This past weekend I had the opportunity of going on the 2010 Fall Retreat with the Loft, the college ministry of Taylor’s First Baptist Church. The main focus of this retreat was Coram Deo. These words are Latin for “in the presence of God.” Through three sessions our speaker spoke on what it really means to live in the awareness of living in the presence of God.
As he spoke I was picturing my life as a room. In this room I have different areas for different parts of my life. Here’s the corner for studying, another for work, another marked entertainment. Across the room is my social life with my family and friends. Somewhere in the midst of all of this God is there. I’m not always aware of this. In fact most of the time, I just live my life going from one thing to the next without acknowledging God’s presence at all. I might cry out to Him in times of needing help remembering information during a test or as habit before I eat a meal. Other than that my life is mine.
Living my life Coram Deo is more than just realizing God is there it is allowing this knowledge to change the way I live daily life. I need to live my life with God praying continually, taking time throughout the day to acknowledge Him, having friends around to encourage such living and living on purpose with the mission to bring glory to God in everything I do.
This weekend was a much needed reminder for me. May we live our lives Coram Deo.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Servant of Chirst
Throughout the epistles the apostle Paul refers to himself as the servant of Christ. He also encourages fellow believers to consider themselves the same. As I go through life I try to remember to view my life in that way. Sadly though I am selfish and desirous of recognition for things I do.
My spiritual gift is exhortation. I love listening to people share about things that they are struggling with and be able to help them with either examples of how I handled a similar situation and things God has shown or taught me. I receive so much joy in using this gift that God has given me.
Tonight I had an opportunity to use my gift to help a fellow believer in her walk with Christ. I was able to share things God has taught me from walking a similar path as the one she is in now. When I realized that what I was saying was having an impact I wanted to pat myself on the back for doing such a good job. The Spirit quickly convicted me of my self-glorification and I thanked God for allowing me to be a part of His work and I saw myself as an unprofitable servant merely doing what my Master (God) required of me. May I daily life in the realization.
My spiritual gift is exhortation. I love listening to people share about things that they are struggling with and be able to help them with either examples of how I handled a similar situation and things God has shown or taught me. I receive so much joy in using this gift that God has given me.
Tonight I had an opportunity to use my gift to help a fellow believer in her walk with Christ. I was able to share things God has taught me from walking a similar path as the one she is in now. When I realized that what I was saying was having an impact I wanted to pat myself on the back for doing such a good job. The Spirit quickly convicted me of my self-glorification and I thanked God for allowing me to be a part of His work and I saw myself as an unprofitable servant merely doing what my Master (God) required of me. May I daily life in the realization.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
I don't have to sin anymore!!
Romans 6, 7, and 8 are some of the most amazing chapters in all of Scripture. They speak of our horrid sin and then our freedom which is found in Christ. I heard a pastor give an example of these passages. He gave an illustration that has stuck with me years later.
Imagine someone you knew died. We’ll call him Dave. Dave died. Now Dave had been a pastor of a local church and impacted many hearts and lives. At Dave’s funeral there are many people who will miss him and his minister’s heart. But there are also others that come. One walks up to the coffin and spits in Dave’s lifeless face. Another says, “I never liked your preaching. The sermons were always way too long and boring. What do they teach in those schools anyway?” Are either of these things going to bother Dave? Absolutely not! Why? Because he’s DEAD! Dead people aren’t affected by what people say or do.
Now look at this as it relates to our spiritual lives. Romans 6 reckons believers dead to sin. We don’t have to be affected by sin or its powers because we are dead to them. We now have the power, through the Spirit, to say no to sin and yes to Christ.
It is such a beautiful and freeing thought; I DON’T HAVE TO SIN ANYMORE!!
Imagine someone you knew died. We’ll call him Dave. Dave died. Now Dave had been a pastor of a local church and impacted many hearts and lives. At Dave’s funeral there are many people who will miss him and his minister’s heart. But there are also others that come. One walks up to the coffin and spits in Dave’s lifeless face. Another says, “I never liked your preaching. The sermons were always way too long and boring. What do they teach in those schools anyway?” Are either of these things going to bother Dave? Absolutely not! Why? Because he’s DEAD! Dead people aren’t affected by what people say or do.
Now look at this as it relates to our spiritual lives. Romans 6 reckons believers dead to sin. We don’t have to be affected by sin or its powers because we are dead to them. We now have the power, through the Spirit, to say no to sin and yes to Christ.
It is such a beautiful and freeing thought; I DON’T HAVE TO SIN ANYMORE!!
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Growing Up
“When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.” 1 Corinthians 13:11
Growing old is such an inevitable part of life. You’re born, you live, you die. It’s the cycle we all must face. But while growing old comes naturally growing up is a different matter completely. Contrary to popular opinion maturity does not naturally come with age. I know plenty of teenagers who act like adults and adults that act like they were teenagers again.
As I near my 23rd birthday and I think about all that the Lord has blessed me with these past years I wonder how much maturity I have acquired. As I know I am growing older I also need to be aware that I should be growing up as well. As the apostle Paul said, in the before mentioned verse, I shouldn’t be living like a child anymore, but making good choices and live according to responsibility and conviction. Let’s all GROW UP in the name of the Lord.
Growing old is such an inevitable part of life. You’re born, you live, you die. It’s the cycle we all must face. But while growing old comes naturally growing up is a different matter completely. Contrary to popular opinion maturity does not naturally come with age. I know plenty of teenagers who act like adults and adults that act like they were teenagers again.
As I near my 23rd birthday and I think about all that the Lord has blessed me with these past years I wonder how much maturity I have acquired. As I know I am growing older I also need to be aware that I should be growing up as well. As the apostle Paul said, in the before mentioned verse, I shouldn’t be living like a child anymore, but making good choices and live according to responsibility and conviction. Let’s all GROW UP in the name of the Lord.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Wartime Lifestyle
I am in the process of rereading Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper. Chapter 7 is entitled Living to Prove that He is more Precious than Life. He (obviously referring to Christ) is to be treasured above all else. There are numerous verses recorded in scripture, and eluded to in this book, talking about treasuring nothing above Jesus and if there is anything you do to get rid of it.
This wartime lifestyle or mindset is a reminder of the reality we live in. We are in a constant war between Christ and Satan, truth and falsehood, belief and unbelief. Our weapons are not of this world but strong though Christ, namely the Gospel, prayer and love. It is much easier for us to slip into the less satisfying life of peace and simplicity instead of being on guard for the evil one.
May God help us to stay on the alert and to live to make Christ more precious than life.
This wartime lifestyle or mindset is a reminder of the reality we live in. We are in a constant war between Christ and Satan, truth and falsehood, belief and unbelief. Our weapons are not of this world but strong though Christ, namely the Gospel, prayer and love. It is much easier for us to slip into the less satisfying life of peace and simplicity instead of being on guard for the evil one.
May God help us to stay on the alert and to live to make Christ more precious than life.
Why God?
The question of why God is asked often in our society. Evil exists in the world today, and we are all affected by it. Death, disease, illness, loss of jobs, failed marriage, loss of child, the list goes on and on. These things lead us all to ask this question. Even non-believers can be heard in difficult situations asking God why. C.S. Lewis once said, “The problem of pain and suffering is the atheist’s greatest weapon.”
This is often the question Christians have the hardest time answering. Why do bad things happen to good people?
We may never understand the full reason but we can do three things. 1) trust in God believing that He is sovereign and in complete control of everything. 2)He has given us this “test” to help us to grow to be more like His Son (See Romans 8:29) 3) We are to comfort others through difficult times just as we have been comforted. (See 1 Corinthians 1: 3-4)
I don’t know what I would do in hard times without my complete trust in the sovereignty of God.
This is often the question Christians have the hardest time answering. Why do bad things happen to good people?
We may never understand the full reason but we can do three things. 1) trust in God believing that He is sovereign and in complete control of everything. 2)He has given us this “test” to help us to grow to be more like His Son (See Romans 8:29) 3) We are to comfort others through difficult times just as we have been comforted. (See 1 Corinthians 1: 3-4)
I don’t know what I would do in hard times without my complete trust in the sovereignty of God.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Fall Break
Why do we enjoy breaks so much? Why is “off time” something we often enjoy? Is it because we are lazy? For some this may be the reason but not for all. Rest is something our bodies need. God programmed them like that from the very beginning. In Genesis on the seventh day God rested. He told the children of Israel to keep the Sabbath day holy. Throughout other scriptures we are encouraged to stop or slowdown. But what is the purpose resting? The following verses should help to answer this question:
“Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in all the earth.”Psalm 46:10
“Listen to this, O Job, Stand and consider the wondrous works of God.” Job 37:14
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.” John 15:4
May we all take time to stop, rest and remember what God has done for us and how wonderful He is. Why don’t you take a minute right now just to thank Him for life.
“Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in all the earth.”Psalm 46:10
“Listen to this, O Job, Stand and consider the wondrous works of God.” Job 37:14
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.” John 15:4
May we all take time to stop, rest and remember what God has done for us and how wonderful He is. Why don’t you take a minute right now just to thank Him for life.
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