Sunday, November 27, 2011

Walk with God.

It's a chilly summer evening. Rambunctious middle schoolers are giggling and yelling across the way to one another, while they wait for the last camp service to begin. It has been a crazy, wild week of swimming in the lake, sweating from intense games of soccer and other crazy games, singing worship songs, and staying up way too late with new friends at night. It's time to get serious though. Tonight is the night the camp's speaker is going to challenge these students. Tonight is the night he will speak about God's wrath and amazing grace, hoping students will make their way up by the fire pit and kneel to surrender their lives to their Savior. The revival service is underway and students are about to hear about their sin and the forgiveness God extends to each one of them through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I remember this night at camp. I remember watching as many of my new camp friends gave their lives over to Christ. There were tears of joy and sorrow. Students hugged each other and apologized to each other for misunderstandings throughout the week. The same group of crazy kids who earlier couldn't shut up when they were asked were focused on the message of the gospel and responding to the challenge our speaker had given. The only problem about that night, which was evident to me even as a fifth grader, was that I wondered if these newly saved individuals would truly be reconciled. I wondered who would go home and forget and who would continue to submit to God's will for his life.

Colossians 3 states that when an individual is saved, he is dead to his old self and alive in his new self in Jesus Christ (verse 3). That night at camp, many students were responding to this concept. They wanted to be alive in Christ, but life in Christ means more than just that first moment of surrender. There is a responsibility each individual has in order to truly take part in this life in Christ.

Living for God means recognizing my sin (Sin: A deliberate act, attitude, or action that goes against the kingdom of God) and turning from my sin in order to be reconciled with Him (Reconciliation: reestablishing a close relationship).

And that's where many people stop. Confession, a promise to change. Done. I'm going to heaven. Check. Check. Check.

But what does it mean to be in close relationship with Him? I mean at camp, we learned that God would transform us, but they never explained what He would transform us into.

Colossians 3:10 says "Put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of the Creator". This means if I am transformed, my mind is changed and the design is to be more like Christ. SO what is "Christ-like"  ?

Verse 12 gives the answer, saying we should take on the attitudes of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Furthermore, the rest of this passage calls individuals to forgive, love, and be thankful. In doing these things, we are allowing the peace of God to rule in our hearts. And the thing is that if we mess up, which we will, God continues to love us and challenge us to walk in His ways: the ways of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

My challenge today is to seek to comprehend what is means to walk with God. I challenge you to take a step beyond your camp-like faith and seek to love in the way God created us to love. Throw away that "salvation check list" and ask God not how he can make your life better, but how you can continue to walk with Him.

Instead of a show- Jon Foreman

I hate all your show and pretense
The hypocrisy of your praise
The hypocrisy of your festivals
I hate all your show
Away with your noisy worship
Away with your noisy hymns
I stomp on my ears when you're singing 'em
I hate all your show

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show

Your eyes are closed when you're praying
You sing right along with the band
You shine up your shoes for services
There's blood on your hands
You turned your back on the homeless
And the ones that don't fit in your plan
Quit playing religion games
There's blood on your hands

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show
I hate all your show

Let's argue this out
If your sins are blood red
Let's argue this out
You'll be one of the clouds
Let's argue this out
Quit fooling around
Give love to the ones who can't love at all
Give hope to the ones who got no hope at all
Stand up for the ones who can't stand at all, all
I hate all your show
I hate all your show
I hate all your show
I hate all your show

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show
I hate all your show

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmania.com/instead_of_a_show_lyrics_jon_foreman.html
All about Jon Foreman: http://www.musictory.com/music/Jon+Foreman

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

A grateful heart.

Gratitude: acknowledgement of a benefit, thankfulness, appreciation.

I remember the days in middle school when my dad would drive me to school. I usually took the bus, but on certain mornings my dad would say "well, how about a hash brown and some dad time". I appreciated the breakfast and ride to school, but I was not a morning person. I didn't really say a lot on those mornings. I pitty laughed at my dad's morning puns and let him talk about global issues. Then it hit me one morning after we had eaten and were on the highway. I have a dad who wants to spend that time with me. He wants to spend money on me and push his meetings until 7:30 (my dad's a morning person) just to take me to school. He wanted to spend these little moments with me. He didn't want to call himself a dad just because he took care of my basic needs. He wanted to have a relationship with his daughter. That morning as I got out of the car I told my dad "thank you" wholeheartedly. I remember that moment because it was the first time I remember being able to grasp, at least a little bit, why we say thank you to one another.

My dad is one of the people in this world that I love and respect the most. When I'm struggling with an issue I feel that I can often look to his life and see how he handles things. My dad isn't perfect, but he's always told me his goal is to love me the way God wants him to and to be a steward in being my earthly father. What makes my dad an amazing father is the source of who he is. My heavenly Father created my father and gives him wisdom, grace, love, and joy to pass on to me. My dad isn't one of those people who always has something to say. He's not one who always has to take the spotlight. He always gives to me with a humble heart, not expecting a thank you.

That, to me, is just a window into the love God has for us. He is always giving to us and never forces us to thank Him for any of it. That doesn't make Him a push over or anything though, because my dad is always pushing me. Sometimes when he sees things I need to work on he lets me figure it out, but sometimes he challenges me. He will say his opinion without sugarcoating and expects me to take his advise fully or reject it completely. That's how God is with us too.

I've been thinking a lot about the type of relationship God wants to have with us. Reading the book Disappointment with God by Philip Yancey opened my mind to what kind of heart I should have for God, a grateful heart. This book was written about doubt, about the questions we have when God doesn't always seem to answer our prayers. What do we do when we feel like God isn't really there? What about when we are disappointed? This book challenged me to think about the Israelites. God provided for their every need. In that time God had a very obvious presence. He provided mana for them to eat daily and yet they were disappointed. They worshiped other gods and chose to sin against God. Their "faith" was very dependent on what God could do for them and when he didn't seem to give them what they wanted, they sinned.

So here I am in this world where God seems to have a silent presence at times. Just like my dad challenges me, I feel like God is challenging me in order to produce the most authentic, grateful, graceful, and loving version of myself I can possibly be. My prayer is for this grateful heart to grow, to thank Him when I make sacrifices and when I'm blessed. I pray that I can accept His blessings and use them in the way He intends. I pray that I may follow His guidance and seek His will in these things.

God is a God of restoration, renewal, and new strength. I praise Him for this today and ask that I may continue to seek Him in all I do and say.

Thank you God.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Audience of One.


Awaken

There’s an image you have of me
It’s just what you’ve gathered
Of what I want you to see

The manner in which I deviate
The depth in which I allow you to wonder into my intricate sin
The screaming arm raising surrender in corporate worship
And my exaggeration of my servitude façade

The authenticity
I twist it for my advantage or search of condolence

In the audience I try to make full of millions
It’s always millions
Plus one

Even in composing these gripping thoughts
I question my incentive
As one is examining the motivations of my heart

This façade even if close to home
It disappoints, it destroys, it nullifies

This imagined falsified audience of one
It’s thwarted by incomparable, constant, perfect one

The image you have of me
And the image I lust for you to have of me
Burn it, smolder it
I surrender

I cannot attain it

He had no reputation

I build one accidently, sinfully, fully, purposefully

It’s impossible to strive for perfection
Without a possible suffice able one
Desperately in need of help

Let go of your opinion of me
Positive, negative
Sway
Crash, fall
Surmise
Away spectators

Wake up

Watch me, walk beside me
Audience of one, companion 

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Motivated by Love?

Who are you living for? Yourself? A close friend, spouse, or relative? God?

If you answered God or want to answer God, read along with me as I write these words:

1 Corinthians 13:1-3
If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Is love motivating your actions? Is it reigning in your thoughts?

This is a check for me too. I've been getting aggravated lately with a lot of people because I've realized how much conversation has not been directed at pleasing God. It has been centered around speaking poorly of others (others that He calls by name and loves dearly). I'm trying to get this temptation to gossip out of my life and the more I do it, the more I can't stand to be around it. The more I can't stand to be around it, the more I notice these girls can't stand to be around me.

Here's what I want to say to that:


Why do you criticize me, looking for me to fix your life for you? Why do you get disappointed in me when I don't act exactly as you tell me to? Stop seeking me to solve your problems. Seek after Him.

You can choose to be disappointed. You can choose to talk behind my back, but what is motivating you?

Your actions make me sad not because you are hurting me, but because He calls us to live in such real life.


Something I wrote last summer:
Someone pointed out to me that I said the word "like" all the time. I started trying to fix that. I really tried to stop saying "he was like...and then she was like..." and I replaced it with saying "he said...and then she said..." That really bothered me too. Then I realized why: I was gossiping. Maybe I started using the word "like" to make myself realize it less, but now it stings... May I instead focus on the words the Lord my God says. May His words be quick to my lips, rather than me hiding behind my gossiping hideousness that always hides deeper intricate vocabulary. May I seek to better know and understand how deep, how wide, and how vast my God's love is for all the people I have gossiped about. May my "like" for people grow to love.


Many women get into this lifestyle of gossip because they desire having close connection with other women. They desire expressing their opinions and feeling a sense of control about situations they have crazy feelings but no actual control over. Women (and men) seek to gossip for some sort of personal gain (being heard, expressing feelings, pride, etc).

May His words be quick to my lips. May His gain be quick to my heart...

Philippians 3:7-8
But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ

So this being driven by love thing...I don't have it all figured out. I'm only asking for wisdom, laying down anything that may be to my profit and seeking what would please God in order to gain Christ.

From the words of 1 Corinthians 13, remember that what may seem to be a profit is nothing without love, that is the Love that comes from Jesus Christ. 

First let us lay down our lives in order to gain Christ. It is through that, that we may gain His love. It is through gaining His love that we may show His love. In showing His love, may our lives be fruitful of our Love, Jesus Christ.

So once again I ask, who are you living for? 

How are you going to show it?

Monday, November 7, 2011

Bible meditation

Bible meditation- Slow, careful reading of selective Bible passages.

How do we do this?

Pick out the keywords of a verse.
Take these words and look for how you can relate them to Jesus Christ's character.

Take Micah 6:8, the verse I included in my previous post today:

Seek justice
Love mercy
Walk humbly
With your God

Justice-reasonable fairness. Read John 8:1-11. In this story an adulterous woman is about to be stoned for her sins. In verse 7, Jesus says "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her" . This story shows Jesus as just because He is the judge. He shows His power and judges individuals for their own sin, saying they cannot judge others when they themselves are sinners.
Mercy-grace upon grace, forgiveness. This same passage in John 8 shows the mercy of God. He forgives this woman and tells her to live free of her sin.
Humility-A modest or low view of one's importance. Read Matthew 20:20-28. In this story two sons of Zebedee ask to sit on each side of Jesus in heaven.Jesus tells them to serve rather than seeking to be served. Verse 28 reads "the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

How can we implement these concepts in our lives today? How can our lives look more like the life of Jesus Christ?

We were made to be courageous.

Okay new favorite movie, hands down, Courageous. This movie made me laugh, cry, and just tugged at my heart so much.

This movie was such a call to action to be authentic people of God. This movie captured the lives of five fathers and their families. One of the fathers came up with a covenant for the men to sign about what it means to be an earthly father. These men all signed this covenant as a promise to their families and God to teach their children about God and love them as the Father has loved us. After they signed this covenant, their pastor told them they were double accountable.

It got me to thinking about my covenant with God and what our (Christian's) responsibility is with God once we give our lives to Him. Since becoming a Christian, I have still had problems. I have still experienced hurt, doubt, brokenness, but my responsibility as a believer is to be seeking Him. I am twice as accountable because I know the truth and I have walked with my Father.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkM-gDcmJeM

Seek justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

Make me courageous, God. May I honor you by being your follower. May I continue to seek you.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Fall

I was walking with my friend Becks today when I just said STOP and I made us just smell the fall air! I just wanted to soak it all in as I saw all the different shades of yellow, red, and orange leaves hanging off trees and just resting over the grass. I love this scene of leaves scattered everywhere, highlighting the beautiful brick buildings and large stretches of grass across the campus mall.


I love fall. And I love it for more than just the beautiful scenery. Fall is this time of change.


Change is something many people talk about with fear. Change brings about discomfort. In fact, this change of leaves falling brings about a discomfort in recognizing that it will be time soon for shoveling snow and bundling up for the blistering cold that will be coming.


Something else I love about fall is the wind. Sometimes the wind is pretty strong and makes me wish I had put on another sweatshirt, but I love it because it's this physical reminder that God is there. I can't see Him, but I see the effects of Him all around me. Sometimes He hollers right through the brisk air, but sometimes He is quiet. In these times that change happens because of the wind, He reminds me of His beauty because He orchestrates all of these changes and all of the life around me.


I am thankful today because I have a God who is alive! I have a God who is in control! I have a God who thought up of new seasons and allows the world to go right on going on because He is holding it in His hands.

I surrender.

"Surrender means I accept reality"- John Ortberg

I surrender today to the fact that I am not God. I surrender the gifts He has given me in order to say thank you that the people in my life are not my god. I surrender in order to say He created all things.

I accept the reality that I am not God. I accept the reality that this life is not about bringing myself glory. I accept the reality of just how undeserving I am of an incredible God that loves me immensely and covers me in grace.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg3-1PvWuMk

Hungry- Joy Williams:
Hungry, I come to You
For I know You satisfy
I am empty but I know
Your love does not run dry

Chorus:
So I wait for You
So I wait for You

I'm falling on my knees
Offering all of me
Jesus, You're all this heart 
Is living for

Broken, I run to You 
For Your arms are open wide
I am weary but I know
Your touch restores my life

Chorus

I'm falling on my knees
Offering all of me
Jesus, You're all this heart 
Is living for

Hungry, I come to You
For I know You satisfy
I am empty but I know
Your love does not run dry

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Just keep walking, even if that means taking baby steps.

This is from the daily devotional book Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.
Be encouraged by the God who loves you and supports you every step of the way, even in your smallest steps.

"Do not be discouraged by the difficulty of keeping your focus on Me. I know that your heart's desire is to be aware of My Presence continually. This is a lofty goal; you aim toward it but never fully achieve it in this life. Don't let feelings of failure weigh you down. Instead, try to see yourself as I see you. First of all, I am delighted by your deep desire to walk closely with Me through your life. I am pleased each time you initiate communication with Me. In addition, I notice the progress you have made since you first resolved to live in My Presence.
When you realize that your mind has wandered away from Me, don't be alarmed or surprised. You live in a world that has been rigged to distract you. Each time you plow your way through the massive distractions to communicate with Me, you achieve a victory. Rejoice in these tiny triumphs, and they will increasingly light up your days"

Hebrews 4:14-16
 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,[a] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.