Living Immanuel

I can see a point in saying that Christianity is dying in our post modern world. It is a scarey thought no doubt. However, the truth remains that Christianity as we know is a lot looser in its moral ethics and theology than it was 50 years ago. That said, the process of change was very quick if one considers the parallelism religion has attached to the rest of society. It is the existence of relevant truth that I think takes the cake in the depravity of Christian values.
However it is I say this without pinning myself as guilty may be deceiving. I've noted multiple times when my behaviour just didn't add up to the Christian values that I still hold on to (which, by the way reflect the, still, modern viewpoint I'd say). Sometimes I feel like two people. Values I feel can be 'of the moment,' it seems. That sounds disgusting, noting the fact that I see myself in ministry in the not-to-distant future. I can act more 'Christian' one moment and like a complete *%$@! the next. How is it that one's values can change from one moment to the next? This can't continue in me...or in anybody else.
There is a really modest, true man who has visited our Providence College now for a week. He's seeking out schools across Canada and made his way for a stay at our campus. This man, Barry, is a man of godly integrity, a man I can only hope to reflect in my later years. As a new Christian of two-and-a-half years he has the remarkable gift of discernment. He has notice an amount of questionable behaviour at our campus, specifically the men's residence (where I live). He told me yesterday that he and a pair of other guys from our school have been praying for the veil of folly to be lifted from the eyes of those here at Providence. I thanked and commended him for it. I've noticed the same things he had mentioned. The difference between him and myself is that he took more of a stand. Last year I was a bit more like that, but within two years around the same cavalier feel of spiritual living it's remarkable how little it has seemed to bother me in this place now. His presence and care has reminded me to continue fervently to live like Immanuel, Christ, the son of the Living God.
I know that living the true way of Christ has lost its definition in the broader Western Christian world. But if we can discern, or have other discern for us, where things have changed so much in our lives that we have been acting contrary to the Spirit of God, I think we should hold ourselves accountable.

Definitions!

Okay, so now I am proceeding to keep all of my readers (need I ask for some?) posted on all of my thoughts from the Heart and Mind. So, here I go. To give you a brief thought to ponder on (because I have a class in five minutes and need to go in a hurry) think about this. Why do we define God? Is there any reason to? I think that we can all agree that we can only perceive God to the best of our human capability. But, why do Christians and more specifically, theologians, debate the character of God? Are we to believe in predestination. (Some extreme Calvinists argue that God goes as far as to discriminately seek out those He wants to redeem, while others, the "raprobate" are left for damnation) Are we to choose the open-theistic way for God? ("God doesn't know about or doesn't get involved in anything in our lives.")
Personally, I choose to be a mystic. I realize that there is no ONE way to know God. Because God is so sovereign and we know from human record what God has revealed to the human race about Himself (in which case, some characteristics contrast eg. compassion vs. justice), we cannot fully know what God is like. I'd be prone to just accept what the prophet Isaiah says speaking for God, "My Ways are Higher than your ways, My Thoughts are Higher than your thoughts." That's the full knowledge that we humans have of God my friends.

Unhappy with the old stuff!

So, I just decided to join blogger.com as my primary blogspace. I haven't been 100% happy with my msn blog. Although from time to time I may enter posts on it for old time sake. We'll see what happens.