tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20830049704479616312024-03-05T20:21:06.744-08:00Christianity and StuffA blog about Christianity...and stuff.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2083004970447961631.post-29656253556286871892014-01-06T09:24:00.000-08:002014-01-14T19:03:01.663-08:00Counting the Cost<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Luke 14:28-33</span></div>
<span class="text Luke-14-28" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;"><br /></span></span>
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<span class="text Luke-14-28" id="en-NKJV-25582" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">28 </span><span class="woj">For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has <i>enough</i> to finish <i>it</i>—</span> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span class="text Luke-14-29" id="en-NKJV-25583" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">29 </span><span class="woj">lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see <i>it</i> begin to mock him,</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span class="text Luke-14-30" id="en-NKJV-25584" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">30 </span><span class="woj">saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’?</span> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span class="text Luke-14-31" id="en-NKJV-25585" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">31 </span><span class="woj">Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?</span> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span class="text Luke-14-32" id="en-NKJV-25586" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">32 </span><span class="woj">Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.</span> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span class="text Luke-14-33" id="en-NKJV-25587" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">33 </span><span class="woj">So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.</span></span></blockquote>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="irc_mut" height="486" id="irc_mi" src="http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kskoheAAWA1qzhl9eo1_1280.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px;" width="370" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't stop midway. Finish your tower! (photo credit - http://someplacespacious.tumblr.com)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christianity isn't always easy. It's very restrictive. It's criticized for stopping people from having fun. The gift of salvation is free but it will cost you everything. In the wise words of Jay-Z*, </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it ain't for everybody. </i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>*Jay-Z is evil. Don't listen to his music. More on that in a future post.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I once heard a pastor say that when he preaches the gospel to non-believers, he doesn't tell them their life is going to get "better" in the way that most people assume it will - for example - Jesus is going to heal your sickness, help you pay your bills, find you a spouse and get you a house. That of course doesn't mean those things are <i>not </i>in your future, but that's no reason to turn to Jesus. When we come to Jesus, it is for our soul's sake. Nothing else. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The pastor instead tells people that life is about to become more difficult because it's hard to follow Jesus.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Repenting is easier said than done. We have to decide what is more important to us - the temporary pleasures of sin, or our eternal salvation. The answer is obvious when on paper, but in reality it's not that simple. This is where <i>counting the cost </i>comes in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In reality, it's hard to give up certain things. For example, how many people would be willing to give up a relationship in the name of Jesus? Whether its a friend, significant other, or what have you. All of a sudden, your life changes, you have "seen the light" and now have a decision to make. Your boyfriend/girlfriend is still a non-believer (what the Bible calls "darkness") and what relationship hath light with darkness? They might not have told you this at the altar call. So who stays? Jesus or your boo? Now one of you has to change. Either you go back to the old version of yourself to continue the relationship (some would argue that you never changed but let's not go down that road) or your boo finds* Jesus too.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*For the record, I realize that we, as spiritually dead beings, cannot </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">find</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Jesus as if it were in our power to choose salvation. It is only by the grace of God and him choosing us that anyone would come to faith. I just want to keep my phrases short. Plus it sounds funny. But you get the idea.</span></b></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You cannot continue that relationship with a clear conscience because you would now be in sin. (Not to mention, your choices on who to date just got way smaller. No more non-Christians. Fun stuff, huh.) </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQAavNRaxH0QFXql&w=377&h=197&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.wp.com%2Froarcarbon.files.wordpress.com%2F2013%2F09%2F20130912-093145.jpg%3Ffit%3D1000%252C1000&cfs=1&sx=0&sy=4&sw=564&sh=295" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is one of my favorite memes.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In reference to the verse above, you "laid the foundation" by "converting" to Christianity, and probably told all your friends how great it is to be part of God's family and updated your Facebook status accordingly. But when the rubber meets the road, tough decisions are ahead. And it's not just about boyfriends and girlfriends, that is just an easy situation to relate to. The point is, there are things we consider very important, and Jesus has to be the priority above those. Above our family and above our career. In fact, when we put Him first, it could mean our family might suffer because of our new priorities. Remember, Matthew 10 Jesus didn't come to bring peace, but a sword...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<span class="text Matt-10-34" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">34 </span><span class="woj">“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.</span> </span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span class="text Matt-10-35" id="en-NKJV-23453" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">35 </span><span class="woj">For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’;</span> </span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span class="text Matt-10-36" id="en-NKJV-23454" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">36 </span><span class="woj">and ‘a man’s enemies <i>will be</i> those of his <i>own</i> household.'</span> </span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span class="text Matt-10-37" id="en-NKJV-23455" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">37 </span><span class="woj">He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.</span> </span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span class="text Matt-10-38" id="en-NKJV-23456" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">38 </span><span class="woj">And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.</span> </span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span class="text Matt-10-39" id="en-NKJV-23457" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;">39 </span><span class="woj">He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it."</span></span></span></blockquote>
<span class="text Matt-10-39" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woj"><br /></span></span><span class="text Matt-10-39" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woj">Are you ready to "lose your life"? Your exciting, brand-new faith could separate you from your family and friends. Can you handle that? Prayerfully, it doesn't happen that way. But it might! What is more important? What if your job forces you to lie every day to customers? Does that mean it's time for a more God-honoring career? Maybe! </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(salespeople and marketers, I'm talking to you...but not all of you. There's a difference between advertising and </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">false advertising </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so don't go and quit your job just yet</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">). Are you ready to tell that really nice non-Christian guy or girl (whom you have great chemistry with) that it will never work between the two of you because they aren't down with Jesus? The point is, c</span><span class="text Matt-10-39" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woj">an you turn away from things that have been part of your life for as long as you can remember, just because this old book tells you to? </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are you "able to finish"? </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As you move through life as a Christian, you'll increase in knowledge and as a result you'll learn what pleases and displeases God. You will not learn this all at once, but eventually you will come across something that isn't easy to give up on a moments notice. I hear that upon conversion, most people are able to immediately stop the "big sins" such as drugs, rampant alcoholism, and physical adultery (not mental). Certain things will be very difficult to rid yourself of, and no one will ever be sin free due to the weakness of the flesh. But are you willing to put in the effort to to purify yourself of all of these things that the world considers normal? Because the struggle is real. Once again, <i>It ain't for everybody. </i>And if you<i> aren't </i>struggling, there's a problem. Paul struggled and he's like top 5 people ever. We all have some area in our lives that we haven't surrendered completely to God.</span><br />
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<span class="text Matt-10-39" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="woj">The last part of the verse, talking about your army with ten thousand and the opposing army with twenty thousand, pretty much sums it all up. We, in all our power and might, cannot handle the all-powerful God. We are at war with the King and we are outnumbered. The most rational choice would be to make peace with this King, on His terms and not ours. Because we are in no position to negotiate. So while we still have time, we must make peace. We never know how much time we have left, we could be the next victim of the next random shooting (which seem to be the new hip thing nowadays). By then it's too late - no deathbed conversion for you because you didn't make it that far. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, in conclusion, count the cost of faith. I pray that you are willing to give up the "pleasures" of this world that we are called to abstain from. Make no mistake, you will slip up and fail. And you will probably fail often enough for you to question whether or not you are a true Christian. But that is</span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> the struggle</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. Thank God you are at least struggling.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next post coming soon!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>If you like what you have read, dislike it, think I'm wrong on my doctrine, etc., leave a comment! </b></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2083004970447961631.post-59877602973082103612013-11-30T12:16:00.001-08:002013-11-30T12:16:31.333-08:00The Prodigal Blogger Returns<br />
<img height="130" src="http://dontetidwell.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/hello-im-back-again.jpg" width="400" /><br />
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I'm back! Well, not yet. But I plan on getting back into blogging very soon.<br />
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I actually had a post made up about 2 months ago, but I shut down my computer and clicked "Don't Save" on my file before I ever put it online. That annoyed me and I haven't felt like typing up a new post ever since. But I'll try to summarize what I said in that post the best I can.<br />
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I now have a lot of respect for people who write/blog on a regular basis. It's hard to stay consistent and it takes awhile to actually finish my thoughts on a topic. I end up leaving out a lot of what I want to say because I want my post to be short enough as to not turn away readers. I know that before I read a blog post or article, I scroll to the bottom to make sure it won't take too long, especially with blog posts on Christian topics (I don't feel like reading an entire sermon all the time). I like to keep my ramblings short enough to read within a few minutes. So to those who are able to do this <i>and still </i>get their message across, props to you.<br />
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I also wanted to give the few people who read this something to look forward to, so here is a preview of my upcoming topics (in no particular order).<br />
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Topic #1 - <b>"Counting the Cost"</b><br />
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This topic is based on Luke 14:28-33. Jesus tells the crowd who should and should not follow him. I've always liked these verses and want to give my commentary on it.<br />
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Topic #2 -<b> "The Great Commission...and that part of it we usually leave out"</b><br />
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This is based on Matthew 28:19-20. Perhaps due to the big debate on whether baptism saves you, we seem to always stop reading the Great Commission right after "baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit". And of course, the verse 19 conveniently stops right there. Verse 20 is important though, and I will go over it in the near future.<br />
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Topic #3 - <b>"You're Going to Hell"</b><br />
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This one has to do with "pushing" our beliefs on others. Not sure what verse I will base this on but I want to talk about it anyways.<br />
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I have a few more topics that people have requested I cover and I will be doing those as well. So I have plenty of topics. Now it's just a matter of sitting down and doing them.<br />
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Anyways, that's pretty much it. I'll be back. A dedicated Facebook page is also on the way. Be on the lookout for my new posts!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2083004970447961631.post-88156912850936214142013-08-15T09:53:00.001-07:002013-08-15T09:53:31.489-07:00Christianity and Social Media<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLDbIVM-SL8iCerDLPXNSn_QDjh2dQDMBIlQBfNcziuBfC8BTXlvkahkaXuJEXkWmxrRBktSHsGfiU8-ypN-WgEWXxxqyCn_pZzIdbnghksu1bfTQT1LKPLi_1UA1kzK-QNeVDGaHJDM/s1600/unnamed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLDbIVM-SL8iCerDLPXNSn_QDjh2dQDMBIlQBfNcziuBfC8BTXlvkahkaXuJEXkWmxrRBktSHsGfiU8-ypN-WgEWXxxqyCn_pZzIdbnghksu1bfTQT1LKPLi_1UA1kzK-QNeVDGaHJDM/s200/unnamed.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 0.21in;">If God saw your Instagram
profile, would he follow you? Better yet, if God already followed
your Instagram, would he consider deleting you based on what you
post? (BTW, considering he is </span><u style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 0.21in;">omnipresent</u><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 0.21in;">
and </span><u style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 0.21in;">omniscient</u><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 0.21in;">,
he's already seen everything you've posted and liked)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Christianity and
Social Media</u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Social media is great.
You can connect with old friends, share your thoughts, photos, etc.
It's also a way to get to know what people are interested in. You can
get a feel for what people like based on what they've posted and
"liked". But enough of that, I doubt any of us need a
lesson in social media 101.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Realize I am now talking
to Christians. This doesn't apply to you if you are not a
Christian...because it's about to get judgmental up in here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I once heard someone say
that they prefer to not put a "Jesus fish" or any type of
Christianity-based symbol on their car because they know they drive
like a maniac. By not doing so, that person would avoid making
Christians look bad with their speeding,
lane-switching-without-a-signal, red-light-running, impatient
tendencies. Fair enough. I see their logic; it prevents themselves
from giving Christianity a bad name. </span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEncVafXt5viqNAlKEhYgT0qLJwyVE_ruLOhruSUcZY7EPwSykp47ADtCmMbAAVPitjx0ZfsWHHcpW87PGLSRLHX5Vg_LNOTn7QvoShPhAjMCupaDe7MXy-A14NpMeMCU5JBqtIM8JSmM/s1600/Screenshot_2013-08-15-09-34-27.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEncVafXt5viqNAlKEhYgT0qLJwyVE_ruLOhruSUcZY7EPwSykp47ADtCmMbAAVPitjx0ZfsWHHcpW87PGLSRLHX5Vg_LNOTn7QvoShPhAjMCupaDe7MXy-A14NpMeMCU5JBqtIM8JSmM/s320/Screenshot_2013-08-15-09-34-27.png" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was so fitting. Its social media and the Jesus fish in one picture!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Sometimes, I wish people
would follow this logic on social media. All too often, I see too
many examples of people with a metaphorical "Jesus fish" on
their Facebook and Instagram profile, but are out there posting what
is not characteristic of a Christian. </span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I see profiles that say
"child of God" or "I love Jesus" but you scroll
through their picture feed and see pictures of them doing drugs, in
strip clubs, degrading men or women, or those weird pictures of words
saying all kinds of odd things. (Type the number of what you think
about me! 1 = you're cute! 2 = let's make out, 3 = I can't live
without you, 4 =...<i>use your imagination where this eventually
leads, and I've seen it go up to the number 18). </i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And
it's not just what you post. It's also what you "like".
There's a big inconsistency when instagram user Joe4Christ's last 8
likes are of a Bible verse <u>and</u>
pictures of naked women. (To my knowledge, Joe4Christ is not a real
person.) You can tell a lot about a person based on the pictures they
like. What are you telling people about Christians when you like
things that you shouldn't? </span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 0.21in;">Part
of the problem is that you </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 0.21in;">actually </i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 0.21in;">like
those things in which you need to examine yourself and figure out why
you are enjoy these certain sins. But even if you do truly like</span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 0.21in;">
</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 0.21in;">those things, you don't need to
tell the world that the self-proclaimed Christian on
Instagram/Facebook enjoys what the Bible calls </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 0.21in;">sin.</i><br />
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Understand my point here.
Every time you post and like a sinful status or picture, you are
misleading all of your followers/friends on what it means to be a
Christian. You are effectively saying, "Hello world. I am a
Christian and I approve of this status/picture." When Christians
approve of things that God doesn't approve of, that's sin. </span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Romans
1:32 - <span style="color: black;">And
knowing the judgment of God, that those who commit such things are
worthy of death, they not only do the same, but have pleasure in
those who do them.</span> </b></span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Here
is the above verse in the New Social Media Translation: And knowing
the Judgment of God, that those who post such pictures are worthy of
death, they not only post the pictures, but like other user's
pictures who post them. (no, that Bible version does not exist. But
if it did, it would probably say that.)</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Let's think through the
scenarios of what can happen when you post or like something you
shouldn't have. One of these two results will probably happen:</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ul>
<li><div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Non-Christians will see
hypocrisy on the Christian's part, and further dislike the church </span>
</div>
</li>
<li><div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Non-Christians
who are curious about Christianity and not very educated on doctrine
(or new Christians, or anyone who looks up to you such as your
younger siblings) will assume that kind of behavior is okay because
<i>you </i>posted/liked it,
misleading them as to what Christians actually believe and leading
them down the wrong path</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Please
realize this is not me condemning <i>you bunch of hypocrites
out there. </i>I'm guilty of this
too. I have posted things for vain reasons and liked what I should
not have. I'm as guilty as anyone, but I've repented of that. I
stopped doing these things and I'm urging you to stop as well. As
ambassadors of Christ, we have to be very careful of what we are
telling the world with our actions. An ambassador for Coca-Cola
wouldn't be caught dead with a picture of Pepsi on their daily
Instagram lunch photo. An ambassador for Nike wouldn't have pictures
of Adidas shoes in their feet picture. </span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In
a nutshell, what I'm saying is...If you are going to like those
posts, then it might serve the Christian community better if you<i>
don't </i>have a "Jesus fish"
or whatever type of Christian symbol you have on your profile. In
Joe4Christ's situation, maybe he should change his name to something
else without Christ in it. Just like how the bad driver, knowing his
tendencies, does not put the Jesus fish on his bumper. </span>
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Paul
says in Romans 6, </span><span style="color: black;"><b>"We
are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"
</b></span><span style="color: black;">and
in the same chapter, also says </span><span style="color: black;"><b>"Do
not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness,
but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought
from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an
instrument of righteousness. "</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I
think that our social media accounts can be considered "instruments"
in this verse. And our accounts can either be instruments of
wickedness or righteousness. </span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">After
saying all of that, I guess an appropriate question would be, "what
is a 'righteous' social media profile look like?" I guess its
easier to explain the negative aspect of this than the positive,
because I don't really have an answer to what your profile </span><span style="color: black;"><i>should
</i></span><span style="color: black;">look
like. I think as long as you are wary of what you post and like, you
have freedom in that realm of your life to use it however you want.
Go ahead, post pictures of all your meals, take another sunset shot,
and lets see your feet picture </span><span style="color: black;"><i>again</i></span><span style="color: black;">.
(Easy on the selfies though, that might be a vanity issue). </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Let's
leave it at this - we as Christians simply should never take pleasure
in sin, whether it's on social media or in real life. </span>
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">My guess is there will be
someone who reads this and thinks to themselves, "why are you
judging so much? The Bible says don't judge. He that is sinless shall
cast the first stone!"</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I <i>plan on </i>answering
that question in my next post. But I have yet to stick to my posting
plans...</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Until next time. Stay
holy, my friends.</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 0.21in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2083004970447961631.post-40239392733187820922013-07-27T00:11:00.002-07:002013-07-27T00:11:58.098-07:00Jesus Never Sinned: Part One - The 10 Commandments<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
think we don't completely appreciate the sinless life that Jesus
lived. He never committed those "little" sins that we don't
really think about or we may not even consider to be a "real"
sin. Think about the most menial, tiniest, expected, common,
"least-damning<i>"
</i>(sarcastically speaking) sin you could imagine, and realize that
Jesus never did it or even came close.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
was going to try and make a mini-series out of this and post in
detail about one particular sin he never committed every day for one
week, but that causes me to, dare I say, dive <i>so
deep </i>into
scripture that I would not come out on a timely basis. Because then I
have to define each sin, find the Greek and Hebrew meaning of words
and what they translate into today, find out what is and is not
included in certain sins, etc. So I may not give each act he never
committed its proper spotlight, but I think a list will suffice in
getting my point across.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let's
start with the 10 Commandments:</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img src="http://tracksuitceo.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/10-commandments-of-supporting-your-family.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, that's not Jesus...that's Moses. But you know all those Bible characters look alike....</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1.
<b>Jesus
never put anything before God. </b>Yes
that sounds weird since he <i>is
</i>God.
But remember, the Bible says even when he was 12 years old, he was
always "about His Father's business". (Luke 2:49). We are a
long way off from this. A very long way off. The first thing I do in
the morning is check my Facebook and Instagram...</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2.
<b>Jesus
never worshiped an idol/graven image. </b>I
wasn't sure what to say about this one, but it just occurred to me.
Jesus has <i>seen
</i>the
Father. He is the only person who knows what he looks like who lived
on Earth and could, in theory, erect an <i>accurate
</i>statue
or some sort of depiction of God the Father while He was here on
Earth. But he didn't.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">3.
</span><span style="color: black;"><b>Jesus
never misued God's name in vain.</b></span><span style="color: black;">
Yes, also a weird one because He is God. But if you think about it,
he was human and did not give into the many temptations he dealt
with. If he did, the name of Jesus would have no significance because
he would have had sin in him, thereby making all of his efforts to
save mankind in vain. So, by staying true to who he was and what he
came to do, everything he did was not in vain. (kind of a stretch on
describing this one)</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4.
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Jesus
kept the Sabbath holy.</b></span>
This one is interesting because the Pharisees gave Jesus grief for
healing on the Sabbath, which was considered "work", but
Jesus challenged their views on it and showed mercy to people any day
of the week. Not much else for me to say on this one. If you want
more explanation, check out
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~cmadd01/healsabb.html">http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~cmadd01/healsabb.html</a>
</b></span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">5.
</span><span style="color: black;"><b>Jesus
honored his father and mother</b></span><span style="color: black;">.
Both his earthly father and mother, and his Heavenly Father. He never
made his parents look bad. Most children begin a rebellious phase
around their pre-teen years but he was in the temple teaching the
teachers. That's the only written record we have of Jesus' youth, but
we still know he never dishonored his parents. I wonder if he ever
corrected his parents on what they thought was good advice for Him.
In fact, I wonder if Mary and Joseph just stopped trying to teach him
how to live because He already had his life in order. </span></span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">6.
</span><span style="color: black;"><b>Jesus
never murdered anyone</b></span><span style="color: black;">.
Moving on...just kidding. Jesus said himself that anger with someone
</span><span style="color: black;"><i>without
cause </i></span><span style="color: black;">is
the equivalent of murder in God's eyes. That </span><span style="color: black;"><i>without
cause </i></span><span style="color: black;">part
is important, because the first thought that came to my head was
"Hey! Jesus flipped those tables in the temple because he was
angry! Why can he do that?". He, of course, had proper cause to
be angry. They turned His Father's house into a market. He even
flipped over the money table! I'd be scared of angry Jesus...he was a
carpenter! People who build things are usually pretty strong...Could
you imagine? You just pissed off the creator of the universe! And he
can beat you up! But He didn't...</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So
he was never angry at anyone without proper cause. Again, we cannot
relate. If anything, we can probably instantly think of people we
dislike for no apparent reason. I know I can.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
more I type all of this, the more I realize how bad we really are...</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">7.
</span><span style="color: black;"><b>Jesus
never committed adultery.</b></span><span style="color: black;">
Ahh...good old adultery. The sin that all churchgoers say
"well...yeah I've done that. I think everyone has" as if
that makes it any less sinful. And I'm not talking about cheating on
your spouse. Of course Jesus never did that, he was never married. Im
referring to "looking with lust". We know he dealt with
"sinners" on a regular basis and interacted with
prostitutes a few times. We can assume at least </span><span style="color: black;"><i>some
</i></span><span style="color: black;">of
them were good-looking. And although its not said specifically, I
doubt when Jesus told them, "go and sin no more", he was
staring at their backside as they left, thinking to himself "check
her out, I want me some of that...". I can safely assume this
never happened because if we know that Jesus never sinned, these
thoughts could have never entered his mind. Plus, would it make sense
for the creator of the universe to be tempted by his own creation? </span></span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">8.
</span><span style="color: black;"><b>Jesus
never stole anything. </b></span><span style="color: black;">12-year-old
Jesus never stole a piece of fruit from the open-air markets. (I'm
picturing Disney's Aladdin right now). We also know that we can
"steal" from our employers by not doing our jobs while on
the clock. So while Jesus was a carpenter, its safe to assume that he
was the best employee anyone could ask for. He probably showed up on
time every single day, worked his butt off, and never complained
about work. </span></span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">9.
</span><span style="color: black;"><b>Jesus
never lied.</b></span><span style="color: black;">
Every single thing that came out of his mouth was true. He made some
big claims and bold statements. </span></span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">10.
</span><span style="color: black;"><b>Jesus
never coveted.</b></span><span style="color: black;">
He never coveted the fact that maybe another carpenter in his city
might be getting more business than he is. He never coveted another
man's wife; he was happy being single and serving God. He knew His
life was going to end in agonizing pain, separation from God and
ultimately spending time in Hell. With all of this, he never coveted
someone else's comparatively easy life. He did ask that there could
be some other, less painful way, but in the end dealt with what he
came to do. </span></span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another way to think of this is almost the inverse. Jesus never did the things he wasn't supposed to do. But he also did everything he<i> was </i>supposed to do<i>. </i>He said that the commandments are summed up into "Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself." By not doing these, we are sinning. And since Jesus never sinned, he never stopped doing these; he never stopped loving God or his fellow man/woman. Everything He did was a reflection of His love for God and a reflection of His love for us. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">I'm
going to have to stop there because this could go on forever. I will
do a part 2 to this topic at a later date because honestly it's kind of fun. This may have been
discouraging to some because most of us have committed all of these
sins, but the good news about Jesus' perfection is that he represents
us when God judges us, making us perfect. But we must </span><span style="color: black;"><i>follow
Him</i></span><span style="color: black;">.
More on what it means to follow Him (God-willing) in my next post.
Who knows, I might feel like talking about something else, again.
Just be ready to read the next post!</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And
please, if you enjoy this at all, let me know! Leave a comment, give
me some positive/negative criticism, and share it with your friends.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also,
feel free to suggest a topic!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Until
next time. Keep on keepin' on, readers. </span>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2083004970447961631.post-32372158656563399232013-07-06T00:05:00.001-07:002013-07-06T20:39:08.185-07:00Christianity and Sports<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />It
happened already. 3 posts in and I've already veered off of what I
was going to talk about. <i>Right Living </i>will come,
don't worry. But for now, I wanted to talk about something that I've
been thinking about for a long time that no one seems to say when it
comes to sports and the outcomes of competition. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">If
you ask someone if God cares about who wins a sporting event (lets
use football), you generally get one of two answers:</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>"God
doesn't care about who wins a football game! He is concerned about
more important things! Football doesn't really matter." </i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>"God
wanted that team to win because (insert player here) is a Christian."</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>You knew I was talking about this guy...</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Remember
Tim Tebow? Remember when every single success on his part was
attributed to divine intervention? That seemed to make sense
considering how <i>bad </i>he is/was at the quarterback
position. People credited God for his successes (partially because
there really was no other explanation...he could barely throw a
spiral), but what about now? He spent a season on the bench with the
New York Jets, and then they released him. Sports commentators were
discussing whether Tebow would ever play NFL football again. I'm sure
some football fans sarcastically said, "Hey Tebow! Where is your
God now?" (Yes, I know he just got picked up by the Patriots.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">So
what happened? Was God a fan of the Broncos for one year and jumped
off the bandwagon? What about all of the other teams with Christians?
If Adrian Peterson and the Vikings plays against Tim Tebow and the
Broncos, who does God pick? They can't both win. (yes, Adrian
Peterson is a Christian too). Is God on a team's side when they lose?
Does God even care about the result of a sports competition anyways?</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Does God favor Adrian Peterson over Tim Tebow? That's only if stat sheets are indicative of God's favor</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">God's
plan definitely </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">uses </i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">the scoreboard, but I don't
think He has a favorite team. I highly doubt that Jesus is sitting in
Heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father, wearing a Baltimore
Ravens jersey right now. (Or a Miami Heat jersey...btw go Lakers)</span></center>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Let's
be real. God has a grand plan for humanity. His plan spans every
single event that takes place on this Earth. And that plan does not
include Christians winning every sporting event they participate in.
Just because you say a prayer before the game does not mean you're
guaranteed the victory. I cannot stand hearing coaches tell their
players "they may be tough, but we have <i>God</i> on
our side" like he is the invisible man on the field ready to
help you win the game. Because I'm sure there are plenty of games
where <i>both </i>teams are praying that same prayer. What
if God's plan is that you lose the game? No one ever says that. Its
always either "God gave so-and-so the victory and rightfully so
because so-and-so is a true Christian!" or the Christian
community goes silent on the topic of sports. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It's
like we think we <i>deserve </i>the victory, but what if
there is a greater, more important victory waiting for us on the
other side of that loss, such as an opportunity to share the gospel
with someone who would not have heard it if you won the game because
you would have occupied with other things due to winning? Don't get
me wrong, its great to see the winners get down on one knee, point to
the sky, and thank God on camera after the victory - there's no doubt
that God gets the glory there.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But
what if Tebow's new "position" on the bench gave him the
opportunity to share the gospel to his teammates in ways he could not
have before because he would have been too busy as a starter? God
still gets the glory, just in a different way that isn't in front of
any cameras. And which is better? Thanking God in front of millions
on live TV, or leading a teammate to Christ? During one, Christians
around the world are vibing with you, and you can bravely say that
you are not ashamed of your beliefs on while secular TV (Romans 1:16
- <span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> For I am not ashamed
of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings
salvation to everyone who believes) For the Hypotehical Tebow
situation, the angels in heaven rejoice over the new believer (Luke
15:10 - there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God
over one sinner who repents...)</span>. God has <i>legions </i>of
angels, so technically, the second situation will bring on a bigger
"cheer from the crowd" if that's what we are going for.
Regardless, both are equally importantmoments and a Christian in
either situation should always remember to put God first and/or thank
Him for the victory.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">By
the way, I'm not saying that backup football players are just sitting
around all day with time to talk, I'm just making a point.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">What
if while I was playing golf this weekend, instead of doing great and
reminiscing on all of my great shots on my way back to the car, I
instead hit all of my golf balls in the water hazard (which I sadly
almost did on the first hole). That causes me to end my round early
and run into a staff member on the way back to my car. We get into a
conversation because I have some extra time on my hands due to my
short round of golf, and we end up talking about Christianity, and
that leads him to read the Bible on his own and eventually come to
faith. My horrible score on the course is now the reason that I got
to interact with this person. While I understand that this too is a
big hypothetical situation, I can guarantee that a similar story is
behind hundreds of thousands of conversions. How many people did
Jesus "run into" on his way somewhere?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">1
Corinthians compares athletes to Christians, stating that "</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Everyone
who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to
get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that
will last forever" (1 Corinthians 9:25). Keep in mind, God did
not put us on this Earth to win trophies or "crowns" as the
verse says. Our victory is not always reflected by numbers on the
scoreboard. However, our attempts to win these trophies are divinely
intertwined with His will. We don't know His plan, but "we know
that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them
who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)</span></center>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">So
whether our favorite teams, our favorite athletes, or we ourselves
win or lose a game, realize that there is something much bigger and
much more important happening. God's will - His good, pleasing and
perfect will (Romans 12:2) - is taking place, and it includes so much
more than sports victories. It <i>uses </i>sports
victories, and He can use a win or a loss to forward his plan. </span></span></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2083004970447961631.post-13624280015619812772013-06-26T20:05:00.001-07:002013-06-28T21:58:46.694-07:00For God So Loved the World...<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></i><br />
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My first real post! Starting things off positive.</b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I want to talk about the love we receive yet don't deserve - God's love for us. I tend to overlook His love and take it for granted. </span></i></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></span></i></div>
<i><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">John 3:16 - </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For God so loved</span><span class="crossreference" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-26137V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> the world that he gave</span><span class="crossreference" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-26137W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> his one and only Son,</span><span class="crossreference" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-26137X" title="See cross-reference X">X</a>)"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> that whoever believes</span><span class="crossreference" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-26137Y" title="See cross-reference Y">Y</a>)"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> in him shall not perish but have eternal life.</span></b></i><br />
<b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<i><span class="versenum" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: top;"> Romans 5:8</span><span class="versenum" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: top;"> - </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.</span></i></b><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">John 3:16 is, by far, the most popular verse in the Bible. Whether you read it yourself or saw the guy at NFL football games always holding up the sign, you've heard it somewhere. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It sums up essential </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christian</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">doctrine in a few short words; it</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> shows how much God loves us. But I think we have heard it so many times that we don't understand the magnitude of what this verse is saying because we don't realize who (or what) we are. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are "the world" that God loved. We are the reason he had to send His son to die a gruesome death. Jesus died for us because we failed to keep God's standard of right living. Even that statement cannot be fully appreciated because it has been said so many times within Christian circles that we begin to take it for granted. We don't realize how sinful we are. One slip up and you lose. I know I can't firmly grasp this concept, but I got a glimpse of it one day in church. Here is one of my stories...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At one of my old jobs, I was no stranger to workplace gossip (</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Proverbs 11:13 - </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">gossip</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. One day while sitting in church, I received a text message from a coworker asking me if I had told another coworker about a rumor (which I knew to be true) that was spreading around the workplace. And I had.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before you think "well that's not so bad, it was a small sin", remember God's standard. I was caught red-handed, In church of all places. Not only did I sin, I betrayed the confidence of my two good friends. Also, as a representative of Christianity and Christians all around the world, I failed my brothers and sisters in Christ and made us look even more hypocritical. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After reading that text message, I came to the realization that I'm not as "holy" as I thought I was. I felt like I didn't deserve to be in church anymore because of that small slip up. I deserve hell just as much as the people I'd like to think I'm better than.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I heard the piano in the background at the end of the sermon, playing the children's song "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so". </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then it hit me. I'm a complete and utter failure, but Jesus <i>still </i>loves me and died for me. The burden was lifted off of me and I, for once, felt truly grateful that my sins have been forgiven (I should note that I also apologized to both friends, and told them I understand if they no longer trust me. There are still consequences we have to deal with when we harm others, even though God sees us as sinless). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This brings me to my next verse, Romans 5:8 (posted above). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus died to save a bunch of failures. God loves people who broke all of his rules, and sent His only Son to die for them. He didn't just die for the people who "weren't that bad". He died for the worst of humanity. Think about the most evil person alive. Whoever you think that is, Jesus died for them too. God will forgive ANYONE of their sins if they believe in Him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It really doesn't make sense to us, to send our closest loved one or ourselves to die to give our enemies a chance to live. Because we can't comprehend the negative side of what happened, we cannot fully appreciate the positive outcome of Jesus's death. It's like a student with a 4.0 GPA gave away their perfect grades to the failing, slacking, partying student with a 0.0 GPA so that the bad student could have a chance to graduate (that's one of many metaphors used to describe what happened, but it still does not do justice to what Jesus did for us). No one in their right mind would do that, But God did. Which is why hearing about God's love for us should never get old. In fact, it should mean more and more every time we hear it because in between each time we hear it, we break his laws and disobey him, yet we are still forgiven and technically more forgiven than the last time as we keep racking up more sins.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I could go on, but I'll stop there. God loves us and we don't deserve it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is because of this love that we should strive to keep his commandments, no matter how hard it is. This brings me to my next topic...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"Trying to Live Right".</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Until then, God Bless...</i></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2083004970447961631.post-16416145948608395332013-06-18T23:54:00.002-07:002013-07-01T21:41:45.926-07:00Welcome to "Christianity and Stuff" <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mrdowling.com/images/605christianity.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.mrdowling.com/images/605christianity.gif" width="109" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Welcome to "Christianity and Stuff".<br />
<br />
I plan on covering a lot of topics that involve Christianity and how it relates to our everyday lives. I promise I'll have some very interesting things to say and questions to ask. Hopefully (I should probably say prayerfully or God-willing) you will find them interesting and thought-provoking.<br />
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A little bit about myself regarding Christianity --- I was raised in the church. I've literally been going to church all my life so I cannot remember a time when I wasn't a "Christian". There was also no drastic life-changing salvation moment that I experienced, which is common of the life-long church-goers. Outside of that, I am a marketing major, I love sports, working out, video games, and Corvettes. Each of these facts about me will become their own topics for posts in the future so stay tuned. You'll learn more about me if you follow my posts. <br />
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I am not a theologian. I know a thing or two about the Bible/theology, but I am open to the idea of being wrong and corrected when necessary - especially when it comes to Christian doctrine. So if you happen to be reading any of my posts and see something I say that is wrong (factually or doctrinally), please don't hesitate to let me know.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The concept for this blog has been in my head for a long time but I never got around to it because it never felt like the right moment to start. I kept waiting for that perfect moment where it "feels right", or when I had the perfect introductory post planned out. But thanks to some encouragement from a friend of mine, I think it's time to just jump in and learn as I go. I have much, much more to say but I want to keep the introduction short.<br />
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That's it for now. I'll start things off on my next post. <br />
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Next topic: "For God so loved the world..."<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(photo courtesy of <span class="irc_ho" style="cursor: pointer; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15.994318008422852px; margin-right: -2px; padding-right: 2px; text-decoration: none;"><a class="irc_hol irc_itl" data-ved="0CAQQjB0" href="http://www.mrdowling.com/605-christianity.html" style="cursor: pointer; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15.994318008422852px; text-decoration: none;" wotsearchprocessed="true">www.mrdowling.com</a>)</span></span></span><br />
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