3/29/2010

Psalm 51

Sometimes there are times when I just flat out mess up. At the time, everything seems alright, but once its happened, you can't take it back. You have to keep moving forward though. The Devil wants everyone to mess up, he wants to take away our testimony, but I love the fact that even through out faults and our sins, God will use it. David, in this Psalm, messes up big time (committing adultery with Bathsheba), yet he asks God to forgive him and he will use his weaknesses to strengthen others. What a God I serve. At least i know that David's weakness, gives me hope because he was still known as a man after God's own heart. We need redemption. 1 Timothy 1:5 says, "The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith." To love is to have these three things, and to love God is to attain these three things. Obey God.

"Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;
you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

Cleanse with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.
Save me from bloodguilt, O God,
the God who saves me,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise.

In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;
build up the walls of Jerusalem.
Then there will be righteous sacrifices,
whole burnt offerings to delight you;
then bulls will be offered on your alter."

3/13/2010

Hologram pastor

So I was listening to the Christian radio here in West Palm and one of the topics they were discussing was pastors that use holograms to preach to their church without them being there (of course). They were asking what we thought about it and I considered it and now I am writing about it. One lady on the radio said that its okay if the pastor is just preaching at another church, not if its pre-recorded. That's a pretty good answer, I guess... So many churches are trying to grow out that it does make sense. However, the church starts to lose meaning. I'm reading through the books of 1-3 John. It's all about love since John was the apostle that loved. Anyway, in 2 John at the end of it he writes, "I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete." At a time where their only way of communication is either by writing to each other or talking face to face, he would rather speak to them face to face. He does write that he has much more to write, but he would rather see them, talk to them, fellowship with them, live life with them. So to go back to my main topic, a pastor as a hologram, is the dumbest idea I have ever heard. What happened to the church? Are we just a product of our time/culture? I thought we were supposed to be different. Christianity is all about relationships, not just learning more about the Bible. We were meant for relationships, not to just get through life. Just some thoughts... I'm outs

3/01/2010

Be Holy

Leviticus 19:2b "Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy."
How that penetrates my heart. I desire to be holy. It is so hard to obey and yet all I want to do is please my God and be holy like He is holy. I desire it so much and yet it is the hardest thing to attain sometimes because of fleshly desires. I want to do my own thing. I want to live my own life, yet God tells His people to be holy like He is holy. It is so much harder to do, but I contemplate it day and night. I want to be holy.