Can I be a Berean?

I’ve been doing a lot of introspection lately. It’s been a good experience because God has revealed 3 issues that I am trying to work through. I won’t talk about all three in one post because that would be a really long post; however, I do want to address one right now.

Most of my life I’ve let myself be spoon fed my "religion". The fault has definitely been mine. I’ve been seeking truth in a lot of Christian books. I love to read but I should be more zealous about Scripture than the latest book from the newest trendy author.I haven`t really been diligent about checking what people (pastors, authors, friends, etc.) say against the truth in scripture. Let`s be honest, it's easier for someone else to do the work. I’ll admit that I’m rather lazy when it comes to checking what someone I trust says against scripture. If it sounds about right, it’s truth. Friends, that is not right. My mind is not the measuring stick for truth. Scripture is.

I want to be like this:
"Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." -Acts 17:11

I think I have the first part down. “They received the message with great eagerness.” I am definitely eager to hear what others have to say concerning theology. I like the way other people think and interpret things. It makes the Word more like a pop-up book rather than my one-dimensional thinking.

However I am not so great at the second part- “and [they] examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” Why? Lazy. I’m satisfied with their brand of theology. Wow. I am about three steps away from following someone into the woods and drinking the Kool-Aid. This is not good. I feel like a lot of people do this though. We automatically assume just because a pastor said it, it’s truth. We need to be diligent in checking what people say against scripture. I don’t think it’s disrespectful to examine what someone says against the scriptures. In fact, if someone tells you not too.. that should be a huge red flag.

Anyway, what I am trying to say is that I want to be like the Bereans. Not only should I be eager to hear God’s Word preached but I should be checking what I am hearing/reading and not just blindly accepting whatever they say as truth just because “it sounds about right”.

Savoring our highest treasure.

"The ultimate good of the gospel is seeing and savoring the beauty and value of God. God’s wrath and our sin obstruct that vision and that pleasure. You can’t see and savor God as supremely satisfying while you are full of rebellion against Him and He is full of wrath against you. The removal of this wrath and this rebellion is what the gospel is for. The ultimate aim of the gospel is the display of God’s glory and the removal of every obstacle to our seeing it and savoring it as our highest treasure. “Behold Your God!” is the most gracious command and the best gift of the gospel. If we do not see Him and savor Him as our greatest fortune, we have not obeyed or believed the gospel."

"Christ did not die to forgive sinners who go on treasuring anything above seeing and savoring God. And people who would be happy in heaven if Christ were not there, will not be there. The gospel is not a way to get people to heaven; it is a way to get people to God. It's a way of overcoming every obstacle to everlasting joy in God. If we don't want God above all things, we have not been converted by the gospel."

From "God Is the Gospel: Meditations on God's Love as the Gift of Himself" by John Piper

Why is your blog called Katergazomai?

Ah, yes. You noticed that, huh? Well, let me just sit right down and tell you.

"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." - Philippians 2:12-13

I recently found that verse very intriguing. I love the idea that we are to continually work out our beliefs. Each day is a different struggle and a chance to work it out! The Greek word for "work" as in "work out your salvation" is:

Katergazomai-
1) to perform, accomplish, achieve
2) to work out i.e. to do that from which something results
a) of things: bring about, result in
3) to fashion i.e. render one fit for a thing

I love this idea. We are to continually "bring about" our understanding of God and his Word. But, I also noticed that God "works" too. However, through further study, I noticed that it is a different "work" as in:

Energeo-
1) to be operative, be at work, put forth power
a) to work for one, aid one
2) to effect
3) to display one's activity, show one's self operative

When we are struggling with an issue and trying to "katergazomai" it, God "energeo" it too. He "displays [his] activity and show [himself] operative" in our lives!

Isn't that amazing! I want my life to be a series of searches so that I can know God better. So that he can show off and display is activity and power. I long for this. I don't always do this but I pray that I would.

Can I just encourage you to "katergazomai" today? God is already "energeo". ;)

Live exegetically.

From "Forgotten God" by Francis Chan. I have rearranged a few points but you'll get the concept.

Exegesis: an attempt to discover the meaning of the text objectively, starting with the text and moving out form there.

Eisegesis: to import a subjective, preconceived meaning into the text.

I was taught to interpret the Scriptures through exegesis alone. Start with God’s Word; pray that the Spirit gives you clarity; then study to see what the text actually says. The Holy Spirit inspired the writing of the Bible, so who better to help us as we seek to understand it? Scripture tells us that the Spirit not only inspired the Bible, but also illumines it for us today (1 Corinthians 2:12-16 and 2 Timothy 3:16).

The word exegesis comes from a Greek word meaning “to lead out”. As I have said, you start with the text and draw out its meaning. Eisegesis, on the other hang, is when you start with an idea or conviction, then search for verses in the Bible to prove your point. I was warned against eisegesis, and rightly so. The danger in this is that we can take verses out of context to support just about any point of view. For years people have used this style of interpretation in order to justify greed, lust, divorce, and countless other sins. Cults also use eisegesis to justify their beliefs.

The bottom line is that we can easily pursue just about any lifestyle we desire, then find Scriptures to show everyone it’s all right to live that way. I believe many people have eisegetically formed concepts. In essence, we have cut and pasted whatever verses and ideas work for us.

But what would it look like to live exegetically? If we were to start with Scripture and allow it to dictate our actions, how would we live?

Goals.

Here are a few things I want to do in the up coming year-

1. Take some ASL {American Sign Language} classes.

2. Join a book club. {I am currently tackling 3 books.. see "Currently Reading". Maybe this will inspire some good blog posts.}

3. Take graphic design classes.

4. Dance class. {doubles as exercise}

I'm sure there are more but these are a few of the things I want to start doing soon. :) I can't wait.

Foundation.

Last week, I had the opportunity to volunteer at a conference in Atlanta. I love the heart of these people because they are truly servants. We were not merely “volunteers at a conference” but “door holders for a generation”.

I was in the area called Kneel. This area was made up of three environments. 1- A prayer journey. This area took students through 10 different areas to pray for different things like their campus, the nations, roommates, the conference, etc. 2- Pure Grace. This room consisted of the cross and was a room that students could go into and pray about whatever was on their hearts. There was paper and pens so that students could write prayers or whatever and lay it at the cross. I saw many students praying over these different cards through out the conference. 3- The holding area. This was a quiet place with couches and different places to sit. We encouraged students to use this area for journaling or reading the Word.

Most of what I did was registration for Kneel and talking to students about what the different environments were. Even thought I worked really hard, I had a few bits and pieces of time that I used to go down to see the students praying and it was powerful. I saw a young male student and he came and asked me about the certain room I was in. I explained it to him and he got really excited and went in and started to pray. I was blown away and just started praying for the student. I obviously don’t know anything about him but I prayed for him to really follow the Lord passionately and to grow in his walk with Christ and that he would grow up to be a spiritual leader and a man that followed God with all of his heart. After that I just began to pray over the students. Every time I would pray for a female student it was almost always the same- “Show her your love. Show her that she is worthy in your sight. Show her that she is ‘good enough’. Show her that she is fearfully and wonderfully made.”

I was blown away the most by the students that came and talked to us after they finished. They definitely had the radiance of God on their faces as they explained what an amazing time they had in prayer and what a neat experience it was to go on the prayer journey.

The BIG THING that I really got out of the conference wasn’t from a speaker or a lead worshipper or anyone else. I had a few minutes of free time and went to Kneel and just had some quiet time before the Lord. I have always known that I had a passion for working with youth and college students but God just really reinforced my heart for students, especially girls ministry. One of the things I felt so heavy on my heart was that in order to really speak into the lives of these girls, I need to really know what God says about them and about me. So that it’s not just Ashley telling them that they are really great but it is the God who created them that thinks they are really great.

With this vision in my heart, I am trying to keep to just that. I have a tendency to get a little out of proportion when I feel like God is telling me to do something. Right now, I feel like he is telling me that in order to really speak into these girls lives, I need to really dig into his word and see what HE says about them/us. When I hear that I’m like “okay, oh gosh. It’s time to look into seminaries, and find a job in ministry, etc.” He may call me to that yes.. but for now- I think he is just asking me to dig into his word so I can tell girls what it says. I think right now He is calling me to the foundational steps instead of any kind of full time ministry.

I’ve been blessed with several like minded women in my life who have a heart for girls and it’s been amazing to just talk to them about what the Lord is doing. They have all given me several references to go to as well as just encouraging me to dig into the Word. There is a book that I’ve wanted to read for the longest time by Francine Rivers called “A Lineage of Grace”. It chronicles the lives of five unlikely women in the lineage of Christ. Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary- who were all women whose lives were tainted according to human understanding, yet God chose them to be a part of his plan of redemption. Also, in the book there is a bible study that goes along with each story. I’m pretty excited about learning from these women as a part of my foundational plan and see what the Lord does next.

Awe.

I have been so honored these past four days to be a door holder for this generation of university students. I am praying that these students will not advance the sub-culture, but the Kingdom and that the name of Jesus would out shine that of any speaker, lead worshipper, or conference.

And if our God is for us then who could ever stop us!
If our God is with us then what can stand against.