Today my Chicago Bears played the Green Bay Packers for a spot in Super Bowl XLV. Four quarters and three quarterbacks later, they lost. For those of you who do not know of just how big of a game this was, I'll help you out. The rivalry between the Bears and the Packers is the longest standing rivalry in professional football history. If you were born into a Bear's family, you grew up hating the Packers (along with learning other essentials to life). So, there you go.
Towards the end of the game, I realized how upset I had become at my favorite team and how much my mood had changed from the beginning of the game to the very disappointing end. Why was I upset? My team lost at a game. A game. Over the years I have realized just how much I have let these games control my life.
Imagine if I would let my relationship with God control me like these sports games do at times. Every night, instead of surfing through the channels to find a game, I would flip through the pages of the very Word of God. Instead of recording my favorite games to watch later, I would take notes and record teachings of the Bible. Instead of waiting for the end of SportsCenter to see the top 10 plays, I would try to keep the 10 Commandments daily.
One thing I've been discovering in this short blessing we have called life is to find out the things that really matter. I think King Solomon said it best when he wrote the book of Ecclesiastes (at least we believe he wrote it). He says that "everything is useless" on this earth. Trying to find happiness from this earth is impossible, it is "like chasing the wind". Think about this, Solomon was one of the wealthiest dudes that ever walked this planet. He tried it all: women, money, alcohol, material posessions, food, and everything in between. None of it was satisfactory!! This was his conclusion in chapter 12 verse 13, "Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty."
So what really matters in life? A football game? Money? Living out the "American Dream"? Solomon knew the answer. But there's a difference between knowing the answer and obedience. I pray that we would all find what is really important in life.
God Bless.
-PJC
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Is This Possible?
Matthew 12:29-31 says this: Jesus replied, "The most important commandmendt is this: 'Listen O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength' (Which is taken from Deuteronomy 6:4-5) The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these."
I've thought through this many times, and the question that usually comes up in my mind is simply "Is this command that Jesus is telling us actually humanly possible?" Can any human on this earth love God with ALL their heart and ALL their soul and ALL their mind and ALL their strength? As you can see I have emphasized the word "all" because I just can't get over the fact that someone could love the LORD with everything in them at every possible moment in their life. There are times I can admit where I've gotten maybe a little upset at a driver (possibly from Indiana) for cutting me off or testing out their brakes in front of me for no apparent reason. There are other times where I honestly have loved other things more than the Creator of the universe. I do not view myself as anyone perfect by any means, but I'm sure there are pastors (who are perfect...) who have had times where they have not followed this commandment either.
So what the heck Jesus? What are we supposed to do? You told us to love you with EVERYTHING and you knew that it wasn't possible by any means to do this. You know how sinful this world is and you give us a commandment like that? I'm gonna have to lock myself in a room with a Bible and not interact with anyone for this commandment to have any hope of being obeyed.
Or do I?
When Christ (the Son of God) came to earth, He did it so that we may have a chance to know Him intimately and to be the once-and-for-all sacrifice for us so that we would not die, but have eternal life in Him. Without Him, we don't have a shot in hell (well... actually we would), but you get my point. We are constantly reminded how sinful we are and how much we need a Savior. Timothy tells us that "Christ came into the world to save sinners-- and I am the worst of them all." (1Timothy 1:15) Even the Apostle Paul tells us that he doesn't live up to Christ's standards in Romans 7:15, "I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate." So if Timothy and Paul, two pretty amazing men of God couldn't get it exactly right, then how can we?
God sometimes gives us things to do to make us realize that we can't do them on our own. We NEED Him. He certainly doesn't need us. Only with Christ is anything possible. In fact is says in Phillipians 4:13 that we can do everything with Christ who gives us strength. With Christ nothing is impossible, for He is the Creator and sustainer of life.
So do we simply wave the white flag and give up on this commandment? Of course not! {Thanks Paul ;-)} I think we all need to take a bath in a big tub of grace and thank God for everything He gives us each day. In addition to that we need to try to love the Lord our God with all of everything, and when we fall, realize that it is because of Christ that anything is possible at all.
Thank you God for helping us out with this sin thing that has been getting to us for the past couple of thousands of years. You Da Man.
-PJC
I've thought through this many times, and the question that usually comes up in my mind is simply "Is this command that Jesus is telling us actually humanly possible?" Can any human on this earth love God with ALL their heart and ALL their soul and ALL their mind and ALL their strength? As you can see I have emphasized the word "all" because I just can't get over the fact that someone could love the LORD with everything in them at every possible moment in their life. There are times I can admit where I've gotten maybe a little upset at a driver (possibly from Indiana) for cutting me off or testing out their brakes in front of me for no apparent reason. There are other times where I honestly have loved other things more than the Creator of the universe. I do not view myself as anyone perfect by any means, but I'm sure there are pastors (who are perfect...) who have had times where they have not followed this commandment either.
So what the heck Jesus? What are we supposed to do? You told us to love you with EVERYTHING and you knew that it wasn't possible by any means to do this. You know how sinful this world is and you give us a commandment like that? I'm gonna have to lock myself in a room with a Bible and not interact with anyone for this commandment to have any hope of being obeyed.
Or do I?
When Christ (the Son of God) came to earth, He did it so that we may have a chance to know Him intimately and to be the once-and-for-all sacrifice for us so that we would not die, but have eternal life in Him. Without Him, we don't have a shot in hell (well... actually we would), but you get my point. We are constantly reminded how sinful we are and how much we need a Savior. Timothy tells us that "Christ came into the world to save sinners-- and I am the worst of them all." (1Timothy 1:15) Even the Apostle Paul tells us that he doesn't live up to Christ's standards in Romans 7:15, "I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate." So if Timothy and Paul, two pretty amazing men of God couldn't get it exactly right, then how can we?
God sometimes gives us things to do to make us realize that we can't do them on our own. We NEED Him. He certainly doesn't need us. Only with Christ is anything possible. In fact is says in Phillipians 4:13 that we can do everything with Christ who gives us strength. With Christ nothing is impossible, for He is the Creator and sustainer of life.
So do we simply wave the white flag and give up on this commandment? Of course not! {Thanks Paul ;-)} I think we all need to take a bath in a big tub of grace and thank God for everything He gives us each day. In addition to that we need to try to love the Lord our God with all of everything, and when we fall, realize that it is because of Christ that anything is possible at all.
Thank you God for helping us out with this sin thing that has been getting to us for the past couple of thousands of years. You Da Man.
-PJC
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