Time, contrary to popular belief, is not ours to spend. We are simply borrowing it from the God who gave it to us. Every second of our lives matter in eternity. Every second should be used to glorify God and further His Kingdom. 'Me' time ceases to exist if God and Heaven are real. For example, every night before bed I used to spend 10-15 minutes playing games on the internet. 10 minutes is really not that much. If you add it up day after day however for say a week, that short 10 minutes becomes over an hour. Over a month it becomes five hours, and over a year, 60 hours. If I live to be just 70 years old and I took 10 minutes of 'me' time every single day for the rest of my life, it becomes over 3,000 hours. When I'm standing before the Lord when I die do I want to tell Him I spent those 3,000 hours taking time for myself or do I want to say I spent that time praying, getting in the Word, or even just sleeping to provide nourishment for my body? I dont know about you, but the realization of this truth means I have changes to make in my life about how I spend my time. We must realize that our time here on Earth is finite, set in stone. If we have a bank account with a finite amount of money we would be very careful about spending it, and wasting it would be absolutely out of the question. Our time is exactly the same way. We dont know when it will run out, but we certainly know it's not infinite, so wasting it should out of the picture. Colossians 3:17 says, "Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus". Paul doesn't say just "some of things you do", or even "most of the things you do", he says in ALL you do, in word and deed. How many times in your life, and even today have you had a completely meaningless conversation? Every single day we ask each other, "How are you?", and every single day we respond, "I'm good, how are you?" We aren't actually learning anything about each other. Why not ask, "How is God challenging you?", or even just "What have you been reading lately?" If we do this we can really learn, and love, and carry each others burdens. God wants ALL of our conversations and ALL of our actions and ALL of our limited time here to be used for the purpose of giving Him glory. In the words of C.T. Studd, "If Jesus Christ is God, and He died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make to Him." Please think about the implications of how your time is spent and what it means in your life.
On an ending note, I certainly dont believe that we should be going a hundred miles an hour all the time. Rest is an essential part of our faith walk, and life in general. I would urge you to think seriously about taking a Sabbath every week. That may just mean setting aside a three or four hour block of time where you can get away from all distractions (school, cell phone, internet) and just be with the Lord. In the Old Testament the Sabbath was used by Israelites to remember the things God had done for them. One thing I tend to forget rather easily is that keeping a Sabbath is actually the Fourth Commandment, which means it has just as much weight as "Thou shalt not murder" and "Thou shalt not commit adultery". God didnt stop creating after Day Six. On Day Seven He created rest, and He made it Holy. So please, when you do take 'me' time, turn it into God time, and make it Holy.
Here are some quotes that I really loved from a recent article on relevantmagazine.com called "On Time." This article was what really convicted me to write this.
"I want every step I take to be a step towards a significant event in His Kingdom, be it a conversation or some random interaction. I want my life to be used for me become less and Him becoming great."
"God wants me to utilize every second I have to know Him and to give Him glory. He wants my conversations to further His Kingdom. He wants my life to speak of His greatness. Every day is significant. Every hour is full of purpose. We should be asking ourselves what's going to happen today that is going to change me forever? How can I be hope here and now?"
"I serve a God obsessed with people. I serve a God of time who wants me to take the low place to make Him great. It's when I come to the realization that it's Him time, not mine - that I'm just borrowing it.. That's when I start taking my moments seriously and living in the fullness of Him."
"At any given moment we need to be aware of the wisest possible way to invest the moment we so briefly hold in our grasp."
Colossians 3:17
Jeremy Fritz Anderberg
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
The Poor and Our Social Responsibility
I was asked a question tonight by a fellow sister in Christ that really made me think about my current situation and how I'm affecting the Kingdom of God... If Jesus were alive today in our world, where would he be? My first thought was that he most certainly would not be on the campus of Drake University. He would be in India (where Mother Teresa spent her life in poverty), he would be in prisons, he would be on the streets with the homeless, he would be in Africa in the middle of the Aids pandemic, giving them all a hope. Why aren't I doing this? Doesn't it seem kinda ridiculous that the only people I'm giving hope to are those who pay $30,000 to get an education and then go on to jobs and become nothing but a blend of white, middle class America? It seems ridiculous to me at least..
The book of Esther kind of talks about this situation. Esther is a Jewish Queen and her surrogate father, Mordecai, is on the verge of death, along with all other Jews in the nation, unless Esther speaks up to the King about this injustice. Esther 4:14 says, "If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” Basically what that says is that if we keep quiet, others will possibly take care of the problem. It really seems however that in our culture, no one cares about those who really need caring for. That passage in Esther says that if we ignore injustice, it will come back to us on Judgment Day and that we were made for times like this.
I must say however, I am the biggest hypocrite of you all. I preach this, yet do I really do anything about it? At this point, I have to say that no I have not, and I am somewhat ashamed. I usually simply walk by a homeless person on the street instead of offering them a hot meal, and I know most of you just walk by as well. I always ask myself what happens if this guy robs me, what if he has a disease, what if I have to be to work early in the morning. All of these are absolutely valid questions mind you, but what did MLK say about this? Yesterday I brought up a quote where he said that we should develop a dangerous unselfishness. Not just the kind that gives when it's safe and easy.
Jesus spent most of his time with those who have nothing. Mother Teresa spent her life in absolute poverty for the sake of others. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his life to a people being persecuted and beaten every day. Where do I give my time? To people who are getting an education, to people who have more food than they need, to people who have a roof over their head every single night. Even as I right this I realize that I wont be immediately going into the streets helping people, and that thought kind of sickens me, but it's reality. All I can do is love God with my whole being, and hopefully along the way, help the people who really need it.
The book of Esther kind of talks about this situation. Esther is a Jewish Queen and her surrogate father, Mordecai, is on the verge of death, along with all other Jews in the nation, unless Esther speaks up to the King about this injustice. Esther 4:14 says, "If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” Basically what that says is that if we keep quiet, others will possibly take care of the problem. It really seems however that in our culture, no one cares about those who really need caring for. That passage in Esther says that if we ignore injustice, it will come back to us on Judgment Day and that we were made for times like this.
I must say however, I am the biggest hypocrite of you all. I preach this, yet do I really do anything about it? At this point, I have to say that no I have not, and I am somewhat ashamed. I usually simply walk by a homeless person on the street instead of offering them a hot meal, and I know most of you just walk by as well. I always ask myself what happens if this guy robs me, what if he has a disease, what if I have to be to work early in the morning. All of these are absolutely valid questions mind you, but what did MLK say about this? Yesterday I brought up a quote where he said that we should develop a dangerous unselfishness. Not just the kind that gives when it's safe and easy.
Jesus spent most of his time with those who have nothing. Mother Teresa spent her life in absolute poverty for the sake of others. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his life to a people being persecuted and beaten every day. Where do I give my time? To people who are getting an education, to people who have more food than they need, to people who have a roof over their head every single night. Even as I right this I realize that I wont be immediately going into the streets helping people, and that thought kind of sickens me, but it's reality. All I can do is love God with my whole being, and hopefully along the way, help the people who really need it.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Random Musings
1. I came across a couple amazing readings today in my Intro to Religion class... The first one I would like to share is a very simple saying from St. Francis of Assisi, "Beware of the sin of ingratitude." - I think it's so easy to get caught up in everything in this world that we forget about the simple things that God gives us. The grass, the blue sky, smiles.. the little things. Very simple saying, very deep and profound meaning.
2. The second comes from Martin Luther speaking on faith, "Faith is God's work in us, that changes us and gives new birth from God. Faith cannot help doing good works constantly. It doesnt stop to ask if good works ought to be done, but before anyone asks, it already has done them and continues to do them without ceasing. Faith is a living, bold trust in God's grace, so certain of God's favor that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it. Such confidence and knowledge of God's grace makes you happy, joyful and bold in your relationship to God and all creatures. It is just as impossible to separate faith and works as it is to separate heat from fire." There's a lot to digest here, but it's unbelievable. Fire doesnt think about the fact that it gives off heat, it just does. It's part of the nature of fire. This is how good works should be in our life. So many times I end up thinking about whether or not I should serve somewhere, when really it should just be an innate quality about my life...
3. The third comes from another Martin Luther, only this one has a King, Jr. tacked on at the end. He says very simply, "Let us develop a kind of dangerous unselfishness." This is so unbelievably profound. He says we should not ask the question, 'If I help this person what will happen to me', but rather, 'If I don't help this person, what will happen to them'. This truth can literally change our lives. In Matthew 6 Jesus talks about the giving to the needy and he says over and over, 'When you give to the needy...'. It doesnt say if, it says when. Jesus commands us to help the needy, but how often does that truth actually reflect our lifestyle in the least bit?
4. I'd like to quickly mention 'To Write Love On Her Arms' (TWLOHA). This is non-profit movement designed to help people struggling with depression and cutting. This is a real issue in America today, and the story behind this movement is absolutely unreal. PLEASE check out the website and the story at www.twloha.com
2. The second comes from Martin Luther speaking on faith, "Faith is God's work in us, that changes us and gives new birth from God. Faith cannot help doing good works constantly. It doesnt stop to ask if good works ought to be done, but before anyone asks, it already has done them and continues to do them without ceasing. Faith is a living, bold trust in God's grace, so certain of God's favor that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it. Such confidence and knowledge of God's grace makes you happy, joyful and bold in your relationship to God and all creatures. It is just as impossible to separate faith and works as it is to separate heat from fire." There's a lot to digest here, but it's unbelievable. Fire doesnt think about the fact that it gives off heat, it just does. It's part of the nature of fire. This is how good works should be in our life. So many times I end up thinking about whether or not I should serve somewhere, when really it should just be an innate quality about my life...
3. The third comes from another Martin Luther, only this one has a King, Jr. tacked on at the end. He says very simply, "Let us develop a kind of dangerous unselfishness." This is so unbelievably profound. He says we should not ask the question, 'If I help this person what will happen to me', but rather, 'If I don't help this person, what will happen to them'. This truth can literally change our lives. In Matthew 6 Jesus talks about the giving to the needy and he says over and over, 'When you give to the needy...'. It doesnt say if, it says when. Jesus commands us to help the needy, but how often does that truth actually reflect our lifestyle in the least bit?
4. I'd like to quickly mention 'To Write Love On Her Arms' (TWLOHA). This is non-profit movement designed to help people struggling with depression and cutting. This is a real issue in America today, and the story behind this movement is absolutely unreal. PLEASE check out the website and the story at www.twloha.com
Sunday, September 30, 2007
The Epic Story of Humanity
So I watched Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring for the first time tonight, (isn't that ridiculous in itself), and I was absolutely blown away. The theology of that movie astonishes me. The Lord has really been teaching about the story of humanity lately and how insane it really is. I've recently been reading a book called Epic that talks about this very topic...
Why does every epic story in our culture (300, LOTR, Star Wars, Narnia, Gladiator) look exactly the same? Essentially, it is some good that has gone horribly wrong, and the good guys get pitted against the bad guys, and are usually severely outnumbered. Somehow though, the good guys always pull it out.. albeit not always right away.
They all look the same because this is the basic story of humanity itself, minus the flashy special effects. The world started out good, with Eden and of course Adam and Eve. But then Evil entered the world and intoxicated it. (the Sith, the Orcs, the Persians, etc.) And then some seemingly normal character is born into this great war between Good and Evil. Luke Skywalker doesnt choose to be born into the war, neither does Frodo Baggins or the Pevinsy's of Narnia. But they are. That is inevitable. None of them felt like they had the power to change the world, but they did. None of them were special by any means, they just had outstanding courage.
The Good guys are always outnumbered by the Bad guys to the point of hopelessness. This is true of our culture today. Those who truly follow Christ are severely outnumbered. We WILL obtain victory every time however because our God is always backing us up. None of us today chose to be born into a war of Good vs. Evil, but that's just what reality is. We were born right into the middle of this Epic story, and we can be a part of it. Most people go through life without ever realizing there is a constant battle going on right under their nose. The reason we so love these epic stories is because we are in one. It may not be flashy like it is in the movies, but stories are real. Satan is real. God is real. This spiritual war is extremely real. The quicker we realize this, the more we can be prepared.
One last thing to notice.. The main character may die, but that is NEVER the end of the story. Maximus is reunited with his family in Gladiator. In Star Wars, Obi Wan gives himself over to death, but does the story end? Absolutely not. Death has no power over us, and in fact is only the beginning of our story. Our life of 70 years is NOTHING in comparison to reality. The sooner we realize this fact, the sooner we can really start doing the Lord's work while we remain on the desolate planet.
Life is an epic story, and Reality tells us that we are in a battle of Good vs. Evil. It wont always be easy to stand for good. But guess what? Good will ALWAYS prevail. PTL!
Why does every epic story in our culture (300, LOTR, Star Wars, Narnia, Gladiator) look exactly the same? Essentially, it is some good that has gone horribly wrong, and the good guys get pitted against the bad guys, and are usually severely outnumbered. Somehow though, the good guys always pull it out.. albeit not always right away.
They all look the same because this is the basic story of humanity itself, minus the flashy special effects. The world started out good, with Eden and of course Adam and Eve. But then Evil entered the world and intoxicated it. (the Sith, the Orcs, the Persians, etc.) And then some seemingly normal character is born into this great war between Good and Evil. Luke Skywalker doesnt choose to be born into the war, neither does Frodo Baggins or the Pevinsy's of Narnia. But they are. That is inevitable. None of them felt like they had the power to change the world, but they did. None of them were special by any means, they just had outstanding courage.
The Good guys are always outnumbered by the Bad guys to the point of hopelessness. This is true of our culture today. Those who truly follow Christ are severely outnumbered. We WILL obtain victory every time however because our God is always backing us up. None of us today chose to be born into a war of Good vs. Evil, but that's just what reality is. We were born right into the middle of this Epic story, and we can be a part of it. Most people go through life without ever realizing there is a constant battle going on right under their nose. The reason we so love these epic stories is because we are in one. It may not be flashy like it is in the movies, but stories are real. Satan is real. God is real. This spiritual war is extremely real. The quicker we realize this, the more we can be prepared.
One last thing to notice.. The main character may die, but that is NEVER the end of the story. Maximus is reunited with his family in Gladiator. In Star Wars, Obi Wan gives himself over to death, but does the story end? Absolutely not. Death has no power over us, and in fact is only the beginning of our story. Our life of 70 years is NOTHING in comparison to reality. The sooner we realize this fact, the sooner we can really start doing the Lord's work while we remain on the desolate planet.
Life is an epic story, and Reality tells us that we are in a battle of Good vs. Evil. It wont always be easy to stand for good. But guess what? Good will ALWAYS prevail. PTL!
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Apparantly This is My First Post
I didnt even realize this blog existed until right now... But apparantly it does, so I'm gonna start using it.
The Lord has been so good lately.. I dont even know how to describe it.
A recent story that happened might do a justice. So I went to a little festival the other night, and I got really upset because of all the money wasted on entertaining white, middle America. I felt very alone in the world that night, that this world was such a waste, and that American culture just makes me want to vomit. So I went out and had some time with the Lord, after which I was still feeling discouraged. So I got a text as I was sitting ready to go back to my dorm.. Someone had texted me their verse of the day which happened to be Philippians 3:20 which roughly tells me that my citizenship is in heaven. This little event was so unbelievable to me.. The Lord used something as simple as a text message to convict me. PTL! (Praise the Lord!)
I found a sweet blog the other day called Jesus Creed.. the main topic is the idea of the Emerging Church..
Also, one of my new favorite sites is Relevant Mag.. there are tons of amazing articles.
Two questions that popped into my head Thursday night:
Why didn't the Lord just give the Bible to man like he did the Ten Commandments vs. having people write it?
Where did Satan come from? How did he become Satan? There are all sorts of stories, but is there anywhere in the Bible that talks about how he came to be?
Thoughts on these would be AWESOME.
The Lord has been so good lately.. I dont even know how to describe it.
A recent story that happened might do a justice. So I went to a little festival the other night, and I got really upset because of all the money wasted on entertaining white, middle America. I felt very alone in the world that night, that this world was such a waste, and that American culture just makes me want to vomit. So I went out and had some time with the Lord, after which I was still feeling discouraged. So I got a text as I was sitting ready to go back to my dorm.. Someone had texted me their verse of the day which happened to be Philippians 3:20 which roughly tells me that my citizenship is in heaven. This little event was so unbelievable to me.. The Lord used something as simple as a text message to convict me. PTL! (Praise the Lord!)
I found a sweet blog the other day called Jesus Creed.. the main topic is the idea of the Emerging Church..
Also, one of my new favorite sites is Relevant Mag.. there are tons of amazing articles.
Two questions that popped into my head Thursday night:
Why didn't the Lord just give the Bible to man like he did the Ten Commandments vs. having people write it?
Where did Satan come from? How did he become Satan? There are all sorts of stories, but is there anywhere in the Bible that talks about how he came to be?
Thoughts on these would be AWESOME.
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