The Source of Life

The bananas on my shelf have begun to go bad. They are covered in splotches of browns and black. A week of decomposition has begun to take place since they left the store, but is that true? No, the decomposition has begun since the moment they were picked away from the banana tree. When I was little, I would never eat a banana if it had started to go bad. Not wanting to waste the bananas, my parents would tell me how the bananas had more sugar in them if they had patches of black on them. Thrilled, I munched through as many of those bananas as I could! I noticed they didn't taste that bad, just a little mushy.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

The truth is the bananas weren't full of sugar, they had begun to rot. When the banana is stripped apart the contents inside are sludge and molded. Although it is edible, it is not necessarily the most delicious. I find that as a Christian it is extremely easy to experience decay like fruit. We separate ourselves from the vine of life. At first life seems okay, but slowly we become consumed by our surroundings. We gain little splotches of sin that consume us, but they are just little bits right? As we continue to live in this manner the darkness spreads throughout our life and consumes all things that were once full of taste. We are no longer delicious and pleasurable to the King of Kings.

Here is the good news: Jesus, the vine, wants us to be a part of his crop. He is the source of life and supplies endless amounts of life. All things flow through and from him. He imparts the Spirit into our life that restores those blotches and obliterates all impurity from our mind and soul. He is the gardener and we are his crop. So, be encouraged. He desires to give us complete life and strength. We will not walk through this life ridden with guilt or shame, but we will be set free to true, abundant life in him. He simply asks us to remain in him and gain life to the fullest. Today, let's take a look at our lives and ask how we can remain in him. Let's ask how we can remain fully alive in him. Christ desires our heart and mind, and we are renewed through his restoring grace.

Finding Meaning in a World of Uncertainty

I have been reflecting over postmodernism a lot lately. While studying postmodernism, as well as the reflection of postmodernism I have had in apologetics class, I honestly began to question faith. At times this life can become so confusing and I think that the more we study what we believe and our own worldview, we are able to gain a greater understanding of the world around us. Specifically, postmodernism has caused me to examine existence more extensively. I find it fascinating that I happen to have come into existence at this point in time and not remember anything from a past life and not know why I am here (accept for the purposes given through scripture). Without hope in a creator God then there really is no point to this life through a postmodern worldview. It’s been an intense journey these past few weeks while I have been wrestling with these different worldviews and have been discovering more about my own presuppositions, but I am confident in the Word and that my life does possess meaning.

The notion that entertainment is consuming our culture, I believe, is completely true. Hiebert notes, “The great evil in postmodernity is boredom. Entertainment provides us meaning in an otherwise meaningless world. It gives us temporary, often intense, experience that alleviates anxious boredom, our implacable enemy. Entertainment has become our new religion." In this entertainment age we place a premium on entertainment and the ingestion of knowledge and information. This is the reason that Internet websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google have become necessary for our culture. It is looked down upon if you do not own a Facebook so that everyone can keep tabs on your life and what you are doing. Twitter is used worldwide and has dramatically changed the way people receive information (which used to be from a television set or newspaper). Twitter is also wonderful for spreading new information and ideas to a limitless audience of people. Google has changed our culture the most through its information gathering services. I have become nearly reliant on Google to produce information for me easily and quickly. We now receive unconsciously processed, raw information and entertainment that is changing our society and values phenomenally. As Christians, we must become culturally aware of these phenomena and protect our minds so that we are not easily swayed by the overload of information we process, which results in an uncertain future, but we surely must remain confident in Christ and know that he is over all uncertainty (Psalm 112:7).

The Effect of Time

Disclaimer: This is my scattered mind at work. I’m still processing through this concept as it has been revealed to me. I’m mostly writing this to help with the processing.

I would like to reflect on how time has affected the culture in which I have grown up. The clock is my life. I was born at 9:46pm on Friday November third at Saint Agnes Hospital in Fresno, CA. What a modernist statement. My life has been characterized by systems and categories that define who I am. Time is a category that defines all aspects of my life. I wake up at a certain time to get class at a certain time. Class keeps me until a certain time until I go to lunchtime that is followed by study time (then tea time if you’re a Brit). Later I will partake in dinnertime and maybe a time to workout. Then I will have some more study time and then spend time with God then it’s bedtime. Time is central to my daily life. To be completely honest, time is valued higher than any other aspect of my life. Time is viewed in economic terms because it is so precious. I can spend time, save time, waste time, manage time, lose track of time, make time, and even invest time. Time is defined by our culture and it has also defined me; however, I am curious to hear about what time is without this structure that I have placed around it! Time controls my life yet people who have different views on time control their time. Is this necessarily a bad thing to be owned by time, and is it necessarily a good thing to have control over time? Is there a middle ground? What would this look like?

I think that certain time aspects of our life need to be controlled and others can be controlled by time. It is what we do with our time that shows what we value the most. Something that I have been considering through all of this is how come I make a time for God? By utilizing a time for a “quiet time” with God I have categorized my day according to my will and not His! Considering the fact that God is supracultural, it could be reasonable to think that God is okay with this set aside time. Yes I do value this time, but how much of it is given according to my view of its importance. What I mean to say is that how come God doesn’t have all of my day (and even then I’m calling it my day because that is modern culture at its finest)?

I am curious as to how other cultures view time and how they manage their day (or does the day manage them?). Is time management even a concept they consider? Sure every culture understands the concept of management, but how highly is management valued? I understand the differences of how time is valued for meeting someone for coffee, but I’m more interested in how time is structured (or if structure even exists). What types of cultural influences affect the use of time in non-modernist cultures? Take a hot climate culture who is very people oriented for example. They will value time with others much more highly than modernists will because of the benefits of the relationship (and even if they are late to a meeting, the meeting may last hours through conversation).

Over the Sea

I leave for Hong Kong in 3 days. I leave my old self behind in 3 days. My new adventure in life begins, now.

I knew this would happen...

I started this blog with the intention of constantly updating my life and these discoveries that I'm making. It's been a while. So, this update is from 12:49 at night, and I am quite tired (which means very shimmering words will be said). This will be like a longer, extended twitter post. This past month, that I haven't written, has been introspective. I had the opportunity to go to NYC and learn about planting churches in an urban environment. Very simple, fundamental information, but nevertheless intriguing. That city worked on my heart and broadened my vision for God's work. Another aspect of my past month's life which has broadened my vision is the aspect of unexpected occurrences. This genre of the events usually takes the form of a surprise: birthday, letter, visitor, etc. But, the loss of a dear friend can also be a surprise. A surprise which gives perspective to my limited time on this ground. Feeling the effects of a sinful world has become more real to me, and I'm processing how to process these concerns and frustrations. Concerns being what I'm doing here, now, and for my future. Frustrations being not knowing all of the answers. We always say, "Time will tell." Patience is truly a virtue. I remember when I was little and my dad would read to my sister and I about what the "good" virtues were. Patience was always an important one, especially in my family. So concerning the death, time will tell, whilst enduring for understanding. I'm tired. Drink a tea with me.

How can you love and pour into someone today?

Lately I've been thinking outside of the box, but literally outside of the box. I've been considering, and maybe you've thought about this too, the things that are outside of this place that we call the Earth. I was sitting in church a couple of weeks ago and considering everyone around me and how outside of this body, nothing matters. As I noted on my previous post, I have found that my only purpose here is to fulfill God's purpose and tell people about him. Then why am I afraid? Why am I scared to tell people about salvation? Why am I afraid to tell people about the freedom that we have in Christ? The fear of rejection in such a place as the US where the most common rejection is...no thank you. I feel selfish. Selfish in the aspect of holding these truths to myself and not giving them out to everyone that I encounter. I'm not speaking in terms of a "Turn or Burn" kind of manner but really, when have people noticed something different about my actions that represents what I live for? If you can perceive what I'm talking about in consideration of life outside of yourself then you may understand what I'm talking about. Can I be honest with you? Church we need to wake up. Like I'm talking about picking up these dry bones that we call the body and placing skin over them. After we place some skin on them we need some internal organs or else we're just nothing. Then we need that thing called a brain so we can make smart decisions and not selfish ones with our own agenda, but God's in mind. After that we may need some muscles to start moving around and getting places, but until then we're stagnant and sluggish. I'm guilty of it to and I'm certainly not being egotistical, but it's time for those worship songs that we, yes we including I, sing once a week to become transformative of how we act. Our actions here matter. Our actions here are temporary. Lust is temporary. Money is temporary. Pleasure is temporary. Possessions are temporary. Cars are temporary. Climate is temporary. Politics are temporary. Gossip is temporary. I've come to the realization that so many of us see these things as more important to our life than what God wants for our life. I guess this ties into the whole selfishness thing that I've been considering and what the implications of our selfishness means. Do you realize what it means? I wish I had made more of an opportunity when I was younger to minister to my friends, and specifically to the friend in rehab. If you read this I miss you and we should sit down and talk for a while. So this selfishness that I'm considering in my past needs to be a two way street. If I'm looking back then there's a road still ahead of me, even the section of the very highway that I'm traveling on now. What am I doing in the present to cast off selfishness for the proclamation of things greater than me me me me me mine mine mine mine? This morning I had the opportunity to share with 12 5th and 6th graders that I help teach about my frustrations that I have now for the actions that I did at their age. However, focusing on past faults isn't healthy. So how do I pour into others now? If I don't pour into others now then why would I pour into others later? If I don't pour into others now, how will I be able to pour into my wife and children? If I don't pour into others now, will I ever pour into others. I think of someone very important in my life who never had their father pour into him and it's had a lot of psychological effects about what it means for them to consider others. It's caused a lot of selfishness, which we've discussed, and I think together we will start to make an improvement. Is that an aspect of pouring into others that we see something beneficially change for their life? I hope. And this is the hope that I hope for you. That you would recognize what you're being selfish with and need to consider how it is affecting others. How can you love and pour into someone today?

The first of many ramblings to come

Thoughts of a 20 year old student.

Let me first begin by stating Colossians 2:8-10 (ESV).

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

Paul, in this epistle to the church of Colosse, is concerned with the influence of gnosticism in the church. Colosse was located in a good position for trade as it was along the road from Ephesus to the Euphrates River. Also the near cities of Laodecia and Hierapolis likely increased trade connections in this area of Asia Minor. Because Colosse is located along a major trade route, the road had brought in Greco-Roman philosophy that would have influenced the church. One of these major philosophies was gnosticism. Gnosticism was a dominant belief of the people in the 2nd and 3rd centuries in which the elite, or chosen people, who would be revealed a secret and mysterious knowledge that would bring about "full" salvation for these select. The term gnosis means "knowledge" and gnostic refers to one who knows of spiritual knowledge or possessing an intellectual knowledge (which is also where we get the term agnostic for those who are unbelievers or rationalists).

There's so much that I want to say right now but I guess the writing will just have to wait to present itself on paper as I go. In verse 8 Paul is encouraging the church to not be taken captive by this philosophy that they're having to deal with. In order to fully understand how much Paul stresses the importance of his statement, we can look back to Col. 1:24-27. Paul shows us that he is rejoicing in his sufferings for Christ because of the lack of evangelism that is taking place for the sake of the Christ's body (the church). Carrying on he continues to note that he has become a servant for the church and that what God has presented to him, he must now present to the church. What has God disclosed to him and what is it that the saints must make known? It is the truth of salvation. The gift of salvation was not meant to be something that is hidden to a select group of people or those who have obtained this secret knowledge. 1:27 even emphasizes that the Gentiles must be told of this salvation for God desires his creation (Acts 9:15)! Paul goes on to say in 1:28-29 that they are teaching everyone so that they may present themselves perfect before Christ and THIS is the reason for which he labors (referring back to 1:24).

Col. 2:2-3 (ESV) Read this. "that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Ponder this.

This is the reason for which Paul goes through his toils and troubles. Lately I've been considering my own walk with God and critically analyzing what this would look like in my life. I've felt so burdened by Asia. I have this desire to plant seeds among the people of that continent. As I examine my heart, I wonder if these are the reasons that I do it. This is my purpose here on Earth right? To declare to the nations and ethne of the world this mystery of God (Acts 1:8). This mystery which is Christ. I feel that I can relate a lot to the struggles of the Colossians. This summer I will be exposed to foreign doctrines and philosophies. I will see what the product of secret knowledge is. However, I'm going with truth that reveals what the true God has in store for us (salvation). I will be as the gnostics were to the Colossians, although I'll have the truth whereas the gnostics did not. I will be invading what they have grown up to know as true and possibly presenting new theology. If you would please pray that I could go in humility and respect for the cultures that I will be partaking in this summer so that I may be an effective witness through a changed life.

Paul is appealing to the true knowledge that is in Christ. This is a knowledge that is commanded to be spread. That is the undertaking that Paul accomplished. Going back to the three verses that I opened this entry with, I'd like to emphasize that Christ is enough. Today I heard an interesting concept that within me there is a (and please give me a chance with this) "cup of spirituality." Think about it like this. If God is filling us up with spiritual wisdom and understanding, and we're apart of the body of Christ, then we're all connected in Him. Anyways, back to the cup. This cup contains the amount of spiritual wisdom that we allow God to fill us with. I think the more we seek, the more that God can begin to reveal these hidden mysteries to us which gives us a larger cup for him to pour into. It's like this. Say once a week I go into Starbucks on Monday and get a shot of espresso because after all, who isn't tired on Monday? It's just natural right? The purpose of the espresso is to keep me energized and filled, but only for a short period of time. After about four to six hours, sometime after lunch, I'll start to feel drained and vapid which results in me desiring sleep and not being productive. But let's say that when I get up on a monday, I brew myself a fresh pot of coffee. The aromas fill the air of the kitchen and my mouth salivates for the taste of this delicious beverage. I may even put hazelnut cream and extra sugar to dazzle my morning. The coffee sustains me well into the afternoon but, because I brewed a pot of coffee, I was able to bring some in a canteen so that I could have more later in the day. Consider Monday to be the entire week that we have. I think that too often we get spiritualized as Christians on Sunday, and Monday may even show a reflection of that but by Tuesday and Wednesday the thoughts of what God spoke to us have worn off (espresso). I think that God filling us up into a larger cup would require us to be studying him and romanced by him throughout our week. Just like the canteen would bring stimulation later in the day, so too would a focus on God throughout our week keep us sustained and ready.

That was quite a spiel but this blog is whatever is on my mind and you get the benefit of these appreciable insights. Oh yeah, if you don't know me, I'm quite sarcastic.

Anyways back to the text. Col. 2:9. I think it's intersting here how we see, in the NIV, that the "fullness of Diety lives in bodily form." Paul is speaking of Jesus here in which God dwelled in our natural space and time that we call the universe. This relates back to Col. 1:19-20 where God is "pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him." Paul then notes that through the person that God has indwelled within, he has also come to reconcile all man and all things back to himself. God is truly a God of love. He loves us SO much that he would offer a pure sacrifice in order that we may become pure and able to partake in this inheritance that he has provided for us (Revelation 22:17 comes to mind: invitation!).

Col 2:10 is where I will conclude this entry. I know I'm sorry. All power and authority has been given to Christ. He is the head of the church. He is the head over everything through his resurrection (Matthew 28:18). Christ is the head of the church. We are the body of the church. A body cannot be led or shown the way without a head, nor can a head function without a body. So too the church must function cooperatively with each other (Ephesians 4) through the obedience of God, which causes us to bear good fruit in his name. I pray that the church would function as a unit knit together with love (Col 2:2 ESV).