Do I love him? Sure. Enough to obey what he commands?
I think about my life ten years from now, what I want my family to be like, the kind of mother I want to be. After I put the kids to bed will I tune in to the latest TV series to "relieve" a day of stress? Or will I get a cup of tea, sit back, and read a book? Will my husband and I talk and pray together or will we be too distracted by the 10 o'clock news? Oh how desperately I want to find my rest in God alone.
Honestly, this thirst for entertainment, the perceived need for distraction, was my biggest stumbling block overseas. I should have been on my knees praying for those to whom I came to share the good news. Instead, I was watching the latest Heroes episode. Why this apathy? Why this careless disregard? It's because I'm afraid. I'm afraid if i turn off all the noise God will show me who he is, and how awful I am in comparison. If I take out the headphones and turn off the TV I will know that He is God. And He is a jealous God at that. He doesn't want half-hearted church attendance and once a week evangelism outings, but a "generous slave" (Mother Teresa) to his will.
Following Jesus is costly.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
"Little Christs"
"7The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. 8Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling." - 1 Peter 4:7-9
I just realized last night that most of my love is conditional. I'm perfectly willing to love someone as long as they realize that I'm chosing to love them. How un-Christ-like is that??
Anyway, this article is good...http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god_article.php?id=7449
I just realized last night that most of my love is conditional. I'm perfectly willing to love someone as long as they realize that I'm chosing to love them. How un-Christ-like is that??
Anyway, this article is good...http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god_article.php?id=7449
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Seducing God
It's quite sad, really, how foolish we humans are. We are nothing. God is all. And still we think that we can earn his love.
Like the prostitute in Proverbs 7, the Church dresses herself up to go out and meet God. She puts on her loud worship services, large attendance numbers, and funny sermons. She puts it on display and cries out to God, come and see what we have done.
The worst part is that we're trying to seduce a God who can not be seduced. We offer him our petty "good deeds" and promises to serve him in the hope that he'll bless us more. We go to great lengths of self-sacrifice just in the hope that somehow for our works God will give us more.
Don't you see? The only way we can even kiss Jesus' feet is through his blood. Who gave us the ability to sing worship songs? Who brings the lost to the church? Who anoints the pastors and leaders? Is it not God, who is in Heaven? From him, to him, and through him are all things.
To see another example of this you don't have to look far. Are you single? Do you ever think that maybe if you become more diligent God will bless you with a relationship? Or if you just give up the desire to get married that God will in turn give you marriage? Oh please know that we do not serve a cause and effect God. Nothing we can do will ever cause God to turn his head. He is already in love with you. He longs to give you the best He has. Will you believe that God's eternal happiness is truly what your heart desires?
Oh God, forgive us for thinking that we can earn your blessing. It is only through your great mercy that we can even approach your throne. Please pour out your love on us. We need you. Without you we are nothing, destitute, and alone. Show us who you are.
"He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God"
Micah 6:8
Like the prostitute in Proverbs 7, the Church dresses herself up to go out and meet God. She puts on her loud worship services, large attendance numbers, and funny sermons. She puts it on display and cries out to God, come and see what we have done.
The worst part is that we're trying to seduce a God who can not be seduced. We offer him our petty "good deeds" and promises to serve him in the hope that he'll bless us more. We go to great lengths of self-sacrifice just in the hope that somehow for our works God will give us more.
Don't you see? The only way we can even kiss Jesus' feet is through his blood. Who gave us the ability to sing worship songs? Who brings the lost to the church? Who anoints the pastors and leaders? Is it not God, who is in Heaven? From him, to him, and through him are all things.
To see another example of this you don't have to look far. Are you single? Do you ever think that maybe if you become more diligent God will bless you with a relationship? Or if you just give up the desire to get married that God will in turn give you marriage? Oh please know that we do not serve a cause and effect God. Nothing we can do will ever cause God to turn his head. He is already in love with you. He longs to give you the best He has. Will you believe that God's eternal happiness is truly what your heart desires?
Oh God, forgive us for thinking that we can earn your blessing. It is only through your great mercy that we can even approach your throne. Please pour out your love on us. We need you. Without you we are nothing, destitute, and alone. Show us who you are.
"He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God"
Micah 6:8
Friday, October 12, 2007
Believing Lies
What lies are you believing? John 8:44 says, "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies."
Here are a few of the ones that I find myself believing:
-God doesn't really want to give me the desires of my heart (Psalms 37:4)
-God's gifts here on earth will be better than his heavenly gifts (Psalms 16:10-11)
-That I am still a slave to my worldly sin (Galatians 2:20)
Here are a few of the ones that I find myself believing:
-God doesn't really want to give me the desires of my heart (Psalms 37:4)
-God's gifts here on earth will be better than his heavenly gifts (Psalms 16:10-11)
-That I am still a slave to my worldly sin (Galatians 2:20)
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
What are you doing?
As American Christians we have all sorts of definitions of what it takes to be a "good Christian." In TSC being a "good Christian" usually includes activities such as: accountability partners, daily devotions, church attendence, a floor Bible study, and Monday morning prayer(if you're REALLY holy). We're serious about sanctification and every once in a while we even fast.
That's sweet. God is working here. Still I think we're missing a huge part of the gospel. Prayer is key. It is good and right to come before our Father in prayer. To be asking him to do big things on this campus. But what are we doing about it? Religion He considers as pure and faultless is, "to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. " (James 1:27)
He also says in Isaiah, "If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. " (Isaiah 58:9b-11)
Both of these passages talk about sanctification and about service. We need to get rid of the accusations and slander and help the poor. Then God will hear us. This is the type of fasting he desires. (Isaiah 58) He doesn't care about our acts of righteousness that we do before men. He wants us to follow in his footsteps.
Jesus himself, "did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!"
Okay, so we should be servants, right. We should also help poor people and stuff like that. That's all good, but aren't we as students the poorest people around? And we're supposed to be studying. I mean, that's what we're going to school for.
Yes, but I desperately want to be a, "well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." (Isaiah 58:11) And to receive the Lord's blessing in that way He says to spend myself for the sake of the hungry and opressed.
Do you see the poor and the hungry that are around you everyday? Do you see the janitor that cleans your bathroom? Do you see the International student who cries herself to sleep every night because she misses her family? What about the kid who always sits by himself in your class? They may not be poor in the traditional sense, but they are in need of our Savior.
Well, Jill needs her computer back....so in conclusion I guess just love people. Help the poor. Habitat has a bunch of build days starting in November. On October 6th and 13th a bunch of people are also going to help work on the Butterfly Freedom House which is for women who just got out of jail. Birthright is also always looking for volunteers. God bless.
That's sweet. God is working here. Still I think we're missing a huge part of the gospel. Prayer is key. It is good and right to come before our Father in prayer. To be asking him to do big things on this campus. But what are we doing about it? Religion He considers as pure and faultless is, "to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. " (James 1:27)
He also says in Isaiah, "If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. " (Isaiah 58:9b-11)
Both of these passages talk about sanctification and about service. We need to get rid of the accusations and slander and help the poor. Then God will hear us. This is the type of fasting he desires. (Isaiah 58) He doesn't care about our acts of righteousness that we do before men. He wants us to follow in his footsteps.
Jesus himself, "did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!"
Okay, so we should be servants, right. We should also help poor people and stuff like that. That's all good, but aren't we as students the poorest people around? And we're supposed to be studying. I mean, that's what we're going to school for.
Yes, but I desperately want to be a, "well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." (Isaiah 58:11) And to receive the Lord's blessing in that way He says to spend myself for the sake of the hungry and opressed.
Do you see the poor and the hungry that are around you everyday? Do you see the janitor that cleans your bathroom? Do you see the International student who cries herself to sleep every night because she misses her family? What about the kid who always sits by himself in your class? They may not be poor in the traditional sense, but they are in need of our Savior.
Well, Jill needs her computer back....so in conclusion I guess just love people. Help the poor. Habitat has a bunch of build days starting in November. On October 6th and 13th a bunch of people are also going to help work on the Butterfly Freedom House which is for women who just got out of jail. Birthright is also always looking for volunteers. God bless.
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