It’s a thinking thing
Hello everybody and welcome to the new blog. It is my prayer and hope that the things written on this blog will be a great blessing to all who read it.
So, let’s discuss what we will be talking about. My thoughts are for us to have a blog that really gets us thinking. It would be great to have some real good theological discussions here. I pray that we will be challenged and willing to evaluate what is being said. We live in a culture that is so saturated in the media and technology that we have forgotten how to think. We allow ourselves to be told something and just soak it up as truth. Here is the thing, God, being as gracious and loving as he is, gave us a brain to use. The bible says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all of your mind.” (Matthew 22:37)This means using that brain that has been given to us. It is time for us to start doing our homework and really dig in to what the Lord is telling us.
Well what do you think? Let’s think together and love God with all of our minds. I pray that we will all enjoy this growing process together. God bless.
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It is amazing how God leads us in a direction of thought as we study His word. Many conversations and discussions this week have centered around “Saturation”. In a small group study tonight we discussed being saturated, immersed or as men enjoying a good bar-b-que, being marinated in Gods word.
Every day for every man’s devotion today says, “In a sense, our male minds are like marinated pork ribs: They take on the character of whatever we soak them in. Only after going through the fire, however, does our true flavor come out.
So how does God’s man “marinate” his mind in the precepts and ways of the Lord? The Bible gives us the principle of meditation, as we read in Psalm 119:23: “Your servant will meditate on your decrees.” Every Man, God’s Man, pages 130,133
Lord, I want to take on the character of Christ, to live my life in selfless love. Teach me as I saturate my mind with Your Word and Your decrees.
To Marinate our Carnality in God’s word will cause it to take on not only the nature of the men and women God would have us to be but to, as a dear brother also pointed out, is to have the aroma of one who is selfless love. But the true nature of the Marinate is not truly realized until it is put to the fire! When God puts us to the test and the aroma of what we are saturated with permeates into our surroundings, that shows who we are in Christ and is a powerful witness to all who are near.
My hope and prayer is that we will all ‘marinate’ in God’s Word and take on the Aroma of Christ.
That is so very true. We will become like what we soak ourselves in. Are we soaking in the world? We will be more like the world. Are we soaking in Christ? We will be more like Christ. God’s Word is a light to this dark world. We are to take this light that has been given to us and allow it to shine in all circumstances, even through the fire. As you said bruce, it is when we come out of that fire, the flavor is its greatest. In the same way, the more we endure in harships with Christ we will shine brighter for Him. “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake.” (Philippians 1:29) I think these words are true in relation with what is being said here. Suffering and trials will come. Where are they going to take you and what aroma will come out of them?
Ok guys..enough. You’re making me hungry with all this BBQ and marinade talk! haha …and I AM always hungry for the Word of God! Hardship and turmoil seems to be what brings most people to their knees and finally to the Lord. I have been through the fire, and know I’ve come out better because of it, but I think even in everyday trials, no matter how small, the Lord is working within us. I happen to work with a group of women in very close quarters. You know how someone’s “bad mood” can affect others’, or you can be pulled into someone’s gossip, or you become frustrated at someone else and have to tell the rest of the gang!? This is the marinade I soak in all day long. I share my cubicle “pod” with 3 other women. I strongly believe that this diverse group of women were put into my life for a reason, to learn from and grow from. We all come from different backgrounds and one of them has a completely different work ethic (*wink*). I do try to keep in mind that I openly call myself a Christian; therefore an example of Jesus, and do my best to conduct myself in such a way…and yes, I’m human and sometimes seriously fail to do so! I’ve had a few personal struggles in dealing with one co-worker in particular but, am aware that this is why she is in my life for 8 hours a day. I believe there are things the Lord is obviously wanting me to work on within my personality, such as managing my temper and working on my apathy. This relationship has gone from going to work angry and frustrated, to having a blow-out and her not speaking to me for a month, humbling myself enough to apologize, becoming a better friend and example, and now helping her with her job to bring her to her full potential. This is exactly what I needed and God knew. So, now that that relationship is settled, he brings a new “pod member” into my midst in just the last month. (She’s LDS. Hmmmm….. ) I think everything in front of us and around every corner is a lesson from Him to be had. I think we can live in this world, taking it in and taking it on. But how can we do this, if we’re to make our choices with Christ in mind, without marinating ourselves in God’s Word and soaking in His Truth for the answers? We can’t!
Ok what are we? A bunch of Baptsits to have to relate everything to food? LOL… Just kidding. I totally get the picture. And Cynthia… all I have to say is OUCH! You hit right where it hurts! I too work with a bunch of women for 8 hours a day. At least 10 others to be exact. And know what it is to fall into the chain of gossip and take on the moods of the others around us, (One of my biggest downfalls) And not only that but when somone says or does something that seems to get to somone else, YES we vent! I was guilty of that today myself. But with that many women (hairdressers to be exact) it happens. What makes it worse is that I am only the receptionist so everyones mess becomes my mess to clean up and take care of. I know that God has some BIG plans for me in the future. I am just beginning to catch a small glimpse of some of these plans and He is starting to do some major work in me right now. And reading your entry has helped me to remember that I am not the only one who has these sort of problems. The “marinating” process has been a slow one for me but it’s getting better all the time! Thank you!
I’m sure that Pastor Mike did not intend for this to be a food channel but “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”, I’ve heard it said…
So as we indulge in food for thought (how is that Mike for getting things back on track) it sounds as if you gals are in a bit of a stew! There is a potpourri of ingredients that have been thrown together and have cooked a bit too long.
I remember when I was a young punk of about 12 years old and there was a boy named Ben Griffith that lived down the street that none of us really liked. We would make fun of him and only sometimes play with him if there was no one else around to play with. But when the oldest one was around, Merrill Spendlove who was 14, we would come up with really mean things to do to him. One time we made up a concoction of some very nasty things that we were going to make him drink if he ever came around again but my Mom through it out before we could use it.
This brings to mind several things that are obviously wrong with this picture. The heart of the matter was the matter of our Heart! We were not very loving and kind to our friend. We spent our time thinking of cruel things to do to him instead of trying to find things we could do together to have fun. He really only had a couple of friends and none of us ever tried to understand him or relate to him, we were selfish and used him as someone to play with when no-one else could play. The one good thing is to thank God for Mothers that show us and teach us to Love! God gave Mothers a special gift for caring and loving, to nurture and empathize and to help us discard some of the stinky junk we have lying around.
It’s time to throw out the ‘stew’ and break out a new recipe… When we get up tomorrow morning we need to gather up some new ingredients for our crock pot. As we start our day off in prayer we put our hearts in the right place for God to speak to us. Like putting on our reading glasses before we open the cook book so that we can see clearly what our chef would have us make today. Then we open God’s word, the Bible, and find the ingredients He would have us put in our new mixture. I know that if we follow the recipe, what we stir up will be sweet and savory and have the aroma of our Lord when the heat is applied. As we smile we sweeten the pot with Love, as we share what God has shared with us this morning we blend the ingredients in a savory bouquet that is pleasing to the pallet.
Why not relate Gods Love in us with food? Just make enough to share with everyone.
And really, it’s non-denominational… I’m not sure why the Baptists get the credit.
Not only is relating Gods Love with food non-demonational, it’s Biblical! How many times does the Bible use food as a metaphor? Even Christ offered himself as food:
John 6:35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
…and of course the Lord’s Last Supper.
I know there had to be more, so I did some Google-ing (yes, Pastor Mike, information is right at our fingertips!), since I’m not yet good enough to find things in the Bible on my own. Well, this became a pretty intense study in itself. Not only are there food metaphors all throughout the Bible, but food in general is everywhere! The feeding of the 5000 (Mark 6:30-44), sacrificial foods (Numbers 28-29 for example), numerous feasts for wedding parties, feasts for a long departure, feasts of the Passover, Pentecost, Atonement. There are covenant meals marking a pact between people or God and his followers. A person’s character is revealed on how he acts at the table. It also characterizes situations. Important people like Jesus, Moses and Paul would fast at times of great spiritual emotion.(Matthew 4:2-11, Ex 34-28,Acts 9-9).
There is soooo much more to devour on this subject! (pardon the pun) But back to using food metaphors, it’s pretty clear as to why they’re used. Is food not central to human existance? (as is the Word of God?) Food and drink is necessary for life, we draw energy and strength from both (just like the Word of God). In good times (celebrations and everyday life) and in bad (funerals), food connects us and enhances our lives (as does the Word of God). It is equally important what kind of food we intake and where we draw our nutrition from. It absolutely should be that way with our Spiritual Food as well.
I know we ARE sounding a lot like the Food Network, but seriously, Pastor Mike said he wanted us to have some good Theological discussions. So far, I think we have..and if we have to use food, why not? After all, Jesus did!
(sources I used: About.com, the Wiki, biblegateway.com, my purple NIV bible, amazon.com and photobucket for the picture)
Thought this was fun:
After my husband and I sat here reading and chuckling after the bad puns and food refrences, he said something to me that made me realize I knew all along what you guys are talking about. The Word itself is considered Meat. When we are babies in Christ we are fed the milk of the Word. We need to grow first on the milk. And as we grow in our walk with the Lord, we eventually get fed the meat. Just like babies growing up starting with the simple nutrients and eventually needing the more complex nutrients. So yeah, I totally get the get the whole food network concept.
You guys are poetic!!!
ho1drI hi webmastters