Followers

Monday, November 30, 2009

God-centered living

God-centered living

Part of the book of Genesis is the record of God accomplishing His purposes through Abraham. It is not the record of Abraham’s walk with God. Can u see the difference of focus? The focus of the Bible is God. The essence of sin is a shift from a God-centeredness to a self-centeredness. The essence of salvation is a denial of self, not affirming of self. We must come to a denial of self and a return to a God-centeredness with our lives. Then God has us where He can accomplish through us purposes He had before he created the world. Though more could be said, here are some descriptions of the life orientations available to you:
Self-centered:
• Life focus on self.
• Proud of self and self’s accomplishments
• Affirming self
• Seeking to be acceptable to the world and its ways
• Looking at circumstances from a human perspective
• Selfish and ordinary living
God-centered
• Confidence in God
• Dependence on God and his ability and provision
• Life focused on God and His activity
• Humble before God
• Denying self
• Seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness
• Seeking God’s perspective in every circumstances
• Holy and godly living
Sounds too ideal to live out? Yes they are, to the point that some believers said ‘only pastors and priests and some extreme religious freaks can do that…not me!’ but THAT is what following Jesus is all about- to make him the centre of our lives, live for him and at the same time glorifying the Father in whatever we do, be it in the office or school.

It is not necessarily that u pretend and subsequently have to appear holy in public just to be recognized as good and faithful believers, no. It’s not about keeping all the laws unbroken and imposed others to exercise their faith on your pace. The Pharisees did that and they failed miserably.

Too often that we hear sermons that focus on ‘my holiness’ instead of ‘God’s holiness’, sermons that uplifted certain finite mortals instead of the infinite God. Sunday sermons that should be about God’s grace has now transformed into a time for judging others and how ‘not-to-be-like-them’ seminar. What a sad scene it is to see Christians setting themselves apart from other ‘immature Christians’ (as they called it) thinking that by doing so, they are pleasing God. It is easy to be proud of ourselves when we are hallucinating in our little comfort zone, but think about this: what is Jesus’ greatest commission? Is it to be complacent about your own ‘holiness’ and setting yourselves apart from others OR to go out and deny yourselves, working together with others against all odds for the sake of the Gospel?

Justification by faith alone.

Justification By Faith

Abram (later ‘Abraham’) is the first to trust God’s promises against all odds. From now on, faith means believing what God says. This simple trust in God’s word counts as ‘righteousness’- being right with God.

The apostle Paul looks back to Abram as the father of all who have faith. Abram wasn’t at peace with God because he was circumsized or had kept God’s law; these developments came later. Abram was right with God because he believed God’s promises. He was old and his wife was past childbearing, but he believed God would give him an heir. He was homeless and a nomad, but he believed that God would give him a land:
‘He did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised’ (Romans 4:20-21)

In the tine of the Reformation, this important truth of ‘justification by faith’ was rediscovered by Martin Luther and others. It became a crucial weapon in the fight against fanciful traditions and superstitious practices in the church.
We are justified (made right with God) by faith alone- not by good deeds, religious devotion or the prayer of others. Such actions may be important ways of expressing our faith; but faith itself is trusting only in what God has done for us, not what we have done for Him.

(Excerpted and paraphrased from ‘Hard Lessons, tough choices’ in The Bible Guide, page 30)

Saturday, November 21, 2009

9 days before i fully serve in a church...

shalom!
it has been a while (yeah, a WHILE!) since i last blogging. i wonder if u r the 1st person to read this blog or the ONLY person to read it, that's why i'm not fond of blogging- not many ppl read my blog yet thousands have heard me preaching on the pulpit. Yes, im a practical guy, unlike many who 'bravely write yet do nothing about it.'

after graduated with a bachelor degree in theology from stm (5 days before my father's demise), i had a wonderful 38 days of full holiday given by my dear Datuk Bishop Bolly. i really appreciate and made full use of the days to help rebuilding my family and also to move in things into our new house. it was then i got a letter from bishop that i'll be sent to St. Luke's Church in Sri Aman to serve there until who knows when.

so now, locking myself in my room (can't really accuse me of being anti social coz it's raining out there, cats and dogs and some zebras), im figuring out what to do in the church that i've been assigned to. i cant be as ROCK as before, for people expected me to be a typical Anglican priest in the diocese of Kuching...anyway, i will dig deep and hard to find the balance. i know this because God is with me.

that's all for now folks!
-rock rod rodriguez-