Here are all the links to each and every chapter;
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
-Brent
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
The Chase Chapter Sixteen: The Joy of Holiness
The last chapter hopefully all you readers enjoyed sharing my thoughts as I enjoyed expressing them;
There's a prize for our chase after holiness; I'm not just talking about the reward at the end of this world, I'm talking about what you get when you obey God.
On the day back, after listening to God, and saying, I am your servant 'Use me'. I was filled with the Holy spirit. I was filled with this overwhelming Joy.
I didn't know what to do with it, but I realized that Joy is a reward that God gives us so that obedience isn't a chore, but we en'joy' doing it.
Holiness allows you to get closer to God, the closer you are the more joyful you become, trust me, this is true. I was really close to God that I day, and man was I bursting from the seems with Joy.
Joy isn't just a result, it can also help us live a holy life this chapter states.
The joy of God gives us strength. It's true, I felt like I could move mountains, I wasn't tired I was ready and willing to do what it took to help God.
I was full of this 'RAW' joy that only comes from God.
At the end, the book asks us if we are ready to live a holy life, and my answer is heck yes, bring on the trials, I'm ready to be joyfully holy.
-Brent
There's a prize for our chase after holiness; I'm not just talking about the reward at the end of this world, I'm talking about what you get when you obey God.
On the day back, after listening to God, and saying, I am your servant 'Use me'. I was filled with the Holy spirit. I was filled with this overwhelming Joy.
I didn't know what to do with it, but I realized that Joy is a reward that God gives us so that obedience isn't a chore, but we en'joy' doing it.
Holiness allows you to get closer to God, the closer you are the more joyful you become, trust me, this is true. I was really close to God that I day, and man was I bursting from the seems with Joy.
Joy isn't just a result, it can also help us live a holy life this chapter states.
The joy of God gives us strength. It's true, I felt like I could move mountains, I wasn't tired I was ready and willing to do what it took to help God.
I was full of this 'RAW' joy that only comes from God.
At the end, the book asks us if we are ready to live a holy life, and my answer is heck yes, bring on the trials, I'm ready to be joyfully holy.
-Brent
The Chase Chapter Fifteen: Holiness in an Unholy World
This chapter is huge. No it's only like 5 pages, but I mean the points in here are big.
I use to run away from anything that might cause me to sin, but this is exactly what this chapter deals with, being able to turn to God in those situations, and stand up for your beliefs, without shoving your religion down their throats.
The world is full of sin, what do we do, when everything around us sins? Sin with it, I don't think that is very holy.
So what can we do? Well we don't run from the problem. We need to not blend in with the world, conform or be a hypocritical Christian like we all do at one point or another. We need to stand up to the pressures that the rest of the world will put on us.
The book gives us a few ideas to do this.
Make sure the people around you know your a christian. Thats doesn't mean wear as much Jesus clothing as possible. But it means let your actions and speech speak for you. Pray before tests or meals, invite friends to church. 'Whatever comes naturally to you that will let others know you're a christian- do that.'
Another way to protect ourselves from the worlds influence, is to remain in the word.
Flooding are brain with the truth will allow us to have the knowledge of how to deal with those everyday problems we face, when staring down sin in the world.
The next is love everyone, don't boast b/c your a christian and your saved and their going to hell. You were once like them, heck we still are, the only difference is that we hvae accepted Jesus, and they might not know the full truth about the matter. We can show them God's love through our own love for them.
Be the shinning light in the dark corner of the room.
-Brent
I use to run away from anything that might cause me to sin, but this is exactly what this chapter deals with, being able to turn to God in those situations, and stand up for your beliefs, without shoving your religion down their throats.
The world is full of sin, what do we do, when everything around us sins? Sin with it, I don't think that is very holy.
So what can we do? Well we don't run from the problem. We need to not blend in with the world, conform or be a hypocritical Christian like we all do at one point or another. We need to stand up to the pressures that the rest of the world will put on us.
The book gives us a few ideas to do this.
Make sure the people around you know your a christian. Thats doesn't mean wear as much Jesus clothing as possible. But it means let your actions and speech speak for you. Pray before tests or meals, invite friends to church. 'Whatever comes naturally to you that will let others know you're a christian- do that.'
Another way to protect ourselves from the worlds influence, is to remain in the word.
Flooding are brain with the truth will allow us to have the knowledge of how to deal with those everyday problems we face, when staring down sin in the world.
The next is love everyone, don't boast b/c your a christian and your saved and their going to hell. You were once like them, heck we still are, the only difference is that we hvae accepted Jesus, and they might not know the full truth about the matter. We can show them God's love through our own love for them.
Be the shinning light in the dark corner of the room.
-Brent
The Chase Chapter Fourteen: Holiness and Faith
Basically this chapter goes into obedience and what it looks like;
"Obedience is key to our chase after holiness, no matter what it may be that God is calling us to do."
I think this is neat, because it leads back into the very first day I got back from XLR:8.
I had a conversation with God, and he basically told me to start a group in the school, to encourage the Christian body there to LEAP out in faith, and to be able to not conform to the rest of the world. This meant to do things like holiness, service, love unconditionally, and right now we are about to learn about intercession and go out and pray for people in our school ( so reaching out to the lost sheep, in other ways of evanglism).
This was really tough, the enemy through alot of obsticles in my way, but perserverance, prayer, and a knowledge of the word allowed us to start this.
I had to literally learn how to take Leap's of faith in order to get Leap on it's feet. This was really going out of my comfort zone, and I was learning these things for a purpose, so I could be able to share them with the others and encourage them to LEAP out.
I never looked at my obedience as faith, I just did it because God asked, and I didn't want to be one of those people who disobeyed God. Heck I didn't even ask questions, I asked what was next, whenever I obeyed his next step, but I never questioned his responses.
But I've been drifting, I've been on a rocky road lately, discourately out of the word, and my prayer life has nearly ceased ( unless I'm crying out).
I need to follow this urging sensation the holy spirit is laying on my heart to stay in the word, and pray.
It just so happens I did alot more of that at the last XLR:8, and I'm going to the 2nd installment of it this weekend. I'm really excited to see what is going to unfold in the next few days.
Anyway, obedience is key.
-Brent
"Obedience is key to our chase after holiness, no matter what it may be that God is calling us to do."
I think this is neat, because it leads back into the very first day I got back from XLR:8.
I had a conversation with God, and he basically told me to start a group in the school, to encourage the Christian body there to LEAP out in faith, and to be able to not conform to the rest of the world. This meant to do things like holiness, service, love unconditionally, and right now we are about to learn about intercession and go out and pray for people in our school ( so reaching out to the lost sheep, in other ways of evanglism).
This was really tough, the enemy through alot of obsticles in my way, but perserverance, prayer, and a knowledge of the word allowed us to start this.
I had to literally learn how to take Leap's of faith in order to get Leap on it's feet. This was really going out of my comfort zone, and I was learning these things for a purpose, so I could be able to share them with the others and encourage them to LEAP out.
I never looked at my obedience as faith, I just did it because God asked, and I didn't want to be one of those people who disobeyed God. Heck I didn't even ask questions, I asked what was next, whenever I obeyed his next step, but I never questioned his responses.
But I've been drifting, I've been on a rocky road lately, discourately out of the word, and my prayer life has nearly ceased ( unless I'm crying out).
I need to follow this urging sensation the holy spirit is laying on my heart to stay in the word, and pray.
It just so happens I did alot more of that at the last XLR:8, and I'm going to the 2nd installment of it this weekend. I'm really excited to see what is going to unfold in the next few days.
Anyway, obedience is key.
-Brent
The Chase Chapter Thirteen: Habits of Holiness
The main point from this chapter is that, break off the bad habits, and begin new ones.
Our bad habits developed a pattern of sin, and we need to break that habit if we want to chase after holiness.
The book says the holy spirit is the one who helps us break our sinning habits and will help us begin new, good ones.
There are four things to remember as you work on your new habits;
1. Do it over and over. The more you do something the easier it is, like sinning for example, the more you sin, the more likely you'll sin again. So we need to practice saying no to sin over and over again, and we'll get better at resisting temptation
2. Don't say 'Just this once'. Hold firmly to your decisions ( I love that quote)
3. Resist all sins, the big and small ones that we classify ( even though, in God's eyes, sin is sin).
4. Perserverance. Don't quit, we will fail at times but we have to pick ourselves up and try again.
Remember the holy spirit is there to help us all, learn to use him effectively just like the bible.
-Brent
Our bad habits developed a pattern of sin, and we need to break that habit if we want to chase after holiness.
The book says the holy spirit is the one who helps us break our sinning habits and will help us begin new, good ones.
There are four things to remember as you work on your new habits;
1. Do it over and over. The more you do something the easier it is, like sinning for example, the more you sin, the more likely you'll sin again. So we need to practice saying no to sin over and over again, and we'll get better at resisting temptation
2. Don't say 'Just this once'. Hold firmly to your decisions ( I love that quote)
3. Resist all sins, the big and small ones that we classify ( even though, in God's eyes, sin is sin).
4. Perserverance. Don't quit, we will fail at times but we have to pick ourselves up and try again.
Remember the holy spirit is there to help us all, learn to use him effectively just like the bible.
-Brent
Monday, February 13, 2006
The Chase Chapter Twelve: Holiness and our wills
Now the book digs into to watching over your will power. It can give us the desires to chase after holiness, and the desires to sin. So we need to keep close eye on what it is telling us, and being able to control our will power for use in the chase.
Our will is different from God's will because now we are apart from God, due to something called sin. But what the Chase didn't touch upon is the fact that we as Christians are closer to God, because of Christ, so our 'will' will go after the things God wants, only if we know the things God wants.
That means constant prayer, and reading the word.
We have to keep a close eye on our will (desires) b/c Satan can use them against us, that's why it's important to watch what you let into your mind, b/c our desires can convince us to repeat those bad things we allow in our hearts, to manifest into our actions.
-Brent
Our will is different from God's will because now we are apart from God, due to something called sin. But what the Chase didn't touch upon is the fact that we as Christians are closer to God, because of Christ, so our 'will' will go after the things God wants, only if we know the things God wants.
That means constant prayer, and reading the word.
We have to keep a close eye on our will (desires) b/c Satan can use them against us, that's why it's important to watch what you let into your mind, b/c our desires can convince us to repeat those bad things we allow in our hearts, to manifest into our actions.
-Brent
The Chase Chapter Eleven: Holiness in body and mind
They really could've put 10 and 11 together to state two points in one chapter, but whatever.
Basically the key to this chapter is this, watch what you let your body absorb.
What I mean by that is;
When was the last time you watched TV? What show did you watch?
Was there, violence, swearing, anything that could lead you to sin or others to sin?
I'm not saying avoid TV altogether, but I am saying we have to learn to control our sinful desires, in fact for the little time me and Cory learnt about disciplines, I learnt that abstinece isn't getting rid of something altogether, it's learning to control your urges to do it or not.
Also we learnt that we have to be in the world and not of it. See I assumed the best way to live a christian life, was to remove everything that caused me to sin in my life. But I closed doors to friends, stop watching TV, stopped going on the internet, etc. What I learnt was I wasn't stopping sinning, I was just stopping all social activity in my life. We have to stay in today's culture if we want to help them see Jesus.
Anyways that is what the chapter sorta touches on, watching what you allow yourself to be influenced by;
if that means abstaing from it, then go for it.
Anyway, at the end of the chapter is the best part for me.
What should we do instead? Read the word, I love it, that is what disciplines are about, not just getting rid of an old habit, but replacing it with a new, God first one.
-Brent
Basically the key to this chapter is this, watch what you let your body absorb.
What I mean by that is;
When was the last time you watched TV? What show did you watch?
Was there, violence, swearing, anything that could lead you to sin or others to sin?
I'm not saying avoid TV altogether, but I am saying we have to learn to control our sinful desires, in fact for the little time me and Cory learnt about disciplines, I learnt that abstinece isn't getting rid of something altogether, it's learning to control your urges to do it or not.
Also we learnt that we have to be in the world and not of it. See I assumed the best way to live a christian life, was to remove everything that caused me to sin in my life. But I closed doors to friends, stop watching TV, stopped going on the internet, etc. What I learnt was I wasn't stopping sinning, I was just stopping all social activity in my life. We have to stay in today's culture if we want to help them see Jesus.
Anyways that is what the chapter sorta touches on, watching what you allow yourself to be influenced by;
if that means abstaing from it, then go for it.
Anyway, at the end of the chapter is the best part for me.
What should we do instead? Read the word, I love it, that is what disciplines are about, not just getting rid of an old habit, but replacing it with a new, God first one.
-Brent
The Chase Chapter Ten: Training for the Marathon
So I just realized with the Olympics going on, I can relate alot with this book to the athlets at the games.
For example this chapter talks about training for a run ( a chase of holiness).
The book brings out constant examples of how reading the bible is alot like drinking the water or eating the food before the race to make you strong, so you don't collaspe.
But really the book, talks about how, we are going to screw up. It's an innevitable fact, we are going to mess up in our chase after holiness. Why? Because they require practice and discipline, just like running a marathon at the olympic games. You can't just wake up and run a marathon like the book meations, but you have to train yourself for the chase.
How? By reading the word, praying and meditating upon it, and living it out. Even though I know I had to do these things about the scripture, lately I've been putting it off for other things, but if I'm going to be strong enough to continue my chase after holiness, I need to read my bible more, pray and meditate upon it more, and live it out, waaaay more.
I thought this chapter was really interesting, although it only brought up a few points, it was consise with how it developed the imagery in your mind. I can see myself racing to the finish line of holiness, even stumbling along the run, but I can see myself, stopping at a pit, taking a breather, reading the word, and getting back out there to continue the run.
Read your bible, all the cool kids are doing it... ( they probably aren't but come on, make it a cool trend)
-Brent
For example this chapter talks about training for a run ( a chase of holiness).
The book brings out constant examples of how reading the bible is alot like drinking the water or eating the food before the race to make you strong, so you don't collaspe.
But really the book, talks about how, we are going to screw up. It's an innevitable fact, we are going to mess up in our chase after holiness. Why? Because they require practice and discipline, just like running a marathon at the olympic games. You can't just wake up and run a marathon like the book meations, but you have to train yourself for the chase.
How? By reading the word, praying and meditating upon it, and living it out. Even though I know I had to do these things about the scripture, lately I've been putting it off for other things, but if I'm going to be strong enough to continue my chase after holiness, I need to read my bible more, pray and meditate upon it more, and live it out, waaaay more.
I thought this chapter was really interesting, although it only brought up a few points, it was consise with how it developed the imagery in your mind. I can see myself racing to the finish line of holiness, even stumbling along the run, but I can see myself, stopping at a pit, taking a breather, reading the word, and getting back out there to continue the run.
Read your bible, all the cool kids are doing it... ( they probably aren't but come on, make it a cool trend)
-Brent
Sunday, February 12, 2006
The Chase Chapter Nine: Putting Sin to Death
After reading this chapter, I find that this part of the chase for holiness is my main hurdle.
The effort of holiness isn't the problem, its the breaking of habits that the book brings up in the latter parts of the chapter where I really struggle.
I personally deal with internal sins that trip me up to this day, that I can't share with people, because personally they ashame me. It's the kind of sin that would make your mother cry if you told her.
Like the only person who I can talk to about it is God alone, because I fear what others will think of me if I share it.
We need to make the effort to stop our habit of sin, we have a responsibility to, as the book says.
'We need to cut off any life- the very bloody supply- we give to the sins that rules our lives before Christ.'
I love the analogy they use with the video game, if only it were as easy as that, and with video games, most people decided to just input cheat codes if the game is too difficult. Just like they try to find shortcuts through life.
I watched the movie Luther not too long ago, and people tried to get out of spending time with God by buying indulgences, like doing such a thing would bring them closer to God.
The question the book brings up in this chapter is dealing with after you have put your old life to death.
"How do I cut off the of sins controlling me"
Now I thought I was ready to do such a thing, but it's hard, almost enough to make me quit. In fact for a little while I did in fact. I just let my habit sin control me.
But we can't have anything of this world get in the way of our relationship with God.
NEVER, EVER.
Now then the book tells us that we have to stay in the word for this matter, because how can we be obedient to God's laws, if we don't even know them, right?
How can we know if something is a habit sin, if we never learn it's wrong in the eyes of the Lord.
One way to keep the truth rooted in your heart, to throw at the enemy when he tries to convince you that 'it's only just this once' or that 'it's not bad enough to displease God' is to memorize scripture concerning it.
I'm going to attend RAW, it's a great program that I know God has called me into to further my development into my area of ministry, service.
What better way to learn more about serving, then to memorize scripture concerning service?
Same goes for holiness, and beating our habitual ( if it isn't a word, it is now) sins? To memorize scriptures concerning them.
The hard part about holiness, is owning up to your sin, but making the effort to own up and break down the fortress of control the enemy has built around you allows us to enter a unique and deeper fellowship with God.
We all have to make a commitment, to chase after holiness, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, as the book puts it, or we are just leading ourselves towards the fall.
I'm chasing after it, although I'm still quite not ready to make myself vulnerable enough to share the sin that has dominion in my life, hopefully I will soon.
-Brent
The effort of holiness isn't the problem, its the breaking of habits that the book brings up in the latter parts of the chapter where I really struggle.
I personally deal with internal sins that trip me up to this day, that I can't share with people, because personally they ashame me. It's the kind of sin that would make your mother cry if you told her.
Like the only person who I can talk to about it is God alone, because I fear what others will think of me if I share it.
We need to make the effort to stop our habit of sin, we have a responsibility to, as the book says.
'We need to cut off any life- the very bloody supply- we give to the sins that rules our lives before Christ.'
I love the analogy they use with the video game, if only it were as easy as that, and with video games, most people decided to just input cheat codes if the game is too difficult. Just like they try to find shortcuts through life.
I watched the movie Luther not too long ago, and people tried to get out of spending time with God by buying indulgences, like doing such a thing would bring them closer to God.
The question the book brings up in this chapter is dealing with after you have put your old life to death.
"How do I cut off the of sins controlling me"
Now I thought I was ready to do such a thing, but it's hard, almost enough to make me quit. In fact for a little while I did in fact. I just let my habit sin control me.
But we can't have anything of this world get in the way of our relationship with God.
NEVER, EVER.
Now then the book tells us that we have to stay in the word for this matter, because how can we be obedient to God's laws, if we don't even know them, right?
How can we know if something is a habit sin, if we never learn it's wrong in the eyes of the Lord.
One way to keep the truth rooted in your heart, to throw at the enemy when he tries to convince you that 'it's only just this once' or that 'it's not bad enough to displease God' is to memorize scripture concerning it.
I'm going to attend RAW, it's a great program that I know God has called me into to further my development into my area of ministry, service.
What better way to learn more about serving, then to memorize scripture concerning service?
Same goes for holiness, and beating our habitual ( if it isn't a word, it is now) sins? To memorize scriptures concerning them.
The hard part about holiness, is owning up to your sin, but making the effort to own up and break down the fortress of control the enemy has built around you allows us to enter a unique and deeper fellowship with God.
We all have to make a commitment, to chase after holiness, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, as the book puts it, or we are just leading ourselves towards the fall.
I'm chasing after it, although I'm still quite not ready to make myself vulnerable enough to share the sin that has dominion in my life, hopefully I will soon.
-Brent
Saturday, February 11, 2006
The Chase Chapter Eight: Obedience, not victory
I decided, for my one page write-up that I'm going to put the url to this blog, either that or just print out my blogs, but anyway, I changed my template ( yes I can go off topic) isn't it snazzy?
On to the book;
After I read chapter seven, well got tired, stop reading it part way through, put a TBC in my blogs, and decided to pick the book up again with only 6 days till XLR:8, that all the chapters after 7 were really, really short, I mean the longest one afterwards was what, 7 pages long (thats counting the front and back as seperate).
Chapter Eight isn't really two pages long. But it still brings up some good points.
Like I stated about Chapter 7, we are given the power to beat sin in our lives, it can't control us any longer b/c of what Christ did, and the holy spirit has been sent to help us continue to fend it from ever taken domain back in here.
But as the book says in Chapter eight in the first sentence;
'Now we get to the fun part- our responsibility'
What? You mean I have to do something? I can't be lazy for this holiness thing to work? Your kidding right?
Pfft, this book doesn't know me, I was ready to start acting upon this 7 chapters ago, where was the book telling me to get off my butt and do something then?
Anyway,
Now that I sorta mocked the book, I have to pull out some of the responsibilities we are called to do now that sin doesn't control us, and the holy spirit is on our side.
We have to "Kill off everything connected to that way of death", other words we need to get rid of those things that keep allowing us to be tripped up.
I like the part in the hebrews verse where it says 'Strip down, start running- and never quit'. I can picture that, the things in my life that our holding me back, and making me go slower in the race, I need to 'strip' so I can get to that finish line, instead of tiring out and quiting the race.
I was in the boy scouts growing up, I hated it, really, I was forced into it, and the people there were jerks, I can forgive them, but I did pick up a few lessons from them. "Do your best" was the motto, and it applies to our effort in the chase of holiness as well.
I've realized that holiness isn't just going to come after I read a passage or two, and pray for it. It takes a life time to master, and then some, and we have to put the effort in if we want to make any progress.
The book says we also have to fess up to our own actions we make, and decisions ( even the bad ones) we choose to take. We have to accept that responsibilty of admitting we are wrong, and we need to get back on the chase for holiness, and not get side tracked by all the spectators on the side watching us...
*Sees Icecream Truck during race* I'm CHASING AFTER HOLINESS NOT ICE COLD ICECREAM, with it's smooth texture, and it's delicious taste, and its flavour that mealts in your mouth, and...
-Brent
On to the book;
After I read chapter seven, well got tired, stop reading it part way through, put a TBC in my blogs, and decided to pick the book up again with only 6 days till XLR:8, that all the chapters after 7 were really, really short, I mean the longest one afterwards was what, 7 pages long (thats counting the front and back as seperate).
Chapter Eight isn't really two pages long. But it still brings up some good points.
Like I stated about Chapter 7, we are given the power to beat sin in our lives, it can't control us any longer b/c of what Christ did, and the holy spirit has been sent to help us continue to fend it from ever taken domain back in here.
But as the book says in Chapter eight in the first sentence;
'Now we get to the fun part- our responsibility'
What? You mean I have to do something? I can't be lazy for this holiness thing to work? Your kidding right?
Pfft, this book doesn't know me, I was ready to start acting upon this 7 chapters ago, where was the book telling me to get off my butt and do something then?
Anyway,
Now that I sorta mocked the book, I have to pull out some of the responsibilities we are called to do now that sin doesn't control us, and the holy spirit is on our side.
We have to "Kill off everything connected to that way of death", other words we need to get rid of those things that keep allowing us to be tripped up.
I like the part in the hebrews verse where it says 'Strip down, start running- and never quit'. I can picture that, the things in my life that our holding me back, and making me go slower in the race, I need to 'strip' so I can get to that finish line, instead of tiring out and quiting the race.
I was in the boy scouts growing up, I hated it, really, I was forced into it, and the people there were jerks, I can forgive them, but I did pick up a few lessons from them. "Do your best" was the motto, and it applies to our effort in the chase of holiness as well.
I've realized that holiness isn't just going to come after I read a passage or two, and pray for it. It takes a life time to master, and then some, and we have to put the effort in if we want to make any progress.
The book says we also have to fess up to our own actions we make, and decisions ( even the bad ones) we choose to take. We have to accept that responsibilty of admitting we are wrong, and we need to get back on the chase for holiness, and not get side tracked by all the spectators on the side watching us...
*Sees Icecream Truck during race* I'm CHASING AFTER HOLINESS NOT ICE COLD ICECREAM, with it's smooth texture, and it's delicious taste, and its flavour that mealts in your mouth, and...
-Brent
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