On Sunday, I had about 10 of the high schoolers from my church over to my house for a BBQ. Along with a few youth leaders. While we sat in a circle on the grass, eating dinner, my Youth Pastor presented this question:
How do you intend to grow in your faith over the school year?
Some people answered that they would read their bible more. Others said they would pray more. Some said they would do both. So I thought to myself.... Is that all there is to growing closer to God? Just reading the bible, and praying? Those are definitely key things that can help a lot.... but that can't be all there is to it.
Besides reading the bible and praying, I think there are a few other things that are crucial.
1. Listening. Talking to God should not be a 1-way conversation.
2. Reading with purpose. Not just reading the bible because you should. Reading it to find out more about God, to learn commands, to learn from other people's lives.
3. Obeying. Probably the most important way to draw closer to God. It's how we show God that we love Him. Obeying, and trusting Him.
Do you guys have anything to add? Any comments?
~Melody
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Horses
You probably didn't know that I love horses. Ever since I was 5, I have dreamed of having my own horse. So when I was reading Job this morning, I was inspired to write about them.
Job 39:19-25
19 “Do you give the horse his strength
or clothe his neck with a flowing mane?
20 Do you make him leap like a locust,
striking terror with his proud snorting?
21 He paws fiercely, rejoicing in his strength,
and charges into the fray.
22 He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing;
he does not shy away from the sword.
23 The quiver rattles against his side,
along with the flashing spear and lance.
24 In frenzied excitement he eats up the ground;
he cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.
25 At the blast of the trumpet he snorts, ‘Aha!’
He catches the scent of battle from afar,
the shout of commanders and the battle cry.
When I read this, the very first thing I think of is the horse (Maximus) from the movie Tangled. If you haven't seen the movie, here's a clip of what Maximus is like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwqEBAYCQdc&feature=related
Horses are similar to humans in their personalities. More so than a cat or a dog. They are groomed multiple times a week, they get mad if another horse invades their personal space, some are more stubborn then others, some like to cuddle, some are energetic, some are laid back...... Anyway.... this wasn't a typical post, but I hope you enjoyed reading it.
~Melody
Job 39:19-25
19 “Do you give the horse his strength
or clothe his neck with a flowing mane?
20 Do you make him leap like a locust,
striking terror with his proud snorting?
21 He paws fiercely, rejoicing in his strength,
and charges into the fray.
22 He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing;
he does not shy away from the sword.
23 The quiver rattles against his side,
along with the flashing spear and lance.
24 In frenzied excitement he eats up the ground;
he cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.
25 At the blast of the trumpet he snorts, ‘Aha!’
He catches the scent of battle from afar,
the shout of commanders and the battle cry.
When I read this, the very first thing I think of is the horse (Maximus) from the movie Tangled. If you haven't seen the movie, here's a clip of what Maximus is like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwqEBAYCQdc&feature=related
Horses are similar to humans in their personalities. More so than a cat or a dog. They are groomed multiple times a week, they get mad if another horse invades their personal space, some are more stubborn then others, some like to cuddle, some are energetic, some are laid back...... Anyway.... this wasn't a typical post, but I hope you enjoyed reading it.
~Melody
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Keep it simple
Church is great. Bible-based teaching in general is great. Spending an hour or two pouring over one verse can be very profitable. Discussing christian theology or controversial subjects with other believers can really give you something to chew on. But this post is about the harm that can be done in over-thinking something. Especially biblical topics.
I'm going to start off by saying this: There are a LOT of controversial subjects in the bible. Am I right? And everyone who studies the bible has a certain interpretation of those passages that cause controversy. People tend to chose one side or another, based on how they read the bible.
Some Christians really stress the context. The context of the verse, the context of the book, the time period, the ruler at that time, the other religions at that time, the place, the person who wrote it, etc.
Others are all about other verses that apply. They read a verse in Matthew, and then take verses or phrases from all over the bible that seem to say the same thing. And then they use the other verses to prove that the verse in Matthew means what they say it means.
There are some who claim that the bible is speaking figuratively (for various reasons) on passages that others claim should be taken literally.
Now nothing is wrong with looking at the context, looking up other verses that apply, or taking certain verses figuratively. The problem is that people do it to the extreme. (I can give examples of this if someone wants them.) Anyone who says that the bible is easy to understand, has never read it.
I know that I myself tend to over think a lot of things. I complicate things in my mind. And I was reminded by my camp counselor from 2 years ago, that it doesn't need to be complicated. There are things in the bible that are complicated, but biblical principles are simple, basic, and wonderful.
If someone says that God is gracious, I don't need to wonder if it is literal or figurative, or think of verses to back it up, or say "What is the context? That might not apply anymore." It is beautiful in itself and holds so much truth.
So this is my challenge to myself, and to whoever is reading this... Keep it simple. Don't over complicate things. It only confuses you.
~Melody
I'm going to start off by saying this: There are a LOT of controversial subjects in the bible. Am I right? And everyone who studies the bible has a certain interpretation of those passages that cause controversy. People tend to chose one side or another, based on how they read the bible.
Some Christians really stress the context. The context of the verse, the context of the book, the time period, the ruler at that time, the other religions at that time, the place, the person who wrote it, etc.
Others are all about other verses that apply. They read a verse in Matthew, and then take verses or phrases from all over the bible that seem to say the same thing. And then they use the other verses to prove that the verse in Matthew means what they say it means.
There are some who claim that the bible is speaking figuratively (for various reasons) on passages that others claim should be taken literally.
Now nothing is wrong with looking at the context, looking up other verses that apply, or taking certain verses figuratively. The problem is that people do it to the extreme. (I can give examples of this if someone wants them.) Anyone who says that the bible is easy to understand, has never read it.
I know that I myself tend to over think a lot of things. I complicate things in my mind. And I was reminded by my camp counselor from 2 years ago, that it doesn't need to be complicated. There are things in the bible that are complicated, but biblical principles are simple, basic, and wonderful.
If someone says that God is gracious, I don't need to wonder if it is literal or figurative, or think of verses to back it up, or say "What is the context? That might not apply anymore." It is beautiful in itself and holds so much truth.
So this is my challenge to myself, and to whoever is reading this... Keep it simple. Don't over complicate things. It only confuses you.
~Melody
Monday, August 8, 2011
Sin: The grossest, most revolting thing on the planet.
This is question presented by Pastor Francis Chan in Crazy Love.
Are we thankful that God saved us from our sin? Or the ultimate result of our sin, hell?
This question stopped me like a wall. (is that even a saying?) And after a lot of thought, I came up with an analogy.
Let's pretend that sin in manure. Every time you sin, a load of manure gets dumped on you. And no matter how hard you try, you can't get it off. It is disgusting, it smells horrible, it's slimy....and you are covered from head to toe in it. In a few months, it is going to cause a painful skin disease. Then comes Jesus, and He asks you: "Do you want me to wash this putrid stuff off of you?" And you say yes. When he washes you clean, not only does he save you from the detestable manure that was covering you, he also saves you from what would have resulted. And so God saved us from our sin, and hell.
Sin is loathsome stuff. It should nauseate us. But a lot of times we don't even care. We are just glad we aren't going to hell. We don't realize how absolutely wonderful it is to be rid of it.
~Melody
Are we thankful that God saved us from our sin? Or the ultimate result of our sin, hell?
This question stopped me like a wall. (is that even a saying?) And after a lot of thought, I came up with an analogy.
Let's pretend that sin in manure. Every time you sin, a load of manure gets dumped on you. And no matter how hard you try, you can't get it off. It is disgusting, it smells horrible, it's slimy....and you are covered from head to toe in it. In a few months, it is going to cause a painful skin disease. Then comes Jesus, and He asks you: "Do you want me to wash this putrid stuff off of you?" And you say yes. When he washes you clean, not only does he save you from the detestable manure that was covering you, he also saves you from what would have resulted. And so God saved us from our sin, and hell.
Sin is loathsome stuff. It should nauseate us. But a lot of times we don't even care. We are just glad we aren't going to hell. We don't realize how absolutely wonderful it is to be rid of it.
~Melody
Book Review: Crazy Love
Crazy Love
By Francis Chan
First off, this book is amazingly convicting. Pastor Francis Chan lays everything bare and shines a light on things we usually just glance over. He points out areas where Christians should act differently, and stresses giving God control of your whole life. He talks about how much of God we can't comprehend and why we should stop pretending we can. We have a short life on this earth, and we need to make the most of it by obeying God, glorifying Him.
I just finished reading this book, and I am going to be posting about some of the things he talked about in this book.
~Melody
By Francis Chan
First off, this book is amazingly convicting. Pastor Francis Chan lays everything bare and shines a light on things we usually just glance over. He points out areas where Christians should act differently, and stresses giving God control of your whole life. He talks about how much of God we can't comprehend and why we should stop pretending we can. We have a short life on this earth, and we need to make the most of it by obeying God, glorifying Him.
I just finished reading this book, and I am going to be posting about some of the things he talked about in this book.
~Melody
Saturday, August 6, 2011
I thirst to be made more thirsty still......
Oh God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirst for more. I am painfully conscious of my need for further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Truine God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, so that I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, "Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away." Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long.
~ Chapter 6 of Crazy Love by Francis Chan. ~
For the last couple days I have been reading the book Crazy Love. I'm a little over halfway through it, and I cannot recommend it highly enough! This book is so convicting and lays bare so many things.
I absolutely love the prayer up above. What it says about tasting God's goodness, and longing to long for more, is just so true! I accepted Christ into my heart when I was 9, but I didn't really start to grow until I was 12. When I was 12, I started attending a new church, and I went on a week-long mission trip with my youth group. That week was amazing, and when I got back, I couldn't get enough of my bible. I loved reading it. It was all I wanted to do. Every time I climbed into my bed and looked down at my bible on my dresser, I had this excitement within me, and I would spend hours reading stories in the gospels, and they suddenly became real to me. I read through letters, and questions arose in me that even my youth leaders couldn't answer for me. I was moved when David poured out his heart to God in Psalms.
But then, the thirst for God, and the longing to read it word dwindled. I was changed, and I knew so much more then I had before, but things slowed down. I started reading only a couple chapters a night. And I got caught up in school. Since then I have grown in my faith, but sometimes it's a burden to read my bible. Sometimes I don't talk to God throughout the day because I'm "too busy." Sometimes when I look down at my bible, a feeling of guilt washes over me because I forgot to read it the night before.
So when I read "I long to be filled with longing," and "I thirst to be made more thirsty still," it described me perfectly. I know I have been slacking, and I know I haven't been giving God my best, and I really want to do better. I want to have that excitement of getting to know God better that I had when I was 12. I wish I still felt like shouting for joy when I read about God's love for me. I wish stories like Noah and Ruth still drew me in so that I couldn't put down my bible until I finished it.
And I'm going to try my hardest to get back that excitement of getting to know God better.
~ Chapter 6 of Crazy Love by Francis Chan. ~
For the last couple days I have been reading the book Crazy Love. I'm a little over halfway through it, and I cannot recommend it highly enough! This book is so convicting and lays bare so many things.
I absolutely love the prayer up above. What it says about tasting God's goodness, and longing to long for more, is just so true! I accepted Christ into my heart when I was 9, but I didn't really start to grow until I was 12. When I was 12, I started attending a new church, and I went on a week-long mission trip with my youth group. That week was amazing, and when I got back, I couldn't get enough of my bible. I loved reading it. It was all I wanted to do. Every time I climbed into my bed and looked down at my bible on my dresser, I had this excitement within me, and I would spend hours reading stories in the gospels, and they suddenly became real to me. I read through letters, and questions arose in me that even my youth leaders couldn't answer for me. I was moved when David poured out his heart to God in Psalms.
But then, the thirst for God, and the longing to read it word dwindled. I was changed, and I knew so much more then I had before, but things slowed down. I started reading only a couple chapters a night. And I got caught up in school. Since then I have grown in my faith, but sometimes it's a burden to read my bible. Sometimes I don't talk to God throughout the day because I'm "too busy." Sometimes when I look down at my bible, a feeling of guilt washes over me because I forgot to read it the night before.
So when I read "I long to be filled with longing," and "I thirst to be made more thirsty still," it described me perfectly. I know I have been slacking, and I know I haven't been giving God my best, and I really want to do better. I want to have that excitement of getting to know God better that I had when I was 12. I wish I still felt like shouting for joy when I read about God's love for me. I wish stories like Noah and Ruth still drew me in so that I couldn't put down my bible until I finished it.
And I'm going to try my hardest to get back that excitement of getting to know God better.
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