Merry Christmas!
Last night, as I was praying, I got to thinking about perfection. I was thinking about how God's creation is perfect, and then remembering how Jesus is perfect too; but I wondered how this works, because people are not infallible like Jesus. I asked God to help me understand this, and He led me to to understand two different concepts of perfection.
Every person is perfect in that we are each one of God's creations, which are perfect as a rule. We're perfect in that we're not defective- all our parts, whether good or bad, functioning or no, are intended to be there. Everything about us is fashioned according to God's design; there are no blights, mistakes, or imperfections, because God controls it all and He intends it all for a purpose.
However, we are not perfect in the way that Jesus is perfect. Jesus is the highest standard against which all people are judged; He is complete in every good thing, 100%, and we are all varying degrees of less perfect. Against His perfect example our hearts, love, actions, and relationship with God are judged. We will always fall short of Christ's perfection, and this is where God's grace and glory are shown. So again we come back to the first concept of perfection, that even our imperfection compared to Jesus has a purpose and a place in God's will.
He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. (Deuterony 32:4)
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Not talk, but power
1 Corinthians 4:20- "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power."
This is an idea that has really stuck with me this year; lately, it's been sort of my motto. One way to interpret this verse is that the kingdom of God is not about words, but action.
God took action when He sent His son Jesus to be the sacrifice for our sins. He didn't just say that He loves us; He proved it to us in power, that we may see His invisible love and understand. In the same way, we must not simply say that God is real; we must display His power in our lives, the power of grace that transforms lives. If you go up to someone and simply say, "Jesus loves you," it won't mean anything to them because they've never experienced that kind of love before. We must testify to the ways in which He has loved us, and share with them the abundant love that He has given us by in turn giving it to others.
Another way to interpret the verse above is like this: God and His kingdom are not an abstract theory to be considered and debated, but real, powerful, and important. What you do in His kingdom really matters, because it's really real. So what are you doing here in God's territory- are you glorifying the Lord with the work of your hands, or are you sitting in idleness while all around you people suffer?
(For a really great song related to this topic, check out "The Truth is Who You Are", by Tenth Avenue North.)
This is an idea that has really stuck with me this year; lately, it's been sort of my motto. One way to interpret this verse is that the kingdom of God is not about words, but action.
God took action when He sent His son Jesus to be the sacrifice for our sins. He didn't just say that He loves us; He proved it to us in power, that we may see His invisible love and understand. In the same way, we must not simply say that God is real; we must display His power in our lives, the power of grace that transforms lives. If you go up to someone and simply say, "Jesus loves you," it won't mean anything to them because they've never experienced that kind of love before. We must testify to the ways in which He has loved us, and share with them the abundant love that He has given us by in turn giving it to others.
Another way to interpret the verse above is like this: God and His kingdom are not an abstract theory to be considered and debated, but real, powerful, and important. What you do in His kingdom really matters, because it's really real. So what are you doing here in God's territory- are you glorifying the Lord with the work of your hands, or are you sitting in idleness while all around you people suffer?
(For a really great song related to this topic, check out "The Truth is Who You Are", by Tenth Avenue North.)
Sunday, October 24, 2010
The church of the living God
This post comes from the sermon that was preached this morning- I just want to share what I took away from it.
1 Timothy 3:14+15- Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
Church isn't somewhere you go or something you do. The church is who you are; it's the body of Christ, and you are a member. That means that everywhere you go, you bring the church with you. Here's a question for you to consider: As you go through your life and interact with the people around you, are you displaying the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth?
Let's break it down. Representing the living God means reflecting Him- being Christlike- in your attitude, your words, and the way you treat people. Christians always send a message to the people around them; concerning "the church of the living God", it could be either one of two things...
The end of verse 15 calls the church "the pillar and foundation of the truth." 1 Corinthians 4:1 also says, "So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God." This verse has really challenged me to represent Christ accurately at school or just when I'm talking to someone about Christianity. When you witness to believers and nonbelievers alike, it's important that you take great caution to speak the truth. It sounds obvious, but this means you have to have a solid foundation in the Word and an active relationship with God so that you really know what you're talking about. You can't teach a subject that you haven't studied. If you find yourself unable to answer when people ask you questions about your faith, ask God to teach you from the Bible AND from experience. I have asked this of God many times, and each time He opened my eyes to something new and amazing.
I want to leave you with one final thought- this is something that just occurred to me today. In 1 Corinthians 26-27, Paul says, "Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave..." Without training, it's difficult to do anything for the Kingdom of God. That's why it's important to pray, read the Bible, and accept teaching from other believers- without that strong foundation, you're ineffectual. It's like jumping into the pool for the first time and trying to swim laps before you've learned the strokes: You can try as hard as you want, but you won't go anywhere. You're stuck in place, flapping your arms and windmilling your legs. But if you take the time to learn from the Coach, He'll help you to coordinate your arms and legs and you'll be so much more effective.
Summing it all up: If you want to be effective as the church of the living God, it has to start between you and God, and you have to make sure that your life and doctrine reflect the truth of Christ.
1 Timothy 3:14+15- Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
Church isn't somewhere you go or something you do. The church is who you are; it's the body of Christ, and you are a member. That means that everywhere you go, you bring the church with you. Here's a question for you to consider: As you go through your life and interact with the people around you, are you displaying the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth?
Let's break it down. Representing the living God means reflecting Him- being Christlike- in your attitude, your words, and the way you treat people. Christians always send a message to the people around them; concerning "the church of the living God", it could be either one of two things...
- A, "God is alive, and I am accountable to Him."
- or B, "God is not alive. It doesn't matter what I do, because He doesn't care."
The end of verse 15 calls the church "the pillar and foundation of the truth." 1 Corinthians 4:1 also says, "So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God." This verse has really challenged me to represent Christ accurately at school or just when I'm talking to someone about Christianity. When you witness to believers and nonbelievers alike, it's important that you take great caution to speak the truth. It sounds obvious, but this means you have to have a solid foundation in the Word and an active relationship with God so that you really know what you're talking about. You can't teach a subject that you haven't studied. If you find yourself unable to answer when people ask you questions about your faith, ask God to teach you from the Bible AND from experience. I have asked this of God many times, and each time He opened my eyes to something new and amazing.
I want to leave you with one final thought- this is something that just occurred to me today. In 1 Corinthians 26-27, Paul says, "Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave..." Without training, it's difficult to do anything for the Kingdom of God. That's why it's important to pray, read the Bible, and accept teaching from other believers- without that strong foundation, you're ineffectual. It's like jumping into the pool for the first time and trying to swim laps before you've learned the strokes: You can try as hard as you want, but you won't go anywhere. You're stuck in place, flapping your arms and windmilling your legs. But if you take the time to learn from the Coach, He'll help you to coordinate your arms and legs and you'll be so much more effective.
Summing it all up: If you want to be effective as the church of the living God, it has to start between you and God, and you have to make sure that your life and doctrine reflect the truth of Christ.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
I'm a new batch of bread.
(6) Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? (7) Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast- as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. (8) Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:6-8)
As it says in verse 8, the yeast here represents "malice and wickedness"- in other words, sin and bad intentions. And, just like the yeast in a batch of dough, sin has a tendency to spread and pervade every part of your life; and bad intentions will taint your actions until everything you do has a selfish motive. But verse 7 tells us to get rid of the "old" yeast- it's old because malice and wickedness are associated with the sinful nature, which you put to death when you accepted Christ. In so doing we become a new batch, a new creation, without the sinful nature's contagious yeast. We become as we really are: sanctified.
And without that yeast, you're a totally different batch of bread. Without malice in your heart, you can love people in a way that is real, unconditional, and completely selfless. Malice makes kindness impossible and honesty irrelevant; but without it, you become a vessel for God to lavish love on His people. As for wickedness, it's the defiance of God's truth; it's knowing what He commands but choosing to sin anyway. When you remove that wickedness from your life and your actions, not only are you obeying the truth, but you're putting it on display to those around you. Without that yeast, you're a delicious loaf of sincerity and truth.
Read also Luke 12:1-2.
As it says in verse 8, the yeast here represents "malice and wickedness"- in other words, sin and bad intentions. And, just like the yeast in a batch of dough, sin has a tendency to spread and pervade every part of your life; and bad intentions will taint your actions until everything you do has a selfish motive. But verse 7 tells us to get rid of the "old" yeast- it's old because malice and wickedness are associated with the sinful nature, which you put to death when you accepted Christ. In so doing we become a new batch, a new creation, without the sinful nature's contagious yeast. We become as we really are: sanctified.
And without that yeast, you're a totally different batch of bread. Without malice in your heart, you can love people in a way that is real, unconditional, and completely selfless. Malice makes kindness impossible and honesty irrelevant; but without it, you become a vessel for God to lavish love on His people. As for wickedness, it's the defiance of God's truth; it's knowing what He commands but choosing to sin anyway. When you remove that wickedness from your life and your actions, not only are you obeying the truth, but you're putting it on display to those around you. Without that yeast, you're a delicious loaf of sincerity and truth.
Read also Luke 12:1-2.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Manna in the desert
"Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." (Deuteronomy 8:2-3)
In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses is addressing the Israelites at the end of forty long years of wandering in the desert. He's reminding them of everything God commanded and has done for them; but above all, he tells them to never forget the Lord and to remain loyal to Him.
Moses reminds the Israelites that they were starving at the beginning of the forty years in the desert, but God provided for them by making manna, a type of bread, fall from the sky every day. God did this in order to test their hearts and see if the Israelites would remain loyal to Him in any circumstance. Moses also says that God did this to teach them "that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." In other words, God made the Israelites starve to show them that they couldn't survive on their own; then He fed them manna to show that He was the only provision they needed. God used the manna in the desert to show the Iraelites that they needed Him. He taught them to depend on Him more than on food and water, because the Lord is more necessary in our lives than even the basic things that our bodies need to live.
Verse five says, "Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you." What about you? How has God disciplined you? Every person has their own personal desert, something in their life that is too difficult for them to overcome in their own strength. Everyone has something in their life that causes them to need God.
God wants to use the desert to increase your love for and dependency on Him. He wants to provide for you in the desert to show you His love and faithfulness, and to ensure that you will never forget Him. The question is, do you trust God enough to wait for Him to provide you with manna? Or are you like the Israelites- are you complaining, undermining your leadership, and trying to provide for yourself?
In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses is addressing the Israelites at the end of forty long years of wandering in the desert. He's reminding them of everything God commanded and has done for them; but above all, he tells them to never forget the Lord and to remain loyal to Him.
Moses reminds the Israelites that they were starving at the beginning of the forty years in the desert, but God provided for them by making manna, a type of bread, fall from the sky every day. God did this in order to test their hearts and see if the Israelites would remain loyal to Him in any circumstance. Moses also says that God did this to teach them "that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." In other words, God made the Israelites starve to show them that they couldn't survive on their own; then He fed them manna to show that He was the only provision they needed. God used the manna in the desert to show the Iraelites that they needed Him. He taught them to depend on Him more than on food and water, because the Lord is more necessary in our lives than even the basic things that our bodies need to live.
Verse five says, "Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you." What about you? How has God disciplined you? Every person has their own personal desert, something in their life that is too difficult for them to overcome in their own strength. Everyone has something in their life that causes them to need God.
God wants to use the desert to increase your love for and dependency on Him. He wants to provide for you in the desert to show you His love and faithfulness, and to ensure that you will never forget Him. The question is, do you trust God enough to wait for Him to provide you with manna? Or are you like the Israelites- are you complaining, undermining your leadership, and trying to provide for yourself?
Saturday, June 19, 2010
earning Gods love?
hey guys my name is kaitlyn and I'm new here. I'm a pretty kool kid id say. OK so any ways iv been reading a lot in Acts lately. iv always thought that Acts was the holy spirit chapter, and in a way it is but i think their are many more important points to Acts. What God has really been revealing to me is how i try to earn his grace and love. which when you think about it is completely ridiculous! how can we possible earn Gods love??? what could we possibly do for God that he needs? in Acts 17 . 24-27 it says:
so this clearly says that God isn't served by us, in the simplest way possible God does not need us. but thankful he wants us, like it says at the end God did all this for us so that hopefully we would reach out to him. God just desires for us to have a relationship with him and when we try to "earn" his love we get in the way of that. Its almost insulting to God to try to earn his love because it diminishes what he did for us. he died a horrible and painful death for us and to think we can repay that is insulting. the best way i can think to explain it is with the movie stranger than fiction. i dont know if you guys have seen this movie but its pretty great and if u haven't seen it u should definitely check it out. but any ways that's besides the point, OK in one part of the movie this girl makes cookies for the main character because she knows hes had a hard day. the main character though being an idiot tries to buy the cookies from her instead of just accepting the gift. obviously it insults her, I'm mean who wouldn't be insulted! she slaved all day to make those cookies for him and instead of him just accepting them he has to be difficult. well aren't we kind of doing the same thing with God? hes given us this awesome gift but instead of just accepting it we try to pay for it. its a dumb thing to do and it will never work! i think coming to terms with the fact that God is just God and he does everything for us because he loves us not because he needs something will bring us closer to him. it will allow us to stop doing stuff for God because we feel we have some debt to repay, we will simply do things for God because we love him. so stop trying to earn Gods love, just have a relationship with him.
the God who made the world and everything in it
is the Lord of heaven and earth does not live in
temples built by hands. and he is not served by human
hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself
gives all men life and breath and everything else.
from one man he made every nation of men, that
they should inhabit the whole earth; and he
determined the times set for them and the exact places
where they should live. God did this so that men
would seek him and perhaps reach out to him and find
him, though he is not far from each of us.
so this clearly says that God isn't served by us, in the simplest way possible God does not need us. but thankful he wants us, like it says at the end God did all this for us so that hopefully we would reach out to him. God just desires for us to have a relationship with him and when we try to "earn" his love we get in the way of that. Its almost insulting to God to try to earn his love because it diminishes what he did for us. he died a horrible and painful death for us and to think we can repay that is insulting. the best way i can think to explain it is with the movie stranger than fiction. i dont know if you guys have seen this movie but its pretty great and if u haven't seen it u should definitely check it out. but any ways that's besides the point, OK in one part of the movie this girl makes cookies for the main character because she knows hes had a hard day. the main character though being an idiot tries to buy the cookies from her instead of just accepting the gift. obviously it insults her, I'm mean who wouldn't be insulted! she slaved all day to make those cookies for him and instead of him just accepting them he has to be difficult. well aren't we kind of doing the same thing with God? hes given us this awesome gift but instead of just accepting it we try to pay for it. its a dumb thing to do and it will never work! i think coming to terms with the fact that God is just God and he does everything for us because he loves us not because he needs something will bring us closer to him. it will allow us to stop doing stuff for God because we feel we have some debt to repay, we will simply do things for God because we love him. so stop trying to earn Gods love, just have a relationship with him.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Relying on the Source
There came a time in the history of God's chosen people, the Israelites, when the twelve tribes were split into two nations. This happened during Rehoboam's reign, when a man named Jeroboam led a revolt against him. Jeroboam was a sinful man; he lived in defiance of God, leading astray everyone who followed him. So when he seized the throne of Israel, it became a nation ruled by false gods and generally sinful living. Rehoboam, along with those Hebrews who still remained loyal to the Lord, retreated to the land of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin; they formed their own nation, called Judah, and continued to worship and seek the Lord at the Temple in Jerusalem. From that day forward, Judah and Israel existed at odds with each other, and were often at war.
Fast forward two generations. Asa was king of Judah; Baasha, of Israel. King Asa was a righteous, holy man, and loyal to God; he set a good example for the people of Judah, and did not allow them to follow the pagan practices of Israel. God saw this and blessed Asa with peace and a prosperous kingdom for thirty-five years.
Then a Cushite named Zerah went to war against Asa. Now, Asa had a sizeable army- 580,000 highly capable soldiers. But Zerah? Zerah had an army of over a million! When Asa saw that the opposing army was twice as large as his, he did the right thing- he went straight to God.
"Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, 'LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. O LORD, you are our God; do not let men prevail against you.'" (2 Chronicles 14:11)
And that's exactly what happened. The Judaens relied on God, and He gave them the victory, even though they were so ridiculously outnumbered. They put all their trust in Him- all their eggs in His basket- and He came through for them. But unfortunately, Asa let the success go to his head.
Some time later, King Baasha of Israel began to fortify the border with Judah, threatening an attack against Asa. And despite the great miracle that God had worked earlier in Asa's life, and despite the fact that Israel was a lot less powerful than Zerah's army of a million, Asa didn't trust God to come through this time. Instead, he went and recruited human help: the king of Aram. Aram allied with Judah, and they successfully captured several Israelite towns and extinguished the threat from Baasha. But the victory came at a price.
As King Asa was enjoying his victory, a prophet of the Lord came up to him and told him that since he had relied on the king of Aram and not God, Judah would lose the peace they had been enjoying and be defeated in battle by Aram later on. Asa turned angry and bitter when he heard this; he arrested the prophet and began to oppress the Judaens. He turned away from God completely, refusing to ask for His help even on his deathbed. Asa ended up dying in sin and disgrace in the eyes of the Lord, and all because he had rejected the help that God wanted to give him.
You see, after God provided for him against the army of over a million, Asa soon took Him for granted. He quickly forgot what it felt like to need God, to be on your knees begging for His help because you know you can't save yourself. And so when trouble came, he didn't go the Source of eternal life and strength, the one that he couldn't see. Rather, he went to the king of Aram, a source of tangible strength that he could see, and understand.
The problem is, human strength only goes so far and only lasts so long. But God is eternal; he's the Beginning, the End, and everything in between. God is the God of creation, of all the beauty and majesty of the world that He created in His own power. He is the same God who became flesh and dwelled among us, who healed the blind, calmed the seas, raised the dead to life- again in His own power. The Lord is capable of greater things than we could ever hope for or imagine... and yet Asa traded God's unlimited power for the limited power of man. And why? Because he didn't have faith in God's fidelity. Because it was easier for him to put his trust in something he could see, rather than betting every last cent on the Almighty God.
Asa settled for less, and he got less. But we don't have to settle. God is willing and capable of taking what we entrust to Him and then blessing us with it beyond our wildest imaginations.
"For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." (2 Chronicles 16:9)
And so, the message is this: When the Lord has blessed you the way that He blessed Asa, don't take it for granted. Remember the times when you needed Him most desperately and how He came through for you then. Look back on your life and force yourself to see how far He's brought you, and the kind of sins He's lead you out of- don't pretend that you were always in this peaceful state of resting in the Lord. Most of all, never forget the things that He has done for you and the powerful way that He has loved you, so that when your faith is tested, you can point to your spiritual journey and say, "He brought me through all that; He can surely conquer this."
Fast forward two generations. Asa was king of Judah; Baasha, of Israel. King Asa was a righteous, holy man, and loyal to God; he set a good example for the people of Judah, and did not allow them to follow the pagan practices of Israel. God saw this and blessed Asa with peace and a prosperous kingdom for thirty-five years.
Then a Cushite named Zerah went to war against Asa. Now, Asa had a sizeable army- 580,000 highly capable soldiers. But Zerah? Zerah had an army of over a million! When Asa saw that the opposing army was twice as large as his, he did the right thing- he went straight to God.
"Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, 'LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. O LORD, you are our God; do not let men prevail against you.'" (2 Chronicles 14:11)
And that's exactly what happened. The Judaens relied on God, and He gave them the victory, even though they were so ridiculously outnumbered. They put all their trust in Him- all their eggs in His basket- and He came through for them. But unfortunately, Asa let the success go to his head.
Some time later, King Baasha of Israel began to fortify the border with Judah, threatening an attack against Asa. And despite the great miracle that God had worked earlier in Asa's life, and despite the fact that Israel was a lot less powerful than Zerah's army of a million, Asa didn't trust God to come through this time. Instead, he went and recruited human help: the king of Aram. Aram allied with Judah, and they successfully captured several Israelite towns and extinguished the threat from Baasha. But the victory came at a price.
As King Asa was enjoying his victory, a prophet of the Lord came up to him and told him that since he had relied on the king of Aram and not God, Judah would lose the peace they had been enjoying and be defeated in battle by Aram later on. Asa turned angry and bitter when he heard this; he arrested the prophet and began to oppress the Judaens. He turned away from God completely, refusing to ask for His help even on his deathbed. Asa ended up dying in sin and disgrace in the eyes of the Lord, and all because he had rejected the help that God wanted to give him.
You see, after God provided for him against the army of over a million, Asa soon took Him for granted. He quickly forgot what it felt like to need God, to be on your knees begging for His help because you know you can't save yourself. And so when trouble came, he didn't go the Source of eternal life and strength, the one that he couldn't see. Rather, he went to the king of Aram, a source of tangible strength that he could see, and understand.
The problem is, human strength only goes so far and only lasts so long. But God is eternal; he's the Beginning, the End, and everything in between. God is the God of creation, of all the beauty and majesty of the world that He created in His own power. He is the same God who became flesh and dwelled among us, who healed the blind, calmed the seas, raised the dead to life- again in His own power. The Lord is capable of greater things than we could ever hope for or imagine... and yet Asa traded God's unlimited power for the limited power of man. And why? Because he didn't have faith in God's fidelity. Because it was easier for him to put his trust in something he could see, rather than betting every last cent on the Almighty God.
Asa settled for less, and he got less. But we don't have to settle. God is willing and capable of taking what we entrust to Him and then blessing us with it beyond our wildest imaginations.
"For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." (2 Chronicles 16:9)
And so, the message is this: When the Lord has blessed you the way that He blessed Asa, don't take it for granted. Remember the times when you needed Him most desperately and how He came through for you then. Look back on your life and force yourself to see how far He's brought you, and the kind of sins He's lead you out of- don't pretend that you were always in this peaceful state of resting in the Lord. Most of all, never forget the things that He has done for you and the powerful way that He has loved you, so that when your faith is tested, you can point to your spiritual journey and say, "He brought me through all that; He can surely conquer this."
Friday, June 4, 2010
A new command
John 13:34-35: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
The past few days, I've felt so tired of the routine of my weekdays. I wake up, rush through my morning routine, go to school, come home, goof off for a little while, slog through my homework, start getting ready for bed at 10, spend ten minutes reading my Bible and praying at around 10:15, and then I fall into bed exhausted by 10:30. (Lather, rinse, repeat.) On days like those, my devotional time feels more like a hurried afterthought. Weekends are the only times when I can spend as much time with God as I would like to every day. But until the school year ends, I don't see a way to fix that.
What I really want is a way to honor God and do things that are of the Lord during the week, even while I'm in school. That's where John 13:34 comes in. Jesus commands us to love friends, enemies, and strangers alike; by doing this, we mark ourselves out as something more. People see that and they recognize that there's more to us, and they may realize that it is the living God who makes us more. This past week, I tried to be more gracious and loving towards the people who I came in contact with; but I'd like to make it a conscious decision- a decision to see people the way Jesus sees them and treat them the way Jesus would treat them.
Now, that was a a very easy thing for me to type; but I know it will be much harder for me to actually live it out, especially when it comes to loving my enemies.
Luke 6:27-28: "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."
Not gonna lie- I have no idea how to live that out. And they're nice words, but if I don't find a way to live them out, that's all they'll ever be- just ink on a page. So, Lord, I'm praying that You'll show me a way to love my enemies next week. I haven't done so well in the past- I've lost my temper and hit back, and I've said harsh things about them when they're not around. I'm sorry for that, God. I know that it doesn't honor You when I respond to an attack with a comeback. Please be with me, and teach me how to respond to ill treatment with forgiveness, mercy, and love.
The past few days, I've felt so tired of the routine of my weekdays. I wake up, rush through my morning routine, go to school, come home, goof off for a little while, slog through my homework, start getting ready for bed at 10, spend ten minutes reading my Bible and praying at around 10:15, and then I fall into bed exhausted by 10:30. (Lather, rinse, repeat.) On days like those, my devotional time feels more like a hurried afterthought. Weekends are the only times when I can spend as much time with God as I would like to every day. But until the school year ends, I don't see a way to fix that.
What I really want is a way to honor God and do things that are of the Lord during the week, even while I'm in school. That's where John 13:34 comes in. Jesus commands us to love friends, enemies, and strangers alike; by doing this, we mark ourselves out as something more. People see that and they recognize that there's more to us, and they may realize that it is the living God who makes us more. This past week, I tried to be more gracious and loving towards the people who I came in contact with; but I'd like to make it a conscious decision- a decision to see people the way Jesus sees them and treat them the way Jesus would treat them.
Now, that was a a very easy thing for me to type; but I know it will be much harder for me to actually live it out, especially when it comes to loving my enemies.
Luke 6:27-28: "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."
Not gonna lie- I have no idea how to live that out. And they're nice words, but if I don't find a way to live them out, that's all they'll ever be- just ink on a page. So, Lord, I'm praying that You'll show me a way to love my enemies next week. I haven't done so well in the past- I've lost my temper and hit back, and I've said harsh things about them when they're not around. I'm sorry for that, God. I know that it doesn't honor You when I respond to an attack with a comeback. Please be with me, and teach me how to respond to ill treatment with forgiveness, mercy, and love.
Monday, May 17, 2010
The Shepherd
1 Samuel 17:34-36 (the Message Bible): "David said, 'I've been a shepherd, tending sheep for my father. Whenever a lion or bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I'd go after it, knock it down, and rescue the lamb. If it turned on me, I'd grab it by the throat, wring its neck, and kill it. Lion or bear, it made no difference- I killed it. And I'll do the same to this Philistine pig who is taunting the troops of God-Alive.'"
Replace David with Jesus.
Replace "lion" or "bear" with Satan.
Replace "Philistine pig" (that's Goliath) with whatever problem you're facing.
There's not much that I could add to that. Thank God for His power and protection in our lives! Satan is powerless under the hand of our Rescuer.
1 Samuel 17:37: "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."
Replace David with Jesus.
Replace "lion" or "bear" with Satan.
Replace "Philistine pig" (that's Goliath) with whatever problem you're facing.
There's not much that I could add to that. Thank God for His power and protection in our lives! Satan is powerless under the hand of our Rescuer.
- - - - - - - - -
1 Samuel 17:37: "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Psalm 139
Every so often you stumble across a psalm that just seems to strike a chord somewhere deep inside you. That's what Psalm 139 is to me. It never ceases to amaze me that one so great and holy could be so near to us. Every time I read Psalm 139, I am so amazed and humbled by the deeply personal nature of our relationship with the Lord; and this psalm seems to describe every aspect of that incredibly intimate relationship.
Isn't it just so incredible? There are 6 billion people in this world, and the Lord, the Maker of them all, cares enough to know each one better than they know themselves! And even beyond that, nothing we do surprises Him. When we mess up, it's not like He's shocked or disappointed in us- He knows that we're bound to mess up sometimes. That means that nothing we do will ever make Him love us less, and that we don't have to work to somehow "earn" His love. He already knows all our virtues and our shortcomings, already loves us because of them; so we don't have to put our successes on display or try to hide our failures in order to gain His favor.
Do you know that the Lord is with you always? You've probably heard many times that He'll never leave us or forsake us, and that He is with us in everything we do. But do you actually know it? There come times when you feel far from God; when you wonder if He's really there, or if you've done something to drive Him away, and that's why you can't hear His voice or feel His presence. In times like these, this passage really comforts me. It tells me that no matter where I am in life- physically or circumstantially- I haven't lost Him. There's nowhere I could go, nowhere I could hide or fall into, where He wouldn't be able to find me. I've often heard it said that when hard times come and we wonder if God has abandoned us, those are the times when He is closest. And you know what? I'm starting to find out that it's true. The times when we fall away are the times when He proves Himself most faithful to us.
Here, David talks about our part in our relationship with the Lord. In these two verses, he says, "Here I am, Lord. I'm not hiding anything from You. I've laid myself bare; now examine me. Tell me what I need to do to be Your disciple, and I'll do it." David is being completely honest with God, surrendering his heart and all his worries. He's not trying to hide his mistakes or hold on to any secret sense of self. He's asking God to teach him "the way everlasting," and promising to live in obedience to Him.
The first half of this verse simply says that God is all around and within us. (As a song by 10th Avenue North says, "My love is over, it's underneath, it's inside, it's in between.") Again, it's saying that we can never escape His presence. The second part says that He's got His hand on us, protecting and guiding us. It reminds me of the animal sacrifices made by the Hebrews- just before killing the animal, they would lay their hands on its head in order to bless it. So it's like God Himself is blessing us as a sacrifice at the cross of Calvary- blessing the sacrifice of our sin and death, so that we come into our new lives, sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ, as a blessed people. Also, in the New Testament and today, the laying on of hands is used as a physical symbol of blessing, healing, or working by the Holy Spirit. So here, it's also like God is laying His hand on us to bless and heal us with the power of the Holy Spirit.
The intimacy of our relationship with God is at once terrifying and wonderful. It's terrifying because God can see into our deepest selves; He can see every part of us that we hide from the world, everything in ourselves that we hate. He knows all our imperfections, and He can plainly see our sins- the sins that He hates. But this intimacy is also wonderful because we know that there is no condemnation for those who are in Jesus Christ. There is no retribution, wrath, or judgement; there is only life. Now we stand before His throne as a forgiven people. Because of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross, the Lord Almighty, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, is with us and for us.
"He reached down from on high and took hold of me." (2 Samuel 22:17)
That's what our relationship with the great and holy God is like. Are you amazed?
Psalm 139: 1-4, 13:
O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
Isn't it just so incredible? There are 6 billion people in this world, and the Lord, the Maker of them all, cares enough to know each one better than they know themselves! And even beyond that, nothing we do surprises Him. When we mess up, it's not like He's shocked or disappointed in us- He knows that we're bound to mess up sometimes. That means that nothing we do will ever make Him love us less, and that we don't have to work to somehow "earn" His love. He already knows all our virtues and our shortcomings, already loves us because of them; so we don't have to put our successes on display or try to hide our failures in order to gain His favor.
Psalm 139: 7-10, 18:
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
...When I awake,
I am still with you.
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
...When I awake,
I am still with you.
Do you know that the Lord is with you always? You've probably heard many times that He'll never leave us or forsake us, and that He is with us in everything we do. But do you actually know it? There come times when you feel far from God; when you wonder if He's really there, or if you've done something to drive Him away, and that's why you can't hear His voice or feel His presence. In times like these, this passage really comforts me. It tells me that no matter where I am in life- physically or circumstantially- I haven't lost Him. There's nowhere I could go, nowhere I could hide or fall into, where He wouldn't be able to find me. I've often heard it said that when hard times come and we wonder if God has abandoned us, those are the times when He is closest. And you know what? I'm starting to find out that it's true. The times when we fall away are the times when He proves Himself most faithful to us.
Psalm 139: 23-24:
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
Here, David talks about our part in our relationship with the Lord. In these two verses, he says, "Here I am, Lord. I'm not hiding anything from You. I've laid myself bare; now examine me. Tell me what I need to do to be Your disciple, and I'll do it." David is being completely honest with God, surrendering his heart and all his worries. He's not trying to hide his mistakes or hold on to any secret sense of self. He's asking God to teach him "the way everlasting," and promising to live in obedience to Him.
Psalm 139:5:
You hem me in- behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
The first half of this verse simply says that God is all around and within us. (As a song by 10th Avenue North says, "My love is over, it's underneath, it's inside, it's in between.") Again, it's saying that we can never escape His presence. The second part says that He's got His hand on us, protecting and guiding us. It reminds me of the animal sacrifices made by the Hebrews- just before killing the animal, they would lay their hands on its head in order to bless it. So it's like God Himself is blessing us as a sacrifice at the cross of Calvary- blessing the sacrifice of our sin and death, so that we come into our new lives, sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ, as a blessed people. Also, in the New Testament and today, the laying on of hands is used as a physical symbol of blessing, healing, or working by the Holy Spirit. So here, it's also like God is laying His hand on us to bless and heal us with the power of the Holy Spirit.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
The intimacy of our relationship with God is at once terrifying and wonderful. It's terrifying because God can see into our deepest selves; He can see every part of us that we hide from the world, everything in ourselves that we hate. He knows all our imperfections, and He can plainly see our sins- the sins that He hates. But this intimacy is also wonderful because we know that there is no condemnation for those who are in Jesus Christ. There is no retribution, wrath, or judgement; there is only life. Now we stand before His throne as a forgiven people. Because of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross, the Lord Almighty, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, is with us and for us.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
"He reached down from on high and took hold of me." (2 Samuel 22:17)
That's what our relationship with the great and holy God is like. Are you amazed?
Saturday, May 1, 2010
I will be with you.
"But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" (Exodus 3:11-12)
So here's what's happening at this point in Exodus: The Israelites have become slaves in Egypt, oppressed by the Pharoah and forced to do manual labor. Enter Moses, an Israelite who escaped slavery as an infant when his mother put him in a basket in the river and the Pharoah's daughter found him, and who is wanted for the murder of an Egyptian. Moses is walking along, tending a flock of sheep, when suddenly a bush bursts into flames, and God appears to him from within the burning bush. Moses is afraid and hides his face; meanwhile, God begins to tell him about how He's seen the suffering of the Israelites and has come to rescue them. Then, in verse 10, God pretty much says, "I'm sending you to talk to Pharoah and rescue the Israelites. Okay? Ready-set-go!"
Moses is shocked. I can just picture him going, "Time out, God! Me?! You do know who you're talking to, right?" Later on in Exodus 6:30, Moses says, "Since I speak with faltering lips, why would Pharoah listen to me?" So this gives me the impression that Moses is something of an "awkward child." He says multiple times in this section of Exodus that he doesn't speak well; if Moses were alive today, he'd probably be the kind of person who never talked in high school and practically fainted with fear every time he had to speak in front of the class. Simply put, Moses is a nobody! He's thinking to himself, Why would God invest the entire future of the Israelites in someone so completely inadequate? Moses says to God, "How could I possibly do this?"
God's answer is, simply, "I will be with you" (verse 12). God doesn't lie to Moses and tell him that he's capable of doing it on his own. All He says is, "I will be with you. I will help you."
The fact of the matter is, with the Creator on our side, nothing is impossible. No matter who you are, no matter how far from perfect you are, and no matter how big the mountain is, with His strength you can move it. He walks with us in every step we take; His hand is always on us, protecting us and holding us steady. He will never abandon us, and He will never forget us. So the next time you question whether you are capable of doing something, just remember where your strength comes from.
As I'm writing this, I can't help but think of how this story became personal for me last night. Last night, the Lord proved himself so superlatively faithful, and He poured on so many blessings all at once, and it was just... wow. By His strength, I was able to be honest with someone about something I thought I'd never be able to say. Just like He did with Moses, He helped me speak and gave me the courage to be honest. I have no idea what will happen as a result of my honesty, but you know what? I can trust Him. Even if I'm not competent enough to make things better with this person, I know that God is competent; and He has a plan for both our lives.
See also: Exodus 4:10-12
So here's what's happening at this point in Exodus: The Israelites have become slaves in Egypt, oppressed by the Pharoah and forced to do manual labor. Enter Moses, an Israelite who escaped slavery as an infant when his mother put him in a basket in the river and the Pharoah's daughter found him, and who is wanted for the murder of an Egyptian. Moses is walking along, tending a flock of sheep, when suddenly a bush bursts into flames, and God appears to him from within the burning bush. Moses is afraid and hides his face; meanwhile, God begins to tell him about how He's seen the suffering of the Israelites and has come to rescue them. Then, in verse 10, God pretty much says, "I'm sending you to talk to Pharoah and rescue the Israelites. Okay? Ready-set-go!"
Moses is shocked. I can just picture him going, "Time out, God! Me?! You do know who you're talking to, right?" Later on in Exodus 6:30, Moses says, "Since I speak with faltering lips, why would Pharoah listen to me?" So this gives me the impression that Moses is something of an "awkward child." He says multiple times in this section of Exodus that he doesn't speak well; if Moses were alive today, he'd probably be the kind of person who never talked in high school and practically fainted with fear every time he had to speak in front of the class. Simply put, Moses is a nobody! He's thinking to himself, Why would God invest the entire future of the Israelites in someone so completely inadequate? Moses says to God, "How could I possibly do this?"
God's answer is, simply, "I will be with you" (verse 12). God doesn't lie to Moses and tell him that he's capable of doing it on his own. All He says is, "I will be with you. I will help you."
The fact of the matter is, with the Creator on our side, nothing is impossible. No matter who you are, no matter how far from perfect you are, and no matter how big the mountain is, with His strength you can move it. He walks with us in every step we take; His hand is always on us, protecting us and holding us steady. He will never abandon us, and He will never forget us. So the next time you question whether you are capable of doing something, just remember where your strength comes from.
As I'm writing this, I can't help but think of how this story became personal for me last night. Last night, the Lord proved himself so superlatively faithful, and He poured on so many blessings all at once, and it was just... wow. By His strength, I was able to be honest with someone about something I thought I'd never be able to say. Just like He did with Moses, He helped me speak and gave me the courage to be honest. I have no idea what will happen as a result of my honesty, but you know what? I can trust Him. Even if I'm not competent enough to make things better with this person, I know that God is competent; and He has a plan for both our lives.
See also: Exodus 4:10-12
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
When my world is shaking, Heaven stands.
It's 9:09 PM, and I (Amanda) am forgoing algebra homework to write this. As if I don't look for any excuse not to do math homework.
So I suffered a pretty big disappointment today. Turns out I had the wrong idea about somebody- as naive as always, I misunderstood their actions towards me. They're probably a really great person, I just thought I saw the whole picture and so I didn't try hard enough to figure out what they're really like. The result being, I was disappointed when I realized that they weren't the person I'd assumed them to be.
I looked again at my last blog post, "He alone is my Rock and my Salvation," and I re-read that verse from Psalms. Feeling the way I do right now, I got something totally new out of it.
What I realized from this and from everything I had said about God being constant is that He is never fickle. People play with your affections, mess with your head, and change their minds with a snap of their fingers. But God? No, that's not Him. Notice how the psalmist compared God to a rock: because, hey, a rock is a rock. It's not going to change its identity on you- suddenly become a frog, or leap into the air and sprout wings.
In the same way, we can read God's word and understand His heart, because He is eternal- the same then, now, and for eternity. The same God who continually forgave and rescued Israel despite their numerous desertions is willing and ready to forgive and rescue us. The same God who ripped the veil in the Temple of Jerusalem while Jesus Christ breathed his last on that cross, thereby reconciling mankind with Himself, tears down walls today and reconciles us with each other. And His love for us is eternal and eternally faithful. While men and women may casually toss around the idea of "love", giving and rescinding their affections with nothing to rule them but capricious fancy, that's not God. We are His flock and His creation; we can put our trust and our hope whole-heartedly in Him, the Shepherd. And then we "will not be shaken", because He will not shake. Do you get what I'm saying?
This makes me think of a song by J.J. Heller:
When my world is shaking,
Heaven stands.
When my heart is breaking,
I never leave Your hands.
Thank You, Lord, for never being fickle, and for loving me truly and faithfully.
So I suffered a pretty big disappointment today. Turns out I had the wrong idea about somebody- as naive as always, I misunderstood their actions towards me. They're probably a really great person, I just thought I saw the whole picture and so I didn't try hard enough to figure out what they're really like. The result being, I was disappointed when I realized that they weren't the person I'd assumed them to be.
I looked again at my last blog post, "He alone is my Rock and my Salvation," and I re-read that verse from Psalms. Feeling the way I do right now, I got something totally new out of it.
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
-Psalm 62:5-8
my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
-Psalm 62:5-8
What I realized from this and from everything I had said about God being constant is that He is never fickle. People play with your affections, mess with your head, and change their minds with a snap of their fingers. But God? No, that's not Him. Notice how the psalmist compared God to a rock: because, hey, a rock is a rock. It's not going to change its identity on you- suddenly become a frog, or leap into the air and sprout wings.
In the same way, we can read God's word and understand His heart, because He is eternal- the same then, now, and for eternity. The same God who continually forgave and rescued Israel despite their numerous desertions is willing and ready to forgive and rescue us. The same God who ripped the veil in the Temple of Jerusalem while Jesus Christ breathed his last on that cross, thereby reconciling mankind with Himself, tears down walls today and reconciles us with each other. And His love for us is eternal and eternally faithful. While men and women may casually toss around the idea of "love", giving and rescinding their affections with nothing to rule them but capricious fancy, that's not God. We are His flock and His creation; we can put our trust and our hope whole-heartedly in Him, the Shepherd. And then we "will not be shaken", because He will not shake. Do you get what I'm saying?
This makes me think of a song by J.J. Heller:
When my world is shaking,
Heaven stands.
When my heart is breaking,
I never leave Your hands.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Thank You, Lord, for never being fickle, and for loving me truly and faithfully.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
He alone is my Rock and my Salvation
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
-Psalm 62:5-8
This psalm says it all. In times of trouble or weakness, we can trust God and know that He will protect and provide for us. (Psalm 37:39 also says, "The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.") And one of the reasons why we can trust Him so absolutely is because he is so constant and eternal; He never changes or goes away. Even His Name proclaims this truth: I AM.
Being the studious person that I am, when I consider God's constancy, I always think of constants in algebra. In an algebraic equation, a constant is a number like three or one-half. It's used to do stuff to the variable- basically, to change the value of x, giving you y. You can do some pretty crazy stuff with constants and variables. You can make complicated equations whose solutions take up entire whiteboards, and you can dress them up in all sorts of mathematical clothing- radicals, exponents, whatever. You can add, subtract, multiply, and divide them with the variable; but through it all, the constant never changes. That's why they're called constants. The only time a constant changes in algebra is when it comes in contact with another constant- but since our God, I AM, is the only true God, that would be never. The only thing that changes is the variable... us.
Take a moment and think about that. The reason why I went on that tangent was to show that no matter what crazy things happen, our Father in Heaven doesn't change. He's not going anywhere. You can always rely on Him, and trust that He'll come through for you. And- now this is a big "and"- He will always tell you what you need to hear in order to get your life straight. He lovingly corrects us, making our paths straight; all that's left for us to do is obey, and thus not to stumble over the obstacles which we ourselves put in the way.
Can you say all that of anyone on Earth? Let's face it: people aren't constant, and they aren't always reliable. They tend to be a negative influence more than they correct and discipline us, and they certainly can't be there for us in every situation. There are some things which you just can't look to people or the world for in a tumultuous time; they're simply incapable of giving you what you need, although you may still try to find it in them. That's why He alone is my Rock and my Salvation, verse 6. What you desperately need to be happy, to have a "good life," is God. He is the only thing that will ever satisfy your heart. In Him is the only place you'll find joy, peace, grace, perfect love, and life.
You won't find it in books, movies or TV. You won't find it in the "In" crowd, popularity, or the praise and acceptance of men and women. You won't find it in sex, alcohol, drugs, or money. You won't find it in worldy knowledge, a college degree, a comfortable salary, or the latest scientific discoveries. You won't find it in a boyfriend or girlfriend, and you won't ever find it in yourself. These things will give you satisfaction and considerable contentment... but only for a short time. Then trouble comes, and who's there to save you? What use are success and popularity when you're lying on your deathbed? Is money going to protect you when you're caught in the claws of depression, or when Satan comes knocking?
I will say it again: What you desperately need to be happy, to have a "good life," is God. He is the only thing that will ever satisfy your heart. In Him is the only place you'll find joy, peace, grace, perfect love, and life.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
Forgiveness
"Create in me a pure heart O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."-Psalm 51:10
To be completely honest I have not been following God like I should be. I've fallen into things that I used to do before coming back to God. I started watching "bad tv," cussing (not always outloud but in my head), disrespecting my parents, being lazy, overeating, and flirting for no reason. The process is not all at the same time, either. Satan isn't stupid, he knows what is going to get us. He's going to tempt us with the things that are irresistible to us, but they don't have to be. I've heard this my entire life, but it still doesn't always hit home. Psalm 51:10 is my cry, and guess what, God is so amazing that He can forgive anyone and everyone!!!
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men."-Titus 2:11
This doesn't say that only some can be saved no it says that it is to ALL men. No matter what they have done. When Jesus was on the cross, He was able to forgive the criminal next to him. He is even able to forgive us when we walk away from Him. He just wants a PERSONAL relationship with us!! Last year I found out that God doesn't expect us to be perfect, He just wants us to be honest with Him. This completely changed my life. I was always trying to be perfect and then it would fail and I would be depressed. I never realized that He just wants us to be honest which sometimes means admitting that I'm angry at Him. Even when we walk away, He forgives us and rejoices that we're back with Him.
"You may be knocked down, but (your) not our forever!"-from a song :)
A youth leader that has been a huge influence in my life said that our relationship with God is like marriage, and that whenever we walk away God wants to have us back. Although its not gonna be easy; because, who said Christianity/marriage was easy??
"You may be knocked down, but (your) not our forever!"-from a song :)
A youth leader that has been a huge influence in my life said that our relationship with God is like marriage, and that whenever we walk away God wants to have us back. Although its not gonna be easy; because, who said Christianity/marriage was easy??
Its not His fault that we walk away. Its our fault for falling into temptation. His great love forgave us of what we have done, what we are doing, and what we will do. Think about it, when Jesus was dying He was thinking about your/my sins and life and hardships. He loves me personally, and He loves everybody in the WORLD. I'm glad that God can forgive me every single time I mess up. Even though I am going to try to live like Christ; because, I love and want to please Him.
Thank You God for taking me back no matter what I've done!!!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
What is faith, really?
Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
James 2:21-22: "Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did."
Okay, so "faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead" (verse 17). This makes me think that we express our faith through our actions, making it more than just a word we whisper in a quiet prayer to God. Perhaps faith, like love, is not an emotion or a state of mind, but a verb. A once-and-for-all, decisive action. But what kind of action constitutes faith?
Romans 4:20-21: "Yet he [Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised."
Wow. This was Abraham's faith: He asked God repeatedly to bless him with children, even though he and his wife were both ancient and sterile; he asked and trusted God to do the impossible. And when he asked, he had complete belief in God's great power. He didn't entertain doubtful thoughts in the back of his mind, never wondered if God really could. He realized that the same God who created the universe in six days was more than capable of giving him a son.
James 1:6: "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."
Abraham didn't put God in a box. He didn't try to confine the living God to the parameters of our world, the oppressive limits called Physical Reality and Logic. And that's where we- where I- stumble. God doesn't make sense according to the laws of science because He doesn't have to. He knows who He is, and He will always be eternally powerful; He doesn't have to stoop down to our level and "prove" his existence. Rather, he requires us to come up to His level; He demands that we put aside the blinders of "what makes sense" and put our faith instead in His Truth and His Way, Jesus Christ. That, I think, is how you have faith in God's promises- you realize that the power that was demonstrated on the cross is real, it defies all possibility, and it applies to you. "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ." (2 Cor. 1:20) And above all, you trust that God will deliver. God will never mess with our heads or taunt us with false promises.
Matthew 7:9-11: "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"
So this is only a partial answer to the question, What is faith? Because honestly, I'm still trying to figure it out myself. I pray that you, like me, will continue to study God's Word in order to learn how to live a life of faith in Him. Until then, know that He has a plan for your life, and He will wait to answer your prayers until His own perfect timing. (And I can say from experience that His timing will be perfect.)
Happy Easter,
Amanda
But what does this mean? What does this look like in my own life, or in anyone else's?
- - - - - - - - - - -
James 2:21-22: "Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did."
Okay, so "faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead" (verse 17). This makes me think that we express our faith through our actions, making it more than just a word we whisper in a quiet prayer to God. Perhaps faith, like love, is not an emotion or a state of mind, but a verb. A once-and-for-all, decisive action. But what kind of action constitutes faith?
- - - - - - - - - - -
Wow. This was Abraham's faith: He asked God repeatedly to bless him with children, even though he and his wife were both ancient and sterile; he asked and trusted God to do the impossible. And when he asked, he had complete belief in God's great power. He didn't entertain doubtful thoughts in the back of his mind, never wondered if God really could. He realized that the same God who created the universe in six days was more than capable of giving him a son.
James 1:6: "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."
Abraham didn't put God in a box. He didn't try to confine the living God to the parameters of our world, the oppressive limits called Physical Reality and Logic. And that's where we- where I- stumble. God doesn't make sense according to the laws of science because He doesn't have to. He knows who He is, and He will always be eternally powerful; He doesn't have to stoop down to our level and "prove" his existence. Rather, he requires us to come up to His level; He demands that we put aside the blinders of "what makes sense" and put our faith instead in His Truth and His Way, Jesus Christ. That, I think, is how you have faith in God's promises- you realize that the power that was demonstrated on the cross is real, it defies all possibility, and it applies to you. "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ." (2 Cor. 1:20) And above all, you trust that God will deliver. God will never mess with our heads or taunt us with false promises.
Matthew 7:9-11: "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"
So this is only a partial answer to the question, What is faith? Because honestly, I'm still trying to figure it out myself. I pray that you, like me, will continue to study God's Word in order to learn how to live a life of faith in Him. Until then, know that He has a plan for your life, and He will wait to answer your prayers until His own perfect timing. (And I can say from experience that His timing will be perfect.)
Happy Easter,
Amanda
Saturday, March 27, 2010
I get called out by the Creator.
Numbers 23:19: "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change his mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?"
I'm just going to come out with it. I haven't been trusting God... at all. Last summer He said He would heal me, and He said it again at winter retreat a month ago. But I've just blown Him off, not really believing He would, or that He even could. I told Him He was awesome and powerful and that He could do anything... but then I turned right around and told myself that He couldn't do anything for me. I told other people how awesome my God is, how he created the universe and how He holds the beating of our hearts in His hands; all the while forgetting that I, too, am His creation. That I, too, am a sheep in His flock. I told Him, "Lord, you are the Good Shepherd," but I forgot that His care and protection extends to me, too. And so God decided to remind me of exactly who He is, who it is that I'm doubting. It all started with the Bible study I went to on Thursday morning before school started. The topic? God's perfect timing, and waiting for it with patience and faith. The example used was Lazarus: Lazarus was a close friend of Jesus, but one day he fell mortally ill. His sister Mary sent a message to Jesus, trusting that if he came he could heal Lazarus and prevent his death. However, Jesus waited a few more days, knowing full well that Lazarus would die in that time. When he finally arrived at Mary's house, he went to the tomb where Lazarus was laid to rest. Then Jesus called to the dead man, "Lazarus, come out!", and he came back to life. Seeing this miracle, many of the Jews who were there mourning Lazarus put their faith in him and were saved. With this on my mind, I went home at the end of the day and went on Facebook. While I was checking my profile, I noticed the daily Bible verse application that I have up. That day's Bible verse was from the story of Lazarus' resurrection, which we had discussed that very morning.
John 11:40: Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
Not gonna lie- this hit me like a sledgehammer. It was God rebuking me, loud and clear, for doubting Him. He didn't stop there, however. In the past two days I've happened across two other passages speaking directly to my unbelief:
Romans 8:28: "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."
2 Corinthians 1:19-20: "For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not 'Yes' and 'No,' but in him it has always been 'Yes.' For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ."
And also this, from Crazy Love by Francis Chan: "I wrote this book because much of our talk doesn't match our lives. We say things like, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," and "Trust in the Lord with all your heart." Then we live and plan like we don't believe God even exists. We try to set our lives up so everything will be fine even if God doesn't come through. But true faith means holding nothing back. It means putting every hope in God's fidelity to His promises." (page 168)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Father God, I'm so sorry that I've doubted Your promise to me. You promised me that You will heal me, and that You will always be with me. Who am I to call You a liar? How can I fear the thorn in my side when Your right hand holds me steady, and Your left keeps Satan at bay? Your Word tells me that You have known me since before I knew myself. You have a plan for me, a plan to prosper me and not to harm me, a plan to use this thorn in my side for Your glory and Yours alone. Whether or not this burden is removed from my life is Your decision to make, not mine; and I submit myself to whichever outcome will bring glory to Your name. I will not give the enemy a weakness to exploit by feeling bitter about the way You made me. If this thorn in my side comes from You, oh Lord, I will consider it a blessing rather than a curse, for whatever comes from You has a purpose and a meaning. Father God, break down the walls of fear and comfort and security which I hide behind, so that I can look upon Your face with eyes clear of the fog of doubt. Search me, oh God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Amen.
I'm just going to come out with it. I haven't been trusting God... at all. Last summer He said He would heal me, and He said it again at winter retreat a month ago. But I've just blown Him off, not really believing He would, or that He even could. I told Him He was awesome and powerful and that He could do anything... but then I turned right around and told myself that He couldn't do anything for me. I told other people how awesome my God is, how he created the universe and how He holds the beating of our hearts in His hands; all the while forgetting that I, too, am His creation. That I, too, am a sheep in His flock. I told Him, "Lord, you are the Good Shepherd," but I forgot that His care and protection extends to me, too. And so God decided to remind me of exactly who He is, who it is that I'm doubting. It all started with the Bible study I went to on Thursday morning before school started. The topic? God's perfect timing, and waiting for it with patience and faith. The example used was Lazarus: Lazarus was a close friend of Jesus, but one day he fell mortally ill. His sister Mary sent a message to Jesus, trusting that if he came he could heal Lazarus and prevent his death. However, Jesus waited a few more days, knowing full well that Lazarus would die in that time. When he finally arrived at Mary's house, he went to the tomb where Lazarus was laid to rest. Then Jesus called to the dead man, "Lazarus, come out!", and he came back to life. Seeing this miracle, many of the Jews who were there mourning Lazarus put their faith in him and were saved. With this on my mind, I went home at the end of the day and went on Facebook. While I was checking my profile, I noticed the daily Bible verse application that I have up. That day's Bible verse was from the story of Lazarus' resurrection, which we had discussed that very morning.
John 11:40: Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
Not gonna lie- this hit me like a sledgehammer. It was God rebuking me, loud and clear, for doubting Him. He didn't stop there, however. In the past two days I've happened across two other passages speaking directly to my unbelief:
Romans 8:28: "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."
2 Corinthians 1:19-20: "For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not 'Yes' and 'No,' but in him it has always been 'Yes.' For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ."
And also this, from Crazy Love by Francis Chan: "I wrote this book because much of our talk doesn't match our lives. We say things like, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," and "Trust in the Lord with all your heart." Then we live and plan like we don't believe God even exists. We try to set our lives up so everything will be fine even if God doesn't come through. But true faith means holding nothing back. It means putting every hope in God's fidelity to His promises." (page 168)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Father God, I'm so sorry that I've doubted Your promise to me. You promised me that You will heal me, and that You will always be with me. Who am I to call You a liar? How can I fear the thorn in my side when Your right hand holds me steady, and Your left keeps Satan at bay? Your Word tells me that You have known me since before I knew myself. You have a plan for me, a plan to prosper me and not to harm me, a plan to use this thorn in my side for Your glory and Yours alone. Whether or not this burden is removed from my life is Your decision to make, not mine; and I submit myself to whichever outcome will bring glory to Your name. I will not give the enemy a weakness to exploit by feeling bitter about the way You made me. If this thorn in my side comes from You, oh Lord, I will consider it a blessing rather than a curse, for whatever comes from You has a purpose and a meaning. Father God, break down the walls of fear and comfort and security which I hide behind, so that I can look upon Your face with eyes clear of the fog of doubt. Search me, oh God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Amen.
Monday, March 15, 2010
The blood of the sacrifice
Deuteronomy 12:23, 27: "But be sure you do not eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat... Present your burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD your God, both the meat and the blood. The blood of your sacrifices must be poured beside the altar of the LORD your God, but you may eat the meat." (NIV)
There's something to be said for repetition. I've only read five books of the Old Testament, and already I've lost track of the number of times blood is mentioned. We are told how to use blood as an offering of atonement, sprinkling it upon the sanctuary of the Tent of Meeting; we are told how to present the blood of animal sacrifices when making an offering to the Lord, sprinkling it a certain number of times on the altar; and we are strictly prohibited from eating the blood of our meat, instead ordered to "pour it out on the ground like water." Each of these uses of blood is outlined in the first five books several times over. (It makes for some pretty upleasant reading, if you ask me.)
But if something is mentioned that many times, I figure it must be important. But until reading this passage, I only vaguely understood why the Old Testament seems to have such a fascination with blood. Here in Deuteronomy 12, Moses says that blood is- quite literally- the life of the person or animal it belongs to. And he says that when you sacrifice an animal on the altar, lifting it up as an offering to Lord, you may eat and enjoy the meat; but the blood, the life of the animal, must remain on the altar. I see this as an analogy.
We are the animal; the blood of the animal is our blood, our life. When we accept Christ, we are free to take our newly sanctified selves and live in joy and peace and freedom. But our blood- our plans, our lifestyle, the wants and desires and hardships that make up our lives- must remain on the altar, in the presence of our God. We must pour out the blood of our self-sacrifice at the altar of the Lord, and hold nothing back; and He will hold nothing back from us.
Romans 6:5: "If we have been united with him [Jesus Christ] like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection."
There's something to be said for repetition. I've only read five books of the Old Testament, and already I've lost track of the number of times blood is mentioned. We are told how to use blood as an offering of atonement, sprinkling it upon the sanctuary of the Tent of Meeting; we are told how to present the blood of animal sacrifices when making an offering to the Lord, sprinkling it a certain number of times on the altar; and we are strictly prohibited from eating the blood of our meat, instead ordered to "pour it out on the ground like water." Each of these uses of blood is outlined in the first five books several times over. (It makes for some pretty upleasant reading, if you ask me.)
But if something is mentioned that many times, I figure it must be important. But until reading this passage, I only vaguely understood why the Old Testament seems to have such a fascination with blood. Here in Deuteronomy 12, Moses says that blood is- quite literally- the life of the person or animal it belongs to. And he says that when you sacrifice an animal on the altar, lifting it up as an offering to Lord, you may eat and enjoy the meat; but the blood, the life of the animal, must remain on the altar. I see this as an analogy.
We are the animal; the blood of the animal is our blood, our life. When we accept Christ, we are free to take our newly sanctified selves and live in joy and peace and freedom. But our blood- our plans, our lifestyle, the wants and desires and hardships that make up our lives- must remain on the altar, in the presence of our God. We must pour out the blood of our self-sacrifice at the altar of the Lord, and hold nothing back; and He will hold nothing back from us.
Romans 6:5: "If we have been united with him [Jesus Christ] like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection."
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Finding God in our messed-up world
Hey, Amanda here.
So I'm doing this thing with my church where I read three chapters from the Old Testament and half a chapter from the New Testament every day, so that by the end of the year I'll have read the entire Bible. Not gonna lie- the NT is a whole lot more interesting, and sometimes I skip the OT reading. Consequently, I'm like ten chapters behind. Last night, after I'd made this blog with Rebecca and then gone home, I decided to sit down and catch up on some of my OT reading.
I'm currently in Deuteronomy, reading about how God brought the Israelites into the promised land of Canaan, driving out their enemies before them. I found something in Deuteronomy 4:25-31 that had a ring of familiarity to it- even though that story happened thousands of years ago, it sounded exactly like our lives today. Allow me to paraphrase:
In Deuteronomy 4:25-28, Moses says, "After you have lived in the promised land a long time, if you then become corrupt and begin to make idols for yourselves, doing what is evil in God's eyes by turning away from him to worship those idols instead, you will perish from the promised land. You will be destroyed. The Lord will drive you out of the land he gave to you, scattering you among the nonbelievers, and many of you will die. You will become corrupted and worship the nonbelievers' idols, which can't see, hear, eat, or smell."
Then Deuteronomy 4:29 says,"But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find Him if you look for Him with all your heart and all your soul." Deuteronomy 4:30+31 goes on to say that we can return to the Lord from the ungodly place we banish ourselves to. He waits eagerly for the day when we return to him, never giving up hope that we will, never banishing us forever from his presence: "For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abondon or destroy you".
When I read this, my mind kept going back to verse 29. In this day and age, the people of the world are like the Israelites after human nature caused them to sin and fall away from God. Now we are all scattered, deceived by the enemy so that our confused hearts don't know what is truth and what is falsehood. The result is a world culture hostile to God and desperate to find lasting fulfillment anywhere but in him. There's so much junk in our world, so much that can lead us astray and cloud our judgement; and even the most steadfast believer isn't immune to its affects. It gets to us; it seeps into our hearts, bringing doubt and confusion. It blinds our eyes to the things of God, until all we see is the mundane, and we wonder, "How can there be a God in such a devestatingly average world, where everything is defined by what we see and what we know? Where is God in all the pain and tragedy?"
But verse 29 gives me hope. "...You will find Him if you look for Him with all your heart and all your soul." God is there. He's there to be found, and to be found by you; he calls out your name with a patient and a loving heart, ready to accept you back into his arms, and to count you as one of his children. And here's the most important thing: You can find Him from wherever you are- China or Canada, the US or Africa, even Antartica. You can also find Him from wherever you are in life- whether you've got it made and are riding the wave of success or trapped in the most hopeless of circumstances; whether you've been living sinfully or following Christ since childhood.
I'm not just saying that. I can't promise much in this blog, but I will promise this: I'll never say something I don't mean with all my heart. And if there's one thing I've learned in the year and a half since I accepted Christ, it's that my God isn't just some "force" hovering somewhere in space, somebody who maybe looks down at us on Earth from time to time; somebody who maybe cares about us, but probably not; and definitely not a pet that I can order around, a toy I can put away when I'm done playing with, an equation I can put limits on, or something that I'll ever be able to understand. I can testify to the Lord's great power and greater love, and I've seen the work of his hands in my life and the lives of others. I've heard his voice, and will again. I could say it's only because I am seeking him with all my heart and all my soul that I've seen him move in this world, but that would be a proud and thoroughly mistaken assumption. The point is, he's there, close enough to touch- or rather, close enough to touch us. And the more you seek him, the more you will find him, and diving into this relationsip with our Lord brings clarity and joy to a thoroughly messed-up world.
(For more on finding God, please read Jeremiah 29:12-14.)
So I'm doing this thing with my church where I read three chapters from the Old Testament and half a chapter from the New Testament every day, so that by the end of the year I'll have read the entire Bible. Not gonna lie- the NT is a whole lot more interesting, and sometimes I skip the OT reading. Consequently, I'm like ten chapters behind. Last night, after I'd made this blog with Rebecca and then gone home, I decided to sit down and catch up on some of my OT reading.
I'm currently in Deuteronomy, reading about how God brought the Israelites into the promised land of Canaan, driving out their enemies before them. I found something in Deuteronomy 4:25-31 that had a ring of familiarity to it- even though that story happened thousands of years ago, it sounded exactly like our lives today. Allow me to paraphrase:
In Deuteronomy 4:25-28, Moses says, "After you have lived in the promised land a long time, if you then become corrupt and begin to make idols for yourselves, doing what is evil in God's eyes by turning away from him to worship those idols instead, you will perish from the promised land. You will be destroyed. The Lord will drive you out of the land he gave to you, scattering you among the nonbelievers, and many of you will die. You will become corrupted and worship the nonbelievers' idols, which can't see, hear, eat, or smell."
Then Deuteronomy 4:29 says,"But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find Him if you look for Him with all your heart and all your soul." Deuteronomy 4:30+31 goes on to say that we can return to the Lord from the ungodly place we banish ourselves to. He waits eagerly for the day when we return to him, never giving up hope that we will, never banishing us forever from his presence: "For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abondon or destroy you".
When I read this, my mind kept going back to verse 29. In this day and age, the people of the world are like the Israelites after human nature caused them to sin and fall away from God. Now we are all scattered, deceived by the enemy so that our confused hearts don't know what is truth and what is falsehood. The result is a world culture hostile to God and desperate to find lasting fulfillment anywhere but in him. There's so much junk in our world, so much that can lead us astray and cloud our judgement; and even the most steadfast believer isn't immune to its affects. It gets to us; it seeps into our hearts, bringing doubt and confusion. It blinds our eyes to the things of God, until all we see is the mundane, and we wonder, "How can there be a God in such a devestatingly average world, where everything is defined by what we see and what we know? Where is God in all the pain and tragedy?"
But verse 29 gives me hope. "...You will find Him if you look for Him with all your heart and all your soul." God is there. He's there to be found, and to be found by you; he calls out your name with a patient and a loving heart, ready to accept you back into his arms, and to count you as one of his children. And here's the most important thing: You can find Him from wherever you are- China or Canada, the US or Africa, even Antartica. You can also find Him from wherever you are in life- whether you've got it made and are riding the wave of success or trapped in the most hopeless of circumstances; whether you've been living sinfully or following Christ since childhood.
I'm not just saying that. I can't promise much in this blog, but I will promise this: I'll never say something I don't mean with all my heart. And if there's one thing I've learned in the year and a half since I accepted Christ, it's that my God isn't just some "force" hovering somewhere in space, somebody who maybe looks down at us on Earth from time to time; somebody who maybe cares about us, but probably not; and definitely not a pet that I can order around, a toy I can put away when I'm done playing with, an equation I can put limits on, or something that I'll ever be able to understand. I can testify to the Lord's great power and greater love, and I've seen the work of his hands in my life and the lives of others. I've heard his voice, and will again. I could say it's only because I am seeking him with all my heart and all my soul that I've seen him move in this world, but that would be a proud and thoroughly mistaken assumption. The point is, he's there, close enough to touch- or rather, close enough to touch us. And the more you seek him, the more you will find him, and diving into this relationsip with our Lord brings clarity and joy to a thoroughly messed-up world.
(For more on finding God, please read Jeremiah 29:12-14.)
Friday, March 12, 2010
What is UP?!
It's the question everybody's asking. What is up with the world today? What is up with presidents who say but don't deliver, taxes constantly rising, and potholes everywhere?
Amanda:
We're asking, what is UP with the world today?! We are discontent with the state of contentment our society and our fellow Christians have fallen into. It's like everywhere you look, people are saying "just do what makes you feel good." Newsflash: our purpose in life isn't to "feel good." Doing what makes us happy isn't our reason for living, nor should we try to make it so. Our purpose is to be the men and women our Creator has called us to be, to imitate His son in all we say and do. It won't always make us "happy." It won't always "feel good." Just like working out in the gym, following Christ feels terrible sometimes while you're doing it; but a) it'll build muscle and prepare you for the Big Game we call Life (see James 1:2-4: "the testing of your faith produces steadfastness"), and b) there's a reward waiting at the end, and the reward is worth more than the self-indulgence you'll get by relaxing at home.
Rebecca:
People are coming up with excuse after excuse for not wanting God in their lives. When one rejects God (sometimes subconsciously) the person yearns for something to fill the gap. We find ourselves looking into media, relationships, friendships, facebook, and sports to be our "god," yet the biggest help for us in this crazy world is Him. He is calling us and calling us, yet we reject Him. He sends people into our lives, and we turn ourselves away. He sends the Holy Spirit to call us, but our hearts are hardened to the point where we do not even hear Him when He calls. This is why our world is falling apart. People are not looking to God for their source of strength; but to the leaders, "church," and the opposite sex. We need to STAND for what we believe in, and not conform to this world!! Ephesians 5:14 says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." It's literally telling us to WAKE UP, yet why do so many Christians fall back asleep?
Amanda:
We're asking, what is UP with the world today?! We are discontent with the state of contentment our society and our fellow Christians have fallen into. It's like everywhere you look, people are saying "just do what makes you feel good." Newsflash: our purpose in life isn't to "feel good." Doing what makes us happy isn't our reason for living, nor should we try to make it so. Our purpose is to be the men and women our Creator has called us to be, to imitate His son in all we say and do. It won't always make us "happy." It won't always "feel good." Just like working out in the gym, following Christ feels terrible sometimes while you're doing it; but a) it'll build muscle and prepare you for the Big Game we call Life (see James 1:2-4: "the testing of your faith produces steadfastness"), and b) there's a reward waiting at the end, and the reward is worth more than the self-indulgence you'll get by relaxing at home.
Rebecca:
People are coming up with excuse after excuse for not wanting God in their lives. When one rejects God (sometimes subconsciously) the person yearns for something to fill the gap. We find ourselves looking into media, relationships, friendships, facebook, and sports to be our "god," yet the biggest help for us in this crazy world is Him. He is calling us and calling us, yet we reject Him. He sends people into our lives, and we turn ourselves away. He sends the Holy Spirit to call us, but our hearts are hardened to the point where we do not even hear Him when He calls. This is why our world is falling apart. People are not looking to God for their source of strength; but to the leaders, "church," and the opposite sex. We need to STAND for what we believe in, and not conform to this world!! Ephesians 5:14 says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." It's literally telling us to WAKE UP, yet why do so many Christians fall back asleep?
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