Mornings

I've been getting up early lately to spend a little time reading the scriptures and praying. It's been great. I've been reading mostly from the minor prophets. I've been struggling with some ideas about restoration.

Recently, I've been wondering whether all the prophesies about a new heaven and new earth, new wine, new grain, a restoration of creation to be ruled by compassion, love, grace, and justice have been fulfilled through Jesus already. I realize Jesus said that the Kingdom of God is available here and now, but does that mean that we are able to receive eternal life and we have to wait it out in this broken world until Jesus comes back to restore all things? Or has the restoration already begun and is a process God started with Jesus? Maybe the restoration of creation has begun, but won't be complete until Jesus comes back.

Here is a link to a passage that I read this morning which is amazing. Click here.

School...Here We Go Again

So I'm starting a new semester at THE San Jose State University. Here's a quick list of my classes (for those of you with ADD):

Comm 100W - Writing
Engl 117 - Film, Literature, and Culture
Envs 152 - Environmental Global Disaster
Soci 154 - Non-conforming Behavior
Soci 162 - Race and Ethnic Relations


I'm really excited about the Film/Lit class. That should be fun.

Research Project: Part 1

So here are a few cool things that I found right off the bat:

-The major religions that have dominated history began somewhere between 650 BC and AD 650. Why?

-Christianity began in a Western Society. Yes, it sprang out of the Jewish culture which is Middle-Eastern, but Christianity launched into the Graeco-Roman world. This had a major effect on how the structure of the Church developed with hierarchies of leadership, logic, and other Western ideals.

-There was very little success of Christianity in the non-Occidental world (non-Western). Why?

-In the 8th and 9th Centuries, the Church experienced a prolonged struggle with the use of images. Does this have a connection to the struggle of the use of images while the Israelites were wandering through the desert in the time of Moses? Maybe there is a pattern to how people and God are in a tug of war over understanding God in a tangible or intangible way?

The integrity of the Gospel

I have been thinking about how I should live life as a follower of Jesus. I was reading the Sermon on the Mount last night and I came to a point where I decided that there can be nothing in my life that compromises the integrity of the Gospel.

What I mean is that my entire life needs to be focused on Jesus Christ. Every decision I make, everything I purchase, every person I meet must uphold the teaching of Jesus Christ. I have to devote my whole life to Jesus. I've been trying to do this for a while now, but it gets me depressed sometimes. I mourn, I pray, I listen, I sing. I am seeking God, but there are so many influences that pull me apart. There are Christians telling me things that I know aren't how Jesus taught us to live. There are non-Christians who tell me ways to live that are not of God. I just want to find the good and latch onto it. I want Jesus.

Church History Research Project

So I have decided to untake and rigorous research project. This is not for school, it is just my own crazy idea. Here's why: I feel that there is something important to be learned from church/Christian history. If we can understand the ups and downs of the church, the advancements and recessions of Christianity, and the historical events in which these events took place, we may be able to find a pattern or relationship that could provide some insight into where the church is headed in the coming years.

I want to map out church history and world history together and look for patterns, connections, and repetition. I hope to be able to place these findings within the grand plan of God's redemption of this world to find out where we are now. Basically, I want to find out where to put my energy in changing the world for Jesus.

So, this blog is going to be some sort of a journal for my study in addition to my regular posts. I want to eventually piece together the blog posts I write about this topic into a paper or book or something. This should be fun. (but it might take 10 years)

Music

I've been having some major trouble with music lately. I don't know how to describe it. I play music every week for church, but I don't feel like I'm authentic. I feel like I'm so uncreative, I feel inadequate, I feel unworthy.

I can be so inspired by music. Music can be such an indescribable connection to the Holy. But I don't feel like the music I play is anything close to a reflection of who God is. I'm so far away from that.

Here's a link to some music that is truely awesome. It's a song called "The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is Out to Get Us!" by Sufjan Stevens. Please listen to it. (Sorry, the audio quality is not the best)