The three readings our class was assigned to read from the book Devotional Classics were all somewhat similar in my view, but yet touched in different aspects. Therefore, I'm going to answer a question at the end of each of the chapters for this blog.
In the final section, Augustine asks himself, "How long shall I go on saying 'Tomorrow, tomorrow'? Why not now? Why not make an end of my ugly sins at this moment?" How would you answer his question?
Well, honestly, I ask that same question myself sometimes. I believe the want to make an end to each of our sins is different for everyone. I believe there comes a time in each of our lives where the Holy Spirit knocks hard enough on our hearts to make us want to do something. It may be at some conference, or a worship night, maybe its sitting out in the woods during hunting season thinking about life when it hits you. We all need to come to a realization that this world we are living in, is not the best armor we have in fighting off what is right or wrong. We need to be able to arm ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, no longer will this world help us stand firmly.
In section 3 Teresa of Avila describes how reason, faith, memory, the will, and understanding work together to help us overcome our desire for sin. In your own words, explain what each of these cpacities does in its efforts to help us turn from sin.
Reason: Deep down in each of our souls,we have the ability to make rational decisions. Deep down we know its a fact that this world is like a little peep hole in a door to what the glories of Heaven will be like.
Faith: Faith is putting our trust out on the table, and allowing our soul to take a belief in the powers of what God is capable of doing.
Memory: Reminds us of what we have in the world, and the worldy things we dub so important are in fact nothing. It allows us to look back on the temptations we all have dealt with, and how it may have felt so good at the time, in the end really doesn't make us feel so good.
Will: The will pushes the soul to give it all to God. To love our Lord. It shows us how we should not feel loved my worldly things, but how God gives life and love to everything, and will never leave us.
Understanding: Allows us to have an understanding that we will never have a better, loving, and everlasting friend than Jesus Christ. Who will stand by us through thick and thin, and as we journey down each road we take.
Reflect on your baptism. What did it mean to you (or, if you were baptized as an infant, what has it meant to you)? According to this sermon, what does it mean to God?
I was baptized as a baby, at Immanuel CRC church. I treasure my baptism and the choice my parents made to promise to raise me up in a Christian home and support me in my faith. I also treasure the church's choice to love me and encourage me in my faith as well. My family and I are now members at Ada Bible where they strongly encourage adult baptism. As I met with the elders at Ada Bible when I was going through my membership course, they asked me what my baptism mean't to me and if I would be at all interested in getting baptized as an adult. I explained how I treasure my infant baptism, but I never would want to lose the significance of the choice my parents made to have me baptized. I have yet to be baptized as an adult, but I'm not opposed. As it explains in my earlier blog about my testimony and the many health struggles I have gone through. I feel it would be an incredible way to show how God has been faithful to me throughout my journey and to remind myself of the promise I made to Him as well.
John Chrysostom says, " What the cross is to Christ, baptism is to us. Christi died in the flesh; we have died to sin. Both are deaths and both are real." What I got out of what John is saying, is our baptism is a knowing that God has forgiven us as sinners. Being baptized to me is striving to live a life pleasing to God. Its living a new life and changing certain habits.
These chapters once again reminded me how loving and caring our God is. He is with us in times of trouble, in times of temptation, and in times of difficulty. Titus 3: 3-8 says, "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
Blessings
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