and i have some resolutions.
i will read the entire bible.
i will write in this blog, not just my other one where i hide things in poems.
i will continue to write in my other blog, the one where i hide things in poems.
i will get back in and stay in shape.
i will [finally] go through the necessary process to join a church.
12.31.2010
1.01.2010
The Key
After reading 1st John, it appears to me that the key to life is love. Love for God and love for one another. From what I understand, there is nothing greater.
12.05.2009
Brotherhood
After reading Hebrews 2, I couldn't leave these things unsaid.
I don't know if this is deep at all, or just exciting to me.
But in Hebrews it talks about Christ.
It talks about how He is the one over everything.
How God crowned Him with glory and honor
and put everything under His feet.
That's exciting, Jesus is Lord.
But I find the next part even more exciting.
Jesus Christ is a brother to us humans.
God made Him a little lower than the angels
so He could taste death for His brothers.
The one who makes us holy
is from our very own family.
Jesus
is
not
ashamed
to
call
us
brothers.
He joined us so He could save us.
He joined us so He could lead us.
He joined us because He loves us.
10.20.2009
Open Letter
An open letter to the world around me,
I am sorry for being so judgmental. I am sorry for assuming things about you based on how you dress or look or where you're from or what music you listen to or what grades you get or anything else. I really shouldn't do that, and I am really honestly trying to work on it right now. Please understand that I want to love you. I just don't always do that as well as I would like to. Please understand that I will continue to struggle with this, I'm sure, but that I want so badly to just love you unconditionally. Whoever you are. I love you.
-Andrew Carl Archer
I am sorry for being so judgmental. I am sorry for assuming things about you based on how you dress or look or where you're from or what music you listen to or what grades you get or anything else. I really shouldn't do that, and I am really honestly trying to work on it right now. Please understand that I want to love you. I just don't always do that as well as I would like to. Please understand that I will continue to struggle with this, I'm sure, but that I want so badly to just love you unconditionally. Whoever you are. I love you.
-Andrew Carl Archer
6.30.2009
Inspiration
Jude 1:24-25
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy — to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
The entire book of Jude (although only one chapter) is a great reminder to stay firmly rooted in our faith. It's a reminder to not follow fleshly desires, but rather to follow through faith alone. To gather all of our strength from the Holy Spirit and prayer and to trust in God's sovereign power above all else. There are people who love dissension, strife, drama. People who live for their own desires. People who don't follow God. But when we truly follow Him in faith, then we have true joy. He is the one who carries us to glory, the one who forgives our sins, and the one who supplies all of our hearts' joy. There is no one like our God. There never was and there never will be one who is like Him. May our hearts echo Jude's closing words now and forevermore. Praise be to our great God.
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy — to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
The entire book of Jude (although only one chapter) is a great reminder to stay firmly rooted in our faith. It's a reminder to not follow fleshly desires, but rather to follow through faith alone. To gather all of our strength from the Holy Spirit and prayer and to trust in God's sovereign power above all else. There are people who love dissension, strife, drama. People who live for their own desires. People who don't follow God. But when we truly follow Him in faith, then we have true joy. He is the one who carries us to glory, the one who forgives our sins, and the one who supplies all of our hearts' joy. There is no one like our God. There never was and there never will be one who is like Him. May our hearts echo Jude's closing words now and forevermore. Praise be to our great God.
6.08.2009
Distance
I feel like I've been totally separated from the youth group lately. And I know that I just moved up to the college group, so that's inevitable. But I just feel like I haven't even seen a lot of people in weeks. I'll take the blame. I definitely haven't been trying to get more involved or anything. But it's partially because of how dead the group has felt lately. I feel like the year ended in a total routine way. And I feel like church has been like that in general for a while now. People go, they sit and listen, they talk a little, and they leave. That's all I've seen forever now. It's really starting to get discouraging. There are bright spots here and there, but on the overall, everything is boring and the same week in and week out. I'm tired of "building a foundation" so we can eventually go deeper. I'm tired of "before you get the rest, you have to get this." I'm pretty sure those of us who have heard the basis for a while understand it about as well as we're ever going to and it's not helping to hear it over and over again. It's truth, and it's amazing truth, but it's the same truth that I heard last week and the week before that, and you get the idea. I want to know more about love, I want to know more about peace, I want to know more about promises, I want to know more about God. I get grace, I get TULIP, I get calvinism as much as I'm going to I'm pretty sure. And hearing the same old isn't adding anything. I want to grow.
This is venting, but it's not exaggeration.
This is venting, but it's not exaggeration.
4.14.2009
Pros and Cons
Proverbs 14:4 - Where no oxen are, the manger is clean, but much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.
I almost skipped right over this verse, thinking it had to be some cultural thing, or just something that was for people with farms or animals or something. And yes, owning and using oxen is definitely cultural, seeing as nobody I know uses oxen to plow their fields or carry their loads, but it's still a clear example. With oxen come good things and bad things.
It made me think of the Christian life. With being a Christian comes good and bad. But like the oxen, much more good comes than bad. I'll start with the bad though, to clarify just what kind of bad I'm talking about with Christianity.
More responsibility can be a negative of the Christian life. It is worth it to be disciplined and focused, but that also takes more work. Christians have to be constantly on the watch for sin in their lives, constantly considering whether what they're doing is pleasing God or not. Instead of waking up and thinking about what they're going to eat and what they need to accomplish, christians wake up and think an entirely different set of thoughts. What sins have they left unconfessed, what brethren could use comfort and encouragement, what ways can they best use their time for God, what can they do to become more like Christ every day. The Christian has a much more driven and meaningful set of responsibilities than that of any unsaved person. That is easily considered a con by many at times.
Another downside, realizing sin for what it is. Christian eyes have been opened to the filthiness and wickedness that is sin. They know just how much sin hurts and disgusts the infinite God. They are hurt doubly and feel their guilt multiplied with every transgression they commit. And on top of that, their hearts are grieved deeply by the abundant sins of the world. The weight of sin, although lightened by God's grace, weighs heavy on the flesh hearts of those who believe.
But, the goodness and benefits of Christian life certainly outweigh any downside or burdens it brings. That responsibility that can at times be cumbersome is certainly offset by the power of Spirit that dwells in the hearts of believers. And the deep sorrow of sin is certainly overshadowed by the amazing grace of the cross of Christ. And not only do the negatives have corresponding and offsetting positives, but much more exists in the goodness of Christianity. Christ gives new, restored life to all who believe, there is the promise and hope of life in heaven, the love and support of the Church, the joy of knowing God and praising His name, experiencing the Love of a Savior and Lord who is God.
So the believer must look beyond the little mess that has been made in his manger, and look to the wonderful benefits provided by the God who is stronger and more profitable than any number of oxen. Though the Christian standard of living requires some labor, Christ's yoke is light and His love is wonderful. The work that it takes to please God and to get closer to Him is so worth it. We can rejoice as we do the work of the Lord, knowing that the pros certainly outweigh the cons. God is good, and overwhelmingly so.
I almost skipped right over this verse, thinking it had to be some cultural thing, or just something that was for people with farms or animals or something. And yes, owning and using oxen is definitely cultural, seeing as nobody I know uses oxen to plow their fields or carry their loads, but it's still a clear example. With oxen come good things and bad things.
It made me think of the Christian life. With being a Christian comes good and bad. But like the oxen, much more good comes than bad. I'll start with the bad though, to clarify just what kind of bad I'm talking about with Christianity.
More responsibility can be a negative of the Christian life. It is worth it to be disciplined and focused, but that also takes more work. Christians have to be constantly on the watch for sin in their lives, constantly considering whether what they're doing is pleasing God or not. Instead of waking up and thinking about what they're going to eat and what they need to accomplish, christians wake up and think an entirely different set of thoughts. What sins have they left unconfessed, what brethren could use comfort and encouragement, what ways can they best use their time for God, what can they do to become more like Christ every day. The Christian has a much more driven and meaningful set of responsibilities than that of any unsaved person. That is easily considered a con by many at times.
Another downside, realizing sin for what it is. Christian eyes have been opened to the filthiness and wickedness that is sin. They know just how much sin hurts and disgusts the infinite God. They are hurt doubly and feel their guilt multiplied with every transgression they commit. And on top of that, their hearts are grieved deeply by the abundant sins of the world. The weight of sin, although lightened by God's grace, weighs heavy on the flesh hearts of those who believe.
But, the goodness and benefits of Christian life certainly outweigh any downside or burdens it brings. That responsibility that can at times be cumbersome is certainly offset by the power of Spirit that dwells in the hearts of believers. And the deep sorrow of sin is certainly overshadowed by the amazing grace of the cross of Christ. And not only do the negatives have corresponding and offsetting positives, but much more exists in the goodness of Christianity. Christ gives new, restored life to all who believe, there is the promise and hope of life in heaven, the love and support of the Church, the joy of knowing God and praising His name, experiencing the Love of a Savior and Lord who is God.
So the believer must look beyond the little mess that has been made in his manger, and look to the wonderful benefits provided by the God who is stronger and more profitable than any number of oxen. Though the Christian standard of living requires some labor, Christ's yoke is light and His love is wonderful. The work that it takes to please God and to get closer to Him is so worth it. We can rejoice as we do the work of the Lord, knowing that the pros certainly outweigh the cons. God is good, and overwhelmingly so.
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