Active listening

So it has been along time since I have posted on here!
Lately I have been listening to several sermons/teachings (not sure which I would consider it) from one of my favourite teachers from college. I really enjoy what he is able to pull out of both life as well as the Bible. He always has such a way to see such deep practical application that just seems missed by both yet so central to truth and beliefs. Secondly I have read a bit of my uncle's blogging from that last few years which I would compare in similar form, I wish they could have a long conversation, they have very similar views I just wonder how long it would take for them to be good friends.

Anyways I digress, practically my message is this: obedience - especially to Christ, but not limited to him - is active not passive.

I have been dwelling on what this means in my life lately in respect to my beliefs. One thing Dr. Reeves pulls out of his teachings especially in Ephesians(I believe that is correct, although I have listened to a lot so bare with me) is this counter culture, counter intuitive thought that salvation, truly being 'redeemed' or following Christ is to put others first. I wish I had listened better to remember quotes better but it goes under the idea that we can do nothing to save ourselves. This is generally accepted in Christian circles but developed further it is truly hard to grasp.
I say that because it is, Paul develops it out so much so that I think it almost breaches the way Christians think today. Literally that means there is no righteousness we can do to appease God but even worse there is nothing once we accept this to continuing in God's good graces or even to be righteous!

We often take the first without the second. It is pretty easy to accept a free gift, I mean we do it all the time, but not needing to live right after that? That is hard to swallow. Now don't get me wrong I am not condoning doing what you want, besides that is better if you just take on relativism-its more economical for that in the long run, but that I am reminded as I believe that Paul is saying your obedience is active not passive.

Reading in zechariah today and I hit a verse that reminded me of this thought. In chapter seven good old zech is called to call out religious leaders as they are in the process of restoring the town(nehemiah) and the temple(haggai, I believe) to their former selves. About verse 6-8ish God reveals what he meant for the priests to orginally do-social work to the outcast and burdened, He cares nothing for their fasting. All he wanted them to do was listen and love. Ironically that was as hard for them then as it is for us today. But then again accordingly to Christ it was our second most important commandment:

Love your neighbor as yourself

And the first:

Love the lord with all your, heart, mind, strength, and soul.

In the end, true obedience looks like an active acceptance of the will of God in service to other.

Weekend Theology

Woah its been a while. Thought i might just write on this to exponge some feelings.

The other day me and kelly met some friends that she had known a long time ago. Really cool peeps and had a great time.Got to talking and found that they were really all non-christian and by that I don't mean they had just been un-churched, actually quite the opposite. They had all grown up in church some even vocationally choosing ministry and then eventually chosen to no longer believe. We talked further and it was just interesting to me how they developed into where they were. Don't get me wrong I really appreciate, love, and respect them and their views. Infact I would think they are some of the smartest people that i know and really appreciate being able to talk and feel no pressure to win them as well as they win me.

This brings me to my real thought behind this post. How do I as a Christian continue this kind of discussion and yet still remain both a friend and consistent truthful view point..

You see, at least in this conversation I knew they understood almost any view i could provide. They had obviously originally been there maybe even thought that. Yet i could see certain questions, certain wisdom blocked them now from being able to believe in this truth or this way for that matter. It reminded me alot about Solomon. He had a personal God experience, he had followed him and he had so much wisdom, possibly the most yet in the end we ended so far from the Lord. It also made me think "isn't there a verse referring to thethe pain of wisdom". Even without i know that Paul says the gospel is foolishness to the wise. Its counter-intuitive. That being said I can understand the pains they might have with Christianity.

And so what can I do?
First I am in Awe of how Christianity- Loving and following the Lord- Can be so many things, hard,easy,rewarding,disasterous,dangerous,and safe at the same time. How its counter-intuitive, why would i understand a parodox that is Christ on Earth saving me? Yet that is the only really rational way I can understand.
Second I found that Being like Jesus is all the more important in these times. Had I entered this discusion as a fundamentalist I would have been too stuck to accept my new friends and love them and too distanced to relate to them so i could love them. Jesus was a master of this, such as to the woman at the well or Nicodemus even. He gave to them individually what they needed. maybe that was to be heard maybe to answer questions, maybe to love them, maybe to let them be wrong. Either way even if he was motivated to "save them" as most christians are he surely didn't tell them they needed him or hell, that comes later if at all all he did was give them what they needed. He answered them.
Third and finally I saw just the importance of a being flexible. To be able to reconcile all things to the Lord. Like I said before why is it that i put so much emphasis on things that won't matter at the time. For one friend Hell was his hardest to understand issue. But why is that important- if everything else, about love and Christ, is true and very much in agreement with the gospels why can't that be enough for now. Jesus meets you where you are. If theology wasn't at least somewhat flexible then everything that ran into it would chip a little bit off every time that happened. Should it not be flexible to at least allow someone in where they are at. I think so.

Tucson or Bust

Well here I sit before you now and I am about 6 hours away from flying to Tucson, Arizona for a mission trip for my Spring break. I don't have much to say about it except that we will be working to help a church down there grow and that I ask for your utmost support in prayer. I know God can definitely work and will if we petition, I will and i pray that you will too.

Thanks every one!
God bless
(for real not the cliche kind)

P.s. here is the website for the church: http://www.ebc-tucson.org/

Here is the first page of the newsletter that the church sent out... Since the text is so small, I will past the text below.
________________________________________________

"The Spring Fiesta event (block party) is a culmination of a week long surge to make an impact in our community. Ten college students and their leaders from Southwest Baptist University in Bolívar, MO will be coming to Tucson to help us fulfill this mission. They, along with church members who’d like to
volunteer, will be prayer walking and canvassing the neighborhood with door hangers to get the message out about the Spring Fiesta. They will also be assisting us in other outreach events, including a youth rally on Wednesday night. To pull off an event like this, we need your help!
Please contact Janie Villareal (298-2186) if you want to be enlisted to serve. There is a place of service for you!!!

In Proverbs 20:11, we are reminded that “Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right.” I pray that by our actions, the community will see our conduct to be pure and right. Now is the time, once again, for our neighborhood to see that Emmanuel cares. Sure, there’s always more we can do. But, let’s start here and make an impact serving our community with these fabulous events.
Striving with You,
Pastor Louis"

WOW
It has been a while since I have been on here.
So much school and such though.
Well I was just thinking about updating this when God gave me a little inspiration. I feel like lately I have really been branching out to meet people and to just love God's humanity so much. I don't know if that is necessarily equivalent to a "calling" but it just really gets my blood pumping and reminds me so much of Christ.

Speaking of which God has really has been impressing me with time management. I feel like we don't realize how we organize our time. I especially feel this lately because my day gets so filled I have to fit God in just to make sure He gets time but why isn't He like the center of my day and revolves around Him.

I don't think this is anything new that hasn't been said before But I feel like this is so important. I have been studying the nazarite vow in numbers 6 lately and the more I see it within the context of Israel the more I realize how so important God is supposed to be and how we are to react to Him.
I guess what I am trying to say is that we are to be consecrated to God, separated to Him and that's a 24-7 fully devoted job that everyone should see by who you are and where you are.

Worship

I don't have much and i still have a bit until i clear this thought up but lately I have been contemplating the idea of worship, mainly worshiping together.

How do we worship together?

That has been on my mind after Doctrine class on Thursday. It seems as we discussed that every Sunday we just get together and individually worship when we should be lifting up as the body of Christ.

So basically that's what has been on my mind.

How do we worship together?

Master of Art

First Things first- I just wanted to add to the last post that Flight Design( the band I had mentioned) did in fact win the Battle of the bands.


So it has been snowing here on campus for about 2 days and it is truly beautiful.I really like the snow because it is so pure and yet so dangerous. It reminds me of Dad(God) so much.
And although we didn't get to miss any classes I still got the awesome opportunity to go out and sled and play in it yet my favorite thing to do is write in it and make snowman art.

I suppose that God as snow, or more over God as an artisan, is not to far fetched an idea but really it represents Him pretty accurately. For instance it is truly a beautiful and pure display of art to see all the snow falling. The snow laying so even and so intricately together is something that is no where else replicated in Nature. Even the detail is so amazingly big its hard to conceive.
Then its so dangerous, not many other weather types are quite as dangerous. Although its not as strong as a hurricane, snow in any form has easily destroy something. A good example of this is its variety of forms, from blizzard to light snow, not using caution can definitely be a bad choice. During this storm here numerous people have gotten stuck or worse.

But wow how beautiful is God's creation.

Isn't that how we should see God, his art so pure, so endless, so big, so ready to be loved, so pointing to its creator and yet so dangerous and so hard to calculate.

I really like how God loves to paint us daily pictures of Himself everywhere. But then again He is the Master of Art

Rock Band

Lately i have been really ranty and right now i really don't want to make an entry like that. So i won't.
The thing i want to say though is that it was amazing to see God today.
Just to let you know I spent my day back at home before winter break is over. This weekend I went to the Battle of the Bands at my old high school to see some friends play in it.
I am not going to lie these guys were great musicians and their competition was good too but one thing really stuck out to me. The last song of their set they chose to play Amazing Grace.

First off I think that was an awesome and very tact choice( and tact is a very big score booster on my scale). But what caught me was their attitude comming into this thing. As we huddled off stage before preparing to go we joked and talked about the changes they had made and to remember them when playing. Basic prep stuff. But the next thing was a very awesome thing to say.
It was as if God entered the room then even as dark as it was because all jest left their faces. Then via the mouth of Matt Fellers came the something that surprised me. He said very intuitively and very seriously:
"Guys remember, just remember when you are out there forget the audience, forget the other bands, just forget winning. We have aren't here for them, we aren't here to win, we are playing to Jesus with the talents and skills God gave us. Do it to show all those people lost out there why we play"

Now those aren't exact quotes but really that statement we are to use our skills and to just play for Him hit me big time. And thats not because i never realized i was supposed to use my talents for Him but more so the heart of the guys in this band. That amazes me. Really tonight God softened my heart a little and it definately needed it.

well i just want to pray really quick here for you all and then i am out for bed

Dad, I just ask blessings on that band, thats really cool but moreso dad I ask that you show me that kind of will power and ministry with the things I love that would allow me to feel the warmth of your smile when I follow your will. Your so awesome and thanks for being proud of those guys tonight, they really love you dad. good night.