Who else gets distracted while worshiping God in public places? It's such a horrible thing to say, but I sometimes do. I sometimes quiet my voice if I hear an off-key note or if I am surrounded by people that look like they could potentially want me to be quiet... When I lift my hands up, I rarely don't care what people think and when I close my eyes, my imagination rarely transforms beyond my blank eyelids. I think it's funny when people talk about worship and reference Jesus' quote to the woman at the well in John chapter 4. "My people will worship in spirit and in truth." I think people misrepresent this terribly when they speak of how we should worship Christ, in our spirits. That's silly to me.
I believe that part of the beauty of being human in earthen vessels is having the limitations of humans and challenging and exploring those limitations without getting hyper-spiritual. I think that we worship with our senses to honor the bodies that God made us with. They are, after all, what enable our spirits to act; I believe that any limitations of the spirit are only those of the body (but this is tangential). And here's back to my original point, inhibition in worship. I've felt it and so have you (if you're anything like me).
Is it supposed judgment? I'm not really sure to be honest. There's a few things I have learned though. I know that sometimes I will think to myself during a song, "I wonder how "so-and-so" likes this song" or "I wonder what he's thinking." That's one of my main inhibitions, thinking about other people when I have my time a lone with God. It seems only natural as worship is communal and guided/instructed by a leader that freedom would be hard to experience, but it doesn't have to be that way. Did God intent for there to be litany in services? For songs to go through once and the chorus to repeat twice and the last two lines to repeat again and perhaps again...? I believe God does, at times, direct the praises of His people, only so it is performed "in a fitting and orderly way" (1 Cor 14:40).
I know that if you do care about the people around you in worship, one of the best things you could possibly do for them sometimes is to ignore them and have your "alone" time with God (clearly, worship isn't always alone time). That's sometimes where your imagination comes into play; it doesn't exist so you can shut everybody else out of your worship; imaginations, sanctified imaginations exist so we can invite God into our worship. Psalm 22:3 does say that God inhabits the praises of His people--and that suggests that people praising together was how it was meant to be. Extolling the NAME of Christ is fulfilled when God catches you up in that moment and you open your eyes and realize that this is what Christianity is about. It's not about the inhibitions, but it's about the unity of believers lifting up Christ's NAME.
I know there's so many questions regarding worship, expectations and no expectations. I just know that in worship, I remember what my faith is all about. It's so encouraging to to see people really trying to do what's right. As a side and closing note, I think I'm starting to realize something: when someone is really offering his/her life in a single act, he/she will not refuse help. Worshiping God is hard. When someone refuses help, it's just he/she doing his/her own thing. Don't let it discourage you; commonly people do their own thing most of the time.
Monday, November 08, 2010
Thursday, November 04, 2010
pointings towards truth..
Mercy points towards truth. This in all my reason (as the Holy Spirit guides my Scripture reading, etc.) this is the conclusion I've come to for now. I realize that I can logic my way towards truth and for me, truth can be settled in myself, but when I deal with others, it isn't fact that points to truth; it's some sort of deed. I'm still working through this logic, but it kinda makes sense to me. A counselor should be quick to listen and slow to speak, quick to show mercy and quick to reserve judgment.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
a random quote picked from a conversation
People that seek out a treasure are at one point or another disillusioned by its allure. People that look around and find a treasure in what they already have are the treasure hunters in my book.
cultivating for growth
growth in church, just like growth anywhere else cannot be forced. What's it mean then to cultivates soil? Well, it's giving to soil the best environment to grow; it's being focused solely on making sure you do everything in your power to provide the right environment that something may grow in. Not focused on the growth (and that means not being focused on the success), but being focused on doing the best at what you do (as the farmer).
So the two things introduced were a correct environment and the hard work/mastery required to provide the proper conditions. To do that you have to know the soil type, you have to know what external forces influence what you have control over. A proper environment that may stimulate growth is not only non-hostile, it is honest, caring and serving/giving. In the short term, things can grow if you care about the success of it; however, one thing to consider is that God defines success very differently than humans do. A successful "anything" allows God to use it and allowing God to work..cuz sometimes God doesn't want things to work out... a right environment is hard thing to cultivate, but it should be at highest priority.
So the two things introduced were a correct environment and the hard work/mastery required to provide the proper conditions. To do that you have to know the soil type, you have to know what external forces influence what you have control over. A proper environment that may stimulate growth is not only non-hostile, it is honest, caring and serving/giving. In the short term, things can grow if you care about the success of it; however, one thing to consider is that God defines success very differently than humans do. A successful "anything" allows God to use it and allowing God to work..cuz sometimes God doesn't want things to work out... a right environment is hard thing to cultivate, but it should be at highest priority.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
a new thought on responsibilities
I was under the misguided understanding that as an unhitched college student I have very few, if not any, responsibilities. Again, this was misguided. I was wrong and I don't mind admitting it.
Of course, legally I can justify so many immoral things with almost minimal effort, but this isn't really how I (or anyone else if I may venture a guess) want to live my life.
If a person doesn't do what God wants him/her to do, sure he/she is affected, but who else is directly and indirectly affected, too? If Joshua never and faith, Israel would have never seen the promise land. There, clearly an entire nation is affected by the choice of one man. Here, however, is a new example (which I heard from Andy Stanley). If Esau, not having children at this point, took his identity very seriously, he wouldn't have sold his birthright for a bowl of stew. His children wouldn't have lived in constant warfare; neither would their children have. And the Messiah who would redeem the entire world would have come from his line. Instead of curses and hatred from the Lord, Esau would have been blessed as the firstborn grandson of Abraham. So, who is affected now? Your children! Your children who you will one day never want to hurt and want the best for. Their best will now only be the half battered future which you laid a foundation for. It's a sobering thought and it's all related to a silly bowl of stew.
It was one of the worst trades in the history of mankind, but to Esau when he traded it, it wasn't bad at all. Esau thought he was going to die of starvation. And here's the thought even further... we all would have sold our birthright. Of course we would have if it was the right bowl of stew. If it would satisfy the right appetite--I see it all the time. Marriages fall to pieces because stupidly one sees a bowl of stew and at that moment forget his/her children. He/she forgets the legacy that will ensue and such a beautiful strong thing such as marriage is NOT WORTH A BOWL OF STEW!
Of course, legally I can justify so many immoral things with almost minimal effort, but this isn't really how I (or anyone else if I may venture a guess) want to live my life.
If a person doesn't do what God wants him/her to do, sure he/she is affected, but who else is directly and indirectly affected, too? If Joshua never and faith, Israel would have never seen the promise land. There, clearly an entire nation is affected by the choice of one man. Here, however, is a new example (which I heard from Andy Stanley). If Esau, not having children at this point, took his identity very seriously, he wouldn't have sold his birthright for a bowl of stew. His children wouldn't have lived in constant warfare; neither would their children have. And the Messiah who would redeem the entire world would have come from his line. Instead of curses and hatred from the Lord, Esau would have been blessed as the firstborn grandson of Abraham. So, who is affected now? Your children! Your children who you will one day never want to hurt and want the best for. Their best will now only be the half battered future which you laid a foundation for. It's a sobering thought and it's all related to a silly bowl of stew.
It was one of the worst trades in the history of mankind, but to Esau when he traded it, it wasn't bad at all. Esau thought he was going to die of starvation. And here's the thought even further... we all would have sold our birthright. Of course we would have if it was the right bowl of stew. If it would satisfy the right appetite--I see it all the time. Marriages fall to pieces because stupidly one sees a bowl of stew and at that moment forget his/her children. He/she forgets the legacy that will ensue and such a beautiful strong thing such as marriage is NOT WORTH A BOWL OF STEW!
Thursday, October 07, 2010
gracefully spoken words.. apology
I have to admit something. I have been not only neglecting my blog and making new posts, but I've also been doing it selfishly. This world has many cooks and is searching for chefs, the guys who have the ideas. For a while, I hesitated putting up lyrics beacuse I feared they were compromised online; I also didn't post certain thoughts because they were my favorite thoughts. I have ideas, but how often do I forget theat these very ideas come into my mind and not other minds only by the grace of God? My stuardship over the thoughts that God gives me is really directly related to the value I place over these thoughts. My originality and creativity as well; one day I could wake up and my ability to think could be very much gone!
No, my blog should be to encourage, to urge and spur people towards what is right, and it shouldn't be "me" centralized. Afterall, I originally started it to be an encouragement to anyone who may happen to stumble upon it. I guess I've just noticed a pattern in my writing, it's getting cockier and more obnoxious. That's really not what I want someone who takes time out of their life to read my words to come away with, thoughts about what a nice idea I have. I wish to communicate gracefully the art in my emotional labor. Art is, after all, a gift! If art ceases to be a gift, I think that it ceases to be art. The fact that is given at a great cost to the artist is the value that changes the culture, not the thing itself. Just think about people who copy the Mona Lisa ten times a day with oil paint to turn over a profit. that's not art; that's just a sad misrepresentation of the true inpired work.
No, my blog should be to encourage, to urge and spur people towards what is right, and it shouldn't be "me" centralized. Afterall, I originally started it to be an encouragement to anyone who may happen to stumble upon it. I guess I've just noticed a pattern in my writing, it's getting cockier and more obnoxious. That's really not what I want someone who takes time out of their life to read my words to come away with, thoughts about what a nice idea I have. I wish to communicate gracefully the art in my emotional labor. Art is, after all, a gift! If art ceases to be a gift, I think that it ceases to be art. The fact that is given at a great cost to the artist is the value that changes the culture, not the thing itself. Just think about people who copy the Mona Lisa ten times a day with oil paint to turn over a profit. that's not art; that's just a sad misrepresentation of the true inpired work.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
men who think they're boys, ba!
Alright I had this crazy thought. Apparently a recent study was put out saying that the Reed Sea was parted during Israel's departure from Egypt because of a massive wind current... The only thing I have to say to that is...maybe. I could hardly imagine a wind that would blow thousands of gallons of water and leave the people "unblown" by the wind.
Here's how it must have happened though: you know that staff that the LORD gave to Moses? Yeah, right! That was an airbending staff, like the one from nickelodeon's Avatar: the Last Airbender. And Moses wasn't just an ordinary bender, he was the Avatar of the age... think about it. He lived as royalty until one day he decided to embrace his own people (maybe because among his people was a master to teach him?). He also broke apart rock and caused water to come out of it (waterbending and earthbending); and come on, how impossible would it be to create a squirting rock fountain, which all of Israel could drink from and be satisfied? Really really impossible. That is unless he was a waterbender.
Moses made one mistake though, he struck the rock and got angry, thus unable to enter the promise land. Now what does the new testament say? The Rock was Jesus. That and.. Jesus also met with Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration, where he may have reached (enlightenment of some sort). Kind of like in Avatar when Aang was able to meet with the Avatars of the past for counsel. Crazy eh? all the connections? Jesus and Moses, and Elijah.. all Avatars. Who woulda thunk?
**P.S. This is very much a joke
Here's how it must have happened though: you know that staff that the LORD gave to Moses? Yeah, right! That was an airbending staff, like the one from nickelodeon's Avatar: the Last Airbender. And Moses wasn't just an ordinary bender, he was the Avatar of the age... think about it. He lived as royalty until one day he decided to embrace his own people (maybe because among his people was a master to teach him?). He also broke apart rock and caused water to come out of it (waterbending and earthbending); and come on, how impossible would it be to create a squirting rock fountain, which all of Israel could drink from and be satisfied? Really really impossible. That is unless he was a waterbender.
Moses made one mistake though, he struck the rock and got angry, thus unable to enter the promise land. Now what does the new testament say? The Rock was Jesus. That and.. Jesus also met with Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration, where he may have reached (enlightenment of some sort). Kind of like in Avatar when Aang was able to meet with the Avatars of the past for counsel. Crazy eh? all the connections? Jesus and Moses, and Elijah.. all Avatars. Who woulda thunk?
**P.S. This is very much a joke
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