a bad thing, and yet there are other verses that show it to be a good thing. This is part of the confusion in 1Corinthians 13:4. It clearly shows that “Love is not proud.” This leaves us with the question, can a word like pride be both bad and good at the same time? My answer is yes.
You can have pride in yourself, in others, and in the accomplishments of others, and that kind of pride means you have respect for yourself and others. That is a very healthy pride, and success is impossible without it, but it can be taken too far. This is where the Bible talks about pride as a bad thing. It is the type of pride that means arrogance. It says “I am so wonderful that I don’t need anyone else, because I am better than you.”
It was the sin of pride that got Satan cast out of Heaven, because he believed himself to be equal to God, and he felt he could take over Heaven. This is also what Satan used to trick Eve to eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge, which eventually led to the expulsion from the Garden Of Eden. He told Eve that if she ate the fruit she would be like God, and an equal. She then convinced Adam to eat as well. This is one of those points I feel it’s necessary to be clear. Many people try to blame Eve for tricking Adam, and Satan for tricking Eve, but the fact is, all three acted on their own free will, and did nothing by force.
The point is, pride is very important in success, and our interpersonal relationships, for it’s just another word for respect, but when it’s taken too far, and it becomes arrogance, it is Satan’s greatest tool for making us believe we don’t need God, or others, to succeed. This leads us back to the commandment that all other commandments are centered in; Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and spirit, and love your neighbor as yourself.
Respectful pride puts others first, and arrogant pride puts you above others.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Love Does Not Boast
Love Does Not Boast
I Corinthians 13:4
There are several ways to say it; brag, gloat, glorify your own name, but what it boils down to is lifting yourself above others, and letting them know about it. When you boast, you are telling others, “I’m right, and you’re wrong, and there’s nothing you can do about it.” (To borrow a line from the movie Matilda)
When we boast, we are putting ourselves above everyone else, and that there is no one better. True love is all about putting others first, but boasting says you don’t need anyone else to be great, and that includes the help of God. God made us to be interdependent with each other; not dependent, or completely independent; but when we tell others that we are great on our own, and that we don’t need them, they will turn their backs on us and we will fail. If you notice, I didn’t say “Might fail”, or “probably fail”, because, like it or not, we need each other.
When you boast, you imagine that the whole world must bow down to your greatness, when the reverse is true. People will be repulsed by your cockiness.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t be happy, or excited, by your accomplishments; you should. I would even go so far to say that you should share it. Before you do, however, you should make sure your motivation is correct. If you tell others of your accomplishments to glorify yourself, or to make others love you more, then you shouldn’t say anything at all. If you are telling others of your accomplishments, to motivate them to pursue the same excitement, then you are sharing, and you should continue.
When you do share for motivation, you need to do so with respect, and you need to let the recipient know that you think of that individual as an equal, or they will never hear a word you say.
1st Corinthians 13 is all about love, and how can you love others when you are so busy selfishly building yourself up.
In the next blog, I will continue the series on love.
I Corinthians 13:4
There are several ways to say it; brag, gloat, glorify your own name, but what it boils down to is lifting yourself above others, and letting them know about it. When you boast, you are telling others, “I’m right, and you’re wrong, and there’s nothing you can do about it.” (To borrow a line from the movie Matilda)
When we boast, we are putting ourselves above everyone else, and that there is no one better. True love is all about putting others first, but boasting says you don’t need anyone else to be great, and that includes the help of God. God made us to be interdependent with each other; not dependent, or completely independent; but when we tell others that we are great on our own, and that we don’t need them, they will turn their backs on us and we will fail. If you notice, I didn’t say “Might fail”, or “probably fail”, because, like it or not, we need each other.
When you boast, you imagine that the whole world must bow down to your greatness, when the reverse is true. People will be repulsed by your cockiness.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t be happy, or excited, by your accomplishments; you should. I would even go so far to say that you should share it. Before you do, however, you should make sure your motivation is correct. If you tell others of your accomplishments to glorify yourself, or to make others love you more, then you shouldn’t say anything at all. If you are telling others of your accomplishments, to motivate them to pursue the same excitement, then you are sharing, and you should continue.
When you do share for motivation, you need to do so with respect, and you need to let the recipient know that you think of that individual as an equal, or they will never hear a word you say.
1st Corinthians 13 is all about love, and how can you love others when you are so busy selfishly building yourself up.
In the next blog, I will continue the series on love.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Purpose without Predestiny
Purpose without Predestiny
Jeremiah 1:5
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.
Predestiny is a word that has been used in some churches for a very long time. I don’t believe in it personally, and I can’t support an idea that takes away our free will. We are not robots who go through motions without the ability to think for ourselves.
For those who aren’t certain of the meaning; predestiny is the belief that we are made who we are, and how we are, for a very specific purpose, and no matter what we say, we will serve that purpose. I don’t know where this idea started, but Jeremiah 1:5 could be used by some to support the philosophy.
If predestiny, or Calvinism, were true we couldn’t be held accountable for our actions, and there could be no punishment, for we are not responsible. So does that mean we are wandering through our lives without purpose? Of course not. If you read the verse, God knew us before we were born, and he gave us each different abilities for the purpose he will call us for.
This is where the similarities end. God has a purpose for each one of us; some to be prophets, some to be advisors, some for teaching, some to work in construction; but it is up to us to choose whether or not to listen, and accept his calling. This is where it becomes our responsibility. God is not sitting up in Heaven with lightning bolts waiting to strike anyone who doesn’t agree with what he wants, there again, that would take away free will.
God didn’t just set Jeremiah apart for a purpose, he gave us all a purpose, and I find that when we still haven’t accepted his calling, every job you do, (stocking grocery shelves for me) has no real meaning, and tends to leave us with feelings of confusion, emptiness, and even depression. I know I felt the first two, and strangely enough those feelings started to disappear when I started writing. I think that’s a pretty good indication that I’m meant to write.
I’m not trying to build myself up as a great writer; I know there are writers who are much better than me, but that doesn’t mean I’m not meant to write, or be a nature photographer, it just means I am meant to do something with those.
If you haven’t found your purpose yet, don’t worry about it, just open your heart, and let God speak to you. All you have to do is trust he will give you an answer, and show you the way.
Jeremiah 1:5
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.
Predestiny is a word that has been used in some churches for a very long time. I don’t believe in it personally, and I can’t support an idea that takes away our free will. We are not robots who go through motions without the ability to think for ourselves.
For those who aren’t certain of the meaning; predestiny is the belief that we are made who we are, and how we are, for a very specific purpose, and no matter what we say, we will serve that purpose. I don’t know where this idea started, but Jeremiah 1:5 could be used by some to support the philosophy.
If predestiny, or Calvinism, were true we couldn’t be held accountable for our actions, and there could be no punishment, for we are not responsible. So does that mean we are wandering through our lives without purpose? Of course not. If you read the verse, God knew us before we were born, and he gave us each different abilities for the purpose he will call us for.
This is where the similarities end. God has a purpose for each one of us; some to be prophets, some to be advisors, some for teaching, some to work in construction; but it is up to us to choose whether or not to listen, and accept his calling. This is where it becomes our responsibility. God is not sitting up in Heaven with lightning bolts waiting to strike anyone who doesn’t agree with what he wants, there again, that would take away free will.
God didn’t just set Jeremiah apart for a purpose, he gave us all a purpose, and I find that when we still haven’t accepted his calling, every job you do, (stocking grocery shelves for me) has no real meaning, and tends to leave us with feelings of confusion, emptiness, and even depression. I know I felt the first two, and strangely enough those feelings started to disappear when I started writing. I think that’s a pretty good indication that I’m meant to write.
I’m not trying to build myself up as a great writer; I know there are writers who are much better than me, but that doesn’t mean I’m not meant to write, or be a nature photographer, it just means I am meant to do something with those.
If you haven’t found your purpose yet, don’t worry about it, just open your heart, and let God speak to you. All you have to do is trust he will give you an answer, and show you the way.
Monday, March 5, 2012
The Idols Of Christianity
The Idols of Christianity
1 Corinthians 8:4-6
Sorry it’s been a while since I’ve been back, and I’m not going to offer up any excuses, but I am back.
If you haven’t read the passage yet, I would recommend that you do so in order to keep in mind the context. Never take my words at face value; I am but an individual with my own interpretation, and I don’t like misleading. If you disagree with something I say, tell me, I am not a closed book. With that said, let’s continue.
Today, what I wanted to discuss is worshiping idols. Let me first say how I define an idol. An idol is a person or object that has been given power and priority in your life over God’s. In verse 4 it says, “There is no God but one.” So placing an authority on a person, or an object will take away from the authority of the One God. The preceding phrase from verse 4, “an idol is nothing at all in the world,” clearly states that idols are nothing and that means they have no power, or priority over God.
Are Christians immune from this practice; definitely not. Take a look at the cross, and the Bible; now before you get bent out of shape, let me explain. The historical purpose of the cross is torture, and death, and by coming back to life the third day, Christ beat the power of death. By wearing a cross around your neck, or having one in a visible place, it is meant to symbolize the power of Christ over death, but by believing that the presence of a cross can ward of evil spirits, or even by holding it out in front of you that evil will flee, it is given a power it doesn’t have; therefore making it an idol.
As far as the Bible is concerned, it is meant to be a guide book, nothing more. It is first and foremost a book (paper and ink). I’m not saying it is useless, it is extremely useful in learning about the relationship between God and man. It is also useful in learning about life, but I have seen churches split over translations, and I’ve seen people who place every authority in the book itself. If your bible were to get destroyed in one way, or another, it can be replaced, and it can’t stop the word of God.
All I’m saying, is objects should be viewed in their proper context, and not idolized. Now the same goes for people. I’m not talking about entertainers; though it still applies. What I am talking about are saints. Making someone a saint is not necessarily making them an idol, but the act of praying to them is. When you pray to a saint you are giving them authority over your problem. That authority is strictly the property of God.
If you keep a cross, keep it only as a reminder of Christ’s power over death. If you have a bible, use it as a guide book and reference to God’s words, but don’t let the book rule your life. Just keep things in proper perspective. Verse 6 says there is one God; and one Lord; don’t give anyone else, or anything his authority. That is the essence of idol worship.
1 Corinthians 8:4-6
Sorry it’s been a while since I’ve been back, and I’m not going to offer up any excuses, but I am back.
If you haven’t read the passage yet, I would recommend that you do so in order to keep in mind the context. Never take my words at face value; I am but an individual with my own interpretation, and I don’t like misleading. If you disagree with something I say, tell me, I am not a closed book. With that said, let’s continue.
Today, what I wanted to discuss is worshiping idols. Let me first say how I define an idol. An idol is a person or object that has been given power and priority in your life over God’s. In verse 4 it says, “There is no God but one.” So placing an authority on a person, or an object will take away from the authority of the One God. The preceding phrase from verse 4, “an idol is nothing at all in the world,” clearly states that idols are nothing and that means they have no power, or priority over God.
Are Christians immune from this practice; definitely not. Take a look at the cross, and the Bible; now before you get bent out of shape, let me explain. The historical purpose of the cross is torture, and death, and by coming back to life the third day, Christ beat the power of death. By wearing a cross around your neck, or having one in a visible place, it is meant to symbolize the power of Christ over death, but by believing that the presence of a cross can ward of evil spirits, or even by holding it out in front of you that evil will flee, it is given a power it doesn’t have; therefore making it an idol.
As far as the Bible is concerned, it is meant to be a guide book, nothing more. It is first and foremost a book (paper and ink). I’m not saying it is useless, it is extremely useful in learning about the relationship between God and man. It is also useful in learning about life, but I have seen churches split over translations, and I’ve seen people who place every authority in the book itself. If your bible were to get destroyed in one way, or another, it can be replaced, and it can’t stop the word of God.
All I’m saying, is objects should be viewed in their proper context, and not idolized. Now the same goes for people. I’m not talking about entertainers; though it still applies. What I am talking about are saints. Making someone a saint is not necessarily making them an idol, but the act of praying to them is. When you pray to a saint you are giving them authority over your problem. That authority is strictly the property of God.
If you keep a cross, keep it only as a reminder of Christ’s power over death. If you have a bible, use it as a guide book and reference to God’s words, but don’t let the book rule your life. Just keep things in proper perspective. Verse 6 says there is one God; and one Lord; don’t give anyone else, or anything his authority. That is the essence of idol worship.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
The path of responsibility!!!
One of the most ridiculous debates going on in science right now is “heredity vs. environment”. The problem with this debate is that neither side is right. There are valid points to both arguments, but there are too many exceptions to call them correct. I will try to put this into perspective.
Heredity: “My family comes from Ireland, and everyone in my family drinks, so is it any wonder I’m an alcoholic?” We’ve all heard this logic. I come from a family of alcoholics, from a country that is known for drinking, so I bear no responsibility for my actions; it’s genetic.
Environment: “My favorite band says drugs are OK, and all my friends are doing it, so I have to do it too.” In other words, I do it because that’s the way things are. I’m not responsible.
I think you see where I’m going with this. In my last blog, “The blame game”, Adam and Eve placed blame on someone else, trying to say they weren’t responsible for their own actions. God held each one responsible for their own part, and he holds us responsible for our own walk of faith. This is the message of Proverbs 4:23-27.
23 Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.
24 Put away perversity from your mouth;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead,
fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Make level paths for your feet
and take only ways that are firm.
27 Do not swerve to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.
Our parents are responsible to warn us about evil, and teach us about the world; it is not to protect us from the world. We can’t even protect ourselves from the world, but we are responsible to protect our hearts from its influence. We are also responsible for the words that come out of our mouths.
We are also responsible to keep our eyes leading us in the right direction, not allowing evil to take our eyes from the path that will lead us to God. I’m not saying there won’t be obstructions in the path, but by avoiding the distractions on the side of the path, we can keep our eyes where we need to, and avoid the obstructions.
We are the only ones who can take responsibility for our walk with God, and no amount of blame is going to change that. Stay on the path, avoid the distractions, and we will be able to guard our hearts, otherwise we will be too busy trying to blame others for our lack of faith.
Enjoy,
Allen
Heredity: “My family comes from Ireland, and everyone in my family drinks, so is it any wonder I’m an alcoholic?” We’ve all heard this logic. I come from a family of alcoholics, from a country that is known for drinking, so I bear no responsibility for my actions; it’s genetic.
Environment: “My favorite band says drugs are OK, and all my friends are doing it, so I have to do it too.” In other words, I do it because that’s the way things are. I’m not responsible.
I think you see where I’m going with this. In my last blog, “The blame game”, Adam and Eve placed blame on someone else, trying to say they weren’t responsible for their own actions. God held each one responsible for their own part, and he holds us responsible for our own walk of faith. This is the message of Proverbs 4:23-27.
23 Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.
24 Put away perversity from your mouth;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead,
fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Make level paths for your feet
and take only ways that are firm.
27 Do not swerve to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.
Our parents are responsible to warn us about evil, and teach us about the world; it is not to protect us from the world. We can’t even protect ourselves from the world, but we are responsible to protect our hearts from its influence. We are also responsible for the words that come out of our mouths.
We are also responsible to keep our eyes leading us in the right direction, not allowing evil to take our eyes from the path that will lead us to God. I’m not saying there won’t be obstructions in the path, but by avoiding the distractions on the side of the path, we can keep our eyes where we need to, and avoid the obstructions.
We are the only ones who can take responsibility for our walk with God, and no amount of blame is going to change that. Stay on the path, avoid the distractions, and we will be able to guard our hearts, otherwise we will be too busy trying to blame others for our lack of faith.
Enjoy,
Allen
Sunday, January 3, 2010
The blame game
Genesis 3
I just read an article about how women have been overlooked by society to help solve the world’s problems, and I think the statement is both true, and not true. That is not what this blog is about. I always read the comments people leave, and it never ceases to amaze me how someone always brings up the bible, and twist the meaning, to support their beliefs. The comment in this instance says, “Perhaps you need to reread Genesis. The Bible blames a woman for the loss of the Garden of Eden. Eve was tempted and fooled by the Snake, and then seduced Adam. The entire premise of the Bible could be viewed as misogynist.”
I just read an article about how women have been overlooked by society to help solve the world’s problems, and I think the statement is both true, and not true. That is not what this blog is about. I always read the comments people leave, and it never ceases to amaze me how someone always brings up the bible, and twist the meaning, to support their beliefs. The comment in this instance says, “Perhaps you need to reread Genesis. The Bible blames a woman for the loss of the Garden of Eden. Eve was tempted and fooled by the Snake, and then seduced Adam. The entire premise of the Bible could be viewed as misogynist.”
What this person needs to do is learn to take things in context. Genesis 3 covers the fall of man, but my own title for this chapter is “the invention of the blame game.” The blame game was created to remove oneself from the responsibility of your own actions. The phrase, “the devil made me do it” likely got its start from this passage.
In all fairness, a lot of people believe that it was the woman’s fault, and I’ve heard a lot of preachers who still teach it that way. Due to the length of the passage, I will paraphrase parts, and ask that you read the chapter yourself.
In the first part, the serpent convinces Eve that the fruit is not deadly, and that it will open her eyes, and the best part, it will make her like God. Instead of listening to God’s instruction she listened to the serpent, and ate some. In verse 6, she gave the fruit to Adam, and he ate it. At no point does it say she seduced Adam into eating it. He was with her, and he heard the whole thing, yet he still made the same choice Eve did; to disobey God’s instruction.
Starting in verse 11, God asked Adam if he ate from the tree. Adam didn’t try to deny he ate the fruit, but he tried to pass the blame to Eve, saying, “The woman you put here with me- she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”
Like Adam, Eve didn’t deny eating the fruit, but she tried to pass the blame to the serpent, saying, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate it.”
The thing I find fascinating about the exchange in this chapter is that God never truly places blame on any of them, but he holds each one accountable for their own actions, and punishes all three. After this, he banishes Adam, which means Eve as well, and bars them from the garden, to live a life of hard work.
I believe the lesson of this passage is fairly clear. Before we start passing on the blame to someone else, when we mess up, and do something we’re not supposed to, we should be willing to accept the consequences for our actions, and take responsibility for our part in the world.
Enjoy,
Allen
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Love does not envy...
1 Corinthians 13:4
….Love does not envy…
One of the most misunderstood sins is envy. Many people confuse it with having a dream for a better life. A dream is a gift of motivation from God for reaching a goal that can give you satisfaction in life. Envy is a desire to have something that someone else has. The term for this is greed.
Envy will always grow to become an obsession. It’s inevitable. Envy seems small at first, and relatively harmless, but before you know you are making excuses and coming up with justification for why you have to have something. At this point, something you never had any use for in the past becomes a need and all because someone you admire has one.
Advertisers use envy to get you to buy their product. A perfect example of this is digital cameras. At the store I work for, I have customers ask if they should upgrade to a higher mega pixel because they saw an advertisement for the latest generation Nikon. What I tell them is that if they aren’t going to make any prints bigger than a 16x20 then they don’t need any more than six mega pixels. To upgrade would be an incredible waste of money.
The point of this is that just because an advertiser tells you it’s a need, or a celebrity uses the product, that doesn’t mean you should have to have it.
It is nothing more than a selfish desire to obtain someone else’s status. I truly believe envy is at the apex of selfishness. When you envy, you are telling yourself that what you want is more important than someone else’s need.
Mr. Jones has a brand new, cherry red, Corvette, and you are stuck with a 1981 Ford Mustang, that you inherited from your family. No one in your family took care of it, so you worked on it, fixing each problem as it came up, and you have it running properly. Next to Mr. Jones’ Corvette, your car looks like a piece of junk, (or so you think) so you want his car, not because it will get you where you’re going any better, but you think it will because, after all, it is a Corvette. This thought process will eventually lead you to covet the car, and eventually hate Mr. Jones, even though he didn’t do anything wrong but buy a new car.
The point of this is that Mr. Jones worked hard to buy a new car, and maybe his car broke down, you don’t know, but in the end you feel your desire for his car is more important than his need.
When you envy what someone else has, you believe what God gave you is inadequate. When God made us, he gave each one of us different strengths, and weaknesses. God tells us that he will always take care of our needs, but envy tells us to forget our needs because what we desire is more important. Having food, and shelter is by far more important than a brand new Corvette, but envy will twist your priorities, and say, “But aren’t you more important than Mr. Jones?”
Envy doesn’t think about needs, yours, or someone else’s, it just concerns itself with your wants and how to obtain the object of its desire. The only way to overcome this most undesirable trait is to continue putting others before yourself, and trust that God knows what you need before you ask him.
Enjoy,
Allen
….Love does not envy…
One of the most misunderstood sins is envy. Many people confuse it with having a dream for a better life. A dream is a gift of motivation from God for reaching a goal that can give you satisfaction in life. Envy is a desire to have something that someone else has. The term for this is greed.
Envy will always grow to become an obsession. It’s inevitable. Envy seems small at first, and relatively harmless, but before you know you are making excuses and coming up with justification for why you have to have something. At this point, something you never had any use for in the past becomes a need and all because someone you admire has one.
Advertisers use envy to get you to buy their product. A perfect example of this is digital cameras. At the store I work for, I have customers ask if they should upgrade to a higher mega pixel because they saw an advertisement for the latest generation Nikon. What I tell them is that if they aren’t going to make any prints bigger than a 16x20 then they don’t need any more than six mega pixels. To upgrade would be an incredible waste of money.
The point of this is that just because an advertiser tells you it’s a need, or a celebrity uses the product, that doesn’t mean you should have to have it.
It is nothing more than a selfish desire to obtain someone else’s status. I truly believe envy is at the apex of selfishness. When you envy, you are telling yourself that what you want is more important than someone else’s need.
Mr. Jones has a brand new, cherry red, Corvette, and you are stuck with a 1981 Ford Mustang, that you inherited from your family. No one in your family took care of it, so you worked on it, fixing each problem as it came up, and you have it running properly. Next to Mr. Jones’ Corvette, your car looks like a piece of junk, (or so you think) so you want his car, not because it will get you where you’re going any better, but you think it will because, after all, it is a Corvette. This thought process will eventually lead you to covet the car, and eventually hate Mr. Jones, even though he didn’t do anything wrong but buy a new car.
The point of this is that Mr. Jones worked hard to buy a new car, and maybe his car broke down, you don’t know, but in the end you feel your desire for his car is more important than his need.
When you envy what someone else has, you believe what God gave you is inadequate. When God made us, he gave each one of us different strengths, and weaknesses. God tells us that he will always take care of our needs, but envy tells us to forget our needs because what we desire is more important. Having food, and shelter is by far more important than a brand new Corvette, but envy will twist your priorities, and say, “But aren’t you more important than Mr. Jones?”
Envy doesn’t think about needs, yours, or someone else’s, it just concerns itself with your wants and how to obtain the object of its desire. The only way to overcome this most undesirable trait is to continue putting others before yourself, and trust that God knows what you need before you ask him.
Enjoy,
Allen
Sunday, September 20, 2009
love is kind
1 Corinthians 13:4
…Love is kind…
When was the last time you heard someone say, “I don’t accept charity.” Charity has been misinterpreted to mean, “hand outs” or “welfare”; something negative to those with strong wills and good work ethics, but the truth is, charity and kindness are basically the same word.
Accepting charity is not a sign of weakness as some may think, but a realization that we can’t solve every problem in our lives without some help. One of the biggest problems I’ve always had involves asking for help, especially from relatives. When my wife and I moved to Maine, we didn’t even tell them we were going for fear of them either begging us not to go, or worse, wanting to help. After four years of living in a one room hotel room my dad came for a visit and gave us the money to get into an apartment.
The best part of this is that I didn’t even realize that I needed the help, but he knew better. True kindness is not always about what we want; it’s about making sure we have what we need. Kindness is about putting the needs of someone else first, and if you’re trying to help someone who is as stubborn as I am, you may need to drag them, kicking and screaming. I will always appreciate what my father, and his wife, for what they did, even though I didn’t ask for it.
In a relationship, kindness is not only necessary, but it also goes two directions. There is an old Ecuadoran saying, “When one is helping another, both gain in strength.” I’m not saying that you should act kind to get something in return; that is not an act of kindness. Kindness will yield its own rewards, such as acceptance, and the satisfaction of seeing a smile on the face of the ones you love. The greatest reward of kindness, as the saying suggests, it opens you up to the strength that comes from helping others.
Whether you’re the one providing the kindness, or the one receiving it, an act of kindness is the greatest way to express love in any relationship.
Something to think about: There are more than 1 million children, 3.5 million people in all, who have no home. These people count on the kindness of others for their daily meals, in shelters and soup kitchens. Most of those who work in these places are just people who give some of their free time just to help those in need. There is no thought of compensation, except the look on the recipients face when they realize someone actually cares about them.
Enjoy,
Allen
…Love is kind…
When was the last time you heard someone say, “I don’t accept charity.” Charity has been misinterpreted to mean, “hand outs” or “welfare”; something negative to those with strong wills and good work ethics, but the truth is, charity and kindness are basically the same word.
Accepting charity is not a sign of weakness as some may think, but a realization that we can’t solve every problem in our lives without some help. One of the biggest problems I’ve always had involves asking for help, especially from relatives. When my wife and I moved to Maine, we didn’t even tell them we were going for fear of them either begging us not to go, or worse, wanting to help. After four years of living in a one room hotel room my dad came for a visit and gave us the money to get into an apartment.
The best part of this is that I didn’t even realize that I needed the help, but he knew better. True kindness is not always about what we want; it’s about making sure we have what we need. Kindness is about putting the needs of someone else first, and if you’re trying to help someone who is as stubborn as I am, you may need to drag them, kicking and screaming. I will always appreciate what my father, and his wife, for what they did, even though I didn’t ask for it.
In a relationship, kindness is not only necessary, but it also goes two directions. There is an old Ecuadoran saying, “When one is helping another, both gain in strength.” I’m not saying that you should act kind to get something in return; that is not an act of kindness. Kindness will yield its own rewards, such as acceptance, and the satisfaction of seeing a smile on the face of the ones you love. The greatest reward of kindness, as the saying suggests, it opens you up to the strength that comes from helping others.
Whether you’re the one providing the kindness, or the one receiving it, an act of kindness is the greatest way to express love in any relationship.
Something to think about: There are more than 1 million children, 3.5 million people in all, who have no home. These people count on the kindness of others for their daily meals, in shelters and soup kitchens. Most of those who work in these places are just people who give some of their free time just to help those in need. There is no thought of compensation, except the look on the recipients face when they realize someone actually cares about them.
Enjoy,
Allen
Friday, September 4, 2009
Love is patient
It’s been a while since my last post, but I had to recharge my batteries a little. I realized that when I started writing my two blogs, I was doing it to share inspiration, and to reflect on what I was learning, but in my own excitement I started to concentrate more on how often I could put out a blog than what I was trying to accomplish. I was becoming frustrated by not being able to put out a blog on time. In the end, I was losing patience with myself.
I have now gone back to the beginning with daily writing exercises.
This last part of the “Love” series, will take a look at the attributes of love as listed in 1 Corinthians 13. Instead of tackling it all at once, I felt that each attribute deserved its own
Blog.
1 Corinthians 13:4
Love is patient…
“Everything happens in its own time.” There are thousands of sayings about patience, and most have been used to the point of cliché. To me, this is one of the best sayings about patience in a relationship.
God is always testing our patience, not to wear us down, but to make us stronger. The greatest story about patience is that of Job. God allowed Satan to take everything from him, except his health and faith. Through it all, Job never turned his back on God, because God would never turn his back on Job. It took a lot of patience for Job to endure what he did, and in the end he was rewarded for his patience and faith.
When we pray, we expect an answer immediately, and we expect to get what we want. It’s the whole name it and claim it attitude. If we don’t see immediate results, we think that God either doesn’t care, but just because we want something doesn’t mean it’s in our best interest to have it.
God gives us one of three answers to our prayers; either yes, no, or wait for the right time. The third answer doesn’t always sit well with today’s mindset. The common attitude today is “I want what I want, when I want it.” With the internet, and the overuse of credit cards, people find it easy to get what they want, and they are unwilling to wait, even on dating.
Internet dating sites are increasing in number, and membership is rising at an alarming rate. I’m not for, or against the idea. There have been a lot of good relationships started on the internet, but there are just as many relationships that have failed. The thing that the second group failed to take into consideration is that relationships take time, and work. They are looking for a shortcut to a meaningful relationship, and this inevitable result is a brick wall.
There are many types of relationships, but if you try to rush the natural process of any relationship, not only will it break the relationship apart, but it can also ruin your chance for future relationships. On the other hand, if you have the patience to allow the relationship to progress naturally, it can strengthen this and future relationships.
Patience is a key ingredient to a strong, healthy relationship. I realize that it’s not always easy to be patient, but if you want to base your relationships on true love, it is something you are going to have to work on. I know I still have to work on it.
Something to think about: When was the last time you lost a relationship over a shortcut, that could have been saved by being patient?
Enjoy,
Allen
I have now gone back to the beginning with daily writing exercises.
This last part of the “Love” series, will take a look at the attributes of love as listed in 1 Corinthians 13. Instead of tackling it all at once, I felt that each attribute deserved its own
Blog.
1 Corinthians 13:4
Love is patient…
“Everything happens in its own time.” There are thousands of sayings about patience, and most have been used to the point of cliché. To me, this is one of the best sayings about patience in a relationship.
God is always testing our patience, not to wear us down, but to make us stronger. The greatest story about patience is that of Job. God allowed Satan to take everything from him, except his health and faith. Through it all, Job never turned his back on God, because God would never turn his back on Job. It took a lot of patience for Job to endure what he did, and in the end he was rewarded for his patience and faith.
When we pray, we expect an answer immediately, and we expect to get what we want. It’s the whole name it and claim it attitude. If we don’t see immediate results, we think that God either doesn’t care, but just because we want something doesn’t mean it’s in our best interest to have it.
God gives us one of three answers to our prayers; either yes, no, or wait for the right time. The third answer doesn’t always sit well with today’s mindset. The common attitude today is “I want what I want, when I want it.” With the internet, and the overuse of credit cards, people find it easy to get what they want, and they are unwilling to wait, even on dating.
Internet dating sites are increasing in number, and membership is rising at an alarming rate. I’m not for, or against the idea. There have been a lot of good relationships started on the internet, but there are just as many relationships that have failed. The thing that the second group failed to take into consideration is that relationships take time, and work. They are looking for a shortcut to a meaningful relationship, and this inevitable result is a brick wall.
There are many types of relationships, but if you try to rush the natural process of any relationship, not only will it break the relationship apart, but it can also ruin your chance for future relationships. On the other hand, if you have the patience to allow the relationship to progress naturally, it can strengthen this and future relationships.
Patience is a key ingredient to a strong, healthy relationship. I realize that it’s not always easy to be patient, but if you want to base your relationships on true love, it is something you are going to have to work on. I know I still have to work on it.
Something to think about: When was the last time you lost a relationship over a shortcut, that could have been saved by being patient?
Enjoy,
Allen
Monday, July 27, 2009
The ultimate sacrifice
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.
One of the hardest concepts for humans to understand about God is the level that God loves us. I believe the reason it’s so hard to comprehend is that we have no basis of comparison, next to the love of God, our own ability to love pales. Many people imagine God as a supreme being sitting on a throne, watching over the universe, and unconcerned with the individual lives of us mere mortals.
Along with this feeling is the feeling that God changed once Christ died on the cross, and he stopped talking to men like in the Old Testament. The fact is, God didn’t change, and he still talks to people, just like in the Old Testament, we just have to learn to listen.
When he sent Christ to become the ultimate sacrifice, he did it to save us. Verse 17 says, “For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” God sacrificed his own son, not to widen the distance between him and man, but to make himself more accessible to man.
At the moment of Christ’s death, the temple curtain was torn in half (Matthew 27:51) ending the time when people had to go to priests for forgiveness. God paid the ultimate price, the life of his son, so that we no longer have to fear going directly to him to ask for forgiveness. We will never be perfect. We will still make mistakes, and fall short, BUT because of Christ’s sacrifice, can still be acceptable to God.
God sees us for who we are, every flaw, every sin, and yet all he asks of us is that we accept his son, and ask for forgiveness. It’s not an easy concept to grasp, but Christ gave us a story to make it a little easier. The story is the parable of the prodigal son, it is found in Luke 15:11-32. The message is, there is no love greater than a father to his children, and even if you go astray, he will be ready to take you back, and forgive unconditionally.
Challenge: Ask for forgiveness, and have faith that he has.
Enjoy,
Allen
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.
One of the hardest concepts for humans to understand about God is the level that God loves us. I believe the reason it’s so hard to comprehend is that we have no basis of comparison, next to the love of God, our own ability to love pales. Many people imagine God as a supreme being sitting on a throne, watching over the universe, and unconcerned with the individual lives of us mere mortals.
Along with this feeling is the feeling that God changed once Christ died on the cross, and he stopped talking to men like in the Old Testament. The fact is, God didn’t change, and he still talks to people, just like in the Old Testament, we just have to learn to listen.
When he sent Christ to become the ultimate sacrifice, he did it to save us. Verse 17 says, “For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” God sacrificed his own son, not to widen the distance between him and man, but to make himself more accessible to man.
At the moment of Christ’s death, the temple curtain was torn in half (Matthew 27:51) ending the time when people had to go to priests for forgiveness. God paid the ultimate price, the life of his son, so that we no longer have to fear going directly to him to ask for forgiveness. We will never be perfect. We will still make mistakes, and fall short, BUT because of Christ’s sacrifice, can still be acceptable to God.
God sees us for who we are, every flaw, every sin, and yet all he asks of us is that we accept his son, and ask for forgiveness. It’s not an easy concept to grasp, but Christ gave us a story to make it a little easier. The story is the parable of the prodigal son, it is found in Luke 15:11-32. The message is, there is no love greater than a father to his children, and even if you go astray, he will be ready to take you back, and forgive unconditionally.
Challenge: Ask for forgiveness, and have faith that he has.
Enjoy,
Allen
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Looking for a little acceptance
Romans 15:7
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
My friend and I were walking home from work, having one of our philosophical discussions. I’m coming from the position of a Christian, and he is coming from an agnostic viewpoint. He doesn’t deny the truth of the bible, or that Christ is who he says he is, but for him there are still too many unanswered questions. This particular morning his question was geared toward why Christ chose the 12 disciples in his circle of friends. Instead of church leaders, and people of great influence, he chose fishermen and men of “questionable character.”
Christ accepted the disciples for who they were, not for the prestige they could bring him and his message. He knew that Peter would deny his involvement with Christ, and he knew Judas would betray him out of greed, and yet he still accepted them. It’s easy to accept a person just like yourself, but what about someone totally opposite?
True relationships come from accepting a person for who they are, regardless of their strengths and weaknesses. Of course, if we only accept those like ourselves, we would never grow, or learn to see things in a different way. The narrow-minded view of non-acceptance often results in cliques, racism, segregation, and has even led to hate crimes. I know those seem a little drastic, but they are all consequences of a lack of acceptance.
Christ accepted people for who they were. He knew that people were more than just a job title, or fancy clothes. He could see past the external shell to the heart, where the true character of a person is. If Christ accepted his followers for who they were, then we should follow his example, and accept others for who they are, without prejudice, or judgement.
Challenge: Don’t try to mold someone else to what you feel they should be. Learn from the example of Christ, and accept them for what they are.
Enjoy,
Allen
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
My friend and I were walking home from work, having one of our philosophical discussions. I’m coming from the position of a Christian, and he is coming from an agnostic viewpoint. He doesn’t deny the truth of the bible, or that Christ is who he says he is, but for him there are still too many unanswered questions. This particular morning his question was geared toward why Christ chose the 12 disciples in his circle of friends. Instead of church leaders, and people of great influence, he chose fishermen and men of “questionable character.”
Christ accepted the disciples for who they were, not for the prestige they could bring him and his message. He knew that Peter would deny his involvement with Christ, and he knew Judas would betray him out of greed, and yet he still accepted them. It’s easy to accept a person just like yourself, but what about someone totally opposite?
True relationships come from accepting a person for who they are, regardless of their strengths and weaknesses. Of course, if we only accept those like ourselves, we would never grow, or learn to see things in a different way. The narrow-minded view of non-acceptance often results in cliques, racism, segregation, and has even led to hate crimes. I know those seem a little drastic, but they are all consequences of a lack of acceptance.
Christ accepted people for who they were. He knew that people were more than just a job title, or fancy clothes. He could see past the external shell to the heart, where the true character of a person is. If Christ accepted his followers for who they were, then we should follow his example, and accept others for who they are, without prejudice, or judgement.
Challenge: Don’t try to mold someone else to what you feel they should be. Learn from the example of Christ, and accept them for what they are.
Enjoy,
Allen
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Share the love
1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his son, purifies us from all sin.
According to the book “The 7 Habits for Highly Effective People”, there are three stages of maturity; the dependent stage, the independent stage, and the interdependent stage.
In the dependent stage, we rely on everyone else to give us what we need and want. The idea is I win at the expense of another person’s time, money, and energy.
The independent stage is where we do everything for our selves and we just don’t need anyone else. The thought behind the independent stage is I win on my own. I don’t ask anyone to give me anything so it costs them nothing.
The problem with both of these stages is they are very self-serving. No one benefits from your win but you. In interdependence, we have matured to the level that everything is about us. We can work together for a common goal. In other words, when I win, you win.
When we walk in the light with God, we have reached the level of maturity where we are no longer the center of our universe. We realize that our actions have an impact on the lives of others, and we start to look for the option where everyone wins.
According to the “American Heritage Dictionary”, the word fellowship is defined as “The sharing of the same interests, ideals, or experiences.” Fellowship is at the highest level of interdependence, and is required if we are to love as Christ loves.
Many people describe a good solid relationship as “give and take” but fellowship is way beyond that. Give and take are both words that denote ownership. “I own this and I GIVE it to you.” “You own that and you have offered it, so I will TAKE it.” When we fellowship we SHARE what we have without ownership.
The best example I can give of this is my writing. When I write I get great pleasure out of it, and often I say that it’s the only pleasure I can afford myself, but I don’t write something for my eyes only. The truth is, I don’t own that ability; I received the ability from God to share with others. If I keep it to myself, I lose the ability to help someone who might benefit from the perspective I can offer. I know there are others who have helped me through their own unique perspective, and in this way, I can pass the favor along.
If we are to have the type of fellowship God meant for us to have, we must “love one another as Christ loved us.”
Challenge: Choose to use your gifts to benefit others, and enjoy the fellowship.
Enjoy,
Allen
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his son, purifies us from all sin.
According to the book “The 7 Habits for Highly Effective People”, there are three stages of maturity; the dependent stage, the independent stage, and the interdependent stage.
In the dependent stage, we rely on everyone else to give us what we need and want. The idea is I win at the expense of another person’s time, money, and energy.
The independent stage is where we do everything for our selves and we just don’t need anyone else. The thought behind the independent stage is I win on my own. I don’t ask anyone to give me anything so it costs them nothing.
The problem with both of these stages is they are very self-serving. No one benefits from your win but you. In interdependence, we have matured to the level that everything is about us. We can work together for a common goal. In other words, when I win, you win.
When we walk in the light with God, we have reached the level of maturity where we are no longer the center of our universe. We realize that our actions have an impact on the lives of others, and we start to look for the option where everyone wins.
According to the “American Heritage Dictionary”, the word fellowship is defined as “The sharing of the same interests, ideals, or experiences.” Fellowship is at the highest level of interdependence, and is required if we are to love as Christ loves.
Many people describe a good solid relationship as “give and take” but fellowship is way beyond that. Give and take are both words that denote ownership. “I own this and I GIVE it to you.” “You own that and you have offered it, so I will TAKE it.” When we fellowship we SHARE what we have without ownership.
The best example I can give of this is my writing. When I write I get great pleasure out of it, and often I say that it’s the only pleasure I can afford myself, but I don’t write something for my eyes only. The truth is, I don’t own that ability; I received the ability from God to share with others. If I keep it to myself, I lose the ability to help someone who might benefit from the perspective I can offer. I know there are others who have helped me through their own unique perspective, and in this way, I can pass the favor along.
If we are to have the type of fellowship God meant for us to have, we must “love one another as Christ loved us.”
Challenge: Choose to use your gifts to benefit others, and enjoy the fellowship.
Enjoy,
Allen
Monday, June 29, 2009
The most important elements
Matthew 5:23-24
Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
When we offer our gifts to God, whether it’s money or abilities, we are to give them to him whole-heartedly, but how can we put our whole heart into it when it’s burdened with anger and guilt. Both of these emotions, if left to grow, will destroy any relationship. Eventually, they will begin to grow to an obsession that can fill our heart and mind, pushing out any positive emotion. Ephesians 4:26 says, “In your anger do not sin; do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.”
Christ, in Matthew 5:23-24, talks about reconciliation. According to the “American Heritage Dictionary” the word “reconcile” means to reestablish a relationship. It also means to settle or resolve. If we are to love God with all our heart, we can’t allow it to be dominated by anger; we must settle any argument with our loved ones before they grow, and reestablish our relationship with them.
We know that we have to release our anger, but reestablishing the relationship completely is not so easy. There are two elements required to give a relationship its strength. The first element, forgiveness, will help you settle your anger, whether you forgive, or ask for forgiveness. Either way, forgiveness must be present in order to keep anger and guilt from being consuming.
The second element is more important in keeping the relationship from falling apart completely, and that is trust. Even after you have forgiven each other, and the anger has been settled, trust may take some time before it can fully be restored. If we are to restore trust, strengthen our relationship, and keep anger from dominating our heart, we must give full priority to our relationship to God first, then to each other.
Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and give priority to your relationships, for this is the only way to give your gifts to God with all your heart.
Challenge: If you have a relationship that has fallen apart from anger, forgive each other, then make restoring trust a priority. This will reestablish the relationship, and give it strength. Then you can give your whole heart to God.
Enjoy,
Allen
Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
When we offer our gifts to God, whether it’s money or abilities, we are to give them to him whole-heartedly, but how can we put our whole heart into it when it’s burdened with anger and guilt. Both of these emotions, if left to grow, will destroy any relationship. Eventually, they will begin to grow to an obsession that can fill our heart and mind, pushing out any positive emotion. Ephesians 4:26 says, “In your anger do not sin; do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.”
Christ, in Matthew 5:23-24, talks about reconciliation. According to the “American Heritage Dictionary” the word “reconcile” means to reestablish a relationship. It also means to settle or resolve. If we are to love God with all our heart, we can’t allow it to be dominated by anger; we must settle any argument with our loved ones before they grow, and reestablish our relationship with them.
We know that we have to release our anger, but reestablishing the relationship completely is not so easy. There are two elements required to give a relationship its strength. The first element, forgiveness, will help you settle your anger, whether you forgive, or ask for forgiveness. Either way, forgiveness must be present in order to keep anger and guilt from being consuming.
The second element is more important in keeping the relationship from falling apart completely, and that is trust. Even after you have forgiven each other, and the anger has been settled, trust may take some time before it can fully be restored. If we are to restore trust, strengthen our relationship, and keep anger from dominating our heart, we must give full priority to our relationship to God first, then to each other.
Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and give priority to your relationships, for this is the only way to give your gifts to God with all your heart.
Challenge: If you have a relationship that has fallen apart from anger, forgive each other, then make restoring trust a priority. This will reestablish the relationship, and give it strength. Then you can give your whole heart to God.
Enjoy,
Allen
Friday, June 19, 2009
Even Jesus had tears
John 11:35
Jesus wept.
One of the sayings I came up with several years ago, and still fully stand behind is, “A picture may be worth a thousand words, but a few well chosen words can describe a lifetime.” These two words say more to me about Christ’s love and relationship with mankind, than so much else in the Bible.
This is the shortest verse in the Bible, and there is a reason for it being singled out. Christ wept because he was moved by the weeping of Mary, and those who came with her, over the death of Lazarus. He knew that he was going to raise Lazarus from the dead so that didn’t bother him, but seeing Mary so unhappy moved him. As we all know, the end is happier, and if you don’t read through verse 44.
Many people think of Christ as distant, and unfeeling, that he was above the pettiness of human emotions. We know that Christ is never petty, and from this verse, that he wasn’t above expressing emotions. I think the only emotion he never felt was regret. He felt sadness, anger, happiness, joy, peace, frustration, and even apprehension when he prayed to let the cup pass from him, but never regret. So why was this small verse so important?
When Christ was in the upper room giving his disciples the new command, he said, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Loving as he loved means expressing your feelings honestly, and without pettiness. In other words, learn to control your emotions, don’t let them control you. There is a time for anger, and a time for sadness. There is a time for every emotion.
Knowing the right time for expressing emotions can mean so much to your relationship. If Jesus had laughed at Mary because he knew what was about to happen, it would have meant that she might not have trusted him to understand. Instead, Christ showed perfect compassion and understanding when she needed it, and he shed genuine tears because of his love.
This little verse also shows me that not only did Christ come to save us, but that he truly understands what we are going through. The fact that he put himself in such a position, when he could have given up and destroyed us, is the ultimate expression of love.
Another thing that it shows me is that Christ relates to us on a very personal level. He created us, and he sees every part of us down to our strengths, and weaknesses. No offense to Bette Midler, but God wouldn’t know every little detail of our lives if he was watching us from a distance. He knows what’s in our hearts, and even how many hairs are on our heads.
I love that poem, “Footprints.” It always reminds me that Christ is always by my side ready to carry me through the difficulties of life.
This is what “Jesus wept” means to me
Challenge: Print out the poem “Footprints”, and keep it as a reminder of Christ’s love when things get difficult.
Enjoy,
Allen
Jesus wept.
One of the sayings I came up with several years ago, and still fully stand behind is, “A picture may be worth a thousand words, but a few well chosen words can describe a lifetime.” These two words say more to me about Christ’s love and relationship with mankind, than so much else in the Bible.
This is the shortest verse in the Bible, and there is a reason for it being singled out. Christ wept because he was moved by the weeping of Mary, and those who came with her, over the death of Lazarus. He knew that he was going to raise Lazarus from the dead so that didn’t bother him, but seeing Mary so unhappy moved him. As we all know, the end is happier, and if you don’t read through verse 44.
Many people think of Christ as distant, and unfeeling, that he was above the pettiness of human emotions. We know that Christ is never petty, and from this verse, that he wasn’t above expressing emotions. I think the only emotion he never felt was regret. He felt sadness, anger, happiness, joy, peace, frustration, and even apprehension when he prayed to let the cup pass from him, but never regret. So why was this small verse so important?
When Christ was in the upper room giving his disciples the new command, he said, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Loving as he loved means expressing your feelings honestly, and without pettiness. In other words, learn to control your emotions, don’t let them control you. There is a time for anger, and a time for sadness. There is a time for every emotion.
Knowing the right time for expressing emotions can mean so much to your relationship. If Jesus had laughed at Mary because he knew what was about to happen, it would have meant that she might not have trusted him to understand. Instead, Christ showed perfect compassion and understanding when she needed it, and he shed genuine tears because of his love.
This little verse also shows me that not only did Christ come to save us, but that he truly understands what we are going through. The fact that he put himself in such a position, when he could have given up and destroyed us, is the ultimate expression of love.
Another thing that it shows me is that Christ relates to us on a very personal level. He created us, and he sees every part of us down to our strengths, and weaknesses. No offense to Bette Midler, but God wouldn’t know every little detail of our lives if he was watching us from a distance. He knows what’s in our hearts, and even how many hairs are on our heads.
I love that poem, “Footprints.” It always reminds me that Christ is always by my side ready to carry me through the difficulties of life.
This is what “Jesus wept” means to me
Challenge: Print out the poem “Footprints”, and keep it as a reminder of Christ’s love when things get difficult.
Enjoy,
Allen
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
For your eyes only
John 13:34,35
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
Christ spoke openly about the fulfillment of the laws, which are based on love. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength; and love your neighbor as yourself.” These two laws appear throughout his teaching, and in the Old Testament.
The laws are all about our relationship to God, and man. Now, in the final moments of the Last Supper, after Judas ran off to betray Christ, he gives one more command to his disciples, in private. “Love one another.” He says this two more times. This left me with two questions. Why was the command given in private? Why did Christ say it three times?
Loving God completely, and loving your neighbor as yourself, were given to more than just the Israelites. These two laws were given to everyone as an important part of a relationship with God, and the central point of all the laws of God. Christ gave this new law, or command, in private to his disciples as the one thing that would separate his disciples from everyone else.
Christ started by simply by giving them the command. “Love one another.” This is the same thing as telling someone new to do a job, but not telling them how.
In the second part he tells them how to love one another. “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” In this, Christ becomes their model, and in turn becomes our model for the perfect love.
Finally, Christ gives them the consequence of this command, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” This command is not for everyone, it was meant only for his disciples.
This message, and command, is meant for us if we truly wish to be his disciples. It doesn’t matter what denomination we belong to, or even if we go to church. If we worship God as disciples, then we must also express our love to other disciples in the same way Christ loved us.
I think it would be a good idea to end one of the most confusing thing I’ve heard in churches today. Just because you go to church, and worship God, it doesn’t make you a disciple. A disciple is anyone who has taken on the discipline of learning, and sharing God’s word. In essence, you become a student of Christ for life. This is not an easy road, but it is very rewarding.
Challenge: Take Christ’s command to heart, and love one another as Christ loves us.
Enjoy,
Allen
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
Christ spoke openly about the fulfillment of the laws, which are based on love. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength; and love your neighbor as yourself.” These two laws appear throughout his teaching, and in the Old Testament.
The laws are all about our relationship to God, and man. Now, in the final moments of the Last Supper, after Judas ran off to betray Christ, he gives one more command to his disciples, in private. “Love one another.” He says this two more times. This left me with two questions. Why was the command given in private? Why did Christ say it three times?
Loving God completely, and loving your neighbor as yourself, were given to more than just the Israelites. These two laws were given to everyone as an important part of a relationship with God, and the central point of all the laws of God. Christ gave this new law, or command, in private to his disciples as the one thing that would separate his disciples from everyone else.
Christ started by simply by giving them the command. “Love one another.” This is the same thing as telling someone new to do a job, but not telling them how.
In the second part he tells them how to love one another. “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” In this, Christ becomes their model, and in turn becomes our model for the perfect love.
Finally, Christ gives them the consequence of this command, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” This command is not for everyone, it was meant only for his disciples.
This message, and command, is meant for us if we truly wish to be his disciples. It doesn’t matter what denomination we belong to, or even if we go to church. If we worship God as disciples, then we must also express our love to other disciples in the same way Christ loved us.
I think it would be a good idea to end one of the most confusing thing I’ve heard in churches today. Just because you go to church, and worship God, it doesn’t make you a disciple. A disciple is anyone who has taken on the discipline of learning, and sharing God’s word. In essence, you become a student of Christ for life. This is not an easy road, but it is very rewarding.
Challenge: Take Christ’s command to heart, and love one another as Christ loves us.
Enjoy,
Allen
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
The opportunity to love
One of the lessons to be learned from the Good Samaritan is that while we are taught to love our neighbor as ourselves, being human, we can’t express love to the whole world at once. We are limited by an imperfect body and spirit, and the only way we can express a consistent love is to do so one opportunity at a time.
In the case of the Good Samaritan, he saw the man on the side of the road, beaten and robbed, and left to die. Instead of seeing the man as “just one of those Jews”, an enemy of his people, and someone to be ignored, he saw the man as another human being who needed help, and compassion. He took the man, put him on his own donkey, and brought him to an inn to be cared for until his return.
He took the opportunity to express love and compassion to a human being in need. Christ never said where the Samaritan was going, or if he missed something important, because in the end, that wasn’t important. The point was the Samaritan didn’t say to himself, “I’ll think about helping him,” or pass by on the other side of the road like the others. There was no hesitation in his actions. He saw the opportunity, and rushed in to help out of love for his neighbor. He put the needs of another person above his own, and isn’t this what love is all about?
Another thing people fail to see about love is that it is neither easy, nor casual. If you don’t take a rest once in a while, it will drain you both physically, and emotionally. One of the things the book pointed out was that Christ retreated every day to a quiet place, and he is the model for the perfect love.
God gives us the opportunities to express love, it’s up to us to open our hearts so we can see the opportunities and accept them. Once it comes to the expression of love we must never hesitate to accept or we might miss the chance. If the Samaritan had hesitated the man’s injuries might have killed him. If you devote your life to love as Christ taught, don’t forget to give yourself time to rest, or you will wear yourself down.
Challenge: Trust God to give you the strength to love as you should, and find a quiet place to rest and recharge.
Enjoy,
Allen
In the case of the Good Samaritan, he saw the man on the side of the road, beaten and robbed, and left to die. Instead of seeing the man as “just one of those Jews”, an enemy of his people, and someone to be ignored, he saw the man as another human being who needed help, and compassion. He took the man, put him on his own donkey, and brought him to an inn to be cared for until his return.
He took the opportunity to express love and compassion to a human being in need. Christ never said where the Samaritan was going, or if he missed something important, because in the end, that wasn’t important. The point was the Samaritan didn’t say to himself, “I’ll think about helping him,” or pass by on the other side of the road like the others. There was no hesitation in his actions. He saw the opportunity, and rushed in to help out of love for his neighbor. He put the needs of another person above his own, and isn’t this what love is all about?
Another thing people fail to see about love is that it is neither easy, nor casual. If you don’t take a rest once in a while, it will drain you both physically, and emotionally. One of the things the book pointed out was that Christ retreated every day to a quiet place, and he is the model for the perfect love.
God gives us the opportunities to express love, it’s up to us to open our hearts so we can see the opportunities and accept them. Once it comes to the expression of love we must never hesitate to accept or we might miss the chance. If the Samaritan had hesitated the man’s injuries might have killed him. If you devote your life to love as Christ taught, don’t forget to give yourself time to rest, or you will wear yourself down.
Challenge: Trust God to give you the strength to love as you should, and find a quiet place to rest and recharge.
Enjoy,
Allen
Friday, June 5, 2009
Love, the equal opportunity emotion
Luke 10:25-37
25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
26"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
27He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
28"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
30In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
36"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
37The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
This is another passage where the same two Old Testament laws were brought up. “Love the Lord your God…” is in Deuteronomy 6:5, and “Love your neighbor…” is in Leviticus 19:18
Keep in mind that Christ was talking to Jews, and to them the Samaritans were bitter enemies. The first two people were of the same faith, maybe even the same congregation, and yet they went out of their way to avoid helping this person who was beaten and left for dead. The person who ended up helping was a sworn enemy, and yet he went beyond just bandaging the man up, he also took care of his shelter needs.
The message here is very clear. You must love everyone, even those you once considered an enemy. The thing to remember is that God created us all equal, different, but equal. That means that no one is any better or worse than anyone else. If we were to put this in terms of a business, the president is no better than the janitor. As long as they both do their part the company can flourish.
In this world, there are thousands of religions, and cultures. In the various religions, there are different philosophies, but just because someone doesn’t believe the same way as you do, does that mean that you should love them any less? Of course not; right or wrong, we can disagree with a person’s beliefs, but it is not our job to judge them. Only God has that right. Our job is to extend love to that person, and live life by our beliefs. If we are true to our beliefs, we can lead more people to Christ by example than by force.
I once went to a church that had a sermon that day on loving unconditionally. The one thing I noticed is the dirty looks I got for wearing Jeans instead of slacks, and even though there were different races in the church they still segregated themselves from each other. Unconditional love is a colorblind emotion. It doesn’t segregate, or judge another person’s differences.
The most basic way to put this is, if God created everyone equally, and loves us for who we are, then we should follow his example and love everyone equally.
Challenge: see beyond the exterior appearance of a person to find the good, and love them, as you would have them love you.
Enjoy,
Allen
25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
26"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
27He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
28"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
30In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
36"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
37The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
This is another passage where the same two Old Testament laws were brought up. “Love the Lord your God…” is in Deuteronomy 6:5, and “Love your neighbor…” is in Leviticus 19:18
Keep in mind that Christ was talking to Jews, and to them the Samaritans were bitter enemies. The first two people were of the same faith, maybe even the same congregation, and yet they went out of their way to avoid helping this person who was beaten and left for dead. The person who ended up helping was a sworn enemy, and yet he went beyond just bandaging the man up, he also took care of his shelter needs.
The message here is very clear. You must love everyone, even those you once considered an enemy. The thing to remember is that God created us all equal, different, but equal. That means that no one is any better or worse than anyone else. If we were to put this in terms of a business, the president is no better than the janitor. As long as they both do their part the company can flourish.
In this world, there are thousands of religions, and cultures. In the various religions, there are different philosophies, but just because someone doesn’t believe the same way as you do, does that mean that you should love them any less? Of course not; right or wrong, we can disagree with a person’s beliefs, but it is not our job to judge them. Only God has that right. Our job is to extend love to that person, and live life by our beliefs. If we are true to our beliefs, we can lead more people to Christ by example than by force.
I once went to a church that had a sermon that day on loving unconditionally. The one thing I noticed is the dirty looks I got for wearing Jeans instead of slacks, and even though there were different races in the church they still segregated themselves from each other. Unconditional love is a colorblind emotion. It doesn’t segregate, or judge another person’s differences.
The most basic way to put this is, if God created everyone equally, and loves us for who we are, then we should follow his example and love everyone equally.
Challenge: see beyond the exterior appearance of a person to find the good, and love them, as you would have them love you.
Enjoy,
Allen
Monday, June 1, 2009
The mind of strength
Mark 12:30
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.
Your mind is like a super-computer without an off switch. The saying, “garbage in, garbage out” applies to both computers and the human mind. Whatever we allow to dominate our mind will eventually show up in our actions.
In the book, Tom Holladay says, “Before you can do the right thing, you have to think the right thing.” This phrase makes a lot of sense. Philippians 4:8 talks about what we should think about. “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things”
Every day our minds are hit by a barrage of negative influences, and there is no way to avoid them. God gave us the freedom to choose what we allow to dominate our minds, and whatever dominates, will become how we act. This is why it’s important to meditate on God’s word daily. Starting your day with a devotional can give you something to think about throughout the day, and writing down what you learn can keep it fresh in your mind. No matter what influences you come across, you can still allow yourself to focus on what you learned that morning.
Once we have trained our mind to meditate on God’s word, we can turn it into actions. In any relationship you have to give it all you have. This is where the real work begins, and it will require strength of character, and conviction. Do we, as humans, have the strength to do the work on our own? No.
Let me explain. When we try to do something on our own, we are easily distracted with our everyday lives; with paying bills, going to work, raising kids, going to school (and the list continues). If we are to give a loving relationship with God the attention it deserves, we can only do it with the kind of strength that God can give.
We were created by God to have a relationship with him, and he has done everything to prove to us that he is worthy of that love. He even sent his only son to die for that relationship, and we owe it to him to give it everything we have. He is the source of life, love, and strength. Without him we wouldn’t exist, so it goes without saying that if we trust God for our strength, our relationship with him will be healthy, productive, and the greatest source of joy in our lives.
Putting it all together, to have a loving relationship with God, we must first feel it in our hearts. Then we must decide to love him with our soul. After that we must think it with our minds. Finally, we must trust God to give us the strength to put it into action. God wants our relationship with him to succeed, and he is willing to give us the strength we need to make it work. All we have to do is accept it.
Challenge: Learn to meditate on God’s word, and accept his offer of strength, so that you can put him first in both thought and action.
Enjoy,
Allen
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.
Your mind is like a super-computer without an off switch. The saying, “garbage in, garbage out” applies to both computers and the human mind. Whatever we allow to dominate our mind will eventually show up in our actions.
In the book, Tom Holladay says, “Before you can do the right thing, you have to think the right thing.” This phrase makes a lot of sense. Philippians 4:8 talks about what we should think about. “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things”
Every day our minds are hit by a barrage of negative influences, and there is no way to avoid them. God gave us the freedom to choose what we allow to dominate our minds, and whatever dominates, will become how we act. This is why it’s important to meditate on God’s word daily. Starting your day with a devotional can give you something to think about throughout the day, and writing down what you learn can keep it fresh in your mind. No matter what influences you come across, you can still allow yourself to focus on what you learned that morning.
Once we have trained our mind to meditate on God’s word, we can turn it into actions. In any relationship you have to give it all you have. This is where the real work begins, and it will require strength of character, and conviction. Do we, as humans, have the strength to do the work on our own? No.
Let me explain. When we try to do something on our own, we are easily distracted with our everyday lives; with paying bills, going to work, raising kids, going to school (and the list continues). If we are to give a loving relationship with God the attention it deserves, we can only do it with the kind of strength that God can give.
We were created by God to have a relationship with him, and he has done everything to prove to us that he is worthy of that love. He even sent his only son to die for that relationship, and we owe it to him to give it everything we have. He is the source of life, love, and strength. Without him we wouldn’t exist, so it goes without saying that if we trust God for our strength, our relationship with him will be healthy, productive, and the greatest source of joy in our lives.
Putting it all together, to have a loving relationship with God, we must first feel it in our hearts. Then we must decide to love him with our soul. After that we must think it with our minds. Finally, we must trust God to give us the strength to put it into action. God wants our relationship with him to succeed, and he is willing to give us the strength we need to make it work. All we have to do is accept it.
Challenge: Learn to meditate on God’s word, and accept his offer of strength, so that you can put him first in both thought and action.
Enjoy,
Allen
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