DECAPOLIS (Faith. Music. Sarcasm.)

How Do I Live By Faith? (Part 1)

Conrad — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 03:12:56 +0000

What does it mean when the Bible says, “if you have faith as small as a mustard seed… Nothing will be impossible for you," (Matt 17:20)? So if I have the faith larger than the size of a mustard seed that I would become a cheeseburger – it would come to pass, right? But unfortunately it hasn’t.

The reason why I haven’t turned into a cheeseburger at this point isn’t the size of faith I have, but rather the definition of faith.

Faith is not simply belief – which is the most common definition in peoples’ minds.

I believe that God will let me win the lottery. I believe that God will give me a unicorn. I believe that God will go back in time to prevent Spielberg and George Lucas from ruining the Indiana Jones franchise.

Faith is not belief. A belief in nonsense. Faith is based in truth.

And what is the only thing that we can be sure is truth? God's Word.

But faith even goes beyond simply believing God’s Word.

Just because I believe that God told me to "love my neighbor" doesn't mean that I do it. (Just come over at midnight and listen to neighbor's dogs barking and you'll know why.)

Yeah, it doesn't count if you say you believe in something but you don’t actually do it.

Think of a body builder (like me). Do you think I’ve gotten as buff as I am today by simply believing in the truth that working out will make me huge? No. I had to do it.

So faith really is three things combined and can be written as this equation…

Knowing God’s Word + Believing God’s Word + Doing God’s Word = Faith

Let’s take the “Love thy neighbor” verse and see what it takes to ‘live by faith’.

My neighbor dogs endlessly bark at midnight. I know that those words “Love thy neighbor” appear in the Bible. I believe in those words and want to do it. I then go out and do it by forgiving them and making them a cake.

Only after hitting all three have I actually lived by faith. A real, true faith.

So now, let’s go back and look at the initial verse, “if you have faith as small as a mustard seed… Nothing will be impossible for you” and paraphrase it this way, “If you know, believe and obey God’s Word, which means you’re doing His will, you will for sure be successful in carrying out His Will.”

That’s what faith is. Faith is living God’s Word.

And hopefully God’s Word wants me to call the cops on the neighbor’s dogs or else I just didn’t live by faith.

MT 17:20 He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, `Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. "

Take Time To Pray: Ask God to help you live by faith by grounding what you know, believe and do in His Word.

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Creepy

Conrad — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 01:33:34 +0000

This is totally creepy.

By the way, hopefully they'll be an all new Decapolis soon. We've been working on it for a while. Hopefully, it'll be more fun, useful and have lots more bacon news.

Why Don't I Live In Japan?

Conrad — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 01:46:16 +0000

Seriously. Japan is the greatest culture ever. Listen to this crowd.

Why Do We Have to Label our Beliefs? Why do we have Denominations?

Conrad — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 03:59:00 +0000

One thing I hear a lot of Christians saying is that they don’t want to label themselves as a particular denomination - like Baptist, Methodist, Pentacostal or Republican.

The thinking goes, “why do we need to divide Christianity, we should just all believe the Bible.”

Well that would be fine …if we all had the same interpretation of the Bible.

The problem is that we all don’t agree on what the Bible says. Just because someone calls themselves a Christian, doesn’t mean they agree with what you consider a Christian.

Some people who call themselves ‘Christians’ believe that people who don’t believe that Christ is God can still get into heaven. Or believe it’s okay to murder in the name of Christ. Or that you can root for the New York Yankees and still make it into heaven.

The problem with understanding the Bible is that we’re not God, and we’re sinful, which means we can’t fully understand the Bible. Which means we have differing interpretations of the Bible.

Even though you might not align yourself with a particular denomination, you still have some interpretation of the Bible. And you might as well call it Billy-ism, or Susie-ism, or whatever your name is.

So really you have a label. You just don’t call it one.

Tell someone else what you believe and they’ll be able to categorize your beliefs. Yeah, maybe you won’t fall squarely under Presbyterian or Brethren, but you fall under a broader category like liberal, legalistic, fundamentalist or wacko.

But so what? Great, so we all have different interpretations, okay. Now what?

The main thing to understand is that we have these different interpretations because we are fallen creatures whose sin prevents us from fully understanding the Word of God.

…And knowing our sinfulness should lead to humility,

…which should lead us to constantly trying to understand God better.

So dig into His Word. Try to understand God better. And in doing so, you’ll be to test and approve what God’s will for your life is.

Romans 12[2] Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Take Time to Pray: Ask God for the humility needed to understand how much you still have to understand and the desire to understand Him more.

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Terrible? Or Hilarious?

Conrad — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:23:53 +0000

Terrible or hilarious? You decide.

We ask the hard hitting questions here at Decapolis.

Do You Love Writing and Would You Want to Write For Decapolis?

Conrad — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:13:23 +0000

Have you ever thought to yourself, "Man, Decapolis sucks, I wish I could help make it a better place"?

Well, now's your chance because I'm relaunching the site soon.

I'm looking for Christian writers who have a passion about something and would have a fun time writing about it. Music, movies, tech, ponies, bacon? The topics don't have to be overtly Christian, it could be neutral stuff like food. Just from a Christian perspective.

I personally would like to devote my time to writing devotionals and would like to delegate out the other stuff.

So if you'd be into any of that or have a suggestion on how you'd like to help just email me here: http://decapolis.com/about/contact

Thanks,
Conrad

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Dog Dancing the Merengue

Conrad — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:44:45 +0000

The Merengue sounds like a disease you catch from mosquitoes. And apparently this dog has caught that disease… because it can’t stop dancing.

I took some dancing lessons before my wedding, and I have to say, I’m not that impressed. I was able to do what this dog is doing after only three lessons... and I looked way better in that dress.

Who’s Feet Do I Want to Wash?

Conrad — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 03:27:19 +0000

“Who’s Feet Do I Want to Wash?” is probably a question we don’t ask a whole lot. It kind of ranks up there with “Which of my eyes do I want to poke with this stick?” or “Which Sheryl Crow song should I listen to?”

But in fact, Christ tells us to wash other peoples’ feet… in a way.

John 13 [14] Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. [15] I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. [16] I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

Now we’re not talking that to follow Christ’s example that you have to take out a bucket when people come visit and have them sit on your couch and literally wash their feet.

That’s not what the passage is saying. Thankfully. Especially if I went to your house. I hate doing laundry so much that I end up wearing socks multiple times.

Anyways, in Biblical times it was customary for the lowest person of the household to do the washing of others’ feet since everyone wore sandals.

So Christ who is the God of the universe, takes the lowliest position's job. And if the God of the universe can do it – how much more should we be able to do it for humans who are on the same level as us?

Or are we above God? Is something He personally has done beneath us? Can we not stoop so low to something that God Himself has done?

Okay, so now what? How do I follow Christ’s example?

Ask yourself, what is the lowliest job in my family? Is it taking out the trash? Cleaning up the dog’s poop? Doing the dishes?

What is the lowliest position to take with others? Do I let them call shotgun? Do I make sure everyone gets more food than I do? Do I let them pick where they want to eat?

Just think of yourself as the least important person there. Pretend you’re the keyboardist in a band. Or pretend you’re the plot in a Michael Bay movie.

In that way, you humble yourself enough to minister in ways you would have never stooped to before.

You have to get your hands dirty with ministry. There is no room for pride when you have a Christ-like love for others.

If Christ is willing to get His hands dirty for us, then we should have no problems getting our hands dirty for Him.

Start with your family. Do the worst chores out of love and humility. Then move on to your school, place of work and church.

And at my house, we do follow the foot washing passage literally. But just let me know right before you get to my house so I can let my wife answer the door.

MK 9:35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."

Take Time To Pray: Ask God for the humility needed to do the lowliest of tasks.

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Relationships: Delicate Situations

Conrad — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 03:49:56 +0000

You ever have to face a situation where you might have to hurt someone’s feelings, but it’s something that you have to do? And I’m not talking about telling someone to keep their six year old child quiet during The Expendables. Or telling them that they are insane for even bringing a six year old to see an ultraviolent film where there’s about a thousand people killed on screen.

I’m talking about touchy situations where a family member or friend might get offended because you might have to point out one of their faults.

So what is the difference between talking to that crazy parent with their six year old at The Expendables movie verses talking to your family member?

It’s motive. One case, you’re correcting someone out of frustration, disbelief or horror, and the other one is out of love.

Your entire approach changes when you say something out of love.

But love isn’t enough. It goes a little beyond your righteous motives. The other person has to understand that you’re doing it out of love.

You might think you’re speaking out of love, but what if they interpret your words as condescending?

Some people are sensitive. Others have pride. It’s easy to step on those, even when your intentions are completely out of love.

So what else do you need other than love?

You need wisdom.

Wisdom will tell you that it’s not just what you’re trying to say, but how you are saying it, when you say it, and how it’s coming across.

Maybe you need to wait till they calm down, or speak to them in private and the kids aren’t around. Maybe you should share about how you made a similar mistake.

So when you have to face a delicate situation like this pray for three things, a loving spirit, wisdom and that God would work in their heart.

Then maybe they won’t get so offended when you tell them that they stink like feet.

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." Ephesians 4:2

Take Time To Pray: Ask God to help you with love and wisdom.

Today’s Fruit of the Spirit: Love

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In Times Like These, Please, Jesus Take the Wii

Conrad — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 20:40:59 +0000

I bet you never knew how well I could sing.