Knock on wood…

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” Col. 3:23 

Within the past few months I’ve developed this addiction of woodworking. I’m not a pro by any means or stretch of the imagination. The few things that I’ve choose to experiment with have been most surprising, even to myself. I just finished building this wooden chest (above) a few days ago. We use it as our coffee table in front of the couch and to store our board games. Its nothing special, but it looks rugged and old. The roommates and I have decided to make our apartment look like a ski lodge as much as possible. With our fire place and the other wooden bookshelves and stuff we have here, it’s slowly transforming into one. We lack a bear rug though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some a few more things that I’ve worked on. And no the thing to the left is not a pulpit! It is a standing reading desk. To the right is a old country style book shelf. I’ve also been in the process of making different types of wine racks.

This isn’t something I’m tremendously good at yet. I’d call myself a rookie at best. But I’m learning. I just feel so blessed to be able to have the time and somewhat skill to do hobbies like this.

As I’m measuring, sawing, and sanding, I can’t help but think that this is the type of work Jesus was born into. A carpenter. He measured, sawed, and sanded and did it perfectly, all to the glory of the Father. It’s important to be reminded that being more like Christ is not just imitating his actions. Faith without deeds is dead right? Therefore, it’s about doing whatever we do, to glorify God in faith through Christ…even in our hobbies.

8 Blessings I take for granted…

1. Hot Water – I’ve stayed several places, some of them being overseas, where I didn’t have hot water. It was quite a change to cringe in the shower instead of relaxing.

2. School – I forget that someone had to pay for me to go, and even simply the ability to read. I always assume everyone can do it.

3. Fingernail Clippers – What would I do if I didn’t have these?

4. Toilet Paper – No explanation necessary. What else would we use?

5. My roommates – It’s good to talk and learn to listen.

6. My job – Such an answered prayer.

7. Pillows – More the merrier.

8. Being able to sleep – His mercies are new every morning.

Wor(k)ship

This past month I’ve been preparing myself mentally, physically, and spiritually for switching from three part-time jobs to one full-time job. It’s been making me think about how “work” is an act of worship in my life toward God. Previously, and most of the time, I’ve found myself simply forgetting the fact that “work” itself is an act of worship. In addition God works, so we should work and when we work we are imitating Him.

We’re all familiar with the passage 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” But for some reason it ends up being dumped in the back of ours minds and forgotten. Therefore, I believe it’s necessary to briefly, yet carefully, investigate what work is in relation to worship and how work fulfills its purpose of glorifying Christ.

Wayne Grudem’s definition of worship is: the activity of glorifying God. Namely, it is any action with a genuine and conscious adoration of God in our hearts. Thus, worship is an all encompassing activity in a believer’s life. “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” – Col. 3:17

Now that worship has been defined, it is important to know how work functions in its role and purpose as worship to God.

“What gain has the worker from his toil?” – Ecclesiastes 3:9

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” – Col. 3:23, 24

If work is reduced to simply making money, gaining stuff, or even surviving, it is sin. We are commanded to do EVERYTHING for Christ. Whether we eat, drink, mop floors, sit at cubicles, drive trucks, flip burgers, or stock shelves it should be for the glory of God and when it’s not it is sin. Now imagine every time that we have worked and we haven’t glorified God with our jobs. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but we haven’t.

The performance our jobs should reflect the joy we have in Christ Jesus. “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16. Even if we are doing jobs we don’t want to, we should perform them above reproach so that unbelievers are able to see a difference in the way we work and might see Christ in us. St. Francis of Assisi said it best, “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.”

To bring this correct mindset with us to work, and wherever we go, we must “abide in Christ” which we are commanded to do in scripture. “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” – John 15:4. So to produce any fruit at work we must abide in Christ. We must constantly and consciously be thinking about Christ especially while we work. Even if we cannot see fruit that it is being produced at work by abiding in Christ does not mean that it’s not happening. This promise in John 15:4 is affirmed in 1 John 2:24 – “As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life.”

If the attitude we have is “I hate my job, why does God have me here?” Then we’ve missed the point. That is a very “self-focused” attitude. Instead, we need to be Christ-focused.

And if you’re looking for an encouraging word, here it is:

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

– 1 Thessalonians 5:16.

Potlucks, gluttony in disguise?

As obesity becomes more and more of a recognized problem in our country, specifically a leader in cause-related deaths, it is almost impossible to ignore what God’s word says concerning the matter. Recently I’ve been really honed in on the sin of Gluttony; how it is defined and what does scripture say about it.

For some reason, Christians in particular, have overlooked the seriousness of this sin. We are very quick to point fingers at the alcoholics and the smokers and quote 1 Corinthians 6:19, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit…” But the majority of Christians never apply the same arguments against excessive eating. It gets quickly swept under the rug. Many believers would probably never think about taking a drop of alcohol or a draw from a cigarette, but also would not give a second thought to unnecessary and excessive eating.

First, let us define gluttony or a glutton. Webster’s Definition – Glutton; one given habitually to greedy and voracious eating and drinking. A more simple definition would possibly be, “Eating beyond need out of selfish pleasure.” Sound good? Good.

Secondly, what does scripture say about over eating?

Proverbs 23:2 “Put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.”

Proverbs 23:20-21 “Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.”

The reality is that gluttony is a sin. Just as much as debauchery, excessive smoking, illegal drugs, etc. Well, any sin really. Having an appetite and eating tasty food is NOT a sin. God has designed our bodies to get hungry and need food. It becomes sin, however, when our appetite is uncontrollable. Almost anything out of control in our bodies can be recognized as sin. Taming the appetite is much of a needed task as taming our tongues or our minds from slander or lust.

Lastly, what to do about it? Well, if our appetites are “out of control” should they be taken under control? Absolutely! Many times scripture commands us to be of self-control. It just happens to be one of the fruits of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and SELF-CONTROL.” And because we are new creations in Christ Jesus we as Christians are no longer slaves to sins, such as gluttony.

More suggestions you say? One scripture.

Galatians 5:16 – “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”

God created.

Last night the roommates and I were discussing creationism and evolution. To be perfectly honest I’m not exactly sure where I stand on the issue. I’m aware of only a few views such as old earth, new earth, big-bang, intelligent design, etc.

First and foremost, it is NOT a hill I’m willing to die on; whether or not the earth has existed 6 billion years or only 5000 years. I’m pretty sure there are more pressing issues that can be discussed for more beneficial reasons, salvation, the person of Jesus Christ, to name a few.

Secondly, I do have a somewhat of a presupposition approaching this. I believe that whatever the case may be, that God is responsible for everything. Not just what has happen, but EVERYTHING in history; past, present, and future. He is responsible for putting the entire universe and even time into being. Whether the earth has existed for 6000 years or several billion He is purposeful in making it so.

I’m really scared to even really take a position on this issue. I cannot even begin to fathom how creation even took place. All we really have is how the bible describes it. I think a lot of times people try to simplify what God’s word says when really it’s impossible to even comprehend what God really does. We can say, “Oh yeah God spoke the universe in 6 days.” But what does that really look like? Tell me what really took place. Impossible.

Even the most simple, elementary school Sunday stories are really above our heads because we have no idea how majestic God really is. After giving a thought here and there about this I come to one conclusion, He is sovereign.

The insanity continues…

A visit here has been long overdue. Nothing much has changed since the last time I wrote here. The life the Lord has blessed me with is still amazing. I cannot thank God enough for his blessings.

School is back in session and I’m taking several night classes. It’s somewhat of a change because in night classes it’s a challenge to keep focus and sit still in my seat. I pound down the coffee and become jittery. In day and morning classes the challenge is to stay awake and coherently make sense what is being taught to you.

The Bradley House is in a state of chaos, as usual. But differently now. Tyler, my roommate, has recently proposed to his lady friend, Emily Rickard and are now engaged! It’s been amazing to seem them both grow together in Christ and to able to witness their relationship from when it started and until now. That in itself has been a blessing. This future wedding makes a total of 8 weddings this summer I’m going to attend. That is a lot of cake and a lot of dancing. I’m stoked.

In the news, Hatti has been catching everyone’s attention and rightfully so. It got struck with a major earthquake and has left almost the entire country starving, without homes or water. My prayers are with them all and all that are giving aid. I really wish I could go, but I know God wants me here.

It has been difficult to stay here in the States to begin with. At the beginning of the year I had the option of going back to South Africa for an entire year. But it didn’t pan out like I had hoped and now I’m resuming school, which is just as good.

So, as of now, still balancing 50 hrs of work, 6 hrs of class, and sleeping somewhere in between.

Lately

Well, lately I’ve felt like I was being pulled in a million directions at once. This fall semester was my first semester at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. There I have met a very eclectic group of believers. Professors, future professors, teachers, preachers, counselors and the like. They all possess different passion and goals, but all, however, have one drive; to glorify God the Father. I see it in everyone’s eyes. The students who have been there for a while know their focus and passion. It’s an encouragement to see other brothers and sisters in Christ study to build the kingdom.

Because I’m new and fresh out of undergrad I’m still searching specifically what God wants me to do. For a fact I know he has given me a passion for history and to teach. I’d like to be able to teach high school and middle school and eventually at the college level. So I’m going to stop until I see a red light. Overall the professors there are amazing and are fervent about being immersed in the Word. It’s been an encouragement and an example to press onward to fight the good fight.

At the same time a battle wages in the minds of the students here. Pride. Pride corrupts the mind and the heart. Even I have been a victim of it myself and have sinned. This is a great seminary no doubt and I believe one of the best, but pride sneaks in and poisons us. Martin Luther was right when he said, “Where God builds a church, the devil will build a chapel.” Satan is also there attempting to hinder everything we wish to accomplish through learning there. It’s hard. I’m not going to lie. Satan is everywhere wanting to devour me.

Aside from that it has been amazing. I hope to continue to learn from the men there so that I can become more like Christ.