That's the title of a song that I have really found myself identifying with lately. It speaks of the wonder and awesomeness of our Lord; every word is true. We serve a King that is amazing in every way. And that's really what my blog is about today.
I really have found myself not enjoying life at all from time to time. Certain things are going on in life that are just beckoning me to fret over them, and that creates an overwhelming feeling when mixed with daily struggles of sin. That's exactly what satan wants me to feel: overwhelmed. And sometimes he does a mighty good job of it. I was really trying to talk to God last night but it was just tough. This morning, I just felt horrible and I really wanted to be in His embrace, but I had no idea how.
One thing that was really troubling me was that I didn't know how to express my feelings to the Master. I want to do better, and I want to have a pure heart and focus, but lately my actions and attitudes haven't displayed that as positively as I would like. But then He came in "not in the earthquake, not in the fire," but in a whisper. And He said: I understand.
Isn't that great about our God? He understands! If time were infinite and I had millions of words to pour out, I still couldn't express myself to God as deeply as I'd need to. But He understands anyway. Better than that, He understands my thoughts better than I do myself. And even better than that, He understands them before I even have them. Psalm 139 says it beautifully, "You are intimately acquainted with all of my ways... You understand my thoughts from afar."
But the whisper from the gentle spirit that helped me most said, "Let go."
"Seek first the kingdom of God and righteousness, and all of these things will be added unto you... Come unto Me, all you who are weary... Trust in God, trust also in Me."
~ Jesus
"Let go of the girl. Let go of the family. Let go of the obligations of the day. Let go of the mistakes of the past. Let go of the room. Let go of the house. Let go of the earth. Let go of space. Let go..."
Let go until I have let go of everything, and it is just me and God. It's just me and God! Nothing else mattered excpet being one with my Father, knowing that He understood my whole heart. And that was a good feeling at first, but also very humbling. He is holy and I am not; it is terrifying to be in His presence. But praise be to God for Jesus Christ who justifies, and more than that, who sanctifies. Our God is awesome! Don't forget it!
Friday, June 30, 2006
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Pray!
The power of prayer is one of the most amazing gifts that we can ever be so blessed to have. Do you really realize it?
I spoke of a friend that really challenged me when I was going through some spiritual struggles. She talked about how she overcame some things when she got adament about her prayer life for deliverance and strength and guidance. I really have been trying to take all of that to heart and thankfully, God has not let me down yet (and I believe He never will).
When I pray, I realize I am completely unworthy to be there. God is too holy and His presence is too awesome for a sinner like me to make a request for as small as even a bread crumb. Prayer is a gift because we are undeserving to talk to God. Never forget that. But thankfully, we have, through Jesus Christ, an open way to the Father, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 'til eternity comes.
I have prayed before in my life, but it means more when I pray more in my life. Are you talking to air, or are you understanding that you are talking to God? I said that His presence was too mighty to stand in, but note Psalm 139. My God is so big, that there is no where that I cannot be in His presence! He is everpresent, and that means that He really does hear what we say, even before we say it because He is also omniscient.
Prayer is not a power that we have in ourselves. The moment I start to brag about my prayer life and what is being accomplished in me "because I prayed for it" is the very moment I fall. It is not our own power that delivers us in prayer, but God hears the broken and contrite supplications and responds by His own grace and by His own will.
Prayer is something to be done in secret. We don't pray to impress other people. Otherwise it isn't praying, it is just a religious theater that means nothing to the Almighty. But we also shouldn't pray to impress God. He knows our hearts and minds better than we do, and there's no fooling Him. But He doesn't call us to impress Him either; He just calls us to be genuine and sincere, and to trust Him.
Prayer. It's one of God's greatest gifts to us. God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good. Never forget it.
I spoke of a friend that really challenged me when I was going through some spiritual struggles. She talked about how she overcame some things when she got adament about her prayer life for deliverance and strength and guidance. I really have been trying to take all of that to heart and thankfully, God has not let me down yet (and I believe He never will).
When I pray, I realize I am completely unworthy to be there. God is too holy and His presence is too awesome for a sinner like me to make a request for as small as even a bread crumb. Prayer is a gift because we are undeserving to talk to God. Never forget that. But thankfully, we have, through Jesus Christ, an open way to the Father, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 'til eternity comes.
I have prayed before in my life, but it means more when I pray more in my life. Are you talking to air, or are you understanding that you are talking to God? I said that His presence was too mighty to stand in, but note Psalm 139. My God is so big, that there is no where that I cannot be in His presence! He is everpresent, and that means that He really does hear what we say, even before we say it because He is also omniscient.
Prayer is not a power that we have in ourselves. The moment I start to brag about my prayer life and what is being accomplished in me "because I prayed for it" is the very moment I fall. It is not our own power that delivers us in prayer, but God hears the broken and contrite supplications and responds by His own grace and by His own will.
Prayer is something to be done in secret. We don't pray to impress other people. Otherwise it isn't praying, it is just a religious theater that means nothing to the Almighty. But we also shouldn't pray to impress God. He knows our hearts and minds better than we do, and there's no fooling Him. But He doesn't call us to impress Him either; He just calls us to be genuine and sincere, and to trust Him.
Prayer. It's one of God's greatest gifts to us. God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good. Never forget it.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
The Call
I've been working on writing a "commentary" for a while now. I call it that, but it is really just something I do to study the Scripture and really think about what I'm reading and how it applies. I'm not publishing, or anything, but it's something I work on from time to time just for myself.
The last Scripture that I worked with was the end of chapter 10 of Mark: the story of how blind Bartimaeus regained His sight. I really realized some things when I was looking over the account. But the part of the passage that inspired me most was Bartimaeus' response to Jesus' call. Read it with me:
46And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 47And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 48And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 49And Jesus stopped and said,"Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart. Get up; he is calling you." 50And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Rabbi, let me recover my sight." 52And Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.
They told the man, "Jesus is calling you," and he threw off his cloak to spring up and come to Jesus. I believe the NASB adds that He did this "immediately." Do you see where I'm going with this? Jesus called, and blind Bartimaeus hastened to come to Him!
The same should be true for us. When Jesus calls, we go. End of story. We do the exact same thing blind Bartimaeus did. Remember Hebrews 12:1-2? It says that we throw off everything that would hinder us from coming to Jesus. What have you thrown off in order to come to Jesus? What do you need to throw off?
More importantly, what has Jesus called you to do? and, are you doing it? Sure, maybe the Lord has called some of us individually to certain things, but there are general callings that we are all supposed to be doing. There are the calls of purity; we each need to be trying to "cling to what is good and abhor what is evil." But there is also the call of the Great Commission. Ouch, touch a nerve? I know it's like hitting my funny bone when I talk about it. Let's face it, evangelism and service are some calls we really need to work on. Someone has asked, "have we turned the Great Commission into the Great Option?" It's a scary thought.
When Jesus calls, we put everything else aside and come to Him. And if you're wondering if it's going to be worth it, just ask the now not-so-blind Bartimaeus!
The last Scripture that I worked with was the end of chapter 10 of Mark: the story of how blind Bartimaeus regained His sight. I really realized some things when I was looking over the account. But the part of the passage that inspired me most was Bartimaeus' response to Jesus' call. Read it with me:
46And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 47And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 48And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 49And Jesus stopped and said,
They told the man, "Jesus is calling you," and he threw off his cloak to spring up and come to Jesus. I believe the NASB adds that He did this "immediately." Do you see where I'm going with this? Jesus called, and blind Bartimaeus hastened to come to Him!
The same should be true for us. When Jesus calls, we go. End of story. We do the exact same thing blind Bartimaeus did. Remember Hebrews 12:1-2? It says that we throw off everything that would hinder us from coming to Jesus. What have you thrown off in order to come to Jesus? What do you need to throw off?
More importantly, what has Jesus called you to do? and, are you doing it? Sure, maybe the Lord has called some of us individually to certain things, but there are general callings that we are all supposed to be doing. There are the calls of purity; we each need to be trying to "cling to what is good and abhor what is evil." But there is also the call of the Great Commission. Ouch, touch a nerve? I know it's like hitting my funny bone when I talk about it. Let's face it, evangelism and service are some calls we really need to work on. Someone has asked, "have we turned the Great Commission into the Great Option?" It's a scary thought.
When Jesus calls, we put everything else aside and come to Him. And if you're wondering if it's going to be worth it, just ask the now not-so-blind Bartimaeus!
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Does This Yoke Make Me Look Fat?
One of my favorite passages, in all of Scripture, is Jesus' call of, "Come unto Me, all you who are weary." Do you remember that? Oh, isn't that so good to hear? The very idea that the call of the gentle Savior still rings true down through the centuries and speaks to us personally! We are still hurting, and He is still calling, "Come."
And what's He say about when you've come? He says to learn of Him. I used to be so angry that God took away all of the miraculous powers and signs that the first century church had and left us with a big book to read instead. That didn't seem fair! But I know now that even the angels longed to look into this blessing that we have. Paul called the Bible "the perfect" that was to come. The fact that we have the written words of the Spirit to give us guidance and insight into the life of Jesus is a phenomenal gift, and that's the only way I know how to describe it. Hallelujah! We can learn of Jesus!
Jesus also then says, "Take My yoke upon you. For My burden is light and My yoke is easy." I think we have butchered what that phrase really means when we translated it. From the real Greek there, the phrase isn't, "My yoke is easy," but is really, "My yoke fits." The path of life that a Christian must follow will sometimes be anything but easy. But the obstacles he must face will "fit." He will not be faced with a temptation that he cannot overcome (2 Corinthians 10). But also, the yoke will "fit" in the sense that he will live and work better underneath it than if he were under another yoke.
Is the Christian walk of life always going to be "a breeze," so to speak? No. Don't let anyone fool you with some sugar-coated lie like that. But the Christian walk of life will "fit;" it won't be beyond what you can bear, and it will, in the end, be better. So much better!
And what's He say about when you've come? He says to learn of Him. I used to be so angry that God took away all of the miraculous powers and signs that the first century church had and left us with a big book to read instead. That didn't seem fair! But I know now that even the angels longed to look into this blessing that we have. Paul called the Bible "the perfect" that was to come. The fact that we have the written words of the Spirit to give us guidance and insight into the life of Jesus is a phenomenal gift, and that's the only way I know how to describe it. Hallelujah! We can learn of Jesus!
Jesus also then says, "Take My yoke upon you. For My burden is light and My yoke is easy." I think we have butchered what that phrase really means when we translated it. From the real Greek there, the phrase isn't, "My yoke is easy," but is really, "My yoke fits." The path of life that a Christian must follow will sometimes be anything but easy. But the obstacles he must face will "fit." He will not be faced with a temptation that he cannot overcome (2 Corinthians 10). But also, the yoke will "fit" in the sense that he will live and work better underneath it than if he were under another yoke.
Is the Christian walk of life always going to be "a breeze," so to speak? No. Don't let anyone fool you with some sugar-coated lie like that. But the Christian walk of life will "fit;" it won't be beyond what you can bear, and it will, in the end, be better. So much better!
Monday, June 19, 2006
What Do You Really Want?
The word "want." It means we we desire, long for, are passionate about, or maybe put our hopes in. Usually, we are kind and when we are deciding things like where to eat today or what ice cream shop is the best, we ask whoever is with us what they "want." It's good that we think of others and put them first. But I want to talk about thinking about someone else's "want" in a matter far less trivial than ice cream.
God wants us to live for Him. I think you know that. We are supposed to get rid of sin from our hands and mouths and strive to live for Him. All throughout the New Testament we see lists of sins that will put us in hell, or lists of sins that we know we should be dead to. "Do not steal, covet. Flee from sexual immorality and lusting, from slander and gossip. Do not get drunk, or lie, or murder." And for the most part, we are content to just nod our heads in agreement and try and keep our actions as far away from that stuff as possible. But... there is another thing we are to abstain from that you may not have taken notice of.
Colossians 3 says we are to do away with "evil desires" and "passions."
Now that's getting serious. That means that God isn't just expecting my actions and words to be pure; He wants my very heart to have the right intentions, attitude, and longings about everything that I do. That's crazy, right? He couldn't have meant that even our hearts have to change, could He have?
Then again, what do you think He meant by, "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God."
And where was the root, so to speak, of sin that James talked about? "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire gives birth to sin, and sin.. brings forth death." Did you catch that? Sin starts with the very desires in your heart. And from there, it snowballs into death.
I was talking to a close friend about some struggles I was facing. I have a weakness, and I don't like it. She told me that she had some weaknesses too, and one day she realized that she really hated the sin and wanted it out of her life. So she prayed, and really prayed, earnestly prayed, that God remove the weakness from her, and in that particular case He did. I find a lesson in that.
In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul did the same thing. He says he prayed real hard three times that God would take away a "thorn from his flesh," but in Paul's case, unlike my friend's, God said "No." But He didn't leave it at that. He said, "My grace is sufficient. My power is perfected in weakness."
I'm praying as hard as I can that God remove the weakness. But even if He doesn't, I'll keep praying, because my earnest prayer is a sign that I am truly hating the sin. I come to God continually so that He can help me match my desires with His desires. If I am still desiring sin and wanting it, even deep down in my heart, my actions will manage to find that passion that's hiding in the corner. I have to get to the point that I don't want it anymore. And whether God takes it away or not, He has the power to strengthen me to overcome as long as I continue to want what He wants, and not what I want.
Last night, Daniel preached that there was a time in his life where he wanted out of sin and wanted to stay in sin at the same time. I knew exactly what he meant, and maybe you can identify too. But we have to stop wanting sin all together. That's what God desires for us; He knows how much sin has torn up our lives. Jesus came to free us from sin. We're free! We don't have to sin anymore! And living free from sin is better, because that's where we will find "life more abundantly." That's what God wants for us: that we be free from sin so that we can really live.
Look into your heart. Do your longings and desires show that you are still wanting sin in your life? Or are you really sick of it, and ready to be through with it? You have to cut sin off at the root, at the source: your heart. And don't be afraid to do it, either. God's grace is sufficient, His power is awesome; if you seek, you will find.
Thursday, June 08, 2006
More Good News
Last night and this morning I was struck with even more "Good News," and I thought that it would be good to post.
So many things were going on in life just to distract and consume my mind and attention. And even though they might not have been bad things, they depressed me simply because they were things to worry about. I woke up this morning and I just didn't feel so hot. I was holding on to the chains of a lot of burdens, and I needed to let go.
Good News Point of the Day #1: God wants us to cast all our anxieties on Him and not worry about a thing. He will take care, and His way is always best.
But even if I'm not "worried," per se, about the issues going on, I still can feel overwhelmed and just wonder how to go on with it all. Where is my joy? Where is my peace? Where is God's love? Oh, it was there; I just had forgotten it.
Here is point #2. No matter what is going on in our life on this earth, there is joy and peace and love in the arms of God. Why? Because even though we are at war within our members about good and evil, even though we feel as "the wretched man that I am," we know that our soul still sings, "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ," as Paul said in Romans 7. And then into 8, he says, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Whoa! No condemnation? But life isn't going well! I'm failing all of the time! God, how can there be no condemnation? You can't possibly be serious.
Look at the man hanging in pain on the cross who took away that very condemnation, and tell Him He's not serious.
No matter what happens in this life, as Romans 5 says, Christ has still brought us peace with God. The storms may be absolutely raging around us, and yet Jesus still calls us to be calm and just rest in the boat with Him. Christians have salvation. Christ said no one can take His disciples from His hand; He later said let no one take your joy from you, too. This world can't touch us. We have redemption in Jesus that fills us with joy and peace and love even if the world around us is only filled with depression and corruption and hatred. What Jesus has brought to us is Good News. Don't forget it.
So many things were going on in life just to distract and consume my mind and attention. And even though they might not have been bad things, they depressed me simply because they were things to worry about. I woke up this morning and I just didn't feel so hot. I was holding on to the chains of a lot of burdens, and I needed to let go.
Good News Point of the Day #1: God wants us to cast all our anxieties on Him and not worry about a thing. He will take care, and His way is always best.
But even if I'm not "worried," per se, about the issues going on, I still can feel overwhelmed and just wonder how to go on with it all. Where is my joy? Where is my peace? Where is God's love? Oh, it was there; I just had forgotten it.
Here is point #2. No matter what is going on in our life on this earth, there is joy and peace and love in the arms of God. Why? Because even though we are at war within our members about good and evil, even though we feel as "the wretched man that I am," we know that our soul still sings, "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ," as Paul said in Romans 7. And then into 8, he says, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Whoa! No condemnation? But life isn't going well! I'm failing all of the time! God, how can there be no condemnation? You can't possibly be serious.
Look at the man hanging in pain on the cross who took away that very condemnation, and tell Him He's not serious.
No matter what happens in this life, as Romans 5 says, Christ has still brought us peace with God. The storms may be absolutely raging around us, and yet Jesus still calls us to be calm and just rest in the boat with Him. Christians have salvation. Christ said no one can take His disciples from His hand; He later said let no one take your joy from you, too. This world can't touch us. We have redemption in Jesus that fills us with joy and peace and love even if the world around us is only filled with depression and corruption and hatred. What Jesus has brought to us is Good News. Don't forget it.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Good News?
I've got some really good news... and it's not that I saved a bunch of money on my car insurance, either.
In Acts 8, Philip is teaching people about Jesus. But notice how the Scripture describes his message. He "preached the Good News about the kingdom of God..." (v.12). Jesus Christ and His church is some Good News! Or, at least, it should be.
Sometimes I think we don't let the message of Jesus really stand as Good News. I realize this in my own life. When I view Jesus, often times I see commitment. And I'm not bitter about that. I want to serve Jesus Christ every day of my life. But the message of Jesus is not about being freed from the slavery of sin only to be enslaved to God. Now, we are slaves to righteousness (Romans 6), that's true; but that's not all there is to being a Christian. There has to be something "Good" too. My point is: through our rules and regulations, traditions and legalisms, emotions and feelings, have we kept the Good News from being Good News?
Well, what's so good about it in the first place? You know, when I find what John said about Jesus' purposes in coming to earth, I find the Good News there. Do you remember what he said in the first chapter of his gospel? He said that Jesus Christ came to bring mercy and truth. Jesus didn't come to add on to the Law. Jesus came to fulfill the Law! And He fulfilled it, moved it aside, and set up what James calls the "Law of Liberty!"
Mercy! Truth! That's the Good News! We are unworthy to stand before God. Yet Jesus Christ died for us that we might not only stand, but embrace the Father, and have a relationship with Him as a new creation. That's Good News. God loves us; He loves us so much that He's putting everything else on hold, sometimes, just so that certain people to come to Him (that's what 2 Peter says). That's Good News.
Are you living a life that shows that you really believe you're saved by Good News? Or are you thinking you're only a part of some Binding News? What kind of News are you preaching to others? A message that wants them to have a spirit of fear, or a message that wants them to have a spirit of adoption by which they too can cry, "Abba, Father"?
God wants us all to sit up on His lap and read the newspaper with Him. Forget the Sports section, the Classifieds, and even the Funnies. Read about the Good News. Hear the story of Jesus. Understand the mercy and truth; be filled with the love and peace. God is our Father just as well as He is our Lord and Master. Never forget it.
In Acts 8, Philip is teaching people about Jesus. But notice how the Scripture describes his message. He "preached the Good News about the kingdom of God..." (v.12). Jesus Christ and His church is some Good News! Or, at least, it should be.
Sometimes I think we don't let the message of Jesus really stand as Good News. I realize this in my own life. When I view Jesus, often times I see commitment. And I'm not bitter about that. I want to serve Jesus Christ every day of my life. But the message of Jesus is not about being freed from the slavery of sin only to be enslaved to God. Now, we are slaves to righteousness (Romans 6), that's true; but that's not all there is to being a Christian. There has to be something "Good" too. My point is: through our rules and regulations, traditions and legalisms, emotions and feelings, have we kept the Good News from being Good News?
Well, what's so good about it in the first place? You know, when I find what John said about Jesus' purposes in coming to earth, I find the Good News there. Do you remember what he said in the first chapter of his gospel? He said that Jesus Christ came to bring mercy and truth. Jesus didn't come to add on to the Law. Jesus came to fulfill the Law! And He fulfilled it, moved it aside, and set up what James calls the "Law of Liberty!"
Mercy! Truth! That's the Good News! We are unworthy to stand before God. Yet Jesus Christ died for us that we might not only stand, but embrace the Father, and have a relationship with Him as a new creation. That's Good News. God loves us; He loves us so much that He's putting everything else on hold, sometimes, just so that certain people to come to Him (that's what 2 Peter says). That's Good News.
Are you living a life that shows that you really believe you're saved by Good News? Or are you thinking you're only a part of some Binding News? What kind of News are you preaching to others? A message that wants them to have a spirit of fear, or a message that wants them to have a spirit of adoption by which they too can cry, "Abba, Father"?
God wants us all to sit up on His lap and read the newspaper with Him. Forget the Sports section, the Classifieds, and even the Funnies. Read about the Good News. Hear the story of Jesus. Understand the mercy and truth; be filled with the love and peace. God is our Father just as well as He is our Lord and Master. Never forget it.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
New Song #2
Wrote one the other day that I would like to share. I don't have multiple verses yet. I tried, but the first one was just how I really felt; anything else seemed fake, as though I made it just so I could have more verses. So this is all I have.
Your Voice of Truth:
Every day I wake up,
I see Your shining face.
And every night I lay down,
I know Your loving grace.
But, Lord, in the in-between
Please help and strengthen me
To serve only You, my King,
So a better son I'll be.
'Cause Jesus I love You.
And Jesus I need You.
So Spirit help me now
To hear Your Voice of Truth.
Your Voice of Truth:
Every day I wake up,
I see Your shining face.
And every night I lay down,
I know Your loving grace.
But, Lord, in the in-between
Please help and strengthen me
To serve only You, my King,
So a better son I'll be.
'Cause Jesus I love You.
And Jesus I need You.
So Spirit help me now
To hear Your Voice of Truth.
Surf's Up!... and Down
James tells us that a man with a doubting faith is tossed about like the surf of the sea because of his double-mindedness. Wow. Once I realized how that applied to my own life, that passage really began to speak volumes.
'Surf of the sea' also just means 'waves.' In my physics courses, I learned about how sound waves work, and the principle is the same for ocean waves too. In a sound wave, there are two parts: a crest and a trough. The crest goes up and up, but at the other end of the crest is always a trough. The ocean is the same way. The current builds itself into a heap of water and just when the wave peaks, what happens? It curls and crashes down into nothingness on the shoreline.
Do you see where James was going with that whole 'surf' thing yet?
Sunday was amazing. Oh don't get me wrong because it was still difficult; there were trials to overcome, don't misunderstand. But overall, this past Sunday was an amazing feast of righteousness in the presence of the Lord. I was really trying to learn to trust in God. Then Monday came. Satan managed to pick at me through various ways, but how he did it isn't the important thing. The matter is: he got to me. I was bitter, and I felt far away from God. And yet the moment I opened my heart and put my faith fully in Him, I knew His warm embrace was not far.
Faith. When we are firm in our faith we can overcome this whole 'wave theory' and draw nearer to our God. Faith means trust. God was teaching me to trust in Him no matter what's going on. But faith also calls for obedience. My hope is that now all the trust God has called for would be put forth into real, Christian love and action.
Remember Peter. He was sinking in the middle of millions of waves. He lost faith and took his focus off of the Lord. But as soon as he cried out to the Lord to save him, Jesus' hand was pulling him out of the stormy waters.
'Surf of the sea' also just means 'waves.' In my physics courses, I learned about how sound waves work, and the principle is the same for ocean waves too. In a sound wave, there are two parts: a crest and a trough. The crest goes up and up, but at the other end of the crest is always a trough. The ocean is the same way. The current builds itself into a heap of water and just when the wave peaks, what happens? It curls and crashes down into nothingness on the shoreline.
Do you see where James was going with that whole 'surf' thing yet?
Sunday was amazing. Oh don't get me wrong because it was still difficult; there were trials to overcome, don't misunderstand. But overall, this past Sunday was an amazing feast of righteousness in the presence of the Lord. I was really trying to learn to trust in God. Then Monday came. Satan managed to pick at me through various ways, but how he did it isn't the important thing. The matter is: he got to me. I was bitter, and I felt far away from God. And yet the moment I opened my heart and put my faith fully in Him, I knew His warm embrace was not far.
Faith. When we are firm in our faith we can overcome this whole 'wave theory' and draw nearer to our God. Faith means trust. God was teaching me to trust in Him no matter what's going on. But faith also calls for obedience. My hope is that now all the trust God has called for would be put forth into real, Christian love and action.
Remember Peter. He was sinking in the middle of millions of waves. He lost faith and took his focus off of the Lord. But as soon as he cried out to the Lord to save him, Jesus' hand was pulling him out of the stormy waters.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
In Training...
I started early this year on my speech for Lads to Leaders. I want to make sure to get the message just right. Even though I pray that it would be God's message and not mine, I want to make sure that all of the Word is presented right; that all of the analogies are understandable; that all of the words come from... conviction?
I really believe that the best speakers are ones that are actually and truly convicted of what they are speaking on. Uh oh. As I looked over my speech, I realized that I was speaking on one of the hardest topics I've ever dealt with personally: believing that God will always make a way. I believe He will; I do. But sometimes when the going gets tough, I can tend to forget everything and run for the hills.
Practice what you preach?
It's said that teachers will be judged more harshly than anyone else. I can understand that. If you're teaching the material, you should be applying it to yourself as well. You should be LIVING the curriculum. I realized that the topic of "God making a way" isn't the only thing I've taught on while struggling with either; I have taught on evangelism so much, and yet never seem to get it right myself. I want to serve God with everything I've got; why am I still not getting it right?
No one is above his master or teacher, but he, when he is fully trained, will be like his teacher.
That's amazing! And what better a master and teacher than God and Jesus? Jesus taught, and then He lived it. I'll never be at His level, but I find encouragement in the fact that He is willing to train me. After school sessions, extended day, summer school, the works; God will put in overtime for us to be "conformed to the image of His Son." That's what He called us for in the first place isn't it?
So I'm not perfect. But I'm in training. One degree of glory to another. 'Til we see Him as He is and then become like Him.
I really believe that the best speakers are ones that are actually and truly convicted of what they are speaking on. Uh oh. As I looked over my speech, I realized that I was speaking on one of the hardest topics I've ever dealt with personally: believing that God will always make a way. I believe He will; I do. But sometimes when the going gets tough, I can tend to forget everything and run for the hills.
Practice what you preach?
It's said that teachers will be judged more harshly than anyone else. I can understand that. If you're teaching the material, you should be applying it to yourself as well. You should be LIVING the curriculum. I realized that the topic of "God making a way" isn't the only thing I've taught on while struggling with either; I have taught on evangelism so much, and yet never seem to get it right myself. I want to serve God with everything I've got; why am I still not getting it right?
No one is above his master or teacher, but he, when he is fully trained, will be like his teacher.
That's amazing! And what better a master and teacher than God and Jesus? Jesus taught, and then He lived it. I'll never be at His level, but I find encouragement in the fact that He is willing to train me. After school sessions, extended day, summer school, the works; God will put in overtime for us to be "conformed to the image of His Son." That's what He called us for in the first place isn't it?
So I'm not perfect. But I'm in training. One degree of glory to another. 'Til we see Him as He is and then become like Him.
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