I am speechless after reading and studying this verse. However I can still type so I would like to get my thoughts down on paper. This may be the most convicting and encouraging verse I have read to date, at least it is to me. I love teh words that are used and the way it is presented. The verse is "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." This is how we should be living. That nothing in this world matters at all, only the task God has laid out before us. We were talking last night abcout how in everything we do, God uses us. In our work, play, whatever, He is using us! I have to constantly remind myself that my life is meaningless. Plain and simple. I do not matter in the overall concept of His kingdom. His plan and overall objective is so much bigger than my plan and who I am, I can not even fathom it! This is what I was reminded of last night.
I have been battling right now about wher God wants me, and am I called to be at the job I am. That is the only thing that was bugging me. I was stressing over, trying top find out reasons why I shoudl or should not be where I am. Then in one quick moment alst night, with one verse, I was at peace. God is going to use me where I am at and if He does not want me here he will direct my path, because my life is in His hands. I need not worry about where God wants me, I am already there. He has already set out the plan, I just have to learn to walk it.
Acts 20:24 has a special meaning in my life right now. I am contemplating a lot of things I want to do, such as making a "Bucket List" on my post below this one. Be sure to understand that the things listed are things I would like to do, my purpose to aide in the advancement of God's kingdom holds precedent above all those things, BY FAR! But still, those would be fun.. :) I am thinking of where I would be in 5 years...married? kids? better job? ministry? I just don't know, and I have been trying to figure out what God wants my life to do. The thing I have to udnerstand is that my life is meaningless when compared to His plan. I have to let go. Let go of ambitions that are selfish, and deeds that do not help. My life is devoted to Christ, 100%.... or is it more like 99%...or 90%?? Or less.
This is no longer a constant struggle for me. As I prayed in chruch last night, I prayed for peace. Peace in relationships, peace that He has control. Peace that I will not strive to be something I am not, and to be someone he calls me to be. And the best part about that is, I am already somone he wants me to be. I am the man he has molded me for the purpose He has laid out, I am a follower of Christ and all that He teaches.
So, I continue my walk with Christ on a new set of expectations....I have none. What an amazing feeling, to not expect anything to happen. Just follow the Lord, our God and let Him guide me through His word.
I do not want you to think I came by this by myself. It seems God has placed someone in my life I can talk to about about these things. She is an amazing woman of God, and I thank her for listening as well as discussing many things that I think about.
I leave you on another verse I used to overlook, but now have a new appreciation for. When Jesus was praying to His Father in Heaven, he said soemthing that directly applies to us. So think about this one and you try to live your life.
"I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do."
John 17:4
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
The Buket List...continually growing!
So after talking to Hailey about many things, we have decided that it would be fun to make a sort of bucket list. Just some things that you would like to do before you "kick the bucket". I have many things planned for the summer and may accomplish things on thisd list by September, but I am trying to be ambitious, to do things that will stretch me fartrher than I thought I could. Here it is...and by the way, it is always growing :)
-Sky Dive and do some kind of flip in mid-air
-Go somewhere no one else has ever seen
-Bungee jump from a bridge or helicopter
-Back pack Central America
-Go somewhere for an extended period and dont tell anyone (maybe one person :])
-Tour Italy's wine country
-Visit the "Eagle's Nest" in Germany
-Pray at every concentration camp from WWII
-Read the Sermon on The Mount while on Mount Sinai
-Walk the road Jesus carried the cross on
-Visit every inhabital continent
-Go on the walkabout in the Australian Outback
-Jump on a plane not knowing where I am going
-Eat sushi in Japan
-Learn to fly a plane, then DO IT!
-Sail around the world with a loved one
-Speak at a men's conference
-Share my testimony on 6 continents
-Go on a safari in Africa
-Explore the jungles of Fiji
-Dive from a waterfall
-Swim in every ocean
-Look for the Lochness Monster :)
-Visit the Castle of Ayer in Scotland
-Go to the beaches of Normandy
-Climb Ayers' Rock in Australia
-Scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef
-Become a Master Diver
-Tour Europe
-Travel the Middle East
-Get a fortune in China
-See a play in the "Wooden O" Theater
- Read "Romeo and Juliet" in Stratford upon Avon
-Own a vacation home in the woods
-Become a wine connoisseur
-Dance in the rain
-Learn how to shoot a bow and arrow
This is all I can think of now, But I will continually update this post. When I accomplish things I will cross it out and attach a story. Here it goes....my life begins!
-Sky Dive and do some kind of flip in mid-air
-Go somewhere no one else has ever seen
-Bungee jump from a bridge or helicopter
-Back pack Central America
-Go somewhere for an extended period and dont tell anyone (maybe one person :])
-Tour Italy's wine country
-Visit the "Eagle's Nest" in Germany
-Pray at every concentration camp from WWII
-Read the Sermon on The Mount while on Mount Sinai
-Walk the road Jesus carried the cross on
-Visit every inhabital continent
-Go on the walkabout in the Australian Outback
-Jump on a plane not knowing where I am going
-Eat sushi in Japan
-Learn to fly a plane, then DO IT!
-Sail around the world with a loved one
-Speak at a men's conference
-Share my testimony on 6 continents
-Go on a safari in Africa
-Explore the jungles of Fiji
-Dive from a waterfall
-Swim in every ocean
-Look for the Lochness Monster :)
-Visit the Castle of Ayer in Scotland
-Go to the beaches of Normandy
-Climb Ayers' Rock in Australia
-Scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef
-Become a Master Diver
-Tour Europe
-Travel the Middle East
-Get a fortune in China
-See a play in the "Wooden O" Theater
- Read "Romeo and Juliet" in Stratford upon Avon
-Own a vacation home in the woods
-Become a wine connoisseur
-Dance in the rain
-Learn how to shoot a bow and arrow
This is all I can think of now, But I will continually update this post. When I accomplish things I will cross it out and attach a story. Here it goes....my life begins!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Carpet Time: Are we really listening?
So I was introduced to this concept of "Carpet Time" by a friend via her blog. It is actually a really simple, effective and fun way to relax and get away from the world a little while. Honestly, the best part is that it gives you time to actually listen, listen to what God has to say. "Carpet Time" is an easy thing to accomplish. Just lay down on your floor in a closed off room, turn off all your lights, hook up the I-pod and listen to your favorite worship song. Mine is "Everything" by Lifehouse, becasue of what the words mean to me. Gets you thinking then soon enough, has you listening. This is what brings me to the point I want to make in this post. When was the last time you actually sat and listened to God? I mean really LISTENED to what He had to say.
I struggled with something a little while back, that makes perfect sense to me now. I did not like praying alone because I always felt, well alone while doing it. I did not feel that God was talking back or even listening to what I was saying. However, when I prayed in a group, I could feel His presence there, listening. So for a while I tried to figure out what was going on, and how can I change it. Then during a bible study, it hit me. It was not that God wasd not talking, it was that I was not listening! Everytime I prayed, when I was done, I would jump into bed or go on with my day. Its like hanging up the phone when you finish talking, you do not even give the other person a chance to talk. This is what I was doing, hanging up the phone with God and not giving Him the chance to talk.
This is what "Carpet Time" gives you. It gives you the opportunity to just shut up and listen to what God has planned for you and to answer the questions that we have been asking for. It even says in scripture that if you ask you shall recieve. It can not be more plain that that. He wasnt to give the desires of our hearts, and with that further His kingdom. Could it be true that it is not that God is not speaking, but man is not listening? Yeah, I think this can be 100% true!
I have challeneged myself to start listening more to what God has instore for me. Not only for the answers I want, but also the answers I need. The purpose he has for me will be revealed in prayer and patience (something I have already touched on a couple times). I do nopt know why this subject has been on my heart so much recently. Maybe its because I am taking drastic steps in my life and I need His guiadance. Maybe it's because I finally figured out that this is not my life, when I accepted Christ into my heart, he then took control. I just have to let go of the reigns and give in to His plan for me.
A good friend of mine and his wife recently quit their jobs to pursue a job in South Korea. In the last week or so I have been praying about this a lot, as I am sure they have been. They will be gone a year, away from everything they know (family, friends, etc.) and they will know nothing except this: God is guiding them. They have each other yes, but more importantly they have God guiding them to places they never thought imaginable. They are picking up and being obeident to what God has planned fr them. It is such an amazing sight to see! They are literally going to the other side of the world, with really nothing but knowing teh God will take care of them. I admire them so much for their courage and understanding that this is not their life or, in this case, their marriage. It is His!
So try this out. Just pick a time of the day/night you can be alone for no more than 5-6 minutes. Just the length of the song you choose. Turn off your cell phone and computer, put all your focus on Him. And while you are listening to your favorite worship song, just listen....listen to what God is trying to tell you. Try to do this once a week. I mean what is 6 minutes a week for God? And the best part is that you do not have to go anywhere special, or do anything hard. All you have to do is listen, and then follow. He does not call us to understand, he just calls us to follow. (Re-read Matthew 4:19-20)
All of our lives are changing, but are they changing in God's will or our own. My worst fear is that I would not fulfill the purpose God has for me. But as long as we are obedient to his plan and we listen to Him, this fear no longer has to linger.
Have fun with this one!
I struggled with something a little while back, that makes perfect sense to me now. I did not like praying alone because I always felt, well alone while doing it. I did not feel that God was talking back or even listening to what I was saying. However, when I prayed in a group, I could feel His presence there, listening. So for a while I tried to figure out what was going on, and how can I change it. Then during a bible study, it hit me. It was not that God wasd not talking, it was that I was not listening! Everytime I prayed, when I was done, I would jump into bed or go on with my day. Its like hanging up the phone when you finish talking, you do not even give the other person a chance to talk. This is what I was doing, hanging up the phone with God and not giving Him the chance to talk.
This is what "Carpet Time" gives you. It gives you the opportunity to just shut up and listen to what God has planned for you and to answer the questions that we have been asking for. It even says in scripture that if you ask you shall recieve. It can not be more plain that that. He wasnt to give the desires of our hearts, and with that further His kingdom. Could it be true that it is not that God is not speaking, but man is not listening? Yeah, I think this can be 100% true!
I have challeneged myself to start listening more to what God has instore for me. Not only for the answers I want, but also the answers I need. The purpose he has for me will be revealed in prayer and patience (something I have already touched on a couple times). I do nopt know why this subject has been on my heart so much recently. Maybe its because I am taking drastic steps in my life and I need His guiadance. Maybe it's because I finally figured out that this is not my life, when I accepted Christ into my heart, he then took control. I just have to let go of the reigns and give in to His plan for me.
A good friend of mine and his wife recently quit their jobs to pursue a job in South Korea. In the last week or so I have been praying about this a lot, as I am sure they have been. They will be gone a year, away from everything they know (family, friends, etc.) and they will know nothing except this: God is guiding them. They have each other yes, but more importantly they have God guiding them to places they never thought imaginable. They are picking up and being obeident to what God has planned fr them. It is such an amazing sight to see! They are literally going to the other side of the world, with really nothing but knowing teh God will take care of them. I admire them so much for their courage and understanding that this is not their life or, in this case, their marriage. It is His!
So try this out. Just pick a time of the day/night you can be alone for no more than 5-6 minutes. Just the length of the song you choose. Turn off your cell phone and computer, put all your focus on Him. And while you are listening to your favorite worship song, just listen....listen to what God is trying to tell you. Try to do this once a week. I mean what is 6 minutes a week for God? And the best part is that you do not have to go anywhere special, or do anything hard. All you have to do is listen, and then follow. He does not call us to understand, he just calls us to follow. (Re-read Matthew 4:19-20)
All of our lives are changing, but are they changing in God's will or our own. My worst fear is that I would not fulfill the purpose God has for me. But as long as we are obedient to his plan and we listen to Him, this fear no longer has to linger.
Have fun with this one!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
God is the Gospel- John Piper
So last night at Refuge, my Tuesday night bible study, I heard John Piper speak via video from his 2008 sermon at the Resolved Conference. I have read a couple of his books and liked his writings but have never heard him speak and was honestly, quite blown away. He is an older man yet he speaks and writes like he is in his late-20s, with such passsion and conviction. Below are my thoughts, as well as his, on the subjects he talked about. He basically turned my entire view on what the Gospel is and how it is changing my life.
His sermon was turtned towards relating "God is the Gospel" and things that have happened in my life. Whether iot was the glory of God, His love for me, my conversion, how I have heard the gospel preached before, me being the salt and light of the Earth, and of course evangelizing. All these were packed into an hour sermon, and it couldn't have been any better, at least for me. He gan the sermon talking about why we sin, and what the actual reason for sin was. He said a quoote that I will never forget. Actually it was said as he was beiong introduced, taken from one of his books. It said, "Sin is what you do when your heart is not satisfied with God". This really got me thinking and kind o opened my mind for what was to come. John Piper got on stage and you could actually see the transformation from when God had taken over the sermona dn used John as a vessel for His message rather then John using God. He made it very clear right away that there is no gospel without God. Whatever else happened in the gospel does not matter without God. Simply put, yet very convicting. How many times have we focused on other things then God while reading the gospels?
The first point that Piper makes in his lesson, is how God is the Gospel relates to the Glory of God. God is most glorifed when we are satisfied with Him. This is teh most important thing to remember. We can do every good deed in the world, and unless we are satisfied with what God is doing in our life, God will not be as glorifed as he could be. Piper also touched on the idea of making Christ look great thoguh death. Something that I think a lot of Christans and non-belivers struggle with. But we have to show the gain we get through death, this will make Christ look amazed and glorified. After the loss of everything, we still proclaim His name to the heavens and are able to go home to our Heavenly Father. It is hard to see the gaion through the loss of a loved one, but honestly, if they are believer, they are gaining the greatest reward of all.
The second point he made was the relationship between God is the Gospel and His love for us. I always knew that God loves us, but what John said had totally changed my thoughts on it. Yes, he loves us, but can see the much bigger picture. In John 11:1-6, it details the story of Lazuraus, who loved Christ and Christ loved him. However, when Jesus found out that Lazuraus was sick and would die, he did nothing. "Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days." (John 11:4-6) He knew that saving Lazuraus is not the true love that he had planned, but letting him die, would let him go home to God, and truly be at peace. This basically answers the question of how do you make God look good through death? Basically, the "loving human" is exhalting God for their enjoyment. That they love the worship and praise that go towards Christ and no one else. It is not abolut him making a lot of us but because of Christ's sacrifice, God being able to enable us to make much of Him forever.
Piper went on to talk about how God is the Gospel relates to our Conversion. I honestly can not say it better or try to explain it better than Piper did on his notes, so for this one I will just write what he wrote. He said, "The highest, best, final, decisive GOOD that makes the Gospel good news is the glory of God in the face of Christ revealed for your everlasting ENJOYMENT." He also added a bible verse to correlate with his thoughts. The verse was 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 and the bets part of that passage is verse six. It says, "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,'made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:6) Through our conversion, He ahs given us a "light to shine out the darkness". I do not know about you, but that is pretty amazing to know Christ gave that to me when He took control of my life.
Piper continued to talk about how this all relates to how the gospel is usually preached. what reall y struck me abotu this section is that he did not focus on the forgiveness aspect of accepting Chrisdt, as we usually do. But what the reason for forgiveness from Christ was. He said it was not for escaping Hell or feeling better about your self, but for bringing you home to God. Wthout forgiveness you will not be able to go Home and be with God, so this should be the sole purpose why you should want to be forgiven. This is the only value that forgiveness has. PERIOD!
Next, Piper touched on one of my favorite chapters of the Bible, Matthew 5. This talks about us, as Christians, being the salt of the Earth as well as the light. Being "salty" (as Piper said) means "that we we are so satisfied in our reward in heaven, God, that we joyfully endure PAIN in the service of Jesus." (John Piper) Endure Pain? Yeah I thought the same thing...but honestly when you think about it. This is not our life to be selfish with. Christ is, or should be, ultimately inc opntrol of everything that goes on, including teh painw e endure. Just look at Lot in the Old Testament. He endured more pain and suffering then we could ever imagine, yet he was still praising God's name thorough it all and thanking God for everything. Also, John touched on the subject of the "Prosperity Gospel", basically always going for the financial means rather than the righteous ones. Piper made a good point that the "World" will simply not be impressed by a church that is motivated by worldy things. We have to seperate ourselves from them and show the "world" that we rely on other means of proseperity, we rely on Christ.
The last section he spoke about was God is the Gospel relating to evangelism and missions. I have read a book by Piper called "Let The Nation's Be Glad" for a class in college. It changed my perspective on the mission field and what we are called to do rather than what we want to do. He said in his sermon, like he did in his book, about "find[ing] a way to talk to your friends about God being the gospel in teh thinges that THEY long for and yearn for." (John Piper)
Through this entire sermon, I though about how I was looking at the gospel and how John Piper slowly but surely changed my perspective of it. I hope you enjoyed what Piper had to say as much as I did and look forward to more I get to hear from this extraordinary man of God.
His sermon was turtned towards relating "God is the Gospel" and things that have happened in my life. Whether iot was the glory of God, His love for me, my conversion, how I have heard the gospel preached before, me being the salt and light of the Earth, and of course evangelizing. All these were packed into an hour sermon, and it couldn't have been any better, at least for me. He gan the sermon talking about why we sin, and what the actual reason for sin was. He said a quoote that I will never forget. Actually it was said as he was beiong introduced, taken from one of his books. It said, "Sin is what you do when your heart is not satisfied with God". This really got me thinking and kind o opened my mind for what was to come. John Piper got on stage and you could actually see the transformation from when God had taken over the sermona dn used John as a vessel for His message rather then John using God. He made it very clear right away that there is no gospel without God. Whatever else happened in the gospel does not matter without God. Simply put, yet very convicting. How many times have we focused on other things then God while reading the gospels?
The first point that Piper makes in his lesson, is how God is the Gospel relates to the Glory of God. God is most glorifed when we are satisfied with Him. This is teh most important thing to remember. We can do every good deed in the world, and unless we are satisfied with what God is doing in our life, God will not be as glorifed as he could be. Piper also touched on the idea of making Christ look great thoguh death. Something that I think a lot of Christans and non-belivers struggle with. But we have to show the gain we get through death, this will make Christ look amazed and glorified. After the loss of everything, we still proclaim His name to the heavens and are able to go home to our Heavenly Father. It is hard to see the gaion through the loss of a loved one, but honestly, if they are believer, they are gaining the greatest reward of all.
The second point he made was the relationship between God is the Gospel and His love for us. I always knew that God loves us, but what John said had totally changed my thoughts on it. Yes, he loves us, but can see the much bigger picture. In John 11:1-6, it details the story of Lazuraus, who loved Christ and Christ loved him. However, when Jesus found out that Lazuraus was sick and would die, he did nothing. "Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days." (John 11:4-6) He knew that saving Lazuraus is not the true love that he had planned, but letting him die, would let him go home to God, and truly be at peace. This basically answers the question of how do you make God look good through death? Basically, the "loving human" is exhalting God for their enjoyment. That they love the worship and praise that go towards Christ and no one else. It is not abolut him making a lot of us but because of Christ's sacrifice, God being able to enable us to make much of Him forever.
Piper went on to talk about how God is the Gospel relates to our Conversion. I honestly can not say it better or try to explain it better than Piper did on his notes, so for this one I will just write what he wrote. He said, "The highest, best, final, decisive GOOD that makes the Gospel good news is the glory of God in the face of Christ revealed for your everlasting ENJOYMENT." He also added a bible verse to correlate with his thoughts. The verse was 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 and the bets part of that passage is verse six. It says, "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,'made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:6) Through our conversion, He ahs given us a "light to shine out the darkness". I do not know about you, but that is pretty amazing to know Christ gave that to me when He took control of my life.
Piper continued to talk about how this all relates to how the gospel is usually preached. what reall y struck me abotu this section is that he did not focus on the forgiveness aspect of accepting Chrisdt, as we usually do. But what the reason for forgiveness from Christ was. He said it was not for escaping Hell or feeling better about your self, but for bringing you home to God. Wthout forgiveness you will not be able to go Home and be with God, so this should be the sole purpose why you should want to be forgiven. This is the only value that forgiveness has. PERIOD!
Next, Piper touched on one of my favorite chapters of the Bible, Matthew 5. This talks about us, as Christians, being the salt of the Earth as well as the light. Being "salty" (as Piper said) means "that we we are so satisfied in our reward in heaven, God, that we joyfully endure PAIN in the service of Jesus." (John Piper) Endure Pain? Yeah I thought the same thing...but honestly when you think about it. This is not our life to be selfish with. Christ is, or should be, ultimately inc opntrol of everything that goes on, including teh painw e endure. Just look at Lot in the Old Testament. He endured more pain and suffering then we could ever imagine, yet he was still praising God's name thorough it all and thanking God for everything. Also, John touched on the subject of the "Prosperity Gospel", basically always going for the financial means rather than the righteous ones. Piper made a good point that the "World" will simply not be impressed by a church that is motivated by worldy things. We have to seperate ourselves from them and show the "world" that we rely on other means of proseperity, we rely on Christ.
The last section he spoke about was God is the Gospel relating to evangelism and missions. I have read a book by Piper called "Let The Nation's Be Glad" for a class in college. It changed my perspective on the mission field and what we are called to do rather than what we want to do. He said in his sermon, like he did in his book, about "find[ing] a way to talk to your friends about God being the gospel in teh thinges that THEY long for and yearn for." (John Piper)
Through this entire sermon, I though about how I was looking at the gospel and how John Piper slowly but surely changed my perspective of it. I hope you enjoyed what Piper had to say as much as I did and look forward to more I get to hear from this extraordinary man of God.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Respect, Women and Dating (Ephesians 5)
The title of this blog should really be:
"Respect Women WHILE Dating IN THE PURSUIT OF MARRIAGE."
Honestly, this is the biblical principle that has to be upheld. There have been situations in my life that I am extremly adimant on the respect and treatement of women. Abuse sickens me and wheteher I know the person or not, if I see it, I will get involved. This may not be the best way to go about things but I believe that every woman has to be treated with the utmost respect.
Ephesians 5 (along with Matthew 5) became my favorite books in the bible. It describes the way to treat your future wife or the girl your dating. However, from my brother, I have adopted the principle of treating every girl the way you would want someone else to treat your future wife. Would you really want someone taking advantage of your wife? Then why would you do it to someone else's? In Ephesians is explains in verses 22-23 that "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior." I am not trying to point out the submitting part, but more the responsibility that God has laid on man. BE A LEADER! You have to lead your wife or girlfriend spiritually and be able to be the one that they come in time of questions or doubts. This is a heavy "burden" to carry, I know, but it is also essential for a long lasting, Christian realationship. And if you do not think that you can handle this "burden", honestly, you should not be in any type of intimate relationship.
I have believed, since high school, that a real realationship can not start until you are eighteen or even older. (Acxtually in sometimes a bit younger) YES there are exceptions, however in most cases, while in high school, we are not spiritually or emotionally mature for an actual relationship that God blesses and is happy with. There are very few high school couples that are doing devotionals together and the guy is doing something else then trying to get to the next base. High school is the time we need to take with just us and God. To get to know Him better before jumping into the world of dating, the bad part is that the "world" encourages underage dating and sex....this is where we need to set ourselves apart.
I am not saying that you need to stay away from the opposite sex completely, nor am I saying that you cannot "like" someone. What I am saying is that there is no way you can truly LOVE the person you are attracted to. It is falling in lust not love. This is where mistakes happen, mistakes that can not be taken back. I am almost 23 years old, and over the last year I have been strengthening my relationship with Christ and making my walk solid. So when I do meet that girl I am to marry, I will be ready. Mistakes happen, but they don't have to happen continously.
This is not even taking in account the fiunancial situations that you put yourselves into. There is no way that you can be financinally stable enough to have a family at age 18. It is incredibly irresponsible to start off a marriage in debt, this is something that needs to be looked at as well.
Ephesians 5:25-33 goes on to say:
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
(author's emphasis)
These verses basically lay it out so perfectly that it is indisputable. I have highlighted some of my favorite parts about it. We, as husbands, are commanded to love our wives as "Christ loved the church". I take this very seriously and literally, as did Christ. He gave everything for the church so that God's purpose would be fulfilled, his life in particular. As a man, I am needed to not only protect my wife spritually but also physically, even if this means putting my self in danger. "Husbands must love their wife as their own bodies". As we treat ourselves with respect and love, we need to treat our wives/ women we are dating even more. It is my philosophy that when a realtionship becomes extremly serious and you are actively pursuing marriage together, God comes first, then she does, and in a distant third is you....in any case. "The two will become one flesh" is a hard verse to take in. You are no longer two seperate beings in God's eyes but one person actively pursuing Him. My body will no longer be mine but hers and vice versa. Lastly, "...must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." This verse wraps up the entire passsage very well. The man is the leader of the relationship and has to be able to leaqd his girlfriend/ wife spirutally, again this is essential! This is extremly important to remember, not just because God tells us to do it (which he does!) but because it will make your relationship that much stronger and lasting.
In teh beginning of this blog, I wrote at the end of the "new" title ......IN PURSUIT OF MARRIAGE. Honestly this is the only reason tyo be ina realtionship with someone. If you are actively pursuing marriage and are ready for it, by all means find the person you belive God has for you and pray together. If you are too young, or not ready for a relationship biblically, what is the point? Pray on that one for a little while....
"Respect Women WHILE Dating IN THE PURSUIT OF MARRIAGE."
Honestly, this is the biblical principle that has to be upheld. There have been situations in my life that I am extremly adimant on the respect and treatement of women. Abuse sickens me and wheteher I know the person or not, if I see it, I will get involved. This may not be the best way to go about things but I believe that every woman has to be treated with the utmost respect.
Ephesians 5 (along with Matthew 5) became my favorite books in the bible. It describes the way to treat your future wife or the girl your dating. However, from my brother, I have adopted the principle of treating every girl the way you would want someone else to treat your future wife. Would you really want someone taking advantage of your wife? Then why would you do it to someone else's? In Ephesians is explains in verses 22-23 that "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior." I am not trying to point out the submitting part, but more the responsibility that God has laid on man. BE A LEADER! You have to lead your wife or girlfriend spiritually and be able to be the one that they come in time of questions or doubts. This is a heavy "burden" to carry, I know, but it is also essential for a long lasting, Christian realationship. And if you do not think that you can handle this "burden", honestly, you should not be in any type of intimate relationship.
I have believed, since high school, that a real realationship can not start until you are eighteen or even older. (Acxtually in sometimes a bit younger) YES there are exceptions, however in most cases, while in high school, we are not spiritually or emotionally mature for an actual relationship that God blesses and is happy with. There are very few high school couples that are doing devotionals together and the guy is doing something else then trying to get to the next base. High school is the time we need to take with just us and God. To get to know Him better before jumping into the world of dating, the bad part is that the "world" encourages underage dating and sex....this is where we need to set ourselves apart.
I am not saying that you need to stay away from the opposite sex completely, nor am I saying that you cannot "like" someone. What I am saying is that there is no way you can truly LOVE the person you are attracted to. It is falling in lust not love. This is where mistakes happen, mistakes that can not be taken back. I am almost 23 years old, and over the last year I have been strengthening my relationship with Christ and making my walk solid. So when I do meet that girl I am to marry, I will be ready. Mistakes happen, but they don't have to happen continously.
This is not even taking in account the fiunancial situations that you put yourselves into. There is no way that you can be financinally stable enough to have a family at age 18. It is incredibly irresponsible to start off a marriage in debt, this is something that needs to be looked at as well.
Ephesians 5:25-33 goes on to say:
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
(author's emphasis)
These verses basically lay it out so perfectly that it is indisputable. I have highlighted some of my favorite parts about it. We, as husbands, are commanded to love our wives as "Christ loved the church". I take this very seriously and literally, as did Christ. He gave everything for the church so that God's purpose would be fulfilled, his life in particular. As a man, I am needed to not only protect my wife spritually but also physically, even if this means putting my self in danger. "Husbands must love their wife as their own bodies". As we treat ourselves with respect and love, we need to treat our wives/ women we are dating even more. It is my philosophy that when a realtionship becomes extremly serious and you are actively pursuing marriage together, God comes first, then she does, and in a distant third is you....in any case. "The two will become one flesh" is a hard verse to take in. You are no longer two seperate beings in God's eyes but one person actively pursuing Him. My body will no longer be mine but hers and vice versa. Lastly, "...must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." This verse wraps up the entire passsage very well. The man is the leader of the relationship and has to be able to leaqd his girlfriend/ wife spirutally, again this is essential! This is extremly important to remember, not just because God tells us to do it (which he does!) but because it will make your relationship that much stronger and lasting.
In teh beginning of this blog, I wrote at the end of the "new" title ......IN PURSUIT OF MARRIAGE. Honestly this is the only reason tyo be ina realtionship with someone. If you are actively pursuing marriage and are ready for it, by all means find the person you belive God has for you and pray together. If you are too young, or not ready for a relationship biblically, what is the point? Pray on that one for a little while....
Friday, May 8, 2009
Jordan Bryan Ayers: The Journey Begins!
So yesterday, I woke up at 6am for work as I always do but instead of the hpoiuse still ebing asleep, I had my mom running in saying that my brotehr and sister-in-law are in the hospital, the baby is coming! Something we have prayed and hoped for many years, has finally arrived. God has blessed two of the most special people in my life with a child of their own. So I took off work and headed to the hospital, in anticipation we waited. Until 9:19am on Thursday morning, then my brother JT came in with the good news. They have an incredibly beautiful, healthy 6lb 8oz baby boy. He is standing at a incredible 18.5 inches, he may not be ready for the NBA but he has a few decades to grow for that. I have never seen my brother so excited, overwhelmed, happy with his heart full of joy.
The very next question that was asked was the baby's name. We all had no idea since Jt and Jess (his wife) had kept it a secret. Which I think is an amazing idea. It is something they had given to this child from them, and only them. He named the baby Jordan Bryan Ayers. I loved teh name immediately, not because of the sound but because of the reasons. Jt and Jess picked the name Jordan becasue this is where Jesus started his ministry and so shall they. This is what seperates my brother and his wife apart from so many new parents. Right away, they did not see Jordan as a baby or a new addition to the family. Immediately they thought of Christ and the way He is going to use Jordan to further His kingdom. What an awesome testament to their faith. The middle name Bryan comes from our grandfather who passed away in 1991. He was such an amazing man that, although we had such a short time with, was a big part of our lives. This made Gram cry....extremley emotional moment.
After JT went back to see his wife, my mom, Jess' mom, and myself started calling like mad. Anyone we could think of to tell the amazing news to. My mom couldn't stop crying, but who could blame her. I began to tear up as well. The two people that prayed and trusted God with the formation of their family finally recieved tehir gift. God has truly blessed them! Again, patience in God's plan always comes out better than expected.
A couple hours later we were able to go see the new "Ayers Boy". Right away I can see that he would fit in perfect. He is such a charmer and all the ladies liked him immediately. It was amazing though, right away he new my JT's voice as his fathers and Jess' touch as his mother's. Jordan has been truly blessed by the best parents with a strong desire to serve the Lord. I was so happy to see JT and Jess joyful. I can not say it enough, this baby was a perfect creation!
And now it begins! The journey that this child will make through life, being guided by his parents and his Heavenly Father. I am excited to see the Christian man I know he will become!
Amen!
The very next question that was asked was the baby's name. We all had no idea since Jt and Jess (his wife) had kept it a secret. Which I think is an amazing idea. It is something they had given to this child from them, and only them. He named the baby Jordan Bryan Ayers. I loved teh name immediately, not because of the sound but because of the reasons. Jt and Jess picked the name Jordan becasue this is where Jesus started his ministry and so shall they. This is what seperates my brother and his wife apart from so many new parents. Right away, they did not see Jordan as a baby or a new addition to the family. Immediately they thought of Christ and the way He is going to use Jordan to further His kingdom. What an awesome testament to their faith. The middle name Bryan comes from our grandfather who passed away in 1991. He was such an amazing man that, although we had such a short time with, was a big part of our lives. This made Gram cry....extremley emotional moment.
After JT went back to see his wife, my mom, Jess' mom, and myself started calling like mad. Anyone we could think of to tell the amazing news to. My mom couldn't stop crying, but who could blame her. I began to tear up as well. The two people that prayed and trusted God with the formation of their family finally recieved tehir gift. God has truly blessed them! Again, patience in God's plan always comes out better than expected.
A couple hours later we were able to go see the new "Ayers Boy". Right away I can see that he would fit in perfect. He is such a charmer and all the ladies liked him immediately. It was amazing though, right away he new my JT's voice as his fathers and Jess' touch as his mother's. Jordan has been truly blessed by the best parents with a strong desire to serve the Lord. I was so happy to see JT and Jess joyful. I can not say it enough, this baby was a perfect creation!
And now it begins! The journey that this child will make through life, being guided by his parents and his Heavenly Father. I am excited to see the Christian man I know he will become!
Amen!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
"Blame it on the..." NOPE! Blame Yourself!
So as I attended Refuge Bible Study at Compass last night, the subject of the sermon was a very interesting one. Something that teenager/ young adult is pressured with and once the age of twenty-one comes around, freedom is given to drink alcohol.
Drinking has become such a right within our culture that responisbility no longer goes with it. I looked online to see what exactly the "lack of responsibility" contains and found otu something pretty crazy. This is from an article online about drunk driving:
"First, let us acquaint ourselves with some alarming statistics: 250,000 people have died in alcohol-related accidents in the past 10 years; 25,000 people die each year in alcohol related accidents; 500 people are killed weekly and 71 people daily in alcohol-related accidents; one American life is lost every 20 minutes in an alcohol-related car crash; and one out of every two Americans is likely to be involved in an alcohol-related accident in his lifetime. Every year, 708,000 persons are injured, 74,000 of them seriously, in alcohol-related crashes. About 2,000 people receive injuries each day in alcohol-related accidents."
So with all this said, how can alcohol be taken so lightly as it has been today. A friend of mine said that he was talking with a buddy about his birthday and said, "As long as I don't remember it (becasue of consumption of alcohol), its a good party". Agan, what are we teaching our youths that says that this type of behavior makes you more popular and more liked. I have never liked myself while drunk or someone esle while they were intoxicated. Drinking is a downer, if anything you feel worse about yourself.
However, although all of this is important information, it does not come from scripture. I was actually really surpised the way the pastor approached this subject. He started out by saying although his opinon on the subject is that drinking is wrong and leads to terrible things, that is not scriptual. This is something that I have never heard froma pastor dsuring a sermon. He decided to adeliver his sermon from both sides of the argument. Showing us that it is ok to drink, but do not be stupid about it. He also made us all aware of the dangers that drinking leads to. He quoted the parable of Jesus turning water into wine, which everyone that wants to get drunk knows this parable very well. Yes, I believe and have backup on scripture that drinking responsibly and NOT getting drunk is an acceptable thing to do after the age of 21. However there are many dangers here, that are diorectly from scripture.
Proverbs 21:17 says "He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich." This is all but true, seeing friends drop thousands of dollars on a given night, not knowing what bottle they are pourchasing because of intoxication. As well as drinks costing upwards of ten dollars a piece. This is just a basic principle to keep in mind. If you spend a thousand dollars on a weekend in Vegas, getting trashed, how much are you giving to your church when Sunday rolls around. Just something to think about...
The pastor went throughout Proverbs and Isaiah quoting verse after verse about what dangers is involved in partying and drinking excessively. Most of these I will list at the end of this post so you cvan look them up. However there was one that hits close to home and really sent a chill down my spine, because I have been there. It is Proverbs 23:31-32 and it says "Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper." This is so true and shows that even though alcohol tastes good and feels great, it is so harmfuyl in the end. It impairs judgement and how everythign is perceived in your mind. Morals usually go out the door and you find your self in compromising situations that you would not usually find your self. A great example of this is when Lot left Zoar with his two daughters starting in Genesis 19:30. The two daughters wanted to have sex and with no men around, their father would have to do. Lot was a righteous man yet when he was drunk he had no idea what was going on. The daugheters took turns getting their father drunk and sleeping with him. Lot had no idea at the time since he was comepletly wasted. They both became pregnant from this, completely out of God's will. Now had Lot controlled his drinking, he could have known what his daughters were doing and backed off. This is just one of thousands of stories throughout history that this type of thing has happened. Yet in our society we praise people that can down a beer fast, play beer pong well, and can "hold their liquor". What is wrong with thsi picture.
In Ephesians 5:18, it says to not get drunk on wine but fill yourself with the Spirit. I guarantee a better high from the Spirit of God being inside of you then any type of intoxication.
I do not want you to think that I do not know how it feels to be drunk, make mistakes and other things. If you know me at all, you know of my mistakes and how I have learend from them. From my late teens til about eight months back, pretty much every terrible mistake I made was because of drinking too much, or that is how it started. So I know exactly where you are coming from and am open to questions if you have any.
However, with all this said, Jesus Christ has given us grace for it all. In 1 Corinthians 6:10-11 it explains what has happned, the consequences and what the result is. It says, "...nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." So by living in the sin of drinking too much and causing more sin through that, we will not inherit teh Kingdom of God. But, Christ shed his blood for us and washed that all away. We are a new creation and have forgiveness through Christ. I am not saying drink all you want and repent later. Constantly living in sin is showing God that you are not truly repentant. Yes, if you stumble or screw up, God has the utmost love and forgiveness for you. But if you are getting wasted every night and have no remorse for it, God is also fair and vengeful. Grace comes with acceptance and true repentance, make sure you know that.
In Christ's Love
Drinking has become such a right within our culture that responisbility no longer goes with it. I looked online to see what exactly the "lack of responsibility" contains and found otu something pretty crazy. This is from an article online about drunk driving:
"First, let us acquaint ourselves with some alarming statistics: 250,000 people have died in alcohol-related accidents in the past 10 years; 25,000 people die each year in alcohol related accidents; 500 people are killed weekly and 71 people daily in alcohol-related accidents; one American life is lost every 20 minutes in an alcohol-related car crash; and one out of every two Americans is likely to be involved in an alcohol-related accident in his lifetime. Every year, 708,000 persons are injured, 74,000 of them seriously, in alcohol-related crashes. About 2,000 people receive injuries each day in alcohol-related accidents."
So with all this said, how can alcohol be taken so lightly as it has been today. A friend of mine said that he was talking with a buddy about his birthday and said, "As long as I don't remember it (becasue of consumption of alcohol), its a good party". Agan, what are we teaching our youths that says that this type of behavior makes you more popular and more liked. I have never liked myself while drunk or someone esle while they were intoxicated. Drinking is a downer, if anything you feel worse about yourself.
However, although all of this is important information, it does not come from scripture. I was actually really surpised the way the pastor approached this subject. He started out by saying although his opinon on the subject is that drinking is wrong and leads to terrible things, that is not scriptual. This is something that I have never heard froma pastor dsuring a sermon. He decided to adeliver his sermon from both sides of the argument. Showing us that it is ok to drink, but do not be stupid about it. He also made us all aware of the dangers that drinking leads to. He quoted the parable of Jesus turning water into wine, which everyone that wants to get drunk knows this parable very well. Yes, I believe and have backup on scripture that drinking responsibly and NOT getting drunk is an acceptable thing to do after the age of 21. However there are many dangers here, that are diorectly from scripture.
Proverbs 21:17 says "He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich." This is all but true, seeing friends drop thousands of dollars on a given night, not knowing what bottle they are pourchasing because of intoxication. As well as drinks costing upwards of ten dollars a piece. This is just a basic principle to keep in mind. If you spend a thousand dollars on a weekend in Vegas, getting trashed, how much are you giving to your church when Sunday rolls around. Just something to think about...
The pastor went throughout Proverbs and Isaiah quoting verse after verse about what dangers is involved in partying and drinking excessively. Most of these I will list at the end of this post so you cvan look them up. However there was one that hits close to home and really sent a chill down my spine, because I have been there. It is Proverbs 23:31-32 and it says "Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper." This is so true and shows that even though alcohol tastes good and feels great, it is so harmfuyl in the end. It impairs judgement and how everythign is perceived in your mind. Morals usually go out the door and you find your self in compromising situations that you would not usually find your self. A great example of this is when Lot left Zoar with his two daughters starting in Genesis 19:30. The two daughters wanted to have sex and with no men around, their father would have to do. Lot was a righteous man yet when he was drunk he had no idea what was going on. The daugheters took turns getting their father drunk and sleeping with him. Lot had no idea at the time since he was comepletly wasted. They both became pregnant from this, completely out of God's will. Now had Lot controlled his drinking, he could have known what his daughters were doing and backed off. This is just one of thousands of stories throughout history that this type of thing has happened. Yet in our society we praise people that can down a beer fast, play beer pong well, and can "hold their liquor". What is wrong with thsi picture.
In Ephesians 5:18, it says to not get drunk on wine but fill yourself with the Spirit. I guarantee a better high from the Spirit of God being inside of you then any type of intoxication.
I do not want you to think that I do not know how it feels to be drunk, make mistakes and other things. If you know me at all, you know of my mistakes and how I have learend from them. From my late teens til about eight months back, pretty much every terrible mistake I made was because of drinking too much, or that is how it started. So I know exactly where you are coming from and am open to questions if you have any.
However, with all this said, Jesus Christ has given us grace for it all. In 1 Corinthians 6:10-11 it explains what has happned, the consequences and what the result is. It says, "...nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." So by living in the sin of drinking too much and causing more sin through that, we will not inherit teh Kingdom of God. But, Christ shed his blood for us and washed that all away. We are a new creation and have forgiveness through Christ. I am not saying drink all you want and repent later. Constantly living in sin is showing God that you are not truly repentant. Yes, if you stumble or screw up, God has the utmost love and forgiveness for you. But if you are getting wasted every night and have no remorse for it, God is also fair and vengeful. Grace comes with acceptance and true repentance, make sure you know that.
In Christ's Love
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Matthew 4:19-20 "Fishers of Men"
"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. (Matthew 4:19-20)
So I have been given the responsibility and privledge to lead a short talk in our Young Life group called High Rollers and I am extremely excited about it. I chose to do it on the verse above for many reasons, and even more were revealed to me as I begin to study it and talk to the Young Life staff member, Emily, about it. This is such an overlooked and important verse to know. It is not so much that Jesus called for these four fisherman to follow him, it is verse 20, where they "at once dropped their nets and followed him". They left behind everything! They left their jobs, homes, family, loved ones....truly gave everything to Christ!
I am not saying they gave everything up for a complete stranger, some of them were even thought of to be followers of John the Baptist. However, even though they have heard Christ speak, and knew what he was all about, they still followed with out hesistation and went by faith. How many of us would truly do this, or how many of us truly have? I am almost certain I would have raised some questions, as I am sure you would as well. How many job interviews have people called to ministry asked what the pay would be, benefits, job security? And then how many have turned those jobs down becasue of the lack their of. These four men were called to ministry, given nothing for it, and they followed without hesistation....and this is before the grace given by the Jesus and the Cross.
So I decided to look at this another way, try and apply it to my life, so maybe teh High Rollers might be given a better idea of what is going on. However, as I did, I noticed that Moses and myself had the same questions while God was trying to use us. When God came to Moses and commanded him to set His people free, Moses gave a bunch of different reasons why he would not be the best pick. That is where Moses got it wrong...God was not searching for teh "best" pick wto lead His people, he was looking for the right one. Someone that God had chosen before birth to lead his people from slavery. This was all put in motion a long time ago. Yet Moses persisted on saying that he was not a great speaker, since he had a spech impetament, and his brother Aaron would be such a better choice. Yes, God used Aaron but spoke through Moses, he was the only one to do the things God commanded.
I have felt this way twice in my life. First on my 21st birthday I left for my small, 3 week mission trip to the United Kingdom, I kept thinking of every reason why I should not be going. The place I was with God was not a good nor strong one and I have minimal knowledge of teh Bible. I couldn't spout verses off the top of my head and I did not read the Bible regularly. However, once I decided to go and finally made it to the first school in the UK that I spoke at, God made it very clear why he had brought me there. I met kids that knew about Christ yet thought He did not care about them. They came from broken homes and many had turned to selling narcotics for a living, even at the age of 16! God used my past mitakes and sins to be able to relate to the teenagers that wouldn't have listened otherwise. There was one kid in paricular, Daniel, who was 17 and addicted to cocaine as well as other drugs and alcohol. I explaine dthe places I have been and the feelings felt. The ways I thought of getting out of those situations by myself and how it always crumbled. It was not until I accepted Christ and followed Him that I was PULLED out, and not by myself. I do not know whether I got through to Daniel, but I do know I got him to strat thinking. I planted the seed, prayed with him, and knew that was my role in his life.
The second time was pretty recently, when I decided to volunteer at High Rollers. I usually joke around about why I decided to come in the first place. "Came for the girls, stayed for God" Although I play it off as a joke, it is pretty close to the truth. I love God and wanted to find a ministry he was "calling" me to. (Refer to my Jeremiah 29:11 post) But no more than six months ago, if you would have told me I would be in this ministry, I would have laughed at you. I was completely uncomfortable for a half hour the first time I visited. But God used that to have me fall in live with such an amzing ministry and amazing Christian friends came with that.
Basically, all that I am trying to get across is that God is going to stretch us and can use us in so many different ways. We may not be the smartes, most popular, best speaker, or even the "best" pick for the job He has for us, but we are not called to understand, we are commanded to follow. If even that means blindly following hios path, we are to do so. God can use all of us in a variety of ways, and this is something I will tell the High Rollers. They have been seen as disabled in the eyes of the world, yet God is using them everyday to witness and spread His word. I have learned so much more of God's amazing grace and love through them in the last three or four months then any other time in my life.
So I leave you on this challenge....pray! Pray for what God has commanded us to do and ask for what He has planned for you. Search for the purpose God has already set up for you. I guarntee an answer will come, and if not at first be patient. We all have amazing gifts that will be used by Him. And to that I say, AMEN!
So I have been given the responsibility and privledge to lead a short talk in our Young Life group called High Rollers and I am extremely excited about it. I chose to do it on the verse above for many reasons, and even more were revealed to me as I begin to study it and talk to the Young Life staff member, Emily, about it. This is such an overlooked and important verse to know. It is not so much that Jesus called for these four fisherman to follow him, it is verse 20, where they "at once dropped their nets and followed him". They left behind everything! They left their jobs, homes, family, loved ones....truly gave everything to Christ!
I am not saying they gave everything up for a complete stranger, some of them were even thought of to be followers of John the Baptist. However, even though they have heard Christ speak, and knew what he was all about, they still followed with out hesistation and went by faith. How many of us would truly do this, or how many of us truly have? I am almost certain I would have raised some questions, as I am sure you would as well. How many job interviews have people called to ministry asked what the pay would be, benefits, job security? And then how many have turned those jobs down becasue of the lack their of. These four men were called to ministry, given nothing for it, and they followed without hesistation....and this is before the grace given by the Jesus and the Cross.
So I decided to look at this another way, try and apply it to my life, so maybe teh High Rollers might be given a better idea of what is going on. However, as I did, I noticed that Moses and myself had the same questions while God was trying to use us. When God came to Moses and commanded him to set His people free, Moses gave a bunch of different reasons why he would not be the best pick. That is where Moses got it wrong...God was not searching for teh "best" pick wto lead His people, he was looking for the right one. Someone that God had chosen before birth to lead his people from slavery. This was all put in motion a long time ago. Yet Moses persisted on saying that he was not a great speaker, since he had a spech impetament, and his brother Aaron would be such a better choice. Yes, God used Aaron but spoke through Moses, he was the only one to do the things God commanded.
I have felt this way twice in my life. First on my 21st birthday I left for my small, 3 week mission trip to the United Kingdom, I kept thinking of every reason why I should not be going. The place I was with God was not a good nor strong one and I have minimal knowledge of teh Bible. I couldn't spout verses off the top of my head and I did not read the Bible regularly. However, once I decided to go and finally made it to the first school in the UK that I spoke at, God made it very clear why he had brought me there. I met kids that knew about Christ yet thought He did not care about them. They came from broken homes and many had turned to selling narcotics for a living, even at the age of 16! God used my past mitakes and sins to be able to relate to the teenagers that wouldn't have listened otherwise. There was one kid in paricular, Daniel, who was 17 and addicted to cocaine as well as other drugs and alcohol. I explaine dthe places I have been and the feelings felt. The ways I thought of getting out of those situations by myself and how it always crumbled. It was not until I accepted Christ and followed Him that I was PULLED out, and not by myself. I do not know whether I got through to Daniel, but I do know I got him to strat thinking. I planted the seed, prayed with him, and knew that was my role in his life.
The second time was pretty recently, when I decided to volunteer at High Rollers. I usually joke around about why I decided to come in the first place. "Came for the girls, stayed for God" Although I play it off as a joke, it is pretty close to the truth. I love God and wanted to find a ministry he was "calling" me to. (Refer to my Jeremiah 29:11 post) But no more than six months ago, if you would have told me I would be in this ministry, I would have laughed at you. I was completely uncomfortable for a half hour the first time I visited. But God used that to have me fall in live with such an amzing ministry and amazing Christian friends came with that.
Basically, all that I am trying to get across is that God is going to stretch us and can use us in so many different ways. We may not be the smartes, most popular, best speaker, or even the "best" pick for the job He has for us, but we are not called to understand, we are commanded to follow. If even that means blindly following hios path, we are to do so. God can use all of us in a variety of ways, and this is something I will tell the High Rollers. They have been seen as disabled in the eyes of the world, yet God is using them everyday to witness and spread His word. I have learned so much more of God's amazing grace and love through them in the last three or four months then any other time in my life.
So I leave you on this challenge....pray! Pray for what God has commanded us to do and ask for what He has planned for you. Search for the purpose God has already set up for you. I guarntee an answer will come, and if not at first be patient. We all have amazing gifts that will be used by Him. And to that I say, AMEN!
Monday, May 4, 2009
Fellowship Weekend
As I was cruising up the mountain on Friday night, I could help but let the stress of the planning melt away. I had recently invited some of my closest friends up to Lake Arrowhead and it just seemed to be more stressful then it should have been. With the last second changes and what was expected, I just did not want to dissapoint. However, as I was driving, I felt that God was going to bless us this weekend, and my selfish desires of showing some great people an amazing weekend might get in the way of that, especially if I was stressing out. So I prayed as I drove and asked for peace and calm. I immediately felt that everything was going accordingly to HIS plan.
The entire purpose of the weekend in Lake Arrowhead was simply to let old expectations of people go away and learn more about the leaders in our ministry. To become closer as a gorup and as become closer with God. On Friday night we all amde it safely up to the cabin and Patrick lead us in an intense worship and prayer session. As we sang songs, I was able to look around the room, and it brought tears to my eyes. Here I had such a diverse group together, worshipping Christ as one body and prayoing for each other as brothers and sisters. We were not only diverse in backgrounds but also in personalities. I fully expected a couple arguments to break out over the weekend, especially having that many people in such a small space. However, it didn't happen.
I learned a lot about the people that I shared the weekend with, and my hope is that they learned a little bit more about me. The fellowship that we shared can not being imitated or faked. We truly became closer as a group through worship, prayer, thanks, and of course fun in between. Whether it was back flips off the dock into sub-50 degree water or playing games as a group at night. We became closer. A friend of mine said something a little while ago that actually described the way I used to handle friends. They said, "I never allowed friends to get too close, this way they were not able to hurt me and I never became too attached". I thought the same way for a long time and never became to close to a group of friends that I could trust. However, as soon as I became involved in Young Life and High Rollers, God opened my eyes and showed me exactly what I had been missing. This is a group that I would never run away from. God calls us to gain fellowship and use this as a tool. Even Christ had his buddies that he trusted and loved. I finally belived I had found a group that I can truly trust and that honestly loves me for who I am. How else are we supposed to survive in a world full that thrives on self indulgences and lives on sin? We definitly can't do it alone and luckily God will place people in our lives that we can go to in times of trouble.
So after this successful weekend, I find myself once agin wodnering how lucky did I get with such an amzing group of friends. Friends I can call on for obscure advice and will get an honest, brutual, biblical answer. One filled with compassion yet conviction. These are the types of people every Christian should be surrounding themselves with.
Before Young Life and HIgh Rollers, I had one friend that I could truly count on. (Besides family) No more than four months later, I have over twenty. Things like this does not happen but through God's grace and compassion. I cherish the time I have and will spend with these individuals and the group as a whole. Praise God for the friends he ahs blessed me with and the love I recieve from them.
The entire purpose of the weekend in Lake Arrowhead was simply to let old expectations of people go away and learn more about the leaders in our ministry. To become closer as a gorup and as become closer with God. On Friday night we all amde it safely up to the cabin and Patrick lead us in an intense worship and prayer session. As we sang songs, I was able to look around the room, and it brought tears to my eyes. Here I had such a diverse group together, worshipping Christ as one body and prayoing for each other as brothers and sisters. We were not only diverse in backgrounds but also in personalities. I fully expected a couple arguments to break out over the weekend, especially having that many people in such a small space. However, it didn't happen.
I learned a lot about the people that I shared the weekend with, and my hope is that they learned a little bit more about me. The fellowship that we shared can not being imitated or faked. We truly became closer as a group through worship, prayer, thanks, and of course fun in between. Whether it was back flips off the dock into sub-50 degree water or playing games as a group at night. We became closer. A friend of mine said something a little while ago that actually described the way I used to handle friends. They said, "I never allowed friends to get too close, this way they were not able to hurt me and I never became too attached". I thought the same way for a long time and never became to close to a group of friends that I could trust. However, as soon as I became involved in Young Life and High Rollers, God opened my eyes and showed me exactly what I had been missing. This is a group that I would never run away from. God calls us to gain fellowship and use this as a tool. Even Christ had his buddies that he trusted and loved. I finally belived I had found a group that I can truly trust and that honestly loves me for who I am. How else are we supposed to survive in a world full that thrives on self indulgences and lives on sin? We definitly can't do it alone and luckily God will place people in our lives that we can go to in times of trouble.
So after this successful weekend, I find myself once agin wodnering how lucky did I get with such an amzing group of friends. Friends I can call on for obscure advice and will get an honest, brutual, biblical answer. One filled with compassion yet conviction. These are the types of people every Christian should be surrounding themselves with.
Before Young Life and HIgh Rollers, I had one friend that I could truly count on. (Besides family) No more than four months later, I have over twenty. Things like this does not happen but through God's grace and compassion. I cherish the time I have and will spend with these individuals and the group as a whole. Praise God for the friends he ahs blessed me with and the love I recieve from them.
Friday, May 1, 2009
"I served the LORD with great humility...." (Acts 20:19)
"Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life."
(Proverbs 22:4)
Humiltity, what does this actually mean? I know the definition and what the world says it means, but was is the one, honest truth of this word. I bring this subject up for a number of reasons. First of all, it is the most difficult of attributes, in my eyes, that God calls us to obtain. To give up your pride and declare nothing, except to show humiltity. I say "show" because if you declared you are being humble, it defeats the purpose. Second, this was a big deal for God in a lot of the lives of the Bible's principle characters. This is so true for such people as Moses, Abraham, Noah, David, etc. Some of these I will be discussing later. First I would like to tell you where I am coming from in the role of humility, and the stumbles I have taken a long the way.
Basically, I try to live a humble life, yet I struggle with pride everyday. I was reading Proverbs the pother day in church and found it is the basic anti-pride book in the Bible. It condemns the use of pride, and says numerous times that it is the cause of much downfall in the past, present and future. Which is nothing short of truth. Pride is a great struggle in my life, yet is has caused the downturn of civilizations trhoughout History. Most recently, Bill Clinton had struggled with it when he had the very public affair with Ms. Lewinski. He thought that he was so powerful within the confines of his position, he could do anythign then lie about it. He felt it necesssary to drop his pants in the Oval Office, yet other presidents did not even see fit to take off their coat. Another example is Cesar in Rome. Rome was the most powerful civilization for decades and had no reason to slow down. However, in time of emergency, they gave the power to one man and asked him to rule until the crisis was over. The crisis ended, Cesar did not relinquish his power back to democracy, and Rome fell to the Barbarians later in history. Pride does come before the fall.
I just finished studying Exodus in my study with a bunch of guys, and learned about the life of Moses and how God used him as a vessel for His purpose. While Moses lived in Pharohs house, he has all the privledges I the world. Yet he gave them up when he killed an Egyptian that was beating on one of his people, a Jew. Thinking this would excite the Jewish people and cause an uproar for liberation, Moses stayed and sought to be their leader, seeing at what HE did was great. The Jews were non-responsive and teh Pharoh tried to kill him, yet Moses fled. After this Moses spent forty years traveling the desert and being broken down beyond recognition. This is when God used Moses for HIS purpose and not Moses'. It is seen that Moses could have lead the Jews out of slavery while in such a high position in Pharohs house, yet he would have been so proud while doing it. God caused Moses to fall and be broken so he could lift him back up to righteousness and complete God's purpose for him. This shows that sometimes in our most broken times, it is when God will uses us the most. It just so happens that this will be our most humble of times as well.
Abraham was humbnle enough before the Lord that he was going to sacrifice his only son. David was humbled before the Lord after he took Bathsheba into his bed. Salomon was humbled when he gained everything and then the Lord showed him that it could be all taken away. This happens multiple times throughout the Bible and for good reason, the Lord our God vehenmetly detests pride. As should we.
So I have been humbled lately, many times, by God. Whether its taking away things that I care about yet causing me to stray from His path. Our it is taking away great opportunites that are in His plans. I am humbled before the Lord, and will do anything taht He requires.
I really dont know why pride and humiltity are on my hart. Maybe it will help someone out that is struggling, I know it is helping me to think about such things. The verse below struck me with so conviction, that I thought it would fit this post perfectly.
"Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD's anger."
(Zephaniah 2:3)
Amen.
(Proverbs 22:4)
Humiltity, what does this actually mean? I know the definition and what the world says it means, but was is the one, honest truth of this word. I bring this subject up for a number of reasons. First of all, it is the most difficult of attributes, in my eyes, that God calls us to obtain. To give up your pride and declare nothing, except to show humiltity. I say "show" because if you declared you are being humble, it defeats the purpose. Second, this was a big deal for God in a lot of the lives of the Bible's principle characters. This is so true for such people as Moses, Abraham, Noah, David, etc. Some of these I will be discussing later. First I would like to tell you where I am coming from in the role of humility, and the stumbles I have taken a long the way.
Basically, I try to live a humble life, yet I struggle with pride everyday. I was reading Proverbs the pother day in church and found it is the basic anti-pride book in the Bible. It condemns the use of pride, and says numerous times that it is the cause of much downfall in the past, present and future. Which is nothing short of truth. Pride is a great struggle in my life, yet is has caused the downturn of civilizations trhoughout History. Most recently, Bill Clinton had struggled with it when he had the very public affair with Ms. Lewinski. He thought that he was so powerful within the confines of his position, he could do anythign then lie about it. He felt it necesssary to drop his pants in the Oval Office, yet other presidents did not even see fit to take off their coat. Another example is Cesar in Rome. Rome was the most powerful civilization for decades and had no reason to slow down. However, in time of emergency, they gave the power to one man and asked him to rule until the crisis was over. The crisis ended, Cesar did not relinquish his power back to democracy, and Rome fell to the Barbarians later in history. Pride does come before the fall.
I just finished studying Exodus in my study with a bunch of guys, and learned about the life of Moses and how God used him as a vessel for His purpose. While Moses lived in Pharohs house, he has all the privledges I the world. Yet he gave them up when he killed an Egyptian that was beating on one of his people, a Jew. Thinking this would excite the Jewish people and cause an uproar for liberation, Moses stayed and sought to be their leader, seeing at what HE did was great. The Jews were non-responsive and teh Pharoh tried to kill him, yet Moses fled. After this Moses spent forty years traveling the desert and being broken down beyond recognition. This is when God used Moses for HIS purpose and not Moses'. It is seen that Moses could have lead the Jews out of slavery while in such a high position in Pharohs house, yet he would have been so proud while doing it. God caused Moses to fall and be broken so he could lift him back up to righteousness and complete God's purpose for him. This shows that sometimes in our most broken times, it is when God will uses us the most. It just so happens that this will be our most humble of times as well.
Abraham was humbnle enough before the Lord that he was going to sacrifice his only son. David was humbled before the Lord after he took Bathsheba into his bed. Salomon was humbled when he gained everything and then the Lord showed him that it could be all taken away. This happens multiple times throughout the Bible and for good reason, the Lord our God vehenmetly detests pride. As should we.
So I have been humbled lately, many times, by God. Whether its taking away things that I care about yet causing me to stray from His path. Our it is taking away great opportunites that are in His plans. I am humbled before the Lord, and will do anything taht He requires.
I really dont know why pride and humiltity are on my hart. Maybe it will help someone out that is struggling, I know it is helping me to think about such things. The verse below struck me with so conviction, that I thought it would fit this post perfectly.
"Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD's anger."
(Zephaniah 2:3)
Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
