The Ministry Calls, and I go Forth
Woo boy... 1st Chapter Colossians is some good stuff. I'm SO greatful for this study folder that Pastor Camp gave me. It's helping a lot. I'm seeing stuff in the Word that I wouldn't have seen otherwise. It's really humbling. I mean, if I would have missed this much stuff over ONE page, how much more would I miss over the WHOLE book!
Talked to the good ol' Pastor today about some things. Some private, some not so private. All I have to say about the private part is, Lystra, the brethren have laid hands upon me and it's time to go back in for more! Aside from that, I received some really good encouragement on going into the ministry. He imparted onto me some great words of wisdom that the person he was disciple to said, "Seek leadership, and you'll fail. But seek to serve, and it will follow you." It quickly got me thinking. Jesus set a VERY good example for this, so it makes sense. I am somebody who seeks to serve others, so I'm glad if things are that way. I also got my curriculum for bible school. I'll be reading several books by heavy hitters like Chuck Smith. The pastor was gracious enough to give me a book by Bob Hoekstra called "The Psychologizing of the Faith." It's about how some modern day churches are marrying psychology into christianity and the dangers of doing so. I'm enjoying the book so far and am in agreement with it in its points. Seriously, psychology is only THEORY from MAN who is fallible and can NOT see into his own heart, not alone somebody else's. God is the only being who can solve our problems. You're not going to be helped with your depression by medications (trust me, I'd know), but by the love of the Christ! All the relative morals of today's world makes me want to puke. There is a standard, and it's the one that God set. Not that any of us can come even one millionth of the way there, but when Jesus spread His arms, He filled the gap. Jesus is not only my all in all, but yours too. And if He isn't, then make Him yours.
Sure, I might sound like some old fashioned guy from the 1800s, but it's because I love the one who made me a saint. That's right, I'm a saint. Jesus set me apart as a saint, as He did you the first moment you believed. Anyways, I've really been focusing on the all-sufficiency of Jesus lately. In Him I am fed the Word of God and given the Living Water. He shelters me in His Shadow. And He cleans me with His own blood. What an awesome Deity we have that we can worship. Truly I say, we're lucky to have Him. We should trust His every Word. And because I'm undergoing study of the Word in detail, part of that means learning some of the meanings of the words in the original text. I can say this in 100% accuracy: He is coming back for us. Maybe not today, and maybe not even 100 years from now, but soon in His own Reckoning. Live and be Holy. You never know when the Hour will come. Don't get caught with your pants down, so to say. If there's something wrong in your life, fix it soon. If you have people you love that you've scorned, call them up and tell them how much you care. If you've been neglecting your own studies of the Word, crack open that book... it's thousands of times more important to do so than to sit there and watch the news. I tell you these things because I love all of you. Be Holy. Love one another and the Lord.
A Humble Servant
Talked to the good ol' Pastor today about some things. Some private, some not so private. All I have to say about the private part is, Lystra, the brethren have laid hands upon me and it's time to go back in for more! Aside from that, I received some really good encouragement on going into the ministry. He imparted onto me some great words of wisdom that the person he was disciple to said, "Seek leadership, and you'll fail. But seek to serve, and it will follow you." It quickly got me thinking. Jesus set a VERY good example for this, so it makes sense. I am somebody who seeks to serve others, so I'm glad if things are that way. I also got my curriculum for bible school. I'll be reading several books by heavy hitters like Chuck Smith. The pastor was gracious enough to give me a book by Bob Hoekstra called "The Psychologizing of the Faith." It's about how some modern day churches are marrying psychology into christianity and the dangers of doing so. I'm enjoying the book so far and am in agreement with it in its points. Seriously, psychology is only THEORY from MAN who is fallible and can NOT see into his own heart, not alone somebody else's. God is the only being who can solve our problems. You're not going to be helped with your depression by medications (trust me, I'd know), but by the love of the Christ! All the relative morals of today's world makes me want to puke. There is a standard, and it's the one that God set. Not that any of us can come even one millionth of the way there, but when Jesus spread His arms, He filled the gap. Jesus is not only my all in all, but yours too. And if He isn't, then make Him yours.
Sure, I might sound like some old fashioned guy from the 1800s, but it's because I love the one who made me a saint. That's right, I'm a saint. Jesus set me apart as a saint, as He did you the first moment you believed. Anyways, I've really been focusing on the all-sufficiency of Jesus lately. In Him I am fed the Word of God and given the Living Water. He shelters me in His Shadow. And He cleans me with His own blood. What an awesome Deity we have that we can worship. Truly I say, we're lucky to have Him. We should trust His every Word. And because I'm undergoing study of the Word in detail, part of that means learning some of the meanings of the words in the original text. I can say this in 100% accuracy: He is coming back for us. Maybe not today, and maybe not even 100 years from now, but soon in His own Reckoning. Live and be Holy. You never know when the Hour will come. Don't get caught with your pants down, so to say. If there's something wrong in your life, fix it soon. If you have people you love that you've scorned, call them up and tell them how much you care. If you've been neglecting your own studies of the Word, crack open that book... it's thousands of times more important to do so than to sit there and watch the news. I tell you these things because I love all of you. Be Holy. Love one another and the Lord.
A Humble Servant