Saturday, November 5, 2011
QWERTYUIOP
What's with the title? Good question. Happened to be in quite an unstable and crazy condition whereby it's really hard to understand what's really playing in my mind. Project paper proposals, packing things, a little clean up the mess and so forth just can't seem to really comprehend my own thoughts. To be exact I'm actually in a whirpool, being dragged into here and there, feeling like being tossed around and so forth... Well maybe this is what I say is the unstable mood when I can't get things done... But one thing that I'll never forget is that God is there for me and when I trust in Him, He'll sure give me the strength and faith to overcome challenges in life...
How to Apply the Bible in Daily Life
I've read this interesting article from the new English Standard Version (ESV) Student Study Bible. Quite a good read!
In the 1920s, J. Gresham Machen, a NT scholar and great defender of the faith, spoke of the ability of the Bible to rise above and break through the noise and chatter and static of his age. Think how many more voices clamor for our attention in the twenty-first century. They seem to bombard us. Yet, above all the noise, the Bible speaks powerfully, poignantly, and clearly. We must listen to it. We must follow its honest and true voice in a world of “sound bites.”
Why We Need to Follow God’s Word
We need to apply the Bible in daily life because it alone is a sure and certain guide. The Bible tells us how to live. It is not merely an ancient book written to people long ago in places far away. The Bible is God’s Word to us today.
And as God’s Word to us, it asks something of us. In fact, the Bible demands something of us. It demands that we change. We must live it out. The apostle James makes it clear that the one who only reads the Bible, but doesn’t do what it says, misses the point (see James 1:22–25).
The Bible in Action
We can live out the Bible in three ways.
First, the Bible speaks to specific situations we face. Consequently, we need to apply the Bible to specific situations, allowing it to affect our attitudes and actions.
Second, the Bible offers guidance for the transformation of our lives as we mature in Christ and conform to his image (see Rom. 12:1–2; 2 Cor. 3:16–18). This refers to a process rather than to particular actions. Consequently, we need to allow the Bible to transform our hearts and minds as we mature in conformity to Christ.
Third, the Bible addresses not merely individual issues, concerns, and situations, but those of the family, the local church, and the body of Christ. Therefore, we need to be sensitive to corporate applications of Scripture beyond mere individual applications.
Let’s flesh out each of these three types of application.
The Bible and My Life: Facing Specific Situations
In applying the Bible, we tend to think of specific situations we face. A particular problem or temptation arises, so we turn to the Bible for help. How can we apply what we read in the Bible to these situations?
Keeping First Things First
When reading and then attempting to apply the Bible, we often jump right to our personal lives. This leap to self, however, short-circuits the right order. Remember, the Bible’s main emphasis is the glory of God. We need to think of God first, before we think of ourselves. Ask what this passage teaches you about the triune God and what he is doing in the world. Then, in light of that, turn the attention to yourself with questions such as these: (1) How does this passage’s teaching about God and his work relate to me? (2) In light of what I learned about God and his work, how should I think and act?
We’ll be far better off if we keep God first in everything, even as we seek to apply the Bible to daily life.
Serving Others
We also need to think of others. Jesus gave the Golden Rule: “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 7:12). Going further, he said, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:39). Paul reiterated this principle of humbly considering the needs of others before our own in Philippians 2:1–5. To apply this teaching practically, ask these questions: (1) What does this passage teach about serving others? (2) How can I be a living example of Jesus before others? (3) Based on this passage, is there anything I’m doing that would hinder others from embracing the gospel?
After thinking of God and others, we can look at what the Bible says about our own lives.
Looking into the Mirror
As we read the Bible, we need to let the Bible read us. We don’t always like what we see in ourselves, but we need to let the light of God’s Word shine on our lives, revealing our blind spots and those pesky problem areas.
Here are some beginning questions to ask that will help us become doers of the Word: (1) What character traits does this passage encourage me to develop? (2) What does this passage reveal about me, my thinking, my values, my beliefs, and my actions? (3) As I look in the mirror of God’s Word, what needs to change in my life?
Martin Luther said the Word of God both assaults us and comforts us. He’s talking about how the Bible both challenges and encourages us. We need to realize that God’s Word is the most insightful—and the most true!—book ever written about the human condition. In light of that, here are a few questions to ask ourselves: (1) How does this passage challenge me? (2) What attitudes or actions do I need to change? (3) How does this passage encourage me? (4) What promises of God are found in the passage that give me joy and hope?
When to Kiss, When to Shake Hands
As we apply Scripture to our lives today, we should recognize that some things in the Bible are more culturally bound than others. A classic example of this is, “Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss” (1 Thess. 5:26). A direct application would require us to kiss one another each time we greet. In much of contemporary Western culture we do not follow the custom of greeting one another with a kiss. We use a warm and hearty handshake. Thus, we can apply this passage in daily life by greeting one another warmly, taking time to say hello to others, and showing genuine interest in fellow believers.
It can be difficult to distinguish what in Scripture is bound by culture and what transcends a specific time or culture. One way to cultivate discernment in this area is simply to ask if the biblical command is linked directly to an ancient Near Eastern (OT) or a Greco-Roman (NT) cultural practice. Or we could ask whether the biblical command is addressed to perennial human nature (true for all peoples of all times).
For example, Paul’s insistence on pure sexual ethics is not restricted to Christians in the city of Corinth, a city renowned for sexual promiscuity. The commands related to sexual ethics reach all the way back to the garden of Eden and the God-ordained institution of marriage and sex within marriage. These commands for sexual purity are found throughout Scripture. A high sexual ethic applies to all peoples at all times.
The Bible and My Life: The Process of Transformation
The second level of application requires us to dig a little deeper than the first level. Here application concerns the big picture of our lives. Our daily actions, behaviors, and attitudes stem from who we are. The Bible says clearly, “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45).
We often prefer to focus on the surface (behavior) instead of what lies beneath (the heart). But what lies beneath makes the ultimate difference. We must apply the Bible to the very core of our lives. We don’t simply aim to apply the Bible to our lives today or this week. We should also aim to apply the Bible to the entire course of our lives.
Did you ever notice how you become like the people you hang out with? You not only mimic their actions, but you also take on their character qualities. You even start to look alike. But the Bible urges us to become more like Jesus. By spending regular time in the Word as active readers, we begin to look like the picture painted for us in the Bible.
Spending time studying the Bible transforms us. Just as Moses came down from the mountain glowing from his time in the presence of the glory of God, we too will be transformed as we behold the glory of God in prayerful meditation on God’s Word (2 Cor. 3:18). Over time, our desire and capacity to apply the Bible will deepen, mature, and grow.
The Bible and My Life: Living Out the Bible as Part of a Community
The third level of application concerns some of our key communities—our family, the local church, and the church worldwide. In Ephesians 4:15–16, Paul presents the idea that our growth as individual Christians is inextricably linked to the growth of the whole body of Christ.
We can get a better handle on this big picture by looking at the local church. Through the ministry of faithful preaching and discipleship, a local church should be applying Scripture and seeing spiritual growth and maturity as a church. The Christian life is not an individual effort but a corporate one. How are you contributing to that growth?
We should also think about the application of Scripture in our families. This is difficult in families with both Christians and non-Christians. But in Christian families an attitude that “we’re all in this together” should prevail. The whole family should be pursuing the goal of living the Word, with everyone pulling in the same direction.
Applying the Bible: The Dynamic that Makes the Difference
The Bible is not merely human opinion. It is the very Word of God. We may think it asks too much of us. Did Paul really tell us to do everything without complaining? Am I really to remain sexually pure even though cultural voices tell me sexual promiscuity is okay? Do I really have to think of others before I think of myself? Does God really expect me to put his kingdom above everything else?
The truth is that ultimately we can’t measure up to these demands. Is this the fine print that gets us all off the hook?
No, our insufficiency does not absolve us of our responsibility to obey God’s Word. Rather, it drives us to depend on the Holy Spirit. Just as the Holy Spirit is indispensable to understanding God’s Word, so the Holy Spirit is indispensable to applying it.
Application is first a matter of prayer, then a matter of action. God has made us new creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). He continues the transformation process in our lives as we humbly read and seek to follow his Word. God has also given us the Holy Spirit so that the good work begun at our salvation will continue until it reaches its full and glorious completion (Phil. 1:6). That’s why we strive with all our hearts—by God’s grace and for his glory—to apply his Word to our lives.
In the 1920s, J. Gresham Machen, a NT scholar and great defender of the faith, spoke of the ability of the Bible to rise above and break through the noise and chatter and static of his age. Think how many more voices clamor for our attention in the twenty-first century. They seem to bombard us. Yet, above all the noise, the Bible speaks powerfully, poignantly, and clearly. We must listen to it. We must follow its honest and true voice in a world of “sound bites.”
Why We Need to Follow God’s Word
We need to apply the Bible in daily life because it alone is a sure and certain guide. The Bible tells us how to live. It is not merely an ancient book written to people long ago in places far away. The Bible is God’s Word to us today.
And as God’s Word to us, it asks something of us. In fact, the Bible demands something of us. It demands that we change. We must live it out. The apostle James makes it clear that the one who only reads the Bible, but doesn’t do what it says, misses the point (see James 1:22–25).
The Bible in Action
We can live out the Bible in three ways.
First, the Bible speaks to specific situations we face. Consequently, we need to apply the Bible to specific situations, allowing it to affect our attitudes and actions.
Second, the Bible offers guidance for the transformation of our lives as we mature in Christ and conform to his image (see Rom. 12:1–2; 2 Cor. 3:16–18). This refers to a process rather than to particular actions. Consequently, we need to allow the Bible to transform our hearts and minds as we mature in conformity to Christ.
Third, the Bible addresses not merely individual issues, concerns, and situations, but those of the family, the local church, and the body of Christ. Therefore, we need to be sensitive to corporate applications of Scripture beyond mere individual applications.
Let’s flesh out each of these three types of application.
The Bible and My Life: Facing Specific Situations
In applying the Bible, we tend to think of specific situations we face. A particular problem or temptation arises, so we turn to the Bible for help. How can we apply what we read in the Bible to these situations?
Keeping First Things First
When reading and then attempting to apply the Bible, we often jump right to our personal lives. This leap to self, however, short-circuits the right order. Remember, the Bible’s main emphasis is the glory of God. We need to think of God first, before we think of ourselves. Ask what this passage teaches you about the triune God and what he is doing in the world. Then, in light of that, turn the attention to yourself with questions such as these: (1) How does this passage’s teaching about God and his work relate to me? (2) In light of what I learned about God and his work, how should I think and act?
We’ll be far better off if we keep God first in everything, even as we seek to apply the Bible to daily life.
Serving Others
We also need to think of others. Jesus gave the Golden Rule: “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 7:12). Going further, he said, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:39). Paul reiterated this principle of humbly considering the needs of others before our own in Philippians 2:1–5. To apply this teaching practically, ask these questions: (1) What does this passage teach about serving others? (2) How can I be a living example of Jesus before others? (3) Based on this passage, is there anything I’m doing that would hinder others from embracing the gospel?
After thinking of God and others, we can look at what the Bible says about our own lives.
Looking into the Mirror
As we read the Bible, we need to let the Bible read us. We don’t always like what we see in ourselves, but we need to let the light of God’s Word shine on our lives, revealing our blind spots and those pesky problem areas.
Here are some beginning questions to ask that will help us become doers of the Word: (1) What character traits does this passage encourage me to develop? (2) What does this passage reveal about me, my thinking, my values, my beliefs, and my actions? (3) As I look in the mirror of God’s Word, what needs to change in my life?
Martin Luther said the Word of God both assaults us and comforts us. He’s talking about how the Bible both challenges and encourages us. We need to realize that God’s Word is the most insightful—and the most true!—book ever written about the human condition. In light of that, here are a few questions to ask ourselves: (1) How does this passage challenge me? (2) What attitudes or actions do I need to change? (3) How does this passage encourage me? (4) What promises of God are found in the passage that give me joy and hope?
When to Kiss, When to Shake Hands
As we apply Scripture to our lives today, we should recognize that some things in the Bible are more culturally bound than others. A classic example of this is, “Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss” (1 Thess. 5:26). A direct application would require us to kiss one another each time we greet. In much of contemporary Western culture we do not follow the custom of greeting one another with a kiss. We use a warm and hearty handshake. Thus, we can apply this passage in daily life by greeting one another warmly, taking time to say hello to others, and showing genuine interest in fellow believers.
It can be difficult to distinguish what in Scripture is bound by culture and what transcends a specific time or culture. One way to cultivate discernment in this area is simply to ask if the biblical command is linked directly to an ancient Near Eastern (OT) or a Greco-Roman (NT) cultural practice. Or we could ask whether the biblical command is addressed to perennial human nature (true for all peoples of all times).
For example, Paul’s insistence on pure sexual ethics is not restricted to Christians in the city of Corinth, a city renowned for sexual promiscuity. The commands related to sexual ethics reach all the way back to the garden of Eden and the God-ordained institution of marriage and sex within marriage. These commands for sexual purity are found throughout Scripture. A high sexual ethic applies to all peoples at all times.
The Bible and My Life: The Process of Transformation
The second level of application requires us to dig a little deeper than the first level. Here application concerns the big picture of our lives. Our daily actions, behaviors, and attitudes stem from who we are. The Bible says clearly, “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45).
We often prefer to focus on the surface (behavior) instead of what lies beneath (the heart). But what lies beneath makes the ultimate difference. We must apply the Bible to the very core of our lives. We don’t simply aim to apply the Bible to our lives today or this week. We should also aim to apply the Bible to the entire course of our lives.
Did you ever notice how you become like the people you hang out with? You not only mimic their actions, but you also take on their character qualities. You even start to look alike. But the Bible urges us to become more like Jesus. By spending regular time in the Word as active readers, we begin to look like the picture painted for us in the Bible.
Spending time studying the Bible transforms us. Just as Moses came down from the mountain glowing from his time in the presence of the glory of God, we too will be transformed as we behold the glory of God in prayerful meditation on God’s Word (2 Cor. 3:18). Over time, our desire and capacity to apply the Bible will deepen, mature, and grow.
The Bible and My Life: Living Out the Bible as Part of a Community
The third level of application concerns some of our key communities—our family, the local church, and the church worldwide. In Ephesians 4:15–16, Paul presents the idea that our growth as individual Christians is inextricably linked to the growth of the whole body of Christ.
We can get a better handle on this big picture by looking at the local church. Through the ministry of faithful preaching and discipleship, a local church should be applying Scripture and seeing spiritual growth and maturity as a church. The Christian life is not an individual effort but a corporate one. How are you contributing to that growth?
We should also think about the application of Scripture in our families. This is difficult in families with both Christians and non-Christians. But in Christian families an attitude that “we’re all in this together” should prevail. The whole family should be pursuing the goal of living the Word, with everyone pulling in the same direction.
Applying the Bible: The Dynamic that Makes the Difference
The Bible is not merely human opinion. It is the very Word of God. We may think it asks too much of us. Did Paul really tell us to do everything without complaining? Am I really to remain sexually pure even though cultural voices tell me sexual promiscuity is okay? Do I really have to think of others before I think of myself? Does God really expect me to put his kingdom above everything else?
The truth is that ultimately we can’t measure up to these demands. Is this the fine print that gets us all off the hook?
No, our insufficiency does not absolve us of our responsibility to obey God’s Word. Rather, it drives us to depend on the Holy Spirit. Just as the Holy Spirit is indispensable to understanding God’s Word, so the Holy Spirit is indispensable to applying it.
Application is first a matter of prayer, then a matter of action. God has made us new creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). He continues the transformation process in our lives as we humbly read and seek to follow his Word. God has also given us the Holy Spirit so that the good work begun at our salvation will continue until it reaches its full and glorious completion (Phil. 1:6). That’s why we strive with all our hearts—by God’s grace and for his glory—to apply his Word to our lives.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Recovering Authentic Spirituality – Even In My Mess
This is what I've been through during National Conference 2010 in Port Dickson:
-enjoyed fellowship with other Camp Cam friends
-making new friends with other students
-met some of my old friends and my ex-classmates who's now a Christian
-realize the importance of recovering spiritual authenticity, etc
Alright, I think it's better for me to touch on the main topic. In one of the workshops I've joined, I found the first one being of interest. It deals with the need of living a healthy spiritual life and balance our time of doing other things and spending time with God. Here's the content of the workshop- Recovering Spiritual Authenticity by Dr Voon of STM. Enjoy reading!
Phil 4:8, Matt 12:34-35, Mark 7: 21-23
- What mess you’re in?
- What are your expectations?
- What do you want the Lord to do for you?
1) How do I get into such a MESS?
→ Quick pleasure (technology being fast, leading a fast pace lifestyle)
→ Peer pleasure (friends want you to be like them)
→ Pornography (not only affecting the individual but also others as well)
~ No matter how strong you are, you are still vulnerable to break faith in God
We all seek to live life with a purpose.
Without a sense of direction, you’re living a busy, frantic life!
Are you getting burned up or suffering from an illness?
2) Life drivers – What kind of things that drives me?
- Awfulizing
- “The world must…”
-“I must…”
- “Can’t –stand-in-this….”
- Condemnation & deviation
3) What is authentic spirituality?
Authentic – Be what God has created you (simply a human being, not a human doing!)
- To be yourself and nobody else!
~ Discover who we really are
~ The whole of life is about relationship with God, friends, and the group you’re in
~ What you see is what you get
~ Integrity for who and what you are
~ Congruence between inner and outer self
- To be truthful and trustful to whom God has created you to be and become
Spirituality – the whole life in relationship with God
1 Timothy 4:16 – Watch your life and doctrine
The word of God is the Bible but the Bible is not the word of God. It’s Jesus who is the word of God.
Authentic spirituality comes from authentic self
- Living the core of your being where the Spirit of Christ lives (Col 3:1-4)
- Our sense of self is not defined by external beauty. It is defined by our relationship with God, self and others (Gal 5:22)
- Living life with the external end in view (John 4:34)
- Choosing guidelines (what or who is your guideline?)
~ Take exams as challenges
“The glory of God is a man and woman truly alive”. Irenaeus
The parable of the Prodigal Son - the Lost Sons
Younger Son
Lost in his self-absorption, see his neediness and is found
Self-discovery (realizing that he already has his father’s love and providence)
Older Son
Lost in his self-righteousness, blind to his need to be found
Self-deception (fail to realize he already has what a son needs)
“Recovering” what we have lost
~ What have you lost?
~How have you lost it?
~ How would you recover what you have lost?
(Refer Isaiah 30:15, John 5:19, 30; 15:14-15)
There are three sons in the parable – The third Son who is telling the parable
- We get easily tempted and being in a mess when we don’t know who we are
- Temptation is only real when we are in need of something in life
- Jesus choose not to sin, setting a good example of obedience
- To be really Christian is to obey God’s word
4) How to maintain authentic spirituality?
- Rules for life are our intentional, disciplined ways to live with the Holy Spirit, by attending to our rhythms in order to stay true and truthful to who and whose we are in Christ for the glory of God (Phil 2:12-13)
Compassionate Listening to Emotional Rhythm
- Notice the matter
- Name the matter
- Tell God about it
- Ask God what we need
I am a beloved child (created image) of God, redeemed by His blood
~What do you invest your life with?
~ As a Christian do you really let God take control of your life? Your birthright by God?
-enjoyed fellowship with other Camp Cam friends
-making new friends with other students
-met some of my old friends and my ex-classmates who's now a Christian
-realize the importance of recovering spiritual authenticity, etc
Alright, I think it's better for me to touch on the main topic. In one of the workshops I've joined, I found the first one being of interest. It deals with the need of living a healthy spiritual life and balance our time of doing other things and spending time with God. Here's the content of the workshop- Recovering Spiritual Authenticity by Dr Voon of STM. Enjoy reading!
Phil 4:8, Matt 12:34-35, Mark 7: 21-23
- What mess you’re in?
- What are your expectations?
- What do you want the Lord to do for you?
1) How do I get into such a MESS?
→ Quick pleasure (technology being fast, leading a fast pace lifestyle)
→ Peer pleasure (friends want you to be like them)
→ Pornography (not only affecting the individual but also others as well)
~ No matter how strong you are, you are still vulnerable to break faith in God
We all seek to live life with a purpose.
Without a sense of direction, you’re living a busy, frantic life!
Are you getting burned up or suffering from an illness?
2) Life drivers – What kind of things that drives me?
- Awfulizing
- “The world must…”
-“I must…”
- “Can’t –stand-in-this….”
- Condemnation & deviation
3) What is authentic spirituality?
Authentic – Be what God has created you (simply a human being, not a human doing!)
- To be yourself and nobody else!
~ Discover who we really are
~ The whole of life is about relationship with God, friends, and the group you’re in
~ What you see is what you get
~ Integrity for who and what you are
~ Congruence between inner and outer self
- To be truthful and trustful to whom God has created you to be and become
Spirituality – the whole life in relationship with God
1 Timothy 4:16 – Watch your life and doctrine
The word of God is the Bible but the Bible is not the word of God. It’s Jesus who is the word of God.
Authentic spirituality comes from authentic self
- Living the core of your being where the Spirit of Christ lives (Col 3:1-4)
- Our sense of self is not defined by external beauty. It is defined by our relationship with God, self and others (Gal 5:22)
- Living life with the external end in view (John 4:34)
- Choosing guidelines (what or who is your guideline?)
~ Take exams as challenges
“The glory of God is a man and woman truly alive”. Irenaeus
The parable of the Prodigal Son - the Lost Sons
Younger Son
Lost in his self-absorption, see his neediness and is found
Self-discovery (realizing that he already has his father’s love and providence)
Older Son
Lost in his self-righteousness, blind to his need to be found
Self-deception (fail to realize he already has what a son needs)
“Recovering” what we have lost
~ What have you lost?
~How have you lost it?
~ How would you recover what you have lost?
(Refer Isaiah 30:15, John 5:19, 30; 15:14-15)
There are three sons in the parable – The third Son who is telling the parable
- We get easily tempted and being in a mess when we don’t know who we are
- Temptation is only real when we are in need of something in life
- Jesus choose not to sin, setting a good example of obedience
- To be really Christian is to obey God’s word
4) How to maintain authentic spirituality?
- Rules for life are our intentional, disciplined ways to live with the Holy Spirit, by attending to our rhythms in order to stay true and truthful to who and whose we are in Christ for the glory of God (Phil 2:12-13)
Compassionate Listening to Emotional Rhythm
- Notice the matter
- Name the matter
- Tell God about it
- Ask God what we need
I am a beloved child (created image) of God, redeemed by His blood
~What do you invest your life with?
~ As a Christian do you really let God take control of your life? Your birthright by God?
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