It has been an extremely busy past couple of weeks! I have a lot to update you on. I actually went Alabama this weekend with the Ministerial Dept., and had a blast. But, it is now 1:56 A.M., and I just got back to my room from working on Greek for class tomorrow (oops, today ) and I am too tired to do it now. I will try and make time later. See yah!

Ryan

Tags: Busy, School, GBS, Crazy

For a funny blog see my Mom's entry here.

Ryan

Tags: Photography

It's been a pretty slow start so far this semester. Three of my professors are actually in another country, so I really haven't started in three of my classes. Although, I must admit, I have felt guilty about not compensating for this by pushing all the harder in my other classes. Oh well, maybe I can store up this relaxation for later in the semester.

I've had a few thoughts that have been pestering me lately. Do we really think that God is good? Do we really think He has our best interest at heart? Do we really rely upon "grace through faith" for our salvation? Or do we subconsciously strive to 'earn' our salvation. I know that we've been thoroughly indoctrinated with the concept of the "gift" of salvation, and would quickly check the correct answer if asked 'how to receive salvation' on a test, but has it truly 'sunk in' yet? Or do we strive and struggle in a vain, subconscious attempt to earn God's favor. Have we accepted the fact that God loves us for who He made us to be, and there's nothing further we could do to make Him love us more? He loved us enough to die for us, while we were still sinners, is there any better way for Him to show His love to us? ("But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8)

Dr. Phil was talking in class the other day about Nahum 1:1-7. You really owe it to yourself to read that passage! Did you realize that God is jealous of you? Not in the negative way that we so often think of today, but jealousy, at its root, is a desire, an intense desire. So God intensely desires you! And as you read through the first 6 verses of that passage, and you visualize just how thunderous and powerful this God is, it can be almost terrifying. He rebukes the sea, and it dries up. Mountains quake in His presence and hills literally melt. His wrath is poured out like fire. But then you come to vs. 7, "The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him." Visualize God as Nahum 1:1-7 describes Him. See as He walks and moutains quake, and hills melt before Him. See the ferocity in His face as He pours out His wrath, but look closer. There is a follower of God, running for all he or she is worth, being pursued by the enemy, but he or she is running straight toward this Being Who turns the world upside down with His presence, because they know, that if they can just reach Him, they will be safe. (Psalm 18:10) And as the follower nears God he doesn't slow down, but barrels straight into Him, and is swallowed up in a haven of safety, and the enemy is forced to abandon its chase.

If I serve a God Who loves me enough to die for me while I was yet a sinner; if He is jealous of His relaitonship with me, then I have nothing to fear. I can stand unashamedly, I can work uninhibited, and I can live in peace knowing that I don't have to worry about earning my right to God, because He has provided the way, all I have to do is walk in it. Why on earth should I fear and worry about situations that I might face? If I truly believe that I serve such a powerful God, and that He intensely desires a relationship with me, then I can simply relax, go limp, and allow Him to work out His will in my life. It's kind of like a swimmer who is drowning. They're thrashing and struggling for all they're worth, trying desperately to stay afloat, but all the time unaware that the life guard is right there trying to rescue them, but is unable to help because they will not simply relax, and allow themselves to be rescued. Help me, Lord, to live with reckless abandon to You, being completely dependent on nothing but your love for me, and your intense desire to have a relationship with me.

Ryan

Tags: Study, Random, Bible