Let me just say I love football... pro and college.
My favorite team to watch and follow is the St. Louis Rams. Yes, the Rams. Who might be the worst team in the NFL history...
You know it's bad when your fan base starts talking about the draft after 3 games of the season...
Here is the point of this post:
Don't you think football is a little over commercialized? With NFL Network and the huge stadiums with 100 dollar jerseys....
Is there a point where we realize that football is just.... football?
I guess I will never understand how we can pay athletes 100 million dollars.....
Tuesday, December 29
Wednesday, December 23
Idolatry Revisited
Not speaking about the golden idol or the thing that you carved with your own hands that you worship.....
I'm speaking about the things a little closer to you. Like...
Friends/Acceptance.
Health.
Education/Titles.
Big House/Nice Car.
Happiness.
Repuatation.
Safety.
There is NOTHING WRONG with wanting friends or having a nice house. There is nothing inherently bad about wanting safety and health.
What goes wrong is when we start taking these things and saying to God, "Do whatever you want with me, be God but just don't touch this..."
And we close our hands.
And whenever you want to approach God, all he wants to talk about is what's in your right hand....
If you think I'm just being a typical Christian giving an age-old message, please just think about the ramifications of what this could mean.
Make friends and acceptance your number 1... And you turn into an emotionally unstable person who's happiness and mood is dependent on how we perceive others opinions of us are.
Make stuff like cars and houses your number 1.... And you are in this cycle of buying and consuming... buying bigger houses to fit all of your stuff that will probably be in the trash in 150 years. Constantly comparing yourself on what you have.
WHO wants to live like that?
I'm speaking about the things a little closer to you. Like...
Friends/Acceptance.
Health.
Education/Titles.
Big House/Nice Car.
Happiness.
Repuatation.
Safety.
There is NOTHING WRONG with wanting friends or having a nice house. There is nothing inherently bad about wanting safety and health.
What goes wrong is when we start taking these things and saying to God, "Do whatever you want with me, be God but just don't touch this..."
And we close our hands.
And whenever you want to approach God, all he wants to talk about is what's in your right hand....
If you think I'm just being a typical Christian giving an age-old message, please just think about the ramifications of what this could mean.
Make friends and acceptance your number 1... And you turn into an emotionally unstable person who's happiness and mood is dependent on how we perceive others opinions of us are.
Make stuff like cars and houses your number 1.... And you are in this cycle of buying and consuming... buying bigger houses to fit all of your stuff that will probably be in the trash in 150 years. Constantly comparing yourself on what you have.
WHO wants to live like that?
Thursday, December 17
December Thoughts
Sorry for the lack of posting....
Here are some random thoughts....
- Praying for Matt Chandler, Village Church in Dallas. A huge influence on my life, especially this semester. find out more here.
- Habakkuk 3:17-19 is where I want to live my life. I don't care what life throws at me, God be praised.
- I am going home to St. Louis tonight! Great because I had to stay in Waco a little longer than most Baylor students.
- Going to the Rams game this sunday. Not abandoning my team yet.
- Sad to hear about the death of Chris Henry, of the Bengals, interesting and heart wrenching comments by Chad Ochcocinco, look it up.
- Trespassing was such a bad idea!
- Grateful for people who are willing to take time to pray for me.
- One more sports comment, MATT HOLLIDAY: STAY IN ST. LOUIS!
- If you haven't heard of Advent Conspiracy yet, please check it out; here or here
Here are some random thoughts....
- Praying for Matt Chandler, Village Church in Dallas. A huge influence on my life, especially this semester. find out more here.
- Habakkuk 3:17-19 is where I want to live my life. I don't care what life throws at me, God be praised.
- I am going home to St. Louis tonight! Great because I had to stay in Waco a little longer than most Baylor students.
- Going to the Rams game this sunday. Not abandoning my team yet.
- Sad to hear about the death of Chris Henry, of the Bengals, interesting and heart wrenching comments by Chad Ochcocinco, look it up.
- Trespassing was such a bad idea!
- Grateful for people who are willing to take time to pray for me.
- One more sports comment, MATT HOLLIDAY: STAY IN ST. LOUIS!
- If you haven't heard of Advent Conspiracy yet, please check it out; here or here
Friday, December 11
Friday, December 4
Developing a theology of the cross
In my last post, I said how as Christians, we don't boast in anything except in Jesus, and him crucified. At first glance, it seems very barbaric and backwards....
Eventually I would like to expound on how insane it is for us to make things like family, race, country or anything else primary in this life... But I think this all builds up to that idea.
If your a Christian, ask yourself, what is the one thing that you think is most important to your faith? What is that one thing that keeps drawing you in and pushing you further?
Is it the church? Is it worship? Is it hope? Character development?
What I would like to argue is that all those things are secondary or an effect of that dark night when Jesus was killed on a cross...
What happens when we take secondary things/issues and make them primary? What I am saying is this: The act of the cross, and God behind this act, is the ground and basis for everything you do.... Listen to Paul...
Galatians 6:12-16 (English Standard Version)
12It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
Eventually I would like to expound on how insane it is for us to make things like family, race, country or anything else primary in this life... But I think this all builds up to that idea.
If your a Christian, ask yourself, what is the one thing that you think is most important to your faith? What is that one thing that keeps drawing you in and pushing you further?
Is it the church? Is it worship? Is it hope? Character development?
What I would like to argue is that all those things are secondary or an effect of that dark night when Jesus was killed on a cross...
What happens when we take secondary things/issues and make them primary? What I am saying is this: The act of the cross, and God behind this act, is the ground and basis for everything you do.... Listen to Paul...
Galatians 6:12-16 (English Standard Version)
12It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
Sunday, November 29
The only boast of the Christian faith....
We don't boast in our morality.
We don't boast in our pastors/leaders.
We don't boast in our intellect/will power.
We don't boast in our blessings.
We don't boast in the number of people we bring to faith.
We don't boast in how many bible studies/times we go to church.
We don't boast in our politics.
We don't boast in what we do or don't do.
The only boast of the Christian faith....
is the bloody cross.
That God in his overflowing goodness became one of us and subjected himself to death, on a Roman cross. Tasted death so all might have life. Even when we were in our worst condition, he still died. Nothing that we have done that merits this. While we were dead in the waters, God rescued. Walls that we couldn't move were tore down.
Do you realize the ramifications of this good news?!
The effects of the cross...
You can get off the religious treadmill.
You can stop trying to have it all together.
You can be called into something that will change the world
You can find your identity
You can have hope
You can stop living for yourself and your means
You can now live.
We don't boast in our pastors/leaders.
We don't boast in our intellect/will power.
We don't boast in our blessings.
We don't boast in the number of people we bring to faith.
We don't boast in how many bible studies/times we go to church.
We don't boast in our politics.
We don't boast in what we do or don't do.
The only boast of the Christian faith....
is the bloody cross.
That God in his overflowing goodness became one of us and subjected himself to death, on a Roman cross. Tasted death so all might have life. Even when we were in our worst condition, he still died. Nothing that we have done that merits this. While we were dead in the waters, God rescued. Walls that we couldn't move were tore down.
Do you realize the ramifications of this good news?!
The effects of the cross...
You can get off the religious treadmill.
You can stop trying to have it all together.
You can be called into something that will change the world
You can find your identity
You can have hope
You can stop living for yourself and your means
You can now live.
Monday, November 16
Psychology and your identity
Psychologist Hazel Markus popularized the terminology on "self." Your thoughts, feelings, motives and self-image is the basic makeup for who you are.
And the interesting part is a thing called "possible self."
This is where you envision who you want to be. An educated self. The loved self. The accepted self. The pretty self. It even plays to your fears: the unemployed self. The academic failing self. The lonely self.
The point?
When you buy so heavily into one of these "possible selves" you begin to think people start judging you base of your possible self. You think the spotlight is on you. And everyone must be critiquing you based off your need/want.
In fact, when you feel your having a off day with your clothes or hair, did you know only 23 percent of the class might notice you when you walk in?
Fewer people notice than we assume.
And the interesting part is a thing called "possible self."
This is where you envision who you want to be. An educated self. The loved self. The accepted self. The pretty self. It even plays to your fears: the unemployed self. The academic failing self. The lonely self.
The point?
When you buy so heavily into one of these "possible selves" you begin to think people start judging you base of your possible self. You think the spotlight is on you. And everyone must be critiquing you based off your need/want.
In fact, when you feel your having a off day with your clothes or hair, did you know only 23 percent of the class might notice you when you walk in?
Fewer people notice than we assume.
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