Peace above all else

              When I was younger, Thanksgiving always brought child-like resentment. Here I was with a week off from school and the last thing that I wanted to do was pack my bags drive three hours over 6 mountains to Harrisonburg, VA, where what awaited my elementary eyes was a culture shock. I went from as much of a city as my hometown can be (which is not very much) to farmland, horse and buggies, and cows. Who, I thought, in their right 8-9 year old mind, would want to leave their TV, and Nintendo system, for no entertainment of any kind. (Remember, I was eight and did not know any better). You see, my family on my dad's side are Mennonites, and if you want to go learn more about them, I would suggest Googling them.
               So each Thanksgiving was filled with trips to the homes of distant relatives, conversations (me merely listening) of tractors and things associated with farming, news from the "valley" which encompassed who married who, who moved into who's house, etc. and other things boring to an eight-year-old. Everything culminated on Thanksgiving Day when my aunts, uncles, and their children brought their horse and buggies, bicycles, and few cars to my grandparents and the feast was underway. As family came in I did my best to shake hands, answer any questions about school, and stay as close as I could to my dad. When the blessing was said and a hymn was sung, (in beautiful 4-part harmony I might add) my dad went off with my mom to the "adult" table and I found a spot amongst cousins.
               At that point in time I had little in common with my cousins. We lived different lives and our priorities were different. As we got older, cousins got married, great grandchildren started joining and conversations got easier. Some cousins started incorporating electronics into their lifestyle and that eased my self centered mindset. Along with being selfish, I was very naive with a little of the naivete stemming from my age.
               The past few Thanksgivings have been vastly different. I look forward to going to see my family. The 3 hour drive (which becomes 2 1/2 depending dad's caffeine intake) is an opportunity to talk with my dad. Our conversations are steadily growing deeper, and I am blessed for that. I enjoy the absence of electronics as it allows me to draw closer to God. Ah, God, the first time our Creator hs been mentioned in this blog for purposeful reasons. It was not until the last few years of college and into adult hood that my mindset has changed,  and I have gained an identity now solely in Christ.  This has caused me to notice how God is the center of my family's life. It is evident in the way they live their lives.

              "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

-- Colossians 3: 12-17

"For Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

-- 1 Peter 3:11

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
-- Philippians 4:4-7

Are you catching a theme? 

                   In watching the way my grandmother tirelessly moves through out the house, in hearing the joyful hums from my aunts as they prepare the meal, and in hearing my cousins and uncles speak about getting up and milking cows I am overwhelmed by seeing the peace in their lives. It is the peace in Philippians which "surpasses all understanding" and frees them from any stress or anxiety. It is the "peace of Christ" in Colossians, that rules in their hearts from their daily obedience to the Lord and denial to their earthly bodies. It is the peace that comes from living in reverence to the Lord. Peace the comes from loving all of God's creation here on earth! The list could go on, but, finally, it is the peace that for 21 years I could not see because I only saw what I felt they were "missing," because sin had blinded my eyes and I was transfixed on earthly matters. 

                   To me, these three sets of verses speak about the role peace should play in our lives. It is peace that is given as a gift from God as Christ reigns in our hearts. It smoothes out each of our steps so we are never rushed between places. It comes from faith in our Father and belief in the promises He has made for us. As His children, He has promised to protect us. My grandmother never takes this for granted, but lives everyday knowing her day is given to God and He will provide all she needs for the day. 

                   My grandmother, aunts, and uncles are living examples of Colossians 3: 12-17. They have been "clothed...with garments of salvation" (Isaiah 61:10) and their lives are governed by the Lord. I love them, but I love and praise the Lord even more for blessing me with them. 

Valley of Dry Bones

I came across Ezekiel 37: 1-14 a few weeks ago in a small group study about being born again. Upon reading this set of verses, my heart just sang out to the Lord. What was gathered was that the verses depict life before Christ, when we were dead to sin, vs when Christ enters our lives and we are born again.

              "The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord God, you know." Then he said to me, "Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, " O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you will know that I am the Lord."

               So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath; Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live." So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. 

               The he said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.' Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, I my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord."

Grace be with you! 

"No More My God"

"No more, my God, I boast no more 

Of all the duties I have done;

I quit the hopes I held before, 

To trust the merits of Thy Son.

Now, for the loss I bear His name,

What was my gain I count my loss;

My former pride I call my shame, 

And nail my glory to His cross. 

Yes, and I must and will esteem

All things but loss for Jesus' sake;

O may my soul be found in Him, 

And of His Righteousness partake! 

The best obedience of my hands

Dares not appear before Thy Throne;

But faith can answer Thy demands, 

By pleading what my Lord has done."

-- Isaac Watts

Musically speaking

Here are three songs that have been pertinent to my life recently. 

"Able"

NEEDTOBREATHE

"Like a Lion"

Kristian Stanfill

"Take My Hand"

Shawn McDonald

Warning!

(Back Story) Solomon has succeeded David as king. It says in chapter 3 of 1 Kings that 

"Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statues of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places." The Lord comes to Solomon saying ""Ask what I shall give you." And Solomon said, "You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day... Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?" It pleased the Lord that Solomon asked this." 

Continue reading in the Bible to get full details. 

All seems well with the reign of Solomon underway. Solomon is following the Lord like his father did there is peace in the land, a temple is being built, and there is solid trust in the God ordained wisdom that King Solomon has. Well, now our story turns to a darker side (pun intended, you'll see why), but first let me preface with this:

The title of this post is "warning," which the reason for that name will be given soon. While we look at the part of 1 Kings that I want to examine, I want it to be clear that there is a lot  which can be extracted from this set of scripture, let alone all scripture. What I am choosing to focus on is not the most poignant point, it is what has placed a spark in my mind ultimately resulting in this post. With that said, let's continue. 

We are now in 1 Kings 9, and the Lord says, starting in verse 4, 

"And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statues and my rules, then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying ' You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.' But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children and do not keep my commandments and my statues that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel form the land that I have given them, and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples."

In these verses, I see a promise but also a warning. First, God promises to Solomon that by following the Lord and all that He has commanded, that his line shall always rule over Israel. Then, comes the warning that if Solomon chooses to turn aside from Lord, then Israel will be cut off. 

If we turn to chapter 11, the heading reveals that 'Solomon turns from the Lord.' Essentially, thanks to "700 wives, princesses and 300 concubines," Solomon's heart is "turned away...after other Gods" (v. 4). The Lord becomes angry in verse 9 and says in verse 11 "Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statues that i have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant." The Lord's warning became truth. 

God, with the infinite wisdom He has, knew what would happen to Solomon's heart. Yet, out of His loving nature, He warned Solomon to guard his heart. It makes me think of the own warnings I receive. 

Driving home from a get together at a friend's house one night, this thought was instilled in me that I needed to go straight to bed; that if I found myself on my computer at the late hour that it was, that temptations would lead to a fall; without a doubt. Thankfully, on that particular night, the warning prevented sin and I praise God for that. 

For me, warnings seem to come with a "still, small voice." As my mind wanders it suddenly becomes fixed on a thought that typically involves an action. Whether it is going straight to bed, restraining from a certain TV show, or even choosing the right activity to occupy my time I am always faced with a command. Then comes the moment when I am faced with the choice; i.e. having walked into my apartment at 11:30 PM do I "check facebook" or grab my Bible and head to bed? In the same way, somewhere between chapters 9 and 11 Solomon had a choice; will he continue to add more wives and recognize that he is not keeping the commandments, or recognize the law that he pledged to follow? Somehow, he lost the warning of God, his heart was pulled away from the Lord and the consequences the Lord warned of came to pass. 

Captivated

I came across this song by Shawn McDonald the other day. In listening to it I notice how the artist sings about being captivated by all God has created. He is able to really perceive bits of the nature of God in nature itself.  It makes me think of how on my way to work I am often able to catch a glimpse of the glory of God. Right at the stoplight by my apartment I come face to face with the horizon, on top of a mountain ridge, just passed an airfield. Depending on the weather, I am blessed to see a beautiful sunrise of various shades of reds and blues painting an assortment of cloud formations. It is absolutely stunning and reminds me daily that my Lord is always with me. Naturally, I love the opportunity to sing to my Lord; to glorify His name more. 

When I look into the mountains

I see Your fame

When I look into the night's sky

It sparkles Your name

The wind and the clouds and the blue in the sky

The sun and the moon and the stars so high

That's what draws me to You

I am, I'm captivated by You

In all that You do

I am, I'm captivated

When I wake unto the morning

It gives me Your sight

When I look across the ocean

It echoes Your might

The sand on the shore and the waves in the sea

The air in my lungs and the way You made me

That's what draws me to You

I am, I'm captivated by You

In all that You do

I am, I'm captivated

'Cause I am, I'm captivated by You

In all that You do

I am, I'm captivated

The wind and the clouds and the blue in the sky

The sun and the moon and the stars so high

The sand on the shore and the waves in the sea

The air in my lungs and the way You made me

The blood in my veins and my heart You invade

The plants how they grow and the tree and their shade

The way that I feel and love in my soul

I thank you my God for letting me, letting me know

I am, I'm captivated by You

In all that You do

I am, I'm captivated

'Cause I am, I'm captivated by You

In all that You do

I am, I'm captivated

Band Camp Haze

Ahh band camp, the music teacher's official sign that summer is coming to an end and, in this story, an opportunity for the Lord to teach me. The lesson centers on Colossians 3: 1-17 and I could write it all here for you to read, but how about you go read it! =)


... moments later ...


On the last day of July, I had decided to write some prayer cards for these verses. I am embarking on a praying through scripture journey, and felt led to write down these verses. For me, it served as a good reminder to seek the Lord's strength as we put to death my old self and clothe myself in the new self which is Christ. It also turned out to be the little dagger that I kept with me as I went to go teach.


I knew that I was going to a camp where frustrations would rise. Partially due to disagreements I had, and also because of observations on a few things. So my biggest fear was jeopardizing my walk with Christ. I did not want to say anything that would be slanderous or obscene. I wanted my lips and speech to be pleasing to the Lord. Regardless of the situation I wanted to "seek the things that are above" clothing myself with "humility, meekness, and a compassionate heart." It proved to be a challenge. As with many settings, I found myself surrounded by conversations that my old self would have loved to be a part of. Wether it was a joke here, or gossip there, I found myself on constant alert for what could be deemed impure as opposed to that which glorified Christ. In other moments, I had to stand strong and resist the urge to speak poorly about any person. I had to be quick to say that I was not going to say anything so that the targeted individual was not hurt.

As I reflect, I see moments where there was triumph, but also failure. Even though I remained silent during some conversations, I think the better choice would have been to just leave the room. Also, it's a constant struggle with me in truly defining the line between what glorifies Christ and what does not when it comes to a social setting.

As Christians, we are called to higher standards. I want to wear Christ as my new self instead of the rotting old self that does not please Christ at all. I have to be on guard that while Christ becomes a permanent fixture in my life, I do not wear him falsely. I must portray Christ so much more honorably in all situations.

Gather round the campfire

* This post is old, but because of the spiritual dryness in my life the past few weeks or so, I have just had no inclination to finish it. It comes from a weekend to the southern part of the state for a wedding. It was a wonderful weekend for 4 reasons:


             1) Two wonderful christians came together in the holiness of marriage. The man is a godly man and will lead a wonderfully godly woman. I am very happy for them.


             2) I attended a fantastic Gospel centered church.


             3) I was able to witness a truly Christ centered family where all four members, humbly loved the Lord.


             4) Probably the best one, and the topic for this post was that after the wedding I got to a see  a wonderful example of a community of believers.


A big group of us went over to a friend's house after the wedding. He has a pool, and his wonderful parents opened up their home to allow us to come over and have a pool party of sorts at their place. It started out like most do. Everyone stood around and chatted about general topics, whether it was catching up on how summer was going, getting to finally meet someone after a year of hearing stories, or about the wedding, which we all had come from. All three are your basic ice breakers. Then someone finally made the move to go to the pool and a posse followed. Another person made a break for the food and others followed that way. What was left was the group who simply wanted their conversations to go deeper, so they found their spot in the circle of lawn chairs.


So here you have it: Some were in the pool, some were eating, some were simply talking. There were games of horse, cornhole, and ninja being played and engulfing all of us was a Lecrae CD over the stereo. It sounds like a typical summer pool party and could almost be a little movie-esque. The uniqueness came from where everyone, and I truthfully mean everyone, gravitated towards.


"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. "
                                                                                                                              -- Matthew 6: 19-21


"Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life."
                                                                                                                                  -- Proverbs 4: 23


It all culminated when a campfire was started. By the time evening had set in and the stars had been revealed we had all moved to the campfire where what awaited us was an impromptu worship gathering. We had a djembe and two guitars and between some hymnals and some smartphones we were able to sing praise songs to the Lord.  I think it truly reflected our hearts when we all found our way to the Lord. Even amongst the conversations earlier in the day, one could tell that at the center of everything was Christ. It might have been glorifying Him for what He has done. It might have been as a result of a recently watched sermon. Whatever the case may be, as a community of believers our hearts went to the Lord. I could not have been more blessed to have been a part of a such a wonderful weekend! 

Bulleted Thoughts

So here is what has been captivating my mind in recent weeks. I don't have profound insight into them, I just need to express them. 


             I am not sure how to express this first thought. It might be selfishness, could be related to busyness, might be poor prioritizing, I am not sure. Whatever it may be, I feel that it is correlated between a few ideas. I have been feeling some convictions recently that I haven't allowed myself to be available to people; whether it has been helping someone move, visit a person who has moved away, or even just to do something for someone. This past month especially I feel that I have become self-centered. Instead of allowing myself to be available others, I have been far too concerned with what I need to do... Please pray for me as this becomes a continued journey with Christ. I am sure He will reveal more to me as I continue to seek Him and dwell in Him. 




Contentment
           As is customary with post-college life, friends get jobs and move away. Typically the emotional response with this sort of change is sadness. However, I have felt myself overcome with feelings of excitement for each person. I know that God is at work in each of their lives, which denotes the move, and therefore I am content in Christ. As Paul wrote "Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content." Philippians 4:11. Now while Paul is speaking of his own personal missionary work, I feel the truth applies here. I could be very possessive and be overwhelmed with sadness because they are not going to be close to ME anymore. However, specifically, in the case with brothers and sisters moving away, they have grown to be disciples and are being called by the Lord to new places. I should feel encouraged for them that they are apart of the Lord' "great commission." they are being sent into the world to advance the gospel! 




Ichthus
           I was thinking the other day about the story of the Ichthus, (the little fish that is often a symbol of Christianity) and how during the first century, it was used as a way to denote believers without fear of being persecuted. Since persecutions were high at this point in time, in order for Christians to recognize one another, they would draw the fish. First of all, this has caused me to glorify God that I am able to live in a country where I can freely practice my faith. Secondly, I need to be more open and verbal about my faith. Wherever I go, I need to be sure Christ is what is shines. 




Treasures
           "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." 
                                                                                                                                 -- Matthew 6: 19-21
I had a test on these verses the other day. I was at a stoplight and had reached around to grab a energy bar when sure enough my car went forward and I rear ended the woman in front. It just so happened that she was test driving a used car from a dealership (what are the odds???). She was not injured and she was pleasant about the whole situation. I was not injured, nor was I bothered by the situation. Glory be to God, because my heart was not in having a pristine looking car. My heart was in the Lord, giving praise that I am even able to drive in the first place. 




Grace and peace to you all. 

Relief from the Drought

So the past week and a half, maybe more (feels like forever), have been rather dry for me. I have maintained most of my daily readings and prayer, but it feels so insincere. There has been little to no passion. My fire for Christ has been masked and it has been dreadful. Well, after hearing some encouraging stories from a friend, I knew I needed just an evening with me and Lord. An impromptu worship-fest became the theme in my apartment. Music,  magnifies and enhances my time with the Lord, especially when I just need to cry out! I often do it best through melodies. Well today, or rather tonight, but it all depends on when you read this, I bring you the three mains songs that really helped me find a drink from the Lord who is "living water. "


Uno:

Dos: 

Tres: 

GO JESUS!

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

I have been singing this song a lot recently and it is quickly becoming one of my favorite hymns. In reading the worlds and trying to decipher a meaning, I really see three ideas being weaved together. 


1) A longing to be in Heaven. 
2) Being pursued, and then bound to Christ. 
3) Our Earthly Bodies vs Spiritual Bodies. 

"Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,

Prone to leave the God I love;

Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,

Seal it for Thy courts above."

This is definitely my favorite part of the hymn. It speaks so true to our natural tendencies to follow our own path. Especially coming off of a "spiritual high," we selfishly try and face the world without acknowledging our Lord. This only leads to despair. I love the plea at the end asking the Lord to keep our hearts in Heaven to avoid the frailty of this world. 

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,

Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;

Streams of mercy, never ceasing,

Call for songs of loudest praise.

Teach me some melodious sonnet,

Sung by flaming tongues above.

Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,

Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,

Till released from flesh and sin,

Yet from what I do inherit,

Here Thy praises I’ll begin;

Here I raise my Ebenezer;

Here by Thy great help I’ve come;

And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,

Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,

Wandering from the fold of God;

He, to rescue me from danger,

Interposed His precious blood;

How His kindness yet pursues me

Mortal tongue can never tell,

Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me

I cannot proclaim it well.

O to grace how great a debtor

Daily I’m constrained to be!

Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,

Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,

Prone to leave the God I love;

Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,

Seal it for Thy courts above.

O that day when freed from sinning,

I shall see Thy lovely face;

Clothed then in blood washed linen

How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;

Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,

Take my ransomed soul away;

Send thine angels now to carry

Me to realms of endless day.

Steadfast Progression

Two verses today:

"For God is working in you the desire and the power to do what pleases him."

-- Philipians 2:13

"Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land."

--  Exodus 23:30

*Note: For some excellent commentary on the Exodus verse, visit the blog my friend Dan and his wife Jess  have. It's pretty sweet. 

Now I am just going to be completely open here. I used struggle a lot with lust. I still have my battles with it, but nothing compared to where I once was. I used to be addicted to it in a sense where my mind just felt permanently trapped with thoughts, images, etc. Glory be to our God for what he has done in my life to continue to win me over from this horrid stronghold Satan thinks he has on me. I often hear stories of how people have seemingly overcome an addiction or an idol in one night's sleep and I desperately wanted that. Then I came across the pair of verses and realized the lesson the Lord is teaching me. 

To me, both verses have a theme of progression. They speak about how the Lord, over time, does all things for His glory. 

In his post, Dan writes: "God doesn't drive all of our sin out the moment we become bound for the promised land and saved into the kingdom of God."

I have noticed in the past few battles that they are stronger and more persistent, but I have also recognized how the Lord is filling me with more and more strength. If the intensity of these battles were present maybe a few months ago, I would not have been able to stand as strongly in the Lord as I am today. "Little by little" with each battle, the Lord has sharpened me a little more. Maybe my resistance has lasted longer, I am quicker to avoid certain situations etc. God is working in me, this power to resist. 

A year or so ago if I would have woken up completely rid of all this sin, I probably would not have acknowledged that it was the Lord's doing. I would have gone on living without lifting a single praise. Now, the Lord is increasing my reliance on Him. Dan said it best with, "he takes time in sanctifying us to the point where we realize that we must be absolutely dependent on Him for everything." I am only stronger because of my Lord. Without him, I would be swallowed up by all this evil. 

One final point that is only the start of a further discussion, but these battles remind me of my desperate need for Jesus. The Lord knew I was going to need an atonement for my sins, he knows the future battles that I am going to need a savior for. What a wonderful God we have who already gave us this savior! It's Jesus! 

Mighty Creator

On Saturday, I took a day trip to a cousin's wedding in Virginia. The wedding was wonderful, minus the switch from an outside wedding to an indoor one because of rain. My uncle gave a great meditation on the importance of having a Christ centered marriage, and the food was excellent! When we were driving home that evening, we took a different route than normal because of our location. The drive turned out to be a huge blessing because of the scenery. 


For about the first hour and a half of the trip I found myself driving in a valley with mountains on either side of me. Fog was scattered on mountaintops and the whole view was just breathtaking. I could not help but find so much peace from the Lord. Coming off of a week where I have been struggling with a few things, seeing these mountains tower over me, brought a sense of security. I also knew that the security could only be found in Christ. Naturally I found myself praying a lot to the Lord during this time and mainly just glorifying His name. 


The view was similar to this picture courtesy of google images:

Philippians

"I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put her for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. what then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice."

-- Philippians 1:12-18 (ESV)

Question: Why does a "loving" God allow "terrible" things to happen to His "children?"

The previous question popped into mind upon reading the verses in Philippians. These are just some thoughts on the two.  

Paul experienced a lot in His journey proclaiming God's truth. He suffered from imprisonments, beatings, etc. Yet, His faith is solid as we know from 2 Corinthians 4:17 (ESV)

"For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison." 

 Paul, in verse 12 of Philippians 1,  gives his understanding for why he has faced what he has faced. He says it is for the advancement of the Gospel. It showed that there was no hindrance in spreading salvation. It also showed his faith in trusting that Lord will always take care of him, and it also proved his allegiance. He did not give in to his sufferings. He stayed bold in his faith preaching truth. 

So in our own lives I can view a few possible reasons for sufferings:

1. Tests of faith.  How are we going to respond when faced with a challenge? Will we rely on the Lord for strength, guidance, everything, or will we turn to worldly things that have no value?
2. Proof. I feel that some experiences serve as reminders that the things in this world are only temporary. We are in need of something greater. The greater being a savior, our Lord. 
3. Advancement. What we experience can be used to glorify God even more! It can open opportunities to share the Gospel with others who are experiencing the same battles. 

Hillsong United - Awakening

"Let your will be done, Lord let your will be done in me!"

This song comes from the newest Hillsong CD, which has been in my car for a few weeks now. It has sort of been an anthem in my life currently, just in dealing with a few things I have really felt my heart cry out to the Lord when I am immersed in this song!

Enjoy!

Prayer Journey

I know I am not alone in saying that praying can be a challenge, because of a lack of focus. Especially when I pray before bed, I often find my mind wandering, my head nodding, or just a sense of emptiness with what to pray for. So I prayed about it. What follows is my current journey. One thing that I do at the beginning, thanks to the suggestion from a friend, is I adore God. Also, as they come, I do mix in specific prayers for things at the end. The focus however is what is bulleted. 

• Monday: The World: 
• The Gospel
• Missionaries
• Turmoil
• Devastation

• Tuesday: Our Nation:
• The Gospel
• President and Administration
• Economy
• Devastation/Turmoil

• Wednesday: My City:
• The Gospel
• Mayor and Administration
• WVU 

• Thursday: My Church
• The Gospel
• Leaders
• BCM
• Church body

• Friday: "Family"
• Brothers and Sisters in Christ
• Growth
• Fellowship/Community
• Specific Requests

• Saturday: Salvation
• Loved Ones
• Specific Requests

• Sunday: Reflection 
• How God has worked in my life this week. 

Note: This is definitely, in way, shape, or form, a "end all" ways to pray. It's merely just want I have worked out as a way to focus my thoughts while I pray. I wanted to share it. Ultimately it boils down to having correct intentions and just praying to the Lord. 

Nowhere to hide

In the perpetual story that is "adventures in subbing," I bring you this chapter:

There was a bag of spearmints on my desk and during class two students asked if they could have some. I had to tell them no because if they got one the entire class would have wanted one, and I didn't have enough to be generous. Plus, they were not mine. Now, as the class was leaving, I heard a distinct noise that told me one thing: people were getting into the mints! I walked over to the desk, and sure enough the two students were trying to steal some. I was very disappointed in them, and they knew it. So I walked down the hall to inform their teacher that a disciplinary action was going to be taken for trying to steal. As I walked out of the room the two students were standing huddled together not wanting to face their teacher, or me. They were trying to hide from the mistake they made, and were scared of a punishment. 

In Psalm 139 (ESV), David writes: 

"Where shall I go from your Spririt? Or where shall I flee from your presence?

If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!

If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

even there your hand shall lead me, and your right had shall hold me." 

v. 7 - 10

When we sin a natural tendency comes out that we should just try and hide, or tread very cautiously until we feel it is safe. Why? Probably because we are like the two students. We feel that when we have sinned we have in some way blind sided the Lord. Again, how foolish we are! David wrote it best with: 

"If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!"

v. 8

"You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar."

v. 2

"Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether."

v. 4

Our Lord is omnipotent and omnipresent. We cannot hide. If we would try, He already knows where we would go! When we have sinned, we need to  accept our weakness, and pray for forgiveness and deliverance. We also need to accept our desperate need for the savior, Jesus Christ!

Man Gave Name To All The Animals

So I have recently started a read the bible in a year plan. It has the mornings dedicated to the NT and the evenings dedicated to the OT. Upon reading through the story of creation and the creation of Adam, I came across this forgotten song on my iTunes account. This is just a cool way to put into words Genesis 2: 20: 

"The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field."

(ESV)

Happy Listening!

2 Timothy

Just some scripture to share today:

"If we have died with him, we will also live with him; 

if we endure, we will also reign with him; 

if we deny him, he also will deny us; 

if we are faithless he remains faithful

for he cannot deny himself."

-- 2 Timothy 2: 11-13 (ESV)

Shawn McDonald - Pride

I absolutely love the way the Lord can take a song that you have been listening to for a while, and bring new life to it and speak to your heart through it. I have had Shawn McDonald's "Scattered Pieces (live)" CD in my car recently, and while my repeat button has been tuned to another song, this one really got to me today. It strikes me the way he is singing to pride, and hate and in essence, struggles in his life that really way him down. He is saying good riddance to it that he no longer needs to trapped underneath such meaningless things. I am not sure if I agree with the line "I can do this all on my own," because from my standpoint the only way I can do ANYTHING is through Christ. However, I think it may be a matter of interpretation. Don't watch the video, it's corny and filled with pictures. Do listen to his voice though. Listen to how he unashamedly cries out that he is done with these struggles! 

Victory!

I hope you all had a wonderful Resurrection Sunday! Over the past few days, I have attended a few services centered around Christ's birth, death, and resurrection. There are two things that I want share based on what the Lord spoke through those pastors. 


Número Uno: I bring to you verses that were used during our Easter Service. 

"But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if

Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For is the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in yours sings. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of al people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep"

-- 1 Corinthians 15: 12-20 (ESV)

One thing that was very poignant with this sermon was the importance of the resurrection. Christ was born free of sin. He became sin, endured the wrath of God, and died because of that sin. He conquered sin, by being raised from the dead! In the same way that a raised flag denotes victory, our risen savior denotes a victory over sin! Here is some paraphrasing of a John MacArthur quote that was used:

"If Christ did not raise from the dead, then sin conquered Christ and still reigns over us. Nothing was brought. No hope, no salvation, no forgiveness, nothing."

"O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?"

-- 1 Corinth 15: 55 (ESV)

It's gone! Christ won! He was raised from the dead! There is our hope, our future, our everything! He's no longer in the burial chamber, he lives in us! He walks with us! He's CHRIST! 

"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

-- 1 Corinth 15: 57 (ESV)

Número dos: Basically some food for thought. I encourage you to meditate and pray over this. 

                      They are inspired by a service centered around the last supper and "doing this in remembrance of me (Jesus)"

1. What does the cross mean to you?

     2.  What has Christ conquered for you? 

     3.  What sin has Christ's blood washed over for you?

     4.  What sin in your life caused Jesus' body to be broken?

     5.  What has the Lord blessed you with? Family? Friends? 

Rejoice in the Lord! Rejoice for the greatest sacrifice made out of love for us! Every time we partake in communion we must remember not only why Christ had to die for us, but what we have been given as well!