Is Christ divided?

1 Corinthians 1:10-17

10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11 My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”

13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don'’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

I'd been having a lull in my quiet time. Then when I picked it back up again I was like where do I want to start, what do I want to read? I started with 1 Corinthians. I've probably never read through the whole book before. It really is a shame when I think about it and realize how many books of the Bible there are that I may know bits from but have at no point read anything other than those few bits.

So I begin reading 1 Corinthians and man does God bring it! I'm not even through the first chapter and I'm just like whoa! This is in the Bible?! Why have I never read this before? Not only am I reading it for likely my first time but I can see how it relates to here and now. I was just astounded. God, you're awesome!

It goes back to the theology rant I had. What is more important Calvinism, Arminianism, etc, or Christ? In those verses, specifically 12 and 13 we can substitute a few names and there we have it. " 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Calvanism”; another, “I follow Arminianism”; another, “I follow Reformed ”; still another, “I follow Christ.”13 Is Christ divided? Was Piper crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Chan?"

There is also more on divisions in the church in 1 Corinthians 3.


And also might I mention that I love in verse 17 that Paul says, "I don't remember." That's just like a reminder that he's human. He forgets too.

Praying

So I'd been kinda out of prayer mode lately. Tuesday night I started praying about sometihng that was heavy on my mind. Indonesia. Yes, I have prayed for and about Indonesia many times before but not lately.

I really want to go to college week in Glorieta. The Lord worked so much in my life this past summer at Glorieta and it was so great. However, the dates that we would be going to Indonesia would overlap the dates of Glorieta so I wouldn't be able to go. My best friend's wedding is July 16 so I wouldn't be able to leave for Indonesia until the 17. Staying for 4 weeks would put getting back around the 13 or 14 of August. Glorieta is the 7-11. So I'd miss it by 1 week. So, Tuesday night I was praying about the whole dates thing and for it all to work out according to God's will. I don't remember exactly word for word what I was praying but it was along those lines and just that I'd be okay with having to sacrifice going to Glorieta.

Wednesday evening I get a text from that best friend who is getting married and it said the wedding is like 90% chance getting moved up a week. I looked at a calendar and I was just at a loss for words. That would put the wedding on July 9. Allowing me to leave the 10th, stay four weeks and fly into New Mexico for Glorieta on the 7th of August. I got so excited. I was laughing with excitement.I couldn't contain it; I had to tell someone. I sent a text to a few friends with a cliff notes version of it and included 1 John 5:14-15 "14This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him."

I wasn't expecting an answer so soon. Really I wasn't expecting anything with the dates to change. I realize nothing is set in stone. I still may not be able to go to Glorieta. The dates for Indonesia might stay the same. It was just the wonderment of seeing my prayer answered so soon and unexpectedly. God is good,so good, I should know this by now. I shouldn't doubt Him or pray without expectation.



Drifting from what I was talking about to something else but still somewhat related. "Never let your prayin knees get lazy." That's a line from Love Like Crazy by Lee Brice. My right knee is bruised from TLCT soldier practice. I know this is kind of random but I was thinking about that one knee being bruised. Then I started thinking about this song lyric. And together they got me thinking about how I'd been neglecting prayer. Not just my right knee should be bruised. They should both be bruised. Bruised from spending so much time on them in prayer. Okay so maybe I would prefer to not really have any bruises but you get the picture. I need to be praying more.



Final thing. Can't say it ties in. It doesn't have to do with prayer; although, it is something I need to be praying about. Tonight JJ of Nehemiah Teams spoke at the B. It was great to meet him! Something he said really got me though. It was something like how many of us are willing to go but planning to stay. I was like man you got me. That is pretty much exactly what I've been telling myself and doing. I'm willing to go but I'm planning on staying. I've said that I don't see myself in the mission field single, by myself. If I get married and my husband feels called to international missions I'd be willing to go. I wouldn't have a problem with that. But in the mean time I've just been planning to stay. Which I guess this also goes back to me needing to be okay with my singleness. I just need to have more talks with the Lord and trust in Him.

Christ and the Bible

*this is a recent babble of mine from a facebook note*

I'm not usually one for expressing my views such as this in a note and this isn't targeted at anyone individually. I guess this really is two different issues in a way related. One I had been thinking about the past few days and the other I have thought about before but not recently. Then tonight I was asked a question that got me thinking about it again. This concludes my not so eloquent, rambling introduction. No guarantee that the rest won't be less than eloquent rambling.

Tonight I was asked if I was reformed (as in theology). My response was: No, I'm not reformed but I'm not the other one either, what is it? I'm somewhere in between. I was filled in that "the other one" is Arminianism. And was corrected when I asked if reformed and Calvinist are the same thing. They're not the same is what I'm told. I backed up my answer some more by saying I haven't really looked in to any for myself. My knowledge of what each believes comes from someone who if I'm not mistaken is also somewhere in between but leans more towards Arminianism. Therefore their view is probably a bit biased to begin with making my knowledge of it all a bit flawed. Now that I got through all that what I'm getting at is why does it matter? I've thought to myself before I really should search these views. Learn what they are and decide on my own not based off what friends tell me. I've just not taken the time to try and figure it all out. That's why tonight I realized I don't think I want to try and figure it out. I don't want to look any of them up. I don't want to read about them. "The B-I-B-L-E yes that's the book for me. I stand alone on the Word of God." I know the Bible tells me: Christ died for my sins (Romans 5:8). If I believe Christ is Lord, who died and rose, I am saved (Romans 10:9). This is all offered to me freely as a gift (Romans 6:23). I am to share the news of Christ (Matthew 28:19-20, Matthew 9:37). Anybody actually taking the time to read this I'm sure is familiar with these verses. I'm afraid there are too many people who are taking the focus off of Christ and off of the Scriptures. These theologies are becoming the focus. I'm guessing which ever theology you subscribe to to an extent influences what you do believe some Scripture means. I don't know. In the end what I'm saying is keep the focus on Christ and the Bible.

The other issue. Many people, myself included, are giving to much credit to others' words and not the Bible. We are almost at a state of worshiping other people and not Christ. By these other people I mean all those "big names" in Christianity that we know and love. Lewis, Piper, Driscoll, Chandler, Platt, Chan, and still others. We love quoting them, knowing what they say about certain things, but do we know the actual Scripture. Don't get me wrong these men have great things to say. They are pastors, theologians. They know what they're talking about. They say/write what they do so God will be glorified and so that we Christians may learn more about Him and grow in Him and the lost may find Him and know Him. The problem is they and their words are often becoming the focus and not God's words. Go back to Christ and the Bible.

This is probably all poorly expressed and I feel like this potentially may have some contradictions in it. I'm not trying to start any arguments or debates. I'm just saying stick to Christ and the Bible.

All That You Are

I'm about to get really real in this post.

Let me start by saying my best friend since we were babies in the nursery, Ashley Wilks, is engaged! I couldn't be more excited and happy for her! Every time I think about it, which in the just over 24 hours that I've known, I think omg I can't believe she's engaged!

Andrew and Ashley engaged!

No lie, Wednesday morning I was thinking and praying about relationships. I thought about Ashley and Andrew. I was wondering when they would get engaged. I mean I knew it was coming but just not when. I think most of us knew it was eventually coming. Then I was thinking what if my best friend gets engaged before I've ever even had a boyfriend. What happens the next day, Thursday? She gets engaged. Thinking about it now it's pretty laughable, how I was thinking that and then bam!

I was also kind of having a pity party for myself, by myself. Feeling a little sorry for myself that I haven't had a boyfriend. In truth I'm not sorry. Do I wish I was in a relationship or I'd been in at least one by this age? Yes, at times I do. I want to feel liked, really liked, eventually loved. I want all those firsts: that first real date, first boyfriend, first kiss. But I also recognize (though clearly not all the time or the afore mentioned pity would not of occured) that waiting on God's timing will be worth it. It may be hard but it's really out of my control. It will make all those first that much more special though. I need to be using this time of singleness to serve Him without distractions, in a way that I may not be able to once in a relationship, once hopefully married one day.

So I was driving to work today listening to Rachel Ruth. I've heard all the songs before. This was my second or third time listening to it since yesterday evening. That's when these lines hit me, "This hole in my soul is shaped just like you, but I've filled it with less more than a time or two." Wow. That's what I needed. When I get caught up in this longing for love from someone else and feeling sorry I'm not trusting God and seeking Him. I need to give my heart to Him, my whole heart. I need to love the Lord with every fiber of my being. All this other stuff, whatever it is, will not fill the void. No matter how much I try only He can fill it. And He loves me. He loves me more than I can imagine and this I too often forget.

All That You Are

I have strayed far enough to see
I am not enough for me
This hole in my soul is shaped just like You
But I've filled it with less more than a time or two
Now I've come to my end, I'm empty again
All I know to do
Is finally surrender
And run home to my Savior
Turn back to the time when I first believed that all that You are is all that I need

I run far enough to know
The peace I need I left back home
My restlessness can only rest in You
I've tried other things but those other things just won't do
I've been away but I'm back to day
And all I want is You
I've finally surrendered
And run home to my Savior
Turn back to the time when I first believed that all that You are is all that I need

I finally surrender
And run home to my Savior
Turn back to the time that I first believed that all that you are is all that I need
I'm coming back home because God I believe that all that You are is all that I need
All that i need
All that i need

So I had that little revelation. Then I got home and looked at the lyrics to the rest of the song and this little revelation continued some more. In the very next lines. "Now I've come to my end I'm empty again. All I know to do is finally surrender and run home to my Savior. Turn back to the time when I first believed that all that You are is all that I need." This is very much true. The lines that came right before it is why I'm at my end, why I'm empty. The thing is I shouldn't come to my end. I shouldn't let myself get empty. When I do, it is because I'm trying to do things on my own accord and not trusting in the Lord. If I just trust in Him, fully trust in Him, trust that He is all I need then I won't get to that point of being empty. However, I haven't been trusty fully in Him and that is why I am again surrendering and running back to Him.