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WaskietheSnowman
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Name: Steve
Country: United States
State: Maryland
Birthday: 4/23/1984
Gender: Male
Interests: Politics now...who knows what later.
Occupation: Government
Industry: Government
Message: message me
Member Since:
5/27/2004
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| So, I'm not normally one to blog...but, I figure that I would go ahead and do it once, twice, maybe three times.
I was struck today as I was driving to the train station by a few songs
that came over the radio, particularly from WGTS and WRBS. The people I
was driving by must have thought I was insane, because there I was
singing at the top of my lungs to songs that I don't have the
particular vocal range to do. It is amazing how God would even choose
us to be a part of his plan, that he would have his Son come to Earth
and die for horrible wretched sinners such as ourselves, and it makes
me feel guilty when I don't live up to that potential that I should.
I know that I don't read my Bible enough, that I don't do devotions on
a daily basis, however I do do them semi-consistently. What amazes me
is how music will speak volumes to me and bring me to that place of
worship where I can have that God-time.
So, I've posted the lyrics below...with my own edits, emphasis, and
such. It probably helped that these two songs were juxtaposed and I
heard them within 4 to 5 minutes of each other. They're "I AM" by Mark
Schultz and "In the Light" by DC TALK (yea, I know I'm going old
school). Ironically, a new thought came to my mind today about the song
"I AM" where generally those lyrics will be written in first person,
i.e. I am the maker of the heavens, from God's perspective. What if,
however, we see it as a praise and prayer using the true name of God,
the name of old and then we say, I AM, the maker of the heavens, as a
descriptor instead of a statement. And then to look through that entire
song with that outlook. Let us magnify God through all that we do this
week.
I AM
I AM, the maker
of the Heavens
I AM, the bright and morning star
I AM, the breath of all Creation
Who always was
And is to come
I AM, the One who walked on water
I AM, the One who calmed the seas
I AM, the miracles and wonders
So come and see
And follow me
And you will know
I AM, the fount of living water
The risen Son of man
The healer of the broken
And when you cry
I AM, your savior and redeemer
Who bore the sins of man
The author and perfecter
Beginning and the end
I AM
Before the Earth (I AM)
The universe (I AM)
In every heart (I AM)
Oh, where you are (I AM)
The Lord of love (I AM)
The King of Kings (I AM)
The Holy lamb (I AM)
Above all things
In the Light
I keep trying to find a life
On my own, apart from you
I am the king of excuses
I’ve got one for every selfish thing I do
What’s going on inside of me?
I despise my own behavior
This only serves to confirm my suspicions
That I’m still a man in need of a savior
I wanna be in the light
As YOU are in the light
I wanna shine like the stars in the heavens
Oh, LORD be my light and be my salvation
Cause all I want is to be in the light
All I want is to be in the light
The disease of self runs through my blood
It’s a cancer fatal to my soul
Every attempt on my behalf has failed
To bring this sickness under control
Tell me, what’s going on inside of me?
I despise my own behavior
This only serves to confirm my suspicions
That I’m still a man in need of a Savior
I wanna be in the light
As YOU are in the light
I wanna shine like the stars in the heavens
Oh, LORD be my light and be my salvation
Cause all I want is to be in the light
All I want is to be in the light
Tell me, what’s going on inside of me?
I despise my own behavior
This only serves to confirm my suspicions
That I’m still a man in need of a Savior
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| Could things start to suck even more than they already do on a Monday? I think they could, but if they did I'd have to go home...because I'm not interested in dealing with anymore than what's already on my plate today.
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| I can't remember which Mario game it was with the "Star Road". I think it was Super Mario RPG, but I'm really not sure. You may wonder, why is he talking about a star road and what does that have to do with today. Well besides the fact that I am a star, I was molding some kids to be stars-in-training today (Some leaders that already think they are stars need to learn from me, the master of Stardom). But, we had our first of three AWANA Olymic practices today. The T&T group is well on their way to stardom. Noah Cranford is the fastest guy I've seen at these practices since...well, me. The Sparks are another story. I tried to introduce the Sparkie Balloon Pop today and that was an utter failure, but it's alright because that's what Wednesday night will be dedicated to.
Alright all, I'm outta here because it's been a long day, especially with crafting amendments earlier this evening for about two hours. Oh, the highlight of today was me, still beating other people around my age in a race. I hadn't done that in quite some time but it felt good to be on top of the world for a couple of minutes. | | |
| I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit—
2I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
3For I could wish that I myself were accursed and
cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according
to the flesh.
4They are Israelites, and to them belong the
adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship,
and the promises;
5to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed for ever.Amen.
6 It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all Israelites truly belong to Israel,
7and not all of Abraham’s children are his true descendants; but ‘It is through Isaac that descendants shall be named after you.’
8This means that it is not the children of the
flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are
counted as descendants.
9For this is what the promise said, ‘About this time I will return and Sarah shall have a son.’
10Nor is that all; something similar happened to Rebecca when she had conceived children by one husband, our ancestor Isaac.
11Even before they had been born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose of election might continue,
12not by works but by his call) she was told, ‘The elder shall serve the younger.’
13As it is written,
‘I have loved Jacob,
but I have hated Esau.’
14 What then are we to say? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means!
15For he says to Moses,
‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’
16So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy.
17For the scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘I have
raised you up for the very purpose of showing my power in you, so that
my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.’
18So then he has mercy on whomsoever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomsoever he chooses.
19 You will say to me then, ‘Why then does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?’
20But who indeed are you, a human being, to argue
with God? Will what is moulded say to the one who moulds it, ‘Why have
you made me like this?’
21Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one object for special use and another for ordinary use?
22What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to
make known his power, has endured with much patience the objects of
wrath that are made for destruction;
23and what if he has done so in order to make
known the riches of his glory for the objects of mercy, which he has
prepared beforehand for glory—
24including us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?
25As indeed he says in Hosea,
‘Those who were not my people I will call “my people”,
and her who was not beloved I will call “beloved”. ’
26‘And in the very place where it was said to them, “You are not my people”,
there they shall be called children of the living God.’
27 And Isaiah cries out concerning
Israel, ‘Though the number of the children of Israel were like the sand
of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved;
28for the Lord will execute his sentence on the earth quickly and decisively.’29And as Isaiah predicted,
‘If the Lord of hosts had not left survivors to us,
we would have fared like Sodom
and been made like Gomorrah.’
30 What
then are we to say? Gentiles, who did not strive for righteousness,
have attained it, that is, righteousness through faith;
31but Israel, who did strive for the righteousness that is based on the law, did not succeed in fulfilling that law.
32Why not? Because they did not strive for it on
the basis of faith, but as if it were based on works. They have
stumbled over the stumbling-stone,
33as it is written,
‘See, I am laying in Zion a stone that will make people stumble, a rock that will make them fall,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’
So, basically after quoting Romans 9, let me share a couple thoughts with you:
I become more and more frustrated on a daily basis with how our
church meetings are as divisive as they are. I can understand
disagreements, however, to bog down things that all people show geniune
support for because of procedural matters is out of control. Plus,
people, why don't you go ahead and bring up these problems before our
annual meeting. That's why we have a pre meeting. It is inexcusable, to
me, for you to hold up the business of the church on a purely
procedural basis.
We are called to unity. It is something that sets us apart from the
rest of the world. With everyone else out in the "dog eat dog" world,
we should be better than that. I don't know why we're not...well, I
have some thought but this isn't the time or place for them. If we
should take from the ultimate example, that is Christ, who is a perfect
example of unity (of course, along with God the Father and the Holy
Spirit), we should strive to that end. Instead, it seems that we are
backsliding and continuing to get caught up in the little stuff. Is
this just an outgrowth of the American church? our church? I tend to
think it is the latter.
I got the comment the other day, which I know was said in a half
joking manner but i think is really telling. I was told "Well, why
don't you leave the church like everybody else that has problems with
it". What does that say when the attitude of congregants in the church
is like that? Does it say that the congregant needs to change? Or the
leadership?
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| So, my mom's out of control. The fruit in our house is now under attack by her for her nursing studies. When I confronted her on this issue of, "How am I supposed to eat a banana with an IV in it?" she told me to be happy at least she wasn't practicing the IV on me at which point I promptly decided to leave the room. Kind of made me feel like Jack for a couple of minutes, then reality set in. 
Today, I made a Build-A-Bear for the Miners' Families in West Virginia. My original intent when I got there was to just wait for my sister to finish making hers then go home. Of couse things didn't turn out the way I expected them to and I stayed in good ol' Naptown until 2 p.m. A nice waste of two hours of my life, although I didn't waste it hanging out with Dave, Erica, Emily, and Amy.
Small group tomorrow night, 7:30 at the Cranfords'. Make sure to have read chapter 5. Also, I think we need to have some sort of discussion on "the future" and what we want to do. I'm not sure what I want yet. I'd like to have a group like the one we have now but it doesn't seem to be a possibility with the current composition of the church. There are a few ideas I have, but I don't know whether here is the right forum to discuss them. What I do know is that another Lost marathon this weekend would be great.
Alright, I have to work like the rest of you tomorrow. Later. | | |
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