Saturday, September 29, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
God as King
So, today the sermon was given by Dr. Richard Pratt. He was one of Mark Upton's instructors at seminary. This was one of the most convicting messages I've heard in a long time. I cried as I drove home because I felt so raw and exposed.
Dr. Pratt taught on the portion of Matthew 6 that we commonly know as The Lord's Prayer. It's where Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray. Dr. Pratt drove home the point that we tend to focus on the latter part of the prayer, "Give US our daily bread....forgive US.....deliver US." The part we don't really focus on is the first verses which are "Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, they will be done on earth as it is in Heaven."
Dr. Pratt suggested that the way Evangelical Christians view God is skewed quite a bit. He is our Royal King. That's who this prayer should be directed to -- to a Royal King. It's a concept we aren't familiar with -- this notion of being under a King's rule. He said, "Kings are inconvenient." When you live under a king's rule, you don't live for yourself. What the king says, goes. He is the authority. That's just the way it goes.
The thing that really got me (and many things got to me this morning) was when Dr. Pratt said that if your faith is covenient, that if your Christianity just fits perfectly into your life, that God is probably not King of your life. Ouch. Double ouch. He got me. I am afraid that I've become way too comfortable being a Christian here on this earth.
He also suggested that the Lord's prayer also challenges us to change how we view this earth. Heaven is the standard; earth is the goal. If we are to ask that the Lord's will be done on earth as it is in Heaven, that should radically change how we live here. What kind of a legacy do we want to leave as Christians? Do we simply want to make good money, sustain a good job, be kind to others, etc.? Or do we want God's will to be done in our lives and to impact others this side of Heaven? We should do what He says now. We aren't living to escape earth to go float on a cloud and play a harp all day FOREVER. We are to carry the truth of the gospel to others NOW.
Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Then all these things shall be added unto you.
Dr. Pratt taught on the portion of Matthew 6 that we commonly know as The Lord's Prayer. It's where Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray. Dr. Pratt drove home the point that we tend to focus on the latter part of the prayer, "Give US our daily bread....forgive US.....deliver US." The part we don't really focus on is the first verses which are "Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, they will be done on earth as it is in Heaven."
Dr. Pratt suggested that the way Evangelical Christians view God is skewed quite a bit. He is our Royal King. That's who this prayer should be directed to -- to a Royal King. It's a concept we aren't familiar with -- this notion of being under a King's rule. He said, "Kings are inconvenient." When you live under a king's rule, you don't live for yourself. What the king says, goes. He is the authority. That's just the way it goes.
The thing that really got me (and many things got to me this morning) was when Dr. Pratt said that if your faith is covenient, that if your Christianity just fits perfectly into your life, that God is probably not King of your life. Ouch. Double ouch. He got me. I am afraid that I've become way too comfortable being a Christian here on this earth.
He also suggested that the Lord's prayer also challenges us to change how we view this earth. Heaven is the standard; earth is the goal. If we are to ask that the Lord's will be done on earth as it is in Heaven, that should radically change how we live here. What kind of a legacy do we want to leave as Christians? Do we simply want to make good money, sustain a good job, be kind to others, etc.? Or do we want God's will to be done in our lives and to impact others this side of Heaven? We should do what He says now. We aren't living to escape earth to go float on a cloud and play a harp all day FOREVER. We are to carry the truth of the gospel to others NOW.
Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Then all these things shall be added unto you.
Easy Like a Sunday Morning
A couple of months ago, I started visiting a church where their Worship service starts at 10:45am. I get up way before that (usually between 7:30 and 8am). So, I started walking/jogging as soon as I finished my first cup of coffee. I love this time that I have to myself -- well me and the trust iPod. I sometimes listen to sermons I've downloaded or I listen to some Worship music so that my heart gets a head start on the upcoming Worship service. If for some reason I miss this time, I miss it and it makes me a little grumpy! This is my time to enjoy the outdoors, to pray, to hear God speak to me. Anyway, I went on my walk again this morning and I feel refreshed. I am in no hurry and I have time to sit and blog about it before I head out the door for the day!
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Dance Craze
So, my brother Blake said this is all the craze right now (my words, not his). Apparently, this is the dance that is sweeping the nation. For some of us, it was the electric slide or the achy breaky, or the tootsie roll. Now, it's this:
Thursday, September 13, 2007
St. Bernard's Project
I'm doing this. Check out the link to the left entitled Fifi Goes 2 New Orleans!
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Photos
For those of you who don't visit my flickr site, here are some of my homework/class photos. oh yeah, and if you didn't already know, i love taking photos!!
light
crazy charlotte
light
crazy charlotte
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