In this post I want to talk about something that is a bit personal to me. It's also something I've struggled with since I can remember...
My parents divorced when I was three years old (no, this isn't a sob story about my parent being divorced!). My Dad recieved full custody of me and my brother for various reason. I saw my Mom here and there but she definitely wasn't around regularly, nor could I rely on her for anything because she didn't have custody of us... Now let me make this clear before I get into this; I have a good relationship with my Mum now, I had to get over a lot and forgive a lot from things passed.. I have and I love my Mum and do not want to dishonor her in any way, but I do have tell you my feelings when I was younger to get my point across. Now that we have that established that, let me get back to the point... So, my Dad raised me; it was just my Dad, my brother and me for nine years together. Coincidently I ended up feeling more comfortable around boys and men than girls and women. Plus, as I got older I had trust issues with women because of my Mum, I felt she didn't want us and didn't want to be involved in our lives. I felt like she ran away from her reponsibilty... Once I turned 12 my Dad married again, she was our Step Mother for eight years. So, all through my junior high and high school years she was around. We were close in some instances but she already had two kids of her own so she never came too close, if you can understand that. Now the other part of this story is when I became a Christian-- before I was a Christian I had a few very close girlfriends. I did everything with these girls and we went through a lot together. Once I became a Christian (when I was 15) our relationships changed. We still stayed friends but I had different morals then they did and there were certain things I wouldn't do or say. So, my weekends became filled with work instead of spending time with my friends because I didn't party, etc. I'm not trying to sound like a saint or better than them, I'm just explaining that we had different priorities and motives in things. My life was starting to become very lonely.. And once I graduated and moved to Lewiston I didn't hear from anyone back at home. The whole summer after high school I spent my time at work or with my brother. All the girls that had been in my life were gone. I felt very alone and spent my time praying for some real friends.. God answered my prayers by putting me in a church that had a good sized 'college group', but I unfortunetly only answered His gift half way.. I have met some amazing girls that are apart of that college group at my home church but sadly I was so afraid of getting close to girls again, thinking they would all leave, I kept them at an arms length away. I had been hurt by so many fickle women before that I felt that if I didn't get too close then I couldn't get hurt-- but then I just ended up hurting myself because of it. To put the cherry on top of it all, in 2010, right when I was getting married my Dad and Step Mom were going through a divorce. I haven't seen her since my wedding day. I wasn't all that surprised and honestly, not that hurt because parts of my heart are so closed and cold that sometimes they just don't even feel...and let me just say that I am NOT proud of that last statement. It's not a good place to be, I'd rather cry my eyes out for weeks than not feel anything. I want to wear my heart on my sleeve and not hide it in a lead box, buried under ten feet of dirt, but sadly that's where it's ended up...at least in this area of life.
So, the real point of of this post is not to point fingers at those who have wronged me but to look in the mirror at myself and say to anyone who wants to hear: I am a bad friend. I don't know how to be a good friend, not because of a lack of effort but because of a lack of heart. I hate the fact that I can carry on a conversation with the guys I have in my life for hours and can hardly have a conversation with ANY of the girls I know, including my Mum and sisters-in-law. I hate the fact that the only conversations I have with women at church here in Lewiston or in Kamiah or anywhere else are the generic conversations about what's going on in life and the weather. What I truly want and long for with the gals in my life is deep conversations, phone calls just to say hi, sharing: stories,struggles, heart aches, joys, even conversations about nothing that we can laugh at later! I want to be able to hold a girlfriends hand like sisters do and not feel afraid that she feels awkward or uncomfortable. I want to be able to call a girlfriend up bawling about nothing, just because I'm sad and vice versa! I want to be able to go shopping with a girlfriend and try on ridiculous outfits just because we want to! *Sigh* but I am too afraid to offer any of that because I'm afraid of rejection. And I just don't know how to share my heart... I don't know how to not hold someone at an arms length away. So, for anyone gal who reads this I just want to say I'm sorry. I don't know how to be a friend anymore and I see and understand why you wouldn't want me as a close friend. I pray to God that He can teach me to open up my heart to the women around me and teach me to be a good friend again... Please pray for me.
Yours Truly,
Tessa O.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Friday, March 2, 2012
[tid-bits]
I've been struggling what to write about for the past two months. You would think that in the past five months something should have sparked my interest enough the was 'worthy' enough for me to sit down and write about it! I guess that's just how life is... I believe everyone could write a book about their life-- I bet most of them would be best sellers, too. But actually sitting down and writing everything, trying to explain everything the way you see and making your point, it can be tricky. Some people were given a gift by God that allows them to be able to write down their words and in a way they turn into an actions in peoples minds. I fear I do not have this gift. I do enjoy writing regardless-- plus, very few people will ever see these documented words! ;)
So-- I have left the question lingering... what am I going to write about today?? Well, I'll let you in on a little secret *whispers* I have no idea!! I just really wanted to write, so I thought I'd just ramble and see what we get! (That's how I cook sometimes!)
The news I have to report on is: the first and most exciting thing is God has granted Lucas and I with one amazing gift and responsibility, I am pregnant (again) and this time the wee-one made it past 8 weeks! I am currently 23 weeks along and the little person is well and kicking (literally!). I have to admit, some woman love being pregnant-- I am not one of those woman! I am thrilled to be carrying a little soul but I do not like gaining weight and I do not like being tired and having mood swings! This too will pass, though. And I think this is one of God's ways of teaching us women that we cannot control everything and that we have to make sacrifices for the greater good. And the hardest thing for me to sacrifice is my figure-- I never realized how vein I was until I started gaining weight and my tummy started growing. It's amazing how much of society has gotten to me-- I have to keep remembering and reminding myself that my worth does not come from how I look or what shirt size I wear. (Keep in mind that I do believe that God gaves us these bodies and we need to take care of them, but weight and eating healthy can be two totally different things).
Other news, I just finished reading a book, it's Elizabeth Elliot's Let Me Be A Woman. It's for any girl and woman in any part life. Elizabeth explains so very well what it means to be a woman-- I have to warn you though, it does not follow todays ideals, beliefs or politically correct terms. It follows strictly God's commands of what our role is as women; some of it may take some getting used to, I know it took me a long time to really open up my mind and heart to them! Today, society sees rules, limitaions and roles as suffocating, lessing and burdensome. And it's easy to view them that way, especially with the ideas of society meshing with the ideas of the churches. Hate to break it to you, but the ideas of society cannot evolve/move with the churches because they stand for two totally different and opposite things, or at least they are suppose to. Anyway, instead of getting on my soapbox let me just highly recommend reading Elizabeth's book and let God do the work, because if God can't convince you then I surely can't!
Well, I think I'm going to have to cut this one short because I have a Rotorooter guy walking about my house and have lost my train of thought for the most part (though, I am glad he is here!) Until next time, have a wonderful week, month or months (depending on how long it takes me to sit down and write again!)
So-- I have left the question lingering... what am I going to write about today?? Well, I'll let you in on a little secret *whispers* I have no idea!! I just really wanted to write, so I thought I'd just ramble and see what we get! (That's how I cook sometimes!)
The news I have to report on is: the first and most exciting thing is God has granted Lucas and I with one amazing gift and responsibility, I am pregnant (again) and this time the wee-one made it past 8 weeks! I am currently 23 weeks along and the little person is well and kicking (literally!). I have to admit, some woman love being pregnant-- I am not one of those woman! I am thrilled to be carrying a little soul but I do not like gaining weight and I do not like being tired and having mood swings! This too will pass, though. And I think this is one of God's ways of teaching us women that we cannot control everything and that we have to make sacrifices for the greater good. And the hardest thing for me to sacrifice is my figure-- I never realized how vein I was until I started gaining weight and my tummy started growing. It's amazing how much of society has gotten to me-- I have to keep remembering and reminding myself that my worth does not come from how I look or what shirt size I wear. (Keep in mind that I do believe that God gaves us these bodies and we need to take care of them, but weight and eating healthy can be two totally different things).
Other news, I just finished reading a book, it's Elizabeth Elliot's Let Me Be A Woman. It's for any girl and woman in any part life. Elizabeth explains so very well what it means to be a woman-- I have to warn you though, it does not follow todays ideals, beliefs or politically correct terms. It follows strictly God's commands of what our role is as women; some of it may take some getting used to, I know it took me a long time to really open up my mind and heart to them! Today, society sees rules, limitaions and roles as suffocating, lessing and burdensome. And it's easy to view them that way, especially with the ideas of society meshing with the ideas of the churches. Hate to break it to you, but the ideas of society cannot evolve/move with the churches because they stand for two totally different and opposite things, or at least they are suppose to. Anyway, instead of getting on my soapbox let me just highly recommend reading Elizabeth's book and let God do the work, because if God can't convince you then I surely can't!
Well, I think I'm going to have to cut this one short because I have a Rotorooter guy walking about my house and have lost my train of thought for the most part (though, I am glad he is here!) Until next time, have a wonderful week, month or months (depending on how long it takes me to sit down and write again!)
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Something BIG?
I became a christian in the summer 2005. To me, it seems a lifetime ago, but in reality it wasn't. I remember a conversation with my youth pastor at that time-- I remember telling him that I didn't know what God had in store me in the future but I felt like it was something big. Something important.
For many years I felt it was a calling towards missions. I loved going on missions trips and doing God's work in the mission field. Now that I think back, I was most interested in missions because I didn't fit anywhere. I had no place really in my family, after high school I hardly talked to any of my friends that I grew up with for 13 years, and I didn't possess any particular skill that would get me very far in life. I was lost and was constantly trying to "get to the mission field". I tried many times to get to Bible College so I could learn more about God's word and so I would have more opportunities towards missions. But, try as I might, I never prevailed.
God had other plans for me. In November of 2009 I met the love of my life, Lucas. And by June 2010 we were married! Whew, did that man take my life into full speed! I had much to learn as a new wife... I never realized how lost I really was until I look back to who I was before Lucas. God sent me the answers to my prayers through Lucas. My man isn't interested in money (well, I mean he is, but it's not his goal in life!), he's not interested in being in the CEO of some big corporation, he's not interested in fancy things (except for his guns and knives!), and he wasn't interested in having a modern wife. He didn't want a career woman or a women's rights leader, he was looking for his Help Meet. Little did I know what that was when I first got married!
He informed me that once we started having children that he wanted me to stay home, and then once they old enough he wanted me to home school the children... "Whoa, hold it mister! I'm not qualified for any of this! I wasn't raised to be a house wife, or a stay at home mother!"... It took many hours of talking to Lucas, talking to God, talking to my Mother-in-law to finally see that I didn't have to be qualified or raised to be these things-- these were the things God had intended me to be. He was my teacher and all I needed. Since being married I have learned A LOT! And I have never felt more "right" with myself or "right" with God. I don't feel like I need to be anywhere else. Yes, I do get restless somedays when all the house work is done and all I can think of doing is twiddling my thumbs but these times will pass and we'll have little ones to keep me busy for many, many years!
God thinks very highly of women and has given us a grave responsibilty-- he calls it "building a nation". How powerfully is that? We as women, if we decide to pick up the torch, have one of the most influencial and important jobs in life-- raising children and building a strong home for our family. God gave us this responsibility and too many women have dropped the ball running after selfish ambitions and dreams. Well, I am not going to be one of those women. I have much to learn but with God on my side and Lucas on my other I will succeed as long as I keep in mind what my true job is as a woman. God doesn't want sissy women, he needs strong, courageous women who are willing to sacrifice themselves for the Kingdom. And I can only hope that I grow and learn to be one of those women, and when I go Home I can only pray He will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
So, my idea of "something big" back in 2005 was a bit off of what it is today, but I know that God has me hear and no one else can fill my place. I have a job to do, and even though it's not exactly mission work, I still have a mission. To respect and love my husband, to build up our home to be strong, to bear and raise Godly children, and to "build a nation".
For many years I felt it was a calling towards missions. I loved going on missions trips and doing God's work in the mission field. Now that I think back, I was most interested in missions because I didn't fit anywhere. I had no place really in my family, after high school I hardly talked to any of my friends that I grew up with for 13 years, and I didn't possess any particular skill that would get me very far in life. I was lost and was constantly trying to "get to the mission field". I tried many times to get to Bible College so I could learn more about God's word and so I would have more opportunities towards missions. But, try as I might, I never prevailed.
God had other plans for me. In November of 2009 I met the love of my life, Lucas. And by June 2010 we were married! Whew, did that man take my life into full speed! I had much to learn as a new wife... I never realized how lost I really was until I look back to who I was before Lucas. God sent me the answers to my prayers through Lucas. My man isn't interested in money (well, I mean he is, but it's not his goal in life!), he's not interested in being in the CEO of some big corporation, he's not interested in fancy things (except for his guns and knives!), and he wasn't interested in having a modern wife. He didn't want a career woman or a women's rights leader, he was looking for his Help Meet. Little did I know what that was when I first got married!
He informed me that once we started having children that he wanted me to stay home, and then once they old enough he wanted me to home school the children... "Whoa, hold it mister! I'm not qualified for any of this! I wasn't raised to be a house wife, or a stay at home mother!"... It took many hours of talking to Lucas, talking to God, talking to my Mother-in-law to finally see that I didn't have to be qualified or raised to be these things-- these were the things God had intended me to be. He was my teacher and all I needed. Since being married I have learned A LOT! And I have never felt more "right" with myself or "right" with God. I don't feel like I need to be anywhere else. Yes, I do get restless somedays when all the house work is done and all I can think of doing is twiddling my thumbs but these times will pass and we'll have little ones to keep me busy for many, many years!
God thinks very highly of women and has given us a grave responsibilty-- he calls it "building a nation". How powerfully is that? We as women, if we decide to pick up the torch, have one of the most influencial and important jobs in life-- raising children and building a strong home for our family. God gave us this responsibility and too many women have dropped the ball running after selfish ambitions and dreams. Well, I am not going to be one of those women. I have much to learn but with God on my side and Lucas on my other I will succeed as long as I keep in mind what my true job is as a woman. God doesn't want sissy women, he needs strong, courageous women who are willing to sacrifice themselves for the Kingdom. And I can only hope that I grow and learn to be one of those women, and when I go Home I can only pray He will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
So, my idea of "something big" back in 2005 was a bit off of what it is today, but I know that God has me hear and no one else can fill my place. I have a job to do, and even though it's not exactly mission work, I still have a mission. To respect and love my husband, to build up our home to be strong, to bear and raise Godly children, and to "build a nation".
Sunday, October 2, 2011
On-Time vs. Time-On
Hello!
So, time literally got away from me! A small update: in June my husband and I moved to a small apartment in the same town and then went on a mission trip to Tijuana,MX-- we built a small house (something like a shed to us) for a family through Amor Ministries. The mission was a success. We came back to a very messy, new apartment but we slowly got it put together! Then soon after that we found out I was pregnant-- unfortunately I had a miscarriage at about nine weeks into the pregnancy =( It was a hard and painful process but we got through it and God is good. There is so much we can't see and understand, we completely trust Him with this situation and joyfully wait to meet our little one someday in the Kingdom. Then my Father-in-law finished his second homeschool cirriculum, this one on Chemistry (see the101series.com). So, time as truly gotten away from me since the last time I wrote!
On more of a personal note: In mid-August I found out I had a gluten-intolerance! It blew me away at first because I thought I would only be able to eat fruits and veggies the rest of my life, but then soon came to find out that there are tons of gluten-free foods, you just have to know where to look and what to look for! I've had a lot of support and help from friends and family while going cold-turkey off gluten and learning how to rebuild my kitchen's ingredients! Also, I have started a study by Nancy Cambell called The Family Meal Table & Hospitality. It scriptually shows us (women) the importance of the dinner table. It goes into detail about what kind of food we should be serving our families. It is going to take me awhile to finish, it's quite a thorough study, but it will be well worth my time =)
Along with all those big events I mentioned, we've been spending time with friends and family as much as we can. Our work schedules have been off kilter for some time now. We don't usually have even two days of together anymore =( So, it's been hard to have a regular schedule together. Luckily, it will NOT be like this forever. Once I get pregnant again and/or we get all our debt paid off I am planning on leaving the work place and staying home to be a full time wife and mommy! Lord willing, I won't have to wait too terribly long! Oooooh, God has been so good to us. He's always provided for us; we always have food in the refridgerator and cupboards, we have a roof over our heads (and some friends as well! ;P We live in a triplex!). We have clothes, two running (most of the time!) vehicles, a nice bed, running water, blankets, internet, books, and a fish! How awesome is that?! I can't even fathom why He would be so kind to us.. I am definitely not the most disciplined follwer of Christ. Then again, He never said that I had to be the best to recieve blessings. . Blessed are we!
Lately, I've been meditating on a familiar hymn: 'How Deep the Father's Love For Us'. I never liked hymns much--my childhood was rather limited on the times I ever heard them. This hymn has been coming to me while doing daily things: washing the dishes, driving, while I'm at work, checking my e-mail, etc. And most times it makes me stop and ponder our Savior; so quickly I forget everything He has done for me. I forget the huge sacrifice He endured so that I may live in harmony with Him. I forget how amazing it truly was and what He had to go through so that I could be with Him. It's incomparable, really. What an amazing and inconceivable love the Father has and shares with us.
I hope my next entry will be back on track towards my original intention--or maybe it's going to take a turn for a different theme! We'll see!
Thanks for your time!
So, time literally got away from me! A small update: in June my husband and I moved to a small apartment in the same town and then went on a mission trip to Tijuana,MX-- we built a small house (something like a shed to us) for a family through Amor Ministries. The mission was a success. We came back to a very messy, new apartment but we slowly got it put together! Then soon after that we found out I was pregnant-- unfortunately I had a miscarriage at about nine weeks into the pregnancy =( It was a hard and painful process but we got through it and God is good. There is so much we can't see and understand, we completely trust Him with this situation and joyfully wait to meet our little one someday in the Kingdom. Then my Father-in-law finished his second homeschool cirriculum, this one on Chemistry (see the101series.com). So, time as truly gotten away from me since the last time I wrote!
On more of a personal note: In mid-August I found out I had a gluten-intolerance! It blew me away at first because I thought I would only be able to eat fruits and veggies the rest of my life, but then soon came to find out that there are tons of gluten-free foods, you just have to know where to look and what to look for! I've had a lot of support and help from friends and family while going cold-turkey off gluten and learning how to rebuild my kitchen's ingredients! Also, I have started a study by Nancy Cambell called The Family Meal Table & Hospitality. It scriptually shows us (women) the importance of the dinner table. It goes into detail about what kind of food we should be serving our families. It is going to take me awhile to finish, it's quite a thorough study, but it will be well worth my time =)
Along with all those big events I mentioned, we've been spending time with friends and family as much as we can. Our work schedules have been off kilter for some time now. We don't usually have even two days of together anymore =( So, it's been hard to have a regular schedule together. Luckily, it will NOT be like this forever. Once I get pregnant again and/or we get all our debt paid off I am planning on leaving the work place and staying home to be a full time wife and mommy! Lord willing, I won't have to wait too terribly long! Oooooh, God has been so good to us. He's always provided for us; we always have food in the refridgerator and cupboards, we have a roof over our heads (and some friends as well! ;P We live in a triplex!). We have clothes, two running (most of the time!) vehicles, a nice bed, running water, blankets, internet, books, and a fish! How awesome is that?! I can't even fathom why He would be so kind to us.. I am definitely not the most disciplined follwer of Christ. Then again, He never said that I had to be the best to recieve blessings. . Blessed are we!
Lately, I've been meditating on a familiar hymn: 'How Deep the Father's Love For Us'. I never liked hymns much--my childhood was rather limited on the times I ever heard them. This hymn has been coming to me while doing daily things: washing the dishes, driving, while I'm at work, checking my e-mail, etc. And most times it makes me stop and ponder our Savior; so quickly I forget everything He has done for me. I forget the huge sacrifice He endured so that I may live in harmony with Him. I forget how amazing it truly was and what He had to go through so that I could be with Him. It's incomparable, really. What an amazing and inconceivable love the Father has and shares with us.
I hope my next entry will be back on track towards my original intention--or maybe it's going to take a turn for a different theme! We'll see!
Thanks for your time!
Monday, March 14, 2011
We, History?
The Ten Commandments were inscribed on stone before the Old Testament was written; The Law of Moses was now open to all--everyone's sin was exposed to them (1400-1500 BC).
39 books make up the old testmament; timelines, wars, history, family lines, and prophecies were spoken throughout these books-- the Law of Moses was stated among the books that Moses wrote (400 BC).
27 is the number of books that are in the New Testament; The Gospel, good news, prophecies fulfilled, instruction for the Christian walk after the veil was torn, the Great Commission of Christ, and the warning of Judgement day is stated throughout these books (100 AD).
Now, lets take a look at these times for a few minutes... God picked specific people to write these books of the Bible, they were God "breathed"; meaning yes, men wrote them, but God gave them the words to speak in these books; earthly/wordly ideas are not found in these books-- but God's Law's and ideas are. People don't condemn themselves...just ask yourself!
Back to the point, at the beginning of human time, the Garden of Eden, we began breaking God's Law-- Eve ate of the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil; God's Law was not to eat of the tree, and what did the woman have to go and do?? Eat it and Adam just had no idea what was going on! ;) God's Law was broken at the very beginning and so the sad song of humanity begins... The point of this small scene from Genesis is that we were tricked, decieved into not believing God's Word, God's Law. The serpent hardly had to question Eve and she gave in. Oh, what sad creatures we truly are... How long does it take to break in a wild horse? It can take months for them to even begin to trust us... It took Eve what, like 3 minutes max to believe Satan and his lies against God and His Law. From the beginning of time God's Law has been under attack... As we move through history into the years of the Old Testament we see God's Law (10 Commandments) being tried all over; fornication, lies, murdering, lusting/adultery, idolism, etc. Everyone had the Laws but they did not truly fear God's wrath; God gave instructions to be under His protection throughout those years, before the veil was torn and yet people corrupted His Laws. Thanks goodness we had good ol' Isaiah, Daniel and Ezekiel (plus others) professing God's words and making prophecies that would one day come true...
Now onto the time of the New Testament and Jesus walking among us; prophecies were fulfilled by the birth of Christ. As a man Christ began proclaiming he was the Son of God, and that He was the way to God. God was giving us a new way to be reborn through Him so we wouldn't have to pay the penalty of our sins. Christ and his desciples continually taught that Jesus was the way, the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). This was another of God's laws, God made another way for us to be with Him eternally, and yet people still strayed. Jesus knew the people would though; the pharisee's denied Him and stated that they followed the Law of Moses and He was a blasphemer; even though prophecy states that the Son of God would be born unto the world to save us from our transgressions, and that we would not see Him. During the time of Jesus we still were blind to His Law and ways, and he was right in front of us to have.
After Jesus rose again he fulfilled more prophecies and proved to those who didn't believe. Jesus instructed His desciples to show the way to Him, through the Law and Jesus' love for them. And look what happened to the twelve--all Martyrs, except for John, who was blessed with old age so he could bring witness and proof of the Judgement day to come in the last book of the Bible, Revelation.
By 500 AD the Bible began circulation everywhere and it was translated into over 500 different languages. And then by 600 AD all translations were outlawed except in Latin. And only few knew that language; in that time there was a lack of Latin literature because it was being withheld from the people. The 'Dark Ages' as we call it now was a time that God's Word was kept from the people and new ideas were being born, the Renaissance era took place during this time. The term 'dark ages' isn't used in texts very often anymore because apparently it gave that time a "negative connotation" but really people were being "enlightened" by new ways of thinking; in other words, people learned that if they stopped following and thinking about God then their conscience would be free from guilt. The 'dark age' time can stretch from 400 AD clear up to the 1400's. God's Law was being hidden from the people but of course truth, God's truth, can never be diminished.
Now John Wycliffe, 1328(ish)-1384-- He was quite the rogue. He was an english theologian, and reformist, quite the combination! He was a university teacher and he had followers called the Lollards, which, like Mr. Wycliffe, were a rebellious group who fought against the clergymen of the Roman Catholic church and like to focus on biblically sound reforms. John Wycliffe translated the Vulgate Bible (Latin translation) into English in the years 1382-1384 with some help from associates.It became known as the Wycliffe's Bible. Among these associates he had a student named John Hus (actually Jan Hus if we want to get technical). After John Wycliffe died Mr. Hus continued to fight for a reform of the Church. Mr. Hus was tried and found guilty of heresey against the Roman Catholic doctrines and was burned at the stake in 1415; Hus's last words were, "In the next one hundred years, God will raise up a man who's call for reform cannot be suppressed." Can anyone take a guess??? None other than good ol' Mr. Martin Luther himself! In 1517 Martin Luther translates and publishes the Bible into German using the Gutenberg Printing Press; and the Word began to spread... Martin Luther stood up against the Roman Catholic Church with his theses--he stated that the Roman Catholic theology was not biblical. The Catholic church at that time was teaching that faith alone could not justify nor save man-- but, had to be active in charity and "good works" meaning donating money to the church. Martin Luther states in his theses that forgiveness is God's alone to grant; people couldn't "pay" for their sins.
Luther posted this theses on the doors of All Saints Church on October 31 1517.
And this, my friends, was the start of the church reformation! Though keep in mind that John Wycliffe was labeled as the morning star of the reformation.
Now, I could go on forever and give you a history lesson up until now, but then we would never get back to my orignal point-- which I lost sight of myself there for a bit! The point I'm trying to show you is that from the very beginning of time, as we call it, God's word had been perverted, changed and tampered with.
And yet, the Truth of the pages always seems to make it through any trial... that alone should be enough evidence to people of its actual truth.
Now on to today...what are we seeing and hearing in our churches? Mainly we see license, which is the opposite of legalism. We see a "watered down" version of the gospel. The "backslide" rate of born-again Christians is phenominal! I think it's somewhere around 80%!! We are missing something here, aren't we Christians?? Why are the people of the Bible so much more spiritual? Why are they so strong? Why is it that when the Bible says the Holy Spirit went into someone, it actually brought about a major change in them, and today is seems so...lukewarm?
Why aren't Christians telling everyone they can about Jesus?? And when they do, why do they always seem to fall away??
It seems so hopeless, doesn't it? Why isn't the message getting through?? Well, I can probably tell you the answer but it didn't originate from me, and it didn't originate from anyone in this day and age--it came from the Master, the one who walked among us with a blameless life, the one who came to show us the way, the one who came to take our blame away. Yes, Jesus Christ...the one and only =) Jesus came to save the world, not to condemn... BUT the biggest point that seems to be hidden from us, left out of the equation is the fact that we are already condemned!
John 3:18 tells us that those who believe in Jesus are not condemned, but those who don't believe stand condemned because they don't believe...And what condemns people?? It is the piece I was missing from my witnessing for years...The Law! The Law of Moses! The Ten Commandments! These are the Laws God set WAY back when. This shows us our sin, and keeps us from justifying ourselves! This is the tool Jesus used all the time. The woman at the well, the adulteror, the rich young ruler, etc...This is the key being left out of the teaching and preaching today. The church today is teaching only one side of the equation. They are teaching the "Jesus Loves You" part. Which is great but without the other side, it's almost irrelavant! People don't care that Jesus loves them and is full of grace if they don't know why they need His love and salvation. If they don't see their sin and what law they've violated, then they really don't like to hear that they are condemned and going to Hell.
You have to show them their sin through the Law which God gave us, and then explain to them that our God may be good and loving but He is also just and perfect--so He can't let imperfection into His Kingdom. He can't let the murderous, adulterous, lying, thieving people go...there must be justice or He wouldn't be considered a good judge, He would be considered evil.
BUT, if you let people know that someone has walked into the courtroom and paid their fines for them it's going to matter to them that this person is Jesus. Then they will understand why they need his love, mercy, and grace.
Now, don't think me to be enlightened or inspired here, I am simply educated through so many different influences that we have in our time today; people who are finding the key to re-opening the door to our Savior that seemed to be lost for so many years.
Del Tackett
Ray Comfort
Kirk Cameron
Lious Giglio
Frances Chan
Bill Weise
And so many others...
But most importantly, the one who never lost it, Jesus.
So, my question is: Are we about to go through another "Reformation" in our churches today?
39 books make up the old testmament; timelines, wars, history, family lines, and prophecies were spoken throughout these books-- the Law of Moses was stated among the books that Moses wrote (400 BC).
27 is the number of books that are in the New Testament; The Gospel, good news, prophecies fulfilled, instruction for the Christian walk after the veil was torn, the Great Commission of Christ, and the warning of Judgement day is stated throughout these books (100 AD).
Now, lets take a look at these times for a few minutes... God picked specific people to write these books of the Bible, they were God "breathed"; meaning yes, men wrote them, but God gave them the words to speak in these books; earthly/wordly ideas are not found in these books-- but God's Law's and ideas are. People don't condemn themselves...just ask yourself!
Back to the point, at the beginning of human time, the Garden of Eden, we began breaking God's Law-- Eve ate of the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil; God's Law was not to eat of the tree, and what did the woman have to go and do?? Eat it and Adam just had no idea what was going on! ;) God's Law was broken at the very beginning and so the sad song of humanity begins... The point of this small scene from Genesis is that we were tricked, decieved into not believing God's Word, God's Law. The serpent hardly had to question Eve and she gave in. Oh, what sad creatures we truly are... How long does it take to break in a wild horse? It can take months for them to even begin to trust us... It took Eve what, like 3 minutes max to believe Satan and his lies against God and His Law. From the beginning of time God's Law has been under attack... As we move through history into the years of the Old Testament we see God's Law (10 Commandments) being tried all over; fornication, lies, murdering, lusting/adultery, idolism, etc. Everyone had the Laws but they did not truly fear God's wrath; God gave instructions to be under His protection throughout those years, before the veil was torn and yet people corrupted His Laws. Thanks goodness we had good ol' Isaiah, Daniel and Ezekiel (plus others) professing God's words and making prophecies that would one day come true...
Now onto the time of the New Testament and Jesus walking among us; prophecies were fulfilled by the birth of Christ. As a man Christ began proclaiming he was the Son of God, and that He was the way to God. God was giving us a new way to be reborn through Him so we wouldn't have to pay the penalty of our sins. Christ and his desciples continually taught that Jesus was the way, the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). This was another of God's laws, God made another way for us to be with Him eternally, and yet people still strayed. Jesus knew the people would though; the pharisee's denied Him and stated that they followed the Law of Moses and He was a blasphemer; even though prophecy states that the Son of God would be born unto the world to save us from our transgressions, and that we would not see Him. During the time of Jesus we still were blind to His Law and ways, and he was right in front of us to have.
After Jesus rose again he fulfilled more prophecies and proved to those who didn't believe. Jesus instructed His desciples to show the way to Him, through the Law and Jesus' love for them. And look what happened to the twelve--all Martyrs, except for John, who was blessed with old age so he could bring witness and proof of the Judgement day to come in the last book of the Bible, Revelation.
By 500 AD the Bible began circulation everywhere and it was translated into over 500 different languages. And then by 600 AD all translations were outlawed except in Latin. And only few knew that language; in that time there was a lack of Latin literature because it was being withheld from the people. The 'Dark Ages' as we call it now was a time that God's Word was kept from the people and new ideas were being born, the Renaissance era took place during this time. The term 'dark ages' isn't used in texts very often anymore because apparently it gave that time a "negative connotation" but really people were being "enlightened" by new ways of thinking; in other words, people learned that if they stopped following and thinking about God then their conscience would be free from guilt. The 'dark age' time can stretch from 400 AD clear up to the 1400's. God's Law was being hidden from the people but of course truth, God's truth, can never be diminished.
Now John Wycliffe, 1328(ish)-1384-- He was quite the rogue. He was an english theologian, and reformist, quite the combination! He was a university teacher and he had followers called the Lollards, which, like Mr. Wycliffe, were a rebellious group who fought against the clergymen of the Roman Catholic church and like to focus on biblically sound reforms. John Wycliffe translated the Vulgate Bible (Latin translation) into English in the years 1382-1384 with some help from associates.It became known as the Wycliffe's Bible. Among these associates he had a student named John Hus (actually Jan Hus if we want to get technical). After John Wycliffe died Mr. Hus continued to fight for a reform of the Church. Mr. Hus was tried and found guilty of heresey against the Roman Catholic doctrines and was burned at the stake in 1415; Hus's last words were, "In the next one hundred years, God will raise up a man who's call for reform cannot be suppressed." Can anyone take a guess??? None other than good ol' Mr. Martin Luther himself! In 1517 Martin Luther translates and publishes the Bible into German using the Gutenberg Printing Press; and the Word began to spread... Martin Luther stood up against the Roman Catholic Church with his theses--he stated that the Roman Catholic theology was not biblical. The Catholic church at that time was teaching that faith alone could not justify nor save man-- but, had to be active in charity and "good works" meaning donating money to the church. Martin Luther states in his theses that forgiveness is God's alone to grant; people couldn't "pay" for their sins.
Luther posted this theses on the doors of All Saints Church on October 31 1517.
And this, my friends, was the start of the church reformation! Though keep in mind that John Wycliffe was labeled as the morning star of the reformation.
Now, I could go on forever and give you a history lesson up until now, but then we would never get back to my orignal point-- which I lost sight of myself there for a bit! The point I'm trying to show you is that from the very beginning of time, as we call it, God's word had been perverted, changed and tampered with.
And yet, the Truth of the pages always seems to make it through any trial... that alone should be enough evidence to people of its actual truth.
Now on to today...what are we seeing and hearing in our churches? Mainly we see license, which is the opposite of legalism. We see a "watered down" version of the gospel. The "backslide" rate of born-again Christians is phenominal! I think it's somewhere around 80%!! We are missing something here, aren't we Christians?? Why are the people of the Bible so much more spiritual? Why are they so strong? Why is it that when the Bible says the Holy Spirit went into someone, it actually brought about a major change in them, and today is seems so...lukewarm?
Why aren't Christians telling everyone they can about Jesus?? And when they do, why do they always seem to fall away??
It seems so hopeless, doesn't it? Why isn't the message getting through?? Well, I can probably tell you the answer but it didn't originate from me, and it didn't originate from anyone in this day and age--it came from the Master, the one who walked among us with a blameless life, the one who came to show us the way, the one who came to take our blame away. Yes, Jesus Christ...the one and only =) Jesus came to save the world, not to condemn... BUT the biggest point that seems to be hidden from us, left out of the equation is the fact that we are already condemned!
John 3:18 tells us that those who believe in Jesus are not condemned, but those who don't believe stand condemned because they don't believe...And what condemns people?? It is the piece I was missing from my witnessing for years...The Law! The Law of Moses! The Ten Commandments! These are the Laws God set WAY back when. This shows us our sin, and keeps us from justifying ourselves! This is the tool Jesus used all the time. The woman at the well, the adulteror, the rich young ruler, etc...This is the key being left out of the teaching and preaching today. The church today is teaching only one side of the equation. They are teaching the "Jesus Loves You" part. Which is great but without the other side, it's almost irrelavant! People don't care that Jesus loves them and is full of grace if they don't know why they need His love and salvation. If they don't see their sin and what law they've violated, then they really don't like to hear that they are condemned and going to Hell.
You have to show them their sin through the Law which God gave us, and then explain to them that our God may be good and loving but He is also just and perfect--so He can't let imperfection into His Kingdom. He can't let the murderous, adulterous, lying, thieving people go...there must be justice or He wouldn't be considered a good judge, He would be considered evil.
BUT, if you let people know that someone has walked into the courtroom and paid their fines for them it's going to matter to them that this person is Jesus. Then they will understand why they need his love, mercy, and grace.
Now, don't think me to be enlightened or inspired here, I am simply educated through so many different influences that we have in our time today; people who are finding the key to re-opening the door to our Savior that seemed to be lost for so many years.
Del Tackett
Ray Comfort
Kirk Cameron
Lious Giglio
Frances Chan
Bill Weise
And so many others...
But most importantly, the one who never lost it, Jesus.
So, my question is: Are we about to go through another "Reformation" in our churches today?
Friday, March 4, 2011
The Beginning
So, this being my first post I should probably explain the name and why I've started it; cliche`, I know, but it's a good way to start things out.
I started this blog because I do enjoy writing, and I can process through things better than just thinking thoughts in my head, writing/typing my thoughts makes the process go WAY faster! I'm not stating that I'm am any good at this writing thing, but one of my friends said I should start a blog; I had been toying with the idea of starting one for months now and she tilted me over the edge. So, here I am, writing my first blog =)
Now on to the name... I admit, it's not a very good name, I may change it in the future, but Coffee & Confessions to me is: Coffee is a drink most people have while thinking on/over a topic or issue, and we drink it while having a deep or light conversation with someone; it fits nearly every situation when it comes to interacting or pensiveness. Now, the Confession part of it is, the things rolling around in my head: confessions, ideas, retorical thinking, statements, revelations, etc...
I hope to NOT make this blog my diary, I am hoping it becomes an outlet to me-- I usually like writing about a theological topic that I need to finish thinking about, or an idea or statement that I think should be shared with others-- God gave us these amazing minds and if we are filled with the Spirit then I think God would want us to tell the world our ideas and musings.
Hopefully this will be more of a tool for me and you than anything else =) Until my first official blog, Sola Deo Gloria!! (To God alone the Glory!)
I started this blog because I do enjoy writing, and I can process through things better than just thinking thoughts in my head, writing/typing my thoughts makes the process go WAY faster! I'm not stating that I'm am any good at this writing thing, but one of my friends said I should start a blog; I had been toying with the idea of starting one for months now and she tilted me over the edge. So, here I am, writing my first blog =)
Now on to the name... I admit, it's not a very good name, I may change it in the future, but Coffee & Confessions to me is: Coffee is a drink most people have while thinking on/over a topic or issue, and we drink it while having a deep or light conversation with someone; it fits nearly every situation when it comes to interacting or pensiveness. Now, the Confession part of it is, the things rolling around in my head: confessions, ideas, retorical thinking, statements, revelations, etc...
I hope to NOT make this blog my diary, I am hoping it becomes an outlet to me-- I usually like writing about a theological topic that I need to finish thinking about, or an idea or statement that I think should be shared with others-- God gave us these amazing minds and if we are filled with the Spirit then I think God would want us to tell the world our ideas and musings.
Hopefully this will be more of a tool for me and you than anything else =) Until my first official blog, Sola Deo Gloria!! (To God alone the Glory!)
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