I was reading the "Our Daily Bread" devotional this morning and it stated that in the United States and Canada, 85 billion dollars was spent last year on lottery tickets. 85 billion! I can't even imagine those kind of figures. Money spent with the hope that it will turn in to more money.
I never did real well with math when I was in school, but I wanted to take a shot at calculating what you could do with 85 billion dollars, if it was channelled in a different direction,
Just recently we had Jay Calder who represents Compassion of Canada speak to our congregation. For the price of a cup of coffee from Tim Horton's you can support a child, feed them, clothe them, educate them and guide them to God through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
$1.60/day = $584.00 annually = 1 Child sponsored
$85 billion = 145,547,945 Children Sponsored
Gospel for Asia supports national missionaries to minister in their own environments. It takes between $120 and $360 per month on average to support a national missionary. For our math, let's take the higher figure.
$360.00/month = $4,320.00 annually = One Missionary Supported
$85 billion = 19,675,926 national pastors supported.
I am aware that I am coming at this money from my bias. Maybe you don't care about national pastors and children finding faith. But my point is this, that amount of money could change the world drastically for the better. I am pretty confident that 85 billion dollars can make a dent in a lot of major issues on our planet. It could resource food banks, homeless shelters, camps, drug rehab centres and on and on.
Jesus talked about in Luke 12:48, "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." For some reason God has allowed us in North America to have much. But because of that the demands on us are higher.
I don't think God is pleased when we flitter away the resources he has given to us on the vain attempt of "instant wealth". I think God would be more pleased if we invested that money in what really matters, one dollar at a time.
pj
Wednesday, 13 May 2015
Wednesday, 29 April 2015
Time and Technology
I just got a new cell phone. It's not the newest and the best, but in comparison to the one I had, it's way better. The battery actually lasted all day. My app updates don't fail because of lack of storage. I like it a lot. Technology is amazing! I cannot believe what my phone is capable of, and that's just what I know. It probably does way more than that. For the couple years I have it, I hope it serves me well.
That last phrase is really the big question: Will it serve me or will I serve it? Technology has a dark side. The problem comes when our technology starts to control us, instead of us controlling it. Really, it's not the phone or tablet's fault. It is just metal, plastic, glass and whatever else it's made of. There is nothing evil or dark about these things. In many regards it reminds me of the Apostle Paul's words in 1 Timothy 6:10 when he talks about money, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." Sometimes people will say that money is evil. Money is not evil, it's just paper (I guess polymer if you live in Canada) and metal. It's the love of money that makes it the root of evil. So, getting back to technology, it is not evil, but it's misuse can be extremely detrimental.
It can be dangerously distracting. I'm glad I live in Ontario and the government has made it illegal to use a phone will driving, but the problem is many continue to do so. I love this commercial that Volkswagen has put out, it shows very clearly the danger.
I have heard of people walking in to manholes, crashing bicycles, walking into walls, falling downstairs, falling into fountains and having to have surgery or physiotherapy because of physical ailments because of over use. We are also just beginning to get the stats on the long term physical affects of phones on people. But they can also easily move from being a dangerous distraction to just being a huge waste of time.
A 2009 study conducted by the Nielsen-funded Council for Research Excellence and by Ball State University’s Center for Media Design (Council for Research Excellence) According to this study, the average person spends twenty-eight hours in front of their television each week. This is in addition to the sixteen hours a week, on average, that we spend in front of our computers.
Okay, I'm not a mathematician. Actually, I failed grade 11 academic/advanced math. But according to my calculations, if they are even close to being true, we spent 4.8 hours daily in front of a screen. Some of that time is work related. I am sitting on my computer right now. It's a part of my job. But a lot of times we end up wasting tons of time. I love games, and I could waste my whole day playing Candy Crush, Trivia Crack, Battle Cats, Angry Birds, Scrabble and whatever other games are out there. I could watch sports or movies all the time. These things aren't necessarily bad, but when they waste so much of our time, they can become a great detriment. Again the Apostle Paul has some great thoughts on this in Ephesians 5:15-18, "Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but inderstand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine...but be filled with the Spirit."
Paul warns them about the wasting of time and he picks an addictive behaviour as the thing that needs to be avoided. The addiction he chooses is the misuse of alcohol, but the new addiction seems to be technology. I have seen teens weep and grief over broken technology and compare it to the loss of a child. I have seen them have symptoms of withdrawl without their devices. Paul says addictions are unwise and keep us from understanding God's will. He says there is a better alternative...be filled with the spirit.
I found this prayer in a blog by Scotty Smith, the Pastor of Christ Comminity Church in Franklin, Tennesse, called a "Prayer for a Fresh Stirring and Filling of the Holy Spirit." I was greatly moved by it and would encourage you to make it your prayer.
One other problem that technology and just busyness in general does, is that it can rob you of the moment that you are in. Almost all of us have experienced a time when they have seen someone so engaged with their technology that they were not even there. I remember the first time I saw this. I was at a restaurant and two people were having lunch, but instead of talking to each other they were on their phones while they ate. They were not fully-present. We need to try and live in the moment - be where we are. How do you do that? Let me give you three suggestions;
1. Turn it off. Have technology free parts of your day.
2. Tune in. Actively listen to what the person you are talking is saying.
3. Don't be in a hurry. Many times we rush, because we think we should be doing something else.
Let your technology serve you, not the other way around.
pj
That last phrase is really the big question: Will it serve me or will I serve it? Technology has a dark side. The problem comes when our technology starts to control us, instead of us controlling it. Really, it's not the phone or tablet's fault. It is just metal, plastic, glass and whatever else it's made of. There is nothing evil or dark about these things. In many regards it reminds me of the Apostle Paul's words in 1 Timothy 6:10 when he talks about money, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." Sometimes people will say that money is evil. Money is not evil, it's just paper (I guess polymer if you live in Canada) and metal. It's the love of money that makes it the root of evil. So, getting back to technology, it is not evil, but it's misuse can be extremely detrimental.
It can be dangerously distracting. I'm glad I live in Ontario and the government has made it illegal to use a phone will driving, but the problem is many continue to do so. I love this commercial that Volkswagen has put out, it shows very clearly the danger.
I have heard of people walking in to manholes, crashing bicycles, walking into walls, falling downstairs, falling into fountains and having to have surgery or physiotherapy because of physical ailments because of over use. We are also just beginning to get the stats on the long term physical affects of phones on people. But they can also easily move from being a dangerous distraction to just being a huge waste of time.
A 2009 study conducted by the Nielsen-funded Council for Research Excellence and by Ball State University’s Center for Media Design (Council for Research Excellence) According to this study, the average person spends twenty-eight hours in front of their television each week. This is in addition to the sixteen hours a week, on average, that we spend in front of our computers.
Okay, I'm not a mathematician. Actually, I failed grade 11 academic/advanced math. But according to my calculations, if they are even close to being true, we spent 4.8 hours daily in front of a screen. Some of that time is work related. I am sitting on my computer right now. It's a part of my job. But a lot of times we end up wasting tons of time. I love games, and I could waste my whole day playing Candy Crush, Trivia Crack, Battle Cats, Angry Birds, Scrabble and whatever other games are out there. I could watch sports or movies all the time. These things aren't necessarily bad, but when they waste so much of our time, they can become a great detriment. Again the Apostle Paul has some great thoughts on this in Ephesians 5:15-18, "Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but inderstand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine...but be filled with the Spirit."
Paul warns them about the wasting of time and he picks an addictive behaviour as the thing that needs to be avoided. The addiction he chooses is the misuse of alcohol, but the new addiction seems to be technology. I have seen teens weep and grief over broken technology and compare it to the loss of a child. I have seen them have symptoms of withdrawl without their devices. Paul says addictions are unwise and keep us from understanding God's will. He says there is a better alternative...be filled with the spirit.
I found this prayer in a blog by Scotty Smith, the Pastor of Christ Comminity Church in Franklin, Tennesse, called a "Prayer for a Fresh Stirring and Filling of the Holy Spirit." I was greatly moved by it and would encourage you to make it your prayer.
One other problem that technology and just busyness in general does, is that it can rob you of the moment that you are in. Almost all of us have experienced a time when they have seen someone so engaged with their technology that they were not even there. I remember the first time I saw this. I was at a restaurant and two people were having lunch, but instead of talking to each other they were on their phones while they ate. They were not fully-present. We need to try and live in the moment - be where we are. How do you do that? Let me give you three suggestions;
1. Turn it off. Have technology free parts of your day.
2. Tune in. Actively listen to what the person you are talking is saying.
3. Don't be in a hurry. Many times we rush, because we think we should be doing something else.
Let your technology serve you, not the other way around.
pj
Tuesday, 21 April 2015
I Get Knocked Down
It has been four weeks since my last blog post.
It has been four really bad weeks.
Discouraging, difficult and depressing.
But it's time to get out of the mud and keep pressing on.
Is life any better? Not really.
Is life really that bad? Probably not as bad as I think it is.
In life I will get knocked down. It is just a part of life. But I will determine to give Glory to God in the midst of whatever I am going through. By God's strength I am getting back up again.
Onward and Upward
It has been four really bad weeks.
Discouraging, difficult and depressing.
But it's time to get out of the mud and keep pressing on.
Is life any better? Not really.
Is life really that bad? Probably not as bad as I think it is.
In life I will get knocked down. It is just a part of life. But I will determine to give Glory to God in the midst of whatever I am going through. By God's strength I am getting back up again.
Onward and Upward
Tuesday, 24 March 2015
One Another Scriptures from the New Testament
This is an infographic from
http://overviewbible.com/one-another-infographic/
I thought it did an excellent job of highlighting all the "One Another" scriptures in the New Testament. Thanks to Jerry Kranz for making this available.
http://overviewbible.com/one-another-infographic/
I thought it did an excellent job of highlighting all the "One Another" scriptures in the New Testament. Thanks to Jerry Kranz for making this available.
Tuesday, 17 March 2015
Good News and Bad News
I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first? I have often heard that if you want to develop a new habit that it will take 21 days. If I do this new pattern for that period of time it will become like second nature to me. I have also heard that the principle also applies to removing negative habits as well. If I remove a bad habit for 21 days, it will be permanently removed from my life. The bad news is that it is not true. There is no scientific evidence to back this up. In Michael Hyatt's blog called "This is Your Life" in his post "How to Make a New Habit Stick" he says this:
It turns out the twenty-one day "rule" is a myth with practically no scientific basis. If we're trying to do something simple and easy, it might work...acquiring complex of challenging habits will probably take us a lot longer.
How long?
Researchers at University College tracked people attempting to form different types of new habits. Instead of three or four weeks, they found it took an average of sixty-six days for new habits ti become automatic. And they projected that some would take more than 250 days. (For the rest of Michael Hyatt's article click on this link http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=52d5c7778a3adfda535c3b349&id=bd07e0be63&e=0852842c2a )
Now, this stat, you are probably saying is two things: depressing and unspiritual. The first one you are right, it can be a little discouraging. Two months to almost a year seems like a long time to develop good habits, but I have found it to be generally true in my experience. The second idea is the one we often struggle with. It seems almost unspiritual to have to work for such an extended period of time to establish good spiritual habits so I can be a disciple of Christ. Shouldn't I just be zapped from above with this noble desire? In some areas of my spiritual journey I have been waiting for this divine zap for an extended period of time, and it hasn't come. If it has happened to you, God has empowered you in this way, revel in it. Thank God for it. For the rest of us, the call will be to show discipline. It's interesting that the word "disciple" and "discipline" come from the same root word. Basically implying that being a disciple of Jesus requires discipline. I shared this comic in my message, a couple weeks ago, because its message is poignant.
Being a disciple of Jesus requires discipline. The bible uses another term for the ability to be able to discipline yourself on the spiritual journey. It is self-control. The Apostle Paul in his list of characteristics that should be evidenced in the spiritual life, he calls them fruit of the Spirit, included self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23). Self-control is the ability, by the help of the Spirit, to control or discipline ourselves so we can move towards maturity.
We live in a very instant society. We buy things and then we pay for them later. We wait impatiently for food to come out of a microwave. We are always trying to find ways of fast tracking everything. The problem is spiritual maturity takes time, energy and self-control. In many regards I see self control as the "lost fruit" of our society. We find it very difficult to wait for anything. Especially in the areas of spirituality, when the rewards come slowly and are sometimes a little bit more ethereal.
Now, you are probably thinking, you said there was good news...I don't see any good news yet. The good news is that God wants us to move towards maturity and to become more like Christ. God is also faithful to complete the work that he begins in you. (Philippians 1:6) You will develop and grow if you do not give up (Galatians 6:9).
Let me give you a few baby steps that we can do in order to start growing in this area.
1. Write down your growth area and a goal that you like to move towards. What area does God want you to grow and mature in? Let's say it's reading your Bible- that's your growth area. The goal is that you will read your Bible for ten minutes while you drink your coffee in the morning.
2. Pray something like this "God, I know you have called me to grow in (insert your area of growth) would you help me to have the self-control to do this."
3. Give Yourself Grace. Don't beat yourself up if you mess up. You are going to make mistakes, but the important thing is to keep trying and don't slip back in to old patterns
4. Don't Try to Do Too Much. I started writing down all the growth areas and goals I wanted to accomplish and I just about wanted to quit. I had to pull back and set some limits or I would have become overwhelmed and done nothing instead. Small incremental change is what God wants us to move towards.
5. Keep Growing. Keep moving ahead. The temptation is to plateau and stop growing. God always has new areas he wants us to mature in.
So, there it is! The bad news is that change often takes longer than we would want. The good news is that by God's help and the development of self control, change is possible.
pj
It turns out the twenty-one day "rule" is a myth with practically no scientific basis. If we're trying to do something simple and easy, it might work...acquiring complex of challenging habits will probably take us a lot longer.
How long?
Researchers at University College tracked people attempting to form different types of new habits. Instead of three or four weeks, they found it took an average of sixty-six days for new habits ti become automatic. And they projected that some would take more than 250 days. (For the rest of Michael Hyatt's article click on this link http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=52d5c7778a3adfda535c3b349&id=bd07e0be63&e=0852842c2a )
Now, this stat, you are probably saying is two things: depressing and unspiritual. The first one you are right, it can be a little discouraging. Two months to almost a year seems like a long time to develop good habits, but I have found it to be generally true in my experience. The second idea is the one we often struggle with. It seems almost unspiritual to have to work for such an extended period of time to establish good spiritual habits so I can be a disciple of Christ. Shouldn't I just be zapped from above with this noble desire? In some areas of my spiritual journey I have been waiting for this divine zap for an extended period of time, and it hasn't come. If it has happened to you, God has empowered you in this way, revel in it. Thank God for it. For the rest of us, the call will be to show discipline. It's interesting that the word "disciple" and "discipline" come from the same root word. Basically implying that being a disciple of Jesus requires discipline. I shared this comic in my message, a couple weeks ago, because its message is poignant.
Being a disciple of Jesus requires discipline. The bible uses another term for the ability to be able to discipline yourself on the spiritual journey. It is self-control. The Apostle Paul in his list of characteristics that should be evidenced in the spiritual life, he calls them fruit of the Spirit, included self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23). Self-control is the ability, by the help of the Spirit, to control or discipline ourselves so we can move towards maturity.
We live in a very instant society. We buy things and then we pay for them later. We wait impatiently for food to come out of a microwave. We are always trying to find ways of fast tracking everything. The problem is spiritual maturity takes time, energy and self-control. In many regards I see self control as the "lost fruit" of our society. We find it very difficult to wait for anything. Especially in the areas of spirituality, when the rewards come slowly and are sometimes a little bit more ethereal.
Now, you are probably thinking, you said there was good news...I don't see any good news yet. The good news is that God wants us to move towards maturity and to become more like Christ. God is also faithful to complete the work that he begins in you. (Philippians 1:6) You will develop and grow if you do not give up (Galatians 6:9).
Let me give you a few baby steps that we can do in order to start growing in this area.
1. Write down your growth area and a goal that you like to move towards. What area does God want you to grow and mature in? Let's say it's reading your Bible- that's your growth area. The goal is that you will read your Bible for ten minutes while you drink your coffee in the morning.
2. Pray something like this "God, I know you have called me to grow in (insert your area of growth) would you help me to have the self-control to do this."
3. Give Yourself Grace. Don't beat yourself up if you mess up. You are going to make mistakes, but the important thing is to keep trying and don't slip back in to old patterns
4. Don't Try to Do Too Much. I started writing down all the growth areas and goals I wanted to accomplish and I just about wanted to quit. I had to pull back and set some limits or I would have become overwhelmed and done nothing instead. Small incremental change is what God wants us to move towards.
5. Keep Growing. Keep moving ahead. The temptation is to plateau and stop growing. God always has new areas he wants us to mature in.
So, there it is! The bad news is that change often takes longer than we would want. The good news is that by God's help and the development of self control, change is possible.
pj
Wednesday, 11 March 2015
I Surrender 10%
If you go to the grocery store you will see a myriad of lite products. Most of the products make promises that they will have all the flavour and half the calories or something to that extent. Many times I have been disappointed with these products and they have not lived up to their billing. I remember I once bought a lite margarine and tried making some grilled cheese sandwiches with it. It just made the bread soggy and it stuck to the frying pan. Now, I know not all these products are bad, but generally I have found them to be a pale substitute of the original.
Sometimes, on my spiritual journey I have tried to live a lite version of faith in Jesus Christ. All the benefits and rewards of being in a relationship with Him, without too much cost. The theme song of this group would be "I Surrender 10%"
Ten Percent to Jesus I surrender.
A little bit I grudgingly give
I will sort of love and trust him,
In his presence, when I have time.
Ten Percent to Jesus I surrender.
Might give a Sunday all to Thee
Worldly pleasures partially forsaken
But, I want your blessings to fall on me.
I surrender ten percent
I surrender ten percent
Ten percent to Jesus I surrender
I surrender ten percent.
Jesus was pretty clear on the kind of commitment that he was looking for from his followers. It was his radical call it this area that really thinned the ranks, because it was really a call to die. The famous German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer said it this way, "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die."
The apostle Paul expressed this in Romans 6:11 when he says, "Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." He goes on and reiterates the same thought in Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me."
David Nasser in his book A Call to Die challenges his readers to answer this question, ""Will you make the effort to find your tailor-made call to die?"
Listen to what he writes:
The call to die is open to all of us who believe, but few of us will follow when we know the real cost of discipline. It's much easier to be a nice Christian than a radical one. It's much more fun to be entertained by Jesus and the church than to struggle and strain in the pursuit of purity and the presence of God. No, the call to die is not for everybody - only for those who are serious about experiencing the greatest adventure that life has to offer. If you choose to answer that call, you will be in for some very hard moments, but take heart: it's well worth it in the end. "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)*
We are trying to move as a church to be disciples who make disciples. But I think the issue you and I need to confront if we want to do this is, have I counted the cost (like Jesus asked us to do) and am I going to really be a disciple of Christ?
Jesus met a man who was keen on being a follower and he wanted to know what he had to do. He wanted to know what he was signing up for - the bottom line. Jesus knew his heart and saw that the number one thing that was going to hinder him in following Christ was his stuff. So, he told the man - sell it all. Scripture tells us that he left Jesus a sad man, because he couldn't do it.
Jesus meets us and the same way. He looks at your heart and finds the one thing that is standing in the way of us being a fully-committed disciple of him. He tells us to let that one thing go. It may be the one thing from scripture, the letting go of our money and possessions, it may be our security, it may be our plans, it may be a relationship or it may be something else. But Jesus knows what it is, and so do you. He tells us to let it go and follow Him. Could this be part of the reason depression is rampant in the church? Could this be the reason we feel so unfulfilled in our activities? We have been confronted with Jesus' call of discipleship and we have walked away sad.
Jesus will never be content with a lite-commitment to him. He will never be satisfied with a 10% surrender to him. He likes the original version of the song - ALL to Jesus I surrender.
John
* David Nasser; A Call to Die Copyright 2000 Redemptive Art Publishing pg.17
http://www.amazon.ca/Call-Die-Journey-Fasting-Feasting/dp/097924790X
Sometimes, on my spiritual journey I have tried to live a lite version of faith in Jesus Christ. All the benefits and rewards of being in a relationship with Him, without too much cost. The theme song of this group would be "I Surrender 10%"Ten Percent to Jesus I surrender.
A little bit I grudgingly give
I will sort of love and trust him,
In his presence, when I have time.
Ten Percent to Jesus I surrender.
Might give a Sunday all to Thee
Worldly pleasures partially forsaken
But, I want your blessings to fall on me.
I surrender ten percent
I surrender ten percent
Ten percent to Jesus I surrender
I surrender ten percent.
Jesus was pretty clear on the kind of commitment that he was looking for from his followers. It was his radical call it this area that really thinned the ranks, because it was really a call to die. The famous German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer said it this way, "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die."
The apostle Paul expressed this in Romans 6:11 when he says, "Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." He goes on and reiterates the same thought in Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me."
David Nasser in his book A Call to Die challenges his readers to answer this question, ""Will you make the effort to find your tailor-made call to die?"
Listen to what he writes:
The call to die is open to all of us who believe, but few of us will follow when we know the real cost of discipline. It's much easier to be a nice Christian than a radical one. It's much more fun to be entertained by Jesus and the church than to struggle and strain in the pursuit of purity and the presence of God. No, the call to die is not for everybody - only for those who are serious about experiencing the greatest adventure that life has to offer. If you choose to answer that call, you will be in for some very hard moments, but take heart: it's well worth it in the end. "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)*
We are trying to move as a church to be disciples who make disciples. But I think the issue you and I need to confront if we want to do this is, have I counted the cost (like Jesus asked us to do) and am I going to really be a disciple of Christ?
Jesus met a man who was keen on being a follower and he wanted to know what he had to do. He wanted to know what he was signing up for - the bottom line. Jesus knew his heart and saw that the number one thing that was going to hinder him in following Christ was his stuff. So, he told the man - sell it all. Scripture tells us that he left Jesus a sad man, because he couldn't do it.
Jesus meets us and the same way. He looks at your heart and finds the one thing that is standing in the way of us being a fully-committed disciple of him. He tells us to let that one thing go. It may be the one thing from scripture, the letting go of our money and possessions, it may be our security, it may be our plans, it may be a relationship or it may be something else. But Jesus knows what it is, and so do you. He tells us to let it go and follow Him. Could this be part of the reason depression is rampant in the church? Could this be the reason we feel so unfulfilled in our activities? We have been confronted with Jesus' call of discipleship and we have walked away sad.
Jesus will never be content with a lite-commitment to him. He will never be satisfied with a 10% surrender to him. He likes the original version of the song - ALL to Jesus I surrender.
John
* David Nasser; A Call to Die Copyright 2000 Redemptive Art Publishing pg.17
http://www.amazon.ca/Call-Die-Journey-Fasting-Feasting/dp/097924790X
Wednesday, 4 March 2015
The Rubik's Cube and the Bible
I got my first Rubik's cube when I was in Grade 8, way back in 1978. They were all the rage back then. I played with it until it was stolen on a field trip in grade nine. I find in interesting to see the resurgence of interest in these toys again. I often see young people spinning this cubes gracefully in their hands, solving the 3D combination puzzle with what looks like the skill of a mathematician.
When they first came out there was really only a few ways to figure it out. You worked at it till you got it, you bought a book to learn how or you found someone who had figured it out and they taught you. We had no Internet or you tube to help us solve this dilemma, it took an investment of time. I am embarrassed to say, it has been over 30 years since I got that first Rubik's cube and I have never, not once, solved the puzzle. I toyed with this game, but I never became a master of it. The question that I ask myself periodically is, "Could I have mastered this puzzle?" I mean really master it, not taking the stickers off and putting them back on like some people did. You know who you are and we know you cheated! The answer I believe is a resounding yes. My excuses are that I didn't have the proper tools, it was too hard, someone stole my cube (The fact that I mentioned this twice probably shows I'm still ticked off about this) and eventually I just lost interest.
On Sunday, we talked about another one of the principles of the Way of Jesus, that we are to learning the teachings of Jesus, The main place to be learning the teachings of Jesus is in God's Word: the Bible. I sometimes see comparisons between my treatment of God's word and my Rubik's cube. I have been reading my Bible since I was a teenager. Even though I have attended Bible College, I feel like I have toyed with God's Word more than I have become a master.
2 Timothy 2:15, known as the AWANA verse at our church, because it is that ministries theme verse and where it derives its name: Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed, encourages us to: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the truth." If you have seen someone who is good at a Rubik's cube, you know they can correctly handle it. The spin and turn with a confidence that is amazing to watch. For those of us who are followers of Jesus, we should be handling God's word with the same kind or expertise and precision. Or as the modern vernacular puts it, "Handling it like a boss!"
The writer of Hebrews tells us that the passage of time should be moving us deeper in our understanding of scripture, so much so that we should be teachers of this biblical knowledge to others. (See Hebrew 5:11-14). The writer notes that often times though, we remain novices instead of moving towards maturity and mastery
In order to move in that direction it is going to take a commitment of time, energy and application. We are going to have to commit to daily getting in to God's Word. We can not just merely toy with the Bible either, it is going to takes some dedicated effort on our behalf. We also need to realize that studying God's word is not merely an academic, knowledge-based pursuit, it always needs to be working itself out in the context of real life. Some of us through time have started to use my excuses that I used for not being good at the Rubik's cube and have lost interest in God's word. Let's pray that God rekindles a new desire for learning the teachings of Jesus.
Last week, a man set a new world record by solving 5 Rubik's cubes, with one hand in 1 minute. You can check out the video at the following link
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-03/rubiks-cube-world-record/6278176
Just imagine what the church would be like if we could handle the Word of God with that same type of competency.
John
When they first came out there was really only a few ways to figure it out. You worked at it till you got it, you bought a book to learn how or you found someone who had figured it out and they taught you. We had no Internet or you tube to help us solve this dilemma, it took an investment of time. I am embarrassed to say, it has been over 30 years since I got that first Rubik's cube and I have never, not once, solved the puzzle. I toyed with this game, but I never became a master of it. The question that I ask myself periodically is, "Could I have mastered this puzzle?" I mean really master it, not taking the stickers off and putting them back on like some people did. You know who you are and we know you cheated! The answer I believe is a resounding yes. My excuses are that I didn't have the proper tools, it was too hard, someone stole my cube (The fact that I mentioned this twice probably shows I'm still ticked off about this) and eventually I just lost interest. On Sunday, we talked about another one of the principles of the Way of Jesus, that we are to learning the teachings of Jesus, The main place to be learning the teachings of Jesus is in God's Word: the Bible. I sometimes see comparisons between my treatment of God's word and my Rubik's cube. I have been reading my Bible since I was a teenager. Even though I have attended Bible College, I feel like I have toyed with God's Word more than I have become a master.
2 Timothy 2:15, known as the AWANA verse at our church, because it is that ministries theme verse and where it derives its name: Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed, encourages us to: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the truth." If you have seen someone who is good at a Rubik's cube, you know they can correctly handle it. The spin and turn with a confidence that is amazing to watch. For those of us who are followers of Jesus, we should be handling God's word with the same kind or expertise and precision. Or as the modern vernacular puts it, "Handling it like a boss!"
The writer of Hebrews tells us that the passage of time should be moving us deeper in our understanding of scripture, so much so that we should be teachers of this biblical knowledge to others. (See Hebrew 5:11-14). The writer notes that often times though, we remain novices instead of moving towards maturity and mastery
In order to move in that direction it is going to take a commitment of time, energy and application. We are going to have to commit to daily getting in to God's Word. We can not just merely toy with the Bible either, it is going to takes some dedicated effort on our behalf. We also need to realize that studying God's word is not merely an academic, knowledge-based pursuit, it always needs to be working itself out in the context of real life. Some of us through time have started to use my excuses that I used for not being good at the Rubik's cube and have lost interest in God's word. Let's pray that God rekindles a new desire for learning the teachings of Jesus.
Last week, a man set a new world record by solving 5 Rubik's cubes, with one hand in 1 minute. You can check out the video at the following link
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-03/rubiks-cube-world-record/6278176
Just imagine what the church would be like if we could handle the Word of God with that same type of competency.
John
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