Why I Dislike Scripture
Before you call me a heretic, or un-Christian, lemme explain, please.
I love the Bible. I love that God has provided us a written word that we can grow from, and learn the truths of His grace, love, and glory.
The fact that a Holy God has provided us a manuscript to know Him greater, is beyond comprehension to me. I can’t fathom it.
Going back to the truth aspect, the thing I like most about Scripture is its relevancy and truth. Those also happen to be the things I dislike most.
Bigger, Better…Best.
So I recently have had a “career change.” Sparing the details, I’m now searching for a new place to work, and make a living. I know my skill set, and have people helping me out, putting their necks out and a good word in for me. I love the people who surround me.
So many times, when people are in similar situations, they hear things like: “God’s got something so much better for you,” or “You’re gonna be moving on to bigger and better things, I just know it.” These statements are so dangerous. Let me explain why.
First let us establish that God says, “I am enough for you,” and Scripture also shows up that God works out things for the “good of those who love Him,” in Romans 8.
This being said, the danger of the previous statements is that so often, we look at things from our perspective. So following that thought, I imagine that “bigger and better” looks like more responsibility and more money. Affording more luxury to life, and extra income to work with.
CAREFUL.
God says what he has for you is plenty and more than enough. Better, in the eyes of God, doesn’t necessarily mean better in the eyes of man.
Our God doesn’t play by our rules. He has His own agenda and has a specific plan in place for the world, and our path is determined before we’re even placed on earth.
So when we approach “bigger and better”, please don’t set yourself up for disappointment when things aren’t exactly what you envisioned. Don’t feel like God hasn’t given you what is better, because when it’s from Him, it is the best.
I’m not saying these things from a place of–do this–like I am an expert, I’m saying this coming from a place where I have to continually remind myself of these things. The human condition is to be easily deceived by fleeting thoughts and empty promises; don’t succumb to it. Rather, submit wholly to God.
God is wholly good, and more than sufficient. Praise God for that, because I’ll never carry myself to the places He wants to take me.
You’re moving on to exactly what God has, bigger and better…best.
-Jarin
Why Intuition Is A Liar
In previous blogs I’ve written, I’ve touched on 2 Timothy, and its description of what Scripture is and how it is used. I’ve really been looking hard at this passage. Specifically the part where it talks about “training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16)
Training. Training. Training.
We have to learn righteousness. It’s not an immediate thing. We have to be taught, rebuked and subjected to the correction of the Holy Spirit.
This is why intuition is a liar.
So often I’ve heard, even in the last year, “Follow your intuition,” (“Trust your instincts,” “Follow your heart”—they’re all the same.)
My heart is not filled with righteousness, nor a real desire for The Lord. Well, over time it has become that way, but hasn’t always been.
This is no fault of mine, because as scripture explains, I’m born a sinner. Full of faults, and failures. I miss the mark.
It’s because I am a sinner that I cannot trust MY intuition. I can’t. It’ll fail me every time.
This is where the intervening nature of the Holy Spirit and the correct use of Scripture comes into play.
A lesson learned. A guiding correction. A convicting sermon/passage of Scripture. It’s all designed to train in righteousness.
“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11
(If you’re a vine user and are familiar with Cousin Terio, insert the “Oooh, Oooh” here.)
It’s with a little pain and discipline that we become righteous. We become more prone to reactions based in love, truth, and understanding.
It’s with training that we become who Christ wants us to be, and we establish the place in His Kingdom that He desires for us.
Quoting from the English Standard Version, Proverbs 12:1 says: “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.”
-Jarin
Kingship and You.
Think for a moment if you will, about your life. Think about what happens when things don’t go according to plan, or when coming up with a plan is difficult. Think about when someone else had an agenda for you and your life. All these situations are not fun, and can result in having an idol, in our lives.
For me, I desire to lead, to exert leadership. Control. Leadership is my control idol. I have a natural tendency to be a leader. Whether good or bad, I tend to have the ability to be the leader. When I don’t get the opportunity to lead, I get frustrated pretty easily, because I have an insight that would make the situation better, at least in my mind. Leadership can become an idol pretty quickly in my life, if I don’t keep my heart in check, and the Lord on the forefront of my mind.
Looking back at “according to plan,” what’s this say to you? I think you’ve got something in mind. It doesn’t have to be what I deal with. Maybe in control looks like making sure your body looks the right way, and you control it with the way you eat (or don’t eat.)
Maybe you deal with lack of control, and hurt yourself. Maybe it is control over other people, and playing mind games with them. Whatever it is, you know your version of control, and what dangers lurk within. You know the control that these items have over you.
In the book of Joshua, God tells us to be strong and courageous, because He is with is. While this passage is talking about the calling God had over the life of Joshua, I think we can pull some important items from it, describing the character of God.
Scripture tells us that God is the same always. Specifically it says, “He’s the same Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow.” So we know that His presence in our lives is unchanging, and that He constantly seeks to have communion with us.
It’s at this point that I think we should establish that idols don’t necessarily have to be something we like. An idol is anything that we either submit to, or allow to have control over our lives. We can enjoy it, but sometimes we don’t like it at all.
It’s because God desires to have communion with us that He also deserves to have the place in our lives that we submit completely to him. Let’s interchange the words idol and control with kingship; because Christ is king. Psalm 22:28 states “For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.”
Not only does God desire that kingship over our lives, it’s already His!
Finally, 1 Peter 5:6 gives us the best course of action for our lives, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.”
Submit to the kingship of the Lord, because He’s worthy of it, and because making Him an idol in your life, won’t let you down. Let His control and direction be what you submit to, what you let control you, because in the end, it’ll allow you to be used of God, and exalt you to better make Him known.
– Jarin
Dr. Pepper and Heineken
Rebellion is something you hear about semi-regularly if you attend church much. Rebellion could be against God or man/the world.
Let me tell you a little about my rebellion since I’ve had my fair share of rebellious moments against God and my family. But, this is one is epic, so let me give you this scenario: I was a senior in high school on spring break AND it was my 18th birthday. I was feeling like I was king of the world and could do no wrong.
I decided not to go home that week, choosing to spend time with my friends and crash at one of their houses rather than spend time with my family. I only went home to change clothes, disrespect my mom, and grab some money out of my hidden stash. We had a “good” time that week, fighting each other in air soft gun wars, cruising town in Shane’s ’64 Ford Galaxy, and calling Bret’s mom to get “permission” to drink her beer that had been taunting us in the fridge, mixing it with Dr. Pepper, which is the WORST thing I have ever tasted.
In our my rebellion, I disregarded what was important, which was to honor my God through obedience. See, I was a Christian, very active in student leadership in my youth group, and growing in my relationship with the Lord. I also wanted to experience more out of life and wanted control of it. I laugh now, realizing how stupid of a kid I was. I also see that I had an opportunity to grow.
Romans 5:19-20 talks about how disobedience brought about the law by which we’re held accountable. The law entered the world by the action of one man, Adam. We always have a choice to choose God or man and any choice that disobeys God is rebellion.
But, the end of Romans 5:19-20 says that while sin abounds, God’s grace is EVERMORE present. So, while I am a wretched, sinful man, God sees more and even desires to use me. Even when I was a dumb kid who rebelled against God and my mom, God knew that He still wanted to use me.
So now, since I’ve been rebellious, I see rebellion from the inverse side and see it as something to strive for. Wait, what? Yep. I strive to rebel against the standard of the world. I work to choose God with every action and every decision. It’s not always easy and I do often fail. I need to constantly remind myself to “seek first the kingdom of God.” (Matt 6:33)
God willing, I’ll be better at honoring Him as our relationship continues to grow. I hope I also become better at honoring my parents and family as I seek to obey them even now as an adult.
Rebellion is something to strive for and avoid. You have the choice to rebel against the world or God. Make the right choice.
-Jarin