Something to hold on to...

in my Old Testament class with Dr. Thomas we're discussing, reading through, and reading about the Writings. So far we've read Job and the first 2 books of the Psalter.

A theme that's coming up is the "retribution principle"

one of my books, Hill & Walton's survey of the Old Testament supports the principle...
and the Dictionary of Theological Interpretation of the Bible (DTIB) doesn't...

I'm struggling...

So I just finished reading Romans 1. Awesome chapter.
I got to the section about suppressing the truth. It hit me hard.
How often do we push down what we're supposed to do?
Its inconvenient. Its "no fun". It takes to much out of me.

Well... I feel that, yet God calls us to live the truth before others
NOT JUST SPEAK IT. We must speak it and live it or others won't see it.

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matt. 5:14-16)

People don't want to be a part of something that is contradictory to itself.
We can't preach hatred, neither can we approve of it.
We can preach love. We must live the truth and fight the darkness,
even if it seems that we stand alone.

We should bleed truth from our pores.
Not shove it down people's throats or be disgusted when they don't get it!
Sinners will act like sinners, and we'll all slip up.
But be humble and live a life of love.
That's what its about.
Speak Life into dark places. Teach of Jesus True Love and Live it out!

So...
I can't get over the Emery EP...

"You took my heart out of me..."

There's something about good hard music that doesn't apologize that gets to me...

Something about all the words that are so piercing and in a way embody all of the frustration that I've felt over the last year or so...

While broken hearts prevail...

I guess that's the message. I didn't write the music but the best I understand it, as long as we're on this earth Broken Hearts Will Prevail. Kinda depressing...

But still, it resonates in my bones. So let's stop breaking hearts and hurting people if we can. Let's redeem and draw people into the boats so they don't drown.

I'm overwhelmed daily with the thought of grace...
"A grace that is greater than all our sins..."
In light of all of the righteousness of Christ,
after having the view of the cross seared in my eyes,
I can't help but fall down helpless before the throne.

The one who has it all SUFFERED on my behalf...
How backwards is this?

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. (Heb 2:9)

This holy week, all I want is for people to see the cross.
All I want is for people to know that Jesus died for them
Not only that but that He is STRONGER than the grave.
He conquered death, so that we might live not fearing the end.

Oh how He loves us so
Oh how He loves us
How He loves us so...

He loves us, so why do we keep on sinning?
He gave His life so that we might live...
The Ultimate Sacrifice.
THIS IS THE GOSPEL.
so why do we hide in the shadows?
why are we timid?
why do we long to look just like the culture that surrounds us?

So I beginning to see how important two certain things are...
Servanthood and Humility

When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, 'Where I am going you cannot come.' A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:31-35

How vital is it that we take time to really practice what the gospels tell us. Dr. Heath Thomas, my hermeneutics professor, has been talking about Old Testament law, and he argues that the purpose of the law was not salvation, but a means of revealing himself to the Israelite people. Jesus fulfilled the Mosaic law, so when Jesus commands us to love one another, can we consider that to be a new means of revelation? (Not Special Revelation, but personal revelation)

In the Mosaic Law, the liturgical practice of sacrifice with a correct attitude of the heart was how God revealed His nature to His people, so it follows that we will better understand the nature of the Father if we actually do what Jesus commanded us to do instead of arguing over what he really meant.

Thoughts?

How fleeting is this life O God?

It doesn't matter how its spelled. Hallelujah is an expression of the soul and cannot be misunderstood by the Maker. So, sing write or shout...

I've been waiting a long time,
I just hope that i might find
The right kind of love, for me
You know I've been lonesome
God knows we all been lonesome
Some people think that being lonesome
really means being free

But i would give it all up for you
Yea i would give it all up for you
Yes i would give it up, settle down
stop looking around.
I finally found,something true.

We live in a world full of confusion
A culture based in illusion
Some people think it's amusing
but it's really just fantasy
I would give it all up for you
yes i would give it all up for you
Yea i would,give it all up for you
Yes i would,give it up, settle down
finally found something true.

I, I will give it all
I will give it all up for you now baby
I would give it up, i would give it up
i would give it all up for you now baby

Don't go...