Bible Intake (Part 1)...For the Purpose of Godliness

I posted about this on my own blog, but I wanted to share something that encouraged me as I was reading. Perhaps you will be encouraged too.

So go on reading it [the Bible] until you can read no longer, and then you will not need the Bible any more, because when your eyes close for the last time in death, and never again read the Word of God in Scripture you will open them to the Word of God in the flesh, the same Jesus of the Bible whom you have known for so long, standing before you to take you for ever to His eternal home. [1]

Have a God-glorifying break!

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[1] Geoffrey Thomas, Reading the Bible (Edinburgh, Scotland: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1980), page 22.

Chris Chois

a generous spirit

Lol, i was just gonna comment on gabe's post, but then i thought i might as well make another post, since we could use more activity here.. ><

Anyways, Yea! I was just reading 1 tim. and paul stresses money, along with false doctrine, that would lead people astray.. Its scary to think how one of our weaknesses could drive us to do really really bad and really damaging and hurtful things.. like get our friend crucified. I think money affects us all more than we think. I dont really think of myself as a materialistic person (compared to you Gabe lollll jk)(though maybe i should), yet I am struggling ALOT in seeing just how witholding I am in my heart with my possessions. If not to people, than just to God an unwillingness to assign myself fully to His tasks. Really, just a lack of generosity in my heart.

i was reading luke 6 (not sure if its parallel to sermon on mount, but its similar), and the application of being in the kingdom is not to read your bible more, but to give! Give to everyone who begs from you (ch6:30). Thats intense!! Jesus is saying that a regenerated heart is characterized by one who is generous. Buying someone a coffee may fool my ego into thinking I am generous, but when i hear stories of people giving their entire fortunes for missions or to the church, I ask myself what it is that prevents my heart from doing the same. And i know its not just responsibility and stewardship of money that explains it. I could say its the Chinese blood running through me (and be partially right), but really its just sin. its my selfish heart

And why can we be generous? theres the sense in Jesus' sermon that nothing on earth binds us any longer; we are no longer held captive by lusts of the world; desiring things of the earth. I'm no longer storing up for things here. We are FREE, to be non-withholding of our possessions and money. I think v.35 unifies it somewhat, "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and evil." It combines the spirit, with the action, with the eternal reward we seek in heaven.

It's like Jesus is saying, "How can you be poor in spirit, but withholding of money!?" humble people are not greedy people. It's no coincidence that Jesus talks about spiritual faith and bankruptcy, and then doing good to others, because they are directly related.

Spiritual dependence, then, is not purely spiritual, because it affects how you think and live in all areas of your life. So if I am to be spiritually dependent, it means I must submit to God all other areas of my life. It also means I must give.

Also.. this made me think that I need to look more intensely at Christ, b/c all human role models we have are far too worldly as well, lol..

anyways. whoever reads this.. pray for me please. I want to be like Christ.

oh, and pray for Gabe too, he still buys too much random asian figurine crap... ;)

Money

Hey guys,
I was reading Matthew 26, and I noticed something: Judas Iscariot fell to money. Sure there were other factors leading to it, but the Pharisees bribed Him, and he traded the Son of Man for 30 pieces of silver. Looking at that, I wonder how many of us do the same thing. Personally I struggle (probably more than a lot of you) with materialism. I like the things of this world, but I'm working hard on putting my money where it really matters - for God's kingdom. Anyway, what I was getting at is that money is a huge issue. Even with Jesus right in front of Him, Judas still gave in to his materialism. Reading this has really humbled me, because I know there are times when we put our money or our own selfish gain (financially) before God. We are then also betraying Him because we love the world more than Him. As a result, I hope that we all begin to look seriously at how money pulls us away from Jesus Christ. Jesus warns of money more than anything else in Scripture, and I think there's a reason for that. I just hope that some day, we aren't looking ourselves in the eye and realizing what we have traded: Jesus Christ, our savior for something utterly vain, deceiving, fleeting, and unsatisfying. So in conclusion, we must learn now to free ourselves from the bondage of materialism, and to invest in something infinitely greater. Instead of cultivating a need for money, let's replace that with a need for God's grace, and give money away, knowing that regardless of how much we give, God will provide us with more. That's all... just really cool reading today! Have a good break...

p.s. read Randy Alcorn's Treasure Principle for more on having a joyful and giving heart!