Nuggets: Real Belief

REAL BELIEF

“For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.” James 1:23-24 (NAS)

I’ve often wondered why people who claim to be Christian, do absolutely nothing as proof of the fact. When the subject comes up, they say the right things and profess the right knowledge, maybe they even go to church, but away from that environment they don’t even think about God much less his commands. When problems arise, they run to the phone before they run to the throne. In fact, God may not even occur to them or may only be an after thought. If someone suggests they seek God for guidance, they wave them off with a “yeah, yeah” and go back to their contingency planning (Rom 5:3-5).  Like the verse above says, it’s like looking in a mirror and then forgetting what they look like.

Let’s look at the situation with simple logic. If you believe there is a God and that the God of the Bible is the true God, then you must believe what the Bible says. If you believe what the Bible says, then you must realize there are real consequences and rewards for the life you live. Therefore, you live according to the Bible’s standards. Now, reversing the sequence we see that if you don’t live by the Bible, then you don’t believe in the consequences and rewards. That means you don’t believe what the Bible says. If you don’t believe the Bible then you don’t believe the God of the Bible is the true God, and therefore you don’t believe in God.

Faith without works is dead (James 2:26). Logically, a faith that is real will be manifested by belief and then subsequently works. If there are no works, then there is no belief and no faith. So, if you fall into the category of “you say you believe but you don’t really act like it”, stop deluding yourself. Stop lying to yourself and everyone else. You don’t believe, because if you did then it would show through your life (Rom 1:21).

If you do really believe, well then it’s time you started acting like it.

Blog roll

I would like to link all the blogs of people who follow this blog.  So if you have one and you’ve read this, send me a link.  Thanks

-k

Essential Updates

If you’re new to this blog, I’m sure you’ve looked around and said, “Hey… this stuff is kinda old.  Doesn’t he ever update?”  The answer to that is, yes I do update but there’s been a lot going on.  So here’s the run down.

Seminary – Last August or so, we started feeling very strong that God wanted us to return to graduate school at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.  After visiting, we felt it confirmed and so we started making plans.  In the beginning there were at least 50 road blocks that God had to overcome for us to go, and now we only have three left.  God has provided and opened doors so far, and we know he’ll finish this.  The plan at this time (granted God doesn’t change it half-way through) is for me to go to school full time working on a MA in Theology specializing in Christian Apologetics.  During this time, DeAnna will go part time on a MA in Worship Studies.  After the first two and half years I should be finished and she can go full time.  While she’s going full time, I’ll start the PhD process.  We hope to be totally done in about five years.  My career goals are to teach at the collegiate level, to speak nationally on Apologetics topics, and to write full time.  DeAnna wants to lead worship in conference settings.  We plan to move about the second week in July, granted our last three steps are taken care of.

Writing – I sort of went into a bubble with my writing, and that included this blog.  About a year ago I queried several agents with Winter and got some really positive responses.  They all said, however, that my manuscript still need work.  So I began to read a few books on self editing, and boy did I get an education!  I’ve been doing a thorough edit and rewrite for the past several months and just finished yesterday save for some minor cleanup stuff.  I’ll be contacting those agents again soon.  If you want to read what this book is about, you can visit my myspace at www.myspace.com/thewordcrafter.  If you want to read some of it, just contact me and maybe we can arrange something.  Perhaps I’ll post a chapter or two here… we’ll see.

So now you’ve been updated.  I should be able to start posting here regularly if not every week like I used to.  I do have a research paper to do as an entrance into the Theology department, so you’ll see that here soon.  Thanks and God Bless.

-k

Blog linked with facebook

For all of my Facebook friends, I have linked this blog with my profile so it will be easier for you to keep up with what’s going on with us and what I’m studying. With moving to New Orleans for graduate school looming ahead, I’m sure both De and I will have lots to share. If you enjoy reading blogs or theology or creative writing, then you’ll enjoy keeping up with this one. Thanks and God bless.

-k

The Masquerade

Why do we think we have to pretend to be someone we are not around other people?  What gives us the right to deny who God created us to be?  Since the E-Women conference in October, I’ve really been dealing with who I really am.  So, I thought I’d get a little off my chest, and share some of my revelations with anyone in “Blog Land” who may take the time to actually read what I have to say.

I don’t understand our society!  We elevate to idol status some of the WORST creatures on the face of this imperfect world.  Why do we turn to media icons (actors, actresses, musicians, politicians, etc) for role models for ourselves and our children?  We don’t really know anything about who they really are!  Look what we’ve done to them by placing all this unnecessary pressure on their lives as well…they are a bunch of “nutters” for a lack of a better term.  We simply must start looking for role models in a better place, but where?  This world is not at all perfect, nor is anyone “in” it.

“Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. “  Romans 12:2 (The Message)

If we all…and I know this seems so impossible to our finite minds…simply did what the word of God said, and didn’t think so much about what other people “might” say, life would be so much better.  I’m so tired of being a part of ”the masquerade”!!!  My discipleship training class is going through Dr. Julianna Slattery’s book “Beyond the Masquerade” and oh my is it ever going to be life-changing if we will “choose” to live it.  Basically first, we have to learn to be true to ourselves and who God made us to be…not who we think we should be in different situations!

“Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.”  Ps 51:6

Can we really be true to ourselves?  Do we even know who we really are, or have we worn the masks of this world for so long that we’ve lost that person, possibly never to be found again?

I’m determined to find myself.  I want to be the perfect creature God created me to be!!  I’m learning so much everyday.  I was not created to be a music teacher for instance.  I now know this, after 6 greuling years of unhappiness in the education profession.  (I’m rather thick-headed sometimes.)  I do however know that I love being a mom!  Playing with my children everyday and caring for them myself has made me so much happier…even in my current living arrangements.

I also know that my voice is God’s gift to me.  He desires for me to use it for Him and Him alone.  All the seeking I’ve been doing for using this gift has been my own.  I’ve kinda left Him out of it.  Well, not anymore.  He’ll use it, and has been using it all along!  He blesses me with perfect songs for ministry…on the chosen occasions He opens up ministry opportunities for me…His words…not mine…will be performed!

Oh I am so excited to find out more about the me God created!  I also challenge you to look at yourselves and seek who you really are.  Behind all the masks we wear around others.  I have a horrid mask of shyness!  It is going to be hard to overcome…those of you who know me well, know this about me.  I’m so afraid of rejection, I’d rather hide in the shadows in groups of people.  For years and years I thought everyone around…because they weren’t talking to me…were talking about me…even my friends.  This is a lie from the pits of Hell itself, and it is going to be a very hard one for me to overcome, but now that I know what it is…God will help me overcome it!!!!

Join me in this quest.  You are all dear friends, and I want everyone to feel the FREEDOM I feel right now…and I’m not completely free yet! God isn’t through by any means!