Cultural Christianity

Colossians 2:20-23 -- "If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations - 'Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch' (referring to things that all perish as they are used) - according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh."

Beliefs & values should be lined up w/ Scripture -- even "Christian" practices & opinions that may seem righteous. Perhaps things that seem 'normal' in religious settings can actually simply be cultural norms in a country or widely practiced among groups of Christians and should not be regarded as more/less holy.

Views regarding --- Dressing up vs. not. Standing up. Sunday morning greeting exchange. Songs that have repetitious choruses with few words vs. Hymns, or, a mix. Raising hands vs. not. Music. Giving. Church membership. Choir up in front. Cookies in the foyer. Benediction. Prayers. Baptism. Drinking vs. not. Cultural compromises.

It seems as though culture played a part in Christianity in Bible times. E.g. -- 1 Cor. 11:4-5: "Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head-it is the same as if her head were shaven."

Hmmmm ~~ so, should we follow certain cultural aspects of Christianity? Of course, Scripture should be the measuring stick. And when it's not clear ~~? I guess we should just do what we think would be the loving or right thing to do, according to Scripture, as best we can tell.

One set of footprints

Deuteronomy 1:29-33

"'Then I said to you, 'Do not be shocked, nor fear them. 'The LORD your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf, just as He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, just as a man carries his son, in all the way which you have walked until you came to this place.' 'But for all this, you did not trust the LORD your God, who goes before you on your way, to seek out a place for you to encamp, in fire by night and cloud by day, to show you the way in which you should go."

Dear God, please show me the way in which I should go. And please let me realize more fully that you have sent Jesus to take my place on that cross. You have fought on my behalf. Please open my eyes to recognize your working in my life, and please let me trust you more. Please make me let you carry me and my burdens. Thank you. Amen.

Doesn't the famous "Footprints" poem make reference to there being one set of footprints when Jesus carried the person? ... I think so.

"Preach the gospel to yourself everyday." I don't know who authors this quote...it is a good one though.

Dear God, please remind me of the saving message of the gospel every day.

Thank you. ~~

Moving On

Well, the Japan chapter of my life is almost finished. I head back to the States early next month. Of course it's not to say I won't return to Japan. Coming back could always be a possibility. If I do come back and there's a choice of places, it may be fun to live kinda near Kobe. Or somewhere else. :-) It will be interesting to figure out what to get involved with this Fall...of course I'll have my classes, but what else will I fill my time with? Perhaps Talk Time or a Christian group at the UW or take Biblical Greek? Anyways it'll be interesting. It's been a long time since I'ved lived in America outside a vacation or transition period...and it'll be weird to be the only kid (especially since I'm the oldest of the bunch) in the house this Fall. Anyways, it's coming soon!

Rebecca St. James -- Psalm 139

If you are interested in downloading this song, you can do it through MSN music.
And you can check out the lyrics at:

http://www.spiritsounds.net/rebecca-st-james-psalm-139-lyrics.html

Part of the song goes like this: ". . .even though You know You will always love me. . ."

Beautiful, isn't it?

This aspect of God's omniscience really touches my soul. That, and the song is really nice. :-)
Perhaps this aspect of God will just gently breeze through my heart time and again. I think in college, too, I was really moved by His knowing our thoughts/heart. It's just so refreshing to think upon.

I wonder where the balance is, though. God loves us in spite of our sinful selves, yet we should try not to sin. I wonder what level of relaxedness we can maintain in His grace.

God, please open my heart more to a fuller understanding of/belief in your grace, and then please use me to help others understand/believe in it more as well. Thank you.

"Looking Above"

Numbers 21:8-9

"Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live.' And Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived."

John 3:14-15

"'As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life."

God, help me to look to you for abundant life.