Dear God,
I cry out to you, because you're the only one that always listens.
I love you,
Amen.
"Write down for the coming generation what the Lord has done, so that people not yet born will praise Him." Psalm 102:18 This is the motivation behind my blog. I'm learning so much and desire to give others the chance to see what I'm learning so that they might learn too. This is my opportunity to love others by sharing the knowledge God has blessed me with. But all glory goes to Him!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Saturday, March 6, 2010
An Education
There's this great struggle going on in our country. Something that affects a lot of Christians, so far as I can tell. It's the struggle of what you can accomplish vs. what God can accomplish. I've often heard that I need to do everything for the glory of God, but that includes excelling in school and doing what is "right." The part where I got lost was that there was no real solid instruction on how I should go about doing what's "right." I'm a very visual learner. If you want me to learn something, then showing me how to do it is the best way. I hear stuff, but I don't always interpret. For years and years I was told to read my Bible and pray. From what I interpreted, it was because that's what God wanted. That's how we communicated with Him. Prayer made more sense then reading my Bible at the time. I just thought reading the Bible was more of a chore we were assigned.
Growing up, it sure seemed like schoolwork was more important than reading my Bible. I mean... yeah I was told to read my Bible daily, but the time allotted for devotional was usually about 10 minutes every morning. The famous "quiet time" that everyone was supposed to have morning or night. But the reality of this schedule was that I would spend about 10 minutes with God in the morning and 3 minutes with Him at night praying. The rest of my day was all about being prompt to meetings, spending 8 hours a day in school, getting all my homework done after school, and playing or doing extracurriculars after all of that. Where was the time for God? Where was the application of His Word? From what I can remember, no one ever broke it down and explained it to me to make sure I understood the importance of applying His Word to my life.
I had this general understanding that God was supposed to be our number 1 priority. We were supposed to love Him first. Easy enough to understand, but there was still this idea that Bible reading was a chore. I didn't understand that I could actually really relate to what it says. Bible verses seemed like little bits and pieces of a book that you constructed sermons from. I didn't understand that the New Testament was a book of instruction. That in many ways it made coherent sense that I could learn from. Reading it is the best way to learn, but I didn't understand why I should read it. Now after several weeks of reading I'm learning so much that I feel so dumb for not having done this before.
I now understand that it's not about my goals and my dreams. Yes, I've gone to school for forever and spent over 1/2 my life working on school work... but that's not what's most important. I've realized that I've been taught to have misplaced priorities. I always heard about the importance of great grades and this idea of success. Success? Hah. Success is in the eye of the beholder. I was taught that making enough money to be comfortable was of immense importance... that is was good to do things for the purpose of doing the right thing, regardless of where my heart was.
My idea of success has drastically changed since coming to college. I may not make millions of dollars, I may not feel like anyone ever listens to me, I may not have my dreams come true and get to have a husband and kids, I may end up homeless, I may end up single, I may end up with a job that isn't what I've been working for in my education, I may end up in trouble, I may end up in another country or in jail or facing death at any point in time. But it's not about what I can do. It's never been about what I can do or what I can accomplish. It is ALL about what God can do through me. My education is not what's most important in my life. It'd be awesome to make a difference through film, but if I can't, I can't. It's not about my will or my dreams. It's all about God's will. What I need to concern myself with is being disciplined. I need to read His Word daily to learn what to seek after. I need to pray daily to keep God constantly active in my life so that I am aware just how omnipresent He is. I need to stay in a small group of close friends so that we can encourage one another and hold each other accountable for our actions. I need to focus my life on doing 2 things - Loving God and Loving others. That is what matters in life. That is where success lies.
Money is paper with some numbers on it. Yeah, it'll get you stuff but I find myself much more satisfied after helping someone else, or giving up something I don't need for someone that does. As far as other things go... feel good things - premarital sex, drunkeness, social power, power through anger and cunning, conceit, popularity... Bah. The only thing any of those things have ever and will ever bring is pain. Some of them I know only too well the amount of pain they can bring. They all bring temporary satisfaction. Nothing that lasts. The more I became consumed with anger and the more cunning I became, the more dissatisfaction I experienced. I had power and control and it felt good when I was cutting others down having an ego about how conniving I was. But at the end of the day I was utterly lonely. Nothing lasted.
I feel wiser and wiser every day. The more I read, the more I learn how to live. It's liberating and it's great! It's not always easy, but I am happy know I have a God I can always depend on. I know that although some people will probably hate me for my beliefs, I have a future full of singing and praise, loving others with genuine, non-selfish love, and an overall appreciation for all the opportunities and beauty that surrounds me. I don't have to be consumed with what others do because all I have to do is forgive them. Grudges are such burdens, as is anger and frustration. I get to pursue a life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. What more could I ever ask for? :) My life is a good life.
"he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone." Titus 3: 5-8
There is no substitute for reading and studying the Word of God. If you are a follower of Christ, it is essential for your growth and your life that you read what is "God-breathed" as instruction (2 Timothy 3:16).
Growing up, it sure seemed like schoolwork was more important than reading my Bible. I mean... yeah I was told to read my Bible daily, but the time allotted for devotional was usually about 10 minutes every morning. The famous "quiet time" that everyone was supposed to have morning or night. But the reality of this schedule was that I would spend about 10 minutes with God in the morning and 3 minutes with Him at night praying. The rest of my day was all about being prompt to meetings, spending 8 hours a day in school, getting all my homework done after school, and playing or doing extracurriculars after all of that. Where was the time for God? Where was the application of His Word? From what I can remember, no one ever broke it down and explained it to me to make sure I understood the importance of applying His Word to my life.
I had this general understanding that God was supposed to be our number 1 priority. We were supposed to love Him first. Easy enough to understand, but there was still this idea that Bible reading was a chore. I didn't understand that I could actually really relate to what it says. Bible verses seemed like little bits and pieces of a book that you constructed sermons from. I didn't understand that the New Testament was a book of instruction. That in many ways it made coherent sense that I could learn from. Reading it is the best way to learn, but I didn't understand why I should read it. Now after several weeks of reading I'm learning so much that I feel so dumb for not having done this before.
I now understand that it's not about my goals and my dreams. Yes, I've gone to school for forever and spent over 1/2 my life working on school work... but that's not what's most important. I've realized that I've been taught to have misplaced priorities. I always heard about the importance of great grades and this idea of success. Success? Hah. Success is in the eye of the beholder. I was taught that making enough money to be comfortable was of immense importance... that is was good to do things for the purpose of doing the right thing, regardless of where my heart was.
My idea of success has drastically changed since coming to college. I may not make millions of dollars, I may not feel like anyone ever listens to me, I may not have my dreams come true and get to have a husband and kids, I may end up homeless, I may end up single, I may end up with a job that isn't what I've been working for in my education, I may end up in trouble, I may end up in another country or in jail or facing death at any point in time. But it's not about what I can do. It's never been about what I can do or what I can accomplish. It is ALL about what God can do through me. My education is not what's most important in my life. It'd be awesome to make a difference through film, but if I can't, I can't. It's not about my will or my dreams. It's all about God's will. What I need to concern myself with is being disciplined. I need to read His Word daily to learn what to seek after. I need to pray daily to keep God constantly active in my life so that I am aware just how omnipresent He is. I need to stay in a small group of close friends so that we can encourage one another and hold each other accountable for our actions. I need to focus my life on doing 2 things - Loving God and Loving others. That is what matters in life. That is where success lies.
Money is paper with some numbers on it. Yeah, it'll get you stuff but I find myself much more satisfied after helping someone else, or giving up something I don't need for someone that does. As far as other things go... feel good things - premarital sex, drunkeness, social power, power through anger and cunning, conceit, popularity... Bah. The only thing any of those things have ever and will ever bring is pain. Some of them I know only too well the amount of pain they can bring. They all bring temporary satisfaction. Nothing that lasts. The more I became consumed with anger and the more cunning I became, the more dissatisfaction I experienced. I had power and control and it felt good when I was cutting others down having an ego about how conniving I was. But at the end of the day I was utterly lonely. Nothing lasted.
I feel wiser and wiser every day. The more I read, the more I learn how to live. It's liberating and it's great! It's not always easy, but I am happy know I have a God I can always depend on. I know that although some people will probably hate me for my beliefs, I have a future full of singing and praise, loving others with genuine, non-selfish love, and an overall appreciation for all the opportunities and beauty that surrounds me. I don't have to be consumed with what others do because all I have to do is forgive them. Grudges are such burdens, as is anger and frustration. I get to pursue a life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. What more could I ever ask for? :) My life is a good life.
"he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone." Titus 3: 5-8
There is no substitute for reading and studying the Word of God. If you are a follower of Christ, it is essential for your growth and your life that you read what is "God-breathed" as instruction (2 Timothy 3:16).
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
My own little Middle Earth
So this post will go a bit against the norm of my other posts because I don't have my Bible open in front of me with several verses to pull from. This was just kind of a realization I had about faith, as well as my personal testimony. But all the knowledge and wisdom I've gained over the years has come from studying the Word and by talking to God in prayer asking for Him to help me decipher His Word. These are the interpretations I think He's shown me, and if anything I've thought has been just a wandering thought of mine without real Biblical foundation, I pray you will forget it. I am fallible, so I'm not right about everything.
But there's this awesome feeling of satisfaction and joy when you're reading something in your Bible or when you're crying out to God and He just seems to answer your question :) Best. Feeling. Ever.
Begin:
It was near the end of 6th grade when my parents decided to move to Huntsville, Alabama from Atlanta, Georgia. Up until this time I had grown up in a Christian world. Raised up in church with a minister dad and a stay-at-home mom, I knew all kinds of Bible stories. At around age 7 my parents told me about this prayer to pray because it was what good Christians did. So, wanting to be obedient, I prayed this prayer and got a cupcake and was baptized. My parents had great intentions, but I often acted older than I was and just liked to obey them so they'd be proud of me. That prayer was just full of words to me. Finding out the truth about faith would take so much more than being obedient for my parents...
The end of 6th grade and basically all of 7th grade was a nightmare for me. For the first time in my life, I really took a look at what I looked like. I noticed my weight, my red Irish complexion, my simple clothes, and my weird Christian background. I was apparently an excellent target of harsh words... my 12 year old heart was more miserable than it had ever been. To this day, that year of my life was the most painful thing I ever went through. But low and behold, that too did pass. Because in 8th grade I was older than the rest of the kids at school, I hit a growth spurt of like 3 inches and worked out/ dieted with dedication. I was skinny and caddy and tried to talk to as many people as possible. I started cussing and started fitting in as much as I could. Because when I did all the things my parents told me not to do, I had friends. I was popular(ish), people talked to me, I had significance.
The significance I had in popularity lasted for right around 7 months and then I entered school as a freshman. Back at the bottom of the food chain and I'm not sure what happened with all those friends. I wasn't friendless, but the friends I was left with didn't seem to have the desire for companionship that I did. I've always loved the movie "Anne of Green Gables"... I wanted that kindred spirit. I wanted that one best friend. The longer I went without that kindred spirit, the more depressed I got. Until finally I decided it was time to end my life because I was never going to find that kindred spirit. By that time I wasn't even going to find a trustworthy friend. I don't know how many times you've had a 'best friend' stab you in the back, but it just seems like I'm some kind of magnet for disloyal people. More personal stuff unfolded between me and said "friends" to reveal that I really was alone. Alone. Alone. Things with my family weren't exactly great either... mostly because my sister and I were at that ripe age where we just annoyed each other to death. I had grown tired of the God my parents always talked about and I wanted nothing to do with all the promises I'd heard of from this "great God." I wanted to go to hell. I wanted to be anywhere my sister wasn't, anywhere where my christian friends wouldn't be. I knew in hell i'd be so preoccupied with pain that I wouldn't notice all my non-christian friends. I tried to find refuge in my solitude. Pain was one of the only things I felt anymore. And because I felt something, I held on to that feeling because I never wanted to become numb. I had reached the bottom. But for some reason, I could never completely follow through with the suicide attempts I made. Fear always kept me from that last little step to seal my death.
I don't really know what happened. But a month or so after my final suicide "attempt" (which was August of my sophomore year of HS), I was lying in my bed one night. Most of the days that month I was numb. I went through the day just letting stuff pass me by. I acted out happiness or whatever it was I was supposed to do to react to people. But every night I just laid there sad and hopeless. That night, I didn't know why, but I just got out my Bible. The Bible I hadn't read in quite a long time... and I opened it. I can't even remember where I turned or what I read, but whatever I read made me understand. I understood that putting your faith in God meant you trusted that Heaven was real and that His Word was real and it was truth. Having faith wasn't part of an agenda and you didn't just proclaim Jesus as your Savior. You don't walk around saying, "Jesus is Lord." The term "christian" isn't a title, it's a way of life. I finally understood that I had to live faith. I was making a conscience choice to dedicate my life to the promise that real reality is that one day, I'm going to die. And after my body dies, my soul will either go to Heaven or go to Hell, and that is where I'll spend the majority of my time. ... I mean, eternity is a pretty long time. So the real reality is this: This life on earth is just a small fraction of the time I'll be conscience and I have to trust that God's promises are real. That's faith.
That night was out of the blue. Nothing special happened earlier that day. No one said anything particular to make me open my Bible. Now I think it was just God. He saw my pain, and He nudged. Instead of fighting it, I just listened. With real curiosity and my numbness near the front of my mind, I opened my Bible and I read. That night I trusted God's Word and that night I became a Christian.
Life has been far from perfect since then and the back-stabbing friend habit I picked up certainly didn't stop. But I had a different perspective. Rather than my life getting worse and worse and worse until I got numb, a process developed. 1. I made decisions, 2. Some of those decisions ended up being mistakes, 3. I felt the consequences of those mistakes - mostly through pain, 4. I sought answers and tried to open up my mind and asked God, "Why?" 5. God answered, 6. I learned and I grew. It wasn't a walk in the park, but my life progressively got better in a sense - the more I grew, the closer I got to God and understanding His mind and His will. The more personal my relationship became with Him.
Now for a long time I've always wondered why fantasies aren't real. I wanted Middle Earth to exist. I was a ridiculous LotR fan for a couple years... still know how to speak some elvish. But I say that to demonstrate how caught up I got in my imagination. I wanted so badly to live a life of peace in Lothlorien. I wanted to be graceful and wise and beautiful. I wanted to live in a magical place unlike anything seen on Earth. I thought it was cruel that God gave me such a vivid imagination when what was in my head would never exist where I was. I was resentful about it sometimes. But many times I still found refuge in my Neverland. It was a beautiful place and it was a great place to visit when the realities of Earth got too painful. It was a place no one could take away.
A few nights ago I don't remember what I read again, but I was reading again. And somewhere in the fine print of God's Word it made sense again. My imagination isn't a curse or a cruel joke. My Neverland was a taste - just a taste - of what my real reality is. When I pass from this life I will be in my Middle Earth. It does exist, but in a fashion so grand and beautiful and peaceful that even my wild imagination can do it no justice. I can't even express what joy I feel when I think of that place existing. And then not long after, I heard a verse that I now think was Romans 8:6, "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires."
I didn't really understand this at first, but then I realized that in order to find true joy, my desires had to line up with God's. For a long time I didn't think my desires did. I wanted a world where loyalty, love, and honesty reigned. A place of ethereal beauty that is not tangible on this Earth. But I thought this was all just my imagination...
My mind was set on the present, not on the future. Not on reality. My greatest desire isn't just in my mind though. It does exist beyond this life. One day I will be in Heaven and getting there is now my heart's greatest desire. I desire companionship still, but a companionship of complete honesty with my brothers and sisters in Christ. I want to just stand around all day singing and praising God. Enjoying the beauty of scenery and not worrying about how people treat me or who I can and can't trust. I don't want to have to worry so much about my own welfare, because I know without doubt that I will be safe in Heaven. Mark 12:25 even says that, "[the risen dead] will be like the angels in heaven." I won't be bound to this earthly body. I won't struggle with jealousy or any other humanly emotions or wants. I will be completely freed from temptation. And just the promise of that life... it makes me ecstatic!
But I will remain very aware of Matthew 7:21-23: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!"
Christianity is not a proclamation, and it is not attending church or telling people right from wrong. It's not just about being good or nice. It's about a relationship more personal than any other. It's about talking to God and more importantly, listening to Him. It's about reading the Bible while seeking truth. It's about living for a different place and trying to spread the joy you've found with others. A hard task when you're used to rejection and pain, but in the end - no one else's choice to reject joy can hamper my joy. Because I'll be there. I'll be in my Middle Earth. I'll be with my God. And I will be explicitly and unexplainably and unendingly happy.
This may sound like foolishness, but... "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because the are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2:14
Seek out God's will always.
But there's this awesome feeling of satisfaction and joy when you're reading something in your Bible or when you're crying out to God and He just seems to answer your question :) Best. Feeling. Ever.
Begin:
It was near the end of 6th grade when my parents decided to move to Huntsville, Alabama from Atlanta, Georgia. Up until this time I had grown up in a Christian world. Raised up in church with a minister dad and a stay-at-home mom, I knew all kinds of Bible stories. At around age 7 my parents told me about this prayer to pray because it was what good Christians did. So, wanting to be obedient, I prayed this prayer and got a cupcake and was baptized. My parents had great intentions, but I often acted older than I was and just liked to obey them so they'd be proud of me. That prayer was just full of words to me. Finding out the truth about faith would take so much more than being obedient for my parents...
The end of 6th grade and basically all of 7th grade was a nightmare for me. For the first time in my life, I really took a look at what I looked like. I noticed my weight, my red Irish complexion, my simple clothes, and my weird Christian background. I was apparently an excellent target of harsh words... my 12 year old heart was more miserable than it had ever been. To this day, that year of my life was the most painful thing I ever went through. But low and behold, that too did pass. Because in 8th grade I was older than the rest of the kids at school, I hit a growth spurt of like 3 inches and worked out/ dieted with dedication. I was skinny and caddy and tried to talk to as many people as possible. I started cussing and started fitting in as much as I could. Because when I did all the things my parents told me not to do, I had friends. I was popular(ish), people talked to me, I had significance.
The significance I had in popularity lasted for right around 7 months and then I entered school as a freshman. Back at the bottom of the food chain and I'm not sure what happened with all those friends. I wasn't friendless, but the friends I was left with didn't seem to have the desire for companionship that I did. I've always loved the movie "Anne of Green Gables"... I wanted that kindred spirit. I wanted that one best friend. The longer I went without that kindred spirit, the more depressed I got. Until finally I decided it was time to end my life because I was never going to find that kindred spirit. By that time I wasn't even going to find a trustworthy friend. I don't know how many times you've had a 'best friend' stab you in the back, but it just seems like I'm some kind of magnet for disloyal people. More personal stuff unfolded between me and said "friends" to reveal that I really was alone. Alone. Alone. Things with my family weren't exactly great either... mostly because my sister and I were at that ripe age where we just annoyed each other to death. I had grown tired of the God my parents always talked about and I wanted nothing to do with all the promises I'd heard of from this "great God." I wanted to go to hell. I wanted to be anywhere my sister wasn't, anywhere where my christian friends wouldn't be. I knew in hell i'd be so preoccupied with pain that I wouldn't notice all my non-christian friends. I tried to find refuge in my solitude. Pain was one of the only things I felt anymore. And because I felt something, I held on to that feeling because I never wanted to become numb. I had reached the bottom. But for some reason, I could never completely follow through with the suicide attempts I made. Fear always kept me from that last little step to seal my death.
I don't really know what happened. But a month or so after my final suicide "attempt" (which was August of my sophomore year of HS), I was lying in my bed one night. Most of the days that month I was numb. I went through the day just letting stuff pass me by. I acted out happiness or whatever it was I was supposed to do to react to people. But every night I just laid there sad and hopeless. That night, I didn't know why, but I just got out my Bible. The Bible I hadn't read in quite a long time... and I opened it. I can't even remember where I turned or what I read, but whatever I read made me understand. I understood that putting your faith in God meant you trusted that Heaven was real and that His Word was real and it was truth. Having faith wasn't part of an agenda and you didn't just proclaim Jesus as your Savior. You don't walk around saying, "Jesus is Lord." The term "christian" isn't a title, it's a way of life. I finally understood that I had to live faith. I was making a conscience choice to dedicate my life to the promise that real reality is that one day, I'm going to die. And after my body dies, my soul will either go to Heaven or go to Hell, and that is where I'll spend the majority of my time. ... I mean, eternity is a pretty long time. So the real reality is this: This life on earth is just a small fraction of the time I'll be conscience and I have to trust that God's promises are real. That's faith.
That night was out of the blue. Nothing special happened earlier that day. No one said anything particular to make me open my Bible. Now I think it was just God. He saw my pain, and He nudged. Instead of fighting it, I just listened. With real curiosity and my numbness near the front of my mind, I opened my Bible and I read. That night I trusted God's Word and that night I became a Christian.
Life has been far from perfect since then and the back-stabbing friend habit I picked up certainly didn't stop. But I had a different perspective. Rather than my life getting worse and worse and worse until I got numb, a process developed. 1. I made decisions, 2. Some of those decisions ended up being mistakes, 3. I felt the consequences of those mistakes - mostly through pain, 4. I sought answers and tried to open up my mind and asked God, "Why?" 5. God answered, 6. I learned and I grew. It wasn't a walk in the park, but my life progressively got better in a sense - the more I grew, the closer I got to God and understanding His mind and His will. The more personal my relationship became with Him.
Now for a long time I've always wondered why fantasies aren't real. I wanted Middle Earth to exist. I was a ridiculous LotR fan for a couple years... still know how to speak some elvish. But I say that to demonstrate how caught up I got in my imagination. I wanted so badly to live a life of peace in Lothlorien. I wanted to be graceful and wise and beautiful. I wanted to live in a magical place unlike anything seen on Earth. I thought it was cruel that God gave me such a vivid imagination when what was in my head would never exist where I was. I was resentful about it sometimes. But many times I still found refuge in my Neverland. It was a beautiful place and it was a great place to visit when the realities of Earth got too painful. It was a place no one could take away.
A few nights ago I don't remember what I read again, but I was reading again. And somewhere in the fine print of God's Word it made sense again. My imagination isn't a curse or a cruel joke. My Neverland was a taste - just a taste - of what my real reality is. When I pass from this life I will be in my Middle Earth. It does exist, but in a fashion so grand and beautiful and peaceful that even my wild imagination can do it no justice. I can't even express what joy I feel when I think of that place existing. And then not long after, I heard a verse that I now think was Romans 8:6, "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires."
I didn't really understand this at first, but then I realized that in order to find true joy, my desires had to line up with God's. For a long time I didn't think my desires did. I wanted a world where loyalty, love, and honesty reigned. A place of ethereal beauty that is not tangible on this Earth. But I thought this was all just my imagination...
My mind was set on the present, not on the future. Not on reality. My greatest desire isn't just in my mind though. It does exist beyond this life. One day I will be in Heaven and getting there is now my heart's greatest desire. I desire companionship still, but a companionship of complete honesty with my brothers and sisters in Christ. I want to just stand around all day singing and praising God. Enjoying the beauty of scenery and not worrying about how people treat me or who I can and can't trust. I don't want to have to worry so much about my own welfare, because I know without doubt that I will be safe in Heaven. Mark 12:25 even says that, "[the risen dead] will be like the angels in heaven." I won't be bound to this earthly body. I won't struggle with jealousy or any other humanly emotions or wants. I will be completely freed from temptation. And just the promise of that life... it makes me ecstatic!
But I will remain very aware of Matthew 7:21-23: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!"
Christianity is not a proclamation, and it is not attending church or telling people right from wrong. It's not just about being good or nice. It's about a relationship more personal than any other. It's about talking to God and more importantly, listening to Him. It's about reading the Bible while seeking truth. It's about living for a different place and trying to spread the joy you've found with others. A hard task when you're used to rejection and pain, but in the end - no one else's choice to reject joy can hamper my joy. Because I'll be there. I'll be in my Middle Earth. I'll be with my God. And I will be explicitly and unexplainably and unendingly happy.
This may sound like foolishness, but... "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because the are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2:14
Seek out God's will always.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Mind-Reader
So I'd just like to point out that our God is an awesome God! He's quite good at reading minds and has a knack for knowing just how to make me smile at Him and how He teaches me new stuff. About 3 weeks ago I was laying in my bed praying and I went through the whole prayer and got to the end and said, "In Jesus' name, Amen." Then I stopped and made a puzzled face and started to wonder, "WHY do I say 'In Jesus' name'?" I couldn't even figure out what it was really supposed to mean. I had a good five to ten minute pondering session for awhile before I decided that I'd look it up the next day or put up a FB note asking if anyone else knew why everyone says that.
This is where God pulled a funny :o)
I've been reading through the Gospels as I make my way through the entire New Testament and I was currently in John. I woke up the next day after my wondering session and opened my Bible to read the next passage I was at, which was John 14. Low and behold John 14: 13&14 reads, "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it." And the footnotes for these verses in my Bible read, "In their hour of loss at the departure of Jesus, He comforted them with the means that would provide them with the necessary resources to accomplish their task without His immediate presence which they had come to depend upon. To ask in Jesus' "name" does not mean to tack such an expression on the end of a prayer as a mere formula. It means: 1) the believer's prayer should be for His purposes and kingdom and not selfish reasons; 2) the believer's prayer should be on the basis of His merits and not any personal merit or worthiness; and 3) the believer's prayer should be in pursuit of His glory alone."
So, question answered! Another win for God! :o) I love it when He does cool stuff like that and am very thankful for the ultimate Teacher! I hope some of you who didn't know this gained some knowledge and I'd encourage all of you who are seeking guidance and answers to first check God's Word. It's got some pretty incredible stuff in there!
"Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." John 13:17
This is where God pulled a funny :o)
I've been reading through the Gospels as I make my way through the entire New Testament and I was currently in John. I woke up the next day after my wondering session and opened my Bible to read the next passage I was at, which was John 14. Low and behold John 14: 13&14 reads, "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it." And the footnotes for these verses in my Bible read, "In their hour of loss at the departure of Jesus, He comforted them with the means that would provide them with the necessary resources to accomplish their task without His immediate presence which they had come to depend upon. To ask in Jesus' "name" does not mean to tack such an expression on the end of a prayer as a mere formula. It means: 1) the believer's prayer should be for His purposes and kingdom and not selfish reasons; 2) the believer's prayer should be on the basis of His merits and not any personal merit or worthiness; and 3) the believer's prayer should be in pursuit of His glory alone."
So, question answered! Another win for God! :o) I love it when He does cool stuff like that and am very thankful for the ultimate Teacher! I hope some of you who didn't know this gained some knowledge and I'd encourage all of you who are seeking guidance and answers to first check God's Word. It's got some pretty incredible stuff in there!
"Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." John 13:17
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Father, Spirit, Jesus
Currently reading: Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot
I'm not going to lie - I have made the mistake of letting school and other less important things get in the way of my relationship with God the past two months. He knows how sorry I am and I've realized how stupid I've been. No wonder my life has been a lot harder than usual the past two months. Anyways, there is something I'd like you to think about. Today in church the music minister did the sermon and she had us read 1 Corinthians 13, but we replaced the word "love" with "grace" every time it appeared. Tonight as I was reading 1 Corinthians 13 in an attempt to memorize verses 4 through 8, I started my own new interpretation. Really read through this and think about each statement. There are three parts of the trinity - Father, Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ the Son. The Father being the supernatural "being" (for lack of a better word), the Holy Spirit is what lives inside of each Christian after they accept Christ as their Savior and is sort of like our conscience, but is actually God living within us, and then Jesus Christ was the human form of God that died and then rose again to be our Savior. Three different parts, yet all the same. The more I learn about the three different parts the more I'm intrigued by the differences of the parts even thought they're all God. Anyways, the main point I want to get across is this loose translation:
"The Father is patient, the Father is kind. He does not envy, He does not boast, He is not proud. He is not rude, He is not self-seeking, He is not easily angered, He keeps no record of wrongs. The Father does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. He always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. The Father never fails."
"Jesus is patient, Jesus is kind. He does not envy, He does not boast, He is not proud. He is not rude, He is not self-seeking, He is not easily angered, He keeps no record of wrongs. Jesus does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. He always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Jesus never fails."
"The Holy Spirit is patient, the Holy Spirit is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. The Holy Spirit does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. The Holy Spirit never fails."
God is love. I can't really find a way to say it better than that. And changing out the word "love" for "Father, Spirit, Jesus" really opened my eyes even more to the meaning of these verses. Sometimes I forget that I can't stop being a Christian. That I'm held to a higher standard 24/7 and that I constantly need to seek after God and spend time with Him. Why else am I here? If my life isn't all about God then what's the point? From experienced I've learned the selfishness always ends in disappointment because I crave companionship. I crave the opportunity to show other people that they are loved. But how can I show people love if I'm not constantly spending time with Love itself? I've got some catching up to do with my Father and I challenge you to start spending more time with Him daily as well. At least think through 1 Corinthian 13 some. It can change your heart.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
- 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8a
I'm not going to lie - I have made the mistake of letting school and other less important things get in the way of my relationship with God the past two months. He knows how sorry I am and I've realized how stupid I've been. No wonder my life has been a lot harder than usual the past two months. Anyways, there is something I'd like you to think about. Today in church the music minister did the sermon and she had us read 1 Corinthians 13, but we replaced the word "love" with "grace" every time it appeared. Tonight as I was reading 1 Corinthians 13 in an attempt to memorize verses 4 through 8, I started my own new interpretation. Really read through this and think about each statement. There are three parts of the trinity - Father, Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ the Son. The Father being the supernatural "being" (for lack of a better word), the Holy Spirit is what lives inside of each Christian after they accept Christ as their Savior and is sort of like our conscience, but is actually God living within us, and then Jesus Christ was the human form of God that died and then rose again to be our Savior. Three different parts, yet all the same. The more I learn about the three different parts the more I'm intrigued by the differences of the parts even thought they're all God. Anyways, the main point I want to get across is this loose translation:
"The Father is patient, the Father is kind. He does not envy, He does not boast, He is not proud. He is not rude, He is not self-seeking, He is not easily angered, He keeps no record of wrongs. The Father does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. He always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. The Father never fails."
"Jesus is patient, Jesus is kind. He does not envy, He does not boast, He is not proud. He is not rude, He is not self-seeking, He is not easily angered, He keeps no record of wrongs. Jesus does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. He always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Jesus never fails."
"The Holy Spirit is patient, the Holy Spirit is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. The Holy Spirit does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. The Holy Spirit never fails."
God is love. I can't really find a way to say it better than that. And changing out the word "love" for "Father, Spirit, Jesus" really opened my eyes even more to the meaning of these verses. Sometimes I forget that I can't stop being a Christian. That I'm held to a higher standard 24/7 and that I constantly need to seek after God and spend time with Him. Why else am I here? If my life isn't all about God then what's the point? From experienced I've learned the selfishness always ends in disappointment because I crave companionship. I crave the opportunity to show other people that they are loved. But how can I show people love if I'm not constantly spending time with Love itself? I've got some catching up to do with my Father and I challenge you to start spending more time with Him daily as well. At least think through 1 Corinthian 13 some. It can change your heart.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
- 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8a
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Freedom, Freedom Now
Currently listening to: Fireflight
This past Wednesday I had the honor to meet composer Mark Camphouse. He composed a piece the UAB Wind Symphony played on their recent tour entitled "A Movement for Rosa." In my life I've noticed most people have a certain event that just grabs their attention. For some people it's the Holocaust and for others the Vietnam War and some are more interested in the Crusades. I have always been unexplainably interested in the Civil Rights Movement. I don't know what exactly it is or where it came from but I have always been affected and moved by the words and actions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and it even stretches back to the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln. "A Movement for Rosa" was written as a tribute to Rosa Parks and after hearing all of the behind the scenes info Mr. Camphouse shared with us, I was quite teared up and literally fighting back tears. One of the coolest parts of the entire session with him was when he explained one rhythm that is woven through a section of the piece. It was based off of a chant from the Civil Rights Movement - "Freedom. Freedom Now." I can't possibly describe how moving this part in the music was after he explained it, but it definitely hit a nerve.
You may be wondering what in the world this has to do with my faith, but I promise I'll explain. The past few days I've had "Rosa" stuck in my head and have been singing it to myself. Today in the sermon Pastor Stone was talking about producing good fruits by choosing to follow Jesus. The sermon was based off of Luke 22 where Judas decides to betray Jesus. Judas was one of the twelve disciples and it looked like he was walking the walk and talking the talk of Christianity, but he missed out because in the end it turned out to be an act. He chose money over salvation. He betrayed Jesus even after seeing firsthand all the miracles performed. Ephesians 5: 1-10 reads, "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person - such a man is an idolater - has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord."
There are certain standards we, as Christians, are held to. We will be judged one day as every person on this earth will be. There is a consequence for everything we do. The difference is that when Christians commit a sin, they (typically) know better. I'm talking specifically to Christians that have the opportunity to hear sermons regularly, participate in Bible studies, and have access to a Bible at virtually any time. We have so many resources. But do we really use them? What better way to grow than to spend time in God's Word every day? What better way to learn lessons than by reading books by authors that have experienced many trials and gained lots of wisdom? How can we really share the love of Christ if we don't even understand the love of Christ because of our ignorance? If He loved us enough to die for us, don't you think we can commit to learning more about Him by reading His Word? In Ephesians 6 it talks about putting on the "full armor of God." In verse 17 it reads, "Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
From personal experience I've noticed many Christians with strong opinions on politics and events in this day and age but rarely do I hear people back up what they say with Biblical foundation. How can we try to convince someone of the Truth when we don't even know it? Having a general understanding of scripture is a good thing, but it is NOT enough. How can we produce good fruit if we're not constantly seeking out what good fruit is? I mean, Jesus was the example of a man capable of unconditional Love and He is supposed to be our example but if we haven't even read His Word, how are we supposed to know what exactly to tell others? It's a dangerous thing to mix up the Truth with what you have to say. You may have good advice and you may think you have really good advice, but you do not have the knowledge that God has. Proverbs 2: 1-11 says, "My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair - every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you."
Yes Bible study and sermons and guest speakers and encouraging music are all good things. But the best way I've found to really grow and to really learn is to not wait on the new songs or guest speakers or not even wait for every Sunday to come along so you can hear a sermon. The best way to learn and to grow is to read. First read your Bible (I would personally suggest a good study Bible - mine's a NAS McArthur Study Bible and it's got tons of great info/ study notes). Aside from that look for good devotionals that you can do once a day. And if you start it and then forget for a day or two or even like three weeks don't just give up. Perservere! Just start back. Just do it. There are so many times a day I find myself sitting down to take a break. Don't watch TV or pick up a fictional book. Isn't Jesus just a bit more important in your life than Harry Potter or Elizabeth Bennett? If you don't have times for breaks like that then maybe try eating and reading at the same time. One hand holds the food and the other the book. But read, read, read! It's so important and I can't stress enough how vital a personal relationship with God is. Don't leave it up to the people around you to teach you. If you're an average American citizen then you started out in Kindergarten where the teacher did everything for you. As you grew you started getting homework. If you're like me and now in college then the majority of your grade depends on you taking lots of your time to study and prepare for the tests. You have so much independence. So much freedom over whether you fail or pass the class.
We (generally speaking) have the ability to read the Bible. What valid excuse do you have? Sunday school for 5 year olds is a lot like Kindergarten. You have a short attention span and learn basic stories. As we grow in the church we also need to start being more independent. But with this independence comes a responsibility to learn on our own.
At the Korean War Memorial in Washington D.C. "Freedom is not Free" is inscribed on a wall. John 8:32 says, "The Truth will set you free." We have the freedom in this country to read our Bibles any time we want. God tells us that His Word will also give us freedom. There is a chant resounding in my head. A chant once vocalized by oppressed African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement. They wanted the chance to be treated equal. I want us as Christians to have the freedom to know exactly what it is we believe and the freedom to better understand what Christ really did for us. The more we know, the more freedom we will have from the evil on this earth. The more heavily we arm ourselves with the Word of God, the stronger we'll be to ward of the slavery of sin. Don't get caught in the trap of sin. Don't let it take a hold on your heart and cause you pain and sufferring like Judas experienced. Don't wait until tomorrow because you don't know when there won't be any more tomorrows.
Freedom. Freedom Now.
This past Wednesday I had the honor to meet composer Mark Camphouse. He composed a piece the UAB Wind Symphony played on their recent tour entitled "A Movement for Rosa." In my life I've noticed most people have a certain event that just grabs their attention. For some people it's the Holocaust and for others the Vietnam War and some are more interested in the Crusades. I have always been unexplainably interested in the Civil Rights Movement. I don't know what exactly it is or where it came from but I have always been affected and moved by the words and actions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and it even stretches back to the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln. "A Movement for Rosa" was written as a tribute to Rosa Parks and after hearing all of the behind the scenes info Mr. Camphouse shared with us, I was quite teared up and literally fighting back tears. One of the coolest parts of the entire session with him was when he explained one rhythm that is woven through a section of the piece. It was based off of a chant from the Civil Rights Movement - "Freedom. Freedom Now." I can't possibly describe how moving this part in the music was after he explained it, but it definitely hit a nerve.
You may be wondering what in the world this has to do with my faith, but I promise I'll explain. The past few days I've had "Rosa" stuck in my head and have been singing it to myself. Today in the sermon Pastor Stone was talking about producing good fruits by choosing to follow Jesus. The sermon was based off of Luke 22 where Judas decides to betray Jesus. Judas was one of the twelve disciples and it looked like he was walking the walk and talking the talk of Christianity, but he missed out because in the end it turned out to be an act. He chose money over salvation. He betrayed Jesus even after seeing firsthand all the miracles performed. Ephesians 5: 1-10 reads, "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person - such a man is an idolater - has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord."
There are certain standards we, as Christians, are held to. We will be judged one day as every person on this earth will be. There is a consequence for everything we do. The difference is that when Christians commit a sin, they (typically) know better. I'm talking specifically to Christians that have the opportunity to hear sermons regularly, participate in Bible studies, and have access to a Bible at virtually any time. We have so many resources. But do we really use them? What better way to grow than to spend time in God's Word every day? What better way to learn lessons than by reading books by authors that have experienced many trials and gained lots of wisdom? How can we really share the love of Christ if we don't even understand the love of Christ because of our ignorance? If He loved us enough to die for us, don't you think we can commit to learning more about Him by reading His Word? In Ephesians 6 it talks about putting on the "full armor of God." In verse 17 it reads, "Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
From personal experience I've noticed many Christians with strong opinions on politics and events in this day and age but rarely do I hear people back up what they say with Biblical foundation. How can we try to convince someone of the Truth when we don't even know it? Having a general understanding of scripture is a good thing, but it is NOT enough. How can we produce good fruit if we're not constantly seeking out what good fruit is? I mean, Jesus was the example of a man capable of unconditional Love and He is supposed to be our example but if we haven't even read His Word, how are we supposed to know what exactly to tell others? It's a dangerous thing to mix up the Truth with what you have to say. You may have good advice and you may think you have really good advice, but you do not have the knowledge that God has. Proverbs 2: 1-11 says, "My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair - every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you."
Yes Bible study and sermons and guest speakers and encouraging music are all good things. But the best way I've found to really grow and to really learn is to not wait on the new songs or guest speakers or not even wait for every Sunday to come along so you can hear a sermon. The best way to learn and to grow is to read. First read your Bible (I would personally suggest a good study Bible - mine's a NAS McArthur Study Bible and it's got tons of great info/ study notes). Aside from that look for good devotionals that you can do once a day. And if you start it and then forget for a day or two or even like three weeks don't just give up. Perservere! Just start back. Just do it. There are so many times a day I find myself sitting down to take a break. Don't watch TV or pick up a fictional book. Isn't Jesus just a bit more important in your life than Harry Potter or Elizabeth Bennett? If you don't have times for breaks like that then maybe try eating and reading at the same time. One hand holds the food and the other the book. But read, read, read! It's so important and I can't stress enough how vital a personal relationship with God is. Don't leave it up to the people around you to teach you. If you're an average American citizen then you started out in Kindergarten where the teacher did everything for you. As you grew you started getting homework. If you're like me and now in college then the majority of your grade depends on you taking lots of your time to study and prepare for the tests. You have so much independence. So much freedom over whether you fail or pass the class.
We (generally speaking) have the ability to read the Bible. What valid excuse do you have? Sunday school for 5 year olds is a lot like Kindergarten. You have a short attention span and learn basic stories. As we grow in the church we also need to start being more independent. But with this independence comes a responsibility to learn on our own.
At the Korean War Memorial in Washington D.C. "Freedom is not Free" is inscribed on a wall. John 8:32 says, "The Truth will set you free." We have the freedom in this country to read our Bibles any time we want. God tells us that His Word will also give us freedom. There is a chant resounding in my head. A chant once vocalized by oppressed African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement. They wanted the chance to be treated equal. I want us as Christians to have the freedom to know exactly what it is we believe and the freedom to better understand what Christ really did for us. The more we know, the more freedom we will have from the evil on this earth. The more heavily we arm ourselves with the Word of God, the stronger we'll be to ward of the slavery of sin. Don't get caught in the trap of sin. Don't let it take a hold on your heart and cause you pain and sufferring like Judas experienced. Don't wait until tomorrow because you don't know when there won't be any more tomorrows.
Freedom. Freedom Now.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Hold Up, Wait a Minute, Put a Little Love In It
Currently reading: The Gospel of Luke
So my memory verse for today is Ephesians 6:7 which reads, "Render service with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to men." Now, I'm not sure why but I kept wanting to replace the "as to"'s with "as for"'s. Then I started thinking about what is meant by "as to." I first wanted to translate this verse to mean, 'the service I do needs to be for the Lord. I need to focus on Him and not worry so much over helping people when what they are doing does not pertain to doing some act of service to God.' Wow. I was wrong. I misinterpreted because I was replacing the "as to" with "as for."
"Render service with a good attitude, as TO the Lord and not to men." To me now I have a new understanding. God wants us to do kind things for other people because we're not paying the person back in any way or giving them what they deserve, but we are trying to pay tribute to God for the Love He shows us. The cost of our salvation was Jesus dying a gruesome death. We will never be able to pay that off. The point isn't the impossibility of us being worthy, the point is that every day of our lives we should be giving thanks and giving glory and giving back to God. No one can decide exactly what others deserve. Someone may have lied or stolen from you, but if you're given the opportunity to help them out, you should. It's not about what they deserve. It's about what God deserves. God deserves our love. We love Him through loving other people. John 13:35 says, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Not only should we love our brothers and sisters in Christ, but we should also show love to others that are not in our family. We have the promise of forgiveness any time we sin. Why should we judge and punish others? Do you not think God can better justify a wrongdoing? Matthew 5:39-42 says, "But I say to you, do not resist an evil person, but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you."
That's right - when someone hits you in the face, you're supposed to offer your other cheek. Think about these verses. Just stop and reflect.
God does not want us to judge others. Revenge is not loving. Revenge is not joyful. Revenge is not peaceful. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9). Unconditional love is patient (1 Corinthians 13:4).
How many people have you judged today? Not just judging appearances or actions, but how many people in the past week have you 'brought to justice'. God calls us to "love one another deeply" (1 Peter 1:22).
How many Christians have you judged this month? How many of your brothers and sisters have you looked at and compared yourself to? We are ALL in need of grace. Every single one of us every day. We cannot compare ourselves to our family members. 2 Corinthians 10:13 says, "Our goal is to measure up to God's plans for us." Are you measuring up? Are you more focused on how to grow closer to God and work toward becoming more like Jesus? Or are you more focused on every one around you that's not doing it?
I don't write these things to condemn you, but to warn you against the things I've caught myself doing. Trying to judge others is a waste of time. A waste. Of time. I speak from experience. Time is so precious. Eternity is forever and I only have a short while on earth to show others that I love them. To try and show them to unconditional love I receive every second of every day. A love I still cannot entirely fathom (and I'm betting I never will be able to). If we can recognize and study and start to try and wrap our minds around the love God has for us, it can change our perspectives, our priorities, and even our current beliefs. I challenge you to take time this week to look up verses on love and write them all down on one or two sheets of paper. Go through with a highlighter and mark the characteristics of love. If you're not sure where to start, I'd suggest 1 Corinthians 13. Once you've marked up all the characteristics make a list of them. Then make another list of every unloving thing you've done this week that doesn't match up with the characteristics of love. Put the lists side by side and go to God in prayer. Ask Him to forgive you for the unloving things you've done. Then go through each characteristic of love and praise Him, thank Him for showing those things to you every moment of your life. When you're done praying, burn or shred the list of now forgiven sins. Take the list of characteristics and tape them to your refrigerator or put them somewhere where you'll see them every day. As you go through the day focus on living out those characteristics of love. Also realize that God is all these things. God is Love.
"This service you perform not only meets the needs of God's people, but also produces an outpouring of gratitude to God." 2 Corinthians 9:12
So my memory verse for today is Ephesians 6:7 which reads, "Render service with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to men." Now, I'm not sure why but I kept wanting to replace the "as to"'s with "as for"'s. Then I started thinking about what is meant by "as to." I first wanted to translate this verse to mean, 'the service I do needs to be for the Lord. I need to focus on Him and not worry so much over helping people when what they are doing does not pertain to doing some act of service to God.' Wow. I was wrong. I misinterpreted because I was replacing the "as to" with "as for."
"Render service with a good attitude, as TO the Lord and not to men." To me now I have a new understanding. God wants us to do kind things for other people because we're not paying the person back in any way or giving them what they deserve, but we are trying to pay tribute to God for the Love He shows us. The cost of our salvation was Jesus dying a gruesome death. We will never be able to pay that off. The point isn't the impossibility of us being worthy, the point is that every day of our lives we should be giving thanks and giving glory and giving back to God. No one can decide exactly what others deserve. Someone may have lied or stolen from you, but if you're given the opportunity to help them out, you should. It's not about what they deserve. It's about what God deserves. God deserves our love. We love Him through loving other people. John 13:35 says, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Not only should we love our brothers and sisters in Christ, but we should also show love to others that are not in our family. We have the promise of forgiveness any time we sin. Why should we judge and punish others? Do you not think God can better justify a wrongdoing? Matthew 5:39-42 says, "But I say to you, do not resist an evil person, but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you."
That's right - when someone hits you in the face, you're supposed to offer your other cheek. Think about these verses. Just stop and reflect.
God does not want us to judge others. Revenge is not loving. Revenge is not joyful. Revenge is not peaceful. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9). Unconditional love is patient (1 Corinthians 13:4).
How many people have you judged today? Not just judging appearances or actions, but how many people in the past week have you 'brought to justice'. God calls us to "love one another deeply" (1 Peter 1:22).
How many Christians have you judged this month? How many of your brothers and sisters have you looked at and compared yourself to? We are ALL in need of grace. Every single one of us every day. We cannot compare ourselves to our family members. 2 Corinthians 10:13 says, "Our goal is to measure up to God's plans for us." Are you measuring up? Are you more focused on how to grow closer to God and work toward becoming more like Jesus? Or are you more focused on every one around you that's not doing it?
I don't write these things to condemn you, but to warn you against the things I've caught myself doing. Trying to judge others is a waste of time. A waste. Of time. I speak from experience. Time is so precious. Eternity is forever and I only have a short while on earth to show others that I love them. To try and show them to unconditional love I receive every second of every day. A love I still cannot entirely fathom (and I'm betting I never will be able to). If we can recognize and study and start to try and wrap our minds around the love God has for us, it can change our perspectives, our priorities, and even our current beliefs. I challenge you to take time this week to look up verses on love and write them all down on one or two sheets of paper. Go through with a highlighter and mark the characteristics of love. If you're not sure where to start, I'd suggest 1 Corinthians 13. Once you've marked up all the characteristics make a list of them. Then make another list of every unloving thing you've done this week that doesn't match up with the characteristics of love. Put the lists side by side and go to God in prayer. Ask Him to forgive you for the unloving things you've done. Then go through each characteristic of love and praise Him, thank Him for showing those things to you every moment of your life. When you're done praying, burn or shred the list of now forgiven sins. Take the list of characteristics and tape them to your refrigerator or put them somewhere where you'll see them every day. As you go through the day focus on living out those characteristics of love. Also realize that God is all these things. God is Love.
"This service you perform not only meets the needs of God's people, but also produces an outpouring of gratitude to God." 2 Corinthians 9:12
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)