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Thursday, June 08, 2006
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
False Teachers
So I was reading in 2 Peter Ch. 2 last night and I had something hit me:
18For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. 19They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.I'm not sure why, but it struck me how vunerable we are when we first come to believe in Christ. That while God has His hand on us, we are still susceptible to misgivings and influences from people and things not of God. This, in turn, made me think about how critical a community of Believers that accept and support new Christians is. Those new Christians could easily be handed over to false teachers that will lead them completely astray. Obviously, it isn't just new Christians that can be led astray, but I think this verse makes it clear that false teachers will entice people who are just beginning to turn away from the life they've been leading. So I prayed fervently last night for the protection of many people I know (and those I don't know) in my life that have only recently begun to truly seek God. And I thanked God for my church and the community of people He has placed me in. I can't think of one instance where I've seen anyone in that church or in my circle of friends not accept someone new for who they are.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Dam!
So Chinese engineers blew up the last of the temporary dams at the just-completed Three Gorges Dam. Pretty sweet video of them doing so here. Especially cool is the views of the water levels suddenly rising/dropping. Although the hydroelectric portion of the dam isn't operational yet, it is completed structurally and now holding back a massive body of water. Three Gorges is 5x the size of the Hoover Dam.
Excitement
What am I excited about? Soccer. Why? Because hopefully tonight will be my first night playing with the BMW Soccer Club. And what a great day it is for a little futbol.
Monday, June 05, 2006
Weekend
So I get bored with just relaying the facts about my weekend. In light of this, I'm going to recite the events using only ridiculously short phrases:
Friday: X-men movie, anger, food, Garrison, talk, late, sleep
Saturday: sleep, Karla, Brent, mall, PF Changs, ice skate, laugh, Barley's, new people, more new people, inundated w/ new people, sleep
Sunday: Newspring, grass, run, gym, hours of laundry (thanks Andi and Kenyon for the hookup.) sleep.
There, I did it. Now you can piece together what it means yourself.
Oh, I'm checking out a new bible study group tonight. All I know at this point is that it is a pot-luck dinner and they said b/c I'm new, I don't have to bring anything. I love being a newbie.
Friday: X-men movie, anger, food, Garrison, talk, late, sleep
Saturday: sleep, Karla, Brent, mall, PF Changs, ice skate, laugh, Barley's, new people, more new people, inundated w/ new people, sleep
Sunday: Newspring, grass, run, gym, hours of laundry (thanks Andi and Kenyon for the hookup.) sleep.
There, I did it. Now you can piece together what it means yourself.
Oh, I'm checking out a new bible study group tonight. All I know at this point is that it is a pot-luck dinner and they said b/c I'm new, I don't have to bring anything. I love being a newbie.
Friday, June 02, 2006
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Wants...
Just in case anyone might be interested in knowing what music I am currently seeking after:
I've recently really enjoyed the CD Howl Howl Gaff Gaff from the Shout Out Louds. I suggest getting it.
1. Out of the Fierce Parade: Velvet Teen
2. Elysium: Velvet Teen
3. You are Here: +/- (Plus/Minus)
4. Blue Screen Life: Pinback
5. Eyes Open: Snow Patrol
6. Mean Way In: Division Day
I've recently really enjoyed the CD Howl Howl Gaff Gaff from the Shout Out Louds. I suggest getting it.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Needed this...
Mem Day
Here's what I've learned over Memorial Day weekend:
PF Changs is the best darn Chinese food you'll ever have the pleasure of inserting into your digestive track.
Moving sucks. I hate it. But thanks to Melissa, Mom, Garrison, Brian, PJ Angela and Andi, it went quickly and smoothly. And I mean smooth like butta. I think I'm really going to dig G-vegas too. I went running up and down Main Street today and joined Pivotal Fitness. Pivotal: Because I won't have to pay for a bunch of crap I'm never going to use (I.E. raquetball, pool, basketball court).
The movie Cold Mountain is most definitely a chick flick. Unfortunately for me, I was unaware of this fact and was duped into watching it. At no point whatsoever did I find the plot even mildly plausible. While they attempted to parlay the overwhelming estrogen level with short, unrealistic battle scenes, the end result was...well...bad. But, I guess if you're a chick, you can look past all that and simply fantasize that Jude Law is trudging across hundreds of miles on foot after escaping death numerous times simply because you spoke two sentences and kissed him for 5 seconds.
I miss the lake, terribly. I got out on Hartwell for about 2 hours...but then the boat broke. So I had to hotwire the battery to the starter while I'm standing in the lake. I admit, it wasn't smart, but it was necessary. Not long after the engine started running again, the steering cables broke. Ok God, I get it. No lake for today. Then straight to a Memorial Day cookout. Pics here (via Candice) and here (via Paul).
On a more personal note, I'm starting to learn and deal with the idea of "freedom in Christ." While I had heard that phrase so many times, I haven't given much thought to what it really means. What am I free from? Well, the first thing is freedom from the penalty of sin, but Jesus and Paul (in Galatians) talks about being free from sin in a current state. As Christians, we aren't bound by it anymore, even if we feel like it. On the same token, being a Christian isn't a license to sin either. So it sets up two opposing ends: the first being that we don't weigh ourselves down with guilt and legalism; the second being we don't just go do whatever we feel like doing. I'm trying to feel out this "happy medium" and what exactly it means. I can forgive myself for sinning because God has forgiven me, yet how do I stop myself from taking advantage of that? As to be expected, the ultimate answer lies in my relationship with God and doing my best to "live by the Spirit" as Paul states in Galatians 5:16-18:
PF Changs is the best darn Chinese food you'll ever have the pleasure of inserting into your digestive track.
Moving sucks. I hate it. But thanks to Melissa, Mom, Garrison, Brian, PJ Angela and Andi, it went quickly and smoothly. And I mean smooth like butta. I think I'm really going to dig G-vegas too. I went running up and down Main Street today and joined Pivotal Fitness. Pivotal: Because I won't have to pay for a bunch of crap I'm never going to use (I.E. raquetball, pool, basketball court).
The movie Cold Mountain is most definitely a chick flick. Unfortunately for me, I was unaware of this fact and was duped into watching it. At no point whatsoever did I find the plot even mildly plausible. While they attempted to parlay the overwhelming estrogen level with short, unrealistic battle scenes, the end result was...well...bad. But, I guess if you're a chick, you can look past all that and simply fantasize that Jude Law is trudging across hundreds of miles on foot after escaping death numerous times simply because you spoke two sentences and kissed him for 5 seconds.
I miss the lake, terribly. I got out on Hartwell for about 2 hours...but then the boat broke. So I had to hotwire the battery to the starter while I'm standing in the lake. I admit, it wasn't smart, but it was necessary. Not long after the engine started running again, the steering cables broke. Ok God, I get it. No lake for today. Then straight to a Memorial Day cookout. Pics here (via Candice) and here (via Paul).
On a more personal note, I'm starting to learn and deal with the idea of "freedom in Christ." While I had heard that phrase so many times, I haven't given much thought to what it really means. What am I free from? Well, the first thing is freedom from the penalty of sin, but Jesus and Paul (in Galatians) talks about being free from sin in a current state. As Christians, we aren't bound by it anymore, even if we feel like it. On the same token, being a Christian isn't a license to sin either. So it sets up two opposing ends: the first being that we don't weigh ourselves down with guilt and legalism; the second being we don't just go do whatever we feel like doing. I'm trying to feel out this "happy medium" and what exactly it means. I can forgive myself for sinning because God has forgiven me, yet how do I stop myself from taking advantage of that? As to be expected, the ultimate answer lies in my relationship with God and doing my best to "live by the Spirit" as Paul states in Galatians 5:16-18:
16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.I suppose what I'm seeking out is the details on how exactly to go about doing this. What exactly does it mean to be "led by the Spirit?" How does one make sure you are being led by the Spirit? How can you tell the difference between your own sinful nature and those of the Holy Spirit? Sometimes it seems very obvious, others the waters get murky. Man, I think too much...
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