Is it weird that I find Nyan Cat more hilarious than annoying? Yeah, didn't think so. Enjoy!
Even though I've pretty much already decided what I'm gonna be for Halloween this year, I still can't stop considering this costume. Ah-ma-zing.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Exposed.
Last night I spent some time reading Psalm 119 and found myself taken aback by the heart of this unknown and mysterious author. His passion and love for God is demonstrated by his hunger and thirst for His law. He says things like “I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands” (v. 131) and “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.” “My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times.” "I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame, for I delight in your commands because I love them." This man loved the law, and here I am after reading this, the darkness of my own heart exposed to the world, realizing that what this man loves I often despise. I am not panting for the Lord’s commands. If anything, I often resent them, and having had to suffer through reading Leviticus, I especially can’t imagine myself having an attitude of delight towards the laws abounding within it. Oh yes, I do my best to follow the Lord’s commands, but my heart does not always delight in them like this man’s does, especially not to the same extent of his. The words of this Psalmist have laid my heart bare. What good is my obedience if my heart does not delight in it? What good are my works if they’re done only in vain?
This Psalmist prays a prayer that has been mine for months. In verse 34 he pleads a simple request: “Give me understanding.” I’ve been praying this over and over and truly God has given me far more understanding than I had ever anticipated. Understanding of God’s character and faithfulness. Understanding of His love and His constant desire for what is best for me. Understanding of the world around me through study of philosophy, science, history, and religion, and in the end He has given me an intense clarity and the blessed assurance that Jesus Christ truly is the way, the truth, and the life. I know that both in my head and my heart without a shadow of a doubt. And yet I can’t help but think that though God answered my prayer, He has also revealed to me that much of it was in vain. Sure, I prayed for understanding, but look at the rest of this Psalmist’s earnest prayer. Mine was nothing of the sort.
“Give me understanding and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart. Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared. Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good. How I long for your precepts! Preserve my life in your righteousness.” (34-40)
Trust me, because I’m speaking from a vast amount of experience here---understanding with your mind is completely worthless unless you also understand with your heart, and it is made even more worthless if in your understanding you don’t even seek to obey what God Himself has revealed to you. What good is hearing if you will not listen? What good is knowing if you will not act? Knowing ABOUT God is absolutely worthless in comparison to knowing God, and being able to know God and have a relationship with Him through faith in Christ is what makes Christianity truly unique among all of the other world religions. I’ve met far too many people on a quest for knowledge who have studied anything and everything and yet never realized that if they call upon the name of the Lord, He will reveal Himself to them. They could not fathom that in their search for evidence for God, God has offered them the best evidence of all---Himself. He is always waiting, always pursuing. And yet so many of us use our studies of even Scripture itself as a way to avoid God. And yet truly, I've learned time and time again through my own failings that the character and presence of God is far greater than any amount of head knowledge you could ever possibly possess. The Psalmist understood this, and though I understood this in my head, I did not believe it in my heart. I deceived myself, as I often do, into believing that something other than God Himself would bring me fulfillment.
Hebrews 4:12-13 is absolutely true. “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
God saw the motives of my heart, and yet He answered my prayer anyway, knowing that I too would eventually realize my motives. The power of God’s word never ceases to amaze me. It penetrates my soul, convicts me, and changes me. It is the only literature I have ever read that has such an effect on me, and is evidence of the goodness, power, and active work of God in its ability to do so.
This Psalmist prays a prayer that has been mine for months. In verse 34 he pleads a simple request: “Give me understanding.” I’ve been praying this over and over and truly God has given me far more understanding than I had ever anticipated. Understanding of God’s character and faithfulness. Understanding of His love and His constant desire for what is best for me. Understanding of the world around me through study of philosophy, science, history, and religion, and in the end He has given me an intense clarity and the blessed assurance that Jesus Christ truly is the way, the truth, and the life. I know that both in my head and my heart without a shadow of a doubt. And yet I can’t help but think that though God answered my prayer, He has also revealed to me that much of it was in vain. Sure, I prayed for understanding, but look at the rest of this Psalmist’s earnest prayer. Mine was nothing of the sort.
“Give me understanding and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart. Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared. Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good. How I long for your precepts! Preserve my life in your righteousness.” (34-40)
Trust me, because I’m speaking from a vast amount of experience here---understanding with your mind is completely worthless unless you also understand with your heart, and it is made even more worthless if in your understanding you don’t even seek to obey what God Himself has revealed to you. What good is hearing if you will not listen? What good is knowing if you will not act? Knowing ABOUT God is absolutely worthless in comparison to knowing God, and being able to know God and have a relationship with Him through faith in Christ is what makes Christianity truly unique among all of the other world religions. I’ve met far too many people on a quest for knowledge who have studied anything and everything and yet never realized that if they call upon the name of the Lord, He will reveal Himself to them. They could not fathom that in their search for evidence for God, God has offered them the best evidence of all---Himself. He is always waiting, always pursuing. And yet so many of us use our studies of even Scripture itself as a way to avoid God. And yet truly, I've learned time and time again through my own failings that the character and presence of God is far greater than any amount of head knowledge you could ever possibly possess. The Psalmist understood this, and though I understood this in my head, I did not believe it in my heart. I deceived myself, as I often do, into believing that something other than God Himself would bring me fulfillment.
Hebrews 4:12-13 is absolutely true. “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
God saw the motives of my heart, and yet He answered my prayer anyway, knowing that I too would eventually realize my motives. The power of God’s word never ceases to amaze me. It penetrates my soul, convicts me, and changes me. It is the only literature I have ever read that has such an effect on me, and is evidence of the goodness, power, and active work of God in its ability to do so.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
I Am Second
We watched this last night at youth group and I was absolutely astounded. I LOVE hearing others' testimonies. To me, that's the most convincing evidence God could possibly give any of us for the truth of the Gospel. A changed heart and a changed life...the transforming power of Christ within us. If that's not something to shout for joy about then I don't know what is! If you get a chance, go to the I Am Second website and watch some more testimonies. In the meantime I hope you're blown away by ex-Korn band member Brian Welch's story.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
The Atheist Creed
I heard this satirical creed while listening to Ravi Zacharias a few months back and was astounded by it. The self-contradictions prevalent in this thinking are made blatantly obvious, and yet it's still such a challenge to convince anyone of the truth of it because of the Postmodern era we live in. Apparently it doesn't matter if you believe two things that are in direct opposition to one another, and it doesn't matter if the evidence doesn't support your position, because according to the world, YOU get to determine what is true. But it just goes to show that unbelief is really not a matter of God refusing to reveal the truth, but rather of man suppressing the truth which God has already revealed.
The Atheist Creed
by Steve Turner
We believe in Marxfreudanddarwin.
We believe everything is OK
as long as you don't hurt anyone,
to the best of your definition of hurt,
and to the best of your knowledge.
We believe in sex before during
and after marriage.
We believe in the therapy of sin.
We believe that adultery is fun.
We believe that sodomy's OK
We believe that taboos are taboo.
We believe that everything's getting better
despite evidence to the contrary.
The evidence must be investigated.
You can prove anything with evidence.
We believe there's something in horoscopes,
UFO's and bent spoons;
Jesus was a good man just like Buddha
Mohammed and ourselves.
He was a good moral teacher, although we think
his good morals were bad.
We believe that all religions are basically the same,
at least the one that we read was.
They all believe in love and goodness.
They only differ on matters of
creation, sin, heaven, hell, God, and salvation.
We believe that after death comes The Nothing
because when you ask the dead what happens
they say Nothing.
If death is not the end, if the dead have lied,
then it's compulsory heaven for all
excepting perhaps Hitler, Stalin and Genghis Khan.
We believe in Masters and Johnson.
What's selected is average.
What's average is normal.
What's normal is good.
We believe in total disarmament.
We believe there are direct links between
warfare and bloodshed.
Americans should beat their guns into tractors
and the Russians would be sure to follow.
We believe that man is essentially good.
It's only his behaviour that lets him down.
This is the fault of society.
Society is the fault of conditions.
Conditions are the fault of society.
We believe that each man must find the truth
that is right for him.
Reality will adapt accordingly.
The universe will readjust. History will alter.
We believe that there is no absolute truth
excepting the truth that there is no absolute truth.
We believe in the rejection of creeds.
The Atheist Creed
by Steve Turner
We believe in Marxfreudanddarwin.
We believe everything is OK
as long as you don't hurt anyone,
to the best of your definition of hurt,
and to the best of your knowledge.
We believe in sex before during
and after marriage.
We believe in the therapy of sin.
We believe that adultery is fun.
We believe that sodomy's OK
We believe that taboos are taboo.
We believe that everything's getting better
despite evidence to the contrary.
The evidence must be investigated.
You can prove anything with evidence.
We believe there's something in horoscopes,
UFO's and bent spoons;
Jesus was a good man just like Buddha
Mohammed and ourselves.
He was a good moral teacher, although we think
his good morals were bad.
We believe that all religions are basically the same,
at least the one that we read was.
They all believe in love and goodness.
They only differ on matters of
creation, sin, heaven, hell, God, and salvation.
We believe that after death comes The Nothing
because when you ask the dead what happens
they say Nothing.
If death is not the end, if the dead have lied,
then it's compulsory heaven for all
excepting perhaps Hitler, Stalin and Genghis Khan.
We believe in Masters and Johnson.
What's selected is average.
What's average is normal.
What's normal is good.
We believe in total disarmament.
We believe there are direct links between
warfare and bloodshed.
Americans should beat their guns into tractors
and the Russians would be sure to follow.
We believe that man is essentially good.
It's only his behaviour that lets him down.
This is the fault of society.
Society is the fault of conditions.
Conditions are the fault of society.
We believe that each man must find the truth
that is right for him.
Reality will adapt accordingly.
The universe will readjust. History will alter.
We believe that there is no absolute truth
excepting the truth that there is no absolute truth.
We believe in the rejection of creeds.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Still Addicted To YouTube...
Just some pretty cool videos for your viewing pleasure. :-)
And can life get any better than both OK Go and The Muppets in one video? No. No it can not.
And can life get any better than both OK Go and The Muppets in one video? No. No it can not.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Beheld.
I'm typically not a huge fan of dramatic readings, but I came across this video today and really liked it. I found it incredibly encouraging and hope you do too. If anything, keep in mind what is written in the "about" section of their blog:
"We have all been told that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Our perception of beauty changes greatly depending on what or who that beholder may be. Whoever you are today, happy or heartbroken, hopeful or hopeless, know this – you are welcome here. You are welcome to read, and rest, and realize that your identity can be redefined. You need not be bound by the things of this world, caught up in its whirlwind of catastrophic vanity. You are free – we are free – from definitions of beauty that purge us of our value as women.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Who is your beholder?
We are made in the image of our Maker. We are the Beheld"
Beheld from Marianne Bach on Vimeo.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Someday I'll Get A Tattoo...Maybe...But Probably Not
If I were to ever get a tattoo, I think this would be it. I. love. it. I do not, however, love being poked repeatedly by a needle. And I think it's imperative that I also consider the fact that by the time I'm 80, this tattoo could very well look more like birds being torpedoed and sucked into a vortex of back fat than anything. But hey, a girl can dream for now, right? :-)
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