Our church small group just finished a six-week study of "The Relationship Principles of Jesus" by Tom Holladay, teaching pastor at Saddleback Church. It was a fantastic study about Jesus' commandments to love Him with all our heart, mind and soul; and to love each other as we love ourselves.
My favorite excerpt from the study is a scripture: Romans 12:1 from The Message:
"Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering."
I also liked this excerpt: "The goal of love is not some false ideal we've conjured up in our minds; the goal of love is SEEING GOD AT WORK in our real lives. . . Ask God to help you to love in a new kind of way. Stop waiting for some ideal vision to come true in your life and just begin to love. Love now!"
The book also suggested writing the following words on a postcard to remind ourselves about humility:
"Humility is not thinking less of myself; it is thinking more of others.
Humility is not putting myself down; it is lifting God up.
Humility is not denying my strengths; it is being openly honest about my weaknesses.
Humility is seeing that without Christ I can do nothing, but in Christ I can do all things!"
We don't need to FEEL humble to ACT humbly. If we waited to FEEL like showing mercy or grace, or study the Word, pray, etc., many of us, myself included, wouldn't actually do those things. God calls us to do such simple things: visit the sick and imprisoned; feed/clothe the poor; love one another; spread the Gospel, pray, spend time with Him. He equips us for these very things. He has prepared in advance good works for us to do. He encourages us to not be weary in well doing. He gives us talents, not to build some kind of an altar around but to use while we share the Gospel, visit the sick and imprisoned, feed and clothe the poor and love one another. God is faithful to provide those opportunities.
In other words, don't let excuses keep you from God's commandments. You may be busy; it may make you feel uncomfortable; or you may even say God hasn't called you to do such and such. Do it anyway! What blessings we miss when we try to limit God's work with our own idea of how our talents should be used.
Hope this is an encouragement to you today. We will never be perfect on our own to do what God has called us to do; but with Him we are completely equipped to love Him with all our heart, mind and soul, and to love each other as we love ourselves.
God bless! Cindy
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Racism
I've been so discouraged, appalled really, lately about the use of the word "racist" in the media that I am compelled to blog. I have been researching the origins or slavery, and how the democratic and republican parties have handled racism/discrimination for the past 100+ years and have found out some interesting information. You can visit these sites for more info if you have time, but I'll briefly describe what I've found below. http://africanhistory.about.com/od/slavery/tp/TransAtlantic001.htm#;
http://www.nodnc.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=401.
I found articles about Republican racism, but didn't find much in the way of actual voting records. I researched by typing in "history of African slavery", "democratic racism" and "republican racism" in Google search.
The Portugese started slavery and bought African people to be used as slaves from their own African kings and merchants. They were then distributed throughout Europe and America. Most of the slaves brought to America were sent to S. America. The Republican party was the driving force behind the elimination of slavery in America.
The Democratic party has a long, sad history of racism (KKK was started by the Democratic party). There are racISTS on all sides, but racISM is far more ingrained in the history of the Democratic party. I am not trying to demonize anyone, but we all need to remember not to throw rocks when we live in glass houses.
My main point with this blog is to encourage you not to fall for the judgmental and partisan rhetoric we hear on a daily basis, especially when it comes to the "racist" accusations being thrown around. Sometimes, the racism rhetoric keeps people in business and in the news. It's also a way to divide us, and thus discouraging us from loving each other and really moving beyond racism. The fact we elected a biracial president is maybe the biggest indicator that we are actually doing that.
FYI: Skin color means no more to me than eye color, hair color, gender, height, weight, etc. I confess only one prejudice, and that is against prejudiced people.
http://www.nodnc.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=401.
I found articles about Republican racism, but didn't find much in the way of actual voting records. I researched by typing in "history of African slavery", "democratic racism" and "republican racism" in Google search.
The Portugese started slavery and bought African people to be used as slaves from their own African kings and merchants. They were then distributed throughout Europe and America. Most of the slaves brought to America were sent to S. America. The Republican party was the driving force behind the elimination of slavery in America.
The Democratic party has a long, sad history of racism (KKK was started by the Democratic party). There are racISTS on all sides, but racISM is far more ingrained in the history of the Democratic party. I am not trying to demonize anyone, but we all need to remember not to throw rocks when we live in glass houses.
My main point with this blog is to encourage you not to fall for the judgmental and partisan rhetoric we hear on a daily basis, especially when it comes to the "racist" accusations being thrown around. Sometimes, the racism rhetoric keeps people in business and in the news. It's also a way to divide us, and thus discouraging us from loving each other and really moving beyond racism. The fact we elected a biracial president is maybe the biggest indicator that we are actually doing that.
FYI: Skin color means no more to me than eye color, hair color, gender, height, weight, etc. I confess only one prejudice, and that is against prejudiced people.
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