Becoming a fool

I recently read the book, Leadership and Self Deception. In a nutshell it is about how if we want lasting success in life then we have to learn how to value others and learn to focus on others rather than ourselves. The book is challenging, because it is counter-intuitive. We are wired to focus on ourselves. It would make sense if like worked this way: "the more I focus on myself the better off I will become." But the challenge of the book is that actually life works this way: "the more I focus on others the better off I will become." It seems backward.
I read another backward seeming book recently, the Bible, in particular the first few chapters of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. In which repeatedly Paul compares the "wisdom of the world" with the "wisdom of God". Paul writes in I Corinthians 3:18, "Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise."
Becoming a fool.
I believe that a guy 2000 years ago died, and then came back to life. I believe that he walked on water---literally walked on water. I believe that this guy was actually God in human form. I believe that this guy, Jesus, is the key to my peace and significance in life.  I understand that that sounds foolish, and I am ok with that.
Self Deception is subtle yet powerful. Is it possible that by focusing less on ourselves, we could actually improve ourselves? Is it possible that by embracing seemingly foolish ideas, we could actually encounter greater wisdom?

Is it God's fault or my fault?

I recently read Romans 6.

I have been a christian for many years, but I still regularly forget how this whole christian living thing works. I understand that there is a balance to it all: reliance on God and personal responsibility.

Some Christians live a poor example of the christian life and blame it on God; they ask for God's help to overcome their greed, and then when the IRS audits them for cheating on their taxes they blame God for not keeping them from their greed.

Some Christians live a poor example of the christian life and blame it on themselves; they try as hard as they can every day to overcome their greed, and then when the IRS audits them for cheating on their taxes they blame themselves for their greed---if only I could have tried harder.

So what is the balance . . .

Romans 6:11 says, "consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus" So we are to have the attitude that sin has no power over us. We should live with confidence in full reliance upon Christ. Greed will not have power over me today because I am dead to sin and alive in Christ.
BUT
Romans 6:12 says, "Do not let sin reign in your mortal body" 6:13, "Do not offer any part of yourself to sin" So we can't just sit back and be lazy. Those are specific instructions--twice it says "DO NOT" Greed will not have power over me today because through the power of Christ I will resist greed.

So today I will rely on God AND take personal responsibility.

Ill let you know how it goes :)

2013

Happy 2013!

In 2012 it was my new year's resolution to journal as I read through the Bible in a year, and post those journal entries to my blog.  My blogging trailed off and became non-existant by July.

But it is a new year and I have new wind in my sails! I am looking forward to 2013. My plan for this year is to read through the Letters of the New Testament 3 times. I found this Bible reading plan here:

http://bibleplan.org/

If you are looking for a Bible reading plan for the new year, I recommend this site. They have lots of options and they email you your reading every morning.

My goal is to write once a week on here from one of my readings of the week . . . the writing isn't really the goal . . . the goal is really to be made holy by Christ through the washing with water of the word . . . but the writing will hopefully help document the process.

"The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul." - G.K. Chesterton