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| Been a long week of ponderings and readings...The bulk of what has been on my mind lately are the following two things. I will share some of the resources I have been looking at:
1.) Post-modern evangelism
How do we remain culturally updated and relevant when evangelizing while remaining doctrinally sound and true to the Gospel?
You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.
Titus 2:1
How to Evangelize Today - christianitytoday.com
Terranova Church - Troy, NY
Acts 29 Movement
The Gospel Coalition
2.) Discipline and Meditation
Discipline yourselves for the purpose of godliness.
1 Timothy 4:7 (NASB)
We have not advanced very far in our spiritual lives if we have not encountered the basic paradox of freedom ... that we are most free when we are bound. But not just any way of being bound will suffice; what matters is the character of our binding. The one who would be an athlete, but who is unwilling to discipline his body by regular exercise and abstinence, is not free to excel on the field or the track. His failure to train rigorously denies him the freedom to run with the desired speed and endurance. With one concerted voice, the giants of the devotional life apply the same principle to the whole of life: Discipline is the price of freedom.
- Elton Trueblood
Our age has been sadly deficient in what may be termed spiritual greatness. At the root of this is the modern disease of shallowness. We are all too impatient to meditate on the faith we profess ... It is not the busy skimming over religious books or the careless hastening through religious duties which makes for a strong Christian faith. Rather, it is unhurried meditation on gospel truths and the exposing of our minds to these truths that yields the fruit of sanctified character.
- Maurice Roberts
Let me understand the teachings of your precepts; then I will meditate on your wonders.
Psalm 119:27
I rejoice in following our statutes as one rejoices in great riches.
I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.
Psalm 119:14-16
Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.
Psalm 119:97
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14 | | |
| *Another* new beginning...It's a tad bit odd leaving a place that I grew up in. Sure, I've pretty much been in and out for the last four years, but this time I know I will be gone for, possibly, indefinitely. Sure, I'll visit, but I probably won't 'live' here again. I guess the other odd thing is that whenever I am at home, I always feel like wanting to leave. Something always seems to tick me off at home or it just gets incredibly boring. Most of my acquaintances have diminished (probably my own fault) and I have virtually no brothers and sisters in Christ here since the only church I consistently went to after I became serious about my faith was Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC (and it's quite tough finding any fellowship there when you are only around for at most a week at any given time).
Like I've said, there's going to be a whole lot of change going on soon for me. A lot of me being independent and responsible for my own life (more so than before when i spent most of my time caring for others). There's a lot of uncertainty ahead. A part of me is very bold, confident, and strong. The other part is reticent, insecure, and sad. I still am not sure of a church up over in Schenectady, NY. Pray that I can find a Home quickly. It will likely be the one place where I can seek safe haven outside of my work life.
One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.
-Psalm 27:4
My crazy work schedule of almost 8am-8pm doesn't start until mid-August so feel free to keep me company during the weekday nights. Yes, I will try to make friends but I can't really guarantee that. I will be needing God's grace to understand how to relate to people and what they do outside of my own comfort zone and what I would not naturally do.
I think one thing is for certain, however. I have been growing much closer to Him lately. Ever since graduation, I have been consistent with my QTs and prayer (1 Thes 5:17). Each day I do feel like I'm drawing closer to Him. And in doing so, it does reveal a lot of sin and weaknesses in me. But at the same time, coming to know God more provides me with the hope and comfort of the covenant and His redemptive story, covering those flaws in me. This is one thing I am confident in: God is still working in me. He has grown my heart for people even more, has given me joy to do His will regardless of the sacrifice, has shown me His majesty and grace which warrants glorification, has given me reason to become a devout disciple and encourage others to also, and has given me compassion for the poor and meek. And even though I miss (and will be missing) many of my beloved, the following words are encouraging me to still focus on Him first:
"When I have learnt to love God better than my earthly dearests, I shall love my earthly dearests better than I do now. In so far as I learn to love my earthly dearests at the expense of God and instead of God, I shall be moving towards the state in which I shall not love my earthly dearests at all. When first things are put first, second things are not suppressed but increased."
- C.S. Lewis
Nonetheless, there is still much work to be done in me and through me. But I do have the strength to continue on (Phil 4:13) and to take joy daily (1 Thes 5:16) in the good works He has prepared me for through the Word and His wisdom (1 Tim 3:16-17).
I'm ready. I'll stand firm. Not because of me, but because of Him.
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| Moms and DadsWhile running in a park this morning, there were two mothers walking side-by-side in the same direction that I was, and were talking and pushing their kids in strollers. I waved hello, nodded my head, and kept running.
Just up ahead, I saw even more strollers coming towards me (in the opposite direction of the two mothers and me). This time, there were three strollers, each one a double stroller, being pushed by three manly middle-aged guys on rollerblades. The guys were talking about random guy things and joked around with each other. Obviously they were doing this together too because they kept the same pace. I smiled gently at them and then turned away because I felt like my face expressed an unintentional, peculiar look. I slowed down my pace and looked behind me as the two groups, the moms and the dads, passed each other. The mothers shouted out to the guys, "Heyyy, guys! Having fun?" with a slight grin. Full of jolly, the fathers passed by with greetings, an emphatic "Yes!" and some laughter.
Nothing much else happened, just thought it was an interesting sight ... seeing both sides of it. And it's probably a sight that I won't have to see myself in for a very long time. Hahaha. | | |
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