...I went to the zoo with my family. At the zoo they have a reproduction of some buildings in a typical African village.
We have so much.
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Sunday, May 21, 2006
...A Burning Fire...
1 Corinthians 9:16--For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
Jeremiah 20:9--If I say, "I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name, there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary holding it in, and I cannot."
Does it ever hurt you that "Christians" can live lives in this lost world and NOT preach the gospel? That they can tell their children to not befriend unbelievers as they might be polluted by worldliness? That they can be partakers in the greatest gift ever bestowed and then promote trivial things like sports teams and new recipes and the latest and greatest invention when they do have opportunities to talk to unbelievers?
People, this world WILL NOT LAST! Why do we talk to unbelievers like it will? Why doesn't it physically hurt us, like a fire inside our bones, when we dance around the Truth and talk meaninglessly about the weather and coffee and clothes and all of the million things that seem to matter now and have no bearing on eternity? Why do we find it so easy to talk about anything but the gospel? Why do we talk about people who do share the gospel as if they've done something worth boasting about? People, that's our job! The only reason we are still on this earth is to share the gospel. That's it! That is the meaning of your life; that is the will of God for you. Woe to us if we DO NOT preach the gospel!
We've got it--the pearl of greatest price. What are you doing about it?
Jeremiah 20:9--If I say, "I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name, there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary holding it in, and I cannot."
Does it ever hurt you that "Christians" can live lives in this lost world and NOT preach the gospel? That they can tell their children to not befriend unbelievers as they might be polluted by worldliness? That they can be partakers in the greatest gift ever bestowed and then promote trivial things like sports teams and new recipes and the latest and greatest invention when they do have opportunities to talk to unbelievers?
People, this world WILL NOT LAST! Why do we talk to unbelievers like it will? Why doesn't it physically hurt us, like a fire inside our bones, when we dance around the Truth and talk meaninglessly about the weather and coffee and clothes and all of the million things that seem to matter now and have no bearing on eternity? Why do we find it so easy to talk about anything but the gospel? Why do we talk about people who do share the gospel as if they've done something worth boasting about? People, that's our job! The only reason we are still on this earth is to share the gospel. That's it! That is the meaning of your life; that is the will of God for you. Woe to us if we DO NOT preach the gospel!
We've got it--the pearl of greatest price. What are you doing about it?
Friday, May 19, 2006
"back in pink"
The title is thanks to Jake...a mixture of AC/DC and what he believes is an excessively spirited dorm life...he has this strange dislike for Waldock...probably because he's not man enough to wear pink...but that's me. Back. In pink.
It's been nice to be home. Nice--and weird. You see your own selfishness so much more in conjunction with family. And you see your discontent when you watch other people's dreams come true (dreams you've prayed about for years and years) and realize that the fulfillment of yours is still far in the distance. You know though, I'm seeing more and more that the only thing I've ever wanted is Jesus...I just didn't always know it.
I forgot how much I missed people till I got home. I was at a late night softball game, laughing at the antics of one of my friends, and realized that I hadn't known that I missed that, or even that I missed that friend. Being gone for so long gave me a greater appreciation for the little things. Like a well timed hug, or a home-cooked meal, or the antics of a large family around the dinner table, or driving on a sunny afternoon listening to country music with my little sister, or doing dishes. Little stuff that makes up life.
Still though, I'm excited about what's ahead. Excited and scared. I have this tendency to want to do whatever I think is hardest, what I recoil from...and after my initial "Yes," I begin realizing that I may have gotten myself in way over my head. But that's good for me, because not being able to do it on my own puts me where I should have been in the first place: completely relying on God.
I have more that I'm thinking about and wanting to write...but another thing that I forgot about is that one internet connection for seven people means your time online is both rationed and pestered. So now I must hand the mouse over to the singing 13 year old who's been bugging me...pretty much since I got on. :-) Jake's blog should be updated fairly shortly.
It's been nice to be home. Nice--and weird. You see your own selfishness so much more in conjunction with family. And you see your discontent when you watch other people's dreams come true (dreams you've prayed about for years and years) and realize that the fulfillment of yours is still far in the distance. You know though, I'm seeing more and more that the only thing I've ever wanted is Jesus...I just didn't always know it.
I forgot how much I missed people till I got home. I was at a late night softball game, laughing at the antics of one of my friends, and realized that I hadn't known that I missed that, or even that I missed that friend. Being gone for so long gave me a greater appreciation for the little things. Like a well timed hug, or a home-cooked meal, or the antics of a large family around the dinner table, or driving on a sunny afternoon listening to country music with my little sister, or doing dishes. Little stuff that makes up life.
Still though, I'm excited about what's ahead. Excited and scared. I have this tendency to want to do whatever I think is hardest, what I recoil from...and after my initial "Yes," I begin realizing that I may have gotten myself in way over my head. But that's good for me, because not being able to do it on my own puts me where I should have been in the first place: completely relying on God.
I have more that I'm thinking about and wanting to write...but another thing that I forgot about is that one internet connection for seven people means your time online is both rationed and pestered. So now I must hand the mouse over to the singing 13 year old who's been bugging me...pretty much since I got on. :-) Jake's blog should be updated fairly shortly.
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