So - I've put up my christmas and that makes me so so happy. I'm going decoration shopping tonight before I go see James Bond.
Well - I've been in LBK for nearly a semester now. Wreck'em Texas Tech Go Red Raiders!! Just had to say it. Nevertheless-Wow. Life so different here. I continually miss my friends at SFA - sometimes more so than other times. I miss the things we did and the fun we had but absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? And I was already pretty fond of you - so just imagine now!!! I know blessed I am to still have them in my life. To have good friends - one must be a good friend. I have made so good friends here over the course of the semester. Its amazing how the Lord knows exactly what we need exactly when we need it - even before we know we do. Graduate school is tough and completely time consuming. I could easily get caught up in my work and forget what this life is really about. Still - in LBK for a semester and it still doesn't feel like home yet. I'm sure that it will over time - but Nac still has that special place in my heart. I hear winters here are frigid (note to self: invest in firewood and more winter clothes)
(christmas music is still playing in the background)
So I know some of you are thinking why christmas - thanksgiving is not even here yet. Well - I love chrismtas 100000000x more than thansgiving and if you don't like it then..you go ahead and eat your turkey. My christmas tree is amazing - now all I need is so more decorative lights and santa's for the apartment.
I've bought my Midnight ticket for Twilight and I'm super pumped. We (as in the twilight/edward ladies from church) are all going. Good times to be had. (Don't hate.)
Never forget the goal in life is to serve and please God - if we are doing that all else will fall into place. Talk with the Lord - tell him your secrets-desires-fears and you're life will become so much more peaceful. Give God the control and let him work wonders through you.
Lately, I've been doing a lot of mediating on Jesus' teachings in the Gospels. I've been reading them and paying special attention to the method and theme of the message - the "Good News" - Jesus presents to the crowds. There are some things that have really stuck in my mind.
Most of the people that heard Jesus - heard him once and changed their life. They didn't have the written word - they heard Jesus obeyed and changed their life. How often do we take the Bible for granted? How often do we think - well we don't need to remember that its written down. Its such a shame that so many people in and out of the church think of the Bible has just another book that they read study and put back on the shelf. The Bible is our Life - do we treat it as such? Do you go a day without eating? "Blessed are those who hunger and thrist for righteousness, For they shall be filled." Matt. 5:6 "...Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the Mouth of God." Matt 4:4, Deut. 8:3
Also, the majority of Jesus' teaching was not the "list items" the dos and don'ts that the Church so frequently dwells on. Have we missed it? Jesus spends most of his time preaching and teaching on the importance of having the right heart - on showing mercy - on practicing love. I've heard some in the brotherhood harshly criticize "liberals/other denomiations" for their emotionalism - their emphasis on Love. What are we DOING?! If Christ spent the most time on getting the heart right - on loving God and others - then why are we in the church fearful of showing emotion? If we DO NOT get emotional serving the Lord something is wrong with the Heart. Christ died for my - yours - the worlds' sins and yet we often treat that with some a matter of the fact attitude. Jesus teaches us that if our hearts are right - then the dos and don'ts will come naturally. Jesus himself emphasizes this "If you love me, keep My commandments." John 14:15 If our hearts are right - then we will not have a problem WANTING to obey Jesus. I realize there is a place for the dos and don'ts - the lists- but is that what we have turned Christ doctrine into?
The very people Jesus criticized the harshest - were the lists people, the "Spiritual Leaders", the Pharisees. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightermatters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Blind guides, who strain our a gnat and swallow a camel! Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outsde of them may be clean also." Matt 23:23-26
Brethren, it discourages me that the "Church" is so intent of proving why we are right and others are wrong and not as intent on improving our relationship with the Lord. If our relationship with the Lord isn't right then what does it matter if we are "right?" Are we judgemental of others? Do we pick who we invite to worship? Are we stingy with our invitations? The Lord was not. He ate with the lowest of sinners. We are the lowest of sinners. We are in the same need of Christ as those who walk this world. We are sinners - our fates are not sealed. We most always be working on our hearts. The Lord Jesus Christ tells us "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matt6:21. Brehren - if we preached matters of the heart, if we emphasized the Love-Mercy-Forgiveness of Christ and lived it ourselves would that not yield beautiful results? It did for Christ.
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matt. 11:28-30
Thank you for these thoughts. I think that sometimes we in the "church of Christ" tend to think that if we add emotion into our worship, or emotion into our Christianity, we will be seen like every other denomination out there. But I do not think that this is true. Jesus was emotional. He had a love for the Father. And we are to be imitators of Him. Our love should be an outward action that others can see. We are to be lights -- not in the darkness.
i miss these conversations :( i've been thinking about some of this stuff, too. we try to be so different from denominations, when in reality i think they're doing something right. even though they may not be following God's Law as they should, they have a fire, zeal, and love for each other. i wish that we would come to see the great importance of having love towards one another. i miss you also.
My classes are going well, with one small exception (Zoology Lab). My only true history class is HIS 151 Western Civ I and I'm killing that class. I've got Dahmus and I'm pretty sure I can channel his thoughts when I take his tests. My English class is pretty much history. Things are going really well. I hope I preach the way you described above. It is a very difficult thing to strike a balance in life and in preaching. How's classes in Tech? Any books you recommend to history majors?
