This is by no means finished, nor are my thoughts completely fleshed out, but here are just a few things I've taken away from Faithwalkers this week.
A true follower of Christ realizes he is gaining more than he is losing by paying the price of discipleship.
Matthew 13:44 The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
It was a joy for him to give up all he had because he knew what he was gaining was far better.
The joy is found at the end of the journey. It is our eternal reward.
There is blessing in this life as well when we sacrifice everything to God!
Jesus commands to us are not burdensome when he is at the center of our lives.
Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
1 John 5:3 This is love for God, to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome...
Being Jesus centered alleviates the burden.
God is our refuge in times of trouble. Where do I go when I am burdened? In times of stress? When the cost is too high to pay?
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my salvation and my glory;
my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us. Psalm 62:5-8
Commitment is not a feeling. It is a choice.
Discipleship Requirements
1) Hate your father and mother. Your love for your family should look like hate in comparison to your love for God.
2) Be willing to die for Christ
3) Be willing to give up everything you have
If we focus on our rights as a Christian there will be rebellion. If we focus on our responsibilities there will be revival.
There is a cost to becoming a disciple of Christ. There is also a cost to not becoming a disciple of Christ.
Unity is all of us using our different gifts together to bring God glory.
And I will leave you with that final thought. Possibly more up tomorrow!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Moving forward
In conjunction with my previous post, I've decided that if I want to see certain areas in my life change, I need to make some commitments to the Lord. For me, simply deciding in my mind that I'm going to do something isn't enough; I'll never follow through. So, with that, I want to share those commitments, along with some of God's promises, with you. It's my hope that by making these commitments more public I will be held more accountable to them.
1. I will give God the time he deserves by reading the Word without rushing through it
Blessed is the man that walks not in the way of the ungodly……But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law does he meditate day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of waters, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf shall not wither, and whatsoever he does shall prosper. Psalm 1:1-3
2. I will seek God in prayer more
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16
3. I will do my best to share Christ in big and small ways with those around me who don't know him yet
I have put My words in your mouth; I have covered you with the shadow of My hand, that I
may plant the heavens, lay the foundations of the earth, and say to Zion, “You are My
people.” Isaiah 51:16
4. I will try to praise God more through my circumstances and complain less
I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1
5. I will not fill my heart with the garbage of the media and make wise decisions about what I watch or listen to
The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45
6. I will not be ashamed of my weaknesses
And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness " Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 2 Corinthians 12:8-10
7. I will not feel guilty when I stumble in any of these areas. I will live in the grace of God who has given me freedom in Christ.
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:5-6
1. I will give God the time he deserves by reading the Word without rushing through it
Blessed is the man that walks not in the way of the ungodly……But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law does he meditate day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of waters, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf shall not wither, and whatsoever he does shall prosper. Psalm 1:1-3
2. I will seek God in prayer more
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16
3. I will do my best to share Christ in big and small ways with those around me who don't know him yet
I have put My words in your mouth; I have covered you with the shadow of My hand, that I
may plant the heavens, lay the foundations of the earth, and say to Zion, “You are My
people.” Isaiah 51:16
4. I will try to praise God more through my circumstances and complain less
I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1
5. I will not fill my heart with the garbage of the media and make wise decisions about what I watch or listen to
The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45
6. I will not be ashamed of my weaknesses
And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness " Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 2 Corinthians 12:8-10
7. I will not feel guilty when I stumble in any of these areas. I will live in the grace of God who has given me freedom in Christ.
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:5-6
Friday, October 22, 2010
There's no "do-overs" in Christianity
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 ESV
There are days I find such comfort in that verse. When I feel like I just can't seem to move forward in my walk with the Lord. When I look back at the past several years and wonder "how am I different now than I was then? How have I grown in my faith?" When I just want to hit the "stop" button and press "rewind" so I can have a do-over.
"He who began a good work in [me]". God has begun a good work in me. He isn't finished with me yet. He's still making me into the person he wants me to be. And the only one who is holding me back from becoming that person is me. Nobody else is responsible for the decisions I make. Why do I feel like I haven't really grown? Because I haven't allowed God to make the changes that need to be made. I've been too scared of getting hurt, of going through things I don't think I can handle, forgetting that with God all things are possible and I don't have to handle anything on my own. And to even think about trying is to make God smaller than he really is.
See, I know what I need to do in a lot of areas, and all it takes is that first step, but when it comes to stepping out I continually fall short. I just can't seem to do whatever it is that I need to do. Whether it's pray more, share the gospel more, stand more firm in my convictions; whenever I'm presented with opportunities to do those things (especially the last two), I continually back down. Not only do I make God smaller than he is, I don't allow him to work through my weaknesses so that I can glorify him. I hold him at an arm's length and just like many of my earthly relationships, I don't want to him to see the real me.
But Jeremiah 23:23 says, "Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? Declares the Lord."
Hmmm. Can't run from God. Can't hide from him. And why should I want to? Because there are days I feel like I've screwed up so badly that all I want is an opportunity to do it over? I can't change the past. What's done is done. But I can look to God, keeping my eyes fixed on Jesus, to help me through the here and now so that I can really live each day for him. If I believe that God is really real in my life, I need to live in such a way that reflects that reality; facing my problems and obstacles head on, with God at the lead, allowing him total control of the situation.
I praise God that I don't have to get it right all the time! He does not ask me to be perfect, but simply wants heart and my willingness to be used by him!
There are days I find such comfort in that verse. When I feel like I just can't seem to move forward in my walk with the Lord. When I look back at the past several years and wonder "how am I different now than I was then? How have I grown in my faith?" When I just want to hit the "stop" button and press "rewind" so I can have a do-over.
"He who began a good work in [me]". God has begun a good work in me. He isn't finished with me yet. He's still making me into the person he wants me to be. And the only one who is holding me back from becoming that person is me. Nobody else is responsible for the decisions I make. Why do I feel like I haven't really grown? Because I haven't allowed God to make the changes that need to be made. I've been too scared of getting hurt, of going through things I don't think I can handle, forgetting that with God all things are possible and I don't have to handle anything on my own. And to even think about trying is to make God smaller than he really is.
See, I know what I need to do in a lot of areas, and all it takes is that first step, but when it comes to stepping out I continually fall short. I just can't seem to do whatever it is that I need to do. Whether it's pray more, share the gospel more, stand more firm in my convictions; whenever I'm presented with opportunities to do those things (especially the last two), I continually back down. Not only do I make God smaller than he is, I don't allow him to work through my weaknesses so that I can glorify him. I hold him at an arm's length and just like many of my earthly relationships, I don't want to him to see the real me.
But Jeremiah 23:23 says, "Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? Declares the Lord."
Hmmm. Can't run from God. Can't hide from him. And why should I want to? Because there are days I feel like I've screwed up so badly that all I want is an opportunity to do it over? I can't change the past. What's done is done. But I can look to God, keeping my eyes fixed on Jesus, to help me through the here and now so that I can really live each day for him. If I believe that God is really real in my life, I need to live in such a way that reflects that reality; facing my problems and obstacles head on, with God at the lead, allowing him total control of the situation.
I praise God that I don't have to get it right all the time! He does not ask me to be perfect, but simply wants heart and my willingness to be used by him!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Jeremiah 30:12-17
Jeremiah 30:12-13
"For thus says the LORD: Your hurt is incurable,
and your wound is grievous.
There is none to uphold your cause,
no medicine for your wound,
no healing for you.
All your lovers have forgotten you;
they care nothing for you;
for I have dealt you the blow of an enemy,
the punishment of a merciless foe,
because your guilt is great,
because your sins are flagrant.
Why do you cry out over your hurt?
Your pain is incurable.
Because your guilt is great,
because your sins are flagrant,
I have done these things to you.
Therefore all who devour you shall be devoured,
and all your foes, every one of them, shall go into captivity;
those who plunder you shall be plundered,
and all who prey on you I will make a prey.
For I will restore health to you,
and your wounds I will heal,
declares the LORD, because they have called you an outcast:
'It is Zion, for whom no one cares!'
I read this passage yesterday morning and what really struck me was actually out of the first couple of verses. In verses 12 and 13, I could almost feel God's heart breaking for His people through these words. It seems that in most passages like this, you really feel God's righteous anger towards the Israelites because they have turned from Him to follow other gods. But here, it wasn't just that God was angry about what they had done; He was genuinely grieved by the consequences they were experiencing as a result of their decisions. I really believe that God did not necessarily want to put His chosen people through all of that pain and heartache, but it is often through the pain that God is able to best get our attention. Plus, there is a promise at the end of the hurt. If they would only turn back to Him and follow God with all their hearts, he would be their God and they would be His people.
Are we really so different from the Israelites? When we are trapped in our sin, our hurts are incurable and our wounds are grievous too. There is nothing within ourselves that can save us from our sin. The difference though, between us and the Israelites, is that there now is medicine for our wounds, there is healing for us. Our healing is found in Jesus Christ who hung on the cross and took on the sins of the whole world.
The beginning part of the passage may not be the most conventional place to find encouragement in the Word, but it gives me just another small glimpse into the character of God and, for me, it re-affirms that a God who feels so deeply for His chosen people is the God I want to serve and live my life for!
"For thus says the LORD: Your hurt is incurable,
and your wound is grievous.
There is none to uphold your cause,
no medicine for your wound,
no healing for you.
All your lovers have forgotten you;
they care nothing for you;
for I have dealt you the blow of an enemy,
the punishment of a merciless foe,
because your guilt is great,
because your sins are flagrant.
Why do you cry out over your hurt?
Your pain is incurable.
Because your guilt is great,
because your sins are flagrant,
I have done these things to you.
Therefore all who devour you shall be devoured,
and all your foes, every one of them, shall go into captivity;
those who plunder you shall be plundered,
and all who prey on you I will make a prey.
For I will restore health to you,
and your wounds I will heal,
declares the LORD, because they have called you an outcast:
'It is Zion, for whom no one cares!'
I read this passage yesterday morning and what really struck me was actually out of the first couple of verses. In verses 12 and 13, I could almost feel God's heart breaking for His people through these words. It seems that in most passages like this, you really feel God's righteous anger towards the Israelites because they have turned from Him to follow other gods. But here, it wasn't just that God was angry about what they had done; He was genuinely grieved by the consequences they were experiencing as a result of their decisions. I really believe that God did not necessarily want to put His chosen people through all of that pain and heartache, but it is often through the pain that God is able to best get our attention. Plus, there is a promise at the end of the hurt. If they would only turn back to Him and follow God with all their hearts, he would be their God and they would be His people.
Are we really so different from the Israelites? When we are trapped in our sin, our hurts are incurable and our wounds are grievous too. There is nothing within ourselves that can save us from our sin. The difference though, between us and the Israelites, is that there now is medicine for our wounds, there is healing for us. Our healing is found in Jesus Christ who hung on the cross and took on the sins of the whole world.
The beginning part of the passage may not be the most conventional place to find encouragement in the Word, but it gives me just another small glimpse into the character of God and, for me, it re-affirms that a God who feels so deeply for His chosen people is the God I want to serve and live my life for!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Pride cometh before the fall....
Well...it certainly has been a while, hasn't it? I didn't realize how long it had been since I had last posted until I read my last entry and noticed the date. Not that I feel obligated to do this, but I certainly didn't intend to fall so far behind!
I feel that I could cover a lot of ground here, but I'm also tired and don't really feel like writing pages and pages of my innermost thoughts, so I'll just go over some more recent thoughts. The last several weeks, I've just felt a bit off. Kind of down, and not really in the Spirit. I spend some time in the Word every morning, but I often feel like I don't really give God the time that He deserves, and that affects pretty much every area of my life. I'm a lot more irritable and impatient at work and I tend to distance myself from the people I'm closest to. I've found myself getting more annoyed by things that wouldn't normally bother me so much. And then I feel like I'm not being a "good" Christian, whatever that means! I get so caught in this trap that I need to "perform" and "act" a certain way in order for God to love and accept me, when I know that's a lie! All God wants from me is my heart, broken and wretched as it is.
Tonight's Bible study was such a great heart check for me, because I realized that my attitude really has everything to do with pride. I find that I often compare myself to other people and then for whatever reason, I think that I'm somehow better at something than they are and think, "Oh, I could have done _____ so much better" and then I get annoyed at the fact that they didn't do things the way I would have! How conceited can I be?? I'm really not trying to beat myself up over this; I'm human and I'm going to make dumb mistakes. I'm just being honest about the sin in my heart.
But here's the encouraging part: Philippians 2:1-4 says So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
So once I start thinking about others above myself, I turn the spotlight off of Tiffany, my heart begins to change and thus my attitude improves! Not an easy task, I know, but it means that I can choose how to respond to situations. I do not have to feel depressed. I can choose to be humble and I can choose to love someone even when it's difficult. It's really all up to me (and you!), I just need to make the choice. I pray that I will choose in a godly manner!
I feel that I could cover a lot of ground here, but I'm also tired and don't really feel like writing pages and pages of my innermost thoughts, so I'll just go over some more recent thoughts. The last several weeks, I've just felt a bit off. Kind of down, and not really in the Spirit. I spend some time in the Word every morning, but I often feel like I don't really give God the time that He deserves, and that affects pretty much every area of my life. I'm a lot more irritable and impatient at work and I tend to distance myself from the people I'm closest to. I've found myself getting more annoyed by things that wouldn't normally bother me so much. And then I feel like I'm not being a "good" Christian, whatever that means! I get so caught in this trap that I need to "perform" and "act" a certain way in order for God to love and accept me, when I know that's a lie! All God wants from me is my heart, broken and wretched as it is.
Tonight's Bible study was such a great heart check for me, because I realized that my attitude really has everything to do with pride. I find that I often compare myself to other people and then for whatever reason, I think that I'm somehow better at something than they are and think, "Oh, I could have done _____ so much better" and then I get annoyed at the fact that they didn't do things the way I would have! How conceited can I be?? I'm really not trying to beat myself up over this; I'm human and I'm going to make dumb mistakes. I'm just being honest about the sin in my heart.
But here's the encouraging part: Philippians 2:1-4 says So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
So once I start thinking about others above myself, I turn the spotlight off of Tiffany, my heart begins to change and thus my attitude improves! Not an easy task, I know, but it means that I can choose how to respond to situations. I do not have to feel depressed. I can choose to be humble and I can choose to love someone even when it's difficult. It's really all up to me (and you!), I just need to make the choice. I pray that I will choose in a godly manner!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Finding Joy in the Midst of the Pain
"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4
"Consider it all joy."
Not exactly an easy thing to do. 'My life sucks! Praise God!' Okay, my life doesn't suck. That's a lie. What does suck, though, is all of this crap the church is going through right now. People are leaving right and left, and based on what? The decision of one family to leave our church? There is no doubt in my mind that they prayed over their decision and sought counsel before leaving. This was a decision that was a long time coming. But those who have followed? I honestly wonder how many of them have really prayed over it. I am fully aware that that is between each individual and God and that is none of my business.
It just hurts to see all of these people go. I'm not all that close to all but a few, but the ones I was close to, I feel like my heart is breaking. You'd think I'd be used to it by now, you know? I've seen it happen so many times in the past 10 years. Get close to someone, and they leave. I know it's nothing I've done, and there's nothing I could have done to stop it, but it doesn't change the fact that it tears my heart into a million pieces. How am I supposed to find joy here?
I know that God has a plan and reason for all of this. That's about the only thing I can hold on to right now, because I just can't make sense of any of this. I know that those of us who are left are supposed to keep pressing onward, but it's so hard when I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. When does it end? God, haven't you whittled our numbers down enough? How many more will you take?
Yet, I firmly believe that God is going to do a miraculous work though those of us who decide to stick it out. It's going to take time and it may seem impossible from where I sit, but He is God of the impossible. And I'm excited to see what's waiting for us on the other side of all of this.
"Consider it all joy."
Not exactly an easy thing to do. 'My life sucks! Praise God!' Okay, my life doesn't suck. That's a lie. What does suck, though, is all of this crap the church is going through right now. People are leaving right and left, and based on what? The decision of one family to leave our church? There is no doubt in my mind that they prayed over their decision and sought counsel before leaving. This was a decision that was a long time coming. But those who have followed? I honestly wonder how many of them have really prayed over it. I am fully aware that that is between each individual and God and that is none of my business.
It just hurts to see all of these people go. I'm not all that close to all but a few, but the ones I was close to, I feel like my heart is breaking. You'd think I'd be used to it by now, you know? I've seen it happen so many times in the past 10 years. Get close to someone, and they leave. I know it's nothing I've done, and there's nothing I could have done to stop it, but it doesn't change the fact that it tears my heart into a million pieces. How am I supposed to find joy here?
I know that God has a plan and reason for all of this. That's about the only thing I can hold on to right now, because I just can't make sense of any of this. I know that those of us who are left are supposed to keep pressing onward, but it's so hard when I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. When does it end? God, haven't you whittled our numbers down enough? How many more will you take?
Yet, I firmly believe that God is going to do a miraculous work though those of us who decide to stick it out. It's going to take time and it may seem impossible from where I sit, but He is God of the impossible. And I'm excited to see what's waiting for us on the other side of all of this.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
1 Peter 1:3-7
Saturday, July 10, 2010
What Really Matters
Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day. Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off." Proverbs 23:17-18
I read this during my quiet time this morning and I was really struck by these verses. First of all, "Let not your heart envy sinners". Ok, who else besides me gets caught in that trap all the time? I think it's so easy to look at people who don't know God and who have all of this success and "stuff" and just think, "I wish that could be me." I mean, if every good thing comes from God, then why isn't He blessing me more? But then, as I thought about it more, I realized that when I do that, I'm judging success by the world's standards and I'm not fixing my eyes on eternity. It may seem like they have so much more than me in this life, but everything they have is going to burn in the end. As Christians, what do we have to be envious of when we have the promise of eternal life?"[But] continue in the fear of the Lord all the day." I'm still working out what it really means to fear the Lord. I know it's not about fearing God like we're scared of the bogeyman, but more of a reverent obedience in response to our love for Him. Again, I'm slowly discovering what this means in terms of my walk and still figuring out how I can do this on a day to day basis.
"Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off." I truly love God's promises to us! No matter what our circumstances, God has given us a future and a hope. As Christians, we have so much more to hope in than the things of this present life! We have the privilege of knowing that our eternal future is secure which is so much more important than having all the fame and riches the world can hold.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Follow Your Dreams....Not Your Heart
There's this quote on the back of my journal and the more I think about it, the more it drives me a little nuts.
"At every crossroad, follow your dream. It is courageous to let your heart lead the way."
I mean, that's a nice thought and everything. It sounds great, right? But the more I've learned about who God is, the more I realize that it's a total crock. I've lived that way for much of my life and all it's done is lead me on a path that's not always God's will for my life. I know that God is ultimately in control and that He will always get me back to where I'm supposed to be, but when I let my heart lead the way I often find myself two steps back rather than one step ahead.
I think the part of the quote that bothers me the most is the second half, that it's "courageous to let your heart lead the way." The heart is a liar. If you're not in line with God's will and you're making decisions based on "it just feels right." That's ultimately how I made the decision to go to Drake 10 years ago, and I will never regret that decision, but there are others that followed that I can see now how my life would have been different if I had sought more counsel and truly been in the will of God. I could spend my whole life dwelling over the "if onlies" though and never move forward. So now, I learn from my mistakes and stupid decisions and instead of "following my heart" when I come to a crossroad, I must approach things more carefully, seeking wisdom from the One who knows the plan for my life.
"At every crossroad, follow your dream. It is courageous to let your heart lead the way."
I mean, that's a nice thought and everything. It sounds great, right? But the more I've learned about who God is, the more I realize that it's a total crock. I've lived that way for much of my life and all it's done is lead me on a path that's not always God's will for my life. I know that God is ultimately in control and that He will always get me back to where I'm supposed to be, but when I let my heart lead the way I often find myself two steps back rather than one step ahead.
I think the part of the quote that bothers me the most is the second half, that it's "courageous to let your heart lead the way." The heart is a liar. If you're not in line with God's will and you're making decisions based on "it just feels right." That's ultimately how I made the decision to go to Drake 10 years ago, and I will never regret that decision, but there are others that followed that I can see now how my life would have been different if I had sought more counsel and truly been in the will of God. I could spend my whole life dwelling over the "if onlies" though and never move forward. So now, I learn from my mistakes and stupid decisions and instead of "following my heart" when I come to a crossroad, I must approach things more carefully, seeking wisdom from the One who knows the plan for my life.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Finally living in God's grace
I posted last night on Facebook that I was coming to some realizations that could mean a complete change in my relationship with Christ. I knew there were some verses that spoke to exactly what I was talking about, but I wanted to make sure I had them before sharing what God has placed on my heart. Keep in mind, this really isn't anything new; I haven't discovered something about God that wasn't already known, it's just that I have gained new understanding.
2 John 1:5-6
Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is my commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning that you should walk in it.
I get it. More than just an intellectual understanding, I get it in the very depths of my heart and soul. And it's this "revelation" that has brought me to the realization that the very way I live is going to change. Probably not right away, but in small ways, slowly until I am completely changed. And here it is: We aren't to obey God's commandments so that we can earn His love. Because He first loved us, we respond in love through obedience. But the beauty of it all is that God never forces anyone to choose Him; to love Him. We all have complete free will in the matter. Some hearts are just too hardened towards God's voice, but for others He with waiting quietly, patiently, fully loving them until there is nothing left for them to do but fall into His arms.
Romans 8:1
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Even after being a Christian for so long, I never really understood what it meant to live by God's grace and in God's grace. I think that I've struggled so long with the same sin, that I started to believe the lie that
1. I had to fight it on my own and
2. I had to do something to earn God's love
False. On both accounts. It is God's grace and mercy working in me and through me that I will conquer the desires of my flesh. And I've had God's love all along. There is nothing I can do that will change how He feels about me.
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
God, transform me to be more like You! I don't want to follow after what the world claims is truth; what the world says is "acceptable". Reveal yourself to me through your Word and prayer. Keep my eyes always on the things above, never forgetting the Reason I exist. Let everything I do be for the purpose of glorifying you, not trying to please men, clamoring for approval, but resting in knowing that I already have the approval of the One who really matters.
Burn into my heart the reason I do the things I do for You. Why do I serve? Why do I love? Why do I pray? Why do I fight the temptation to sin? Why do I desire for my friends and family to really know You and why should I be sharing the gospel?
Because You love me.
2 John 1:5-6
Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is my commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning that you should walk in it.
I get it. More than just an intellectual understanding, I get it in the very depths of my heart and soul. And it's this "revelation" that has brought me to the realization that the very way I live is going to change. Probably not right away, but in small ways, slowly until I am completely changed. And here it is: We aren't to obey God's commandments so that we can earn His love. Because He first loved us, we respond in love through obedience. But the beauty of it all is that God never forces anyone to choose Him; to love Him. We all have complete free will in the matter. Some hearts are just too hardened towards God's voice, but for others He with waiting quietly, patiently, fully loving them until there is nothing left for them to do but fall into His arms.
Romans 8:1
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Even after being a Christian for so long, I never really understood what it meant to live by God's grace and in God's grace. I think that I've struggled so long with the same sin, that I started to believe the lie that
1. I had to fight it on my own and
2. I had to do something to earn God's love
False. On both accounts. It is God's grace and mercy working in me and through me that I will conquer the desires of my flesh. And I've had God's love all along. There is nothing I can do that will change how He feels about me.
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
God, transform me to be more like You! I don't want to follow after what the world claims is truth; what the world says is "acceptable". Reveal yourself to me through your Word and prayer. Keep my eyes always on the things above, never forgetting the Reason I exist. Let everything I do be for the purpose of glorifying you, not trying to please men, clamoring for approval, but resting in knowing that I already have the approval of the One who really matters.
Burn into my heart the reason I do the things I do for You. Why do I serve? Why do I love? Why do I pray? Why do I fight the temptation to sin? Why do I desire for my friends and family to really know You and why should I be sharing the gospel?
Because You love me.
2 Samuel 18:31-33
Some notes from my quiet time last Wednesday. I actually meant to post this sooner, but you'll get a double dose tonight! I've been reading in 2 Samuel and we're now past the point when David has committed adultery with Bathsheba. As a result of this, he makes a lot of really bad decisions because he's so caught up in his sin...
Verse 31: And behold, the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, "Good news for my lord the king! For the LORD has delivered you this day from the hand of all who rose up against you."
Ok, so the messenger appears to be bringing good news to King David here. His enemies have been defeated, but one of those enemies was the King's son, Absalom.
Verse 32: The king said to the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" And the Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man."
I get the impression that this poor guy thinks he's giving the King good news. "Everyone who is against you should die like Absalom!" Unfortunately, David's reaction is far from the one the messenger expected...
Verse 33: And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"
First of all, who is this guy? This is the great king, whom God had chosen to lead His people? I don't mean to be disrespectful at all; he did just find out that he had lost his son, but even when the child he had with Bathsheba died, he took it with a lot more grace and dignity than this. Here's what my study notes had to say:
"David is overcome with grief. He has lost another son whom he loved. First he lost Absalom's love and loyalty, and now he has lost Absalom's life and all hope of reconciliation. It is possible that David is beginning to see how God's punishment for his sin with Bathsheba has tragically come to pass..."
One bad decision. One moment of weakness, of heeding to the voice of the flesh and not the voice of God. That was all it took for David's entire life to be turned upside-down. First, he made the decision to commit the act he knew in his heart and soul was wrong. Then, to cover it up, he had one of the best men in his army killed so he could marry that man's wife. So...sad. So depraved. Any yet....
Am I really any better? I sin (ha, like that was some big revelation). Repeatedly. I've struggled with the same sin for years. I see now where that has taken me, and it has left me stagnant in my relationship with God. Who am I to judge? David made one bad decision that lead him down a path away from the Lord. But David was human. Sure, he had the Lord on his side, but even great men, and women, of God make stupid decisions. We all sin. If we didn't, then where is the need for a Savior? Not to say that we should continue sinning just so God can grant us His grace and mercy. Like Paul says in Romans 6: "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death. In order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." Romans 6:1-4
Paul's point is that yes, we will still sin even after dying to our old ways, but as a new creation in Christ, we are to continue to grow in holiness and sanctification, allowing God to work in us and through us as we become more like him.
Verse 31: And behold, the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, "Good news for my lord the king! For the LORD has delivered you this day from the hand of all who rose up against you."
Ok, so the messenger appears to be bringing good news to King David here. His enemies have been defeated, but one of those enemies was the King's son, Absalom.
Verse 32: The king said to the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" And the Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man."
I get the impression that this poor guy thinks he's giving the King good news. "Everyone who is against you should die like Absalom!" Unfortunately, David's reaction is far from the one the messenger expected...
Verse 33: And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"
First of all, who is this guy? This is the great king, whom God had chosen to lead His people? I don't mean to be disrespectful at all; he did just find out that he had lost his son, but even when the child he had with Bathsheba died, he took it with a lot more grace and dignity than this. Here's what my study notes had to say:
"David is overcome with grief. He has lost another son whom he loved. First he lost Absalom's love and loyalty, and now he has lost Absalom's life and all hope of reconciliation. It is possible that David is beginning to see how God's punishment for his sin with Bathsheba has tragically come to pass..."
One bad decision. One moment of weakness, of heeding to the voice of the flesh and not the voice of God. That was all it took for David's entire life to be turned upside-down. First, he made the decision to commit the act he knew in his heart and soul was wrong. Then, to cover it up, he had one of the best men in his army killed so he could marry that man's wife. So...sad. So depraved. Any yet....
Am I really any better? I sin (ha, like that was some big revelation). Repeatedly. I've struggled with the same sin for years. I see now where that has taken me, and it has left me stagnant in my relationship with God. Who am I to judge? David made one bad decision that lead him down a path away from the Lord. But David was human. Sure, he had the Lord on his side, but even great men, and women, of God make stupid decisions. We all sin. If we didn't, then where is the need for a Savior? Not to say that we should continue sinning just so God can grant us His grace and mercy. Like Paul says in Romans 6: "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death. In order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." Romans 6:1-4
Paul's point is that yes, we will still sin even after dying to our old ways, but as a new creation in Christ, we are to continue to grow in holiness and sanctification, allowing God to work in us and through us as we become more like him.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
How Your Identity Determines Your Activity
Something I've been thinking about lately is serving. The fact that I found this video is rather timely, actually (huh, funny how God works that way, isn't it?). Given what I do for the church, I often feel like I'm serving more than my fellow brothers and sisters. If I don't see it, than other people must not be serving. Well, here comes the big ole Gibbs-style smack upside the head: Tiffany isn't in charge of the universe. Just because I don't see a fellow Christian brother or sister serving the church, doesn't mean that they aren't. Only God sees and knows everything. Just like I can't know a person's heart if they don't lay it bare, I can't know where a person is serving unless I see it.
Which then leads me to this question (pertaining a bit more to this video): Why do I serve? Why does anyone serve? What is the motivation for doing the things that we do to serve the church? I love how Mark Driscoll puts it in this clip: "Through the work of God, the grace of Jesus and the love of the Father we receive an identity. Out of that identity there is activity. Not so that God would love us, but because he already has (emphasis mine)." Unfortunately, this may not be the answer for a lot of people. Christians serve for a variety of reasons: it's performance-based; if I do this, than God will love me. They serve because they feel like they have to; "If I don't take care of it, nobody else will. The last main one, I think, is that they serve to cover up past hurts. You don't want to deal with the pain and so if you just keep doing, doing, doing, you don't have to think about the things that are gnawing at your soul.
I'm the first to admit, I'm guilty of every single one of these. I have served countless times with the wrong motivations. But guess what? Motivation is everything! Because God loves me, I serve. Sure, love and acceptance from our fellow man are both wonderful things, but those shouldn't be the reason that I serve. When that becomes our motivation, it is so easy to burn out. To feel like you're just going through the motions.
When you serve to escape the pain, all you're really doing is making it worse. You're not allowing God to meet you where you're at to let him heal you. Serving does not allow you to truly "forget" those things you're running from. When we don't face the pain, it leaves scars over our hearts and those scars inhibit us from experiencing intimacy with God.
But when our motivation to serve becomes an outworking of our identity in Christ, it all comes together and makes sense! There is no longer any burn out because God gives me the strength I need for the day to do the things He has called me to do. I am free to glorify Him through my acts of service because there is nothing holding me back from giving Him my all!
A friend wrote this verse in a thank you card today and I can't begin to tell you how timely it was. Again, it's amazing how God works that way!
Galatians 6:9 "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Praises
Apparently there's a lot to write about today :-)
In addition to reading Psalm 75 today, I also read Psalm 50 and was encouraged by verse 23.
"The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
to one who orders his way rightly
I will show the salvation of God!" Psalm 50:23 ESV
In context, God has told his people that He doesn't need their sacrifices of animals; He made it all, He owns it all. What He desires is for us to come before Him with a thankful heart, delighting in His presence, living just and kind lives in fellowship with His people. So while there are always things to be thankful for, I thought it would be good to write some of those things down and share them with others so that you can rejoice in the Lord with me!
Things I am thankful for (In no particular order):
In addition to reading Psalm 75 today, I also read Psalm 50 and was encouraged by verse 23.
"The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
to one who orders his way rightly
I will show the salvation of God!" Psalm 50:23 ESV
In context, God has told his people that He doesn't need their sacrifices of animals; He made it all, He owns it all. What He desires is for us to come before Him with a thankful heart, delighting in His presence, living just and kind lives in fellowship with His people. So while there are always things to be thankful for, I thought it would be good to write some of those things down and share them with others so that you can rejoice in the Lord with me!
Things I am thankful for (In no particular order):
- Truth
- Forgiveness
- Friends
- Family
- The smell after a good rain
- Rain
- The sun
- The colors of the leaves in the fall
- The newness of life in spring
- Food to eat
- A roof over my head
- The laughter of a child
- Hugs
- A kind word, especially after a hard day
- Love
- Opportunities to serve
- Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross
- God's Word
- Babies
- Our pastors
- The willingness of other people to serve
- My job
- My co-workers
- God's mercy
- That I am forgiven and loved
- This world is not my home; I have something infinitely better to look forward to!
- That I can still freely worship God without fear of persecution
- Freedom
- All of you :-)
- Music
- A sunrise
- A sunset
- Rainbows and the true meaning behind them
- God's promises
- God's unending, unfailing love
- That I can truly know God in an intimate way
- Answered prayer
- That God is in control
- Life
He's Got the Whole World in His Hands...
Do you ever wonder where songs come from? What motivated the songwriter to pen those particular lyrics? Whenever I'm reading in Psalms and I come across a verse that corresponds directly to a song we sing in church, I always get a little excited. "Oh! So that's where that came from!" I was just reading Psalm 75 and verses 2 and 3 caught my attention. I don't know that this is where that particular song came from, but that's what popped into my head :-)
"At the set time that I appoint
I will judge with equity.
When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants,
it is I who keep steady its pillars." ~Psalm 75:2-3, ESV
Ok, so first of all, what an awesome reminder of God's sovereign control! Even now, when it seems that the world is teetering on the edge and the devil is attacking from all sides, He is holding it steady. When it seems like everything is falling apart, God has a plan and a purpose for you. With all of the uncertainty surrounding us, I take such comfort in knowing that "The battle is not yours, but the Lord's." (2 Chronicles 20:15) I don't hold everything together, God does. And it's a good thing too, because I would fail miserably! And so would we all.
I also love that He "will judge with equity." God is not biased; He does not have favorites. For the Christian, there is nothing anyone can do to make Him love us any more or less than He already does. Even for the non-believer, He still loves you just as you are; He just desires for you to place your faith and trust in Him! In the end, God will judge all mankind fairly, based on His standard. Perhaps it may not seem fair in the eyes of man, but man's opinion isn't the one that matters here.
"At the set time that I appoint
I will judge with equity.
When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants,
it is I who keep steady its pillars." ~Psalm 75:2-3, ESV
Ok, so first of all, what an awesome reminder of God's sovereign control! Even now, when it seems that the world is teetering on the edge and the devil is attacking from all sides, He is holding it steady. When it seems like everything is falling apart, God has a plan and a purpose for you. With all of the uncertainty surrounding us, I take such comfort in knowing that "The battle is not yours, but the Lord's." (2 Chronicles 20:15) I don't hold everything together, God does. And it's a good thing too, because I would fail miserably! And so would we all.
I also love that He "will judge with equity." God is not biased; He does not have favorites. For the Christian, there is nothing anyone can do to make Him love us any more or less than He already does. Even for the non-believer, He still loves you just as you are; He just desires for you to place your faith and trust in Him! In the end, God will judge all mankind fairly, based on His standard. Perhaps it may not seem fair in the eyes of man, but man's opinion isn't the one that matters here.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Faithwalkers 2009-Day 2, pt. 2
No pictures this time...just a continuation from the last post....
Breakout Session 2: A Hill To Die On; Ben Lennander, Paul Johnson, Nate Meyer, Josh Cramer, and Dan Bovenmeyer
These 5 men each spoke briefly about something on which they would be willing to stake their lives. I actually intend an listening to this one again because I started to lose focus towards the end of the time. Once again, though, it was an amazing message from all of these men of God.
1. A Hill to Die On: That the Word of God is absolute truth. We can go to it for everything in life.
--> 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
--> The Bible is not an ordinary book; it has authority over my life
-->Why is the Bible reliable?
1. Cohesiveness and unity
* 66 books written as 1
* Spans over 1,500 years
* Theme: God's eternal plan for us
2. Power of prophecy and fulfilled prophecy
* The probability of one man fulfilling just eight prophecies, is 1 in 10^17, which, according to the science of probability is impossible. Jesus fulfilled 456.
3. The archaeological evidence
* No evidence that has been found has ever disproven the Bible
--> Testimony of changed lives as a result of God's Word working in them
2. A Hill to Die On: The Gospel
--> The Gospel not only makes us disciples of Christ, but disciple makers
--> The Gospel calls us to the Great Commission
--> We don't do the works of God on our own
God calls us to make disciples: Matt 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
-->The church upholds the sound doctrine of sharing the gospel
3. A Hill to Die On: Every Christian is called by God into full-time ministry; not all are called to receive a paycheck
--> All Christians should be fully engaged with the church body
--> Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
--> Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
--> Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
--> Imitate the faith of your leaders. Hebrews 13:7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.
--> Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
4. A Hill to Die On: Christ's Gospel of Grace
"To know if you're willing to die for something, you have to be willing to live for it."
The world is not impressed with our best effort, our best effort being our good works and our service. Technically, anyone can "serve" somebody in need. The motivations might be different, but our good works in and of themselves don't separate us from the rest of the world.
--> A study done by the Barna Group found that 88% of non-believers view Christians as hypocrites.
--> And why shouldn't they? So many of us go to church on Sunday mornings and we talk the talk, but when it comes down to it, not all of us truly live it out.
--> What we have that the world doesn't is Jesus Christ's gospel of grace.
--> 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
"The world is waiting for us to admit what it already knows we are: weak. That's where God's grace comes in. Catalog your weaknesses and figure out how to boast in them."
Live your life about grace.
(I know that's only 4 out of the 5, but as I mentioned above, I started losing focus towards the end and my notes for the last main point are really jumbled and don't make a lot of sense. So I'll end there with that session and move on)
Main Session VI: A Heart to See Lives Changed, Rick Whitney
(Yet another smack upside the head....actually, I think several occurred during this message...)
"All believers are to be on a mission"
"A practice of our churches is to equip and train members to effectively share their faith."
~ The Core
Diagrams and tools allow us to share what we know; the issue isn't if we can get equipped to share our faith, it's a matter of the heart.
--> At the moment of salvation, God gave me a heart for the lost. If we don't have compassion, do we truly know Christ?
--> When you're 'bumped' (challenged, etc), what comes out? Do you care? Do I speak for the Lord?
We may know Christ, but we still might not have much compassion for the lost. What deadens your heart?
--> If you play with sin, your effectiveness for winning souls is lost
3. We are afraid
"If we're not hated by someone we either don't know enough people or we don't speak enough truth." John Piper
4. We are comfortable
--> We like our "Holy huddles"
--> We don't know what's coming; 2 Corinthians 4:17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
5. We forget our obligation to the Lord
--> Does our Lord's compassion for the lost move us?
3 Questions to ask yourself to really know someone
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised...Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
Practical steps to awakening your heart and renewing your compassion for the lost
First, to go through the Begin With Christ book published by GCM with someone you are reaching out to and then he added that whatever we might do to change the lives of the lost, to do it with someone else.
That's the end of day 2...I'll probably post more on Wednesday...typing all of this out is kind of like hearing it all again; I don't know about you, but my brain is full :-)
Breakout Session 2: A Hill To Die On; Ben Lennander, Paul Johnson, Nate Meyer, Josh Cramer, and Dan Bovenmeyer
These 5 men each spoke briefly about something on which they would be willing to stake their lives. I actually intend an listening to this one again because I started to lose focus towards the end of the time. Once again, though, it was an amazing message from all of these men of God.
1. A Hill to Die On: That the Word of God is absolute truth. We can go to it for everything in life.
--> 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
--> The Bible is not an ordinary book; it has authority over my life
-->Why is the Bible reliable?
1. Cohesiveness and unity
* 66 books written as 1
* Spans over 1,500 years
* Theme: God's eternal plan for us
2. Power of prophecy and fulfilled prophecy
* The probability of one man fulfilling just eight prophecies, is 1 in 10^17, which, according to the science of probability is impossible. Jesus fulfilled 456.
3. The archaeological evidence
* No evidence that has been found has ever disproven the Bible
--> Testimony of changed lives as a result of God's Word working in them
2. A Hill to Die On: The Gospel
--> The Gospel not only makes us disciples of Christ, but disciple makers
--> The Gospel calls us to the Great Commission
--> We don't do the works of God on our own
God calls us to make disciples: Matt 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
-->The church upholds the sound doctrine of sharing the gospel
3. A Hill to Die On: Every Christian is called by God into full-time ministry; not all are called to receive a paycheck
--> All Christians should be fully engaged with the church body
--> Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
--> Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
--> Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
--> Imitate the faith of your leaders. Hebrews 13:7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.
--> Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
4. A Hill to Die On: Christ's Gospel of Grace
"To know if you're willing to die for something, you have to be willing to live for it."
The world is not impressed with our best effort, our best effort being our good works and our service. Technically, anyone can "serve" somebody in need. The motivations might be different, but our good works in and of themselves don't separate us from the rest of the world.
--> A study done by the Barna Group found that 88% of non-believers view Christians as hypocrites.
--> And why shouldn't they? So many of us go to church on Sunday mornings and we talk the talk, but when it comes down to it, not all of us truly live it out.
--> What we have that the world doesn't is Jesus Christ's gospel of grace.
--> 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
"The world is waiting for us to admit what it already knows we are: weak. That's where God's grace comes in. Catalog your weaknesses and figure out how to boast in them."
Live your life about grace.
(I know that's only 4 out of the 5, but as I mentioned above, I started losing focus towards the end and my notes for the last main point are really jumbled and don't make a lot of sense. So I'll end there with that session and move on)
Main Session VI: A Heart to See Lives Changed, Rick Whitney
(Yet another smack upside the head....actually, I think several occurred during this message...)
"All believers are to be on a mission"
"A practice of our churches is to equip and train members to effectively share their faith."
~ The Core
Diagrams and tools allow us to share what we know; the issue isn't if we can get equipped to share our faith, it's a matter of the heart.
--> At the moment of salvation, God gave me a heart for the lost. If we don't have compassion, do we truly know Christ?
--> When you're 'bumped' (challenged, etc), what comes out? Do you care? Do I speak for the Lord?
We may know Christ, but we still might not have much compassion for the lost. What deadens your heart?
- Lack of prayer for the lost
- We play with sin Matthew 24:12 "Because lawlessness in increased, most people's love will grow cold"
--> If you play with sin, your effectiveness for winning souls is lost
3. We are afraid
"If we're not hated by someone we either don't know enough people or we don't speak enough truth." John Piper
4. We are comfortable
--> We like our "Holy huddles"
--> We don't know what's coming; 2 Corinthians 4:17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
5. We forget our obligation to the Lord
--> Does our Lord's compassion for the lost move us?
3 Questions to ask yourself to really know someone
- What makes them laugh?
- What makes them angry?
- What makes them weep
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised...Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
Practical steps to awakening your heart and renewing your compassion for the lost
- Pray for the lost every day
- Pray for opportunities to be a witness
- Pray for courage to speak
- Look for opportunities to hand out invites to your church
First, to go through the Begin With Christ book published by GCM with someone you are reaching out to and then he added that whatever we might do to change the lives of the lost, to do it with someone else.
That's the end of day 2...I'll probably post more on Wednesday...typing all of this out is kind of like hearing it all again; I don't know about you, but my brain is full :-)
Faithwalkers 2009-Day 2
On to Day 2 of Faithwalkers. By this point, I was still trying to process everything from Monday that I had a harder time focusing on what was shared. Nonetheless, God continued to give me several Jethro Gibbs-style smacks upside the head and I found myself challenged even more. You NCIS fans will get the reference :-) During our tie down at the end of the evening, Duane asked us, "How is God speaking to you," to which I replied, "Loudly."
Once again, morning worship was amazing. Steele has such a passion for the Lord! I only wish I could be that fired up that early in the morning :-)
What is Jesus Christ this morning?
Ok...so on with the day's teachings....
Main Session IV: Life Changing Love, Bill Young
Bill started off his time by recounting an incident that occurred at a Wal-Mart on Black Friday, 2008. Apparently the crowd was so zealous in their shopping that as soon as the doors opened, they essentially stampeded through the doors and in their fervor trampled one the Wal-Mart workers to death. He lay on the floor, dying, and they just continued to press onward, completely unaware.
"People are dying all around us; are you still shopping?"
We have a command to love people as Christ loved us. But how?
2 Cor 5:14 "For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died."
1) Be concerned about the lost.
*If we love like Jesus, we can't just leave people dying on the floor.
--> Ouch. How many opportunities have I lost because I was too scared of what people would think of me? How many people have I left "dying on the floor"?
A. We need to see people in light of eternity.
B. Selfishness keeps us from loving.
--> Boy, is that true! I have recently found myself so wrapped up in Tiffany that I often don't give my time and attention to those in whom I should be investing. And in turn, I don't love people as I should, unless it's convenient for me.
II. Don't worry about rejection
--> "Then Moses said to God, "If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" Exodus 3:13
--> Then Moses answered, "But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, 'The LORD did not appear to you.'"
* Our fear of sharing the gospel is infectious.
We need to understand two things:
1. It's NOT about me! (1 John 4:18 Perfect love casts out all fear.)
2. It's ALL about God! (Exodus 3:12 He said,"But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.")
When we step out in faith and obedience, God promises to be with us always, even to the very end of the age. Moses doubted. He even tried to get out of it (probably more than once!), but God continued to be faithful and Moses finally answered the Call to lead the Israelites out of slavery.
Conclusion? I need to STOP wasting time and START loving people.
Breakout Session 1: Want to be a Church-Planting Woman? Cindy Sokoll and Neva Whitney
Oh, how encouraging this talk was for me! As a woman who is part of a church plant in it's infant stages, it was so good to hear from older women who have been doing this for a while now. Cindy and Neva both shared three things each that they have learned from being on church plants and what they had to say really nourished my soul.
1. Our enemy is real.
--> When I step out in faith, Satan takes notice.
--> 1 Peter 5:8-9 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
* Satan is looking for a way to take me out of the game. One of the most effective ways he can do that is to cause disunity among the women in the church. Psalm 133:1 "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when [sisters] dwell in unity!"
2. It's a journey.
--> Don't shut God out!
-->Don't listen to the lies
--> Worrying about what people think can stop you from doing great things for God
* If you want to be fit for the Kingdom of God, you can't just let life pass you by.
3. I am not always right
--> 2 Corinthians 3:11 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
--> Sin was brought into the world through Eve.
I read interesting note on this the other day in my study Bible. Genesis 3:16 states "Your desire shall be for your husband and he shall rule over you." Obviously being single, this verse doesn't completely apply to me, but I found this interesting:
"Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you. These words from the Lord indicate that there will be an ongoing struggle between the woman and the man for leadership in the marriage relationship. The leadership role of the husband and the complementary relationship between husband and wife that were ordained by God before the fall have now been deeply damaged and distorted by sin. This especially takes the form of inordinate desire (on the part of the wife) and domineering rule (on the part of the husband). The Hebrew term here translated “desire” (teshuqah) is rarely found in the OT. But it appears again in 4:7, in a statement that closely parallels 3:16—that is, where the Lord says to Cain, just before Cain's murder of his brother, that sin's “desire is for you” (i.e., to master Cain), and that Cain must “rule over it” ~ Taken from the ESV online Study Bible
--> We, as women, need to give men the opportunity to bear the responsibility, allowing them to step out and lead.
4. You have to give up relationships for the gospel
--> Mark 10:29-30 Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.
--> Don't use the "power" of manipulation to get your way if it will stop people from stepping out in faith
--> Don't get your claws so set in this life that your can't do things for God. Open the door for God to work in your life.
5. You have to remember you're on the front lines
--> Don't get comfortable! Be a self-starter! Invite people to everything! Don't rely on others. Be the first to serve and start serving.
--> Oh boy. This one is way out of my comfort zone. Before going on the church plant to Jordan Park, it was so easy to just let other people come up with the great ideas and follow along. Now, it is up to just the few of us to step forward and carry out the things which God has put on our hearts.
--> I am not above anything. I am God's servant.
--> 1 Corinthians 4:1 "This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God."
6. It's risky
--> Part of the risk is allowing the men to lead us there, into the unknown.
--> Part of the beauty of God working in men is men being who God created them to be
--> We need to let the men flex their "God-muscles"; let them lead and follow with a cheerful heart.
Once again, morning worship was amazing. Steele has such a passion for the Lord! I only wish I could be that fired up that early in the morning :-)
What is Jesus Christ this morning?
Ok...so on with the day's teachings....
Main Session IV: Life Changing Love, Bill Young
Bill started off his time by recounting an incident that occurred at a Wal-Mart on Black Friday, 2008. Apparently the crowd was so zealous in their shopping that as soon as the doors opened, they essentially stampeded through the doors and in their fervor trampled one the Wal-Mart workers to death. He lay on the floor, dying, and they just continued to press onward, completely unaware.
"People are dying all around us; are you still shopping?"
We have a command to love people as Christ loved us. But how?
2 Cor 5:14 "For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died."
1) Be concerned about the lost.
*If we love like Jesus, we can't just leave people dying on the floor.
--> Ouch. How many opportunities have I lost because I was too scared of what people would think of me? How many people have I left "dying on the floor"?
A. We need to see people in light of eternity.
- "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." Matthew 9:36
B. Selfishness keeps us from loving.
--> Boy, is that true! I have recently found myself so wrapped up in Tiffany that I often don't give my time and attention to those in whom I should be investing. And in turn, I don't love people as I should, unless it's convenient for me.
II. Don't worry about rejection
--> "Then Moses said to God, "If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" Exodus 3:13
--> Then Moses answered, "But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, 'The LORD did not appear to you.'"
* Our fear of sharing the gospel is infectious.
We need to understand two things:
1. It's NOT about me! (1 John 4:18 Perfect love casts out all fear.)
2. It's ALL about God! (Exodus 3:12 He said,"But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.")
When we step out in faith and obedience, God promises to be with us always, even to the very end of the age. Moses doubted. He even tried to get out of it (probably more than once!), but God continued to be faithful and Moses finally answered the Call to lead the Israelites out of slavery.
Conclusion? I need to STOP wasting time and START loving people.
Breakout Session 1: Want to be a Church-Planting Woman? Cindy Sokoll and Neva Whitney
Oh, how encouraging this talk was for me! As a woman who is part of a church plant in it's infant stages, it was so good to hear from older women who have been doing this for a while now. Cindy and Neva both shared three things each that they have learned from being on church plants and what they had to say really nourished my soul.
1. Our enemy is real.
--> When I step out in faith, Satan takes notice.
--> 1 Peter 5:8-9 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
* Satan is looking for a way to take me out of the game. One of the most effective ways he can do that is to cause disunity among the women in the church. Psalm 133:1 "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when [sisters] dwell in unity!"
2. It's a journey.
--> Don't shut God out!
-->Don't listen to the lies
--> Worrying about what people think can stop you from doing great things for God
* If you want to be fit for the Kingdom of God, you can't just let life pass you by.
3. I am not always right
--> 2 Corinthians 3:11 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
--> Sin was brought into the world through Eve.
I read interesting note on this the other day in my study Bible. Genesis 3:16 states "Your desire shall be for your husband and he shall rule over you." Obviously being single, this verse doesn't completely apply to me, but I found this interesting:
"Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you. These words from the Lord indicate that there will be an ongoing struggle between the woman and the man for leadership in the marriage relationship. The leadership role of the husband and the complementary relationship between husband and wife that were ordained by God before the fall have now been deeply damaged and distorted by sin. This especially takes the form of inordinate desire (on the part of the wife) and domineering rule (on the part of the husband). The Hebrew term here translated “desire” (teshuqah) is rarely found in the OT. But it appears again in 4:7, in a statement that closely parallels 3:16—that is, where the Lord says to Cain, just before Cain's murder of his brother, that sin's “desire is for you” (i.e., to master Cain), and that Cain must “rule over it” ~ Taken from the ESV online Study Bible
--> We, as women, need to give men the opportunity to bear the responsibility, allowing them to step out and lead.
4. You have to give up relationships for the gospel
--> Mark 10:29-30 Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.
--> Don't use the "power" of manipulation to get your way if it will stop people from stepping out in faith
--> Don't get your claws so set in this life that your can't do things for God. Open the door for God to work in your life.
5. You have to remember you're on the front lines
--> Don't get comfortable! Be a self-starter! Invite people to everything! Don't rely on others. Be the first to serve and start serving.
--> Oh boy. This one is way out of my comfort zone. Before going on the church plant to Jordan Park, it was so easy to just let other people come up with the great ideas and follow along. Now, it is up to just the few of us to step forward and carry out the things which God has put on our hearts.
--> I am not above anything. I am God's servant.
--> 1 Corinthians 4:1 "This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God."
6. It's risky
--> Part of the risk is allowing the men to lead us there, into the unknown.
--> Part of the beauty of God working in men is men being who God created them to be
--> We need to let the men flex their "God-muscles"; let them lead and follow with a cheerful heart.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Faithwalkers 2009-Day 1, pt. 2
I decided to continue to a new post just to break things up in smaller chunks. Things are much easier to digest that way....
Breakout Session 1: Trials, God's Love & Spiritual Growth, Jay Yousling
"God whispers in our pleasure, but shouts in our pain." C.S. Lewis
"If I had to stake my life on one thing, it's that God is real and that He affects change in our lives."
Thought to ponder: Christianity is the only religion that sings. We sing in response to the good news of Jesus Christ.
That's all for now. My brain is ready to explode just reviewing all of that, and I've already been through it all once! I will possibly post more tomorrow.... :-)
Breakout Session 1: Trials, God's Love & Spiritual Growth, Jay Yousling
"God whispers in our pleasure, but shouts in our pain." C.S. Lewis
- John 15:2 "He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit,"
- You can be a Christian and still bear no fruit
- In a vineyard, there will be fruit that ends up on the ground, dirty and trampled. Instead of throwing it out, the vine dresser will tie the broken vine to the fence, closer to the other vines in hopes of saving it.
- John 15:2 continued "while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."
- God is not ignorant of you.
- God is not indifferent of you.
- God is not incapable for you.
- God is in love with you!
- God allows pruning for
- My growth
- Other's good
- His glory!
"If I had to stake my life on one thing, it's that God is real and that He affects change in our lives."
- The Bible reveals that God's dwelling is with us. "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and they shall call Him Immanuel (which means, God with us)" Matthew 1:23
- Revelation 1:1 "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place"
- --> Jesus Christ is the revelation that is soon to take place. Everything that happens in my life is a revelation of Jesus Christ. When I am truly aware of this, I will become more intentional in how I interact with people if I want to win them to Christ.
- "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:18
- --> Am I worried more about changing me or having Christ revealed in me?
- Change happens quickly when we remove the veil (the Law that keeps us from having true fellowship with God). Let God's glory shine on you; stop trying to change!
- There is no sin between me and the Lord.
- Is your reality with the Old Covenant or the New?
- Colossians 2:23 [Such regulations] have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.
- -->The more I place restrictions on myself and say, "Don't do this," or "don't do that", the more likely I am to actually do the things I don't want to do.
Thought to ponder: Christianity is the only religion that sings. We sing in response to the good news of Jesus Christ.
- Religion: "I obey, therefore I am accepted by God.
- Christianity: "I am accepted, therefore I obey."
- When we are drowning, God isn't sitting in the boat shouting at us to try harder. He dives in to save us!
- My life doesn't change as a result of me trying harder; it changes as a result of Christ working in me.
- The gospel is central to our joy.
- Psalm 32:1-2 Blessed is he
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.2 Blessed is the man
whose sin the LORD does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit. - --> Blessed in the Hebrew translates as a state of happiness.
- God doesn't hold a thing against me, so why do I hold anything against myself?
- Our joy will attract the world to Christ
- The gospel is central to our generosity
- Generous people are the most attractive people in the world
- What separates us from every other religion in the world is our generosity
- God cares about my heart and motivation. He does not consider me generous until both my heart and motivations are generous. The gospel releases our hearts so that our motivations change.
- "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich."
- --> Generosity fades when the gospel has faded in our lives
- -->He became poor so that we might become rich
- "And your renown when forth among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through the splendor that I had bestowed on you..." Ezekiel 16:14
- --> God is delighting in me right now
- --> God became ugly so that we might become beautiful
- The gospel is essential to successful and vibrant marriages
- The greatest tragedy about Christianity is that the divorce rate in Christian marriages is the same as, if not higher than, that of the secular world. Broken relationships won't attract people to Christ.
That's all for now. My brain is ready to explode just reviewing all of that, and I've already been through it all once! I will possibly post more tomorrow.... :-)
Faithwalkers 2009-Day 1
The last time I was able to attend a Faithwalkers conference was probably back in 2005; I honestly don't remember...I know it's been a few years though. I arrived at the Qwest Center in Omaha just in time to sing the last worship song before Mark Darling took the stage on Sunday night to kick off the week. And thus began one of the most encouraging and convicting weeks of my life. I have learned so much in the last week, about myself, about God's grace and love, and about trusting Him to work in me instead of trusting in myself. And of course, there was ample opportunity to use the camera and I was able to get a ton of practice taking pictures in low light without using my flash :-)
A few key points from the first day at Faithwalkers:
Main Session I: It's All About Changing Lives, Mark Darling
A few key points from the first day at Faithwalkers:
Main Session I: It's All About Changing Lives, Mark Darling
- The gospel is not the single truth of the Bible; it is a foundational truth. What matters is that Truth is being shared
- Truth does not go forth by itself. It needs someone to speak it. It needs my life to live it out.
- God uses the weak. I am full of weakness. (huh. That's convenient :-))
- Religion can be spelled with two letters: D-O. Christianity can be spelled with four: D-O-N-E.
- "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21 (emphasis mine)
- Christ took on the sins of the whole world and the judgment of God when he died for us on the cross. I never truly realized how powerful that really is until this week.
- *Stop nailing yourself to the cross! When you feel guilty for your sins, you're saying that God didn't take care of your sins. You make God, and His Word, a liar. This one was huge for me. When I sin, I constantly feel guilt for what I have done. And in doing that, I'm essentially telling God that He isn't big enough and that what he did for me on the cross didn't matter. God calls us to repentance, not to guilt.
- We are never told to remember our sins; we are told to remember Him
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