I like to run. It's a great way to exercise, get yourself into shape and it's really quite enjoyable. I would rather run outside, in nature than on a treadmill. Mainly because you get more of a workout with the various inclines and such. But more so than that. When I run outside I'm constantly looking around, checking out my surroundings, scoping out the environment. It really makes me think about God. How he made all of it. My last blog touched on this a little. God made Earth. He placed us where we are with what we have for a reason.
I truly envy treehuggers. The nature freaks, the ones that don't have running water or toilets. Because they are more in touch with what God created than any of us. We have surrounded ourselves with technology, things to keep us entertained. We have smart phones, television, computers, video games. All of these things were created by people to keep us entertained. I don't know many treehuggers that own an xbox or a laptop. They love the outdoors. They stay entertained by walking around, enjoying what God put in front of them, they admire the little things, flowers, lakes, animals. They are in touch with God's surroundings. I know people that sit around and play games or stay on the computer for 17 hours a day. I'm not saying that is a terrible thing. I'm just saying we need to learn to open our eyes and notice our world. God created this for us, why take advantage of it? Why overlook it?
Sitting outside, either on the front porch, back deck or even in the street is a great way to see what God placed in our lives, too visualize what He's created for us. I love, I mean LOVE reading outside. There really isn't much better than finding a good book and going outside and just reading. The birds chirping, the kids playing. They just add to the intensity of it. I would've never thought that just being outside could be so amazing, so awesome. One day I just really opened my eyes and looked. I saw that what God has done and it is absolutely insane. Insane, in the most jaw dropping, awestruck way. In my mind, the smallest things can make the biggest impact. Just walking around the neighborhood, looking at the way the grass moves when the wind blows over it just right or how the birds fly is awesome.. I personally couldn't be a tree hugger. Running water is a pretty big priority in my life. But, I feel like we should all stop taking advantage of our surroundings and get in touch with what God placed in our lives.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
It takes two to tango, one warrior and one God.
So, I've been reading In a pit with a lion on a snowy day by Mark Batterson, the lead pastor at NCC, a pretty successful multisite church in the D.C. area. This book is awesome. It's real. I mean this guy talks about stepping up to your fears, unlearning them. Chasing the lion in your life. It's crazy how this book relates to not only myself, but I'm sure a gazillion others. He writes about being lion chasers like Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada. This guy wasn't just a lion chaser. He was a man. A warrior. He faced so many obstacles, so many lions, he never ran. He chased. I mean he killed the Moab's two mightiest men. These guys couldn't have been small. At all. I picture two burly, hairy, mean looking men, possibly missing a few teeth. He also killed a giant. He had a club. A very small weapon compared to the giant and his massive spear. It says he ripped the spear from his hand and killed him with it. I don't personally know anyone who can do that. Let alone this last one. One day, Benaiah decided to chase a lion. Yeah, a 500 pound piece of meat, with sharp claws and sharper teeth. He decided to chase the lion into a pit. I forgot to mention it was snowing. Still, he jumped into the pit and faced his lion. I wouldn't do that. Couldn't do that. Maybe that's why he became the Commander in Chief over Israel, not me.. Point being this guy was insane. In a good way, of course. He wasn't afraid. He didn't have fear. Because he knew one person had his back the entire time. He had total faith and completely trusted Him with his life. This guy, was God. Benaiah wasn't scared because he had faith and trust in God. He knew no matter what, he could chase those lions, unlearn those fears and he wouldn't have to play it safe because God had his back.
In the book, Mark says "God is in the business of.." quite a bit. Personally, I can't picture God as a business man. I don't think he has a closet full of fancy Italian made suits. A drawer full of long gross colored socks. I don't picture him walking through Heaven all spruced up carrying a black, leather briefcase. But, maybe He does dress up sometimes, on important occasions. I'll find out one day. But, Mark has a point. God is in the business of a lot of things. In fact, He's in the business of everything, everywhere. No matter what it is, God has a part in it being there. That blows my mind. Like completely and totally BLOWS MY MIND. How can one man do all this. Because, He isn't a man. He's much better than man. He created man. He is wayy better than anyone on Earth can dream of. Like, imagine THE perfect person. I picture Jesus. 33 years of no sin and then He dies for our sin, so our lives can go on. Well, Jesus is God's son. So God is like Jesus times infinity. That's why He can do all this. Be all over.
One of the chapters in this book talks about how playing it safe, is risky. He gives examples of people who risk it all, sacrifice everything. Job security, financial security, life dreams. EVERYTHING. Just to chase their lions. Abraham did it. Nehemiah did it. Benaiah did it. So, why is it so hard for us to do it? Because these people that I mentioned have complete faith in God. They trust God with their lives. They give up control. It takes two to tango, but only one person needs to lead. They realized that God needs to lead their lives, not themselves. These people, the ones who let God control it all. They know He knows what's best for them, He knows where they need to be. They make that sacrifice. They risk it all because they know God has control and He knows what is needed. We need to realize that. That God controls everything around us, the weather, the vegetation, what goes where and when it falls over. So, why not just let Him control us. He will take us to our lions, some of us may already be there. All we have to do is chase them. Let Him lead the tango.
In the book, Mark says "God is in the business of.." quite a bit. Personally, I can't picture God as a business man. I don't think he has a closet full of fancy Italian made suits. A drawer full of long gross colored socks. I don't picture him walking through Heaven all spruced up carrying a black, leather briefcase. But, maybe He does dress up sometimes, on important occasions. I'll find out one day. But, Mark has a point. God is in the business of a lot of things. In fact, He's in the business of everything, everywhere. No matter what it is, God has a part in it being there. That blows my mind. Like completely and totally BLOWS MY MIND. How can one man do all this. Because, He isn't a man. He's much better than man. He created man. He is wayy better than anyone on Earth can dream of. Like, imagine THE perfect person. I picture Jesus. 33 years of no sin and then He dies for our sin, so our lives can go on. Well, Jesus is God's son. So God is like Jesus times infinity. That's why He can do all this. Be all over.
One of the chapters in this book talks about how playing it safe, is risky. He gives examples of people who risk it all, sacrifice everything. Job security, financial security, life dreams. EVERYTHING. Just to chase their lions. Abraham did it. Nehemiah did it. Benaiah did it. So, why is it so hard for us to do it? Because these people that I mentioned have complete faith in God. They trust God with their lives. They give up control. It takes two to tango, but only one person needs to lead. They realized that God needs to lead their lives, not themselves. These people, the ones who let God control it all. They know He knows what's best for them, He knows where they need to be. They make that sacrifice. They risk it all because they know God has control and He knows what is needed. We need to realize that. That God controls everything around us, the weather, the vegetation, what goes where and when it falls over. So, why not just let Him control us. He will take us to our lions, some of us may already be there. All we have to do is chase them. Let Him lead the tango.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Judgement..
When I think about blogging, it reminds me of a food critic. Constantly writing, criticizing the society and judging almost everything around them. So, I don't want to feel like I'm judging things around me or even writing about other people, places or things around me because it makes me feel judgemental.
In my mind though, He is extremely judgemental, not in a bad way but he knows everything you do at all times, he gives you a way to act, a way to treat yourself and if you don't act this way or follow these ways, you have sinned and personally, when I sin I feel like he is judging me. But if you happen to fall away from these guidelines, these ways that He has told us to be, fall away from Christ, you can always turn right back around, ask for forgiveness and believe it in your heart, mind and soul and be right back next to him. So, even though I picture him as being judgemental, He is also extremely forgiving, which is an odd combination that you rarely ever experience here. I truly beilieve that He is the only one that should really be allowed to judge people. We all do it though, even if it's just looking at the way someone is dressed and deciding that it isn't right or that they shouldn't be wearing those shorts with those Toms. I feel like this week I personally need to look at myself, judge myself in His image. I know I'm not perfect, not even close. But, if I take the time to view myself in His image, how He wants me to be, how he wants all of us to be. I may better myself somehow, become closer to him. I feel like if I do this, if I challenge myself, even in this minor case, I can push myself closer to the Light, closer to God. Along with what I'm being pushed to do in the internship, the challenges I face there, I think I need to push myself to be better, to do more for Him, in his image.
There are positive judgments and negative ones. Like, judging animals at a dog show or being put before a judge and of course our final judgement in front of the Lord. But, there are also the negative ones such as judging others, comparing them to yourself. The Bible tells us not to judge negatively, but to do so with His image in mind. So, I feel like I can judge myself and others in His image, but I can't do so with negativity, jealousym anger etc..
I was looking at Bible studies that talked more on Judgement online. I found one that talked about Judgement and Discernment. It really brings to life the difference between the postive and negative ways of judging others. It talks about how the right type of judgement can bring forth spiritual growth and understandment.
Matt 7:1-5 really stood out and went right along with what I am talking about. As I read it over, I realized it was talking about more than just judging myself, but also others when I'm no better. Making myself the hypocrite. We can easily find fault in others, but we can't do this without cause or to seem Holier than the one we judge, that brings along this self-righeous attitude which can sometimes lead to hateful habits and ways that God didn't create us to be, ways that aren't in His image.
To sum things up, I guess I realized that judgement can be a bigger picture than what we see. It can mean more than we want it to and it can come out of your mouth making you sound like a hypocrite because while you judge other people's demons, yours are just as bad if not worse. So, personally, I'm going to judge others as little as possible and work on myself, become more like Him, fit myself into His image.
In my mind though, He is extremely judgemental, not in a bad way but he knows everything you do at all times, he gives you a way to act, a way to treat yourself and if you don't act this way or follow these ways, you have sinned and personally, when I sin I feel like he is judging me. But if you happen to fall away from these guidelines, these ways that He has told us to be, fall away from Christ, you can always turn right back around, ask for forgiveness and believe it in your heart, mind and soul and be right back next to him. So, even though I picture him as being judgemental, He is also extremely forgiving, which is an odd combination that you rarely ever experience here. I truly beilieve that He is the only one that should really be allowed to judge people. We all do it though, even if it's just looking at the way someone is dressed and deciding that it isn't right or that they shouldn't be wearing those shorts with those Toms. I feel like this week I personally need to look at myself, judge myself in His image. I know I'm not perfect, not even close. But, if I take the time to view myself in His image, how He wants me to be, how he wants all of us to be. I may better myself somehow, become closer to him. I feel like if I do this, if I challenge myself, even in this minor case, I can push myself closer to the Light, closer to God. Along with what I'm being pushed to do in the internship, the challenges I face there, I think I need to push myself to be better, to do more for Him, in his image.
There are positive judgments and negative ones. Like, judging animals at a dog show or being put before a judge and of course our final judgement in front of the Lord. But, there are also the negative ones such as judging others, comparing them to yourself. The Bible tells us not to judge negatively, but to do so with His image in mind. So, I feel like I can judge myself and others in His image, but I can't do so with negativity, jealousym anger etc..
I was looking at Bible studies that talked more on Judgement online. I found one that talked about Judgement and Discernment. It really brings to life the difference between the postive and negative ways of judging others. It talks about how the right type of judgement can bring forth spiritual growth and understandment.
Matt 7:1-5 really stood out and went right along with what I am talking about. As I read it over, I realized it was talking about more than just judging myself, but also others when I'm no better. Making myself the hypocrite. We can easily find fault in others, but we can't do this without cause or to seem Holier than the one we judge, that brings along this self-righeous attitude which can sometimes lead to hateful habits and ways that God didn't create us to be, ways that aren't in His image.
To sum things up, I guess I realized that judgement can be a bigger picture than what we see. It can mean more than we want it to and it can come out of your mouth making you sound like a hypocrite because while you judge other people's demons, yours are just as bad if not worse. So, personally, I'm going to judge others as little as possible and work on myself, become more like Him, fit myself into His image.
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