Sunday, May 22, 2011

Jesus-Centric, Bible-Middle

Today, I visited a relatively new church in my little town. Abiding Life. There were maybe around 15 people there. I LOVED it! The Pastor led the worship and the sermon, and he said a quote based off of something Philip Yancey said that stuck. After it hit me across the head . . .

It went something along the lines of this:

People get angry at those who sin differently than they do.


Ha Ha . . Ha. Ha. Oh wait a minute!
That's what I do, isn't it?

Ouch.


I don't think I had ever heard this before, but it fit perfectly with something that I've been thinking over. My Gospel's professor at Multnomah said something I had never heard before. He said that we should never ever be more liberal than the Bible, nor should we be more conservative. We need to hit Bible-middle. This was so new to me because my mind is bent to think that being conservative is the key, or at least that if I'm going to hit an extreme, being conservative would be better. I had never really let it sink in that it could be just as wrong, that really, being too conservative is often a blinding force because it allows us to see other people's sins while our own are hidden under our conservative shield. It's easy to get angry at other people's sins . . . especially when they're not the "conservative sins" that I commit constantly without exposing them.

Praise Jesus for His grace, that I was able to hear that message. Oh how I need His washing, a cleaning of my heart and mind. The fluid of Jesus' blood spilling into and through every cell of my soul. I don't want to get caught on other people's sin. I want to be healed of my own, and in so doing, focus on the Grace of Jesus, focus on giving that Grace to others. And Truth. (Thanks, Pastor Steve, for showing me the importance of both) I want to be Jesus-centric, Bible-middle. I want to focus on the right things and be grounded in the Love of God. It's a day by day transformation when He's running the show. And He's a great Transformer. (Even a murderer can become an evangelist [[Paul]], a thief becomes a disciple [[Matthew]] . . . what could He do with us?)

I feel like this was kind of a different blog post than normal, but that quote really hit home with me. I need to do some more thinking on it. :) Thank you for taking the time to read my thought processes. I am grateful for you! Happy brand new week! May Jesus work in your life beautifully and wash us clean. He is so good to us!

Saturday, May 7, 2011

I Am Rich From A Week Of Gifts

Oh goodness . . . it has been too long since I've blogged. I was looking through some of my blog drafts that I never got around to publishing. Maybe someday I will share them, but today, I think it's time to write a "Thanks" blog. It has been such a good week!

God of Heaven, You provide me with good things, satisfy me with Your goodness. "We are filled with the good things of Your house, of Your holy temple." Every good and perfect gift is from You, oh Father of lights. Thank You so much:

838\\ For my walk with my friend to Safeway

839\\ For the way my friend loved Gary for You, Jesus

840\\ Running in dress and flip flops with red balloons

841\\ My friend's birthday . . . celebrating your daughter, Jesus

842\\ Friend curling my hair and sun shining beautiful

843\\ Response to an e-mail, made me feel better

844\\ My Hope must be in You, Jesus. You showed me that this week.

845\\ "Pink Mist" falling from the beautiful flowering trees here

846\\ No 8am classes this past week! PTL

847\\ Friend trying to scare me and then walking with me, hanging out

848\\ Sitting long at dinner on Friday night with two friends

849\\ Working out with above friends (S and A), ending it with a walk around part of school, just talking.

850\\ Long talk with S in the A-frame, listening to her heart.

851\\ Last philosophy paper . . . Turned In!

852\\ Making paper airplanes at the school's quirky Paper Airplane Station. :)

853\\ Laughing through this week . . . felt really good.

854\\ A new sweatshirt and dress from Memorial's Free pile! ha! :)

855\\ Car ride to Dallas with friend

856\\ Mother's Day Brunch at Aunt CZ's, being with family

857\\ Cousin's gift of two books! I'm SO EXCITED!!!

858\\ Chocolate covered strawberries

859\\ Laughing at dinner with my friends about irony and orange lungs and bananas and how single people text back really fast . . . hahahaha. INSIDE JOKES! *Yes!*

860\\ That You, God, are with me . . . even in another transition time and as I get ready to leave for home. This is good for me, isn't it? Please help me though. It's kinda crazy.

861\\ You listen to me, Jesus. Thank You.

862\\ Doing Chinese Fire Drills around the Girls Dorm with Roommate :)

863\\ Picture of You putting Your face right in front of mine, Jesus, and holding my face in Your hands during chapel this week.

864\\ Unexpected facebook message from friend

865\\ Psalms 65

Thank You, Maker! You have made me rich, have filled me with Good Things. :)This really has been an overall good week. Thank You so much! "Your love is so extravagant." Thank You!!!