THIS WEEK my theme song was "Revelation" by Third Day. I had heard it on the radio (88.1 "The Promise") recently and it really stayed with me. The chorus goes "Give me a revelation, show me what to do. I've been trying and trying to find my way. I haven't got a clue. Show me should I stay here, or do I need to move? Give me a revelation. I've got nothing without You."
I was singing this on my way up the stairs to Youth Group on Wednesday night. I got the revelation I was asking for. Pastor Ryan discussed the necessity of shining Jesus brightly and letting Him be our identity instead of letting ourselves and our actions be shaped by the dying world around us. The part that REALLY got my attention was when he referenced Ephesians 2:10 and explained it. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." We are God's creation, and He has a special purpose for us. But that means, as Pastor Ryan explained, that we should not be asking "What is my purpose?" but "What is Your purpose?" This hit me because I realized that I had indeed been asking all the wrong questions. I want to serve, but I had what I should be doing, not what He is doing. We should not try to fit Him into what we are already doing, but arrange our lives around what He is doing.
This is like something Pastor Russ said last week. If you have a bucket of water, a bucket of sand, a bucket of pebbles, and a bucket of big rocks and you try to put them all together, the order makes a difference. If you put the water in first, then the sand, then the pebbles, and the big rocks last, it doesn't all fit. But if you put the big rocks in first, it does! We need to let God be who He is and not try to diminish or limit Him in our minds. And we need to let Jesus be the Lord of our lives so that we are ready to go whenever He calls, instead of asking Him to fit into the things we are already doing.
It's no use trying to reach out to people out of our own abilities and cleverness. That just shows them human wisdom, not the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:3-5 got my attention this week. "[3] I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. [4] And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, [5] that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." Let God do the moving. We are His tools, and we depend on Him while we serve Him, like hammers or spatulas. When we share the gospel it is not to show people or even to show God what we can do. It's to show people what God does and what He has done in us.
Look at verse 3 - Paul was trembling! It wasn't any easier for him to share the gospel than it is for us today. It's often a nerve-wracking task. I admit that I practically never sit down and share the gospel with anybody. But despite the trembling, God's Spirit works and moves and great things happen when someone shares like Paul was doing.
In John 15:16 Jesus says "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you." He is the One who is powerful. Our lives are to show His power, and He will bless our lives and our efforts.
This does not mean at all that it's wrong to ask Him to help with this or that and to move in this group or that place. It only means that our relationships with God are not about us or what we are doing, but about Him and what He is doing. We need to ask Him for open doors and open hearts and to take us where He wants us, not to hide away until we want His help with something or to come help out with what we are doing. He doesn't need us, but He wants us and He wants to work in us and through us. He sees potential in us that only He can make real by moving in our lives. Our job is not to try to find things to do for Him, but to do what He wants us to do, when He says to do it.
That begs the question, what does He want us to do? The way to find that out is to seek Him in prayer and in the word, to learn from Him and about Him, and to ask Him to speak and to direct our steps. It's going to be different for each person at different times.
Something that God is really pointing out to me is the necessity of witnessing to others. Matthew 5:13-16 is probably one of the more famous passages that instruct Christians on how to live. Pastor Ryan referenced it in his sermon on Wednesday, and it was referenced in my devotional book the next day. So I really began to pay careful attention to it.
"[13] You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men." During the time when Jesus spoke, the salt that was used was a kind that became less flavorful over time. He urges us that when we season the earth we should do it with 'flavor' or with liveliness, urgency, and attentiveness to our task. The world would be very bland without Jesus living in us.
"[14] You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. [15] 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." He is telling us that the best way to shine His light is to hold it up high where everyone can see it. Can you think of a single light source in your house that is not on a table or near the ceiling? It would be useless to keep a bright light like ours hidden where nobody can see it. He illuminates the darkness in a very dark world.
"[16]Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." That is one of those verses which, in a sense, summarizes Christian living. Jesus is our light, and we let Him shine by doing God's will, showing love and compassion, and telling others about Him so that their lives may be illuminated also. It's like using a candle to light another, and the original fire has come from the sun.
We are to be like to moon, shining the brilliant light of a greater source while the world is dark and while the source itself is not visible.
Romans 10:13-15 says "[13] For 'whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' [14] How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? [15] And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!'" Pastor Russ referenced verse 15 today, and it was referenced in my devotional book today also! Right now I feel that God wants me not only to reflect Christ in my ways and actions but to begin reaching out to others with the gospel.
The world needs Jesus. We couldn't live without Him, and neither can anyone else. Pastor Russ describes the way God makes him see people by explaining that he is full of love that "bubbles up" inside of him. He feels the Lord using him to reach out to a person, and just loves him so much that he simply must reach out to him. This is what it is like to have the love of God inside of us. Right now I'm praying that I, and we all, would be full of an inexplicable love for the lost, whether they are friends, enemies, or strangers. I'm praying that we will have a sense of urgency to help the people around us to feel His life-changing love. And I'm praying for God to turn my school upside-down in a revolution of gospel-sharing, and to open up doors and hearts.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Comfort
THIS WEEK was different. God did something special on Wednesday, and has continued to do things, which are turning me around from how things were last week.
You remember last week's post - loss and anger. Well, on Wednesday I went into church feeling pretty much the same way as I had been feeling for the past few days. This week there was a service called "Engage the Spirit" where people come to just worship, loud and open, singing and dancing and kneeling if they need to. I was coming for two reasons: I needed a place to shout, and I needed a place to be with God and ask for healing. Engage the Spirit was amazing. I went in tearful and I left joyful. Let me explain exactly what happened in there.
God is a God who answers prayer. He listens when those in need call to Him and beg for His help. This week I read Psalm 72. Verse 12 says "For He will deliver the needy when he cries, the poor also, and him who has no helper." There is nobody in the world who lives his entire life without ever having been needy in any way. Whether we have plenty or little, we are all needy for comfort, for strength, for spiritual revival, for something at some point. I had been calling on God and asking for help, and here was His answer, telling me to keep calling on Him and assuring me that He is listening.
We can find peace in God's presence. As the congregation worshipped on Wednesday, the unhappiness I had entered with was just eclipsed. It felt good to worship God, to give Him everything that was on my heart, and to pray for big things to happen at my school. His presence filled the place, and my view was broadened. I realized that He has ideas for us which are way bigger than anything we are dealing with. We ask Him for healing and He just might answer with a call to something greater. By the time I left I was convinced that I was about to be less unhappy. I had also received a greater interest in doing things to serve God, when before I had been feeling like doing nothing at all. Now, every problem didn't fly away at once, but God gave me strength so that I am not overwhelmed, and so that I can keep moving closer to Him.
Isaiah 40:31 says "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."
Isaiah 41:10 also, "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
I'm in a different place now than I was on Wednesday morning because He is giving me better things to think about than the things which make me sad. I want to do things. I want to show Christ's love to other people. I want to invite people to events and talk to people. And I definitely don't want to stop right where I am and not come closer to Jesus. I'm able to enjoy the amazing weather and the brilliant sunshine.
Yesterday I opened my blinds and saw that the world was more beautiful than it usually already appears to be. There was intense sunlight on the little blue flowers. I had to go outside and walk around. Lately there have been more butterflies than usual. Little orange ones and big blackand-yellow ones. Butterflies remind me of God because they often show up when I'm praying while I'm outside or looking out of a window. Somehow they remind me that He is listening. Because of the bright sunlight I see their shadows from above and I look up. A butterfly does a loop above my head, and I see the big smooth blue sky and the dancing shiny green leaves. The air is cool and the light is bright. I feel like God is still close, and I know that He is about to do some amazing things in my life, and with my life.
Psalm 32:8-9 "[8] I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. [9] Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you."
God has a very good plan. Our job is to seek His kingdom and His righteousness; to love, honor and obey Him. He has our whole lives figured out. Let's not fight Him.
You remember last week's post - loss and anger. Well, on Wednesday I went into church feeling pretty much the same way as I had been feeling for the past few days. This week there was a service called "Engage the Spirit" where people come to just worship, loud and open, singing and dancing and kneeling if they need to. I was coming for two reasons: I needed a place to shout, and I needed a place to be with God and ask for healing. Engage the Spirit was amazing. I went in tearful and I left joyful. Let me explain exactly what happened in there.
God is a God who answers prayer. He listens when those in need call to Him and beg for His help. This week I read Psalm 72. Verse 12 says "For He will deliver the needy when he cries, the poor also, and him who has no helper." There is nobody in the world who lives his entire life without ever having been needy in any way. Whether we have plenty or little, we are all needy for comfort, for strength, for spiritual revival, for something at some point. I had been calling on God and asking for help, and here was His answer, telling me to keep calling on Him and assuring me that He is listening.
We can find peace in God's presence. As the congregation worshipped on Wednesday, the unhappiness I had entered with was just eclipsed. It felt good to worship God, to give Him everything that was on my heart, and to pray for big things to happen at my school. His presence filled the place, and my view was broadened. I realized that He has ideas for us which are way bigger than anything we are dealing with. We ask Him for healing and He just might answer with a call to something greater. By the time I left I was convinced that I was about to be less unhappy. I had also received a greater interest in doing things to serve God, when before I had been feeling like doing nothing at all. Now, every problem didn't fly away at once, but God gave me strength so that I am not overwhelmed, and so that I can keep moving closer to Him.
Isaiah 40:31 says "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."
Isaiah 41:10 also, "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
I'm in a different place now than I was on Wednesday morning because He is giving me better things to think about than the things which make me sad. I want to do things. I want to show Christ's love to other people. I want to invite people to events and talk to people. And I definitely don't want to stop right where I am and not come closer to Jesus. I'm able to enjoy the amazing weather and the brilliant sunshine.
Yesterday I opened my blinds and saw that the world was more beautiful than it usually already appears to be. There was intense sunlight on the little blue flowers. I had to go outside and walk around. Lately there have been more butterflies than usual. Little orange ones and big blackand-yellow ones. Butterflies remind me of God because they often show up when I'm praying while I'm outside or looking out of a window. Somehow they remind me that He is listening. Because of the bright sunlight I see their shadows from above and I look up. A butterfly does a loop above my head, and I see the big smooth blue sky and the dancing shiny green leaves. The air is cool and the light is bright. I feel like God is still close, and I know that He is about to do some amazing things in my life, and with my life.
Psalm 32:8-9 "[8] I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. [9] Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you."
God has a very good plan. Our job is to seek His kingdom and His righteousness; to love, honor and obey Him. He has our whole lives figured out. Let's not fight Him.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
About Loss and Anger
THIS WEEK I'm learning about loss.
On Tuesday, Willy and I broke up after five and a half happy months. This week really has been something to endure. I'm angry and I'm sad and I'm disappointed all at once, but, as you know, this blog is not about me or my life. It's about the amazing things God is doing in me and my life. So let me tell you how He has responded to my situation, and how He is showing me we ought to deal with this kind of thing.
In the human heart loss often leads to sadness. This is to be expected. But the sadness can turn into anger, and then we must be careful what we do. Right now, I am angry. I'm not angry at anybody in particular. I'm just mad, because I'm sad. It's like when you slam your car door on your finger: it hurts so badly that you want to cry, and then you want to scream, and then you might start yelling at anybody who is nearby just because you are in pain. But anger, when it is maintained, often turns into bitterness. That is how many lives are ruined. Bitterness hurts the bitter person as well as those around him.
God sees that I am angry. I was looking in my devotional book this week, and I read Ephesians 4:26 and 27. "[26] 'Be angry, and do not sin': do not let the sun go down on your wrath, [27] nor give place to the devil." I think this is a way that God is warning me that it is perfectly fine to be angry about something, but it's not okay to stay angry. It's one thing to have a reaction to an event, and it's another to let that reaction spread and poison the soul. Anger can often give us a temptation to sin and to hurt others, whether for revenge (which belongs to God) or just to make somebody else hurt with you.
When the word says "do not let the sun go down on your wrath" it means that we should not end the day by staying angry. If we feed our anger by letting it come with us into the new day and rule us then we "give place to the devil." This means that by choosing to give our ears to our pain we give the devil something to work with, a button to push, a way into our hearts. And when he has got a way in, it's often hard to get him out. Then we become bitter.
Ephesians 4:31 and 32 also relate to this idea. "[31] Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. [32] And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." Once again, this does not mean that it is wrong to respond to sonething with a feeling of anger. It's part of the way we are created to become angry. It just means that our way of life, Christlikeness, entails love, not hatred; forgiveness, not bitterness. Another beautiful verse I saw this week which really spoke to my heart was Romans 12:9. "Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good." If we claim to love people, we need to live love by showing mercy, patience, and kindness. We need to run far away from what would cause us to sin, like the temptation to spread the pain you feel, and to hold on tightly to Christ and all of His goodness.
I keep thinking of the one time Jesus got REALLY angry. In Matthew 21 we see that when He saw people buying and selling in the temple, treating God's house as a place to make some money, He drove all of the buyers and sellers out and started overturning things. This was righteous indignation. He had every reason to be angry. His actions were based on a desire for righteousness. So it's good to be angry about things that are worth being angry about, and it's good if we care enough about righteousness and holiness that our anger leads us to serve God more. But we cannot let unhappiness eat us and make us want to take away other people's joy.
I've had moments in my life that were so happy that I wished it didn't have to end. But then I realized that God surely must be an awesome God, more awesome than we can guess, if the most wonderful moments on earth, which have to pass, are nothing compared to what He had planned for us in heaven, where there are no more endings.
I've had moments in my life that were so difficult that I got angry, and stayed angry for a while. But then I realized that God knows why these things have to happen, and He wouldn't let it happen if it weren't for the best. He does, after all, make a point of turning horrible grief into overwhelming joy. Take, for example, Jesus' death. All of the people who loved Him were devastated and disappointed, but on the third day their pain was turned into amazing joy and awe. The sinners of the world can now be redeemed! Only a God like ours can do something like that.
I also realize that loss just makes a space in our hearts for more of God. That's what I'm depending on right now. I'm getting a good feeling that He's about to turn my present unhappiness into a great blessing. He's about to do amazing things in my life, and with my life, that only He can do. Only later will I be able to see why this must be such a good thing. As for right now, I'm going to ask Him to help me not to stay angry, but to shine more brightly than ever, and I'm going to trust Him.
He is just and righteous whether He gives or takes away, and it is an indicator of faith whether a person is willing to praise Him as He deserves in all seasons of his life, whether in joy or pain.
On Tuesday, Willy and I broke up after five and a half happy months. This week really has been something to endure. I'm angry and I'm sad and I'm disappointed all at once, but, as you know, this blog is not about me or my life. It's about the amazing things God is doing in me and my life. So let me tell you how He has responded to my situation, and how He is showing me we ought to deal with this kind of thing.
In the human heart loss often leads to sadness. This is to be expected. But the sadness can turn into anger, and then we must be careful what we do. Right now, I am angry. I'm not angry at anybody in particular. I'm just mad, because I'm sad. It's like when you slam your car door on your finger: it hurts so badly that you want to cry, and then you want to scream, and then you might start yelling at anybody who is nearby just because you are in pain. But anger, when it is maintained, often turns into bitterness. That is how many lives are ruined. Bitterness hurts the bitter person as well as those around him.
God sees that I am angry. I was looking in my devotional book this week, and I read Ephesians 4:26 and 27. "[26] 'Be angry, and do not sin': do not let the sun go down on your wrath, [27] nor give place to the devil." I think this is a way that God is warning me that it is perfectly fine to be angry about something, but it's not okay to stay angry. It's one thing to have a reaction to an event, and it's another to let that reaction spread and poison the soul. Anger can often give us a temptation to sin and to hurt others, whether for revenge (which belongs to God) or just to make somebody else hurt with you.
When the word says "do not let the sun go down on your wrath" it means that we should not end the day by staying angry. If we feed our anger by letting it come with us into the new day and rule us then we "give place to the devil." This means that by choosing to give our ears to our pain we give the devil something to work with, a button to push, a way into our hearts. And when he has got a way in, it's often hard to get him out. Then we become bitter.
Ephesians 4:31 and 32 also relate to this idea. "[31] Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. [32] And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." Once again, this does not mean that it is wrong to respond to sonething with a feeling of anger. It's part of the way we are created to become angry. It just means that our way of life, Christlikeness, entails love, not hatred; forgiveness, not bitterness. Another beautiful verse I saw this week which really spoke to my heart was Romans 12:9. "Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good." If we claim to love people, we need to live love by showing mercy, patience, and kindness. We need to run far away from what would cause us to sin, like the temptation to spread the pain you feel, and to hold on tightly to Christ and all of His goodness.
I keep thinking of the one time Jesus got REALLY angry. In Matthew 21 we see that when He saw people buying and selling in the temple, treating God's house as a place to make some money, He drove all of the buyers and sellers out and started overturning things. This was righteous indignation. He had every reason to be angry. His actions were based on a desire for righteousness. So it's good to be angry about things that are worth being angry about, and it's good if we care enough about righteousness and holiness that our anger leads us to serve God more. But we cannot let unhappiness eat us and make us want to take away other people's joy.
I've had moments in my life that were so happy that I wished it didn't have to end. But then I realized that God surely must be an awesome God, more awesome than we can guess, if the most wonderful moments on earth, which have to pass, are nothing compared to what He had planned for us in heaven, where there are no more endings.
I've had moments in my life that were so difficult that I got angry, and stayed angry for a while. But then I realized that God knows why these things have to happen, and He wouldn't let it happen if it weren't for the best. He does, after all, make a point of turning horrible grief into overwhelming joy. Take, for example, Jesus' death. All of the people who loved Him were devastated and disappointed, but on the third day their pain was turned into amazing joy and awe. The sinners of the world can now be redeemed! Only a God like ours can do something like that.
I also realize that loss just makes a space in our hearts for more of God. That's what I'm depending on right now. I'm getting a good feeling that He's about to turn my present unhappiness into a great blessing. He's about to do amazing things in my life, and with my life, that only He can do. Only later will I be able to see why this must be such a good thing. As for right now, I'm going to ask Him to help me not to stay angry, but to shine more brightly than ever, and I'm going to trust Him.
He is just and righteous whether He gives or takes away, and it is an indicator of faith whether a person is willing to praise Him as He deserves in all seasons of his life, whether in joy or pain.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
The Armor of God
THIS WEEK I went with my cousin Kyra to the first Youth Quake Live event of the season. It was very exciting. This season's theme is "Resistance," referring to resistance against temptation. Pamela Burchard was very funny as a hobbit girl.
One of the skits particularly got my attention. The characters did not speak, but it was set to the song "Set Me Free" by my favorite band, Casting Crowns of course. There are maybe ten people dressed in black shirts, each with a word like "Hatred," "Cruelty," or "Addiction." A young man in blue came by and these people trapped him in chains and would not let him go. As he struggled, a man in white, representing Jesus, came toward the scene. As soon as the song came to the line, "Jesus, rescue me!" and the man in blue called out to Jesus, the man in white put his hand toward the chain-weilding people in black and they all fell back. The man in blue was free to go. As soon as they stood up, the people with the chains bound up the man in white, who did not stay down for long. He lifted his hand in the air and they all fell back for good. He embraced the man in blue, and the song ended.
This got my attention because it reminded me of something too awesome to let slip my mind for a moment. God, God Himself, sets us free. Try reading the lyrics to that song. It's a really wonderful reminder of what a great change God makes in our hearts.
Today I finished reading through the book of Matthew again, so I've very recently reread the part where Jesus Christ dies, and where He rises up again. It's good to keep it fresh in our minds. I've even found that the more I read, the more I notice that I did not notice before. For example, Jesus was crucified around the time of the Passover, a Jewish holiday meant to celebrate an event which was symbolic of what He would someday do. The Passover commemorates the day the children of Israel, then slaves in Egypt, showed their faith in God by slaying a perfect lamb per household and marking their doors with its blood. Because they did this God would spare them from the plague which He brought on Egypt: the killing of the firstborn of all men and livestock. This sign was sybolic of the way our faith in Jesus, who died as the Lamb who was Slain, marks us and saves us from punishment.
Besides the skit, another thing that got my attention was the following verse:
Ephesians 6:11 "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." I really started to notice this one when my devotional book referenced Ephesians 6 on Saturday, the day after Youth Quake. I suggest this chapter to you; it's very useful in learning how to prepare to live in a world that does not know Christ.
This verse is followed by a list of the armor of God. It's a long metaphor meant to make us understand that, like it or not, following Jesus involves living in a battle.
Ephesians 6:14-17 "[14] Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, [15] and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; [16] above all, taking the sheild of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. [17] And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;"
Let's break this down. To prepare for the battle, often called "spiritual warfare," of which all believers are part, we need:
1. Truth. John 14:6, "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'" God is the absolute truth, who stands strong and faithful against the lies we meet in the world.
2. Rightousness. Matthew 5:6, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." Also MAtthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." If people see us acting according to God's will, they will have nothing of which they may rightfully accuse us.
3. The Preparation of the Gospel of Peace. Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek." We must be prepared to stand for this life-saving Gospel.
4. Faith. 2 Corinthians 5:7, "We live by faith, not by sight." Notice that God gives us sufficient reason to believe. He does not command us to live by blind faith, but by faith which is more reliable than our own perception of the world. We must trust that God sees things much more clearly than we can.
5. Salvation. John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Jesus is the only source of salvation. People all over the world seek it by trying to get to God in one of many ways people have invented. Our salvation is acheived by what God did to reach us.
6. The Holy Spirit / the Word of God. John 14:16-17, "[16] And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forver - [17] the Spirit of truth, whom the worl cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be with you." It would be impossible for us to go to battle by our own strength. So God guides us with His Holy Spirit.
When I read this passage, I remembered something Jesus said. Mark 8:34, "When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, 'Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." Something important that I learned from God this week is that we should neither go to battle without the armor of God, nor put on the armor without going to battle. To take up our cross is to go to battle, meaning to stand up for the truth, to spread the truth with boldness, to face difficulty and pain for the truth when we must. It also involves resisting temptation, imitating Christ's character, and keeping His commandments. We can't do this without the armor of God. In the same way, the armor is going to be most useful when we are in battle.
The battle is difficult, but we can win by clinging to Jesus. Our God is a God who always wins. He beat death, after all. The best part of spiritual warfare is that we are on the victorious side of this war!
One of the skits particularly got my attention. The characters did not speak, but it was set to the song "Set Me Free" by my favorite band, Casting Crowns of course. There are maybe ten people dressed in black shirts, each with a word like "Hatred," "Cruelty," or "Addiction." A young man in blue came by and these people trapped him in chains and would not let him go. As he struggled, a man in white, representing Jesus, came toward the scene. As soon as the song came to the line, "Jesus, rescue me!" and the man in blue called out to Jesus, the man in white put his hand toward the chain-weilding people in black and they all fell back. The man in blue was free to go. As soon as they stood up, the people with the chains bound up the man in white, who did not stay down for long. He lifted his hand in the air and they all fell back for good. He embraced the man in blue, and the song ended.
This got my attention because it reminded me of something too awesome to let slip my mind for a moment. God, God Himself, sets us free. Try reading the lyrics to that song. It's a really wonderful reminder of what a great change God makes in our hearts.
Today I finished reading through the book of Matthew again, so I've very recently reread the part where Jesus Christ dies, and where He rises up again. It's good to keep it fresh in our minds. I've even found that the more I read, the more I notice that I did not notice before. For example, Jesus was crucified around the time of the Passover, a Jewish holiday meant to celebrate an event which was symbolic of what He would someday do. The Passover commemorates the day the children of Israel, then slaves in Egypt, showed their faith in God by slaying a perfect lamb per household and marking their doors with its blood. Because they did this God would spare them from the plague which He brought on Egypt: the killing of the firstborn of all men and livestock. This sign was sybolic of the way our faith in Jesus, who died as the Lamb who was Slain, marks us and saves us from punishment.
Besides the skit, another thing that got my attention was the following verse:
Ephesians 6:11 "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." I really started to notice this one when my devotional book referenced Ephesians 6 on Saturday, the day after Youth Quake. I suggest this chapter to you; it's very useful in learning how to prepare to live in a world that does not know Christ.
This verse is followed by a list of the armor of God. It's a long metaphor meant to make us understand that, like it or not, following Jesus involves living in a battle.
Ephesians 6:14-17 "[14] Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, [15] and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; [16] above all, taking the sheild of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. [17] And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;"
Let's break this down. To prepare for the battle, often called "spiritual warfare," of which all believers are part, we need:
1. Truth. John 14:6, "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'" God is the absolute truth, who stands strong and faithful against the lies we meet in the world.
2. Rightousness. Matthew 5:6, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." Also MAtthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." If people see us acting according to God's will, they will have nothing of which they may rightfully accuse us.
3. The Preparation of the Gospel of Peace. Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek." We must be prepared to stand for this life-saving Gospel.
4. Faith. 2 Corinthians 5:7, "We live by faith, not by sight." Notice that God gives us sufficient reason to believe. He does not command us to live by blind faith, but by faith which is more reliable than our own perception of the world. We must trust that God sees things much more clearly than we can.
5. Salvation. John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Jesus is the only source of salvation. People all over the world seek it by trying to get to God in one of many ways people have invented. Our salvation is acheived by what God did to reach us.
6. The Holy Spirit / the Word of God. John 14:16-17, "[16] And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forver - [17] the Spirit of truth, whom the worl cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be with you." It would be impossible for us to go to battle by our own strength. So God guides us with His Holy Spirit.
When I read this passage, I remembered something Jesus said. Mark 8:34, "When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, 'Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." Something important that I learned from God this week is that we should neither go to battle without the armor of God, nor put on the armor without going to battle. To take up our cross is to go to battle, meaning to stand up for the truth, to spread the truth with boldness, to face difficulty and pain for the truth when we must. It also involves resisting temptation, imitating Christ's character, and keeping His commandments. We can't do this without the armor of God. In the same way, the armor is going to be most useful when we are in battle.
The battle is difficult, but we can win by clinging to Jesus. Our God is a God who always wins. He beat death, after all. The best part of spiritual warfare is that we are on the victorious side of this war!
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Pain
THIS WEEK I had a memorably horrible experience for which I am truly grateful.
On Friday I got very sick. I had severe pain in my abdomen and I sweated and felt chilly. I ended up throwing up and having to leave school early. I took a nice nap and felt better.
Now, before I share the important thing I learned from being sick, I'll let you know that I'm perfectly fine now. No need to worry or to ask what was wrong. I'm just telling you so you can understand what my pain made me understand.
I don't have severe pain very often. Generally I go day to day feeling only the tolerable and forgettable amounts of pain that we all feel every day. But when I was sick, I felt like I couldn't imagine being in more pain. I was cold and sick and nauseous and my belly hurt all at the same time. But what this pain made me realize is that it's absolutely nothing compared to the pain people are going to feel in hell. Nor does it compare to the pain Jesus felt on the cross to keep us out of there.
On my long walk to the Student Services Office at school, when I was trying my best just to keep from vomiting, I remembered something I heard once at Youth Group. I don't remember the quote exactly, or who said it. Someone said that if he believed that there were people going to hell, and that he could do something to prevent it, he would be willing to walk across the length of England on land covered with broken glass for the chance to stop just one person from going to hell. On that walk I realized that I have a long way to go before I'm the kind of person who goes such great lengths to see people saved. I could hardly deal with my own personal suffering, which only lasted a few hours. It made me realize that I need to be willing to face any level of discomfort or pain to make a difference in somebody's eternity.
When I was waiting on the bench in Student Services, gasping and panting and praying, I kept remembering Jesus. I remembered His great pain that He suffered through to save us from hell - and I couldn't think about it for long. Not then. You may think that reflecting on somebody else's greater pain might reduce your own, but at that moment it just made me sadder because He suffered so greatly. But now that I can see past the fog of my own discomfort I think about how much He went through to keep us from going to hell.
Isaiah 53:5-6, "[5] But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. [6] All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." This was written about Jesus hundreds of years before His birth.
Everything within Jesus was in extreme pain. He was bruised. He was scratched and covered in the red stripes left by whips. He had nails through the main nerves in His wrists and feet. He had a crown of thorns on His head. He was lifted up where everyone could see Him crying. He couldn't breathe easily, and He was losing blood. He had been abandoned by His dear, devoted disciples whom He loved so much. He had been betrayed and falsely accused. His heartbeat became irregular and eventually stopped. His body, His soul, His heart, His mind were all in ultimate agony. He didn't have to do it - He's God. But He did, so that we wouldn't have to. He did, so that He could take us home where nothing could ever separate us from Him, or Him from us. That's the greatest pain ever, and He faced it for the sake of the greatest love ever, which, we now see, utterly conquers death: His and our own.
Let me explain why I am grateful that I had to be so sick on Friday. Try to imagine the greatest pain you've ever been in. Maybe you broke a bone, or had a bad fall, or faced some struggle, or lost somebody. I think it's good for a person to be in physical or emotional pain sometimes, because it reminds us about the reality of pain. We can't be comfortable all the time. From my usual perspective, the days when I'm not sick and everything is okay, it's hard to imagine that anybody could be in particularly severe pain. This is probably because I don't want to imagine it. Having some pain of my own opened my eyes to the urgency of the problem: People won't be okay without Jesus. People who die without Him are going to suffer pain much greater than any pain that any of us has ever felt. We need to face a little pain (or sometime alot) to start advancing God's kingdom. Being bold to share love with strangers is alot easier to face than the consequences if we don't. We need to remember that people are going to die and face alot more pain than we could ever face on earth - forever - if they don't have Jesus to face it for them.
I'm also reminded me of just how great Jesus' suffering was. The distance of time doesn't make His sacrifice any less severe. It's relevant right now. It's changing lives right now. It is a bold, powerful demonstration of God's love. He reached across every barrier to bring us back into His arms. The least we can do is to give Him the most we can give. He deserves no less than our best. So I'm praying that I and we all will be so full of love for Jesus, and for those whom He loves, that we could not do otherwise than to share His love with other people.
Mark 12:29-31, "[29] Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. [30] And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. [31] And the second, like it, is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these.""
Matthew 28:19-20, "[19] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Let's all show His love brightly, this week and every week. It's why we live.
On Friday I got very sick. I had severe pain in my abdomen and I sweated and felt chilly. I ended up throwing up and having to leave school early. I took a nice nap and felt better.
Now, before I share the important thing I learned from being sick, I'll let you know that I'm perfectly fine now. No need to worry or to ask what was wrong. I'm just telling you so you can understand what my pain made me understand.
I don't have severe pain very often. Generally I go day to day feeling only the tolerable and forgettable amounts of pain that we all feel every day. But when I was sick, I felt like I couldn't imagine being in more pain. I was cold and sick and nauseous and my belly hurt all at the same time. But what this pain made me realize is that it's absolutely nothing compared to the pain people are going to feel in hell. Nor does it compare to the pain Jesus felt on the cross to keep us out of there.
On my long walk to the Student Services Office at school, when I was trying my best just to keep from vomiting, I remembered something I heard once at Youth Group. I don't remember the quote exactly, or who said it. Someone said that if he believed that there were people going to hell, and that he could do something to prevent it, he would be willing to walk across the length of England on land covered with broken glass for the chance to stop just one person from going to hell. On that walk I realized that I have a long way to go before I'm the kind of person who goes such great lengths to see people saved. I could hardly deal with my own personal suffering, which only lasted a few hours. It made me realize that I need to be willing to face any level of discomfort or pain to make a difference in somebody's eternity.
When I was waiting on the bench in Student Services, gasping and panting and praying, I kept remembering Jesus. I remembered His great pain that He suffered through to save us from hell - and I couldn't think about it for long. Not then. You may think that reflecting on somebody else's greater pain might reduce your own, but at that moment it just made me sadder because He suffered so greatly. But now that I can see past the fog of my own discomfort I think about how much He went through to keep us from going to hell.
Isaiah 53:5-6, "[5] But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. [6] All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." This was written about Jesus hundreds of years before His birth.
Everything within Jesus was in extreme pain. He was bruised. He was scratched and covered in the red stripes left by whips. He had nails through the main nerves in His wrists and feet. He had a crown of thorns on His head. He was lifted up where everyone could see Him crying. He couldn't breathe easily, and He was losing blood. He had been abandoned by His dear, devoted disciples whom He loved so much. He had been betrayed and falsely accused. His heartbeat became irregular and eventually stopped. His body, His soul, His heart, His mind were all in ultimate agony. He didn't have to do it - He's God. But He did, so that we wouldn't have to. He did, so that He could take us home where nothing could ever separate us from Him, or Him from us. That's the greatest pain ever, and He faced it for the sake of the greatest love ever, which, we now see, utterly conquers death: His and our own.
Let me explain why I am grateful that I had to be so sick on Friday. Try to imagine the greatest pain you've ever been in. Maybe you broke a bone, or had a bad fall, or faced some struggle, or lost somebody. I think it's good for a person to be in physical or emotional pain sometimes, because it reminds us about the reality of pain. We can't be comfortable all the time. From my usual perspective, the days when I'm not sick and everything is okay, it's hard to imagine that anybody could be in particularly severe pain. This is probably because I don't want to imagine it. Having some pain of my own opened my eyes to the urgency of the problem: People won't be okay without Jesus. People who die without Him are going to suffer pain much greater than any pain that any of us has ever felt. We need to face a little pain (or sometime alot) to start advancing God's kingdom. Being bold to share love with strangers is alot easier to face than the consequences if we don't. We need to remember that people are going to die and face alot more pain than we could ever face on earth - forever - if they don't have Jesus to face it for them.
I'm also reminded me of just how great Jesus' suffering was. The distance of time doesn't make His sacrifice any less severe. It's relevant right now. It's changing lives right now. It is a bold, powerful demonstration of God's love. He reached across every barrier to bring us back into His arms. The least we can do is to give Him the most we can give. He deserves no less than our best. So I'm praying that I and we all will be so full of love for Jesus, and for those whom He loves, that we could not do otherwise than to share His love with other people.
Mark 12:29-31, "[29] Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. [30] And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. [31] And the second, like it, is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these.""
Matthew 28:19-20, "[19] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Let's all show His love brightly, this week and every week. It's why we live.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
A Rebelution
THIS WEEK was the last week of summer, and today is the last day. But that's okay, because this year God is going to do amazing things at my school. I'm going to share with you what I'm learning from God about how to prepare my heart for this exciting school year.
On Wednesday before Engage the Spirit, a special worship event which happens monthly at Southpoint, I prayed with Pastor Ryan and a fellow Stanton student named Dorien.
Besides our request for God to bless the time of worship (which He did) we also prayed that He would lead a revolution in schools this year. It's a particular concern of mine because (believe it or not) I'm about to be a senior! It's now or never. Pastor Ryan said he's excited about this school year at Stanton, and so am I. I think something great is about to happen that's never happened there before.
On Thursday I went with Will to a party for the FISH club, Stanton's Christian Club, where we talked about how things are going to go this year. I have a concern about FISH clob: I love going, but in years past I never saw it doing much. In fact, even as a member I never knew exactly what "FISH" stands for. It turns out that it stands for our four activities, things which it looks like we'll be doing more actively this year. FISH means "Focus, Inspire, Share, and Hook," where 'focus' is a week where we meet in small prayer groups, 'inspire' is a week with a guest speaker, 'share' is a week with a student speaker, and 'hook' is an extra-fun week for inviting non-Christians to hear the Gospel preached.
It sounds really wonderful. It's just too bad that I haven't seen it happen in the past. At least, not with power and passion, diligence and movement. This year I'm praying, and I ask you to pray also, for a Spirit-lead "rebelution," as Pastor Ryan calls it, during which we will actually see lives change and the word spread like fire.
I can't help but wonder, though, why this hasn't been happening much in the past. We've had good leaders, food, prayer groups, student and guest speakers, and lots of great stuff. But why haven't we had a movement? I think part of the problem is the same problem which I have learned that I have been facing. And there's no way it's going to be any different without a solution. The problem is that, although we love Jesus, sometimes other things get in the way. We get worried, or tired, or distracted, and the result is that we take our eyes off the prize.
The theme of my learning this week is summarized in Colossians 3:1-2 "[1] If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. [2] Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." To "set your mind on things above" means to desire the eternal, to desire God and focus your efforts on serving Him rather than anyone else. It's like Matthew 6:21, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." When I read this, I knew I was in for an important lesson. I love Jesus dearly, but if I'm honest with myself I must admit that I sometimes get distracted from Him. It's not that it's wrong to think about the life I'm living, it's just that I often find myself clinging to something I cannot keep. I must look at life through the lens of God's will. It's not that it's wrong to enjoy blessings, it's just that it's wrong for my main desire to be for something which only lasts for a day rather than for what lasts forever.
Desiring God does not consist of being near other Christians and going to church and doing the things that Christians do. I heard Pastor Eric say today that God did not call us to a religion, but to a relationship. Desiring God is actively seeking to know Him more and to serve Him better.
It's difficult as a high-school age person, especially at Stanton, to keep my priorities straight. We have homework, family responsibilities, relationships, extracurricular activites, and many even have jobs. On top of this we have to choose colleges, apply for schools and scholarships, think about our futures, and many of us must fill out forms for service hours. I've been wondering where I'll find time for my morning Bible Study that I've started doing this summer.
Sometimes I get so afraid that some thing or another will become so important to me that I won't give God the attention He deserves. I'm afraid I won't be able to see past my will to see His. So I pray and pray He'll teach me to desire Him first. I know this lesson so well that I'm unhappily surprised I have to learn it again to get it into my head: if we trust God and make Him our greatest desire then He will make everything in our lives work out beautifully. It's wonderful to think that our lives, left to God's guidance, can be designed as perfectly as a tree, or an ocean, or a solar system, so that everything turns out exactly like the Creator, in His wisdom, knows it should be. If we tried to figure it out on our own, which we don't have to do, our lives might turn out more like a kindergartener's drawing of the more beautiful thing God made - not the same thing at all.
I can certainly trust God to work everything out. That's why I'm not more worried about all these forms I have to fill out in the next few months, and why I am not more panicky about deciding on a major and a career. My trouble is that while I'm trusting Him, I'm not sure my mind is "set" on Him. Maybe that's the problem the FISH club has been having. Maybe we have so much going on that we aren't focused enough to stay organized and alive. Well, it's going to be different this year. Something great is about to happen. But I've learned this week that right now I need to 'set my mind' on what God is doing so I don't miss out on it. We need to desire God first. Then we can be part of something meaningful and amazing that He is doing.
Remember in Matthew 13, the parable of the seed sown in different places? Jesus used "thorns" to represent worldly desires. The world can be a pretty 'thorny' place. But if we don't get tangled in thorns then our lives can be fruitful and productive for God's glory. It goes without saying that that's what every Christian wants to do!
Colossians 3 does more than tell us what to do. It tells us how to do it. Verses 1 and 2 tell us to focus on the eternal.
What to stop doing: verse 5, "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." Those things aren't just bad, they're idolatry. That means that they are the kinds of things which stop us from setting our sights on God's will and make us look at our own. God hates idolatry, so we must avoid it like the plague. Instead we should conform our will to His. I've gathered that our own determination and resolve is not enough to do this. We must pray with expectation for the Holy Spirit to make it possible, and He will.
What to do instead: verse 12, "Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindess, humility, meekness, longsuffering;" These are characteristics of Christ. If we imitate Him it will be hard not to conform to His will. If our hearts resemble His it will be hard for the world not to see Him in us. That's what I'm hoping for in the FISH club this year, as well as in the whole body of Christ globally. Verse 16 is also full of guidance on how to live, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."
There are going to be amazing things happening both at my school and all over the world. Every day we are closer to the day Jesus will return. To prepare to be part of a difference He makes at my school this year, I and all the other Christians are going to have to really set our minds on Him, seek Him, desire Him, listen to Him, and obey Him. I'm glad He brought this theme to my attention this week because now I can start the busiest year of my education having determined and prayed to put God first.
On Wednesday before Engage the Spirit, a special worship event which happens monthly at Southpoint, I prayed with Pastor Ryan and a fellow Stanton student named Dorien.
Besides our request for God to bless the time of worship (which He did) we also prayed that He would lead a revolution in schools this year. It's a particular concern of mine because (believe it or not) I'm about to be a senior! It's now or never. Pastor Ryan said he's excited about this school year at Stanton, and so am I. I think something great is about to happen that's never happened there before.
On Thursday I went with Will to a party for the FISH club, Stanton's Christian Club, where we talked about how things are going to go this year. I have a concern about FISH clob: I love going, but in years past I never saw it doing much. In fact, even as a member I never knew exactly what "FISH" stands for. It turns out that it stands for our four activities, things which it looks like we'll be doing more actively this year. FISH means "Focus, Inspire, Share, and Hook," where 'focus' is a week where we meet in small prayer groups, 'inspire' is a week with a guest speaker, 'share' is a week with a student speaker, and 'hook' is an extra-fun week for inviting non-Christians to hear the Gospel preached.
It sounds really wonderful. It's just too bad that I haven't seen it happen in the past. At least, not with power and passion, diligence and movement. This year I'm praying, and I ask you to pray also, for a Spirit-lead "rebelution," as Pastor Ryan calls it, during which we will actually see lives change and the word spread like fire.
I can't help but wonder, though, why this hasn't been happening much in the past. We've had good leaders, food, prayer groups, student and guest speakers, and lots of great stuff. But why haven't we had a movement? I think part of the problem is the same problem which I have learned that I have been facing. And there's no way it's going to be any different without a solution. The problem is that, although we love Jesus, sometimes other things get in the way. We get worried, or tired, or distracted, and the result is that we take our eyes off the prize.
The theme of my learning this week is summarized in Colossians 3:1-2 "[1] If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. [2] Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." To "set your mind on things above" means to desire the eternal, to desire God and focus your efforts on serving Him rather than anyone else. It's like Matthew 6:21, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." When I read this, I knew I was in for an important lesson. I love Jesus dearly, but if I'm honest with myself I must admit that I sometimes get distracted from Him. It's not that it's wrong to think about the life I'm living, it's just that I often find myself clinging to something I cannot keep. I must look at life through the lens of God's will. It's not that it's wrong to enjoy blessings, it's just that it's wrong for my main desire to be for something which only lasts for a day rather than for what lasts forever.
Desiring God does not consist of being near other Christians and going to church and doing the things that Christians do. I heard Pastor Eric say today that God did not call us to a religion, but to a relationship. Desiring God is actively seeking to know Him more and to serve Him better.
It's difficult as a high-school age person, especially at Stanton, to keep my priorities straight. We have homework, family responsibilities, relationships, extracurricular activites, and many even have jobs. On top of this we have to choose colleges, apply for schools and scholarships, think about our futures, and many of us must fill out forms for service hours. I've been wondering where I'll find time for my morning Bible Study that I've started doing this summer.
Sometimes I get so afraid that some thing or another will become so important to me that I won't give God the attention He deserves. I'm afraid I won't be able to see past my will to see His. So I pray and pray He'll teach me to desire Him first. I know this lesson so well that I'm unhappily surprised I have to learn it again to get it into my head: if we trust God and make Him our greatest desire then He will make everything in our lives work out beautifully. It's wonderful to think that our lives, left to God's guidance, can be designed as perfectly as a tree, or an ocean, or a solar system, so that everything turns out exactly like the Creator, in His wisdom, knows it should be. If we tried to figure it out on our own, which we don't have to do, our lives might turn out more like a kindergartener's drawing of the more beautiful thing God made - not the same thing at all.
I can certainly trust God to work everything out. That's why I'm not more worried about all these forms I have to fill out in the next few months, and why I am not more panicky about deciding on a major and a career. My trouble is that while I'm trusting Him, I'm not sure my mind is "set" on Him. Maybe that's the problem the FISH club has been having. Maybe we have so much going on that we aren't focused enough to stay organized and alive. Well, it's going to be different this year. Something great is about to happen. But I've learned this week that right now I need to 'set my mind' on what God is doing so I don't miss out on it. We need to desire God first. Then we can be part of something meaningful and amazing that He is doing.
Remember in Matthew 13, the parable of the seed sown in different places? Jesus used "thorns" to represent worldly desires. The world can be a pretty 'thorny' place. But if we don't get tangled in thorns then our lives can be fruitful and productive for God's glory. It goes without saying that that's what every Christian wants to do!
Colossians 3 does more than tell us what to do. It tells us how to do it. Verses 1 and 2 tell us to focus on the eternal.
What to stop doing: verse 5, "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." Those things aren't just bad, they're idolatry. That means that they are the kinds of things which stop us from setting our sights on God's will and make us look at our own. God hates idolatry, so we must avoid it like the plague. Instead we should conform our will to His. I've gathered that our own determination and resolve is not enough to do this. We must pray with expectation for the Holy Spirit to make it possible, and He will.
What to do instead: verse 12, "Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindess, humility, meekness, longsuffering;" These are characteristics of Christ. If we imitate Him it will be hard not to conform to His will. If our hearts resemble His it will be hard for the world not to see Him in us. That's what I'm hoping for in the FISH club this year, as well as in the whole body of Christ globally. Verse 16 is also full of guidance on how to live, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."
There are going to be amazing things happening both at my school and all over the world. Every day we are closer to the day Jesus will return. To prepare to be part of a difference He makes at my school this year, I and all the other Christians are going to have to really set our minds on Him, seek Him, desire Him, listen to Him, and obey Him. I'm glad He brought this theme to my attention this week because now I can start the busiest year of my education having determined and prayed to put God first.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
"To the Praise of His Glory"
THIS WEEK I was looking in the Bible and I saw something stand out on multiple occasions and in multiple places. It was the idea that God does the amazing things He does for more than one reason. The way He strengthens us and teaches us, saves us and blesses us, it's awe-inspiring when you think about how big He is and how great it is that He cares about us. That's part of what I learned last week - remember the flies? He rescues people because He loves us deeply and boundlessly. But there is also another end to the things He does: the glory of His name.
You see, people by nature must glorify something. It's how we're made. God by nature must be glorified. It's who He is. He is so high above everything else, so holy and gracious, so powerful and mysterious, so very God, that it's part of who He is to receive glory. That's what we'll be doing in heaven - glorifying Him.
Remember when He parted the Red Sea for the Israelites to pass through and escape from Egypt? It's in Exodus 14. He did it to bless them because He loved them, and He did it so they would remember His grace and power and glorify Him for who He is. Later He gave them the commandments, beginning by reminding them (Exodus 20:2) "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." The purpose of His commandments in to keep us safe within His will and to keep sin from separating us from Him. If we keep them, He will bless us even more. So we can see that His blessing us leads to His glorification, and His glorification leads to more blessing.
The idea that salvation is both to rescue those in need and to bring God His well-deserved glory began to get my attention when I read Isaiah 61 earlier this week. You may recognize it as the chapter which contains the passage that Jesus referred to when He spoke in the synagogue (Luke 4:17-19) to explain why He had come. It's a prophecy about His mission to rescue those in need.
Verse 3 particularly interested me: "To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified." This is amazing. It shows that He came to bring joy to those who are suffering, in order that God may be glorified. God came to earth in the body of a Man to save His children, and so His children would love Him.
The next thing that caught my attention was Psalm 30:11-12, "[11] You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothes me with gladness, [12] to the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever." It's very similar to Isaiah 61:3. He takes away our sorrows and teaches us to have joy in Him, and because He has done this we want to glorify Him continually.
This reminds me of Revelation 4:9-11, "[9] Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, [10] the twenty-four elders fall down and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: [11] 'You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.'"
These people have received crowns as eternal rewards, and they cast them before God to glorify Him. And if you think about it, for all God is and has done, isn't He worthy of all the praise? After all, there is nobody like Him. Nobody who is similar in power and mercy. Nobody else can do what He has done. It's a great blessing just to be His, and knowing this, we find comfort and strength in Him and we praise Him. So when we are saved because of the redemption He gives, He rightly receives praise because of it.
Ephesian 1:13-14 says, "[13] In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, [14] who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory." Once again, we receive a blessing and He receives His glory. We don't deserve the blessing, but He does deserve the glory.
Today Pastor Russ said that if something is good for God, then it's good for us. I think that that's wonderfully true. Laura Toney, my boyfriend Will's mother, says that God "sees over the fence," or that He sees situations for what they really are when we can't. It doesn't matter if it does or doesn't look like our lives are full of blessing. He promises to bless those who serve Him, so all we have to do is serve and trust. No matter what, God will receive His glory because by nature He must be glorified. And what He wants of us is spelled out in Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." God is contagious, unstoppable, able to do whatever He has determined to do. He has determined to build a church strong enough to stand up against hell, and to raise up a nation of people who will serve Him and have no other gods. People who have been redeemed by His mercy through His sacrifice, who get to God through God because God got to us.
We are made for His glory. I hope and pray that glorifying God will be our sole purpose and that He will give us the hearts of servants who love Him with everything in ourselves, because He deserves it all. 1 Corinthians 10:31, "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
You see, people by nature must glorify something. It's how we're made. God by nature must be glorified. It's who He is. He is so high above everything else, so holy and gracious, so powerful and mysterious, so very God, that it's part of who He is to receive glory. That's what we'll be doing in heaven - glorifying Him.
Remember when He parted the Red Sea for the Israelites to pass through and escape from Egypt? It's in Exodus 14. He did it to bless them because He loved them, and He did it so they would remember His grace and power and glorify Him for who He is. Later He gave them the commandments, beginning by reminding them (Exodus 20:2) "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." The purpose of His commandments in to keep us safe within His will and to keep sin from separating us from Him. If we keep them, He will bless us even more. So we can see that His blessing us leads to His glorification, and His glorification leads to more blessing.
The idea that salvation is both to rescue those in need and to bring God His well-deserved glory began to get my attention when I read Isaiah 61 earlier this week. You may recognize it as the chapter which contains the passage that Jesus referred to when He spoke in the synagogue (Luke 4:17-19) to explain why He had come. It's a prophecy about His mission to rescue those in need.
Verse 3 particularly interested me: "To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified." This is amazing. It shows that He came to bring joy to those who are suffering, in order that God may be glorified. God came to earth in the body of a Man to save His children, and so His children would love Him.
The next thing that caught my attention was Psalm 30:11-12, "[11] You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothes me with gladness, [12] to the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever." It's very similar to Isaiah 61:3. He takes away our sorrows and teaches us to have joy in Him, and because He has done this we want to glorify Him continually.
This reminds me of Revelation 4:9-11, "[9] Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, [10] the twenty-four elders fall down and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: [11] 'You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.'"
These people have received crowns as eternal rewards, and they cast them before God to glorify Him. And if you think about it, for all God is and has done, isn't He worthy of all the praise? After all, there is nobody like Him. Nobody who is similar in power and mercy. Nobody else can do what He has done. It's a great blessing just to be His, and knowing this, we find comfort and strength in Him and we praise Him. So when we are saved because of the redemption He gives, He rightly receives praise because of it.
Ephesian 1:13-14 says, "[13] In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, [14] who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory." Once again, we receive a blessing and He receives His glory. We don't deserve the blessing, but He does deserve the glory.
Today Pastor Russ said that if something is good for God, then it's good for us. I think that that's wonderfully true. Laura Toney, my boyfriend Will's mother, says that God "sees over the fence," or that He sees situations for what they really are when we can't. It doesn't matter if it does or doesn't look like our lives are full of blessing. He promises to bless those who serve Him, so all we have to do is serve and trust. No matter what, God will receive His glory because by nature He must be glorified. And what He wants of us is spelled out in Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." God is contagious, unstoppable, able to do whatever He has determined to do. He has determined to build a church strong enough to stand up against hell, and to raise up a nation of people who will serve Him and have no other gods. People who have been redeemed by His mercy through His sacrifice, who get to God through God because God got to us.
We are made for His glory. I hope and pray that glorifying God will be our sole purpose and that He will give us the hearts of servants who love Him with everything in ourselves, because He deserves it all. 1 Corinthians 10:31, "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
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