Am I good? It doesn't matter, God is better!

10.05.2009

Back to the blog...I've been busy. This past weekend was a lot of fun in spite of the rain and rather cool weather. The Verity guys (most of them anyway) camped near some state park in Michigan, on Lake Michigan, with some dunes. It was cool...but it wasn't the ocean. The water was about 40-45 degrees (Fahrenheit). We went swimming anyway. The wind was kicking up a bit, making some waves. It was fun...once I got over the freezing!

Life here at school is pretty awesome. There are a lot of amazing people here, actually, pretty much everybody here is amazing. So far God has been good to me and has helped me to pass my tests well, with good scores.

My prayer for this week is that God would help me to use my time wisely, to study when I need to study and to have fun when i need to have fun, but most of all to spend as much time as possible with Him, whether it is in prayer or reading His Word.

Just a thought this morning...

9.13.2009

This post isn't intended to be insanely deep or crazy long or anything...it's just something God brought to my attention during church today.

In Ephesians 5:1-5, God has a little "compare and contrast" section.

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness or nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

God is giving us a sharp distinction between the love of God (vs. 1-2) and the love that the world has (vs. 3-5). God's love is sacrificial, and concentrated on the good of others. The world's form of love is concentrated on self - what I can get for myself, how I can gratify myself.

Just thought I'd share that ;-)

For what it's worth...

9.10.2009

"All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising question on the ground of conscience. For "the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof." If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. But if someone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience -- I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do , not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.                                                                                   -- I Corinthians 10:23-33

 God has given me freedom in many areas, but He has been showing me over the past few weeks that although I may have freedom in these areas, out of respect for another brother or sister's conscience I should refrain from exercising this freedom. As I was reading this passage today, just a few minutes ago, I totally missed that last little sentence. "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." This sums it all up, doesn't it? If I am constantly imitating Christ, then I will be able to exercise freedom. But part of imitating Christ is refraining from exercising all of the freedom that I have been given. It's a radical thought for me, and for most Christians here in America. Have we not been taught from our early childhood that freedom is what our country was founded upon? As a homeschooled kid, I was taught that this freedom is given by God. I was taught that we have God-given rights, including the right to be free. It's radical that as a Christian I am supposed to limit my freedom. Would it not have been easier if God had just laid down the law, if He had just said what we can and can't do?

Up at Journey we studied different "bad" or "evil" heart attitudes. Part of one of the hearts was the fact that in order not to have this heart, we will have to limit ourselves. I hate lines, I hate rules, I hate being told what to do. But God is not demanding - that's the beauty of free will. Yet, as we are told in James, our faith in God is demonstrated by our works. My love of God should be enough to overcome what I want to do, to the point that I no longer want to gratify myself but to glorify God in everything that I do.

Staying here at Verity for the past week has been amazing. Going up to the Northwoods in Michigan was something that allowed me to both bond with my fellow students and to spend a great amount of time alone with God. Today instead of class before lunch Charity Larson told all of us students to just spend an hour alone with God. This post is one of the things that has stemmed from that. Where else, what other college can you go to that would skip class in order to spend time alone with God?

God is good indeed.

Prayer and the Power to do God's Will

9.08.2009

The following is the essay that I was required to write during orientation this week, concerning what God taught me during the Journey to the Heart.

"Leading up to this Journey, I was excited about going back up to the Northwoods, I was excited of the opportunities I was going to have to be out in His creation, but most of all I was looking forward to the time I was going to be able to spend alone with Him, praying and hearing Him.

The time that I spent with my fellow students, in my Journey group, was amazing but it was nothing to equal what God had in mind for me. I was able to fellowship with God in a way that I have never done before. God was near me last week, speaking to me for as long as I was willing to listen.

The first day I concentrated on getting my heart right with God. Over the past few weeks God had done great things in my life, but there were still a couple areas to clear up. I spent as much time alone with God as I could, in prayer and just listening. I asked Him to give me the answers to a couple of things, and was just waiting for Him to answer me.

Thursday afternoon my group split up for alone prayer time. I started walking with my Bible and binder, but ended up setting them aside as they were just distracting me from talking with my Creator, Father, and Friend. I had a certain place that I wanted to go, the hills that are pretty much the highest point around the Lodge, but I asked something of God. I knew that it was a very visible place, but I didn't want anyone to see me. I asked Him to either make me invisible, not noticed, or to make people move. I didn't know it at the time, but I had passed one of my brothers on my way up and he told me later that shortly after I passed he got up and left. A coincidence? I believe it was a direct answer to my prayer.

Up on that hill, I gave everything that I had been keeping from God to Him completely and unreservedly. I had given almost everything to Him, but He showed me that there were certain areas that I was still holding back. One area was music. I had purposed several months ago to only listen to music that honored Him, but at Northwoods God showed me that I was choosing what was glorifying, rather than following His word.

God did some amazing things in my life up at Journey, but the coolest thing that He told me, that I learned from Him, was the day after we got back, Sunday night. I had asked God to give me a mission purpose for the next year, as He gave me last year about this time. He didn't answer me while on the Journey. But as I was praying along with several other guys on Sunday night, God spoke to me and told me what purpose He has for me for the next year! It was awesome to know that God is still speaking to me, as I am with Him.

The greatest thing I learned or was taught on this Journey is the power of prayer and how important it is to everything that I do, and how important prayer is in discerning the Lord's will for my life. During Journey I was constantly praying, and have continued since we got back. God keeps on giving me instruction for what to do, when I need to know. I am awed that He is answering me, and I intend to keep on talking to my Father for a long time to come. My Heavenly Father is all-knowing, and with His wisdom available for me I will never fail so long as I stay close to Him in prayer."

C&C Retreat '09 - Guy's Session - Brent Aucoin

7.18.2009

Guys are supposed to be leaders -- one of my God-given purposes as a man.

Genesis
    ⁃    Chaos (In the beginning, God created a mess)
    ⁃    Formless
    ⁃    Empty   
    ⁃    Dark
    ⁃    God changed the chaos into cosmology by His word
    ⁃    Why? Why this way? (Chaos to cosmos by His Word)
    ⁃    [Only God can decrease entropy from chaos.]
    ⁃    [Part of God's plan.]
    ⁃    God does this all the time - He brings people from chaos into order (following His will) by His Word
    ⁃    "Image/Likeness" [In the Ancient Near East, these exact same terms are used by the kings when erecting statues - we are images of God's rule here on Earth!]
    ⁃    Visible representative of the invisible God
    ⁃    Babel -- (confusion) Mankind confused their purpose -- they were representing themselves rather than God
    ⁃    If I am trying to please myself, representing myself rather than God, it will only end of in chaos and confusion.
    ⁃    As a representative of God, my first thought needs to be just that. When a girl sees me her first thought shouldn't be "Cute guy," but "Image of God."
Exodus
    ⁃    Priests of God [representative of God/mediator]
Hebrews/John
    ⁃    Christ is the "exact imprint" of God -- He is the exact representation of the invisible God
I Peter
    ⁃    Chosen race, royal priesthood, holy nation [still the visible representative of the invisible God]
    ⁃     Specific set of behaviors

When does a boy become a man?
1. Spiritual maturity sufficient to lead a wife and children.
    - Samson was definitely not ready to lead. Am I? When will I be ready?
        - Bible reading, prayer. Good place to start.
2. Personal maturity sufficient to be a responsible husband and father.
    - Unless I am gifted with celibacy, I am going to be a husband and father. Channels what God has given me to invest myself in my wife and children.
3. Economic maturity sufficient to hold an adult job and handle money.
    - How am I using my money? Am I saving? Am I spending i on pleasure?
4. Physical maturity sufficient to work and protect a family.
5. Sexual maturity sufficient to marry and fulfill God's purposes.
    - Don't confuse the purpose of sex. It is vital that it only happens in marriage. [Chaos and confusion if this gift is used outside of marriage.]
6. Moral maturity sufficient to lead as example of righteousness.
7. Ethical maturity sufficient to make responsible decisions.
8. Worldview maturity sufficient to understand what is really important.
9. Relational maturity sufficient to understand and respect others.
10. Social maturity sufficient to make a contribution to society.
    - Serve in my church now -- if I can't do this now, am I going to do this when I am married?
11. Verbal maturity sufficient to communicate and articulate as a man.
12. Character maturity sufficient to demonstrate courage under fire.
13. Biblical maturity sufficient to lead at some level in the church.

Session One from the C&C Retreat '09 - Brent Aucoin

Wow it's been a long time since I posted...here goes. Lord willing I will be starting up more regularly again.

Background...
    •    The person of Samson is the climax of the cycle failure of God's people in the book of Judges.
    •    The "climax" is one of a great tragedy in that Samson is clueless to his special calling even though God continues to give him opportunities to see what he s supposed to be.
    •    Instead, Samson is self absorbed with his sexual appetites and lusts.
    •    Samson whose name means "sun like" or "light" ironically ends up in the "dark" as he is blinded in the end as testimony to his spiritual blindness manifested through much of his life.
    •    Samson also represents the deterioration of the entire population of God's people at that time.
    •    Then, God's people, just like their "deliverer" Samson, were blind to their special calling of God to be god's light to the nations as a people -- even though God had constantly prodded them and had been gracious to them.


Judges 13
Manoah's wife did not tell her husband everything that the Angel of the Lord told her -- she did not tell him that Samson was to "begin to deliver Israel."

- Samson had a special calling and a special set of behaviors (he was a Nazirite from birth) but he did not know his purpose. What would I do if I didn't know my purpose when the day that I was to fulfill it comes?

Samson has no clue what his purpose is (Judges 14) but God is working every turn of the story for His purpose for Samson -- through Samson's desire for the Philistine woman God is going to begin to deliver Israel.

Samson's focus is always on pleasing himself. After every encounter with the Philistines, Samson always heads toward the woman -- his focus is wrong.

Samson and Delilah -- Samson gives into Delilah although he won't give in to the Lord's purpose for him.

Samson's strength was not in his hair -- his strength cam from the Lord, but the Lord left Samson when his hair was cut off.

What were the dangers of Samson not understanding and not living for his special purpose? What are the dangers of us not grasping our scripturally defined purpose?

With no purpose (or no understanding of purpose) my life could be just like a Saturday with no objective -- I will end up self absorbed and in defiance of God's plan for me.

An Update...

4.23.2009

Don't have anything special on my mind really. I just figured that it was about time for an update on my random thoughts and musings. I've been working on math for Verity, and while I am definitely not enjoying it, it is at least not torture. I have only to pass this class and then I have high hopes that I will not need to do another math class for the duration of my higher education. One can always hope.

I went to see David Barton speak the other night. It was the first time I have seen him in person, this was only his second trip to Indiana in 6 years. It was a very encouraging, energizing speech.

What else is up with life? Let's see...Yeah I'm over that, I'm looking forward to hanging with my friends this summer, I had a fun time at the nursing home last night (I had the same conversation - with a very nice old lady who also happened to be both diabetic and Irish - four times in a row), and I'm almost done with school for the semester. I am hoping to work full time this summer, or do some further CLEP tests. And that's about it...I will be going to the Nashville ATI Conference at the end of May and will surely post from that, but I am sure I will post between now and then.