Hack life with God

Hack life with God

 In my youth, I was what was called a gray hat hacker. I focused on what was right not what might be legal. I was thinking today about what it means to hack something the dictionary says “to cut with rough or heavy blows.” The big thing today is life hacks which are “A tool or technique that makes some aspect of one's life easier or more efficient.” Here are just a few life hacks http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/100-life-hacks-that-make-life-easier.html 

God puts all the tools we need to hack life in our hands. We can hack through all of the things that bring us down. We can hack through the sins that become barriers in our lives. 

There were several books used by hackers in my days the green book, orange book, pink book, the devils book Unix Bible, dragon book and the red book just to name a few. When we Hack Life there are also some books that we rely on.  The first and most important book is the bible then comes another book such as devotionals, worship books, and many other Christian writings. One of the most valuable tools I found as a hacker had a partner to work with, learn with, and to know had my back. God provided us with a reliable partner in his son Jesus, a partner that is always there and will never fail. There has always been a support community of hackers helping hackers and sharing what they have learned. God has put in place the same network for us when we hack life. We have the Christian community. Where we come together and share what we have learned about hacking life with each other and encouraging each other to become the best Life hackers we can be.  “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." (Mat 18:20 ESV). 

Methods of Evangelism

SECTION 1 

The Roman Roads Romans 

Road lays out the plan of salvation through a series of Bible verses from the book of Romans. (About.com 2015) It explains that we all need salvation (Romans 3:10-12, and 23), why we need it (Romans 6:23), how the Lord provides salvation through Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9-10, and 13), and how we receive salvation through Jesus (Romans 8:38-39). The advantages to the Romans Road method is that it is a systematic method to lead someone through the steps for salvation through Jesus. This is also a very simple method in presenting salvation. This is a good way to approach someone who is an analytical thinker. It could be used easily in a text or instant messing opportunity. There are some disadvantages to the Romans Road method. The first is that it can be very impersonal. It does not include love or personal testimony. There are people that require more than just Bible verses to understand salvation. This also would not typically be a good method for bringing young people to Christ. I know of a person who was an atheist who could quote the bible better than I could and could take bible verses out of context to counter such an approach. It was only by showing true love for others and sharing God’s message of loving one another that I was able to break through the barrier he had built around himself and bring him to the Lord.   

SECTION 2 

Servant Evangelism 

 Servant evangelism is a simple straight forward approach to evangelizing. It is service to others in love without expecting anything in return. In the process of service when and if the moment arises the message of salvation is shared. We can see this method put to practice in the example set by Jesus when he washes the disciples’ feet (John 13: 1-5). We can also see this method in action in the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). In Evangelism is Earley and Wheeler say we should follow the instructions of Jesus and be a “slave to all” (Earley and Wheeler 2010). There are many advantages to this method. The first and what I feel is the most important is that is shows the love of Christ in action. This is also a very humbling what to approach evangelism. Servant evangelism reaches out to those in need improving their life in some way; sometimes is something small such as reaching out the hand of friendship to your neighbor or it could be something large such as feeding the poor. Servant evangelism is more than just a way to approach someone to bring them to the Lord it is the basic building block to our faith. It is a humble, loving approach to life that is lived out. There are some very real disadvantages. The most common is rejection, people are suspicious about your intentions. (Hahn 2015). This method also sometimes requires a long term investment in the unsaved people you are trying to reach out to. People may take some time to build up trust before you are able to share the message of salvation.   

SECTION 3 

Door to Door Evangelism 

The Door to Door Evangelism method gets its name from the Door to Door sales approach. In this method you walk a neighborhood going from house to house knocking on doors hoping to share the message of salvation with whoever answers the door. This method is a very “in your face” approach to evangelism. This is sometimes done through pre-scripted approaches. One of the advantages to this method is what I like to call the “shotgun effect” in the fact that if you knock on enough doors there is a good chance you message will reach someone. You also get to reach people that you may not have been able to reach in any other way. While you may think that you only reached a small number of people your visit could be what starts someone on the road to salvation. This method allows God to put you where he needs you that would not have happened if you were not out knocking on doors. We can’t always rely on people to come to the church when there are special events going on. This is a true example of the great commission at work. There are a number of reasons that this method can be the most difficult of all the methods. To begin with you must be bold in your sharing of the gospel. This method does not work for shy or timid people. Because this is a confrontational method you can expect people to challenge your faith. Often, we sound as if we don’t really believe what we are saying.” Fearing that we will lose God’s favor if we don’t present the full gospel in a rigid formula every time we speak with an unbeliever, we become pushy and mechanical and thus lose the joy and intimacy of the gospel. (Markos 2014). Many times you are not the first to come knocking on someone’s door you may not even be in the top 10. With so many people out knocking on doors people can build up a knee jerk reaction and slam the door on your face as soon as you say the words “Can I have a few moments of your time?” People instantly think you are a salesman or a Bible thumper coming to interrupt their day. I have been out knocking on doors before and felt that one of the worst thinks is when you see the curtain move and you know someone is home but they ignore you. 

 SECTION 4 

Conclusion 

While there are many different methods of evangelism that we put into use at various times depending on which is best for the person we are trying to reach. Of the methods of evangelism I favor the servant method. The servant method is the best way to show the love of Jesus in action. I believe start by loving that person. We become their friend out of that love. And when, and if, God deems that we are to be the one to teach them about God’s word, that’s when we do. (Getter 2012). For me servant evangelism is more than just a method it is a way of life. I have found that servant evangelism has been very successful for me in bring those close to me to God. I have a very close friend that I have known most of my life. He used to be an atheist, but just about a year ago he found his way to God and is saved now. He told me that he went to church because of the Love he saw me showing those around me. He felt that if God could change me from a self-centered jerk to a person who cared more about others than I cared about myself that there had to be something more to Christianity and he wanted to know what it was. Before Christ came back into my life several years ago I was a very self-center, egotistical person. God put me through a process when I first came back to Him. He started by showing me love then he humbled me. About 3 years ago I woke up one morning in an extreme amount of back pain. I live in this pain every day but the pain reminds me that what I feel is nothing compared to the Pain God feels every day for the lost. This method works best for me because it reminds to live every day in service to God by serving others.   


Bibliography 
About.com. What is Romans Road to Salvation. April 20, 2015. http://christianity.about.com/od/conversion/qt/romansroad.htm.
 Barker, Kenneth, and undefined Zondervan. Zonderervan NIV Study Bible. United States: Zondervan, 2002.
 Earley, Dave, and David Wheeler. Evangelasm is... Nashville: B & H Publishing Group, 2010. Getter, Forest. A Daily Walk to Understanding God. Charleston: Loving Church Online, 2012. 
Hahn, Dustin. FAQs About Servant Evangelism. 2015. http://www.servantevangelism.com/about-servant-evangelism/faq-about-servant-evangelism/#.VTjs_SFVhBc (accessed April 23, 2015). Markos, Louis. The Dangers of Door to Door Evangelism. December 16, 2014. http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/december-web-only/dangers-of-door-to-door-evangelism.html (accessed April 23, 2015).

The Three Kings: Saul, David, and Solomon

This is a paper I wrote for one of my classes recently 

SECTION 1

We Want a King

In the book of Samuel in chapter 8 the elders begin to go to Samuel and tell him that they wanted a king. Samuel told them by wanting a king they were rejecting God (Hindson 2012, 165) . God through Samuel warned the people of all the things a king would do. “But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!" they said. "We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles."” (NIV) 1Sa 8:19-20. The Elders of Israel wanted a king like the other nations (Hindson 2012, 165). Even though what they wanted was not the king, they needed the Lord gave them what they wanted in Saul. Sometimes we want something so badly that we convince ourselves that it is a need not a want. The Israelites looked around at the nations around them and saw that they all had kings and thought that the reason they suffered so much in the past was because they didn't have a king. They surely felt this was the reason for their suffering in the hands of their enemies. In truth, by asking for a king they were rejecting the One True King that they already had “GOD”.

SECTION 2

The King They Received

The Lord told Samuel to anoint Saul as the king of Israel and so the people got the king they wanted. Saul was a great warrior. Saul saw victories over the enemies of the Israelites was a good start, but he began to stop listening to God Saul’s desire for vengeance against the Philistines, coupled with insensitivity to the physical needs of his men caused him to make a rash vow that almost cost him the life of his own son. (Hindson 2012, 167). The continued disobedience of Saul to the commands of God, let to the Lord rejecting him as king. This cause the rapid deterioration of the kingdom. (Hindson 2012, 167). This leads to the people in the end rejecting the king they had wanted so badly. This shows us that sometimes because of our own stubbornness the Lord will give us what we want even though he know it will end badly. We will learn more from defeat that we might have in victory. Now the People were open and more excepting when the Lord provided them with the king they needed in David.

SECTION 3

The King That Israel Needed

David was always the king that God had planned for Israel to have. “The Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king."” (NIV) 1Sa 16:1 David was only around 16 with this occurred. David even at a young age was a man after God’s own heart. We see the evidence of this early in his life when he fights Goliath. Because David was a man of God, chosen by God for God’s people. He was kept safe during the entire reign of Saul, despite Saul’s effort to kill him. David was a godly ruler and was able to accomplish great things for the nation of Israel. David passed the monarchy on to his son Solomon.  

SECTION 4

The Reign of Solomon

Solomon followed in the footsteps of David. In First Kings 3: 4-9 we see that the Lord is pleased with Solomon and tell Solomon to ask for whatever he wants. Instead of asking for wealth or power Solomon asked for wisdom. The lord was pleased with Solomon’s we see the Lord’s response in 1Kings 3:13 (NIV) “Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.” Unfortunately, it was that very wisdom that caused the eventually led to the downfall of Solomon. Solomon chose to marry the daughters of the kings of other nations to avoid wars and establish peace with them. His many wives were of different religious faiths. This caused him to turn away from serving God wholeheartedly. (Hindson 2012, 181). Because of Solomon’s covenant disobedience a rebellion that eventually led to the division of the kingdom of Israel (The Northern Tribes and Judah).

CONCLUSION

It is easy for us to take away a lot of insight from what was we see occurring in the lives of these three kings. One of the lessons I saw that I have seen in my own life occur that I now have a better understanding of is that sometimes the Lord may give us what we want even if it is not the right thing for us. Later when the Lord gives us what we really needed, we value the Lord’s gift and hopefully learn that it is better to wait for the Lord to give us what we need rather than plead for what we want.

Bibliography

Barker, Kenneth, and undefined Zondervan. Zonderervan NIV Study Bible. United States: Zondervan, 2002.

Hindson, Ed: Yates, Gary. The Essence of the Old Testamnet: A Survey. Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2012.

A Pauline Biblical Wordview

The book of Romans was written to the people of Rome by the Apostle Paul. In it Paul lays out his biblical worldview. Even though Romans is an occasional and not a systematic theology, this letter has gone on to influence such prominent religious figures as John Wesley and Martin Luther. Samuel Coleridge notes that the book of Romans is one of “the most profound works in existence” (Towns and Gutierrez 2012). The instructions on life, creation, redemption and grace that Paul lays out can be a guide for all Christians to follow.

Paul starts by laying out the natural world and explaining that that all men are subject to the wrath of God. Romans 1:20 (NIV) (Barker and Zondervan 2002) “For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”

In the natural word we are mortal, and will face the inevitable fact that we will be subject to the judgment of God. The Law of Moses is part of this natural world. Paul stresses that the law relies on justification through works. Paul tell us that the natural world is a world of sin.

The identity of mankind is one of sin and death. Ever sense Adam was cast out of the garden we have been born into sin through the original sin as defined in Romans 5:13 (NIV) (Barker and Zondervan 2002) “Therefore just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin in this way death came to all people because all have sinned.” Paul explains that death and sin do not have to be our fate. Romans 4:24 (NIV) (Barker and Zondervan 2002) “for God will credit righteousness to all of us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.” Because we are justified through faith we have peace and grace from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. John Wesley makes the following comment about grace:

“First. It is free in all to whom it is given. It does not depend on any power or merit in man; no, not in any degree, neither in whole, nor in part. It does not in anywise depend either on the good works or righteousness of the receiver; not on anything he has done, or anything he is. It does not depend on his endeavors. It does not depend on his good tempers, or good desires, or good purposes and intentions; for all these flow from the free grace of God; they are the streams only, not the fountain.” (Wesley 1949)

There are four relationships that we will look at: our relationship with sin; our relationship with the law; our relationship with others; and our relationship with our Lord Jesus. Our relationship with sin is one of slave and master. We are all slaves to sin. We are not just slave to sin but we are defined by our actions as sinners. This is a relationship in which we cannot break free of on our own no matter how determined of a person we are. We were born into sin, and if left on our own, will die in sin. Paul tells us that all who sin under the law will be judged by the law for the law does not bring us righteousness in God’s site (Romans 2:12-13). He also warns us about our relationship with others and not to judge others because in doing so we condemn ourselves (Romans 2:1). The forth relationship and most important is our relationship with Jesus. Paul says that when we offer ourselves to the lord that we stop being a slave to the law and sin and become a slave to righteousness (Romans 6: 15-16).

“There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the spirit has set you free from the law of sin. (Romans 8:1-2 NIV) (Barker and Zondervan 2002)”

Our relationship with the Jesus provides us with redemption and eternal life through faith. Grace is freely given through Jesus to all.

We need to look at the culture of the early Christians in Rome when we explore the book of Romans. “At the time Rome was one of the largest cities in the world. The Emperor Nero ruled the Roman Empire from there. This was prior to the beginning of the anti-Christian persecution. We know that at that time there were at least five household churches in Rome, as Paul a greeted them” (Romans 16: 11-12, 14-15) (Towns and Gutierrez 2012). They were both gentiles and Jews, the majority was gentiles. Many of those that founded the church in Rome were followers of Paul who had come from other areas. The church was still in its infancy and faced with issues. The Jews and gentile differed in opinion as to how the Laws of Moses applied. Many understood the Gospel differently and clarification was required. Paul was planning to visit Rome soon and wrote the letter prior to his arrival to prepare the people of the church.

Even today the epistle Paul wrote to the Roman believers remain relevant and timeless. It is classified as an occasion letter that is designed to address specific issues of the time. Roman is still considered by many to be the most significant apostolic letter of the New Testament. It sets the ground work of today’s theological studies. It lays the ground work of today’s faith and Christian world view. It takes us from Condemnation to justification to sanctification. It creates a pathway from sin and death to redemption and eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Bibliography

Barker, Kenneth, and undefined Zondervan. Zonderervan NIV Study Bible. United States: Zondervan, 2002.

Towns, Elmer D, and Ben Gutierrez. The Essence of the New Testament: A Survey. Nasville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2012.

Wesley, John. A Collection of sermons by John Wesley. Nampa: Wesley Center, 1949.

Humanity of Jesus

The humility of Christ is beyond the humility of any man, for he gave up godly power. He separated Himself from His divine nature and became a servant as a man (Philippians 2: 6-7). In his selflessness, He gave himself for all the world. In Philippians 2:5(NIV)” In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” Paul encourages us to be like-minded with Christ.

Being like-minded with Christ in his humility, selflessness, and Love for others is the foundation of being a follower of Christ. We should be critical of our own faults, but ready to quickly forgive the faults of others. Our humility should be evident through our compassion to all others not just our fellow Christians. Christians sometimes overlook humility as the most important virtue. We fail to make humility the central part of our life, we sometimes let the material things in the world take charge of our lives. We shouldn't get caught up in the attitude that we need the newest car, the latest fashion, or the nicest home so that everyone will know how successful we are. What does being humble look like? Instead of just giving the guy standing on the street corner asking for money a buck. Stop and take the time to learn his story and show true compassion for him and try to really help him. By doing this you give him value and you humble yourself. Let him see the true love of Jesus through your actions.

The Messiah we need

Jesus was never the Messiah the Jewish people wanted he was the Messiah they needed.  Every action he took was out of love for all of us. Jesus had many followers. In Matthew 13:11 Jesus explains to his disciples that the reason he spoke in parables was to separate those who were disciples from those who were following him but not listening to his message. He reinforces this in the parable of the weed in Matthew 13:24-30. 

Throughout the gospels, Jesus challenged the way people thought what the Messiah should be and how the Messiah should act. This parable is another example of Jesus not fitting into the mold. When the disciples asked Jesus when he would return, he told them that no one but the Father knows the day or the hour.  Jesus did not stop there but as the wise teacher, he did provide them with guidance to be prepared for his return.

In the parable in Matthew 24:42-44 Jesus tells them that they should be ever vigilant because, like a thief in the night, His return would be unannounced. Those who are not ready for His return would be caught off guard.  They would lose something more precious than worldly goods. They would miss the opportunity to join Him in heaven for eternity. 

In the verses before the (Matthew 24: 26-41) parable, Jesus tell us about the signs that his return is soon.  This is an example of what Jesus says in John 3: 17-18(NIV)” 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

In the verses after the parable, He continues His teaching us to follow the Lord and to be about His work. His love and compassion are the underlying messages through the entire chapter as He sets us up to succeed and to be ready for the returning of the Lord while warning us of what is to come if we are not prepared.

prayer from David

In you, Lord my God, I put my trust. I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause. Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good. Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant. For the sake of your name, Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great. Who, then, are those who fear the Lord? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose. They will spend their days in prosperity, and their descendants will inherit the land. The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare. Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. See how numerous are my enemies and how fiercely they hate me! Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you. (Psalm 25:1-21 NIV)