THIS WEEK I've had a few important realizations. The lesson in "The Purple Book" this week was Discipleship and Leadership, and looking at it I got some questions answered.
When Jesus says "Follow Me," it seems simple enough, doesn't it? I think many of us have it in our heads that to follow Him is simple, or easy. I fear that what I do is that I do the same things every week: church and blog post on Sunday, Youth Group on Wednesday, Fish club on Thursday, Life Group on Saturday, one chapter of the New Testament every day; pray before meals, tests, assignments and sleep. That's boring. I mean, I don't get shaken up very much. It shouldn't be a pattern. What I learned this week is that because I'm learning so much from being with other Christians at these events, there is no reason that everyone around me shouldn't be learning, too. I hope that this blog shares what I learn, but I do this once a week. I have six other days in a week where I could be sharing what I know, and I have been praying that I could learn learn quite how to do that.
Sharing, despite any cost, is what discipleship is about. Paul recognized that the point of Christianity is not that we will be happy every day of our lives on earth. The point is to give glory to God, and that is not easy in a world that has turned from Him. But that's why the world needs saving. Paul knew it was dangerous, and he knew it was worth it. Look at Acts 21:10-13:
"[10]And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. [11] When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'" [12] Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. [13] Then Paul answered, "What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? for I am ready not only o be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.""
I aspire to having that kind of faith. I cannot help but wonder what I would do if I knew there was a great likelihood I would die or get hurt for doing this or that, or going here or there, for the name of Jesus. He never said it would be a walk in the park picking daisies, but He showed us it would be a walk on a turbulent sea. Do you know how hard it is to walk on water? People can only walk on water with Jesus' help. Nowadays it is more metaphorical: walking on water might be taking a step of boldness, even if people are going to think we're crazy. And whenever we don't take that step when we know we should, we feel like failures and wonder why we can't hold on to what we learned at church a few days ago and use it outside the church walls. Now, we don't always have to go up to a strange and start shouting Bible verses at him. That would not be effective. Sometimes it is as easy as making somebody feel comfortable, or going across the room to talk to somebody who doesn't seem to feel welcome.
There are a few different reasons, as I've heard, that we often don't share our faith. Laziness is one; it keeps us too comfortable to to something amazing. God knows we can do amazing things with His guidance. With Him all things are possible, after all, and people with all kinds of issues and hinderances are made able to overcome them and be amazing. The lead singer of Casting Crowns (I went to go see them yesterday. It was amazing) grew up with dyslexia and A.D.D., and he's touring cities with the band, praising God instead of staying put with limitations.
Another reason is that we are busy. I was very busy this week, so it's fresh in my mind how distracting it can be to have to do alot of things. How often Jesus was busy, surrounded by a crowded group of people, and He stopped in the middle to help one of them out. He never said, 'No, lady, I'm going to have to heal your daughter next week. I'm booked." No job is too big for Him. He's God. He keeps gravity running; He can keep my life together, no matter what I gains or lose or what have on my mind. And we should never be too busy for God anyway. So I hope and I pray that no matter where I have to be or what I have to do, God will make me pay enough attention to see whether there's something I need to be doing right now to learn about Him or tell someone else.
Our view of ourselves also makes a difference in whether we are willing to go out on a limb. If we think too little of ourselves, as the devil really wants us to, we start thinking there's no way a little step that we bring ourselves to take could amount to anything. But every action is a seed sown, and God is quite able to make a little thing into a big thing, even to use it as a doorway to a big thing. He can make us amazing for Him. That reminds me of a song, "The Voice of Truth" by, you guessed it, Casting Crowns. No matter what it is we are trying to face, and no matter who tells us we can't do it, Jesus is there telling us we can.
Or maybe we think too much of ourselves. Maybe we think we are so perfect and so close to God that we stop seeing our flaws and start looking at other people's flaws, deciding who it's worthwhile to talk to. That's terrible. None of us have ever been worthy. That's the point! It's God's grace, not our preference. That's like the big brother in the story of the prodigal son. He didnn't want his brother to receive such a party for his return because he felt worthier than his brother. We, like him, should be glad for anybody to come home, even ugly people or unpleasant people. Everybody is precious to God - Christ died for them all.
This is what Jesus told us to do: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I [Jesus] have commanded you." I can tell you, since I've heard all the reasons why people don't do as we're told so clearly, I've been feeling very challenged. I've felt like I could never do this, and I've wondered why I can't do this, and I've questioned what it is I'm personally supposed to be doing. But it's not complicated. Christianity is not easy, but it is not complicated. Jesus said "Follow me." He also said "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himslef, and take up his cross, and follow Me." He makes it clear that it is not easy.
According to "The Purple Book, "Taking up your cross is the ultimate act of surrender - a conscious choice to deny yourself and live for Christ. It means a willingness to follow and obey Christ to whatever end." That is terrifying. It is petrifying. But it only leaves two options, so it is not hard to figure out. I am a Christian. So either I turn around now and don't follow Him when it gets difficult - and I'm not going to turn away, not in a milion years - or I follow him forward to whatever end. He's drawn a line in the sand. No partiality. I'm on His side or I'm not, I gather with Him or I don't. Paul recognized this. His first followers faced horrendous persecution because of their faith in Jesus Christ (and they wouldn't have gone through it if they had any reason to doubt that He is God). So I gather with Him. And again I remember Peter walking on the water. Can you imagine? He must have been petrified. Who walks on water? He must have thought, people just can't walk on water. But He did it anyway. And nobody else has ever been able to make his followers powerful enough in trusting him that they could walk on water like Peter and Jesus did.
This subject is rather important to me right now, especially because on Good Friday, April 2, 2010, I will be water baptized as a public demonstration of my faith, giving me a whole new reason to take up my cross, daily. But I have most of a week until that day. What will I do with it? As a Christian, I'm already a disciple.
The big point is that no matter how often we Christians remind ourselves of what we need to avoid, it only matters whether we are willing to step over the things in our lives that eat up our time, energy, and interest and remember what it means to "follow" Jesus. It means to pursue Him. We pursue God by seeking to learn more about Him AND listening to what He tells us AND acting accordingly. It means asking Him to give us each a heart that desires Him, and to show us whether we have any habits or idols that need breaking, and then actually acting how He directs us. This is a challenge, and it seems very sscary. But I remember that when I look at this big mountain of thinggs I have to do and things that scare me all I need to do is ask God to hold my hand through it, and I can step over it. It does not become easy, but it becomes possible. And when Peter is sinking in the waves all he needs to do is call for Jesus' help, and He holds his hand, and the waves calm down. And that is how to live a life.
Here's a special miracle, everybody: Remember Katie Carr I told you about, who had a rare kind of bone cancer in her arm? I told you about how the doctors decided against removing her arm and that they would be able to save the whole thing. This week she had surgery to replace her bone in her upper arm with a cadaver, and while the doctors were worried that this would limit the motion of her hand in the future, it now seems she will have full or almost full use of her hand. God is awesome. Pray for her recovery from her surgery.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
The Importance of God's Word
THIS WEEK I have a few different things to share. I've had a nice week, and the weather is getting brighter. Yesterday I got to meet with Jenny White and a few others at Five Guys (Burgers and Fries) for our Life Group meeting, and we discussed chapter 5 in the Purple Book. The Co-author of the Purple Book, Steve Murrell, spoke at Southpoint last week. That's so cool! I'm grateful to God for my church.
Chapter 5 is called "Spiritual Hunger & God's Word," where we discussed just what God's Word is. It can be considered to be the message of salvation through Jesus, to be preached to every part of the world. It could be considered to be the whole contents of the Bible. It can also be considered to be the person of Jesus Christ. It is all of these things because it is God speaking to us. It is His way of giving us direction and helping us to see what we are doing right or wrong. It is God's coming near us, and His drawing us near to Him - Hallelujah.
Whether it is represented in the words of a pastor or a friend, whether it is in the proclamations of a prophet or straight from Jesus' own mouth, God's Word is how He talks to us. And the more we become familiar with it, the more we understand it and the more we recognize when He is urging us directly that we should do this or not do that. Jenny White describes it very aptly: it is like the Spirit telling us we have a smudge on our face, and, like a very good friend, shows us where it is and that we should wipe it off, never making fun of us for it. It's really great, isn't it, that we can have English copies of the Bible to read, to make us familiar with His commandments. I've got my purple copy of the Word in a pink zip-up cover, my Bible that I got in 2006, the best Christmas present I ever got. I told Jenny that I'm extremely excited about the idea of getting a Bible for a friend of mine. She really wants one, and I'd absolutely love to get her one because I know there is some life-changing awesomeness in there. You see these prophecies over here, telling about what God will do, and you see it come to pass over here, or anywhere in history. Over here you see red words telling perfect wisdom and Truth (Casting Crowns "The Word is Alive," look up them lyrics), and the honest emphasis the disciples use when they write about His glory. So I'd love to get my friend a Bible and give it to her.
Today Pastor Russ was back from South Africa. The airport had been delayed and he missed his flight the first time he tried to leave for South Africa, but upon the insistance of the ones he was coming to visit he made sure he caught a later flight. So that worked out, and he went there, stayed four days, and came back. He returned with a powerful message to describe the term "revelation." We know that this is the name of a very unique and powerful book of the Bible, the very last one, mostly pertaining to the end of the world. But the word also applies to any God-given "revealing," an opening of one's eyes and ears to spiritual truth. An example is in Mark 8, where it becomes clear to Peter that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the one whom God sent to save the world. He had seen miracle after miracle, and only now it was clear as day and fresh as rain. Jesus is the Christ! Son of the living God. Only now did he realize it, having received a revelation. It is vastly different from intuition because it does not rely on human whims. It is what God is telling us. And we are able to hear it much better and to identify what He wants us to do when we have spent time looking in the Word and reflecting on His commandments. Matthew 13 tells us about what might happen to the Word once it has been heard and enters a heart. It might be ignored, it might be initially accepted and then forsaken, it might be hindered from growing by a person's care for worldly things, or it just might grow up healthy and productive. That is when it can teach a person amazing new things, and that person can spread it to other people. Like using a candle to light a candle. Heaven knows this world needs a few candles lit around here.
There are a few different places in the Word that I've been particularly drawn to lately. Last week I told you about wonderful Luke 15, about how God sent God-in-Man Jesus came to save what was lost - us. And before that I told you about opening to Jeremiah 29:11, about how God knows exactly what He is doing and He cares enough to watch out for each of us. There is no other God, and no other like Him, let me tell you. The other day He pointed this one out to me, Romans 14:19 "Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another." That is a good one to keep in mind when you are trying to build a good relationship or any good friendship. Then He reminds me that when it all adds up, all that really matters in the end is my relationship with Him, because in the end He's all I'll have forever. So what I do now is what matters forever, and that's a good reason for my relationships with other people to be ones that reflect His love and which help me and the people I know to grow stronger in our faith in God. They should be the kind of relationships that are really founded on that Solid Rock of our Salvation, Jesus.
Another of my favorites is Philippians 4:4-9. It's a little long, so I'll just tell you what it means to me. It means, 'Don't worry, just pray about it. Have joy no matter what's going on, pray with gratitude, and He will grant peace and guidance and guard your heart and mind. Think about wholesome thigns and reflect on what is good and glorious, and He will definitely grant you peace and keep you from feeling like you have to do this alone." That is one that God often shows me when something's up, and it is one of my favorites ever. Go look it up. It's right between Ephesians and Colossians.
When I started blogging today I thought all the things I was going to tell you were a little scattered, but I prayed about it, and look at that. It all came together, and I've learned something this week.
One more awesome thing: Pastor Russ's son was with a mission trip in Peru, and they came to a little, tiny village called Corral. Nobody had ever told anyone there about Christ. When this group had delivered their message and presented their drama performance they invited any person to come forward who wanted to receive Christ as the Savior and Lord of his life. Every single person raised his hand in that village! Every single person in that village!! Only God can do that. That is a marvelous miracle, the kind you hear about in the book of Acts, when hundreds of people are entering the church daily. Wow, right? Wow.
Well I've enjoyed typing to you. Please remember to pray for Haiti and Chile as the people try to recover from both loss and injury. And pray for the missionaries there and everywhere. You know, there are all kinds of people being converted lately. I've heard of Al Quaeda being saved. God rules. I will type to you again next week. Please post any miracle you have experienced or heard of, or any part of Scripture you feel God has been pointing out to you lately. God bless.
Chapter 5 is called "Spiritual Hunger & God's Word," where we discussed just what God's Word is. It can be considered to be the message of salvation through Jesus, to be preached to every part of the world. It could be considered to be the whole contents of the Bible. It can also be considered to be the person of Jesus Christ. It is all of these things because it is God speaking to us. It is His way of giving us direction and helping us to see what we are doing right or wrong. It is God's coming near us, and His drawing us near to Him - Hallelujah.
Whether it is represented in the words of a pastor or a friend, whether it is in the proclamations of a prophet or straight from Jesus' own mouth, God's Word is how He talks to us. And the more we become familiar with it, the more we understand it and the more we recognize when He is urging us directly that we should do this or not do that. Jenny White describes it very aptly: it is like the Spirit telling us we have a smudge on our face, and, like a very good friend, shows us where it is and that we should wipe it off, never making fun of us for it. It's really great, isn't it, that we can have English copies of the Bible to read, to make us familiar with His commandments. I've got my purple copy of the Word in a pink zip-up cover, my Bible that I got in 2006, the best Christmas present I ever got. I told Jenny that I'm extremely excited about the idea of getting a Bible for a friend of mine. She really wants one, and I'd absolutely love to get her one because I know there is some life-changing awesomeness in there. You see these prophecies over here, telling about what God will do, and you see it come to pass over here, or anywhere in history. Over here you see red words telling perfect wisdom and Truth (Casting Crowns "The Word is Alive," look up them lyrics), and the honest emphasis the disciples use when they write about His glory. So I'd love to get my friend a Bible and give it to her.
Today Pastor Russ was back from South Africa. The airport had been delayed and he missed his flight the first time he tried to leave for South Africa, but upon the insistance of the ones he was coming to visit he made sure he caught a later flight. So that worked out, and he went there, stayed four days, and came back. He returned with a powerful message to describe the term "revelation." We know that this is the name of a very unique and powerful book of the Bible, the very last one, mostly pertaining to the end of the world. But the word also applies to any God-given "revealing," an opening of one's eyes and ears to spiritual truth. An example is in Mark 8, where it becomes clear to Peter that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the one whom God sent to save the world. He had seen miracle after miracle, and only now it was clear as day and fresh as rain. Jesus is the Christ! Son of the living God. Only now did he realize it, having received a revelation. It is vastly different from intuition because it does not rely on human whims. It is what God is telling us. And we are able to hear it much better and to identify what He wants us to do when we have spent time looking in the Word and reflecting on His commandments. Matthew 13 tells us about what might happen to the Word once it has been heard and enters a heart. It might be ignored, it might be initially accepted and then forsaken, it might be hindered from growing by a person's care for worldly things, or it just might grow up healthy and productive. That is when it can teach a person amazing new things, and that person can spread it to other people. Like using a candle to light a candle. Heaven knows this world needs a few candles lit around here.
There are a few different places in the Word that I've been particularly drawn to lately. Last week I told you about wonderful Luke 15, about how God sent God-in-Man Jesus came to save what was lost - us. And before that I told you about opening to Jeremiah 29:11, about how God knows exactly what He is doing and He cares enough to watch out for each of us. There is no other God, and no other like Him, let me tell you. The other day He pointed this one out to me, Romans 14:19 "Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another." That is a good one to keep in mind when you are trying to build a good relationship or any good friendship. Then He reminds me that when it all adds up, all that really matters in the end is my relationship with Him, because in the end He's all I'll have forever. So what I do now is what matters forever, and that's a good reason for my relationships with other people to be ones that reflect His love and which help me and the people I know to grow stronger in our faith in God. They should be the kind of relationships that are really founded on that Solid Rock of our Salvation, Jesus.
Another of my favorites is Philippians 4:4-9. It's a little long, so I'll just tell you what it means to me. It means, 'Don't worry, just pray about it. Have joy no matter what's going on, pray with gratitude, and He will grant peace and guidance and guard your heart and mind. Think about wholesome thigns and reflect on what is good and glorious, and He will definitely grant you peace and keep you from feeling like you have to do this alone." That is one that God often shows me when something's up, and it is one of my favorites ever. Go look it up. It's right between Ephesians and Colossians.
When I started blogging today I thought all the things I was going to tell you were a little scattered, but I prayed about it, and look at that. It all came together, and I've learned something this week.
One more awesome thing: Pastor Russ's son was with a mission trip in Peru, and they came to a little, tiny village called Corral. Nobody had ever told anyone there about Christ. When this group had delivered their message and presented their drama performance they invited any person to come forward who wanted to receive Christ as the Savior and Lord of his life. Every single person raised his hand in that village! Every single person in that village!! Only God can do that. That is a marvelous miracle, the kind you hear about in the book of Acts, when hundreds of people are entering the church daily. Wow, right? Wow.
Well I've enjoyed typing to you. Please remember to pray for Haiti and Chile as the people try to recover from both loss and injury. And pray for the missionaries there and everywhere. You know, there are all kinds of people being converted lately. I've heard of Al Quaeda being saved. God rules. I will type to you again next week. Please post any miracle you have experienced or heard of, or any part of Scripture you feel God has been pointing out to you lately. God bless.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Luke 15
THIS WEEK a very special thing has been called to my attention. It's Luke chapter 15, which you might know as the chapter full of Jesus' stories about the recovery of lost valuables. The reason this chapter stands out to me right now is that it was the central focus of both the Youth Quake Live event this Friday and the sermon at Southpoint today. It's pretty awesome.
Youthquake was amazing. The theme was "Search and Rescue," referring to the fact that Jesus came to this world to recover what was lost. We are what was lost, lost to sin and deception. We got ourselves into a mess that only He could free us from, and He came to get us back because He loves us. Wow, that's amazing, right?! Now this Youth Quake Live event, held at The Potter's House, was one of my favorites ever. My pastor's daughter, Chelsea, shared her heart-rending testimony of wandering and recovery. I won't go and publish her personal failures on the internet, but let me tell you that it really is awesome what God does in people. He takes a train wreck and makes it a beautiful treasure. He takes a guilt-ridden, purple-bruised heart and shines it gold. Every heart knows it needs that kind of fulfillment and restoration, and every heart inevitably seeks and searches for it. But it is Jesus alone that can supply what we need. We cannot find it anywhere else. Chelsea has been recovered that way, and so have I, and so have millions and milions of people for the past two thousand years, praise the Lord.
I felt so good as soon as I went into that room in The Potter's House. The Spirit was in there. It was really awesome. And the holiness and peace that came over us while we sang, "I called, You answered, and You came to my rescue and I, I wanna be where YOU ARE!" It was wonderful. I greatly appreciated that reminder of the change Christ made in me. I remember me before Him, and I'm never going back. I am glad for this opportunity to recall how He took the weight of the world and all my sins, right off from my heart, and He bore them and died for them and saved my soul. And then He rose up again to rule over it. So as He is living, my heart and my soul are nobody else's, and the same can be said for the hearts and souls of countless millions of rescued souls.
Luke 15 talks about three instances of valuable lost things being found, and causing great joy. I've heard about them both at Youth Quake and at church today, and I'm going to go through them and stretch them out, and I'm going to explain them until you and I both can see the brightness of their color. Remember, Jesus told these stories, to help us understand things. They impart wisdom and encouragement.
So Jesus is talking to "all the tax collectors and the sinners," or those with weakened faith or no faith at all, and He explains why it is He hangs out with them by telling these stories. He was reaching out to those who needed Him most, those who didn't already know Him and who needed to be led back to God.
The first parable tells about a man with 100 sheep, and one of them wanders off. You can imagine he wants his sheep back, right? So what does he do? He leaves the safe sheep and he goes and finds the troublemaker, and he brings him back extremely joyful. Jesus is often known as the 'Good Shepherd,' a name referring to John 10:14-17, where He says "I am the good shepherd; and I know my sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again."
That's why Jesus was hanging out with unrighteous people - to win them back! When He says He lays down His life for the sheep, because he loves the sheep, He is talking about us. He's talking about bringing us back to God by taking our sins upon Himself, dying for them, and making us clean enough to have a relationship with God again. That's awesome.
The next parable talks about a lady who loses one coin out of ten coins. She's not a rich girl, so she wants to find her money. She combs her entire house until she finds it, and when she does she celebrates over it with her neighbors. Jesus concludes this short story by telling us how all of Heaven is rejoicing that much "over one sinner who repents." That means that if one lost sheep, one missing coin, is found, God is happy. He is very, very happy about it. And doesn't the whole universe shine when God is happy? The stars twinkle and the trees dance and everything's awesome when God is happy, because those who love Him are happy, too, and because He blesses those who love Him and obey Him.
The last parable extends from verse 11 all the way to the end at 32, so more than half the chapter. It's a very famous story about the prodigal son, a boy who asks his dad for his part of the inheritance so he can leave with it. The dad gives it to him, and he goes out and parties and eats and makes a fool of himself. Then the whole land experiences a famine and he's out of cash, so he has to work as a farmhand sharing food with pigs. When he realizes what a loser he's been he remembers how his own dad's servants have more than enough to get by. So he goes home to ask his dad to let him live as a servant in his house. When he gets there he's already thought of what to say: he would say "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants." But when he gets home him dad just runs to him and hugs him and kisses him before he can say anything. As he explains to him that he knows he isn't worthy anymore, his dad stops him, commanding that he be dressed in fine clothing and jewelry and that a party be thrown for his return.
Woah! Do you know what that parable means? It means that when we realize we're foolish to pursue "the good life" and live selfishly, God is still willing to receive us back. That's what he did with those stubborn Israelites, isn't it? They sinned, and sinned, and disregarded Him, and to give them one more chance (a chance He then extended to the whole world, the sheep outside the fold) He gave us Jesus as a way for our sins to be washed off, and for us to be reconciled to Him. Cool!
But we wonder why the dad didn't just go after him when he left. That's interesting, right? Why didn't the dad follow him and tell him the error of his ways? There are two good reasons.
One, which I learned at church today, was that the older brother was the one who was supposed to be in charge of the younger children in the Jewish culture. The older brother didn't do anything. He stayed at home. That represents how the Jews, who had been given the Law and the Prophets (from the Old Testament) to teach them about God and how to act, ought to have been sharing it with sinners and foreign peoples instead of keeping it to themselves. In fact, the older brother is jealous when the prodigal son comes home and gets celebrated, and he complains against his dad for not giving him special treatment as well. It's this son that he chastens, saying "Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your borther was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found."
The other reason is that the dad wanted him to learn something. He never would have learned why he shouldn't act a fool if the dad had gone after him and told him to come home. He needed to make his own mistakes to learn his lesson. Of course, God will be happy if the sheep never wanders off. But if it's going to wander off, He'll be happy when it comes back. He'll be happy when it is found again and when it is back with Him. I love having a God like that, who wants to teach me and to be with me. I love the things He tells me, and when He shows me things like this. It reminds me of two things.
The first is that I was a lost sheep, too. And I owe everything to God for getting me out of that jungle. Everything. My job right now is to give Him everything I have, even though it is not vey much. Because while He does not need me, He can certainly do alot from a little.
The other thing is that it's Christians' job to help recover lost sheep, in a sense. I don't know whether anybody reading this is not a Christian, but if you're not, I want you to know that is why Christians won't keep their faith to themselves. It's a lifesaver. Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-15 that we are "the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house." And then he says that we should "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." So that's why. It's not because we think we're so great, but because we know God is so great. I just hope and I pray that we Christians might actually listen to Him. There are wolves in the jungle, and only Jesus can get us out of there.
There's this awesome song you might know: "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now I'm found. Was blind but not I see." Aaaa-men.
It's been nice talking to you today. Have a wonderful week. And continue to pray for Haiti and Chile and everybody, really. Please post the amazing things that God is teaching you this week!
Youthquake was amazing. The theme was "Search and Rescue," referring to the fact that Jesus came to this world to recover what was lost. We are what was lost, lost to sin and deception. We got ourselves into a mess that only He could free us from, and He came to get us back because He loves us. Wow, that's amazing, right?! Now this Youth Quake Live event, held at The Potter's House, was one of my favorites ever. My pastor's daughter, Chelsea, shared her heart-rending testimony of wandering and recovery. I won't go and publish her personal failures on the internet, but let me tell you that it really is awesome what God does in people. He takes a train wreck and makes it a beautiful treasure. He takes a guilt-ridden, purple-bruised heart and shines it gold. Every heart knows it needs that kind of fulfillment and restoration, and every heart inevitably seeks and searches for it. But it is Jesus alone that can supply what we need. We cannot find it anywhere else. Chelsea has been recovered that way, and so have I, and so have millions and milions of people for the past two thousand years, praise the Lord.
I felt so good as soon as I went into that room in The Potter's House. The Spirit was in there. It was really awesome. And the holiness and peace that came over us while we sang, "I called, You answered, and You came to my rescue and I, I wanna be where YOU ARE!" It was wonderful. I greatly appreciated that reminder of the change Christ made in me. I remember me before Him, and I'm never going back. I am glad for this opportunity to recall how He took the weight of the world and all my sins, right off from my heart, and He bore them and died for them and saved my soul. And then He rose up again to rule over it. So as He is living, my heart and my soul are nobody else's, and the same can be said for the hearts and souls of countless millions of rescued souls.
Luke 15 talks about three instances of valuable lost things being found, and causing great joy. I've heard about them both at Youth Quake and at church today, and I'm going to go through them and stretch them out, and I'm going to explain them until you and I both can see the brightness of their color. Remember, Jesus told these stories, to help us understand things. They impart wisdom and encouragement.
So Jesus is talking to "all the tax collectors and the sinners," or those with weakened faith or no faith at all, and He explains why it is He hangs out with them by telling these stories. He was reaching out to those who needed Him most, those who didn't already know Him and who needed to be led back to God.
The first parable tells about a man with 100 sheep, and one of them wanders off. You can imagine he wants his sheep back, right? So what does he do? He leaves the safe sheep and he goes and finds the troublemaker, and he brings him back extremely joyful. Jesus is often known as the 'Good Shepherd,' a name referring to John 10:14-17, where He says "I am the good shepherd; and I know my sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again."
That's why Jesus was hanging out with unrighteous people - to win them back! When He says He lays down His life for the sheep, because he loves the sheep, He is talking about us. He's talking about bringing us back to God by taking our sins upon Himself, dying for them, and making us clean enough to have a relationship with God again. That's awesome.
The next parable talks about a lady who loses one coin out of ten coins. She's not a rich girl, so she wants to find her money. She combs her entire house until she finds it, and when she does she celebrates over it with her neighbors. Jesus concludes this short story by telling us how all of Heaven is rejoicing that much "over one sinner who repents." That means that if one lost sheep, one missing coin, is found, God is happy. He is very, very happy about it. And doesn't the whole universe shine when God is happy? The stars twinkle and the trees dance and everything's awesome when God is happy, because those who love Him are happy, too, and because He blesses those who love Him and obey Him.
The last parable extends from verse 11 all the way to the end at 32, so more than half the chapter. It's a very famous story about the prodigal son, a boy who asks his dad for his part of the inheritance so he can leave with it. The dad gives it to him, and he goes out and parties and eats and makes a fool of himself. Then the whole land experiences a famine and he's out of cash, so he has to work as a farmhand sharing food with pigs. When he realizes what a loser he's been he remembers how his own dad's servants have more than enough to get by. So he goes home to ask his dad to let him live as a servant in his house. When he gets there he's already thought of what to say: he would say "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants." But when he gets home him dad just runs to him and hugs him and kisses him before he can say anything. As he explains to him that he knows he isn't worthy anymore, his dad stops him, commanding that he be dressed in fine clothing and jewelry and that a party be thrown for his return.
Woah! Do you know what that parable means? It means that when we realize we're foolish to pursue "the good life" and live selfishly, God is still willing to receive us back. That's what he did with those stubborn Israelites, isn't it? They sinned, and sinned, and disregarded Him, and to give them one more chance (a chance He then extended to the whole world, the sheep outside the fold) He gave us Jesus as a way for our sins to be washed off, and for us to be reconciled to Him. Cool!
But we wonder why the dad didn't just go after him when he left. That's interesting, right? Why didn't the dad follow him and tell him the error of his ways? There are two good reasons.
One, which I learned at church today, was that the older brother was the one who was supposed to be in charge of the younger children in the Jewish culture. The older brother didn't do anything. He stayed at home. That represents how the Jews, who had been given the Law and the Prophets (from the Old Testament) to teach them about God and how to act, ought to have been sharing it with sinners and foreign peoples instead of keeping it to themselves. In fact, the older brother is jealous when the prodigal son comes home and gets celebrated, and he complains against his dad for not giving him special treatment as well. It's this son that he chastens, saying "Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your borther was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found."
The other reason is that the dad wanted him to learn something. He never would have learned why he shouldn't act a fool if the dad had gone after him and told him to come home. He needed to make his own mistakes to learn his lesson. Of course, God will be happy if the sheep never wanders off. But if it's going to wander off, He'll be happy when it comes back. He'll be happy when it is found again and when it is back with Him. I love having a God like that, who wants to teach me and to be with me. I love the things He tells me, and when He shows me things like this. It reminds me of two things.
The first is that I was a lost sheep, too. And I owe everything to God for getting me out of that jungle. Everything. My job right now is to give Him everything I have, even though it is not vey much. Because while He does not need me, He can certainly do alot from a little.
The other thing is that it's Christians' job to help recover lost sheep, in a sense. I don't know whether anybody reading this is not a Christian, but if you're not, I want you to know that is why Christians won't keep their faith to themselves. It's a lifesaver. Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-15 that we are "the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house." And then he says that we should "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." So that's why. It's not because we think we're so great, but because we know God is so great. I just hope and I pray that we Christians might actually listen to Him. There are wolves in the jungle, and only Jesus can get us out of there.
There's this awesome song you might know: "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now I'm found. Was blind but not I see." Aaaa-men.
It's been nice talking to you today. Have a wonderful week. And continue to pray for Haiti and Chile and everybody, really. Please post the amazing things that God is teaching you this week!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
On Repentance and Water Baptism
THIS WEEK was pretty cool I must say. I'm typing with my bedroom window open and the wind coming in because the weather's just right.
I got to meet yesterday at the Five Guys at the Town Center with my beautiful friends Daniela and Jenny. We went over chapter three of "The Purple Book": Repentance and Baptism. This was a very wonderful lesson, and I'm going to share what I have learned.
I think alot of people do not know exactly what "Repentance" means. When you are asked about that term, what do you think it means? Many would say 'to be truly sorry for one's sins, and to resolve to turn away from them.' That is in essence what Daniela and I told Jenny it was. She answered us that that was only half of it. She explained that when you turn from sin, you have to turn toward something else. The whole world is able to feel sorry for what they've done, and maybe even stop doing it. But it's only if you then turn toward Jesus rather than something else do you have beneficial repenctance and real conversion. In "The Purple Book" it's said this way, "True conversion is like two sides of a coin. One side is repentance; the other side is faith. We cannot turn from something without turning to something else. All this is a gift of God." Everybody in the whole world (possibly excluding most infants) has something they regret doing. That sticks with us because the sin sticks with us, and we cannot get it off apart from with Jesus. You and I and everybody have something(s) that we keep thinking about, and twitch every time we realize how stupid we were, and we resolve never to do it again. We were too weak to make ourselves unsinful in the Garden of Eden, and we still are too weak. So we cannot make that resolution without the strength the God gives to us through the Holy Spirit, a Spirit of power, love, and self- control. We are given the power to tell sin NO! This is a Spirit that God knows we need in order to become holy, and it is a Spirit that He pours out on us abundantly.
The Bible, specifically the book of Acts, discusses how when the apostles went out and preached, churches formed where hundreds of people were being added to their numbers daily. These people would hear them, repent, be baptized in water, and join the church. I realized when I was going through this chapter that I had never understood the concept of water baptism very well.
I have been told a few things: to some it is a picture representing Jesus' baptism, and it is not a necessary part of salvation. To another it is necessary to undergo water baptism before you can be truly saved. So I didn't know. And that's what I told Jenny, who cleared it up for me. :)
Jenny explained that while water baptism is not necessary to receive salvation, it is a wonderful thing to do to make your faith public. It is an act of faith that both represents your resurrection in Christ and puts your devotion out in the open, so that it is not a secret in a ny way. In addition, that will help other people who saw you baptized keep you in line, and it will remove any excuse to be ashamed. She told me about the day she was baptized in water, October 22, 2000. She says that immediately when she came out of the water she felt just wonderful, like , woah.
I understood much better than I had before. I remember watching baptisms at First Baptist Church downtown, a hundred feet in the air under a spotlight, and I always wondered whether I would have to go up there one day. I hoped I wouldn't - it seemed pretty scary, and what if I drown? With that towel on my face, and backwards? I really wondered. And now I know.
I asked Jenny when Southpoint does water baptisms, and she says every month, or every other month. Not so much during cold weather.
"And now what are waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash yours sins away, calling on His name." Acts 22:16.
I have been praying pretty hard about a few different things lately. Since yesterday, one of those things was this water baptism. Is this what I am supposed to do? When can I do that? Guess what happened.
God answered my prayers today at church. The coming events were showing in the slideshow before the music started, and there it is, a slide for water baptism, April 2, 2010, immediately after the Good Friday service. Go to the Connections Desk for more information or to sign up. I think that I want to do that.
And maybe it will not be so cold by then.
One more miracle before I'm done: Katie Carr has a rare kind of cancer in the bone in her arm. The doctors were thinking they would have to remove the whole arm, but guess what God did? It looks like they will be able to save the whole arm. Way to go, Jesus. God is really awesome.
The following Bible verse is very special, since you know we are fighting alot of evil as long as we are in the world. But God wins.
2 Corinthians 12:9, "And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
Please share your insights, opinions and miracles.
I got to meet yesterday at the Five Guys at the Town Center with my beautiful friends Daniela and Jenny. We went over chapter three of "The Purple Book": Repentance and Baptism. This was a very wonderful lesson, and I'm going to share what I have learned.
I think alot of people do not know exactly what "Repentance" means. When you are asked about that term, what do you think it means? Many would say 'to be truly sorry for one's sins, and to resolve to turn away from them.' That is in essence what Daniela and I told Jenny it was. She answered us that that was only half of it. She explained that when you turn from sin, you have to turn toward something else. The whole world is able to feel sorry for what they've done, and maybe even stop doing it. But it's only if you then turn toward Jesus rather than something else do you have beneficial repenctance and real conversion. In "The Purple Book" it's said this way, "True conversion is like two sides of a coin. One side is repentance; the other side is faith. We cannot turn from something without turning to something else. All this is a gift of God." Everybody in the whole world (possibly excluding most infants) has something they regret doing. That sticks with us because the sin sticks with us, and we cannot get it off apart from with Jesus. You and I and everybody have something(s) that we keep thinking about, and twitch every time we realize how stupid we were, and we resolve never to do it again. We were too weak to make ourselves unsinful in the Garden of Eden, and we still are too weak. So we cannot make that resolution without the strength the God gives to us through the Holy Spirit, a Spirit of power, love, and self- control. We are given the power to tell sin NO! This is a Spirit that God knows we need in order to become holy, and it is a Spirit that He pours out on us abundantly.
The Bible, specifically the book of Acts, discusses how when the apostles went out and preached, churches formed where hundreds of people were being added to their numbers daily. These people would hear them, repent, be baptized in water, and join the church. I realized when I was going through this chapter that I had never understood the concept of water baptism very well.
I have been told a few things: to some it is a picture representing Jesus' baptism, and it is not a necessary part of salvation. To another it is necessary to undergo water baptism before you can be truly saved. So I didn't know. And that's what I told Jenny, who cleared it up for me. :)
Jenny explained that while water baptism is not necessary to receive salvation, it is a wonderful thing to do to make your faith public. It is an act of faith that both represents your resurrection in Christ and puts your devotion out in the open, so that it is not a secret in a ny way. In addition, that will help other people who saw you baptized keep you in line, and it will remove any excuse to be ashamed. She told me about the day she was baptized in water, October 22, 2000. She says that immediately when she came out of the water she felt just wonderful, like , woah.
I understood much better than I had before. I remember watching baptisms at First Baptist Church downtown, a hundred feet in the air under a spotlight, and I always wondered whether I would have to go up there one day. I hoped I wouldn't - it seemed pretty scary, and what if I drown? With that towel on my face, and backwards? I really wondered. And now I know.
I asked Jenny when Southpoint does water baptisms, and she says every month, or every other month. Not so much during cold weather.
"And now what are waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash yours sins away, calling on His name." Acts 22:16.
I have been praying pretty hard about a few different things lately. Since yesterday, one of those things was this water baptism. Is this what I am supposed to do? When can I do that? Guess what happened.
God answered my prayers today at church. The coming events were showing in the slideshow before the music started, and there it is, a slide for water baptism, April 2, 2010, immediately after the Good Friday service. Go to the Connections Desk for more information or to sign up. I think that I want to do that.
And maybe it will not be so cold by then.
One more miracle before I'm done: Katie Carr has a rare kind of cancer in the bone in her arm. The doctors were thinking they would have to remove the whole arm, but guess what God did? It looks like they will be able to save the whole arm. Way to go, Jesus. God is really awesome.
The following Bible verse is very special, since you know we are fighting alot of evil as long as we are in the world. But God wins.
2 Corinthians 12:9, "And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
Please share your insights, opinions and miracles.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)