Around the World

With all that is going on around the world, like the unrest and the wars; it is good to have some more positive major events as well.  This week the World Figure Skating Championships are being held (Although even that is unfortunately a reminder of the earthquake that hit Japan, postponing and moving the event to Russia).  And, on Friday, England will be celebrating the Royal Wedding of William and Kate.

Yet, no matter what happens, my real peace and comfort comes from trusting what Christ said:
"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."  (John 16:33)

Acts 12

Acts 12 marks the transition from the narration of Peter's ministry to that of Paul's ministry.  Before Peter "left for another place" (vs 12:17b), he experienced God's miraculous rescue from prison.  He had been under such heavy guard that even those in a prayer meeting for Peter did not initially believe that he could escape and be at their door.  Yet, he was delivered.

And, while King Herod, who perpetrated this persecution of the Church to please the Jews, for political gain, was later struck dead for accepting the exaltation of men to divine status, rather than giving glory to God; "but the word of God continued to spread and flourish"  (vs 24). 

The passage shows the sovereignty of God - James was executed, but Peter was delivered; and Herod died, but the Church grew.  It also shows that when we pray, we should be looking for God's answer, even if it is not what we may expect.

Being Erica

"Pressure makes diamonds."  --General George S Patton

I don't know if it's because I've been thinking about the diamond analogy lately that I previously blogged about; but, this quote stood out for me.   I like it.  From the Scriptural point of view, it's similar to the verses that talk about trials producing character and hope.

I actually came across the quote in an episode of "Being Erica". This show has pleasantly surprised me.  Aside from the interesting quotes; I like how Erica grows and develops as she addresses the "mistakes" that she has made in her past.

It may be helpful to evaluate what we consider to be our current failings and deficiencies; and see if the root cause may be something in our past that we need to work through and deal with.  And I do like what one episode pointed out, that we cannot abandon our integrity as a means to an end and still remain true to the person we want to be.

Another line that stood out in one episode is when it said that we sometimes go through life on mute; but, when something makes us "come alive", we notice more and feel more.  I can relate to that.

And another good quote from the show: 
"Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny."

Easter '11

He is Risen!  Praise God!  

My favorite part of the worship service today was the Casting Crowns song "Glorious Day".   The slides that went with the song really added to the presentation and the lyrics.  Every time I heard the song on the radio before, I had thought that it was neat how a fairly simple theme could be so effectively beautiful and catchy.  Looking at the words, I can see how it truly encapsulates the gospel message and tells the story of Easter:

One day when Heaven was filled with His praises
One day when sin was as black as could be
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin
Dwelt among men, my example is He
Word became flesh and the light shined among us
His glory revealed

Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He’s coming
Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain
One day they nailed Him to die on a tree
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He
Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree
And took the nails for me

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer
One day the stone rolled away from the door
Then He arose, over death He had conquered
Now He’s ascended, my Lord evermore
Death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him
From rising again

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming
One day the skies with His glories will shine
Wonderful day, my Beloved One, bringing
My Savior, Jesus, is mine


Another thing that stood out during the service, was the message.  I hadn't realized that the Sanhedrin really went against many of their own laws, when they approached Pilate to guard the tomb.   It was Passover Sabbath, and yet they went to see Pilate, a Gentile and Roman; and asked him to do this for them.  They did wrong; compounding the wrong of crucifying an innocent man, their long awaited Messiah.

I am grateful that the service went smoothly.   Despite my personal failings, I thank God that He was still able to use me to run the projector without adversely affecting the worship.  God is a gracious God; and I pray that I may seek to be righteous and faithful.

Church Awakening

I just finished reading "The Church Awakening" by Chuck Swindoll.   It was good complementary reading for our Early Church study in the Book of Acts; for it echoed some of the main messages coming out of our study - that the primary focus of the Church should be on teaching, that we should seek to be instruments for Christ to build HIS Church, and that the Church has always been under spiritual attach from the Enemy.

Some quotes from the book that stood out were:

• "Grace constantly reminds us that the ground at the foot of the cross is level."
• "In a contagious church, everybody hurts.  But nobody hurts or heals alone."
• "A correct understanding of the essence of worship is integral to a correct expression of worship."
• "I believe that what feeds our corporate worship wars on Sundays is a failure to worship God personally during the weeks.  We can't do corporately what we don't do privately."  ... "Sunday is simply a corporate expression of what we do all week."
• "..There's no reason to abandon reliable information just because it's been around for a long time.  We never outgrow the truth."
• "But in no way are my efforts at relevancy to take away from the impact of the truth.  When we sacrifice truth on the altar of relevance, our words are no longer relevant."
• "The Bible is our spiritual GPS - we could call it "God's Positioning System."  .... God has done a lot of "recalculating" in my life!  But I've found it true that I've never gotten lost when I have followed His Word."
• "The seriousness of the message must never be obscured by the desire to make the medium more atractive"
• "...Dont' just come on Sundays to sit and listen, but  come to do business with God deep within your heart; allow the Word of God to invade your mind and change your life."
• "It says to God's spokesman:  be faithful to your calling...refuse to be discouraged by others' responses...don't be decieved by flattering words."
• The Word of God needs to be accurate, relavant; but, must never be compromised.
• "[The church] is a house of prayer, not a house of business.  It is a place of worship, not a place of entertainment."

 And some notable quotes from other people reference in the book:

• "Most middle-class Americans tend to worship their work, to work at their play, and to play at their worship.  As a result, their meanings and values are distorted.  Their relationships disintegrate faster than they can keep them in repair, and their lifestyles resemble a cast of characters in search of a plot."  -- Gordon Dahl
• "In essentials, unity.  In nonessentials, liberty.  In all things, charity."  - Philipp Melanchthon
• "Much of our spiritual activity is nothing more than a cheap anesthetic to deaden the pain of an empty life."  -- Lewis Sperry Chafer

More Cooking

While there are many things that I am currently struggling with; I am glad that I had a chance to cook yesterday - one of the few things I feel I'm doing alright with these days.

The roasted yellow squash with broccolli crowns turned out well (it was simply seasoned with garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper).   I also made a chicken with an Asian marinade (soya sauce, honey, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil) that turned out fairly well also.

Palm Sunday Weekend '11

Like the rest of the year so far, this was a busy weekend.  With all that has been going on, Palm Sunday has come around, and I wasn't quite ready for the start of this Easter week.   However, as I spent time Sunday morning reading the Gospel accounts of Jesus' Triumphal Entry, I was reminded that, unlike the crowd that day, we now see what "Hosanna!" ("Save!") really entailed - that Jesus had to die on the cross in order to save us.   And riding on the donkey, He was showing that He is the King of Kings, the prophesized One from the line of David to reign forever.  Amen!

In taking some moments to stop and ponder, I am a little more focused now on the true meaning of Easter:  "And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith....But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep....Death has been swallowed up in victory.  Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?....But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. " (1 Corinthians 15:14, 20, 54b, 55, 57)

 May Easter Sunday be glorious, as we celebrate His Resurrection!

Last night, as I shared with my friend all that has been going on, I was encouraged that God is at work.  While I have felt challenged, criticized, stretched, and sometimes overwhelmed; I recognize that because I feel this way, it causes me to turn to God and rely upon Him.  That's a good thing!  

Some things I've been reminded this weekend are to make time to spend with those I need to witness to; to try to be an encouragement; for it is so easy to be discouraged, especially by the criticism that is so readily thrown about; and that just as things of priceless value are gently restored with care when they get damaged, so too should those who have fallen be gently lifted from the pit.

Acts 11

"The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch."  (Acts 11:26b)

The name "Christian", meaning belonging to Christ, is surprisingly only used in the Bible three times:  Acts 11:26; 26:28 & 1 Peter 4:16. 

This chapter in Acts is significant, for the Church came to the clear realization that "even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life."  (vs 18b)   The barriers were truly broken, and Jews and Gentiles alike were fully accepted as part of the Church.

The Church of Antioch, the first primarily Gentile church formed, received encouragement and teaching from Barnabas and Saul, and went on to display Christian love, compassion, and generosity by giving to the needy after hearing of the prophesy of a coming famine.  And later, in the book of Acts, they serve as the launching point for Paul's three missionary journeys.

This passage provides good examples of how to reasonably address criticism, even from within the Church, by focusing on the work of God and understanding the root of the criticism; and of an effective church based on the foundation of good teaching and strong faith.

Walking in the Spirit

"For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want."  (Galatians 5:17)

There is an all-out spiritual war between our old sinful nature and the Spirit.  As my pastor continued his series in Galatians, the list in vs 19-21 is the opposite of a "beauty contest" - it contains the ugliness of sin categorized in the following areas:  sexual, religious, social, and excess.  The social sins focus on the "unholy trinity of me, myself, and I" and cause problems with "emotional bomb throwing".

In contrast, the fruits of the Spirit are "one fruit in nine delicious flavors".  The difference is in how they are produced.  We cannot produce fruits of the Spirit, we just bear them; but, deeds of the flesh are produced from the sinful nature.   The fruits relate to God, those around us, and our inner character.   The first one, Love, is the most recognizable characteristic of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  And, the ability to remain faithfulful is a work of the Holy Spirit where self-control can be defined as "my desires under God's control."

We should do our best not to quench or grieve the Holy Spirit; and instead, to live our lives filled with the Holy Spirit.   It is not enough just to be taught this; but, we must live it out in our lives.

Merlin

After essentially a weekend marathon of watching season 2 of the BBC series of Merlin, it has reaffirmed to me how good this show really is.  It's so disappointing that network TV didn't keep this on the air.

The relationships between the characters in the show are truly deep and meaningful.  There are some brilliant moments of hard decisions and emotional scenes - like when Merlin had to make the decision to poison Morgana in order to save Camelot, or when Merlin's father died in his arms.  I love the development of the friendship between Arthur and Merlin.   Seeing it grow in this way, it is not hard to imagine how they would be so close when Arthur does become king and relies on Merlin for advice and protection.  And, it is neat to see how Arthur begins to stand more and more on his own, showing integrity and heart, even willing to stand against his father.

This show displays the value of honor and doing what is right.  It has characters, that though flawed, are admirable and can be respected.  It is disappointing to see that our culture would choose shows that lack depth and morality, over shows like this that have so much more substance.  I just hope that there will be more shows like this that will continue to be made.

17-Mar-2013:  Just finished watching the final season of the whole series.  It is so nice to see that all the things that I liked in the show from the beginning continued through to the end-the value of honor and doing what is right and the development of the relationships, particularly between Merlin and Arthur.   It's neat to see at the end how Merlin was able to show who he is, and display his great power; and for Arthur to understand all that Merlin had done and sacrificed.   Colin Morgan is a truly talented actor; and his emotions and scenes are truly convincingly heartfelt.   It was, however, sad to see King Arthur die at the end, though.

Peter and Cornelius

Peter was able to put aside the Jewish cultural biases and laws against the Gentiles, and accept what God had shown him, essentially that "God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right"  (Acts 10:34b-35).   So, he preached the message to the large group of relatives and friends Cornelius had gathered together, who were eager "to listen to everything the Lord has commanded [Peter] to tell [them]."  After Peter told them of John the Baptist's ministry, Christ's annointing by the Holy Spirit and His powerful ministry, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, and the appearances of Christ before the Ascension; and concluding that he has been commanded "to preach to the people and to testify that [Jesus] is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead" (vs 42b), and "that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name." (vs 43b), those who heard the message believed and were baptized.  This all happened due to God's orchestration and plan, and Peter's and Cornelius' obedience and willingness to be used by God.

Community Group Leader Meeting '11

Dave Enns, Growth Group Pastor at North Coast Church, spoke at my church's Community Group Leader meeting.  His main point was that many times we are more of an influence or role model than we may realize; and as Acts 1:8 says, it is the Holy Spirit who can empower us to be an influence.

While there are times we are "unconsciously competent"  (i.e. being able to do something but not aware of why), he gave a ways on how to be "consciously competent":

1.  Ability to Ask Questions (including type of question and how it is asked) - For example, God asked Adam and Eve questions after the Fall, instead of directly rebuking or reprimanding
2. Character We Live - Integrity gives us the credibility to be able to ask the questions.  Character may not necessarily be made in difficulty; but it is definitely where it is revealed
3. Service We Do - "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10)

In the Feeding of the Five Thousand, the disciples did not even want to feed them at first.  Ultimately, it was Jesus' miracle, BUT, He involved the disciples to pass out the food and be part of it.  Similarly, we are part of God's story.  We are important, but we are not THAT important.  We are not THE story, just part of it.

In preparing for this week's community group lesson, one of the associated Scripture passages was on Feeding the Five Thousand (not just coincidence, I'm sure).   The disciples saw the problem ("hole"); but, Jesus saw the opportunity ("whole").  And, maybe, when they collected twelve leftover baskets of food, each served as a reminder to one disciple of his lack of faith.  God does not ask us to bring more than we have; but, He cannot use what we don't bring.   What is our perspective?  Do we see a "diminished" gospel due to our lack of faith and vision; or do we see a "revolutionary" gospel due to our faith and God's vision?

The Train

Friday, I saw my church's Dinner Theater production of the original play, The Train.  The set was nicely built, portraying the inside of one train car.  There were several humorous moments, and some good and touching performances.   It would've been more effective if the character portraying the Christian was one of the stronger actors or actresses; and if that character's lines didn't come across as so "religious" and "unrealistic" most the time.

However, it was still an enjoyable evening; and the food was pretty good - chicken, green beans, carrots, roll, salad, and fruit salad.  Also, it may have been part of God's orchestration that I sat by and met the HR director from F&M Bank who one of my friends will be interviewing with, and I was able to tell her about it.