I had a conversation the other day with a friend on suffering. We were talking about sickness and sin and the grace of God. It got me thinking about it. It’s a subject t that has come up when I talk to unbelievers. They ask why does God let people suffer if he is a God of love? Many Christians equate suffering with sin and state that if u are sick or lacking then u must be living in sin.
Paul states in Rom ch 5 that we should rejoice in our suffering knowing that it produces endurance for the coming glory of God. And again in (Rom 8:18) "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us". Paul tells us that suffering is a part of this life, that God uses it to make us more like himself. Jesus Himself was made perfect through his suffering so that he could be connected to us in every way Heb2:10-11,5:7-9. Not just his death on the cross but his entire life as a human being. I don’t think that anyone would question that we will suffer, we live out our lives longing for the kingdom to be fulfilled living in the now of our salvation and wrestling with the not yet glorification that is so evident in our daily lives. Let us embrace the suffering and let it make us into the perfect creation that we the chosen of Christ are destined to be.
Suffering some may say does not have to be sickness. In the book of Mathew ch 8:17 Jesus fulfills the words of Isaiah “ he took our illness and bore our disease”. In James 5 we are instructed to bring the sick before the elders for healing by faith. Does this mean that all of the followers of Jesus are to be healed? We all know that we are not all free from physical sickness and pain. So is it our own fault when we are not healed? Is there a hidden sin that we must get rid of before the healing can take place? Do we just lack the faith to bring it about? We know that sin is the root cause of all that is wrong with this world, so in a sense yes sin is why we are sick or in pain. Are there times were we might be healed if we just went to the elders and prayed? I believe yes there are many times people just don’t pray, we don’t have because we don’t ask. But I don’t see that these scriptures are blankest for a total healing that we just need to grasp. We live in the kingdom but not all of his enemies are yet under his feet. We wait for the day when it all comes together and every tear is wiped away. This life is but a shadow of the things that will come (Heb 3:2-3) “Beloved we are Gods children now and what we will be has not yet appeared: but we know that when he appears we shall be like him because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” (Phil 3:2o,21) “for our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself”.
We also see from scripture that not all that ails us is because of sin. For Jesus healed a blind man that was born blind. His disciples asked if it was his mother and father who sinned or he himself that he was born blind. Jesus answered neither but that his glory would come from the healing (john ch 9). And again there is the thorn in Paul's flesh that was never removed though this great man of faith prayed many times (2 cor 12:7). Some times it seams that God allows the pain and sickness so that we keep our eyes on the cross and the coming kingdom. I would never be so bold as to tell someone that there sickness is because of a lack of faith or a sin in there life. If they truly belong to Christ then the holy spirit resided in them and ,God willing, a way of escape will be made known to them. But this we do know all things come together for the good of those who are in Christ Jesus!
We await a kingdom that was started on earth with the arrival of our advocate. He conquered death and brought us life. He showed us a taste of the kingdom yet to come that is being built as we speak. (2Cor 5:1)"For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee". I pray that I remember in all my life's struggles that I serve a great God who who brings all things about for his Glory (Isa 46:9)"Remember the former things of old for I am God, and there is no other;I am God, and there is none like me,10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done,saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,'
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
A look at Yoga
So i have been putting some thought into Yoga lately. I am working my way through P90x witch i love by the way , and it has a lot of Yoga in it. The hard core kind with the chanting and breathing techniques, and the ohms at the end in the lotus position. Well my discernment light went off at this. I pushed it aside and said to my self " i can do the stretches with out all the silly stuff". But i just couldn't push aside that feeling. So i decided to take it to scripture and do some research on the web and get behind the meaning of yoga!
I found out that Yoga has many forms and has been around since well before the birth of Christ. The Sanskrit word yoga has many meanings,and is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj, meaning "to control", "to yoke" or "to unite" . Outside India, the term yoga is typically associated with Hatha Yoga and its asanas (postures) or as a form of exercise. The poses were and still are used too help a hindu through long peroids of meditation. Many of the poses are symbols of worship to a spacific god. In India most of the idols are postured in asanas of some kind. Yoga is a huge part of the hindu religion.
So what about Christian yoga? Can you do the stretching and poses with out all the Hindu worship? I found many Christian web sites on yoga and how to practice it devoid of the easter mystesism. They claim at Yahweh yoga that its for "people to connect to themselves and God through the practice of yoga that is Christ-centered and enjoyed by all denominations of believers in Christ". Also an "Increased connection with God". Many of the people on the web site stated that they have made great friends and found that during yoga they feel closer to God and they are able to free there minds and hear God more clearly. It is very popular for churches to have Yoga classes, and well known pastor Rob Bell preached a sermon called "breathing" were in he states "In Yoga it’s not how flexible you are, it’s not whether you can do the poses, it’s not how much you can bend yourself, it’s can you keep your breath [breathes in and out] consistent [breathes out] through whatever you are doing. It’s your connection with God regardless of the pose you find yourself in. That’s integrating the divine into the daily." Churches all over America are joining in on Yoga; some play Christian music in the back ground and meditate on scripture as they stretch there bodies. Not everyone in the Christian camp is on board though. Some say "Regardless of the school or spiritual tradition, yoga practice tends to alter a person's consciousness in an occult direction."—John Ankerberg. They say leave the easter pagan practice alone you cant devoid it from the false religion.
not all of the nay sayers were Christians in fact there is a group of Hindus who wonder why Christians are stealing there religion?. "It was quite astonishing to see on the flyer “Christian Yoga! This Thursday night….” I could feel the wheels spinning in my brain. “Christian Yoga”, I thought. Now while Christians can practice yoga, I am not aware of any Christian teachings about yoga. Yoga is not a Judeo/Christian word! It is not a part of the Roman Catholic teachings and certainly not a part of protestant teachings. It is not found within the King James Version of the bible." Yogi Baba Prem continues in his blog From this I could conclude that “Christian Yoga” could only indicate one of two possibilities:
1) Christianity is threatened by yoga and is attempting to take over this system that “invaded their turf” pertaining to spiritual teachings and techniques.
2) Christianity is subconsciously attempting to return to the spiritual roots of civilization—the Vedic civilization." he wonders why we need to look for something outside our own religion too find peace and relaxation?
What does the Bible have to say about oga?. The Bible does not single out Yoga, but it does talk about acceptable worship. Look at Cane and Able, or the Golden calf in the wilderness. With the golden calf the people were looking for a viable symbol of the God who led them out of Egypt. Nehemiah 9:18 "Even when they had made for themselves a golden calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and had committed great blasphemies,". There sin was not in the fact that had worshiped another God but in that they had given God a form and this was the unacceptable worship. You see again in The days of the Kings of Israel that they worshiped in the high places, the sin is again not in every case that they were worshiping a false God (1 Kings 3:2-3,1 Kings 22:43).
There is no where in scripture where we are told to free our minds or to look inside ourselves these are eastern mystic beliefs and they are not Christian. we are told instead to deny our selves take our cross and follow Jesus (Matt 16:24). We are told too be full of the spirit and discern what is evil(Rom12:9,Eph 5:18). as for me i will leave out the yoga when i do p90x. I see no reason to take a non truth and work hard to try and manipulate it into something acceptable. If thats even possible.
I found out that Yoga has many forms and has been around since well before the birth of Christ. The Sanskrit word yoga has many meanings,and is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj, meaning "to control", "to yoke" or "to unite" . Outside India, the term yoga is typically associated with Hatha Yoga and its asanas (postures) or as a form of exercise. The poses were and still are used too help a hindu through long peroids of meditation. Many of the poses are symbols of worship to a spacific god. In India most of the idols are postured in asanas of some kind. Yoga is a huge part of the hindu religion.
So what about Christian yoga? Can you do the stretching and poses with out all the Hindu worship? I found many Christian web sites on yoga and how to practice it devoid of the easter mystesism. They claim at Yahweh yoga that its for "people to connect to themselves and God through the practice of yoga that is Christ-centered and enjoyed by all denominations of believers in Christ". Also an "Increased connection with God". Many of the people on the web site stated that they have made great friends and found that during yoga they feel closer to God and they are able to free there minds and hear God more clearly. It is very popular for churches to have Yoga classes, and well known pastor Rob Bell preached a sermon called "breathing" were in he states "In Yoga it’s not how flexible you are, it’s not whether you can do the poses, it’s not how much you can bend yourself, it’s can you keep your breath [breathes in and out] consistent [breathes out] through whatever you are doing. It’s your connection with God regardless of the pose you find yourself in. That’s integrating the divine into the daily." Churches all over America are joining in on Yoga; some play Christian music in the back ground and meditate on scripture as they stretch there bodies. Not everyone in the Christian camp is on board though. Some say "Regardless of the school or spiritual tradition, yoga practice tends to alter a person's consciousness in an occult direction."—John Ankerberg. They say leave the easter pagan practice alone you cant devoid it from the false religion.
not all of the nay sayers were Christians in fact there is a group of Hindus who wonder why Christians are stealing there religion?. "It was quite astonishing to see on the flyer “Christian Yoga! This Thursday night….” I could feel the wheels spinning in my brain. “Christian Yoga”, I thought. Now while Christians can practice yoga, I am not aware of any Christian teachings about yoga. Yoga is not a Judeo/Christian word! It is not a part of the Roman Catholic teachings and certainly not a part of protestant teachings. It is not found within the King James Version of the bible." Yogi Baba Prem continues in his blog From this I could conclude that “Christian Yoga” could only indicate one of two possibilities:
1) Christianity is threatened by yoga and is attempting to take over this system that “invaded their turf” pertaining to spiritual teachings and techniques.
2) Christianity is subconsciously attempting to return to the spiritual roots of civilization—the Vedic civilization." he wonders why we need to look for something outside our own religion too find peace and relaxation?
What does the Bible have to say about oga?. The Bible does not single out Yoga, but it does talk about acceptable worship. Look at Cane and Able, or the Golden calf in the wilderness. With the golden calf the people were looking for a viable symbol of the God who led them out of Egypt. Nehemiah 9:18 "Even when they had made for themselves a golden calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and had committed great blasphemies,". There sin was not in the fact that had worshiped another God but in that they had given God a form and this was the unacceptable worship. You see again in The days of the Kings of Israel that they worshiped in the high places, the sin is again not in every case that they were worshiping a false God (1 Kings 3:2-3,1 Kings 22:43).
There is no where in scripture where we are told to free our minds or to look inside ourselves these are eastern mystic beliefs and they are not Christian. we are told instead to deny our selves take our cross and follow Jesus (Matt 16:24). We are told too be full of the spirit and discern what is evil(Rom12:9,Eph 5:18). as for me i will leave out the yoga when i do p90x. I see no reason to take a non truth and work hard to try and manipulate it into something acceptable. If thats even possible.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
a Psalm
In the depths of my sin I cry out to you oh God. Cleans me and wash me. Sanctify my soul that I may stand blameless in your midst.
I desire the corrupt and the profane. I do not set my eyes on things that are pure. I put the world and its pleasure before you. Fallen and filthy I am undone.
People love me for the things I hate. They laugh at what I am not proud. I am elevated in my filth. No glory goes to you from my life.
My loved ones have been removed. The people of providence no longer stand with me. They are no longer a comfort to my soul. My possessions are scattered. I am alone, broken and afraid.
You oh Lord are my Rock! May I say that Jesus is all I need! I do not hide the bruises! I kiss the hurt that brings me closer to you! I cast my lot with Him who supplies Hope. May my end be much better than my beginning.
I desire the corrupt and the profane. I do not set my eyes on things that are pure. I put the world and its pleasure before you. Fallen and filthy I am undone.
People love me for the things I hate. They laugh at what I am not proud. I am elevated in my filth. No glory goes to you from my life.
My loved ones have been removed. The people of providence no longer stand with me. They are no longer a comfort to my soul. My possessions are scattered. I am alone, broken and afraid.
You oh Lord are my Rock! May I say that Jesus is all I need! I do not hide the bruises! I kiss the hurt that brings me closer to you! I cast my lot with Him who supplies Hope. May my end be much better than my beginning.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
My 1st Love
I am addicted to love. I cant get enough of it. As people we all have this inner desire to be made much of. For someone to come along and elevate us. To say “I want you more than all the others”, “you are my favorite”, I love you!”. We all deep down long for a romance to be loved and thought much of. I am a selfish sinner and I want my pride fed.
Romance and love in and of it self is not wrong. It’s a good thing two be loved and two love others. No one would fault a father for the love that he bestows on his son, it would not be thought wrong for lovers to spend countless hours on the phone and to be consumed by the thought of the other. My concern is why don’t I love and long for Jesus in this way. I constantly put the things and people that I love above him. That is wrong!
I think of the story that most believers know so well: Abraham and Isaac Gen22: God tells Abraham to offer up his only son to Him. He has been promised so much in this child. It was many years in his coming. But this man of faith takes his son and walks up that hill because he put nothing and no one in front of his God! He followed a big God, one whom he trusted to do the best and highest good for him. So many times we put the weight of our lives on the shoulders of others. We expect those whom we love to always be there for us to lift us up and bring us out of the pain and sorrow. We put them in the place of God, we make them idols. Abraham did not, he knew that God was his all his hope his life his breath, and if he wanted to take his only son from him than this mighty God who he served would fill the void. Not only feel it but be his Joy.
John Piper says “Nothing has a personal worth great enough to meet the deepest longing of our hearts”, we all long to be completed. But He is the only one who can take that longing away. We must be willing to take the ones we love and place them on the alter. We say “God you are all I want! You are all I need! I want no one, and nothing to keep me from the true highest and best making much of you”. To do this will not bring sorrow but joy! Jesus the hope of the gospel the true treasure we should long for, he will take the place of those we place before him.
I don’t want to love those I hold dear less. That is not my goal. Loving them is not wrong. Putting them before God or placing them in a roll that is meant for him alone is what is to be avoided. I want to love wide open to hold nothing back. To do this I must put Him as my first love. When I can do that I will love those I cherish more deeply and in the truest since of the word.
I pray that The God of all grace will give me the strength to lift up all those i put in His place. I give all my relationships to Him. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away blessed be the name of the Lord. May I love them more deeply by his great power and for His Glory!
Romance and love in and of it self is not wrong. It’s a good thing two be loved and two love others. No one would fault a father for the love that he bestows on his son, it would not be thought wrong for lovers to spend countless hours on the phone and to be consumed by the thought of the other. My concern is why don’t I love and long for Jesus in this way. I constantly put the things and people that I love above him. That is wrong!
I think of the story that most believers know so well: Abraham and Isaac Gen22: God tells Abraham to offer up his only son to Him. He has been promised so much in this child. It was many years in his coming. But this man of faith takes his son and walks up that hill because he put nothing and no one in front of his God! He followed a big God, one whom he trusted to do the best and highest good for him. So many times we put the weight of our lives on the shoulders of others. We expect those whom we love to always be there for us to lift us up and bring us out of the pain and sorrow. We put them in the place of God, we make them idols. Abraham did not, he knew that God was his all his hope his life his breath, and if he wanted to take his only son from him than this mighty God who he served would fill the void. Not only feel it but be his Joy.
John Piper says “Nothing has a personal worth great enough to meet the deepest longing of our hearts”, we all long to be completed. But He is the only one who can take that longing away. We must be willing to take the ones we love and place them on the alter. We say “God you are all I want! You are all I need! I want no one, and nothing to keep me from the true highest and best making much of you”. To do this will not bring sorrow but joy! Jesus the hope of the gospel the true treasure we should long for, he will take the place of those we place before him.
I don’t want to love those I hold dear less. That is not my goal. Loving them is not wrong. Putting them before God or placing them in a roll that is meant for him alone is what is to be avoided. I want to love wide open to hold nothing back. To do this I must put Him as my first love. When I can do that I will love those I cherish more deeply and in the truest since of the word.
I pray that The God of all grace will give me the strength to lift up all those i put in His place. I give all my relationships to Him. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away blessed be the name of the Lord. May I love them more deeply by his great power and for His Glory!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
New Leader
We have made history as a nation! We have elected the first black man into the white house(I know he is half white). No matter if you voted for him or not this is a monumental piece of history. Not only that but after 8yrs of Republican reign we have given over the Executive branch to the Democrats. This is what the people want. But not only that it’s what God wants. That is my point in this little piece. Psm 135:6- “Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps". Isa 46:11b-“I have spoken and I will bring it to pass. I have purposed and I will do it.” My God is not too small. The election and all that comes out of it is in His almighty and sovereign hand.
By no means do I mean to say that God blesses all those that He places in leadership. Pharaoh was put in place to honor God by his holding back the people of God and being tormented by the plagues (Romans 9). But just as in that time God had His plan, He does again here. All our days are in His mind and have been since before time (Psm 139). So let us not forget that the choice has been made and it was outside of us. It brings me so much joy and comfort to look at my big God and say that you know what is best whether it be punishment or blessing.
So, knowing that our awesome God is in control and that He does what He pleases, what is our role? If our man is not in the oval office, or even if he is it’s the same; to pray for him and trust God. We should stand up against injustice, we should not let our rights be taken from us, we should voice our opinions and lament when sin is made law. But we should do so in a spirit of humility and seasoned with grace. Righteous anger over injustice is fitting and right. But let us as believers in this great God show him through our life, in the way we love, and let us show others that we cannot be shaken.
Christians have not painted good pictures of Christ in the past when they did not like a leader. We have not shown love and we have not been Christ’s hands and feet in the political arena. We have another chance here to leave a mark on this country. Let us praise God and pray for those over us. Let us show the world that we cannot be shaken. Let us shine no matter what takes place. I pray that the God of all grace and peace will guide our new leader in right choices. That our Nation would be stronger than it was before. Let him be kept safe from harm and may he be touched by God to do all that He wills. And Lord may we, your people, show who we really are: unmovable, God-worshiping lovers of Christ. Amen.
By no means do I mean to say that God blesses all those that He places in leadership. Pharaoh was put in place to honor God by his holding back the people of God and being tormented by the plagues (Romans 9). But just as in that time God had His plan, He does again here. All our days are in His mind and have been since before time (Psm 139). So let us not forget that the choice has been made and it was outside of us. It brings me so much joy and comfort to look at my big God and say that you know what is best whether it be punishment or blessing.
So, knowing that our awesome God is in control and that He does what He pleases, what is our role? If our man is not in the oval office, or even if he is it’s the same; to pray for him and trust God. We should stand up against injustice, we should not let our rights be taken from us, we should voice our opinions and lament when sin is made law. But we should do so in a spirit of humility and seasoned with grace. Righteous anger over injustice is fitting and right. But let us as believers in this great God show him through our life, in the way we love, and let us show others that we cannot be shaken.
Christians have not painted good pictures of Christ in the past when they did not like a leader. We have not shown love and we have not been Christ’s hands and feet in the political arena. We have another chance here to leave a mark on this country. Let us praise God and pray for those over us. Let us show the world that we cannot be shaken. Let us shine no matter what takes place. I pray that the God of all grace and peace will guide our new leader in right choices. That our Nation would be stronger than it was before. Let him be kept safe from harm and may he be touched by God to do all that He wills. And Lord may we, your people, show who we really are: unmovable, God-worshiping lovers of Christ. Amen.
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