|
captain__spiff
|
read my profile
sign my guestbook
Name: Jacob
Metro: Independence
Birthday: 11/17/1987
Gender: Male
Interests: I love to run. It helps me in a lot of ways, but is mainly one of the things I do while I am deep in thought. But what I love most is my quiet time alone with God. Getting to know the person of God, and the intimacy associated with it is fantastic. If that doesn't make any sense to you, don't worry, sometimes it doesn't make sense to me either
Expertise: right now I am a music education major at CMSU. I am playing my trombone like crazy in the Wind Ensemble, Jazz band and the orchestra
Occupation: Student
Message: message meEmail: email me
Website: visit my website
MSN: leftibeast33@hotmail.com
Member Since:
11/21/2004
|
|
| Well, I am in the middle of some research about this subject, so this won't be too long, but it will let you know what I have been thining about lately.
worship
we will never know how to do it correctly, but I wonder about some of the common things I see in regards to worship.
well, just like prayer, worship is not simply an act, it is a lifestyle, but expressed in many ways... I think prayer is a form of it.
The most common thing we talk about is worshiping corporately(did I spell that right?). So singing and listening to the guy preach and all.
Most of the time, maybe it's because I have been to a lot of baptist things, I don't feel comfortable worshiping those large groups; it feels weird... and I don't feel focused to be totally honest... well, that is unless I play drums... because I can't really hear anyone else. The worship seems so weird, and there could be many theories as to why, I know one of mine has yet to be proven false and that is the difficulty that the worship leader(s) is(are)n't prepared for it spiritually. But that is for another day, and besides, what about when we use CDs.
Anywho
I have been having this problem with technology, not that I am against it, but it seems to be too complicated.
I think that has become the problem.. I have been making worship too complicated. I think that is what is great about some of David Crowder's songs. He is a deep, intellectualish person; read his books. But Crowder's music is very simple. In fact, it is really simple.
Perhaps one of the seemingly most worshipful experiences that I have had somes from a time where two other guys and me, sat in a practice room, and played guitar and jimbae(or however you spell it) and we just relaxed and let our voices ring. We didn't care if our voices were out of tune. It was definately a time of intimacy(not THAT intimacy)... with God.
Maybe that is the phrase of the day:
Worship is simple | | |
| So I have been working on another entry for a really long time, but I can't ge it how I want it to look and say, so I threw it out.
I guess right now I have been learning a couple of things...
One: I struggle with prayer
Two: The reason why is because no matter how much I am preached to about it, or read about it, you can't learn until you experience it. Don't get me wrong, I have prayed for like five years now, but it seems like off and on I am actually in a state of prayer, which is what it really is.
It is so hard to pray while I am distracted, but for some reason these last few days, I have actually been undistracted. I have been enjoying this whole prayer thing a lot more. There have been people on my mind, and so I just pray for them, because I can. It is pretty stinkin' groovy. I have talked to them, but not necessarily about "spiritual" things.
the crazy thing is that now I am not so concerned with helping people with their problems anymore... I am just concerned about getting to know them. For some reason the conversation always loves to turn to spiritual things and I love it. I really try to continuously pray that God opens the eyes of these people's hearts, so that they may know him better (which comes from Paul in Ephesians), and I also pray that for myself.
for probably the last six months or so, I have felt like I have lost a deal of intimacy with God, but now, I am feeling closer to Him. Yet, I feel like everything I once knew has just been obliterated. Everything I once pondered of god is rendered useless.
God is good.
AHHHH!!! God is good. What is the goodness of God like? It is so hard to fathom. We see evidence of it from the very nature of God. Because He is good, He is just, and does a great deal of good things.
God being good is not the same as God being great, which he is as well.
There is so much to say, no matter what, I will never be able to say it... it is slightly frustrating.
Anywho, back to prayer, I was running the other day... I had to do my laundry, and it was already like 1am on wednesday morning, so I figured while my clothes were drying I would go running. I loved it! I saw guys from the BSU out and said hey, but just kept on running. It was cold, but I loved it!
It seems like lately I have been so less worried about doing things and want to just live.
i don't ever feel like I have to read the bible, or pray or do anything anymore.... but I want to do those things. It's weird. I am sure everyone is thinking "its just a phase." Yeah, I don't know, you are probably right, but you know, I don't care.
Heck, I am finaly starting to taste a little bit of the suffering God talks about when we follow Jesus... but it is nothing compared to most people.
Man, I just want people to know!!!!!! AHHHH!!!
talk about a shotgun journal entry... maybe I will tell you the rest of the stuff I am learning in a more organized fashion tomorrrow.
Take care everyone, much love to the ones who care enough to read all this.
"Do not suppose I come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother-in-law--a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.' Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me." -------Matthew10:34-38 | | |
| That's right I now have this stinkin CD! | | |
| Alright, so here is something really cool!!!
I was studying a passage, one that some of you are familiar with... and that one of you is REALLY familiar with!!! Hopefully I can provide you guys with some cool insight...
So Philippians 2:5-8ish says:
"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself..."
For those who went to student life camp, we know that the attitude of christ is Phroneo Chritou in the greek text, meaning "the mind or attitude of Christ". Here's an expansion on all of that...
First, let me ask a question: Does sin have an affect on our appearance, on the outside? just think about it.
So our attitude should be the same as that of Christ, who being in very NATURE God...
That word nature is very important here. Nature in this context is very rare in the whole entire Bible. It is the Greek word- morphe (more-fay). It is a word that means the nature or form, but only when speaking of Christ--don't you love how the language makes words you can only use for God Himself!!!---and is mentioned in the Bible only three times as far as I can count, but if you find it somewhere else, let me know.
The second time it is used is in verse 7 "but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant. You can also find this word morphe in Mark 16:12.
Morphe means nature or form, but keep in mind this is totally intrinsic (only inward) and essential (in essence). Morphe has no regard whatsoever to the outward appearance of Christ.
"Who, being in essence God, being intrinsically God, being morphe God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped."--so Christ is God... but check this out...
"but made himself nothing, taking on the very essence of a servant, the very nature of a servant, the very morphe of a servant..."--- so Christ is by nature a servant, even before he is in human flesh.... which is my next point.
what did Jesus look like?
Well, verse 8 mentions Jesus was made in human likeness... now remember that this is not CREATED in human likeness (Christ was never created), this is basically putting on flesh when he came to earth. This word human likeness is the greek word "homoioma" (haw-moy-yome-uh) and this is complete opposite of morphe, meaning: outward appearance, not considering anything on the inside.
So Paul uses these two complete opposite words to describe who Jesus was, but back to the point of what Jesus looks like.
Obviously, Jesus does not look like what most of us view him as, and he certainly LOOKS NOTHING LIKE ME... sorry, had to get that out of me.
But consider this question: does sin affect our outward appearance? I have noticed that it has some affect on our appearance, at least in a small sense. I, personally think sin has a lot to do with our appearance. One thing to consider is when one is always angry, you see his eyebrows slanted. If he is always angry, his appearance is generally affected. Now I realize that this is very arguable, but continue to think about it... does sin have an affect on our outward appearance?
Obviously you can see the body language from someone who expresses his inward feelings, if he is happy he shows it, of he is meloncholy, you see it (consider Proverbs15:13), so let's go back to the other question: What did Jesus look like? Well, Jesus was sinless, so did he look any different than anyone else? I don't know. I believe Scripture indicates he looked just like everyone else ( let me know if you find out where), but still: What the heck would cause two fisherman to throw down their nets and follow Jesus pretty much without any reluctance? Did Jesus look different? I don't know, but there was something about him, even at first sight that made him different.
So then let's put some things together: if , in fact, sin does have an affect on appearance, then Jesus looked different because of his inward quality of his being being shown out, even if it is merely body language.
Now here is the good part. Jesus was perfect, but we all know what happened, he died for us, for OUR SINS. So think about it... Jesus was beaten, lashed with the cat o' ninetails, bruised.... does each cut, bruise and sore represent our sin? Jesus was perfect, but after he was beaten, he was unrecognizeable, not only as himself, but as a MAN.
So, does sin have an affect on our appearance?
Have a great week everyone, thanks for taking the time to read all of this, it is one of the really cool things God has been taching me!!
"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have the power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
--Ephesians 3:16-19 | | |
| So God is so unfathomable, right?
Yes, he is.
I took this test called "true colors". It is a personsality test based on four different types of people.
there are blue, orange, gold, and green people.
I won't go into details about what they all mean.. except mine.
Out of around one-hundred students (40% of them male)
I was one of twenty blue people. The odd thing was that I was the only male person.
It turned out I was a very caring person, but very emotional. I always want attention and love to be the spotlight. If I know something, but don't get chosen to do it, I let everyone know anyway. I enjoy intimate conversations with people and am a deep person.
After I heard the results I was stunned: This is so ME.
I have been coming to a conclusion as of lately that I am entirely too emotional, almost as bad as a girl. when I say that, I don't mean overly depressed. I mean I am way too happy sometimes or way too sorrowful. This isn't necessarily a horrible thing, but it isn't what I want.
I have looked at stories in the Bible, and just at the person of God and realized that if I want the knowledge of the Holy as best as it can be, I must remove the veil of emotions that block that path.
i actually heard a pastor preach on it today: Todd Phillips in relation to God's Will for our lives
"Feelings and emotions should not drive your life"
He was saying this to confirm that we should let God's Word and prayer drive our lives. (an obvious lesson)
All I know is that at this point it is time to mellow out the emotions and see how God transforms me through this process. Maybe not a deep lesson for most who read this, but it is just a chunk of what I am trying to discern in my life.
All is well over in Warrensburg, for those who are concerned. I am having a wonderful time. And I mean that I actually have that thing we call time. I am not crazily busy and thank God for that!
I want to leave you with somw cool scripture but I forgot the reference, so you will have to help me out... I want the one where Paul is pretty much saying "Be content no matter the circumstances"
Oh well, it's latish have a great night! | | |
|
