THIS WEEK could easily have been really awful, but it was great.
I was introduced to an initially frustrating concept in my Architecture class, and Photoshop gave me a lot of trouble. I had to walk a long way and got rained on. I was so busy some days that I had to go out to get things printed at 1:30 AM. I lost my key and locked myself out of my building without my phone or my supplies. And on top of it all, I didn't know for most of the week whether I would be too busy to go home for the weekend.
But I'm doing great. I think what made the difference was my Life Group meeting with all my wonderful friends. We discussed the difference between happiness and joy. I had had a pretty bad day and was tired, but I was reminded of something I already knew that really helped: Happiness is a good feeling we get that lasts a little while. But, as one of my friends explained, Joy is choosing to be content because God's unfailing promises remain even while our situations constantly change. We can't be happy all the time, but we can be joyful in any situation. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, so when we make that choice to rejoice in God despite appearances, people take notice and see the difference God makes. It makes people want the hope He gives.
My group looked at 1 Peter 1:8-9, in which Paul explains that tough situations lead to great things when we face them by standing strong in our faith in Christ, "[8] whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, [9] receiving the end of your faith - the salvation of your souls."
That's what got me through this week. Knowing that even the inconvenient things and frustrating problems must happen for some good reason, I was able to remember how beautiful the day was and how good life is. I wasn't worried about anything because I knew it was all going to work together for good (Romans 8:28). And so it did. I got the hang of my project and was able to help some people out with it. I had some good conversations with strangers on a bus. My new friend Erin gave me some beef jerky and flavored nuts. And best of all, I got to go home this weekend and be with my family, which is one of my favorite things to do.
Today I visited my home church Southpoint, where I got to hear my pastor speak about the importance of suffering. He emphasized that God's promises to us are not tools for us to make our plans work out. Because if we decide what God is going to do based on our interpretation of His promises to provide and deliver and fill us with joy, then it's easy to get confused. God is extremely unpredictable, but He is faithful. He keeps all of his promises, and He wants us to expect him to, but it's wrong for us to give up faith in Him because things didn't work out how we expected. He doesn't work for us. He works in and through us.
If your mother dies of cancer after everyone prayed so hard for healing, or if your family is still broken no matter how often you asked for peace, it doesn't mean God has failed. It means it's time for us to look at the big picture and trust that God is faithful. Maybe your mother's healing came when she landed in the arms of Jesus, and maybe peace in your family begins with peace in you. Just don't stop praising.
Pastor Russ referred to 2 Corinthians 4: 16-18, in which Paul explains that all the pain we feel is brief in the grand scheme of God's plan: "[16] Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. [17] For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and external weight of glory, [18] while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."
No amount of suffering, or of anything else, in life compares to the wonder and beauty of heaven's joy in the presence of God.
So sadness is the opposite of happiness, but it isn't the opposite of joy. I'd say the opposite of joy is despair, because despair is hopeless and fearful. We have the choice to remember Jesus, who said things would be hard but that He would be with us always, and who suffered unimaginably without losing faith in the goodness of God.
Psalm 30:4-5, "[4] Sing praises to the Lord, you saints of His, and give thanks to His holy name. [5] For His anger is but for a moment, His favor for life; Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."
Whether the "night" lasts a day or a lifetime, God promises that He will bring us joy in the end. When we make the choice to rejoice, it doesn't matter what goes wrong, because God won't.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Broken
THIS WEEK was very eventful. After Tuesday everything was unusually relaxed, because I had a rare break from my architecture work. I haven't been to the studio in days. I got to go to my first Gator game, which we won to Tennessee 33 to 23.
But I had to work for that break. The first half of this week was insane. All weekend, Monday and Tuesday I spent most of my time working in the studio on my final project. Tuesday I was working for 13 hours from noon to 1:00 AM. Then my escort bus left me. Then my phone died. A Teacher's Assistant drove me back to my room, and I got to sleep around 3 to wake up at 5:30 the next day.
It was just one of those days (and nights). It can't all be easy, I suppose. When my bus left me I was really upset. After rushing to catch it with my shoes practically flying off my feet, I felt like God didn't answer my prayer, and I didn't know why.
But when I got to my room, my room mate Sarah gave me a big hug and had some dinner ready for me. She decorated the box with encouraging things like "You did it!" and "Welcome home!" as well as a reference to Isaiah 41:10.
God makes a big promise to His people in Isaiah 41:9-10. "[9] You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest regions, and said to you, 'You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away: [10] 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.'"
When I read this, I heard God say, "Don't believe it? Look up." So I looked up and saw the verse I had written on the white board, Philippians 4:6-7. "[6] Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, through prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, [7] and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
If it isn't amazing that the all-seeing Almighty God promises to hold us by the hand, then nothing is amazing. It's not always easy to believe. When the bus leaves you, or when your loved ones say things to hurt you, or when you don't understand what you're called to do, it's easier to pull away and try to deal only in the things we understand, to try to make it through alone.
When everything is a mess, how can we trust God that He knows what He is doing? And when we feel far from Him, how can we believe He is close by?
Monday night my Life group was talking about love, especially God's love. My new friend Shannon told us about one of her favorite songs, which tells how God uses brokenness to reflect His mercy "a million different ways." When we are broken, she says, it's like light coming out from between the cracks of a pot that has been reassembled. Maybe God uses times of confusion and frustration to get our hearts ready to shine.
I remember once at FISH club in high school we finished reading a psalm that spoke about brokenness, and someone asked what it meant. I think it means being in a condition of humility before God as we acknowledge our need for Him. It means accepting our smallness and His greatness as our pride and self-sufficiency lay broken all around. And sometimes it takes tough times to get us to that place.
I've been reading the story of Abraham again lately. There's a lot to learn from it, but what stands out to me is Abraham's amazing faith. In Genesis 22, God asks him to sacrifice the son he has waited a long time to have, the son who is his promise of having a long line of descendants.
Abraham couldn't have understood why God was asking this or have wanted to obey. But his faith in God's goodness and his reverence for His power led him to obey anyway. And because he showed such faith and godly fear, God spared Abraham and promised to bless Abraham's descendants abundantly. As it turns out, we are the children of Abraham because we are the descendants of his faith in God. When He said "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed," He was talking about when He would give His own Son to us so that we could live by faith as well.
Abraham was broken before God, and God values brokenness like that. He even called Abraham His friend.
In Psalm 51:16-17 the psalmist prays, "[16] For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. [17] The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart - these, O God, You will not despise."
This means that God sees us for what our hearts are like. He is looking for things like humility and love, justice and mercy, people to worship Him in Spirit and truth. He doesn't want to see us acting like we've got this God thing figured out. The whole point of salvation is living continually like we know how far we have left to go, and that only God can get us there.
Paul explains this really well in 2 Corinthians 4:6-7. "[6] For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. [7] But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us."
God, and God alone, has the power to do with us what we simply cannot do ourselves. The power is of him and NOT of us. He turned Saul, a Christian-killing enemy of the faith, into Paul, the greatest missionary in the history of the world. It took an encounter with God to change his life, so that he went on in total humility, calling himself "less than the least of all the saints" in gratitude and awe toward God.
With God, times of trouble and confusion often come right before moments of glory. He loves to use brokenness to show His power to fix things, as well as His power to overwhelm the odds. He wants us to have faith despite appearances and love without fear, and in return He will show the world a good reason for us to be that way. He dreams big, and He wants us to be part of reaching those dreams.
So maybe when the bus leaves without you, when you don't know where to go or what to do, when you've ended up broken on the floor once again, you're really in the best place you could be. Because once the illusion of our control is out of the way, there's room to see what God can do. When you've hit the low point, look up to God and see what He's doing now.
But I had to work for that break. The first half of this week was insane. All weekend, Monday and Tuesday I spent most of my time working in the studio on my final project. Tuesday I was working for 13 hours from noon to 1:00 AM. Then my escort bus left me. Then my phone died. A Teacher's Assistant drove me back to my room, and I got to sleep around 3 to wake up at 5:30 the next day.
It was just one of those days (and nights). It can't all be easy, I suppose. When my bus left me I was really upset. After rushing to catch it with my shoes practically flying off my feet, I felt like God didn't answer my prayer, and I didn't know why.
But when I got to my room, my room mate Sarah gave me a big hug and had some dinner ready for me. She decorated the box with encouraging things like "You did it!" and "Welcome home!" as well as a reference to Isaiah 41:10.
God makes a big promise to His people in Isaiah 41:9-10. "[9] You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest regions, and said to you, 'You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away: [10] 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.'"
When I read this, I heard God say, "Don't believe it? Look up." So I looked up and saw the verse I had written on the white board, Philippians 4:6-7. "[6] Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, through prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, [7] and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
If it isn't amazing that the all-seeing Almighty God promises to hold us by the hand, then nothing is amazing. It's not always easy to believe. When the bus leaves you, or when your loved ones say things to hurt you, or when you don't understand what you're called to do, it's easier to pull away and try to deal only in the things we understand, to try to make it through alone.
When everything is a mess, how can we trust God that He knows what He is doing? And when we feel far from Him, how can we believe He is close by?
Monday night my Life group was talking about love, especially God's love. My new friend Shannon told us about one of her favorite songs, which tells how God uses brokenness to reflect His mercy "a million different ways." When we are broken, she says, it's like light coming out from between the cracks of a pot that has been reassembled. Maybe God uses times of confusion and frustration to get our hearts ready to shine.
I remember once at FISH club in high school we finished reading a psalm that spoke about brokenness, and someone asked what it meant. I think it means being in a condition of humility before God as we acknowledge our need for Him. It means accepting our smallness and His greatness as our pride and self-sufficiency lay broken all around. And sometimes it takes tough times to get us to that place.
I've been reading the story of Abraham again lately. There's a lot to learn from it, but what stands out to me is Abraham's amazing faith. In Genesis 22, God asks him to sacrifice the son he has waited a long time to have, the son who is his promise of having a long line of descendants.
Abraham couldn't have understood why God was asking this or have wanted to obey. But his faith in God's goodness and his reverence for His power led him to obey anyway. And because he showed such faith and godly fear, God spared Abraham and promised to bless Abraham's descendants abundantly. As it turns out, we are the children of Abraham because we are the descendants of his faith in God. When He said "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed," He was talking about when He would give His own Son to us so that we could live by faith as well.
Abraham was broken before God, and God values brokenness like that. He even called Abraham His friend.
In Psalm 51:16-17 the psalmist prays, "[16] For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. [17] The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart - these, O God, You will not despise."
This means that God sees us for what our hearts are like. He is looking for things like humility and love, justice and mercy, people to worship Him in Spirit and truth. He doesn't want to see us acting like we've got this God thing figured out. The whole point of salvation is living continually like we know how far we have left to go, and that only God can get us there.
Paul explains this really well in 2 Corinthians 4:6-7. "[6] For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. [7] But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us."
God, and God alone, has the power to do with us what we simply cannot do ourselves. The power is of him and NOT of us. He turned Saul, a Christian-killing enemy of the faith, into Paul, the greatest missionary in the history of the world. It took an encounter with God to change his life, so that he went on in total humility, calling himself "less than the least of all the saints" in gratitude and awe toward God.
With God, times of trouble and confusion often come right before moments of glory. He loves to use brokenness to show His power to fix things, as well as His power to overwhelm the odds. He wants us to have faith despite appearances and love without fear, and in return He will show the world a good reason for us to be that way. He dreams big, and He wants us to be part of reaching those dreams.
So maybe when the bus leaves without you, when you don't know where to go or what to do, when you've ended up broken on the floor once again, you're really in the best place you could be. Because once the illusion of our control is out of the way, there's room to see what God can do. When you've hit the low point, look up to God and see what He's doing now.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
The Tough Major
THIS WEEK I am exhausted. I love college, but I spend a lot of my time in the Studio working on my models, and I'm working on the final of Project One: The Cube. I have hardly any time for my other classes, and I can't believe I've only been doing this for three weeks.
You see, I'm majoring in Architecture. Whenever I tell other students that I'm in Architecture, they express awe and terror. Who has ever seen an Architecture student? Don't they live in the Studio and never leave? Whatever happened to Bruce, who started architecture three years ago and hasn't been seen since?
And I sigh. Yeah, Architecture's really hard. But I love it, and I just can't stop. There's no other major for me.
When I come back to my room late at night and still see basswood sticks and chipboard in my mind all over the ceiling, I want to collapse and sleep. But I never want to quit. Because I love it, and I really just can't stop.
Then I remember another persistent love that endures despite all difficulty, and I'm more certain that I will survive. When I fear I will end my days trapped in a maze of planes and lines with only my cell phone to distract me, I recall that for years God has been working on me like I'm working on Architecture, and He's still not done.
I've only been in Architecture for a few weeks, so I know that despite the way the study fills my time and my mind, I know almost nothing yet. Then I look at the Teacher's Assistants, higher-level students who know everything I'm doing wrong, and I'm amazed that I will be there one day. Just when I think I know something, I don't. Nevertheless, I am learning. I will "get it" soon.
Now isn't that just like the way life is with God? He starts out on us, and we're a complete mess. It's a slow process to gain spiritual maturity and understanding. But with guidance from those who have been there, we do grow.
I am like Architecture. It demands a lot of patience, takes a lot of time, makes me laugh and cry to my Mama. It gets me on my feet and it brings me to my knees, and I know that with a lot of work it's going places. And it's definitely not going to work without God's help. Architecture does this to me, and I do it to God.
I remember Philippians 1:3-6, and I find it very encouraging. "[3] I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, [4] always in every prayer of mine making rquest for you all with joy, [5] for you fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, [6] being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."
When God saves us, the work has only begun. We have miles of growth to cover. We have so much room to mature spiritually. There are days when we push Him away, cross our arms and are impossible to deal with. Just like in Architecture, sometimes we are so far from the goal with so much left to do that it's hard to imagine we will ever sit still and cooperate. Sometimes the superglue just won't dry, and the basswood is disconnecting itseld, and the whole model looks like a mess.
So why does He bother? Why doesn't He "transfer to another major?" It's because He loves us, and He knows what we can be if we stick with Him. He sees the potential we have to be great for His glory. I see that in Architecture, and it's encouraging that He sees that in me and each of us.
I've also seen that trying to grow spiritually, as well as to get better at Architecture, is not going to work out without God's help. If I tried to become an architect on my own, I would end up jaded and tired with a dead look in my eyes, and I can't live with that idea. In the same way, trying to grow closer to God without seeking God and depending on Him is like trying to use superglue to attach something to a blue foam armature. It doesn't work. (Superglue eats foam.)
But if we trust God as the Ruler by which we measure ourselves, as the Triangle that will always keep us straight, then we won't fail.
Jesus tells us in John 15:4-5, "[4] Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. [5] I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."
I'm about to go back to the Studio and work with new energy. Unless God calls me to something else instead, I'm sticking with this subject that I love, and I'm going to see it grow. And when I'm exhausted, with blue foam in my hair and glue on my fingers, I'll remember the work God is doing on me and be thankful that He hasn't given up.
You see, I'm majoring in Architecture. Whenever I tell other students that I'm in Architecture, they express awe and terror. Who has ever seen an Architecture student? Don't they live in the Studio and never leave? Whatever happened to Bruce, who started architecture three years ago and hasn't been seen since?
And I sigh. Yeah, Architecture's really hard. But I love it, and I just can't stop. There's no other major for me.
When I come back to my room late at night and still see basswood sticks and chipboard in my mind all over the ceiling, I want to collapse and sleep. But I never want to quit. Because I love it, and I really just can't stop.
Then I remember another persistent love that endures despite all difficulty, and I'm more certain that I will survive. When I fear I will end my days trapped in a maze of planes and lines with only my cell phone to distract me, I recall that for years God has been working on me like I'm working on Architecture, and He's still not done.
I've only been in Architecture for a few weeks, so I know that despite the way the study fills my time and my mind, I know almost nothing yet. Then I look at the Teacher's Assistants, higher-level students who know everything I'm doing wrong, and I'm amazed that I will be there one day. Just when I think I know something, I don't. Nevertheless, I am learning. I will "get it" soon.
Now isn't that just like the way life is with God? He starts out on us, and we're a complete mess. It's a slow process to gain spiritual maturity and understanding. But with guidance from those who have been there, we do grow.
I am like Architecture. It demands a lot of patience, takes a lot of time, makes me laugh and cry to my Mama. It gets me on my feet and it brings me to my knees, and I know that with a lot of work it's going places. And it's definitely not going to work without God's help. Architecture does this to me, and I do it to God.
I remember Philippians 1:3-6, and I find it very encouraging. "[3] I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, [4] always in every prayer of mine making rquest for you all with joy, [5] for you fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, [6] being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."
When God saves us, the work has only begun. We have miles of growth to cover. We have so much room to mature spiritually. There are days when we push Him away, cross our arms and are impossible to deal with. Just like in Architecture, sometimes we are so far from the goal with so much left to do that it's hard to imagine we will ever sit still and cooperate. Sometimes the superglue just won't dry, and the basswood is disconnecting itseld, and the whole model looks like a mess.
So why does He bother? Why doesn't He "transfer to another major?" It's because He loves us, and He knows what we can be if we stick with Him. He sees the potential we have to be great for His glory. I see that in Architecture, and it's encouraging that He sees that in me and each of us.
I've also seen that trying to grow spiritually, as well as to get better at Architecture, is not going to work out without God's help. If I tried to become an architect on my own, I would end up jaded and tired with a dead look in my eyes, and I can't live with that idea. In the same way, trying to grow closer to God without seeking God and depending on Him is like trying to use superglue to attach something to a blue foam armature. It doesn't work. (Superglue eats foam.)
But if we trust God as the Ruler by which we measure ourselves, as the Triangle that will always keep us straight, then we won't fail.
Jesus tells us in John 15:4-5, "[4] Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. [5] I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."
I'm about to go back to the Studio and work with new energy. Unless God calls me to something else instead, I'm sticking with this subject that I love, and I'm going to see it grow. And when I'm exhausted, with blue foam in my hair and glue on my fingers, I'll remember the work God is doing on me and be thankful that He hasn't given up.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
The Hill
THIS WEEK was my second week of college, and I'm relaxing at home while I visit for a couple days. College is a big challenge and a lot of fun at the same time. God is answering my prayers for the right Christian group, and I think I will meet the right church soon too. I'm already a part of a Life Group and making a lot of new friends.
During the week I stay really busy, and it's not always easy. I've gotten lost a couple times, and I spend hours in the studio working on homework. To be honest, there are moments when I get really frustrated and just want to be asleep or go home. But I find I never want to give up. I don't want to change my mind and do something easier. I think it's because God's peace is staying with me, telling me that this is what is necessary right now.
I remember one of my favorite places in the Word: Philippians 4:6-7 "[6] Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. [7] And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
I'm studying architecture, and my Design class involves a lot of interesting but time-consuming work in the studio. I love it, but a lot goes through my mind when I'm sitting there working for hours at a time. Do I really want to do this? Can I do it? Will I have any real friends in architecture? Where are all the cute boys? How much longer will this glue take to dry?
I'm loving college, but I get tired thinking all of these things, and countless other things. But I'm never overwhelemed because I'm never alone.
On a hard day of class I read a great verse, Proverbs 12:1 "Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates instruction is stupid." How's that for a reason to keep trying?
Here's a brief lesson from college: every hill has two sides. My room mate Sarah has a lot of fun riding her bike between classes, and she tells me about the hills. There are more in Gainesville than in Jacksonville. She says it's a real pain to climb the hills on a bike, but on the other side it's a thrill to just glide down without peddling.
I think life works the same way. Not everything can be easy. But not everything will be hard. You know that if you climb the hill God calls you to, there will be a downhill side sometime. He wants to bless us. I've found that the point of the tough times is to teach us to trust Him. To trust that He knows best, and to trust that He can fulfill His promises.
My youth pastor spoke this morning at church about trusting in God's promises. Can we trust Him even when it doesn't look possible for His promise to come true? Can we do what Abraham did?
As an old man he rejected the chance to be fabulously wealthy and believed instead in God's promise for his future. He had no children and feared another would inherit his place. But God disagreed.
Genesis 15:4-6 "[4] And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: 'This man will not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.' [5] And He brought him outside and said, 'Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.' Then He said to him, 'So shall your offspring be.' [6] And he believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness."
It's hard to trust God with everything. It's easier to be like Job and question His ability. Isn't it better to handle things ourselves? But God tells us that He, who manages the universe, knows better than we do, and even Job repented of his doubt. Job 42:3 "'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know." God honored his repentence and humility and "blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning."
Is there really a guy/girl out there for you? Will all your hard work in school pay off? Will you have what you need? In Matthew 6:33 Jesus answers the hard questions, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." We will probably have to go uphill for a while, and as long as we are climbing the other side will seem to be out of our view. But we have faith in God for the joy of riding down the other side.
During the week I stay really busy, and it's not always easy. I've gotten lost a couple times, and I spend hours in the studio working on homework. To be honest, there are moments when I get really frustrated and just want to be asleep or go home. But I find I never want to give up. I don't want to change my mind and do something easier. I think it's because God's peace is staying with me, telling me that this is what is necessary right now.
I remember one of my favorite places in the Word: Philippians 4:6-7 "[6] Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. [7] And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
I'm studying architecture, and my Design class involves a lot of interesting but time-consuming work in the studio. I love it, but a lot goes through my mind when I'm sitting there working for hours at a time. Do I really want to do this? Can I do it? Will I have any real friends in architecture? Where are all the cute boys? How much longer will this glue take to dry?
I'm loving college, but I get tired thinking all of these things, and countless other things. But I'm never overwhelemed because I'm never alone.
On a hard day of class I read a great verse, Proverbs 12:1 "Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates instruction is stupid." How's that for a reason to keep trying?
Here's a brief lesson from college: every hill has two sides. My room mate Sarah has a lot of fun riding her bike between classes, and she tells me about the hills. There are more in Gainesville than in Jacksonville. She says it's a real pain to climb the hills on a bike, but on the other side it's a thrill to just glide down without peddling.
I think life works the same way. Not everything can be easy. But not everything will be hard. You know that if you climb the hill God calls you to, there will be a downhill side sometime. He wants to bless us. I've found that the point of the tough times is to teach us to trust Him. To trust that He knows best, and to trust that He can fulfill His promises.
My youth pastor spoke this morning at church about trusting in God's promises. Can we trust Him even when it doesn't look possible for His promise to come true? Can we do what Abraham did?
As an old man he rejected the chance to be fabulously wealthy and believed instead in God's promise for his future. He had no children and feared another would inherit his place. But God disagreed.
Genesis 15:4-6 "[4] And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: 'This man will not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.' [5] And He brought him outside and said, 'Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.' Then He said to him, 'So shall your offspring be.' [6] And he believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness."
It's hard to trust God with everything. It's easier to be like Job and question His ability. Isn't it better to handle things ourselves? But God tells us that He, who manages the universe, knows better than we do, and even Job repented of his doubt. Job 42:3 "'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know." God honored his repentence and humility and "blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning."
Is there really a guy/girl out there for you? Will all your hard work in school pay off? Will you have what you need? In Matthew 6:33 Jesus answers the hard questions, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." We will probably have to go uphill for a while, and as long as we are climbing the other side will seem to be out of our view. But we have faith in God for the joy of riding down the other side.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Lessons from College
THIS WEEK was my first week of college classes. It's been a lot of fun to figure out the mysteries of the bus system and to pack my own lunch. My classes keep me busy but they aren't too hard, and my friend Sarah is the best room mate I could ask for.
In the process of jumping into the college scene, I have heard God telling me lots of different things through the situations I get into.
First is the importance of uncomfortable shoes. My college campus is enormous, and I live far away from my classes. On Monday I walked around everywhere in comfortable shoes because I hadn't yet figured out how the buses work. I'm grateful that I was able to understand it quickly, however, because I found myself limping around in very uncomfortable shoes a couple days later. I wore them because they are new, and if I don't wear them they will never become comfortable.
Think of the painful black flats as a new and uncomfortable situation. Maybe something is going wrong in life, or maybe God is calling you to do something you aren't used to. It's not fun. But one of the functions of faith is to do what God calls us to, even if it isn't fun at first, believing that He will use it to bless us and others. That's how I feel about my homework sometimes. It's all part of what God calls me to, but it gets hard and tries my patience. And I'm sure you have things like that to deal with in life too. Think of the buses as the presence of God. He knows it hurts, and He is there to pick you up so that your struggle is not overwhelming.
Romans 5:3-5 "[3]And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverence; [4] and perseverence, character; and character, hope. [5] Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."
Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, who are the called according to His purpose."
Next is the importance of friends. At the church that Sarah and I visited today, the pastor referred to Acts 2 as he spoke about the nature of fellowship. The early church was a great example.
Acts 2:44-45 "[44] Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, [45] and sold all their possession and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need."
I don't know what I would have done yesterday without my friend Sarah. She drove me to the supplies store for my order without which I couldn't work on my project. Then she carried my big heavy drafting board all the way to the studio on the second floor. Later she and another friend came to get me after I was done in the studio so I wouldn't have to walk to dinner alone in the dark, and she stayed on the phone with me until they found me. I'm grateful for her and for all of my friends.
Because it's so important to have other Christians around us, Sarah and I have been looking for the right church and Christian group. I've been hoping and praying we could be around Christians who care about reaching our campus, because so much good can be done here.
That's actually the last thing I've been learning about. The importance, and power, of prayer. This came to mind a few days ago when I was walking from a class and didn't have anywhere to be for a few hours. I prayed right then that I would meet a friend, because I felt lonely. Not more than two minutes later, I met two friends I had met a few months ago. Later I found a friend from school at a bus stop, another friend at another bus stop, and yet another friend while I waited outside my next class. Through this I could hear God telling me to ask anything in His name, and it would be done.
John 14:13-14 "[13] And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14]If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."
So I asked again that many people would be saved on this campus. I know it's His will, because He wants to give us the kingdom.
On Thursday I went with a few friends to hear Clayton King speak for the Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU). It was a funny and powerful message about the beauty of God's grace, as He looks at our shame and rescues us when we are lost and in need of mercy. This spoke to us particularly because we had gotten lost and were half an hour late. When Mr. King was done speaking, he invited those who wanted the gift of grace to raise their hands in the air. With our eyes closed, we listened with elation and heard him count to ninety-four.
Ninety four. How hard would three thousand be? I know our prayers won't go unanswered. We are dealing with a God who can save anyone despite anything, and who saved ninety-four people in a night this week. There is no limit to what He will do.
I encourage you this week to do the uncomfortable, to be with friends and be a friend, and to pray with shameless confidence. there is so much more in God than we have yet to see, and He is about to do things we have never witnessed before. Have a miraculous week!
In the process of jumping into the college scene, I have heard God telling me lots of different things through the situations I get into.
First is the importance of uncomfortable shoes. My college campus is enormous, and I live far away from my classes. On Monday I walked around everywhere in comfortable shoes because I hadn't yet figured out how the buses work. I'm grateful that I was able to understand it quickly, however, because I found myself limping around in very uncomfortable shoes a couple days later. I wore them because they are new, and if I don't wear them they will never become comfortable.
Think of the painful black flats as a new and uncomfortable situation. Maybe something is going wrong in life, or maybe God is calling you to do something you aren't used to. It's not fun. But one of the functions of faith is to do what God calls us to, even if it isn't fun at first, believing that He will use it to bless us and others. That's how I feel about my homework sometimes. It's all part of what God calls me to, but it gets hard and tries my patience. And I'm sure you have things like that to deal with in life too. Think of the buses as the presence of God. He knows it hurts, and He is there to pick you up so that your struggle is not overwhelming.
Romans 5:3-5 "[3]And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverence; [4] and perseverence, character; and character, hope. [5] Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."
Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, who are the called according to His purpose."
Next is the importance of friends. At the church that Sarah and I visited today, the pastor referred to Acts 2 as he spoke about the nature of fellowship. The early church was a great example.
Acts 2:44-45 "[44] Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, [45] and sold all their possession and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need."
I don't know what I would have done yesterday without my friend Sarah. She drove me to the supplies store for my order without which I couldn't work on my project. Then she carried my big heavy drafting board all the way to the studio on the second floor. Later she and another friend came to get me after I was done in the studio so I wouldn't have to walk to dinner alone in the dark, and she stayed on the phone with me until they found me. I'm grateful for her and for all of my friends.
Because it's so important to have other Christians around us, Sarah and I have been looking for the right church and Christian group. I've been hoping and praying we could be around Christians who care about reaching our campus, because so much good can be done here.
That's actually the last thing I've been learning about. The importance, and power, of prayer. This came to mind a few days ago when I was walking from a class and didn't have anywhere to be for a few hours. I prayed right then that I would meet a friend, because I felt lonely. Not more than two minutes later, I met two friends I had met a few months ago. Later I found a friend from school at a bus stop, another friend at another bus stop, and yet another friend while I waited outside my next class. Through this I could hear God telling me to ask anything in His name, and it would be done.
John 14:13-14 "[13] And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14]If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."
So I asked again that many people would be saved on this campus. I know it's His will, because He wants to give us the kingdom.
On Thursday I went with a few friends to hear Clayton King speak for the Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU). It was a funny and powerful message about the beauty of God's grace, as He looks at our shame and rescues us when we are lost and in need of mercy. This spoke to us particularly because we had gotten lost and were half an hour late. When Mr. King was done speaking, he invited those who wanted the gift of grace to raise their hands in the air. With our eyes closed, we listened with elation and heard him count to ninety-four.
Ninety four. How hard would three thousand be? I know our prayers won't go unanswered. We are dealing with a God who can save anyone despite anything, and who saved ninety-four people in a night this week. There is no limit to what He will do.
I encourage you this week to do the uncomfortable, to be with friends and be a friend, and to pray with shameless confidence. there is so much more in God than we have yet to see, and He is about to do things we have never witnessed before. Have a miraculous week!
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Dreaming Big
THIS WEEK I moved into college! Today is my third day in Gainesville, FL, and classes start early tomorrow morning. It's a beautiful campus with interesting people, and I'm making a lot of friends. My roommate Sarah and I will be visiting a lot of churches and Christian student groups in the next few weeks to see where we can settle in.
College so far is fun, but it's very hard to be away from my family, my church, and my city. Part of me wishes I could be back in Jacksonville, but I know this is where God has called me right now. Being put into such a new situation serves to cast me closer to God. It makes me depend on Him more, because I know I need Him to live. I've got big dreams for this campus and for myself which, when I look at them, I realize are completely dependent on God moving.
I want to be an architect. Specifically, I want to design churches. But everyone tells me architecture is the hardest major I could have chosen. Sigh.
I want thousands of people to be saved on this enormous campus in the next few years. But people's hearts are hard, and there are just so many! How could it be possible?
I want to be a part of a Christ-centered, active Christian group. But what if my classes leave me with no time to get involved?
These issues spring up in my mind. But then I look across the room at my roommate's painting of Jesus, and I realize that all these things, however troublesome, don't really scare me. I know my God to move in greater ways than we expect, and to show His power when we pursue the relationship He wants us to have with Him. I know my God to be greater even than death, and to have done miracles around me before. He's surprising and marvelous, and I find that my giants are small compared to Him.
Like last week, I still feel like I'm on a threshold into a bigger part of my life where I don't know where I'm going or what will happen. Amazingly, Pastor Russ addressed just that issue at a worship service, called "Engage the Spirit," this Wednesday before I left. He referred to Isaiah 50 and explained that those times of facing the unknown are meant to strengthen our trust in God.
Isaiah 50:10-11 "[10] Who among you fears the Lord? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely upon God. [11] Look, all you who kindle a fire, who encircle yourselves with sparks: walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks you have kindled - this you shall have from My hand: you shall lie down in torment."
This means that when dark, or confusing, times come, when we don't know where we're going, God is going to speak and tell us what to do. But He offers us a choice. We could light our own fire, putting our trust in our own ability or in the things we devote ourselves to. Or we could just trust that God knows what needs to happen, and do what He says even when we don't understand. It's a blessing to live life following God's voice, but otherwise our full potential in Christ won't shine through. Life is fuller when we rely upon Him, because He understands much better than we do and wants the best for us.
I can't see clearly past this afternoon. I can't be sure I'll even make it to my first class on time tomorrow, let alone make a plan for my next six years. Yet I have a dream to see thousands of people devote their lives to Christ, and to increase in my own devotion. I am reminded of a song by Jesus Culture: "Blow, mighty breath of God. Move upon this place. Blow, mighty breath of God. Move in power and grace." God will use us when He does that, but because it's His work, I don't have to worry that nothing will get done just because of my limitations.
We can have faith that God can and will do the things He has promised to do. He promises to stand with us when we stand for Him. He says He will save anyone who will put his trust in Him, accept His grace and repent. He tells us He wants to save people, and He proves it with examples of huge numbers being saved because of a few people's faithfulness.
I was reading Acts 4 yesterday, and I found some real gems.
Peter and John were arrested after they healed a lame man in Jesus' name.
v. 4 "However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand."
That's awesome! I've been praying for months that God would save thousands of people on my campus, and this shows me that with a little faithfulness, God will do great things.
v.13 "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realised that they had been with Jesus."
This verse made it onto my dry erase board. I love that when we stand unashamed of our Savior, people see that we've been with Him. They see Him in us, even today. I hope that will happen now.
But Peter and John got put in prison! It's dangerous to talk about Jesus that way. Isn't it so much safer to just go to church each Sunday and keep Him to ourselves?
Well, yeah. But that would be pretty selfish. And Jesus tells us that if we're ashamed of Him before men, He will be ashamed of us before His Father in heaven. Who wants that? Besides, in 2 Timothy 3:12 Paul says "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." So what if some people don't like it? It's God's opinion that matters.
I get a lot out of Jeremiah 1:6-8. "[6] Then said I: 'Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.' [7] But the Lord said to me: 'Do not say, 'I am a youth,' for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. [8] Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you,' says the Lord."
There's no room for shame in a place where change is about to happen. Serving can be done anywhere from behind a vaccum to in front of a crowd. What matters is doing as we're called to do. Right now I feel like I'm called to look into architecture. So even though people keep saying how time-consuming it is, I'm not scared. I love architecture, and God has given me inexplicable peace about things that would otherwise terrify me.
I'm dreaming big and expecting great things to happen here. In fact, I know God's already doing it all over the world. It's beautiful: when our faith results in action, He responds to our faith with action. And His action strengthens our faith even more. His love living in us has power. I'm excited to see what will happen, because I have a feeling God's about to move mountains.
Romans 5:5, "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."
Have a miraculous week!
College so far is fun, but it's very hard to be away from my family, my church, and my city. Part of me wishes I could be back in Jacksonville, but I know this is where God has called me right now. Being put into such a new situation serves to cast me closer to God. It makes me depend on Him more, because I know I need Him to live. I've got big dreams for this campus and for myself which, when I look at them, I realize are completely dependent on God moving.
I want to be an architect. Specifically, I want to design churches. But everyone tells me architecture is the hardest major I could have chosen. Sigh.
I want thousands of people to be saved on this enormous campus in the next few years. But people's hearts are hard, and there are just so many! How could it be possible?
I want to be a part of a Christ-centered, active Christian group. But what if my classes leave me with no time to get involved?
These issues spring up in my mind. But then I look across the room at my roommate's painting of Jesus, and I realize that all these things, however troublesome, don't really scare me. I know my God to move in greater ways than we expect, and to show His power when we pursue the relationship He wants us to have with Him. I know my God to be greater even than death, and to have done miracles around me before. He's surprising and marvelous, and I find that my giants are small compared to Him.
Like last week, I still feel like I'm on a threshold into a bigger part of my life where I don't know where I'm going or what will happen. Amazingly, Pastor Russ addressed just that issue at a worship service, called "Engage the Spirit," this Wednesday before I left. He referred to Isaiah 50 and explained that those times of facing the unknown are meant to strengthen our trust in God.
Isaiah 50:10-11 "[10] Who among you fears the Lord? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely upon God. [11] Look, all you who kindle a fire, who encircle yourselves with sparks: walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks you have kindled - this you shall have from My hand: you shall lie down in torment."
This means that when dark, or confusing, times come, when we don't know where we're going, God is going to speak and tell us what to do. But He offers us a choice. We could light our own fire, putting our trust in our own ability or in the things we devote ourselves to. Or we could just trust that God knows what needs to happen, and do what He says even when we don't understand. It's a blessing to live life following God's voice, but otherwise our full potential in Christ won't shine through. Life is fuller when we rely upon Him, because He understands much better than we do and wants the best for us.
I can't see clearly past this afternoon. I can't be sure I'll even make it to my first class on time tomorrow, let alone make a plan for my next six years. Yet I have a dream to see thousands of people devote their lives to Christ, and to increase in my own devotion. I am reminded of a song by Jesus Culture: "Blow, mighty breath of God. Move upon this place. Blow, mighty breath of God. Move in power and grace." God will use us when He does that, but because it's His work, I don't have to worry that nothing will get done just because of my limitations.
We can have faith that God can and will do the things He has promised to do. He promises to stand with us when we stand for Him. He says He will save anyone who will put his trust in Him, accept His grace and repent. He tells us He wants to save people, and He proves it with examples of huge numbers being saved because of a few people's faithfulness.
I was reading Acts 4 yesterday, and I found some real gems.
Peter and John were arrested after they healed a lame man in Jesus' name.
v. 4 "However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand."
That's awesome! I've been praying for months that God would save thousands of people on my campus, and this shows me that with a little faithfulness, God will do great things.
v.13 "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realised that they had been with Jesus."
This verse made it onto my dry erase board. I love that when we stand unashamed of our Savior, people see that we've been with Him. They see Him in us, even today. I hope that will happen now.
But Peter and John got put in prison! It's dangerous to talk about Jesus that way. Isn't it so much safer to just go to church each Sunday and keep Him to ourselves?
Well, yeah. But that would be pretty selfish. And Jesus tells us that if we're ashamed of Him before men, He will be ashamed of us before His Father in heaven. Who wants that? Besides, in 2 Timothy 3:12 Paul says "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." So what if some people don't like it? It's God's opinion that matters.
I get a lot out of Jeremiah 1:6-8. "[6] Then said I: 'Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.' [7] But the Lord said to me: 'Do not say, 'I am a youth,' for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. [8] Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you,' says the Lord."
There's no room for shame in a place where change is about to happen. Serving can be done anywhere from behind a vaccum to in front of a crowd. What matters is doing as we're called to do. Right now I feel like I'm called to look into architecture. So even though people keep saying how time-consuming it is, I'm not scared. I love architecture, and God has given me inexplicable peace about things that would otherwise terrify me.
I'm dreaming big and expecting great things to happen here. In fact, I know God's already doing it all over the world. It's beautiful: when our faith results in action, He responds to our faith with action. And His action strengthens our faith even more. His love living in us has power. I'm excited to see what will happen, because I have a feeling God's about to move mountains.
Romans 5:5, "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."
Have a miraculous week!
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Cover Girl
THIS WEEK I turned 18. Yesterday I spent my birthday surrounded by my wonderful friends and family and getting good wishes from my friends on Facebook.
I am on a very unique threshold in life right now. On Friday this week I'm leaving for college, where I plan to study Architecture and Religion. This Wednesday night was my last night with my youth group, and I know there's something even better waiting for me in Gainesville.
God is about to move at my college, as He is moving all over the world. A magazine came in the mail earlier this week called "The Voice of the Martyrs" which focuses on persecuted Christians all over the world. On the cover the is a young girl from Laos. She wears a green skirt and a striped blouse, and she focuses intently on a Bible that is burned, melted, and stained almost to illegibility.
She is the only Christian where she lives, and her faith remains strong even though others tried to destroy her Bible. On the inside of the cover I read a quote by this girl, "My villagers still hate me and mock me like they mocked Jesus on the cross. It is the world's right to hate us or love us. But for me, I will follow Jesus because I read what He says, that the world will hate you." The magazine is full of stories about people like her, Christians who desire to honor Jesus more than they want anything else.
I hope one day to be half the Christian these people are.
I've been reading "The Case for Faith" by Lee Strobel, which discusses answers to several big questions about God. One section regarding church history included something I was surprised to learn.
"While most people think of the average Christian today as being a United States resident living far away from any danger for their faith, journalist David Neff set the record straight. 'The typical Christian,' he said, 'lives in a developing country, speaks a non-European language, and exists under the constant threat of persecution - of murder, imprisonment, torture, or rape.'"
I love that picture of the girl in Laos. Most of us are used to seeing girls on the covers of magazines at stores, usually thin with big eyes and low-cut tops and shiny hair. But this girl is a real cover girl. Her faith is uncomplicated and real, and her devotion to Jesus is astounding. She's a hero of mine.
When they realize what some people are going through in the world, many Christians feel bad about how good we have it. What right do I have to sit here and blog in peace when a Christian in China is sentenced to 15 years in prison for publishing an unauthorized Christian magazine? How can I be safe in my home while my sisters and brothers are dying? Is it wrong for me to be comfortable in this life?
I don't think so. We have a responsibility to take care of what God blesses us with. It's not evil for my family to have cars and air conditioning and free speech. But we shouldn't put our comfort above God's calling. We should be wholeheartedly concerned for people who are suffering, and we should take every opportunity to help them. Of course we should be as unashamed of the gospel as those heroes are.
"The Voice of the Martyrs" uses Hebrews 13:3 alot: "Remember the prisoners as if chained with them - those who are mistreated - since you yourselves are the body also." Those of us who aren't suffering that kind of persecution don't necessarily have to go move to Southeast Asia, unless that's where God calls us. We have to serve our God wherever and however He calls us to.
2 Timothy 3:12 "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."
A real Christian reads that verse, gets scared, and does it anyway through the strength Christ gives him.
As I said before, I'm on an important threshold in my life. I'm really excited about going to college because I feel like this is the place God wants me right now. He has given me a dream for my school of about 50,000 people. There's room for an enormous miracle, for thousands to be saved. And I believe something great is about to happen.
And to keep my mind on what's important, on the wall of my room at college I'll keep the poster that "The Voice of the Martyrs" sent to me, showing the countries in the world that are Hostile or Restricted against Christianity.
I am on a very unique threshold in life right now. On Friday this week I'm leaving for college, where I plan to study Architecture and Religion. This Wednesday night was my last night with my youth group, and I know there's something even better waiting for me in Gainesville.
God is about to move at my college, as He is moving all over the world. A magazine came in the mail earlier this week called "The Voice of the Martyrs" which focuses on persecuted Christians all over the world. On the cover the is a young girl from Laos. She wears a green skirt and a striped blouse, and she focuses intently on a Bible that is burned, melted, and stained almost to illegibility.
She is the only Christian where she lives, and her faith remains strong even though others tried to destroy her Bible. On the inside of the cover I read a quote by this girl, "My villagers still hate me and mock me like they mocked Jesus on the cross. It is the world's right to hate us or love us. But for me, I will follow Jesus because I read what He says, that the world will hate you." The magazine is full of stories about people like her, Christians who desire to honor Jesus more than they want anything else.
I hope one day to be half the Christian these people are.
I've been reading "The Case for Faith" by Lee Strobel, which discusses answers to several big questions about God. One section regarding church history included something I was surprised to learn.
"While most people think of the average Christian today as being a United States resident living far away from any danger for their faith, journalist David Neff set the record straight. 'The typical Christian,' he said, 'lives in a developing country, speaks a non-European language, and exists under the constant threat of persecution - of murder, imprisonment, torture, or rape.'"
I love that picture of the girl in Laos. Most of us are used to seeing girls on the covers of magazines at stores, usually thin with big eyes and low-cut tops and shiny hair. But this girl is a real cover girl. Her faith is uncomplicated and real, and her devotion to Jesus is astounding. She's a hero of mine.
When they realize what some people are going through in the world, many Christians feel bad about how good we have it. What right do I have to sit here and blog in peace when a Christian in China is sentenced to 15 years in prison for publishing an unauthorized Christian magazine? How can I be safe in my home while my sisters and brothers are dying? Is it wrong for me to be comfortable in this life?
I don't think so. We have a responsibility to take care of what God blesses us with. It's not evil for my family to have cars and air conditioning and free speech. But we shouldn't put our comfort above God's calling. We should be wholeheartedly concerned for people who are suffering, and we should take every opportunity to help them. Of course we should be as unashamed of the gospel as those heroes are.
"The Voice of the Martyrs" uses Hebrews 13:3 alot: "Remember the prisoners as if chained with them - those who are mistreated - since you yourselves are the body also." Those of us who aren't suffering that kind of persecution don't necessarily have to go move to Southeast Asia, unless that's where God calls us. We have to serve our God wherever and however He calls us to.
2 Timothy 3:12 "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."
A real Christian reads that verse, gets scared, and does it anyway through the strength Christ gives him.
As I said before, I'm on an important threshold in my life. I'm really excited about going to college because I feel like this is the place God wants me right now. He has given me a dream for my school of about 50,000 people. There's room for an enormous miracle, for thousands to be saved. And I believe something great is about to happen.
And to keep my mind on what's important, on the wall of my room at college I'll keep the poster that "The Voice of the Martyrs" sent to me, showing the countries in the world that are Hostile or Restricted against Christianity.
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