posted on facebook: July 16
1 Corinthians 8
Food Sacrificed to Idols
1 Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. 2 Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. 3 But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.
4 So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God. 5 There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords. 6 But we know that there is only one God, the
Father, who created everything, and we live for him. And there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom God made everything and through whom we have been given life.
7 However, not all believers know this. Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated. 8 It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do.
9 But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble. 10 For if others see you—with your “superior knowledge”—eating in the temple of an idol, won’t they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol? 11 So because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer for whom Christ died will be destroyed. 12 And when you sin against other believers by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ. 13 So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.
1 Corinthians 9
Paul Gives Up His Rights
1 Am I not as free as anyone else? Am I not an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus our Lord with my own eyes? Isn’t it because of my work that you belong to the Lord? 2 Even if others think I am not an apostle, I certainly am to you. You yourselves are proof that I am the Lord’s apostle.
3 This is my answer to those who question my authority. 4 Don’t we have the right to live in your homes and share your meals? 5 Don’t we have the right to bring a Christian wife with us as the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers do, and as Peter does? 6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have to work to support ourselves?
7 What soldier has to pay his own expenses? What farmer plants a vineyard and doesn’t have the right to eat some of its fruit? What shepherd cares for a flock of sheep and isn’t allowed to drink some of the milk? 8 Am I expressing merely a human opinion, or does the law say the same thing? 9 For the law of Moses says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” Was God thinking only about oxen when he said this? 10 Wasn’t he actually speaking to us? Yes, it was written for us, so that the one who plows and the one who threshes the grain might both expect a share of the harvest.
11 Since we have planted spiritual seed among you, aren’t we entitled to a harvest of physical food and drink? 12 If you support others who preach to you, shouldn’t we have an even greater right to be supported? But we have never used this right. We would rather put up with anything than be an obstacle to the Good News about Christ.
13 Don’t you realize that those who work in the temple get their meals from the offerings brought to the temple? And those who serve at the altar get a share of the sacrificial offerings. 14 In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it. 15 Yet I have never used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that I want to start now. In fact, I would rather die than lose my right to boast about preaching without charge. 16 Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News!
17 If I were doing this on my own initiative, I would deserve payment. But I have no choice, for God has given me this sacred trust. 18 What then is my pay? It is the opportunity to preach the Good News without charging anyone. That’s why I never demand my rights when I preach the Good News.
19 Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. 20 When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. 21 When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.
22 When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. 23 I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.
24 Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! 25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. 27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.
1 Corinthians 10
Lessons from Israel’s Idolatry
1 I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. 2 In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. 3 All of them ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
6 These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, 7 or worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, “The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.” 8 And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day.
9 Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. 10 And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. 11 These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.
12 If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. 13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
14 So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols. 15 You are reasonable people. Decide for yourselves if what I am saying is true. 16 When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? 17 And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body. 18 Think about the people of Israel. Weren’t they united by eating the sacrifices at the altar?
19 What am I trying to say? Am I saying that food offered to idols has some significance, or that idols are real gods? 20 No, not at all. I am saying that these sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God. And I don’t want you to participate with demons. 21 You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord’s Table and at the table of demons, too. 22 What? Do we dare to rouse the Lord’s jealousy? Do you think we are stronger than he is?
23 You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial. 24 Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.
25 So you may eat any meat that is sold in the marketplace without raising questions of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”
27 If someone who isn’t a believer asks you home for dinner, accept the invitation if you want to. Eat whatever is offered to you without raising questions of conscience. 28 (But suppose someone tells you, “This meat was offered to an idol.” Don’t eat it, out of consideration for the conscience of the one who told you. 29 It might not be a matter of conscience for you, but it is for the other person.) For why should my freedom be limited by what someone else thinks? 30 If I can thank God for the food and enjoy it, why should I be condemned for eating it?
31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God. 33 I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.
I had an amazing conversation with Paola yesterday. We talked about so much and it just encouraged me! I love talking to her and sharing ideas and thoughts. I shared some of my struggles with her and she led me to these scriptures. You may not see how they are significant to anything today, but if you look they really are. There is some awesome stuff in there. Read it. Believe it. Live it.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Everything'll be alright
This morning I was thinking about a scripture I fell in love with last summer.
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12
This was really powerful to me. Eric had it on the back of a picture he had in his bible. I thought it was so cool. It's so true too. The more threads there are in a cord, the stronger it is.
Well this summer, a year later, I've come to a realization. Any cord, no matter how thick has an end. Even if it's melted together, or tied there is a weak point in the cord. So at any point in time, after wear and tear and every day use, or if any stress is put on it, this point could begin to deteriorate and the threads can quickly unravel. If the threads aren't working together on the same goals, or headed in the same direction they're not so strong anymore.
I feel like my strongest cord, the one I love so much, the one that's made of all my favorite colors, has fallen apart. I don't know if it can be put back together. That breaks my heart.
Some things in this life are only temporary. That's why we fix our eyes on things that are unseen. I'm just glad I could have it as long as I did.
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12
This was really powerful to me. Eric had it on the back of a picture he had in his bible. I thought it was so cool. It's so true too. The more threads there are in a cord, the stronger it is.
Well this summer, a year later, I've come to a realization. Any cord, no matter how thick has an end. Even if it's melted together, or tied there is a weak point in the cord. So at any point in time, after wear and tear and every day use, or if any stress is put on it, this point could begin to deteriorate and the threads can quickly unravel. If the threads aren't working together on the same goals, or headed in the same direction they're not so strong anymore.
I feel like my strongest cord, the one I love so much, the one that's made of all my favorite colors, has fallen apart. I don't know if it can be put back together. That breaks my heart.
Some things in this life are only temporary. That's why we fix our eyes on things that are unseen. I'm just glad I could have it as long as I did.
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18
Packing my bags and I'm hitting the road...
posted on facebook: July 10
In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.
There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.
Life is tough but it doesn't matter. I'm leaning on Him. He'll bring me through it.
11 Teach me how to live, O Lord.
Lead me along the right path,
for my enemies are waiting for me.
12 Do not let me fall into their hands.
For they accuse me of things I’ve never done;
with every breath they threaten me with violence.
13 Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness
while I am here in the land of the living.
14 Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.
Psalm 27:11-14
1 month. 1 week. 5 days. ♥
In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.
There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.
Life is tough but it doesn't matter. I'm leaning on Him. He'll bring me through it.
11 Teach me how to live, O Lord.
Lead me along the right path,
for my enemies are waiting for me.
12 Do not let me fall into their hands.
For they accuse me of things I’ve never done;
with every breath they threaten me with violence.
13 Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness
while I am here in the land of the living.
14 Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.
Psalm 27:11-14
1 month. 1 week. 5 days. ♥
but you will be safe in my arms...
posted on facebook: May 13
So prom is on Friday and apparently that means it's drunk driving week. We had an assembly yesterday and then a drunk driving simulator. That wasn't too bad. Kinda the same old same old. The simulator was cool the first time but then it was just repetitive. Today on the other hand was kind of eye-opening. Not in a oh man I have a problem I need help kind of way because well, I don't drink or do drugs, but in a hey God you're awesome kind of way. :]
You see there was a panel of recovering addicts. Addictions from cocaine to alcohol. Sobriety from 1 week to 6 years. Each person got up and gave their testimony. Hi I'm so and so, I've been sober for 6 months, this is how I started, this is how I got help. Four of the six people graduated from Truman. Two of which I remember seeing in the halls. None of which I expected to see up there telling me about AA.
I started getting a little anxious when my butt grew sore from sitting in the wooden seats. I was pretty fidgety trying to find a comfortable spot. I sat there thinking why am I here? Why is this such a big deal?
Then Ashley, the third one to speak was talking to us. She was saying how she got to a point where it was go get high again and die, or pull into the parking lot of Truman and get help. She talked about how she changed her way of life and how this problem that she had was so much bigger than her. How she needed a higher power, and her higher power is God. She said she gets on her knees and prays every day for God to help her be strong, to help her overcome this addiction.
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity.
- Jeremiah 29:12-14
Another guy, Matt, told us a story about how his step dad wanted him to come to the casino with him. He knew that he shouldn't, but as soon as his step dad said it would be fine, he started to doubt his choice. Hey maybe it will be fine. Maybe I can just go. But he knew inside he couldn't. He said he prayed the whole way there for God to help him, for God to tell him what to do. Matt isn't 21 yet, but he knew that the place they were going let underage people in all the time. I guess not when those underage people have God on their side. His step dad tried everything to get him in, but those guys in the red coats would not let it happen. I bet there were wings under those red coats.
So as I left that auditorium, thinking about everything I just heard, I realized why I was there. There was one common strength among all of those people. God.
God was speaking to me. God was speaking to me through a group of alcoholics. Through a group of Him. I left ashamed that my relationship with my Father isn't as good as theirs. It shouldn't take a disease taking our lives over to see that God is all we need. I shouldn't have to hit rock bottom before I get down on my knees and ask for help.
I thought it was so awesome to see these people who were just like me and my peers. They were just like the people I talk to every day who I think would want nothing to do with God.
One of the major points the panel made was that people go to alcohol because they hate themselves. The alcohol made them feel like they were a better person, the person they wanted to be, but with the help of AA they realized what they were doing and now they really are themselves, living the lives they want to live. Well today I realized that I'm not living the life I want to live. No I don't hate myself. No I don't use alcohol to make me who I want to be. But I do hold back because of what people might think about me. I need to start living like Jesus. Seeing God in every person and hoping that they want to know Him, unafraid of persecution. You never know who wants, or more importantly NEEDS God. So I'm gonna skip the whole alcoholic part and go straight to the live a better life part.
Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.
- 1 Chronicles 28:20
I guess another reason I was so wowed by the assembly was because of the open use of God and the idea of a relationship with Him in school. It's ok to talk about Him when we're addicted to something and need Him to help us out, but other then that He's useless. No one broke out in offense because a higher power was being talked about. No one debated their ideas. It's crazy that someone so big and great can help so many people beat addiction, but He can't be talked about in school.
For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners. - Matthew 9:13
God speaks to us in many ways. You have to open your eyes and find Him. Find Him in the alcohols at AA. Find Him in the orphans in Honduras. Find Him in your mom.
I pray that we all open our eyes to blessings God has given us. That we all see how much we take for granted and we be thank for it. I pray that we see Jesus everywhere. That we put on our Jesus glasses and love everyone.
Tomorrow is the mock crash. I'm sure I'll cry a lot. It's going to be a rough day.
So prom is on Friday and apparently that means it's drunk driving week. We had an assembly yesterday and then a drunk driving simulator. That wasn't too bad. Kinda the same old same old. The simulator was cool the first time but then it was just repetitive. Today on the other hand was kind of eye-opening. Not in a oh man I have a problem I need help kind of way because well, I don't drink or do drugs, but in a hey God you're awesome kind of way. :]
You see there was a panel of recovering addicts. Addictions from cocaine to alcohol. Sobriety from 1 week to 6 years. Each person got up and gave their testimony. Hi I'm so and so, I've been sober for 6 months, this is how I started, this is how I got help. Four of the six people graduated from Truman. Two of which I remember seeing in the halls. None of which I expected to see up there telling me about AA.
I started getting a little anxious when my butt grew sore from sitting in the wooden seats. I was pretty fidgety trying to find a comfortable spot. I sat there thinking why am I here? Why is this such a big deal?
Then Ashley, the third one to speak was talking to us. She was saying how she got to a point where it was go get high again and die, or pull into the parking lot of Truman and get help. She talked about how she changed her way of life and how this problem that she had was so much bigger than her. How she needed a higher power, and her higher power is God. She said she gets on her knees and prays every day for God to help her be strong, to help her overcome this addiction.
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity.
- Jeremiah 29:12-14
Another guy, Matt, told us a story about how his step dad wanted him to come to the casino with him. He knew that he shouldn't, but as soon as his step dad said it would be fine, he started to doubt his choice. Hey maybe it will be fine. Maybe I can just go. But he knew inside he couldn't. He said he prayed the whole way there for God to help him, for God to tell him what to do. Matt isn't 21 yet, but he knew that the place they were going let underage people in all the time. I guess not when those underage people have God on their side. His step dad tried everything to get him in, but those guys in the red coats would not let it happen. I bet there were wings under those red coats.
So as I left that auditorium, thinking about everything I just heard, I realized why I was there. There was one common strength among all of those people. God.
God was speaking to me. God was speaking to me through a group of alcoholics. Through a group of Him. I left ashamed that my relationship with my Father isn't as good as theirs. It shouldn't take a disease taking our lives over to see that God is all we need. I shouldn't have to hit rock bottom before I get down on my knees and ask for help.
I thought it was so awesome to see these people who were just like me and my peers. They were just like the people I talk to every day who I think would want nothing to do with God.
One of the major points the panel made was that people go to alcohol because they hate themselves. The alcohol made them feel like they were a better person, the person they wanted to be, but with the help of AA they realized what they were doing and now they really are themselves, living the lives they want to live. Well today I realized that I'm not living the life I want to live. No I don't hate myself. No I don't use alcohol to make me who I want to be. But I do hold back because of what people might think about me. I need to start living like Jesus. Seeing God in every person and hoping that they want to know Him, unafraid of persecution. You never know who wants, or more importantly NEEDS God. So I'm gonna skip the whole alcoholic part and go straight to the live a better life part.
Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.
- 1 Chronicles 28:20
I guess another reason I was so wowed by the assembly was because of the open use of God and the idea of a relationship with Him in school. It's ok to talk about Him when we're addicted to something and need Him to help us out, but other then that He's useless. No one broke out in offense because a higher power was being talked about. No one debated their ideas. It's crazy that someone so big and great can help so many people beat addiction, but He can't be talked about in school.
For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners. - Matthew 9:13
God speaks to us in many ways. You have to open your eyes and find Him. Find Him in the alcohols at AA. Find Him in the orphans in Honduras. Find Him in your mom.
I pray that we all open our eyes to blessings God has given us. That we all see how much we take for granted and we be thank for it. I pray that we see Jesus everywhere. That we put on our Jesus glasses and love everyone.
Tomorrow is the mock crash. I'm sure I'll cry a lot. It's going to be a rough day.
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