THIS WEEK has been a very merry Christmas week. I've been blessed with nights when I have gone out with my family and seen the lights or stayed home, watched movies like "It's a Wonderful Life," and gone shopping at the Town Center, which is one of my favorite places to go.
One of my favorite things this week was the special Christmas Eve Service at Southpoint Community Church. We sang the best Christmas songs - the ones that are actually about Jesus Christ - and we listened to Pastor Russ' message about the wonder that God came in the flesh to have a human experience. That human experience meant that we can know He knows how we feel and that He could die in the place of sinful humanity. We needed a perfect sacrifice to take all our sins away, and so He gave Himself to us.
We also had Communion that evening. Pastor Russ calls it a "spiritual meal." It's amazing what a tiny, square cracker and a little cup of red juice represent. It is truly a spiritual experience to eat these things, for I remember that Christ really died - died! - for me, and that it is so much more than a story. When I'm eating that cracker - not even enough to fill my mouth - I remember His body being hung up on a cross. When I take that single sip of juice - only enough to cover my tongue -I remember His blood falling to the ground, and it all becomes more real to me than it already was. It's good. Jesus told us to do this is remembrance of Him, and that is precisely the purpose it serves. It is a gift that He has given us just to help us keep Him in our minds.
The worship at church that night was spectacular, but in particular one song that we sang has really stuck with me. It really reminds me of what a wonderful thing it is that God has given us His Son, Himself. I just looked it up: it's called "How Many Kings" by Downhere. The chorus goes:
"How many kings stepped down from their thrones? How many lords have abandoned their thrones? How many greats have become the least for me? How many gods have poured out their hearts to romance a world that was torn all apart? How many fathers gave up their sons for me? Only one did that for me."
John 3:16 says, “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."
Can you imagine anything that is so precious to you that you would give a child for it? I think of Abraham, whom God told to sacrifice his long-awaited, only son. Abraham consented, although God did sent an angel to stop him at the final second and a ram to be the sacrifice instead. God was measuring Abraham's faith and obedience.
I don't think Abraham would have given his son for just anything. Would you? No, only the most important thing - God - could make him willing to do that. How much more amazing is it that God came into this world in the body of a Man, His own Son Jesus, to reconcile us to Himself? Only God can make a sacrifice like that.
Yesterday I was at a Christmas party with my family, and I saw my brand new cousin Marco for the first time in several weeks. He was born on the first of this month, and today he is only 25 days old. His every movement is precious and wonderful and amazing, and he is so small and fragile. He is the perfect thing to cover with kisses cradle with love. I see how very much Marco's parents love him. I have not yet had the chance in my life to love someone quite as much as a father or a mother loves a son or a daughter. But I know it is a very strong, protective, unconditional love, because I have been loved this way by my own parents.
It was someone even more precious than little Marco that God gave for us. He knew we needed someone perfect, someone completely sinless and righteous, to take up the sins of anyone who believes. We needed someone to come and suffer for no sin of His own, but for all of ours, in our place. We needed someone of immeasurable, infinite price. Only He could be that perfect. So He sent Himself. That's what we celebrate at Christmas.
Think about the fact that God gave something so precious as His own Son, even His own self in the flesh, to this world to die for us. Please think about this. It means that God the Father loves the sinful world enough to give His only precious Son, so that if we'll just believe in Him and come back home to Him our souls won't die but will live forever in His arms. That is a love too big to wrap our minds around. It's too big to fathom even with all of the minds in the world put together.
It means that He wants so much for us to be His, to serve Him and love Him, to come home and be cherished, that He is willing to give up His own Son in our place. As precious as Jesus is, it was something that was more profound even than Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son.
The great thing is that once Jesus Christ had been sacrificed, God continued the miracle even further and resurrected Him, showing Him to so many people that it could not be reasonably denied that He is risen. So the faith spread and still spreads continually.
In Romans 8:31-34 Paul writes, "[31] What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? [32] He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? [33] Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. [34] Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us."
Let's celebrate Jesus' birth, life, death, and resurrection, and the sure hope of His return, not only during Christmas but on every day of the year. Let's show how real He is to us, keeping the idea of Communion in our hearts all the time. Let's show how beautiful it is that He is so good to us and fills us with such life, such living water, such an abundance of the Holy Spirit. Let's tell the world who it is who has been born King of the Jews, in the town of Bethlehem.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Service
THIS WEEK I'm celebrating one year of blogging! One year ago yesterday I started this blog, and I haven't missed a Sunday since. This week I also finished filling up my first Bible Study journal, which now contains my Bible Study notes between July 6 and December 14, 2010. I started another journal on the 15th.
This week I am also celebrating answered prayers. A lot of important things were due at school this week, so I prayed believing that I would be victorious over this week and that would not become overwhelmed. My prayers have been answered, and I'm celebrating God's faithfulness. I have been filled with joy just to belong to Him, just to be heard by Him, just to know that He will always be there. Whether the mountain is as big as a heartbreak or as small as a pile of homework, He promises to guide us over it and never leave.
This blog is one of the ways I like to try to serve God. What's been on my mind this week is the concept of "service." What does is mean to serve? And how does one best go about serving God?
This has been on my mind lately because I've been praying about whether I should go on a mission trip, and where, and when. I understand that not everybody has been called to the mission field. In addition to these prayers I have been trying to understand what the call of the Spirit is in my life, since we can only serve God if we are obedient to Him.
On Tuesday my friend Arun brought 1 Corinthians 12 to Bible Study, and I learned a lot from it. This is the chapter which describes all Christians as being the body of Christ, unified by Him as a set of members which each serve a specific purpose. This means that everyone is necessary, but not everyone has the same gifts. v. 4-7 "[4] There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. [5] There are diversities of ministries, but the same Lord. [6] And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. [7] But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each of for the profit of all." And v. 30-31 "[30] Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? [31] But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way."
I love this because it tells me something about serving God. He has given us each gifts to use for serving Him, and when we use them we benefit the rest of the body of Christ. It's okay that some people speak in tongues and others do not. If God wants to give somebody that gift, or any gift, then He will. What gifts has He given you? What are you good at doing? Whatever it is, God can use it for the glory of His name.
1 Corinthians 10:31 "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." This means that all of our actions should be directed toward lifting Him up. That is how a servant and child of God is called to live.
I feel that He has given me gifts in art, in writing, in understanding and in explaining things. He has given all kinds of gifts to all parts of the body of Christ, just as He gives a heart the ability to pump blood, the ears the ability to hear, etc. But not every part is meant to do everything. We serve God by doing what He has made us to do, not just whatever looks good to us. After all, our bodies would be a mess if our feet decided to be hands and our kidneys decided to be stomachs. The important thing is to be willing to obey Him and to do things for His glory rather than for own.
Having begun to learn about service already by Tuesday, I sat down with my Youth group on Wednesday and listened to Pastor Ryan telling us about the meaning of 'service'. I learned that service is not just an action, but it requires a heart that seeks God's glory. Even a pastor or a singer in the choir can only serve God if his heart is for praising our praiseworthy Savior rather than for being seen. Jesus had many problems with the attitudes of the scribes and Pharisees during the time when He walked the earth. They were the religious leaders who had an appearance of great spirituality but were full of vanity and greed. They announced their charitable deeds so that people would glorify them, and as a result, Jesus said, their reward would not be from heaven but from humans.
In Matthew 6:3-4 He tells us how to act instead. "[3] But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, [4] that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly." I admit that I have trouble with this myself, and I'm working on it. From Jesus' words I learn that it is important to watch who we're worshipping when we do good. To be safe, better to just keep it a secret as much as possible. And when we use our talents, better to honor God with them than to desire to have people watching us.
Jesus Himself gives us the perfect example of the heart of a servant in the way He treated His disciples. In John 13 He washed their feet, and in John 19 He died to save the world. What is service, then? It is putting oneself aside out of love for another, to lift someone else up. Philippians 2:8 "And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." He did this for the glory of God and for our salvation, and at Christmas we celebrate this gift of salvation to the world.
At the end of the Youth service I learned that there is to be a mission trip to Peru in June. It is planned to be a week or two right after I graduate high school! I have been praying that the Holy Spirit will tell me whether I should go on a mission trip, and now I am praying to know whether this is something He wants me to do.
This week I read the story of the man who was possessed by many demons, which collectively called themselves "Legion." In Mark 5 Jesus casts these demons into a herd of swine, which then proceeded to run off the edge of a cliff. The people of the region begged Him to leave when they heard about it, but the man whom Jesus had healed wanted to come with Jesus as He left.
v. 18-20 "[18] And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. [19] However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, 'Go home to you friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.' [20] And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled."
I always wondered why Jesus didn't want him to come. He told other people to come and follow Him, so why not this man? Now I understand that this man was following Him by being obedient, which is a demonstration of love and respect. This man served where he already was by telling everybody what God had done. Whatever Jesus' reasons may have been for wanting this particular fellow to stay rather than come along, it is clear that He still wanted him to serve by glorifying God.
No amount of activity, even religious activity, can be called 'serving God' if it is not done for God's glory. It has to be what He wants us to do, and it has to be done out of a desire to glorify Him. Let's be like the Lord Jesus in character and serve by showing love, by humbling ourselves, by benefitting the body of Christ and by putting God's glory first. That is what we have been made to do.
This week I am also celebrating answered prayers. A lot of important things were due at school this week, so I prayed believing that I would be victorious over this week and that would not become overwhelmed. My prayers have been answered, and I'm celebrating God's faithfulness. I have been filled with joy just to belong to Him, just to be heard by Him, just to know that He will always be there. Whether the mountain is as big as a heartbreak or as small as a pile of homework, He promises to guide us over it and never leave.
This blog is one of the ways I like to try to serve God. What's been on my mind this week is the concept of "service." What does is mean to serve? And how does one best go about serving God?
This has been on my mind lately because I've been praying about whether I should go on a mission trip, and where, and when. I understand that not everybody has been called to the mission field. In addition to these prayers I have been trying to understand what the call of the Spirit is in my life, since we can only serve God if we are obedient to Him.
On Tuesday my friend Arun brought 1 Corinthians 12 to Bible Study, and I learned a lot from it. This is the chapter which describes all Christians as being the body of Christ, unified by Him as a set of members which each serve a specific purpose. This means that everyone is necessary, but not everyone has the same gifts. v. 4-7 "[4] There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. [5] There are diversities of ministries, but the same Lord. [6] And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. [7] But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each of for the profit of all." And v. 30-31 "[30] Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? [31] But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way."
I love this because it tells me something about serving God. He has given us each gifts to use for serving Him, and when we use them we benefit the rest of the body of Christ. It's okay that some people speak in tongues and others do not. If God wants to give somebody that gift, or any gift, then He will. What gifts has He given you? What are you good at doing? Whatever it is, God can use it for the glory of His name.
1 Corinthians 10:31 "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." This means that all of our actions should be directed toward lifting Him up. That is how a servant and child of God is called to live.
I feel that He has given me gifts in art, in writing, in understanding and in explaining things. He has given all kinds of gifts to all parts of the body of Christ, just as He gives a heart the ability to pump blood, the ears the ability to hear, etc. But not every part is meant to do everything. We serve God by doing what He has made us to do, not just whatever looks good to us. After all, our bodies would be a mess if our feet decided to be hands and our kidneys decided to be stomachs. The important thing is to be willing to obey Him and to do things for His glory rather than for own.
Having begun to learn about service already by Tuesday, I sat down with my Youth group on Wednesday and listened to Pastor Ryan telling us about the meaning of 'service'. I learned that service is not just an action, but it requires a heart that seeks God's glory. Even a pastor or a singer in the choir can only serve God if his heart is for praising our praiseworthy Savior rather than for being seen. Jesus had many problems with the attitudes of the scribes and Pharisees during the time when He walked the earth. They were the religious leaders who had an appearance of great spirituality but were full of vanity and greed. They announced their charitable deeds so that people would glorify them, and as a result, Jesus said, their reward would not be from heaven but from humans.
In Matthew 6:3-4 He tells us how to act instead. "[3] But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, [4] that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly." I admit that I have trouble with this myself, and I'm working on it. From Jesus' words I learn that it is important to watch who we're worshipping when we do good. To be safe, better to just keep it a secret as much as possible. And when we use our talents, better to honor God with them than to desire to have people watching us.
Jesus Himself gives us the perfect example of the heart of a servant in the way He treated His disciples. In John 13 He washed their feet, and in John 19 He died to save the world. What is service, then? It is putting oneself aside out of love for another, to lift someone else up. Philippians 2:8 "And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." He did this for the glory of God and for our salvation, and at Christmas we celebrate this gift of salvation to the world.
At the end of the Youth service I learned that there is to be a mission trip to Peru in June. It is planned to be a week or two right after I graduate high school! I have been praying that the Holy Spirit will tell me whether I should go on a mission trip, and now I am praying to know whether this is something He wants me to do.
This week I read the story of the man who was possessed by many demons, which collectively called themselves "Legion." In Mark 5 Jesus casts these demons into a herd of swine, which then proceeded to run off the edge of a cliff. The people of the region begged Him to leave when they heard about it, but the man whom Jesus had healed wanted to come with Jesus as He left.
v. 18-20 "[18] And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. [19] However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, 'Go home to you friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.' [20] And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled."
I always wondered why Jesus didn't want him to come. He told other people to come and follow Him, so why not this man? Now I understand that this man was following Him by being obedient, which is a demonstration of love and respect. This man served where he already was by telling everybody what God had done. Whatever Jesus' reasons may have been for wanting this particular fellow to stay rather than come along, it is clear that He still wanted him to serve by glorifying God.
No amount of activity, even religious activity, can be called 'serving God' if it is not done for God's glory. It has to be what He wants us to do, and it has to be done out of a desire to glorify Him. Let's be like the Lord Jesus in character and serve by showing love, by humbling ourselves, by benefitting the body of Christ and by putting God's glory first. That is what we have been made to do.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
About 1 Kings 18:20-40
THIS WEEK there has been one chapter in particular which I have enjoyed discussing with my friends. We talked about it both at Bible Study on Wednesday and at FISH club on Thursday. It's 1 Kings 18, a wonderful story about how awesome God is.
I don't know why I thought about this story. I think I must have heard it at church once upon a time, and for some reason it was on my mind earlier this week. I looked in the dictionary in the back of my Bible under "Elijah" to find where it might be, and I found that he was performing miracles in 1 Kings, so I looked around in there and I found it.
The part that really got my attention was 1 Kings 18:20-40. Elijah was the only prophet of God left among the children of Israel, and everybody was following the prophets of a false god named Baal. God gave Elijah boldness and guided him in what to do. Elijah challenged the 450 prophets of Baal, to decide who is the real God.
v. 23-24 "[23] 'Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. [24] The you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.' So all the people answered and said, 'It is well spoken.'"
So the two sides would set up sacrifices, and the real God - the only one who should be worshipped - would set His sacrifice on fire. So the prophets of Baal go first, yelling all morning until noon and trying again in the evening, begging their deaf god to answer them. v. 27 "And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said 'Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.'" So the prophets of Baal cut themselves and they prophesied all afternoon and begged again in the evening, and at the end of the day Elijah told the people to put buckets and buckets of water on the other sacrifice - the one God would light on fire. They poured twelve waterpots on the altar and then filled a trench around it with water.
Elijah prayed once to God in asking Him to light the fire. He did not have to pray all day long like the others, because his God heard him. v. 36-37, "[36] And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, 'Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. [37] Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again."
v. 38 "Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench."
And all the people of Israel worshipped God, and the prophets of Baal were executed on the Brook Kishon.
Isn't that amazing, that this is the God we worship even today? He is the same now as He was then. What I learned from this is that when we pray within His will, full of faith and without doubt, He will answer. That sacrifice was completely drenched in water. Elijah's faith was so strong that he knew God could catch this wet sacrifice on fire - He could catch the ocean on fire if He wanted to! But what He wanted to do was bring these people back to Him, by doing what no false god could ever do. If a god besides this God cannot even catch a sacrifice on fire when his worshippers ask him, beg him to - even a dry sacrifice - then certainly that god cannot save souls like this God can.
God wanted his people to understand that He is the only one who should be worshipped, and to stop wasting their devotion on someone who could not bless them like He wants to do. The worshippers of Baal cut themselves and yelled, while the worshippers of God do not have to do these things to be heard. We need only present to Him humble and repentant hearts, full of devotion and reverence toward Him, willing to be corrected and to serve. That's what the children of Israel did when they saw what the true God had done. v. 39 "Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said 'The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!'"
And how wonderful that He wanted them back, even though they had turned from Him to follow their passions and pleasures with a god who couldn't see them and correct them. That's what He is doing, even today! He shows us who He is, how He can do the impossible and turn hearts around, by giving the life of His precious Son Jesus Christ for our sakes, and by resurrecting Him from death with many witnesses to see it. And He calls us back to Him by showing us that He loves us enough to do that. All He wants for us is what is good for us, and all He wants from us is a humble heart, a willingness to serve Him instead of somebody else. He will never disappoint.
I don't know why I thought about this story. I think I must have heard it at church once upon a time, and for some reason it was on my mind earlier this week. I looked in the dictionary in the back of my Bible under "Elijah" to find where it might be, and I found that he was performing miracles in 1 Kings, so I looked around in there and I found it.
The part that really got my attention was 1 Kings 18:20-40. Elijah was the only prophet of God left among the children of Israel, and everybody was following the prophets of a false god named Baal. God gave Elijah boldness and guided him in what to do. Elijah challenged the 450 prophets of Baal, to decide who is the real God.
v. 23-24 "[23] 'Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. [24] The you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.' So all the people answered and said, 'It is well spoken.'"
So the two sides would set up sacrifices, and the real God - the only one who should be worshipped - would set His sacrifice on fire. So the prophets of Baal go first, yelling all morning until noon and trying again in the evening, begging their deaf god to answer them. v. 27 "And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said 'Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.'" So the prophets of Baal cut themselves and they prophesied all afternoon and begged again in the evening, and at the end of the day Elijah told the people to put buckets and buckets of water on the other sacrifice - the one God would light on fire. They poured twelve waterpots on the altar and then filled a trench around it with water.
Elijah prayed once to God in asking Him to light the fire. He did not have to pray all day long like the others, because his God heard him. v. 36-37, "[36] And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, 'Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. [37] Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again."
v. 38 "Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench."
And all the people of Israel worshipped God, and the prophets of Baal were executed on the Brook Kishon.
Isn't that amazing, that this is the God we worship even today? He is the same now as He was then. What I learned from this is that when we pray within His will, full of faith and without doubt, He will answer. That sacrifice was completely drenched in water. Elijah's faith was so strong that he knew God could catch this wet sacrifice on fire - He could catch the ocean on fire if He wanted to! But what He wanted to do was bring these people back to Him, by doing what no false god could ever do. If a god besides this God cannot even catch a sacrifice on fire when his worshippers ask him, beg him to - even a dry sacrifice - then certainly that god cannot save souls like this God can.
God wanted his people to understand that He is the only one who should be worshipped, and to stop wasting their devotion on someone who could not bless them like He wants to do. The worshippers of Baal cut themselves and yelled, while the worshippers of God do not have to do these things to be heard. We need only present to Him humble and repentant hearts, full of devotion and reverence toward Him, willing to be corrected and to serve. That's what the children of Israel did when they saw what the true God had done. v. 39 "Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said 'The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!'"
And how wonderful that He wanted them back, even though they had turned from Him to follow their passions and pleasures with a god who couldn't see them and correct them. That's what He is doing, even today! He shows us who He is, how He can do the impossible and turn hearts around, by giving the life of His precious Son Jesus Christ for our sakes, and by resurrecting Him from death with many witnesses to see it. And He calls us back to Him by showing us that He loves us enough to do that. All He wants for us is what is good for us, and all He wants from us is a humble heart, a willingness to serve Him instead of somebody else. He will never disappoint.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Marco Polo
THIS WEEK my Aunt Qatresha had a baby boy - Marco Neil Champagne. He is her and my uncle Neil's second child.
When I found out on Tuesday night, the last day of November, that she had gone into the hospital, I hoped that I would get the chance to wait in the waiting room for him to be born like I had for several of my other little cousins. I got my wish. My mother and I got to the hospital around 8:00 pm and went to my aunt's room. She had not had the baby yet.
I went with my mom, my grandparents, and my little cousin Maya to wait in the waiting room. This was the hospital where Maya had been born two and a half years ago, and this was the waiting room where I had waited for her to be born. Since I had no idea how long we would be there, I worked on homework while I waited. Then I finished my homework, and I watched some television while I waited some more. Then it was past midnight, and we turned off the lights while we watched Roxeanne and M.A.S.H. and tried to get to sleep. The room was chilly and the chairs were not built for sleeping. But I do not regret the wait, which lasted until about 4:00 am, because at the end of it I got to see Marco.
Seven lbs., seven ounces, born in Room Seven. Marco was precious as he wimpered for food and wrinkled his eyes, unaccustomed to air. What a miraculous thing, what a wonderful way God designed for new people to be born. To begin protected by their mothers, to be so delicate that every instinct instructs others to protect them, their voices being like tiny birds or fallen snow. To have all working parts, covered in the softest of skin. To be the most precious kind of person, one for whom even the opening of the eyes is a miracle, and everyone gets the chance to be a baby at some point. It reminds me how precious we are to God, and how much He wants to hold us and keep us safe, how He wants us to know we have been created by Him, for Him. Every baby is another reason to believe in God.
Psalm 139: 13-16 "[13] For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. [14] I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. [15] My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. [16] Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them."
Maya, Marco's big sister as she proudly declares, would not get to see Marco until much later that day, because she had been waiting for so long that she had become grumpy. Her parents wouldn't want her to be unhappy the first time they met. It must have been very difficult for Maya, having been an only child for her two and a half years, to understand why she couldn't see her mom for hours that night, and where her daddy kept going, and what exactly she was waiting for. As I waited with her she seemed to get increasingly tired and grumpy, although she was still very cute with her "Big Sister" shirt and her curly hair. She told my grandma that her Bankey Dog, the toy dog she carries around, was mad, but that probably meant that she was mad.
Maya was asleep when I left the hospital that night/morning. The difficulty of her waiting made me think of how hard it is sometimes for us to understand our circumstances. Like Maya knew there was a wonderful little brother on the way, we trust God that He has good things planned for us. So it's sometimes frustrating when we run into problems and challenges or when things don't go the way we expect. But even if the process irritates us, it is good for us.
One of my favorite verses lately is Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." This is encouraging because although we will inevitably face discouragement and frustration, God has not forgotten us. We are His children, after all. In the same chapter, Romans 8:14-15 say "[14] For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. [15] For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father,'" 'Abba' means 'Daddy.' We are precious to God, so He will challenge us and teach us, and He will not leave us disappointed. At the end of the day, Maya did get to see her brother. If we hold on to God's promises, we will never be disappointed.
When I found out on Tuesday night, the last day of November, that she had gone into the hospital, I hoped that I would get the chance to wait in the waiting room for him to be born like I had for several of my other little cousins. I got my wish. My mother and I got to the hospital around 8:00 pm and went to my aunt's room. She had not had the baby yet.
I went with my mom, my grandparents, and my little cousin Maya to wait in the waiting room. This was the hospital where Maya had been born two and a half years ago, and this was the waiting room where I had waited for her to be born. Since I had no idea how long we would be there, I worked on homework while I waited. Then I finished my homework, and I watched some television while I waited some more. Then it was past midnight, and we turned off the lights while we watched Roxeanne and M.A.S.H. and tried to get to sleep. The room was chilly and the chairs were not built for sleeping. But I do not regret the wait, which lasted until about 4:00 am, because at the end of it I got to see Marco.
Seven lbs., seven ounces, born in Room Seven. Marco was precious as he wimpered for food and wrinkled his eyes, unaccustomed to air. What a miraculous thing, what a wonderful way God designed for new people to be born. To begin protected by their mothers, to be so delicate that every instinct instructs others to protect them, their voices being like tiny birds or fallen snow. To have all working parts, covered in the softest of skin. To be the most precious kind of person, one for whom even the opening of the eyes is a miracle, and everyone gets the chance to be a baby at some point. It reminds me how precious we are to God, and how much He wants to hold us and keep us safe, how He wants us to know we have been created by Him, for Him. Every baby is another reason to believe in God.
Psalm 139: 13-16 "[13] For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. [14] I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. [15] My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. [16] Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them."
Maya, Marco's big sister as she proudly declares, would not get to see Marco until much later that day, because she had been waiting for so long that she had become grumpy. Her parents wouldn't want her to be unhappy the first time they met. It must have been very difficult for Maya, having been an only child for her two and a half years, to understand why she couldn't see her mom for hours that night, and where her daddy kept going, and what exactly she was waiting for. As I waited with her she seemed to get increasingly tired and grumpy, although she was still very cute with her "Big Sister" shirt and her curly hair. She told my grandma that her Bankey Dog, the toy dog she carries around, was mad, but that probably meant that she was mad.
Maya was asleep when I left the hospital that night/morning. The difficulty of her waiting made me think of how hard it is sometimes for us to understand our circumstances. Like Maya knew there was a wonderful little brother on the way, we trust God that He has good things planned for us. So it's sometimes frustrating when we run into problems and challenges or when things don't go the way we expect. But even if the process irritates us, it is good for us.
One of my favorite verses lately is Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." This is encouraging because although we will inevitably face discouragement and frustration, God has not forgotten us. We are His children, after all. In the same chapter, Romans 8:14-15 say "[14] For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. [15] For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father,'" 'Abba' means 'Daddy.' We are precious to God, so He will challenge us and teach us, and He will not leave us disappointed. At the end of the day, Maya did get to see her brother. If we hold on to God's promises, we will never be disappointed.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Gratitude, and God's Guiding Light
THIS WEEK was one of those wonderful weeks we wait for all year long, the week of a special holiday called Thanksgiving. I love that in America we have a whole day set aside for gratitude, just in case we've forgotten to be thankful for the rest of the year. I looked up "thanksgiving," as in 'gratitude toward God', in my Bible and I found a powerful little 5-verse Psalm. Psalm 100 is all about praising God and showing Him how grateful we are toward Him for everything.
"[1]Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! [2] Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. [3] Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. [4] Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. [5] For the Lord in good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations."
It's a lovely little psalm. It reminds me how much I have to be thankful for: my parents and my sister and my brother, my aunt who is about to have a baby any day now, the cold and the warm weather, my house and clothes, more than enough to eat and drink, a Spirit-filled church family, and many more things than I could ever go about naming. I love Thanksgiving. I'm praying that we could have a spirit of thanksgiving all year long, because God is always good.
I'm thankful for answered prayers, and for the peace that God speaks into my heart. Today, and for the past few days, even while I have been joyful over Thanksgiving and over my cousin's birthday party, I have been feeling a little frustrated. Maybe it's partially because I visited another college, UF, on Wednesday, and my mind is on my future. All I want is to know what God wants me to do, because I've learned very well that I don't know what I'm doing nearly as well as I think I do. I just want to please Him. I have no idea how to make the decisions I have to make. So I've been praying harder and harder to hear what God says about all this. I've been begging to hear His Spirit talking to me, telling me how to serve him in the present day in the actions I take now, and showing me what steps to take in my future.
God has responded to my prayers, but not how I expected Him to. Surprising us with the way He answers prayer is something that God does pretty often. But He does answer. He answered me by giving me assurance, for which I'm truly grateful.
It came when I was reading John 8, the chapter when Jesus shows mercy to the adulteress and then deals with the arguments of those Jews who did not believe in Him. Jesus challenges the woman's accusers, the scribes and Pharisees, to let the one who is without sin throw the first stone at her. None of them, the religious leaders of the Jews, can bring himself to throw the stone. After they have all turned and gone, Jesus Himself, who alone is without sin, forgives her.
Then Jesus speaks to the people who had come to hear Him. v.12 "Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, 'I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.'"
Then after He has dealt with some of the arguments of the unbelieving Jews, Jesus speaks some more words of encouragement for believers. v. 31-32 "[31] Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, 'If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. [32] And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.'"
What these words of the Lord say to me is that all we need to do is keep following Jesus, and it will be clear what we need to do. He will light our paths. I still don't know where He'd like me to go to college, or what career path to take, or even who to talk to and what to say when I'm at school. But He will show me what to do in His wonderful timing. If we continue to actively seek Him in prayer and in the Word I know that we'll be able to hear when He calls. And if we serve Him by obedience and praise and show His love continually, He will guide our hands and feet and help us as we try to stay safe within His will.
I think that by these words the Lord wanted to remind me that I don't need to be frustrated. I think that's something I struggle with. I want to do His will and I'm afraid to miss it, so I tend to get frustrated while I wait to know something that maybe I'm not supposed to know until later. It's good to pray to be within His will, and for His will to be done. But it's not good to get frustrated when it seems there are things I just don't know.
After all, I'm not walking a road with no street lights here. He guides all of His people, and He lights our paths. He makes us free with His truth so that we do not have to struggle and stumble, chained in bondage to sin. He stays with us and shows us what He wants us to do. And I'm thankful for that. I'm thankful that we are justified by His grace, and by nothing else. Not by works and not by traditions. We are justified by the blood of God Himself, God-in-Man, Jesus, God's gift of Himself to us. And He will not now proceed to forget us. He is our light and our life, forever. That is something to be truly thankful for.
"[1]Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! [2] Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. [3] Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. [4] Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. [5] For the Lord in good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations."
It's a lovely little psalm. It reminds me how much I have to be thankful for: my parents and my sister and my brother, my aunt who is about to have a baby any day now, the cold and the warm weather, my house and clothes, more than enough to eat and drink, a Spirit-filled church family, and many more things than I could ever go about naming. I love Thanksgiving. I'm praying that we could have a spirit of thanksgiving all year long, because God is always good.
I'm thankful for answered prayers, and for the peace that God speaks into my heart. Today, and for the past few days, even while I have been joyful over Thanksgiving and over my cousin's birthday party, I have been feeling a little frustrated. Maybe it's partially because I visited another college, UF, on Wednesday, and my mind is on my future. All I want is to know what God wants me to do, because I've learned very well that I don't know what I'm doing nearly as well as I think I do. I just want to please Him. I have no idea how to make the decisions I have to make. So I've been praying harder and harder to hear what God says about all this. I've been begging to hear His Spirit talking to me, telling me how to serve him in the present day in the actions I take now, and showing me what steps to take in my future.
God has responded to my prayers, but not how I expected Him to. Surprising us with the way He answers prayer is something that God does pretty often. But He does answer. He answered me by giving me assurance, for which I'm truly grateful.
It came when I was reading John 8, the chapter when Jesus shows mercy to the adulteress and then deals with the arguments of those Jews who did not believe in Him. Jesus challenges the woman's accusers, the scribes and Pharisees, to let the one who is without sin throw the first stone at her. None of them, the religious leaders of the Jews, can bring himself to throw the stone. After they have all turned and gone, Jesus Himself, who alone is without sin, forgives her.
Then Jesus speaks to the people who had come to hear Him. v.12 "Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, 'I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.'"
Then after He has dealt with some of the arguments of the unbelieving Jews, Jesus speaks some more words of encouragement for believers. v. 31-32 "[31] Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, 'If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. [32] And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.'"
What these words of the Lord say to me is that all we need to do is keep following Jesus, and it will be clear what we need to do. He will light our paths. I still don't know where He'd like me to go to college, or what career path to take, or even who to talk to and what to say when I'm at school. But He will show me what to do in His wonderful timing. If we continue to actively seek Him in prayer and in the Word I know that we'll be able to hear when He calls. And if we serve Him by obedience and praise and show His love continually, He will guide our hands and feet and help us as we try to stay safe within His will.
I think that by these words the Lord wanted to remind me that I don't need to be frustrated. I think that's something I struggle with. I want to do His will and I'm afraid to miss it, so I tend to get frustrated while I wait to know something that maybe I'm not supposed to know until later. It's good to pray to be within His will, and for His will to be done. But it's not good to get frustrated when it seems there are things I just don't know.
After all, I'm not walking a road with no street lights here. He guides all of His people, and He lights our paths. He makes us free with His truth so that we do not have to struggle and stumble, chained in bondage to sin. He stays with us and shows us what He wants us to do. And I'm thankful for that. I'm thankful that we are justified by His grace, and by nothing else. Not by works and not by traditions. We are justified by the blood of God Himself, God-in-Man, Jesus, God's gift of Himself to us. And He will not now proceed to forget us. He is our light and our life, forever. That is something to be truly thankful for.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
As God's Children
THIS WEEK I had a bonfire with my Youth Group, where we sang worship songs and listened to powerful testamonies. The fire slowly melted the blackening wood, and little motes of red ember were carried weightless into the night air with our songs of praise. It was a beautiful evening, and it made me want to listen more carefully to what God is really saying. Since that evening there has been one particular passage on my mind. The beginning verses of John chapter 1 has been appearing all over the place. First, when I returned home from the bonfire there was a fun new idea for my next art piece buzzing around in my head. I don't really know why - maybe somebody referenced this passage at the meeting. The piece is based on verses 1-5.
The funny thing is that the very next morning Reverend Dan Elkins, who visited my school to speak at the FISH meeting, referenced the very same place. And today when I attended a church service at the USF campus where I was visiting, the pastor referenced John chapter 1, a few verses after the place I've been looking. So I'll write them out for you really quickly and then tell you what I've been learning from these things. It helps me to write out the verses because I start to notice things I didn't see before.
John 1:1-5
"[1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was in the beginning with God. [3] All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. [4] In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. [5] And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."
And John 1:9-14
"[9] That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. [10] He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. [11] He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. [12] But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in Him name: [13] who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. [14] And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."
This always reminds me of the very beginning of the Bible, when God commands things to come into existence, beginning with light. What I think it means is that Jesus, as the embodiment of God in the flesh as the Son of God, existed even before He was born into the world. Of course He did - I mean, He's God. He is the Word of God by means of which He commanded the universe to exist.
And now God comes to the world in the form of a Man, to people who refuse to hear Him. Can you imagine what that must be like? Like if you made a little clay figurine and it came to life, and it suddenly started asking "Who are you?" and denying your authority and kicking you in the shins. That was what the Jews were like to whom God first came in the form of the Man Jesus. He died, having done nothing wrong, in the place of us humans who are without exception covered in sins, so that we could be with Him. And then HE rose again to demonstrate the validity of our faith. He covers us with His blood. He made it so that anyone who believes in Him could be His own. His own!
What I'm learning this week is that it really is something quite amazing to be God's adopted child. It means He listens when we talk to Him, and that He wants us to listen to Him. It means there is nothing that will stop Him from loving us, like the father in Luke 15 who showers welcome on his repentant son. It means He would die for us, and He did, and now He lives. It means He disiplines us expects us to obey, just because He loves us so much and knows what's good for us. Hebrews 12:5-6 says "[5] And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as sons: 'My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; [6] For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.'"
As children of God, who are we supposed to be? My understanding is that we are supposed to imitate Christ and keep His commandments. John 13:34-35 "[34] A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. [35] By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
Could somebody please explain to me the cause for a disturbing sight I saw on Saturday? I was just leaving the historic district of Tampa called Ybor, when on a street corner I observed a man and a woman armed with a bullhorn and a red-lettered sign. The man was making announcements of anger and condemnation, something about "getting the hell you deserve." As I passed by these people my mom said to me, "And that's why people think Christians are crazy." It really impacted me.
Where's the love? Didn't Jesus command love? A Christian is a child of God, a child of love, not a proclaimer of doom. Fear does not make converts. We're drawn to God by His astounding love and grace, by His willingness to save us from "the hell we deserve." People with bullhorns and hate aren't making it any easier for those of us who'd like to reach the world with love.
God invites us to be His children! The beauty of such a thought is too much to wrap our minds around. His own children, to be loved and protected and disciplined and taught. To be rescued from certain destruction and led in the ways of righteousness.
As I kept walking down the street, I saw a homeless man whom I had seen several hours before in exactly the same place. He's a man who needs some love, whatever his problems may be, exactly like the rest of us do. But he's not getting it from any man with a bullhorn.
I thank God that I can be His, and that the Body of Christ, which reaches over much of the world, can celebrate together the fact that He Himself will love us forever. It's something to stay amazed about all the time. And I'm hoping and praying that we never get used to this: that the same God who created everything by means of His Word, and who came to the world to fish us out of our own self-destruction, has poured out His grace over the whole face of the earth. He has poured it over anyone at all who will receive Him, and who will give himself to Him who gave Himself for us.
The funny thing is that the very next morning Reverend Dan Elkins, who visited my school to speak at the FISH meeting, referenced the very same place. And today when I attended a church service at the USF campus where I was visiting, the pastor referenced John chapter 1, a few verses after the place I've been looking. So I'll write them out for you really quickly and then tell you what I've been learning from these things. It helps me to write out the verses because I start to notice things I didn't see before.
John 1:1-5
"[1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was in the beginning with God. [3] All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. [4] In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. [5] And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."
And John 1:9-14
"[9] That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. [10] He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. [11] He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. [12] But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in Him name: [13] who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. [14] And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."
This always reminds me of the very beginning of the Bible, when God commands things to come into existence, beginning with light. What I think it means is that Jesus, as the embodiment of God in the flesh as the Son of God, existed even before He was born into the world. Of course He did - I mean, He's God. He is the Word of God by means of which He commanded the universe to exist.
And now God comes to the world in the form of a Man, to people who refuse to hear Him. Can you imagine what that must be like? Like if you made a little clay figurine and it came to life, and it suddenly started asking "Who are you?" and denying your authority and kicking you in the shins. That was what the Jews were like to whom God first came in the form of the Man Jesus. He died, having done nothing wrong, in the place of us humans who are without exception covered in sins, so that we could be with Him. And then HE rose again to demonstrate the validity of our faith. He covers us with His blood. He made it so that anyone who believes in Him could be His own. His own!
What I'm learning this week is that it really is something quite amazing to be God's adopted child. It means He listens when we talk to Him, and that He wants us to listen to Him. It means there is nothing that will stop Him from loving us, like the father in Luke 15 who showers welcome on his repentant son. It means He would die for us, and He did, and now He lives. It means He disiplines us expects us to obey, just because He loves us so much and knows what's good for us. Hebrews 12:5-6 says "[5] And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as sons: 'My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; [6] For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.'"
As children of God, who are we supposed to be? My understanding is that we are supposed to imitate Christ and keep His commandments. John 13:34-35 "[34] A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. [35] By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
Could somebody please explain to me the cause for a disturbing sight I saw on Saturday? I was just leaving the historic district of Tampa called Ybor, when on a street corner I observed a man and a woman armed with a bullhorn and a red-lettered sign. The man was making announcements of anger and condemnation, something about "getting the hell you deserve." As I passed by these people my mom said to me, "And that's why people think Christians are crazy." It really impacted me.
Where's the love? Didn't Jesus command love? A Christian is a child of God, a child of love, not a proclaimer of doom. Fear does not make converts. We're drawn to God by His astounding love and grace, by His willingness to save us from "the hell we deserve." People with bullhorns and hate aren't making it any easier for those of us who'd like to reach the world with love.
God invites us to be His children! The beauty of such a thought is too much to wrap our minds around. His own children, to be loved and protected and disciplined and taught. To be rescued from certain destruction and led in the ways of righteousness.
As I kept walking down the street, I saw a homeless man whom I had seen several hours before in exactly the same place. He's a man who needs some love, whatever his problems may be, exactly like the rest of us do. But he's not getting it from any man with a bullhorn.
I thank God that I can be His, and that the Body of Christ, which reaches over much of the world, can celebrate together the fact that He Himself will love us forever. It's something to stay amazed about all the time. And I'm hoping and praying that we never get used to this: that the same God who created everything by means of His Word, and who came to the world to fish us out of our own self-destruction, has poured out His grace over the whole face of the earth. He has poured it over anyone at all who will receive Him, and who will give himself to Him who gave Himself for us.
Friday, November 19, 2010
A Special Story
THIS WEEK I'm posting a Bonus Post like I said I would, because I just didn't have time on Sunday to tell you this amazing story I heard last week. Today is Friday, and I'm going to blog again this Sunday of course. But I just couldn't neglect to tell you what I heard from my friend Arun (uh - ROON) at Bible Study. It's a story that won't take long to tell, but which will likely stay with you for a while. It's a testimony of the amazing way the Holy Spirit can work.
Arun heard this story from a pastor who had come from India to visit his church. It occurred in India. It was about 1:00 AM, and suddenly the pastor heard the Holy Spirit tell him to wake up. Because it was very late and he was very sleepy, he was hesitant to obey. but the Spirit insisted. When the pastor had sat up in bed he heard Him say to go look out his window. So he did.
When he looked out his window he saw someone practicing witchcraft there, trying to curse him. So upon the command of the Holy Spirit the pastor proceeded to pray for four hours, from 1:00 AM to 5:00 AM.
Not long after this occurred, the Holy Spirit did something that truly amazed me. He gave the pastor the address of the man who had been outside his window! When the pastor went to this address, he found out that the evil man had died. I don't know how he died, or when exactly, but he died.
What amazed me about this story was how present the Holy Spirit is in the life of that pastor, how clearly he hears Him. He is not shy about guiding His followers and telling us where He wants us to go and what He wants us to do. I think the reason some people, like the pastor, hear Him more clearly than others do is not because they have "more Jesus" than others people, but because of the degree to which they have committed themselves to serving Him, and the extent of their submission to His will.
This story reminds me of the Bible, especially the book of Acts, when we see the Holy Spirit doing so many unexpected things and guiding the servants of God. It's the same amazing Spirit of God working in the lives of Christians. He is present both in big events and small tasks, no matter who we are, because we are His people whom He chose.
I'm just so glad God gave us Christians His Spirit to keep Him close to our lives and to keep us within His will. I pray that we will all hear Him and that our hearts will be willing to obey, not insisting on our own agendas and 'putting words in His mouth,' so to speak, but obeying what He really says. I hope and pray that our hearts' greater desire would be for His kingdom and His righteousness. Astounding things can happen when we obey.
John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." -Jesus Christ.
Arun heard this story from a pastor who had come from India to visit his church. It occurred in India. It was about 1:00 AM, and suddenly the pastor heard the Holy Spirit tell him to wake up. Because it was very late and he was very sleepy, he was hesitant to obey. but the Spirit insisted. When the pastor had sat up in bed he heard Him say to go look out his window. So he did.
When he looked out his window he saw someone practicing witchcraft there, trying to curse him. So upon the command of the Holy Spirit the pastor proceeded to pray for four hours, from 1:00 AM to 5:00 AM.
Not long after this occurred, the Holy Spirit did something that truly amazed me. He gave the pastor the address of the man who had been outside his window! When the pastor went to this address, he found out that the evil man had died. I don't know how he died, or when exactly, but he died.
What amazed me about this story was how present the Holy Spirit is in the life of that pastor, how clearly he hears Him. He is not shy about guiding His followers and telling us where He wants us to go and what He wants us to do. I think the reason some people, like the pastor, hear Him more clearly than others do is not because they have "more Jesus" than others people, but because of the degree to which they have committed themselves to serving Him, and the extent of their submission to His will.
This story reminds me of the Bible, especially the book of Acts, when we see the Holy Spirit doing so many unexpected things and guiding the servants of God. It's the same amazing Spirit of God working in the lives of Christians. He is present both in big events and small tasks, no matter who we are, because we are His people whom He chose.
I'm just so glad God gave us Christians His Spirit to keep Him close to our lives and to keep us within His will. I pray that we will all hear Him and that our hearts will be willing to obey, not insisting on our own agendas and 'putting words in His mouth,' so to speak, but obeying what He really says. I hope and pray that our hearts' greater desire would be for His kingdom and His righteousness. Astounding things can happen when we obey.
John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." -Jesus Christ.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)