No greater than Christ

One of the most challenging events that Rome had encountered or rather Europe had encountered was when the time of dark ages took place. There were various groups of tribes who attacked Rome and led the Western part of it to downfall. Some groups which attacked Rome were: The visigoths, vikings, huns. Aside from the attacks that Rome faced, there was also a dreadful plague which nearly killed half of the population of Europe. The plague was then called the "Bubonic plague." There were also rulers who rule the Roman empire and lead the productivity and glory back to Rome. One of the rulers who somehow caused me to be disappointed but glad at the same time was Charlemagne, who was a grandson of Charles the Hammer. They were Franks.

Charlemagne brought  back the liveliness of  Rome. He brought up the economical progress of the land, education, literature, and arts. These contributions made the Rome productive. One good thing about his reign was, he protected the preservation of Christianity but the sad part was he persecuted the pagan people who refuse to be converted to Christianity. In fact, it came to the point when pagan worshipers were murdered brutally. The murder was then called, "Bloody verdict of Verden."

As I've learned these information, I was terrified and could not believe that not only Christians can be persecuted but also non-Christians. I feel so sad knowing this, because it seemed like there was no giving importance to the lives of other people especially those who had not known Christ as their Lord and Savior. But whatever my reaction might be, I could not judge those rulers. all I know is that, those events happened, not accidentally, I believe, but with purpose, still in line to God's will.

As I relate the lesson to my self, I have pondered and evaluated how I am doing with my commitment to God regarding reaching out to those who have not yet known Christ as their Lord and Savior. Since the revelation of Christ Jesus as being the Messiah, death and life have been fighting, good and evil are competing with one another. What I mean is that the moment a person becomes a believer, Satan finds ways to lead another person to the path to hell. I feel like Christians really have to share the gospel not with procrastination but with motivation because everyday the spiritual battle becomes stronger. What's happening in the world right now are  events which should give Christians the motivation to continue sharing the gospel not escaping from doing it. While Christians go to church there are people outside who are dying being uncertain of their eternal destination. It is something that I grieve and am happy for. Happy because I can freely worship God; grieving because there are people outside who are seeking for the truth until they die being shot by a gun, blown by the bomb, not knowing Christ as their Lord and Savior.

I have learned that whatever challenges we, Christians, face, we must endure it by the grace of God and strength of Christ. Dark ages, calamity, crisis, drought, starvation, poverty, persecution, war, death can not hinder us from moving forward toward the goal and they can not hinder us from continuing the mission Christ has left for us to do, to reach out to the lost. These challenges that we face right now are eye-openers for us Christians. Challenges do not cease to come, and so we must not cease to go share the gospel knowing that Christ does not stop on loving us. Also, God's love for us overflows from us to other people who lack love. He is with us in this journey.

The reason why Christians live

Monasticism is one of the interesting topics I have learned in our church history class. I admire how monks desire to live holy lives by living alone in a certain place, disciplining themselves by praying, fasting, and studying the Scriptures. Their main goals of practicing this kind of religious discipline are: purity of life, ceaseless prayer, life beatitudes, self mastery, imitation of Christ, and awaiting for the eternal life. People who practice this spiritual discipline have good intentions. However, there are disadvantages as well like; they try to isolate themselves away from people and it seems like there is a conflict against obeying what Christ has commanded His followers to do which is to "Go and make disciples of all nations..." (Matthew 28:;19-20).

Because of this lesson, I have evaluated myself on how I am doing with my spiritual discipline and prayer life. Somehow this lesson taught me the full importance of spending time with the Lord except that it has a sort of imbalance of obeying Christ's commission: "reaching out to those people who do not know Christ yet as their personal Lord and Savior in their lives. I have learned the negative and positive side of their practice. The positive is that they can have more time to really know the Scriptures but the negative side is that they tend to run away from the people and it results to not enabling them to be shared about the word of God or the gospel of Christ.

As I look back on what I have experienced in my 1st semester of my fourth year in the seminary, I could feel the negative effect of being alone. I could think a lot of negative thoughts which almost drive me crazy. I experienced isolating myself and withdrawing myself from other people which made the matter worse. God really reminded me that I am created to be a relational being just as how he willed His other children would be. He reminded me and allowed some questions to pop up in my mind and one of those was, "How can I minister to others if I act the way I act; isolating myself and not talking to others?" As I thought once again what is my purpose why I live, I was reminded of the answer which is: God loves me so much and He wants me to share the love I have received from Him to those who have not received it yet.

Christ Himself came to the world with human flesh in order to reach out to human beings. He never isolated Himself and withdrew away from the people. He even drew near to those who were sick, blind, demon possessed, poor, hungry, tax collectors, and sinners. He overflowed His love for the people including us who have become recipients of God's grace. God would want His children to declare to the world how He has loved us and all the people. As children of God, we have no right to be silent about the truth.

Love as Jesus loves

Around 392-395 A.D., during Theodosius reign as the Emperor, was said to be the true beginning of the reign of Christian Emperors. Partly, it has really brought me happiness as I have known this information. On the other hand, as its results started to take effect, it has brought shame upon me. One of the effects of this Roman Christian empire, was the persecution of the non-Christians. Christians are supposed to show love to other people just as what Jesus did when He was on earth. Even though, it brought sorrow in my heart, I still am grateful for the preservation of Christianity since the time it had become subjected to persecution, to the time it has been tolerated, up to this day.

When Christ came on earth, He never demanded to be worshiped or to be highly respected by all people. Christians are the salt and light of this dark world. We ought to love as Jesus loved us. Jesus did not kill anyone or those who did not revere Him, instead He still showed love to them. That's why, for us, Christians who are still existing on this generation, let love overflow and not bitterness or greediness be upon our lives. One way to share the gospel of Christ is to be a living testimony showing that Christ truly lives in the lives of us, Christians. Before, they were passionate of winning converts but did the wrong action in accomplishing that goal.

As I have evaluated my self as a Christian, it is true that forcing people to believe in Christ will not do any good, it will all the more cause them to withdraw from God. The first step in sharing God's love to an unbeliever is to build rapport. Next, is to accept him or her as a person. Then, to be a friend and pray for him or her constantly. Lastly, slowly share to him or her how God has changed my life and how He has loved me in spite of my frailty and imperfections.

Hausweiler writes: A Life that is worth living

This week, our journey to the studies of Church History has gone through the events happened after the apostolic period and how the Christianity flourished despite persecutions. I have also met "Constantine" who had been the first Christian emperor and who soon implemented the toleration for all religions to be practiced by anyone including Christianity.

God used Constantine so greatly to help Christianity survive through the years of his reign, even up to this time. However, during Constantine's reign, he had come to the point where he chose not to trust on anyone except on God, resulting him to be meticulous in terms of dealing with his soldiers, enemies, even with his own wife. Despite his impulsiveness, God used him to cater the furtherance of the gospel. He fought for Christians and their rights to follow Christ.

I have learned that God can use the least subtle or the most skillful person for His glory. There may be a lot of negatives which a person does but sometimes God allows those to reveal His goodness and His glory to all. As I evaluate myself, I have realized more that God has created all people and chose His people, entrusting each one with different gifts, all to be used for His glory.

I was someone who put my self-esteem so down, not realizing that God, who has created me for me, has loved me and wanted me to glorify Him, not by discouraging myself or looking at my own capabilities. He wants me to offer my life to Him, do my best for Him, and fix my eyes on Him, not merely on myself. My own perspective, corrupted my entire being but since then God has been reminding me that I no longer live for myself. God's perspective is far different than mine. Whenever I think about myself as a nobody, God never stops reminding me and showing me that because of Christ I have become a somebody. A somebody who does not live for herself but one whom God loves; who lives entirely for His glory.

Two ways I can help my self not to look down at myself are: 1) To look at how God values me (Isa. 53: 5,6; Ps. 139: 14), 2) To see how faithful God is in my life (Heb. 13:5; Ps. 4:8).

A Life that is worth living

This week has been a very blessed week. One of the subjects which has given me excitement is "Church History," As I have gone through this study, I realize that I only know a little about Church History. There are two people that I was able to meet during this week's study on Church History. The first person was named Ignatius, who became a student of John the apostle. He was a Christian writer who emphasized loyalty to a single bishop in each city. He was a zeal, passionate athlete of Christ. Because of his faith in Jesus, he was arrested and died in Colosseum wherein he was fed to the wild beasts. The second person was named Polycarp. Polycarp was a dear friend of Ignatius and was also a student of John the apostle. He became a bishop in Smyrna. He was known to have converted many people from gnosticism. He had courage and boldness in following Jesus. Time came he was arrested and was asked to deny Jesus but he never did such a thing instead he courageously stated, "86 years have I have served Him and He has done me no wrong how can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?" He was then sentenced to be burned. By these Christians who courageously faced death, my perspective of serving Jesus has now become so broad and very worthwhile.

How the Christians before died for Christ have really impacted me so much leading me to evaluating my self as a follower of Christ. I do admit that I am so weak in terms of facing discouragements. I easily give up and often times forget my commitment to my Savior. I am blessed by their lives. It taught me that what I am facing right now is just too little compared to the future challenges that God will allow in my life to take place. My perspective about serving God has really become so broad making me realize that my offering  my entire being to God is not yet in full; what I am giving to God right now is not yet enough for me to say that "I have fought the good fight".

There are three changes, I think, that I need to make in the way I behave. Firstly, I should live up my life each day as if it's the last. Secondly, I should endure with my studies as part of God's calling in my life. Thirdly, I should always depend on God and should always ask for guidance from Him every day that my life be glorifying to Him in the way I think, speak, and act, developing in my love for Him and for all the people around me.
In fulfilling these aspired changes, I should have to follow these helpful steps: 1) Always have quiet time for God at 4:00 am, 2) Trust in God and do all my best as a student, a daughter, sister, classmate, friend, and most of all as a child of God, 3) I should think about how God can be glorified in everything I do and must share God's love whenever opportunity  comes, show love to my parents through obedience, show love to my friends and classmates by understanding and respecting them, do the ministry with the right motive, think first before I speak of and act on anything. These might be challenging but by Christ's help I know I can learn and apply this slowly. Whenever I fail again and again, I have to acknowledge it, learn from it, and try to do better. Following these steps with willingness will lead me to grow more in maturity.

The lives of Ignatius and Polycarp have inspired me to live continually for Christ, leading me to denying my self daily. They never thought twice to live for Christ despite its great cost. I have learned that life can only be worth living unless I use it and let God use it for His glory.