What is it about us as human beings that make us think we deserve something? Is it not interesting how much of a "deserving mentality" we can possess without even knowing about it? We often throw around the phrase "they deserve it" whether it is in regards to something that has happened that is either good or bad. I catch myself thinking that I deserve things because of a time I was "obedient" to God. And yet when I sit back and think about it, what I deserve I did not get. What I got was what I did not deserve... and this is a beautiful thing.
Instead of getting what we deserve, the wrath of God, He gave us the undeserved: His grace and mercy. He poured out his love for us by pouring out his wrath on Jesus. He has filled us with the love of his spirit in choosing to follow Christ Jesus as Lord. We are not saved because of anything we do that is considered good or because of anything that anybody else has done for us... whether we deserved it or not. We are saved because God is merciful and loves us with a love so deep we will never find the bottom of that ocean. No matter how hard we search, God's love for us is deeper and goes much further than anything known to us.
----------------------------------
"At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone."
~*Titus 3:3-8 (NLT)*~
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Processing...
So yesterday was a joyful day; a happy day to say the least. A day filled with courage and excitement. Yesterday I was baptized... yet another step along my journey in a life with Christ. It was a beautiful day!! Yet, I find my heart aching. Where do I even begin to process everything that happened in the past forty-eight hours? How do I process all of the excitement mixed with some hurt and confusion? Where do I begin to process the life giving words and stories mixed with the emotions of words not meant for piercing but that still cut the surface enough to bleed a bit? How do I process the emotions of the ones who were present to join in a beautiful day mixed with the sadness of those who were not there but that I wanted to take part? How do I do that? Sitting here I wonder... I wonder how something so simple can become so difficult sometimes. I wonder how something so joyful, a time filled with excitement and happiness can still be filled with hurt and the flowing tears associated with it. And then I receive a message from a friend... a friend who has always been willing to listen and comfort and offer some advice. It is a message from a friend who has been with me through it all and that kept me going even in the toughest times... telling me how proud she is of me and how much she loves me. And the last line of the message "...a butterfly cannot fly unless it has first struggled out of the cocoon." And God has shown his face in the dark once again and I remember how much He truly loves me=)
Friday, May 27, 2011
Ephesians 2:8-10
"For it is by grace... gift of God... not by works... no one may boast."
I have had the luxury of being "graced" by the presence of arrogance. I have been around and know many people with egos larger than they can handle. Let's face it, I have an ego and with it I carry pride. Sometimes when I do something right or better than somebody, I dive head first into my pool of pride. I may not verbally brag but in my head my ego is doing a little victory dance. This happens more in my earthly accomplishments than in my faith walk. Nevertheless I slip and fall into a prideful state of mind in all areas at times, including spiritually. We all do. I have a habit of trying to prove myself to everybody. I grew up with four brothers so everything naturally becomes a competition. I also have a habit of falling into a "works-based" mentality in my faith at times. And my ego and pride swell to unmanageable proportions.
Works are not the way to heaven. They are not the way to happiness, eternal life, and a relationship with Christ. Works alone will not save us. Often, we need to take a step back and reevaluate our spiritual life and reexamine our faith and where it is focused. Is it focused on our works, on making others happy, thinking that puts us in a higher position for Heaven? Or do we dwell in the truth that it is because of God's loving grace and mercy that he gave us the gateway to heaven when, instead he should have chained and dead-bolted the gates? Think about it. What opened the gates? Our only way to the Father is through Christ alone. Jesus opened the gates of Heaven by enduring pain for us on the cross. We cannot do what has already been done. We surely cannot clear the path of eternal life by ourselves. Our faith in His grace is where it is at. Our faith in the fact that he loves us and wants relationship with us. We are, after all, God's workmanship, his masterpiece. The grace given by God molds our faith into the masterpiece that God wants it to be.
Everything is done and we are alive because of God's grace. We cannot work our way into favor with God. We cannot work our way to heaven. We cannot make ourselves right with God. Humbling is it not? We only have to believe and follow. We are the lost little sheep who need our shepherd. He is calling us. We only have to believe and follow!!! The work was done through the blood on the cross. The cross is what unlocked the gates, the blood washed clean the path, and Christ opened our road into eternal life!!
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"God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."
~*Ephesians 2:8-10 (NLT)*~
I have had the luxury of being "graced" by the presence of arrogance. I have been around and know many people with egos larger than they can handle. Let's face it, I have an ego and with it I carry pride. Sometimes when I do something right or better than somebody, I dive head first into my pool of pride. I may not verbally brag but in my head my ego is doing a little victory dance. This happens more in my earthly accomplishments than in my faith walk. Nevertheless I slip and fall into a prideful state of mind in all areas at times, including spiritually. We all do. I have a habit of trying to prove myself to everybody. I grew up with four brothers so everything naturally becomes a competition. I also have a habit of falling into a "works-based" mentality in my faith at times. And my ego and pride swell to unmanageable proportions.
Works are not the way to heaven. They are not the way to happiness, eternal life, and a relationship with Christ. Works alone will not save us. Often, we need to take a step back and reevaluate our spiritual life and reexamine our faith and where it is focused. Is it focused on our works, on making others happy, thinking that puts us in a higher position for Heaven? Or do we dwell in the truth that it is because of God's loving grace and mercy that he gave us the gateway to heaven when, instead he should have chained and dead-bolted the gates? Think about it. What opened the gates? Our only way to the Father is through Christ alone. Jesus opened the gates of Heaven by enduring pain for us on the cross. We cannot do what has already been done. We surely cannot clear the path of eternal life by ourselves. Our faith in His grace is where it is at. Our faith in the fact that he loves us and wants relationship with us. We are, after all, God's workmanship, his masterpiece. The grace given by God molds our faith into the masterpiece that God wants it to be.
Everything is done and we are alive because of God's grace. We cannot work our way into favor with God. We cannot work our way to heaven. We cannot make ourselves right with God. Humbling is it not? We only have to believe and follow. We are the lost little sheep who need our shepherd. He is calling us. We only have to believe and follow!!! The work was done through the blood on the cross. The cross is what unlocked the gates, the blood washed clean the path, and Christ opened our road into eternal life!!
------------------------------------
"God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."
~*Ephesians 2:8-10 (NLT)*~
Thursday, May 26, 2011
1 Peter 3:18
Who are the "sufferers" in our society? Generally my first thought of INFLICTED pain are those serving jail time, those we have perceived to have done some wrong to place them there. I feel like we kind of live in a bubble in America. As Christians, we generally aren't publically, physically beaten although we often face verbal persecution. (Now that bubble could come from the threat of jail time for beating others or the fact that we are protected because of the right to freedom of religion, the fact that our nation was built on Biblical principles... or all of the above). I have said this to people before but I also feel like I live in a bubble in Manhattan with so many wonderful people around me. Everywhere I turn or go, there is a believer: my doctor, my dentist, significant people at my job, the ever cheerful and always smiling lady at the grocery store. This perspective of living in a bubble comes from a comparison of my life versus another life.
I have recently finished reading the book "The Heavenly Man" and I was floored. I HIGHLY recommend it to anybody. Here is a Chinese Brother living life for good and doing good according to a Christian perspective. He is living a life with an amazing heart for Jesus. What is humbling to me about his life is the physical pain he endures for the work of our Lord. We may be verbally taunted, "tortured", or abused here. This Brother is beaten to the point that he should have been dead, not just once, but many times. And yet, his heart and his work stay focused on the glory of our Heavenly Father.
Man can inflict so much pain on us, whether that is verbal or physical pain. I often find myself holding my tongue, afraid to speak up about my faith at times. I am preparing to be baptized in a few days. I will be in a church, with people who love Jesus... and I am nervous to share a story about how Christ can change a hardened heart. Where is my heart in that fear? I can tell you it is not on bringing glory to our Father but instead on me and how I feel.
A change of focus: what do we "praise" people for in society? People often receive praise for "doing good", giving money, building a business, remodeling a home, rebuilding a city, and these are not bad things. People receive praise for whatever we think should receive praise, such as winning a sporting event or a national or world championship. We are so quick to praise those actions, but in my own life I am so slow to respond to the grace of God. Why is that?
We have examples of good as defined in the Bible living in our world today. We see those and read about those persecuted for Christ. We have access to books and testimonies such as "The Heavenly Man" and "Tortured for Christ". Those are luxuries according to those who are not ALLOWED to have such material. (Share them). Share in the suffering. Most importantly, share in the suffering of Christ. Let us not lose sight of the fact that He came, suffered, and died for the people who hated and rejected him.
We have no need to fear man. Regardless of what another person says to us, about us, or what they do to us, that does not affect how God sees us. He still has possession of our hearts and he loves us all the same. Remember that when Christ died a bodily death, it only made his spirit come alive!! He died once for my sin. He was perfection dying for imperfection, pure suffering for the unclean. God sent the most amazing, best gift to save us: His Son. What Christ has already done for us, cannot be undone by anything or anybody. Let's celebrate that Christ has already won!!!
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"Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for the sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit."
~*1 Peter 3:18 (NLT)*~
I have recently finished reading the book "The Heavenly Man" and I was floored. I HIGHLY recommend it to anybody. Here is a Chinese Brother living life for good and doing good according to a Christian perspective. He is living a life with an amazing heart for Jesus. What is humbling to me about his life is the physical pain he endures for the work of our Lord. We may be verbally taunted, "tortured", or abused here. This Brother is beaten to the point that he should have been dead, not just once, but many times. And yet, his heart and his work stay focused on the glory of our Heavenly Father.
Man can inflict so much pain on us, whether that is verbal or physical pain. I often find myself holding my tongue, afraid to speak up about my faith at times. I am preparing to be baptized in a few days. I will be in a church, with people who love Jesus... and I am nervous to share a story about how Christ can change a hardened heart. Where is my heart in that fear? I can tell you it is not on bringing glory to our Father but instead on me and how I feel.
A change of focus: what do we "praise" people for in society? People often receive praise for "doing good", giving money, building a business, remodeling a home, rebuilding a city, and these are not bad things. People receive praise for whatever we think should receive praise, such as winning a sporting event or a national or world championship. We are so quick to praise those actions, but in my own life I am so slow to respond to the grace of God. Why is that?
We have examples of good as defined in the Bible living in our world today. We see those and read about those persecuted for Christ. We have access to books and testimonies such as "The Heavenly Man" and "Tortured for Christ". Those are luxuries according to those who are not ALLOWED to have such material. (Share them). Share in the suffering. Most importantly, share in the suffering of Christ. Let us not lose sight of the fact that He came, suffered, and died for the people who hated and rejected him.
We have no need to fear man. Regardless of what another person says to us, about us, or what they do to us, that does not affect how God sees us. He still has possession of our hearts and he loves us all the same. Remember that when Christ died a bodily death, it only made his spirit come alive!! He died once for my sin. He was perfection dying for imperfection, pure suffering for the unclean. God sent the most amazing, best gift to save us: His Son. What Christ has already done for us, cannot be undone by anything or anybody. Let's celebrate that Christ has already won!!!
---------------------------
"Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for the sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit."
~*1 Peter 3:18 (NLT)*~
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Romans 5:6-11
Question: Is there somebody in your life that you would die for? Think about it some. I must confess that I use the phrase "love to death" for people often. Truth is, if "death" showed its face, would I love that somebody enough to die for them? If I would, it is probably because I love that person, have a relationship with them, and because they have loved me. For the most part we all know how to love. Most of us have experienced love in one form or another.
I have another confession to make: I have never sat and read Romans 5:1-11 until this morning. That passage gave me chills and put me in a place similar to a drunken stupor. It is an incredible passage. Since I had never read it, I have never reflected on it. I am sure it is written elsewhere in the Bible, but for some reason this passage just hit me. The true scene of love was painted. The truth about love was laid out in front of me. It is the definition of love. It is another beautiful picture of just how much God loves us.
I have felt unloved by others before. I have been rejected by some of the very people I have considered friends. They never physically beat me or harmed me. They did their damage verbally and mentally. Through experiences in my life, I have been shown what love is NOT. Did I deserve it? Maybe, maybe not. Would I die for the very people who did that to me? I wish I could say yes but the answer is probably not. I definitely would not have wanted to while they were making me feel miserable. It has been hard enough to forgive them for making me feel so low in life. Yes, the "F" word: Forgive.
That is our weakness as earthly, fleshly beings. We cannot even get along with each other or forgive one another. And yet, Jesus died for us. Some of us would have a hard time taking a bullet for the ones we truly, deeply love. Yet Jesus took a cross for the very people who nailed him to the tree. Jesus died for us, sinners, the ones who mocked him, spit in his face, and beat him not only verbally but physically. Often, we tend to ignore him or do not really want to listen but do it anyways. Did he deserve any of it? NO!!! Jesus was, is, and always will be perfect!!! Did we then and do we now deserve it? I am going to say yes to this. We are the sinners after all. But Jesus came. God loved us so much that he poured out his anger and wrath for us onto the perfect sacrifice: His beloved son. Celebrate the fact that we have our Savior and he shows the meaning of true love. If you need a reminder, just reflect on the outstretched arms of our Lord on the wonderful, blood-stained cross.
Yes. He loves us that much.
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"When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God."
~*Romans 5:6-11 (NLT)*~
I have another confession to make: I have never sat and read Romans 5:1-11 until this morning. That passage gave me chills and put me in a place similar to a drunken stupor. It is an incredible passage. Since I had never read it, I have never reflected on it. I am sure it is written elsewhere in the Bible, but for some reason this passage just hit me. The true scene of love was painted. The truth about love was laid out in front of me. It is the definition of love. It is another beautiful picture of just how much God loves us.
I have felt unloved by others before. I have been rejected by some of the very people I have considered friends. They never physically beat me or harmed me. They did their damage verbally and mentally. Through experiences in my life, I have been shown what love is NOT. Did I deserve it? Maybe, maybe not. Would I die for the very people who did that to me? I wish I could say yes but the answer is probably not. I definitely would not have wanted to while they were making me feel miserable. It has been hard enough to forgive them for making me feel so low in life. Yes, the "F" word: Forgive.
That is our weakness as earthly, fleshly beings. We cannot even get along with each other or forgive one another. And yet, Jesus died for us. Some of us would have a hard time taking a bullet for the ones we truly, deeply love. Yet Jesus took a cross for the very people who nailed him to the tree. Jesus died for us, sinners, the ones who mocked him, spit in his face, and beat him not only verbally but physically. Often, we tend to ignore him or do not really want to listen but do it anyways. Did he deserve any of it? NO!!! Jesus was, is, and always will be perfect!!! Did we then and do we now deserve it? I am going to say yes to this. We are the sinners after all. But Jesus came. God loved us so much that he poured out his anger and wrath for us onto the perfect sacrifice: His beloved son. Celebrate the fact that we have our Savior and he shows the meaning of true love. If you need a reminder, just reflect on the outstretched arms of our Lord on the wonderful, blood-stained cross.
Yes. He loves us that much.
--------------------------------------
"When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God."
~*Romans 5:6-11 (NLT)*~
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Hebrews 9:27-28
So, I just want to let you know that when I write it is literally only the thoughts going through my head. If my thoughts seem a bit random, it is because they really are (welcome to a life in the brain of Sharina). Today was a bit out of the ordinary for the most part as the passage I read this morning had to do with sacrifices, death, and judgment. Strange way to start the day thinking of death and judgment day. But seriously, what if I were to die today?
What if you died today... or tomorrow? I'm not predicting the Rapture, but what if the world would end tomorrow? The "end" has come up multiple times as of late in devotionals, books, the Scripture reading for the day, and of course the Rapture that did not happen on May 21, 2011. My question: am I ready? Are you ready? Are we prepared for judgment day? Am I prepared to meet my maker, to spend the rest of eternity in Heaven? I would LOVE to answer yes but the truth is, I am a selfish person and do not feel the need to die any time soon. Am I ready in the Judge's eyes?
Another thought: Isn't it a wonderful thing that Jesus shed his blood for us? The Old Testament talks about the "holy places" being "purified" with the blood of a sacrifice. There are quite a few reasons why they did this, but you'll have to read the Old Testament to find out the reasons. What I'm getting at is this: Isn't it wonderful that Jesus is that sacrifice for us? He came and shed his blood once for all. No more sacrificing animals and purifying with blood because Jesus did that for us!!! He was the ultimate sacrifice!!! He has done it. He is the purification and the cleansing for our sins. That is truth we can count on. We can count on that until the day when life as we know it ceases. Even if I feel like I am not ready to die, the only one who truly knows sits on the throne of Heaven. God is my judge. The wrath of God, his judgment, was poured out in the perfect sacrifice on the cross. What a wonderful truth!!! Now the question is, what more can I do to become ready?
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"And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him."
~*Hebrews 9:27-28*~
What if you died today... or tomorrow? I'm not predicting the Rapture, but what if the world would end tomorrow? The "end" has come up multiple times as of late in devotionals, books, the Scripture reading for the day, and of course the Rapture that did not happen on May 21, 2011. My question: am I ready? Are you ready? Are we prepared for judgment day? Am I prepared to meet my maker, to spend the rest of eternity in Heaven? I would LOVE to answer yes but the truth is, I am a selfish person and do not feel the need to die any time soon. Am I ready in the Judge's eyes?
Another thought: Isn't it a wonderful thing that Jesus shed his blood for us? The Old Testament talks about the "holy places" being "purified" with the blood of a sacrifice. There are quite a few reasons why they did this, but you'll have to read the Old Testament to find out the reasons. What I'm getting at is this: Isn't it wonderful that Jesus is that sacrifice for us? He came and shed his blood once for all. No more sacrificing animals and purifying with blood because Jesus did that for us!!! He was the ultimate sacrifice!!! He has done it. He is the purification and the cleansing for our sins. That is truth we can count on. We can count on that until the day when life as we know it ceases. Even if I feel like I am not ready to die, the only one who truly knows sits on the throne of Heaven. God is my judge. The wrath of God, his judgment, was poured out in the perfect sacrifice on the cross. What a wonderful truth!!! Now the question is, what more can I do to become ready?
-----------------------------------
"And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him."
~*Hebrews 9:27-28*~
Monday, May 23, 2011
Romans 6:15-23
Slavery has always had somewhat of a negative connotation within our society. A simple word describes slavery: bondage. Slaves were driven, sometimes beaten and abused by their masters. However, there were times when slaves were not. After slavery was abolished, some stayed with their previous masters. Slavery caused wars and blood was shed to achieve freedom for slaves. So it is in the spiritual world. At one point or another, we are all slaves to sin. Sin is the master that abuses, bruises, and beats. Sin is the master that causes pain physically, mentally, and spiritually. Sin is the master that holds us captive, in bondage to death, and fights to keep us from being free.
A war has been fought and blood has been shed. Pure, precious, perfect blood was shed so that we might achieve freedom. Good news: Jesus has already won that battle!!! Only the perfect sacrifice of the Son of God could conquer such evil. Jesus' blood was shed so that we might know freedom by being "slaves" of righteousness. (Honestly, after thinking about that I'd rather say that I'm OWNED by righteousness... there is a sense of love, that somebody wants me enough to shed blood... paid a life sacrifice for me to be free).
Righteousness is the master that treats us so well we do not want to leave. Yes, there is still work to do, but remember that our Savior has already won the battle. We no longer have to EARN our freedom and eternal life is the gift given through the victory already won. We earn death through sin. We are given eternal life as a gift from God. The question is, will we accept that precious gift?
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"Well then, since God's grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.
Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.
When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."
~*Romans 6:15-23 (NLT)*~
A war has been fought and blood has been shed. Pure, precious, perfect blood was shed so that we might achieve freedom. Good news: Jesus has already won that battle!!! Only the perfect sacrifice of the Son of God could conquer such evil. Jesus' blood was shed so that we might know freedom by being "slaves" of righteousness. (Honestly, after thinking about that I'd rather say that I'm OWNED by righteousness... there is a sense of love, that somebody wants me enough to shed blood... paid a life sacrifice for me to be free).
Righteousness is the master that treats us so well we do not want to leave. Yes, there is still work to do, but remember that our Savior has already won the battle. We no longer have to EARN our freedom and eternal life is the gift given through the victory already won. We earn death through sin. We are given eternal life as a gift from God. The question is, will we accept that precious gift?
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"Well then, since God's grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.
Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.
When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."
~*Romans 6:15-23 (NLT)*~
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Matthew 18:15-20
So, I am a people pleaser. I strongly dislike confrontation and conflict. I just want everybody to be happy. I try not to cause anybody grief. I do my best to keep out of conflict and definitely do not want to be the cause of it. So what happens if the conflict I often try to avoid makes its merry little way into my life? What then? What happens if a brother or sister in Christ "sins" against us? Jesus tells us to talk it out and forgive.
Matthew 18:15 "... go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone."
In the book I am currently reading, titled "Everybody's Normal Till You Get To Know Them", author John Ortberg breaks it down into seven steps:
1.) If there is conflict --> This requires acknowledging conflict, that one wronged another.
2.) You --> I have to own responsibility instead of pointing at the other and waiting for them. I am part of the conflict also. It is a two-way street.
3.) Go --> Go to the other in the conflict. Don't avoid them even though we want to at times.
4.) To the person --> "Not third parties". Instead of telling my best friend how angry I am and dragging them down with me, just go to the person in the conflict.
5.) In private --> "Use sensitivity". I don't need a mediator... I'm perfectly capable of talking one on one and would hope the other person would not approach me in front of a crowd.
6.) And discuss the problem -->"Direct communication". Try not to jump around the issue. Prolonging the discussion will not make it easier.
7.) For the purpose of reconciliation --> This is the goal: Aim at reconciliation.
I know that when there is conflict in my life, I am quick to point the finger at the other person, play the blame game, "he said, she said", make excuses, be angry at the other to another, because it is easier. Life isn't always easy. So often, because I strongly dislike confrontation, I let anger and bitterness fester and grow. That usually only makes everything worse. Are we not commanded to keep bitterness from taking root in our lives? Aren't bitterness and anger strongholds for Satan? Truth is, we can be taken hostage by bitterness and anger. (Side note: There is an awesome podcast from Lifechurch.tv called "Hostage". Pretty awesome. I'd strongly suggest checking it out!!)
How do we achieve freedom in a hostage situation? In regards to anger and bitterness, the answer is talking it out and forgiving. Forgiveness allows the freedom to breathe again. It heals us and sets us free. God's forgiveness on the cross gave us a chance to know true freedom. God's forgiveness gives us another chance, whether that is the third, fourth, tenth, millionth chance, it is still another chance to live free in Him. Should we not show mercy to another? Sometimes confrontation and acknowledgement of conflict is just the beginning of the process that ends in reconciliation.
----------------------------
"If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won't accept the church's decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.
I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.
I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them."
~*Matthew 18:15-20*~
Matthew 18:15 "... go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone."
In the book I am currently reading, titled "Everybody's Normal Till You Get To Know Them", author John Ortberg breaks it down into seven steps:
1.) If there is conflict --> This requires acknowledging conflict, that one wronged another.
2.) You --> I have to own responsibility instead of pointing at the other and waiting for them. I am part of the conflict also. It is a two-way street.
3.) Go --> Go to the other in the conflict. Don't avoid them even though we want to at times.
4.) To the person --> "Not third parties". Instead of telling my best friend how angry I am and dragging them down with me, just go to the person in the conflict.
5.) In private --> "Use sensitivity". I don't need a mediator... I'm perfectly capable of talking one on one and would hope the other person would not approach me in front of a crowd.
6.) And discuss the problem -->"Direct communication". Try not to jump around the issue. Prolonging the discussion will not make it easier.
7.) For the purpose of reconciliation --> This is the goal: Aim at reconciliation.
I know that when there is conflict in my life, I am quick to point the finger at the other person, play the blame game, "he said, she said", make excuses, be angry at the other to another, because it is easier. Life isn't always easy. So often, because I strongly dislike confrontation, I let anger and bitterness fester and grow. That usually only makes everything worse. Are we not commanded to keep bitterness from taking root in our lives? Aren't bitterness and anger strongholds for Satan? Truth is, we can be taken hostage by bitterness and anger. (Side note: There is an awesome podcast from Lifechurch.tv called "Hostage". Pretty awesome. I'd strongly suggest checking it out!!)
How do we achieve freedom in a hostage situation? In regards to anger and bitterness, the answer is talking it out and forgiving. Forgiveness allows the freedom to breathe again. It heals us and sets us free. God's forgiveness on the cross gave us a chance to know true freedom. God's forgiveness gives us another chance, whether that is the third, fourth, tenth, millionth chance, it is still another chance to live free in Him. Should we not show mercy to another? Sometimes confrontation and acknowledgement of conflict is just the beginning of the process that ends in reconciliation.
----------------------------
"If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won't accept the church's decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.
I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.
I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them."
~*Matthew 18:15-20*~
Friday, May 20, 2011
Isaiah 53:1-6
What is it that draws us to Christ? When he walked this earth, what was it that drew people close to him? We call him "Beautiful Jesus" but what is beautiful about Jesus? Beautiful is defined as "having qualities that give great pleasure or satisfaction to see, hear, think about, etc.; delighting the senses or mind; excellent of its kind; wonderful; very pleasing or satisfying". Isaiah 53 says there was really nothing "beautiful" about his appearance. "... he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him."
What do we run after in our lives? When you hear somebody say "I want that, I have to have it" it is generally because it is pleasing to them and holds some aspect of beauty that causes them to want it. Jesus was despised and rejected. He knew sorrow and grief. According to society today we should not desire him since, by our definition, he really was not beautiful. What drew me to Jesus? What draws anybody to Jesus? The beauty on the inside. His actions backed up his words. All of that flows from the inside, a beautiful heart, to the outside in words and actions. To me, when I look at the beauty on the inside, the appearance on the outside doesn't matter as much anymore. The beauty inside reflects on the outside. Why do people follow Christ? "He has become our griefs and carried our sorrows...".
And then we are compared to sheep. Have you ever been around sheep or read anything about them? ("A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23" is a wonderful book!!!) Regardless of how fluffy and cute they may look, sheep can be pretty dumb and stubborn. And that is what we are compared to in the Bible :) Without an experienced and caring shepherd, they will not live very long. They run away, do their own thing, and do things that in the end do not turn out too well. My family once owned a few sheep. I do not remember how long we had had them but if I am correct, they did not last very long. Why that is, I am not sure but it could be because sheep will eat a lot of what a few preteens will attempt to feed it. Just sayin!!! Even through our stubbornness Christ remains faithful. He has protected us and saved us from the wrath our sins deserve and the dangers of evil in our lives. He gives us peace. He sacrificed his life for us.
The beauty on the inside of Jesus' heart and life won out against an unappealing appearance on the outside. I used to think that I would not be able to watch "The Passion of the Christ". I thought of it as more of a horror film of what I had done to Jesus. It is quite undesirable to watch innocence suffer. However, I watched it a few months back and it is truly beautiful. A portrayal of God's love for us poured out for sinners by the blood of his son. How beautiful that love truly is!!! When we understand the truth about beauty and where true beauty lies we will follow it. When beauty takes the form of self-sacrifice and bearing all for all as it did in Christ's life, then following is appealing and becomes a desire of the heart. THAT is a beautiful thing!!!
--------------------------------
"Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?
My servant grew up in the Lord's presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground.
There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.
He was despised and rejected -- a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised and we did not care.
Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!
But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God's paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all."
~*Isaiah 53:1-5 (NLT)*~
What do we run after in our lives? When you hear somebody say "I want that, I have to have it" it is generally because it is pleasing to them and holds some aspect of beauty that causes them to want it. Jesus was despised and rejected. He knew sorrow and grief. According to society today we should not desire him since, by our definition, he really was not beautiful. What drew me to Jesus? What draws anybody to Jesus? The beauty on the inside. His actions backed up his words. All of that flows from the inside, a beautiful heart, to the outside in words and actions. To me, when I look at the beauty on the inside, the appearance on the outside doesn't matter as much anymore. The beauty inside reflects on the outside. Why do people follow Christ? "He has become our griefs and carried our sorrows...".
And then we are compared to sheep. Have you ever been around sheep or read anything about them? ("A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23" is a wonderful book!!!) Regardless of how fluffy and cute they may look, sheep can be pretty dumb and stubborn. And that is what we are compared to in the Bible :) Without an experienced and caring shepherd, they will not live very long. They run away, do their own thing, and do things that in the end do not turn out too well. My family once owned a few sheep. I do not remember how long we had had them but if I am correct, they did not last very long. Why that is, I am not sure but it could be because sheep will eat a lot of what a few preteens will attempt to feed it. Just sayin!!! Even through our stubbornness Christ remains faithful. He has protected us and saved us from the wrath our sins deserve and the dangers of evil in our lives. He gives us peace. He sacrificed his life for us.
The beauty on the inside of Jesus' heart and life won out against an unappealing appearance on the outside. I used to think that I would not be able to watch "The Passion of the Christ". I thought of it as more of a horror film of what I had done to Jesus. It is quite undesirable to watch innocence suffer. However, I watched it a few months back and it is truly beautiful. A portrayal of God's love for us poured out for sinners by the blood of his son. How beautiful that love truly is!!! When we understand the truth about beauty and where true beauty lies we will follow it. When beauty takes the form of self-sacrifice and bearing all for all as it did in Christ's life, then following is appealing and becomes a desire of the heart. THAT is a beautiful thing!!!
--------------------------------
"Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?
My servant grew up in the Lord's presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground.
There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.
He was despised and rejected -- a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised and we did not care.
Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!
But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God's paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all."
~*Isaiah 53:1-5 (NLT)*~
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Romans 3:21-31
God has recently put a focus on the word "pride" in my daily life. I'm sure there is a reason for that! So often it seems pride is a huge focus of every devotional, message I listen to, every book I read, or in-depth conversation I have with somebody. Self-justification, self-"promotion", and self-righteousness have also risen to the surface along side of pride. I have had a sickness show its face as well: a deserving mentality. After observing myself, thoughts surface like:
-I am a Christian, that has to count for something, right?
-I sit and catch conversations of those around me and judge them without realizing it, thinking that if they really knew Jesus as they said they do they would not talk the way they do, be cranky as often as they are, complain as much as they do, or be as judgemental as they are. If they truly loved others and really loved Jesus, they would show it in the things they say, how they live, and how they treat others.
We've all done this, right? I sit and listen and put myself on a pedestal above others, nonbelievers for sure but above believers as well.
Then God does something amazing. With one verse (Romans 3:23 in my case), He brings us back to earth. God calls me out because I refuse to call myself out. God humbles because I will not humble myself. The truth: we are all sinners. All of us are on a level playing field and God is the referee. We are not better or higher than anybody else. We are ALL sinners. If you did not know, ALL encompasses EVERY SINGLE PERSON!!!! You, me, your grandma, your best friend's neighbor's nephew's roommate. We are ALL sinners. Nobody is perfect except for God. When we sit and judge others we are judging ourselves. What is in our hearts is what will come to the surface of our lives sooner or later. Right now, that is my deserving mentality and pride.
Story time: I am being baptized because I love Jesus and want people to know how God can work out a life. Because I was being obedient to what Christ calls us to do, I automatically assumed I would be able to be baptized the way I wanted to, where I wanted, with whomever I wanted to baptize me. I thought that my "obedience" deserved the reward of having it my way. Well, this is not Burger King where you can have it your way. My eyes were set on what I thought I deserved because I was prideful in my heart. Now, I am more excited than I could ever have imagined to be having it God's way.
God sends me a reminder of why we are called his children. He teaches and corrects us through His words and love. God is the one who has the ability to change us if we let him do so. He alone can change us from the inside out instead of us trying to "right ourselves" from the outside in. We are righteous only because God says we are, not because we have done anything to be righteous. We are still sinners. ALL of us are sinners. Check the pride-o-meter. Are you putting yourself on a pedestal? Did Christ not come to serve instead of to be served? If anything, in our hearts we should see others as more important than us, regardless of who they are and what they have done.
----------------------------------
"But now God has shown us a way to be made right with hi without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.
After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn't he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law."
~*Romans 3:21-31 (NLT)*~
-I am a Christian, that has to count for something, right?
-I sit and catch conversations of those around me and judge them without realizing it, thinking that if they really knew Jesus as they said they do they would not talk the way they do, be cranky as often as they are, complain as much as they do, or be as judgemental as they are. If they truly loved others and really loved Jesus, they would show it in the things they say, how they live, and how they treat others.
We've all done this, right? I sit and listen and put myself on a pedestal above others, nonbelievers for sure but above believers as well.
Then God does something amazing. With one verse (Romans 3:23 in my case), He brings us back to earth. God calls me out because I refuse to call myself out. God humbles because I will not humble myself. The truth: we are all sinners. All of us are on a level playing field and God is the referee. We are not better or higher than anybody else. We are ALL sinners. If you did not know, ALL encompasses EVERY SINGLE PERSON!!!! You, me, your grandma, your best friend's neighbor's nephew's roommate. We are ALL sinners. Nobody is perfect except for God. When we sit and judge others we are judging ourselves. What is in our hearts is what will come to the surface of our lives sooner or later. Right now, that is my deserving mentality and pride.
Story time: I am being baptized because I love Jesus and want people to know how God can work out a life. Because I was being obedient to what Christ calls us to do, I automatically assumed I would be able to be baptized the way I wanted to, where I wanted, with whomever I wanted to baptize me. I thought that my "obedience" deserved the reward of having it my way. Well, this is not Burger King where you can have it your way. My eyes were set on what I thought I deserved because I was prideful in my heart. Now, I am more excited than I could ever have imagined to be having it God's way.
God sends me a reminder of why we are called his children. He teaches and corrects us through His words and love. God is the one who has the ability to change us if we let him do so. He alone can change us from the inside out instead of us trying to "right ourselves" from the outside in. We are righteous only because God says we are, not because we have done anything to be righteous. We are still sinners. ALL of us are sinners. Check the pride-o-meter. Are you putting yourself on a pedestal? Did Christ not come to serve instead of to be served? If anything, in our hearts we should see others as more important than us, regardless of who they are and what they have done.
----------------------------------
"But now God has shown us a way to be made right with hi without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.
After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn't he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law."
~*Romans 3:21-31 (NLT)*~
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Romans 1:16-17
Shame. We've all most likely felt shame at some point in our lives, whether it has been life crippling shame or only a little bit of shame that vanishes quickly. There are many things that I have been ashamed of... and things that produce shame in my life today. Before Christ had become a commitment in my life, I had been abused and was an abuser. In relationships I had been in, I was abused. In other cases I was the abuser. At one point in my life, I was the abuser in an incident that had me crippled with shame. And the beautiful part of that? I am forgiven!!! Christ forgave me on the cross and through his mercy. The abused forgave me through a message and an "I love you". I forgave me through tears and brokenness. All of this has led to Christ healing those hurts and washing away the shame.
There is something even more beautiful!!! There should be no shame of the Gospel!! Paul writes of its power from God in our salvation. When we live for God, there is no need to be ashamed. "The righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith." What should that mean for us? This is what I think of (agree to disagree if you like). God had faith in Himself to come and live in a sinful, fallen world as a man. He is God after all... no self-confidence issues there!!! Men had faith in Christ Jesus and in what he taught so they wrote them down. They proceeded to spread those words through teaching and distributing the Gospel and all the Bible had written in it. They did this and died to themselves so that all of those who came after them might believe that Christ lived to die on a cross so that we might have faith in God alone. It is through our faith that God can change us... starting from the inside of our heart and working his way out into our lives.
In our world today, how does that play out? What do we put our trust in? What do we have faith in? Money, jobs, relationships? Or do we put our faith in the God of our salvation who has no shame and calls us His beloved children?
-------------------------------------
"For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes -- the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life."
There is something even more beautiful!!! There should be no shame of the Gospel!! Paul writes of its power from God in our salvation. When we live for God, there is no need to be ashamed. "The righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith." What should that mean for us? This is what I think of (agree to disagree if you like). God had faith in Himself to come and live in a sinful, fallen world as a man. He is God after all... no self-confidence issues there!!! Men had faith in Christ Jesus and in what he taught so they wrote them down. They proceeded to spread those words through teaching and distributing the Gospel and all the Bible had written in it. They did this and died to themselves so that all of those who came after them might believe that Christ lived to die on a cross so that we might have faith in God alone. It is through our faith that God can change us... starting from the inside of our heart and working his way out into our lives.
In our world today, how does that play out? What do we put our trust in? What do we have faith in? Money, jobs, relationships? Or do we put our faith in the God of our salvation who has no shame and calls us His beloved children?
-------------------------------------
"For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes -- the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life."
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Matthew 4:18-22
"I will make you fishers of men." I absolutely LOVE that line. I love to fish, even though I'm not much for eating my catch. Fishing is so peaceful and relaxing (to me anyways). It for sure requires patience. Recently, I've heard a comparison between fishing and hunting. Hunting is aggressive and most of the time you only get one shot. If you miss, then you scare off whatever you are hunting. Fishing, however, requires patience and quiet. If you miss the first time, the fish has tasted the bait and will most likely come back for more.
Such it is with being fishers of men. It is not meant to be aggressive or forceful but patient and quiet. The question I ponder (and would love an answer to but may never get anything other than opinions): who is the bait? Jesus calls us "fishers of men" so does that mean his presence in our lives is the bait? Does HE "bait" people into our lives? Once there are those people (or fish) in our lives, do we then become the "bait"? Do we "lure" or "reel" them to Jesus? Just some thoughts I have floating around my head as I write this.
One thing I noticed about Jesus' recruits for fishers of men is how quickly they responded. Simon and Andrew left their nets to follow Jesus. More impressive to me are James and John who left their nets AND their FATHER (Zebedee) sitting there as they choose to follow Jesus. They all dropped everything when Christ came calling for fishers of a different kind. They left their "careers" and family, they left the familiar to walk with Christ and help him in his ministry here on earth. How quickly do we jump away from life as we know it to follow Jesus and spread His word? If He calls us to be fishers of men, will we drop our nets and walk away from family and familiar to follow Him?
------------------------------
"One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers -- Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew -- throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!" And they left their nets at once and followed him.
A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind."
~*Matthew 4:18-22*~
Such it is with being fishers of men. It is not meant to be aggressive or forceful but patient and quiet. The question I ponder (and would love an answer to but may never get anything other than opinions): who is the bait? Jesus calls us "fishers of men" so does that mean his presence in our lives is the bait? Does HE "bait" people into our lives? Once there are those people (or fish) in our lives, do we then become the "bait"? Do we "lure" or "reel" them to Jesus? Just some thoughts I have floating around my head as I write this.
One thing I noticed about Jesus' recruits for fishers of men is how quickly they responded. Simon and Andrew left their nets to follow Jesus. More impressive to me are James and John who left their nets AND their FATHER (Zebedee) sitting there as they choose to follow Jesus. They all dropped everything when Christ came calling for fishers of a different kind. They left their "careers" and family, they left the familiar to walk with Christ and help him in his ministry here on earth. How quickly do we jump away from life as we know it to follow Jesus and spread His word? If He calls us to be fishers of men, will we drop our nets and walk away from family and familiar to follow Him?
------------------------------
"One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers -- Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew -- throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!" And they left their nets at once and followed him.
A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind."
~*Matthew 4:18-22*~
Monday, May 16, 2011
It's Your Life - My Story
"You're not good enough." That is the lie that has defined the majority of my life. People never told me that I wasn't good enough and they never said "Sharina, you suck at life." Those were simply the lies that I lived by. I played sports in high school for four years and sat on the bench about 99% of the time. I wasn't popular but I wasn't a loser either. I felt I didn't belong to any crowd. I wasn't good enough for anybody. In college I tried to be somebody I wasn't. I found some amazing friends but felt I wasn't good enough for them because they were Christians. This pushed me into a different crowd... the crowd our parents warn us about growing up. I sought out the unhealthy comforts of alcohol and parties. I found comfort in short-term relationships and abusing the relationships with my Christian friends. I also began to struggle more with addictions and self-pity. I became depressed after an abusive situation with a gentleman I didn't know and then fell further a few hours later when the friend who was taking care of me abused me as well. I was falling off the edge but thought nobody would care because I simply wasn't good enough.
After a few years of being around my Christian friends I noticed how "comfortable" their lives were (comfortable for the lack of a better word). I began spending more time with them and became more involved in a student ministry known as the Navigators. Through this God did some amazing work in my heart that I hadn't even thought possible. He used my friends to reach me even though I had used them because they continued to stand by me even though I had abused those friendships. They stood by me as I continued to struggle more than ever with addiction and depression. I wanted out of my life. I wanted to enjoy happiness and friendship instead of never feeling good enough and hating myself. I was ruining my life and knew I needed a change. I knew who God was but didn't know what it looked like to follow Him. I knew who Jesus was but had no idea what was meant by "relationship" with Him. Even so, two years after meeting my first friend in Manhattan, she sat with me as I made the commitment of a lifetime. As we sat in the back of Starbucks on August 2nd, 2007 I made a commitment to live for a purpose. I wanted to live for Christ.
Of course, I didn't know the so called "cost" of following Christ. I thought I would change overnight and that my depression and addictions would disappear immediately. I didn't know the meaning of obedience but thought I would have some incredible revelation. Instead my struggles grew worse. I've always felt I've had to prove myself and attempted to work my way to God because I didn't understand the meaning of true relationship. I was attempting to change myself from the outside in, by doing "good works" and hoping they would make me feel better or change my heart. So often I chose this method as opposed to God's way of change: allowing Him to change me from the heart inside with the outside works flowing from that change. My friends encouraged me to read Scripture but I didn't want to hear it because I "hated reading". I had gained some "head knowledge" from going to Nav Nights and listening to speakers but I had yet to gain an understanding of heart-felt faith. As a result, I felt I was not good enough for God and my depression grew. I was at the end of my rope to the point of planning out my own suicide.
God once again touched me. God drew me to Him through the love of my friends. 1 Peter 4:8 says "Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins." Their hearts for God continue to amaze me today and at that point their love for Him literally saved my life and drew me to His Word. I began getting into the Word more and more, courtesy of my friendships and Bible studies. I began to see the importance of the scriptures in my life while spending a month in Africa. I spent time in the Word almost every day while there. Unfortunately, I fell back into my old pattern when I returned home, spending very little time with God. Past lies began to resurface as did the struggles I had faced before. I felt like I didn't know how to live for God and although I knew His truth in my head, I didn't feel it in my heart. I began to seek help for my life. God blessed me with a wonderful mentor and a beautiful example of what it looks like to follow Him daily in everything, through the good and the bad.
After almost three years of trying to make myself right with God, I finally began to understand the meaning of "being made new". After a year of weekly meetings and counsel from the person I now consider a spiritual mother, God has retrained my brain to discern truth over my perception filled with lies. God continues to amaze me with the work He does in my life. He amazes me with the change He brought in a heart of bitterness and brokenness. Although I sometimes still struggle with that feeling of inadequacy, God continues to show His face in even the darkest and most difficult situations. He changed my heart to know that Jesus came for me to have a relationship with my Heavenly Father, not for me to make myself right with God through religion. I often catch myself falling back into a "works-based" mentality, but God sends a gentle reminder that He still loves me. I have no need to try to impress Him because He is already impressed with me and He calls me to come as I am. He only wants for me to wait in His love and stand in obedience to Him. As I continue to walk with Christ, he has shown me the importance of Baptism and its importance in my life. Not only is it furthering my walk with God, but it is a major declaration of the way He has changed my heart and is molding me into the person He wants me to be.
After a few years of being around my Christian friends I noticed how "comfortable" their lives were (comfortable for the lack of a better word). I began spending more time with them and became more involved in a student ministry known as the Navigators. Through this God did some amazing work in my heart that I hadn't even thought possible. He used my friends to reach me even though I had used them because they continued to stand by me even though I had abused those friendships. They stood by me as I continued to struggle more than ever with addiction and depression. I wanted out of my life. I wanted to enjoy happiness and friendship instead of never feeling good enough and hating myself. I was ruining my life and knew I needed a change. I knew who God was but didn't know what it looked like to follow Him. I knew who Jesus was but had no idea what was meant by "relationship" with Him. Even so, two years after meeting my first friend in Manhattan, she sat with me as I made the commitment of a lifetime. As we sat in the back of Starbucks on August 2nd, 2007 I made a commitment to live for a purpose. I wanted to live for Christ.
Of course, I didn't know the so called "cost" of following Christ. I thought I would change overnight and that my depression and addictions would disappear immediately. I didn't know the meaning of obedience but thought I would have some incredible revelation. Instead my struggles grew worse. I've always felt I've had to prove myself and attempted to work my way to God because I didn't understand the meaning of true relationship. I was attempting to change myself from the outside in, by doing "good works" and hoping they would make me feel better or change my heart. So often I chose this method as opposed to God's way of change: allowing Him to change me from the heart inside with the outside works flowing from that change. My friends encouraged me to read Scripture but I didn't want to hear it because I "hated reading". I had gained some "head knowledge" from going to Nav Nights and listening to speakers but I had yet to gain an understanding of heart-felt faith. As a result, I felt I was not good enough for God and my depression grew. I was at the end of my rope to the point of planning out my own suicide.
God once again touched me. God drew me to Him through the love of my friends. 1 Peter 4:8 says "Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins." Their hearts for God continue to amaze me today and at that point their love for Him literally saved my life and drew me to His Word. I began getting into the Word more and more, courtesy of my friendships and Bible studies. I began to see the importance of the scriptures in my life while spending a month in Africa. I spent time in the Word almost every day while there. Unfortunately, I fell back into my old pattern when I returned home, spending very little time with God. Past lies began to resurface as did the struggles I had faced before. I felt like I didn't know how to live for God and although I knew His truth in my head, I didn't feel it in my heart. I began to seek help for my life. God blessed me with a wonderful mentor and a beautiful example of what it looks like to follow Him daily in everything, through the good and the bad.
After almost three years of trying to make myself right with God, I finally began to understand the meaning of "being made new". After a year of weekly meetings and counsel from the person I now consider a spiritual mother, God has retrained my brain to discern truth over my perception filled with lies. God continues to amaze me with the work He does in my life. He amazes me with the change He brought in a heart of bitterness and brokenness. Although I sometimes still struggle with that feeling of inadequacy, God continues to show His face in even the darkest and most difficult situations. He changed my heart to know that Jesus came for me to have a relationship with my Heavenly Father, not for me to make myself right with God through religion. I often catch myself falling back into a "works-based" mentality, but God sends a gentle reminder that He still loves me. I have no need to try to impress Him because He is already impressed with me and He calls me to come as I am. He only wants for me to wait in His love and stand in obedience to Him. As I continue to walk with Christ, he has shown me the importance of Baptism and its importance in my life. Not only is it furthering my walk with God, but it is a major declaration of the way He has changed my heart and is molding me into the person He wants me to be.
Hebrews 10:24-25
What is the importance of true fellowship? How important should it be to us? More so, how important is it to God? Many things come to mind with a passage from Hebrews. Some are simply stated such as "spur one another on to love and good deeds" and "encourage one another." Not only that, but fellowship has the ability to serve as accountability, a time of confession and prayer, and of course a time with friends and family. It can be time together for joy or sorrow, a time of teaching or learning. We were not made to go through life alone or in complete solitude from others.
Friends, we were made for fellowship. We were made to live together. We were made to "do life" together, to motivate and encourage one another. God made us for relationship, wired for not just ourselves but for others as well. When serving and living together in Christ, we are not just family and friend but we are the body of Christ. Without the rest of the body, what purpose does an eye serve? An eye is just an eye without the rest of the body and serves no true purpose alone. Let us learn to live with one another, do life together, and work the way the body God built is meant to work!!
----------------------------------
"Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near."
~*Hebrews 10:24-25
Friends, we were made for fellowship. We were made to live together. We were made to "do life" together, to motivate and encourage one another. God made us for relationship, wired for not just ourselves but for others as well. When serving and living together in Christ, we are not just family and friend but we are the body of Christ. Without the rest of the body, what purpose does an eye serve? An eye is just an eye without the rest of the body and serves no true purpose alone. Let us learn to live with one another, do life together, and work the way the body God built is meant to work!!
----------------------------------
"Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near."
~*Hebrews 10:24-25
Friday, May 13, 2011
Philippians 4:2-9
"Why can't we all just get along?" Such a simple question, but a legitimate one. I mean think about it a little bit. When it comes to "groups" within Christianity, why can't we get along? Let me ask another question: What is our MAIN PURPOSE for being on this planet? TO GLORIFY GOD!!!! TO KNOW GOD AND TO MAKE HIM AND ALL OF HIS GLORY KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE EARTH!!! That is what we should be most concerned with in our lives. God should be the most important, the top priority in our lives. I may seem a bit radical but I see it as something really important to take note of. AND I REALLY REALLY REALLY LOVE JESUS!!!
While I was in Africa, we spent a week in a little village called Nkum. During one of the evenings towards the end of that week, we walked through Nkum talking to people about Jesus. One question struck me then, but I had never really thought about it until recently. That question came from a man who was not sure he wanted anything to do with Christianity. Many "missionaries" had been through before trying to get them to believe this or that or explain religion to him. I can't remember exactly how the question was phrased because he was talking in a language that our translators needed translators for. It was something along the lines of "If there is one God to serve, why are there so many "kinds" of Christianity? Why not just one? And why are there different beliefs and so much fighting over what to believe?"
If you think about it, looking at Christianity from that perspective would make me not want anything to do with it. I've heard so many people say that they want no part in Jesus or the "Christian World" because people are always arguing, churches splitting over issues we may never have an answer for or resolve, "religions" fighting among each other. Why is there so much fighting within the Christian world? Where are we truly focusing our energy? I guess to me, if we are focusing our lives around the God of the Bible, it is made pretty clear how we should follow, act, believe, obey, and love God. That message is pretty clear in the Bible if we pick it up and dive in. However, it seems to me that we pay more attention to the details that are NOT God, even if they are in the Bible. They are details that we do not know for sure here on earth and may NEVER know the truth about.
Where SHOULD our minds be? Philippians 4:8 says we should focus on truth, honor, justice, purity, loveliness, things commendable, excellence, and praise-worthiness. What possesses ALL of that and MORE? If you answered Jesus Christ, you are correct!!! So I will ask you again: What is our purpose here on earth? Is it to fight amongst ourselves, over who is right and who is wrong, and deter others from knowing Jesus? Or is our purpose focused on God alone and making Him known? To me, we can bet very legalistic and religious with a "do this, do that, or go to hell" mentality. That is where we fight. Let God determine what is right or wrong, where we go when we die, and whether He chose us or we chose Him. In the end it will be God telling us who belongs with the sheep and who will be with the goats. Right now, I pray we choose to live for God's purpose on this earth: His glory alone.
------------------------------------------------
"Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they work hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life.
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again -- rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me -- everything you from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you."
~*Philippians 4:2-9*~
While I was in Africa, we spent a week in a little village called Nkum. During one of the evenings towards the end of that week, we walked through Nkum talking to people about Jesus. One question struck me then, but I had never really thought about it until recently. That question came from a man who was not sure he wanted anything to do with Christianity. Many "missionaries" had been through before trying to get them to believe this or that or explain religion to him. I can't remember exactly how the question was phrased because he was talking in a language that our translators needed translators for. It was something along the lines of "If there is one God to serve, why are there so many "kinds" of Christianity? Why not just one? And why are there different beliefs and so much fighting over what to believe?"
If you think about it, looking at Christianity from that perspective would make me not want anything to do with it. I've heard so many people say that they want no part in Jesus or the "Christian World" because people are always arguing, churches splitting over issues we may never have an answer for or resolve, "religions" fighting among each other. Why is there so much fighting within the Christian world? Where are we truly focusing our energy? I guess to me, if we are focusing our lives around the God of the Bible, it is made pretty clear how we should follow, act, believe, obey, and love God. That message is pretty clear in the Bible if we pick it up and dive in. However, it seems to me that we pay more attention to the details that are NOT God, even if they are in the Bible. They are details that we do not know for sure here on earth and may NEVER know the truth about.
Where SHOULD our minds be? Philippians 4:8 says we should focus on truth, honor, justice, purity, loveliness, things commendable, excellence, and praise-worthiness. What possesses ALL of that and MORE? If you answered Jesus Christ, you are correct!!! So I will ask you again: What is our purpose here on earth? Is it to fight amongst ourselves, over who is right and who is wrong, and deter others from knowing Jesus? Or is our purpose focused on God alone and making Him known? To me, we can bet very legalistic and religious with a "do this, do that, or go to hell" mentality. That is where we fight. Let God determine what is right or wrong, where we go when we die, and whether He chose us or we chose Him. In the end it will be God telling us who belongs with the sheep and who will be with the goats. Right now, I pray we choose to live for God's purpose on this earth: His glory alone.
------------------------------------------------
"Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they work hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life.
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again -- rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me -- everything you from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you."
~*Philippians 4:2-9*~
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
John 15:5-8
Faith is not merely a feeling, but more of a belief.
Faith does not have to see to believe.
Faith is a relationship with our Lord God, a heart hunger for a relationship with Him.
Faith is not just head knowledge but more of a heart knowledge of His love.
"If you remain in mea, and my words remain in you..."
From personal experience, this phrase can define a relationship with Jesus, and that is definitely not a bad thing. It should be part of the definition of relationship with Him. As a new believer, I thought I could learn to love Jesus through other people. I thought I could learn about the Bible without really studying it or reading it but instead through others and what they would say or teach. I was like a sponge but I did not fill up with clean living water and my excuse was because I hated reading (weak I know). When I started wringing out into another person, I wasn't soaking up the living, pure water of God and the Word. How can you "remain" if you have never been? I dried out. I was so dry I felt like I failed (yes sponges can fail). Those feelings turned into depression and I was ready to throw myself out with the dirty dish water.
I felt as though God must not love me enough to want to use me because I was so dry. I did not feel Jesus in my heart. I had the head knowledge gained from those around me and I knew in my head what I was supposed to believe. My heart, however, told a different story. It was broken. I didn't "feel" Jesus in my heart. I didn't have a knowledge of His love and relationship in my heart. How can Jesus be in me if I've disobeyed so much? How can He be in my heart if I did not even follow such a big command of being in the Word and studying the Word? Fortunately, through the help of those I chose to listen to, I began to study the Bible more. I began to turn to the Word and gradually God began to fill my dry heart with living, clean, pure, cool water.
There were and still are days and even seasons when I feel dry but that is when the Living Water in me reminds me to be patient and keep loving and following. He is the only one who can refresh, replenish, and overflow our hearts with that pure, living water. What a wonderful reason to be in the Lord!!! Faith can include feelings and when we drink of the Living Water we will feel quite refreshed!!!
--------------------------------
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."
~*John 15:5-8*~
Faith does not have to see to believe.
Faith is a relationship with our Lord God, a heart hunger for a relationship with Him.
Faith is not just head knowledge but more of a heart knowledge of His love.
"If you remain in mea, and my words remain in you..."
From personal experience, this phrase can define a relationship with Jesus, and that is definitely not a bad thing. It should be part of the definition of relationship with Him. As a new believer, I thought I could learn to love Jesus through other people. I thought I could learn about the Bible without really studying it or reading it but instead through others and what they would say or teach. I was like a sponge but I did not fill up with clean living water and my excuse was because I hated reading (weak I know). When I started wringing out into another person, I wasn't soaking up the living, pure water of God and the Word. How can you "remain" if you have never been? I dried out. I was so dry I felt like I failed (yes sponges can fail). Those feelings turned into depression and I was ready to throw myself out with the dirty dish water.
I felt as though God must not love me enough to want to use me because I was so dry. I did not feel Jesus in my heart. I had the head knowledge gained from those around me and I knew in my head what I was supposed to believe. My heart, however, told a different story. It was broken. I didn't "feel" Jesus in my heart. I didn't have a knowledge of His love and relationship in my heart. How can Jesus be in me if I've disobeyed so much? How can He be in my heart if I did not even follow such a big command of being in the Word and studying the Word? Fortunately, through the help of those I chose to listen to, I began to study the Bible more. I began to turn to the Word and gradually God began to fill my dry heart with living, clean, pure, cool water.
There were and still are days and even seasons when I feel dry but that is when the Living Water in me reminds me to be patient and keep loving and following. He is the only one who can refresh, replenish, and overflow our hearts with that pure, living water. What a wonderful reason to be in the Lord!!! Faith can include feelings and when we drink of the Living Water we will feel quite refreshed!!!
--------------------------------
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."
~*John 15:5-8*~
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Joshua 1:8-9
The importance of Scripture and having a good grasp of it is evident and stated in a "simple" passage. Knowing Scripture can direct our footsteps down God's path if we so choose to allow it to do so. Obeying the Word of God is a guide for us and will lead us to be prosperous and successful. I don't believe that this pertains only to our prosperousness and successfulness in our "earthly lives". Our hearts and minds will prosper in God's Word which could very well lead us to success here on earth, depending somewhat on how we define success.
Another point is that God is with us everywhere we go!!! While faith is believing and trusting in things not seen, the Word is Christ (the Word being the Bible which we can see and touch and read and very much tangible). So while God dwells in our hearts and our minds, Jesus dwells in our lives through the Bible, whether we physically possess or carry a Bible or it flows mentally through our bodies in the form of thoughts and actions.
The phrase "God is with you wherever you go" took on a new meaning today and gives my favorite verse (Joshua 1:9) more importance to me. Not allowing the words of Scripture to depart from us means God is with us in even MORE ways than we usually imagine. I know God is with us even though we can not see Him, but the Scripture (God-breathed words of Scripture) gives us a tangible meaning. We do have to be aware of the danger of only knowing Scripture and not being in RELATIONSHIP with God and that just knowing Scripture does NOT mean we KNOW God intimately like He wants us to. Meditating on Scripture gives "God Thoughts" and I can always use a "God Thought". From there, God will prosper us in His love and we will succeed for God by His grace.
-----------------------------------
"Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command -- be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
~*Joshua 1:8-9 (NLT)*~
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In response to some of the previous thoughts and "obeying everything written": I firmly believe that obedience to our Lord God comes from an intimate, deep relationship with Him. Spending time with Him is unbelievably important and consists of more than Scripture reading in my own life. Do I fail every now and then and fall a little bit to the "legalistic side" of "obeying the rules"? Yes. I definitely catch myself in a "works-based/obey the rules" mindset quite often. The Scriptures, however, provides a means of seeing how we can choose to live our lives. When we look at the life of Christ and see how He lived every day for his Heavenly Father, it gives us a picture of how we should live, love, and stand in obedience to God. As I stated in many previous blogs (and focused on quite a bit in "A Thought for the Day") God does NOT force us to obey Him but He does allow us to make decisions in our lives. He asks something of us and we have the option to obey or disobey.
Another point is that God is with us everywhere we go!!! While faith is believing and trusting in things not seen, the Word is Christ (the Word being the Bible which we can see and touch and read and very much tangible). So while God dwells in our hearts and our minds, Jesus dwells in our lives through the Bible, whether we physically possess or carry a Bible or it flows mentally through our bodies in the form of thoughts and actions.
The phrase "God is with you wherever you go" took on a new meaning today and gives my favorite verse (Joshua 1:9) more importance to me. Not allowing the words of Scripture to depart from us means God is with us in even MORE ways than we usually imagine. I know God is with us even though we can not see Him, but the Scripture (God-breathed words of Scripture) gives us a tangible meaning. We do have to be aware of the danger of only knowing Scripture and not being in RELATIONSHIP with God and that just knowing Scripture does NOT mean we KNOW God intimately like He wants us to. Meditating on Scripture gives "God Thoughts" and I can always use a "God Thought". From there, God will prosper us in His love and we will succeed for God by His grace.
-----------------------------------
"Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command -- be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
~*Joshua 1:8-9 (NLT)*~
----------------------
In response to some of the previous thoughts and "obeying everything written": I firmly believe that obedience to our Lord God comes from an intimate, deep relationship with Him. Spending time with Him is unbelievably important and consists of more than Scripture reading in my own life. Do I fail every now and then and fall a little bit to the "legalistic side" of "obeying the rules"? Yes. I definitely catch myself in a "works-based/obey the rules" mindset quite often. The Scriptures, however, provides a means of seeing how we can choose to live our lives. When we look at the life of Christ and see how He lived every day for his Heavenly Father, it gives us a picture of how we should live, love, and stand in obedience to God. As I stated in many previous blogs (and focused on quite a bit in "A Thought for the Day") God does NOT force us to obey Him but He does allow us to make decisions in our lives. He asks something of us and we have the option to obey or disobey.
A Thought for the Day
Thank you Oswald Chambers.
We've been studying Philippians in our Renewed Minds class (Sunday School) and I remember this being a point that we seemed to get stuck on. Chambers kind of clarifies the point made by Paul in Philippians 2:12. The verse says "... continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling..." (NIV).
In my devotional this morning (titled "Take the Initiative" from My Utmost for His Highest) a new light started shining. Oswald Chambers starts the study with "... add to your faith virtue..." Here is what he then writes:
"Add means that we have to do something. We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do. We cannot save nor sanctify ourselves -- God does that. But God will not give us good habits or character, and He will not force us to walk correctly before Him. We have to do all that ourselves. We must "work out" our "own salvation" which God has worked in us. Add means that we must get into the habit of doing things, and in the initial stages that is difficult. To take the initiative is to make a beginning -- to instruct yourself in the way you must go.
Beware of the tendency to ask the way when you know it perfectly well. Take the initiative -- stop hesitating -- take the first step. Be determined to act immediately in faith on what God says to you when He speaks, and never reconsider or change your initial decisions. If you hesitate when God tells you to do something, you are being carless, spurning the grace in which you stand. Take the initiative yourself, make a decision of your will right now, and make it impossible to go back. Burn your bridges..."
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I bolded the portion I found amazingly truthful and that I'd never really thought of or at least didn't understand before. While God leads and guides us, our initiative is in responding to His guidance.
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"... Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him."
~*Philippians 2:12-13 (NLT)*~
We've been studying Philippians in our Renewed Minds class (Sunday School) and I remember this being a point that we seemed to get stuck on. Chambers kind of clarifies the point made by Paul in Philippians 2:12. The verse says "... continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling..." (NIV).
In my devotional this morning (titled "Take the Initiative" from My Utmost for His Highest) a new light started shining. Oswald Chambers starts the study with "... add to your faith virtue..." Here is what he then writes:
"Add means that we have to do something. We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do. We cannot save nor sanctify ourselves -- God does that. But God will not give us good habits or character, and He will not force us to walk correctly before Him. We have to do all that ourselves. We must "work out" our "own salvation" which God has worked in us. Add means that we must get into the habit of doing things, and in the initial stages that is difficult. To take the initiative is to make a beginning -- to instruct yourself in the way you must go.
Beware of the tendency to ask the way when you know it perfectly well. Take the initiative -- stop hesitating -- take the first step. Be determined to act immediately in faith on what God says to you when He speaks, and never reconsider or change your initial decisions. If you hesitate when God tells you to do something, you are being carless, spurning the grace in which you stand. Take the initiative yourself, make a decision of your will right now, and make it impossible to go back. Burn your bridges..."
------------------------
I bolded the portion I found amazingly truthful and that I'd never really thought of or at least didn't understand before. While God leads and guides us, our initiative is in responding to His guidance.
------------------------
"... Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him."
~*Philippians 2:12-13 (NLT)*~
Monday, May 9, 2011
2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God breathed. What a wonderful truth to think on!! Unfortunately I've always only thought of this passage in regards to Christians using Scripture on other Christians. Do we always use this God-breathed Scripture for the purpose it was meant for? Do we use it for any other purpose than those listed: teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training? I find myself struggling with discernment sometimes. What are my motives in using Scripture "on people"? Is it truly done "in righteousness" or is there some selfish motive to make people feel guilty or sorry about something they've done? (Like I admitted, I've only ever thought of it this way which is sad to me but now I see a new and brighter and better meaning in the passage!!!)
At the same time, does this apply for person to person interaction only? I think it could take on a different form. I believe it could serve as a beautiful reminder of how God ministers to us. It serves to teach us in God to creation interaction. When I am caught in sin or disobedience, it doesn't have to be a person calling me out on it. Often God brings His written word to my mind to rebuke or correct me. We obviously learn and are trained for God's work through studying the Scriptures as well. So, as obvious, as this should have been to me before now, I saw this passage in a different light today. Not only believers teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training believers through the Word but also, and to me more importantly, God uses it in our lives to mold us into what He wants us to be in order that we may do the work He has set before us. All the more reason to dive into His Word daily!!
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"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work."
~*2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT)*~
At the same time, does this apply for person to person interaction only? I think it could take on a different form. I believe it could serve as a beautiful reminder of how God ministers to us. It serves to teach us in God to creation interaction. When I am caught in sin or disobedience, it doesn't have to be a person calling me out on it. Often God brings His written word to my mind to rebuke or correct me. We obviously learn and are trained for God's work through studying the Scriptures as well. So, as obvious, as this should have been to me before now, I saw this passage in a different light today. Not only believers teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training believers through the Word but also, and to me more importantly, God uses it in our lives to mold us into what He wants us to be in order that we may do the work He has set before us. All the more reason to dive into His Word daily!!
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"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work."
~*2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT)*~
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Galatians 2:15-21
When God changes us, He starts from the inside out. He does not FORCE us to obey Him, but rather gives us the choice to follow and obey. It is our choice to obey Him in our heart. That is where God starts to change us. HE cleans up our heart. There is nothing that we can do to clean up ourselves or "make ourselves right with God." We are already "right with God" through Christ Jesus and when we accept that truth into our lives. Our work is in realizing that we have to trust God to do the work. I believe that when we rely on God and trust Him to rule over our lives, not only do we allow HIS change in our hearts but we start to live that out. When we live for the purpose of God's love, we recognize the opportunity to obey (and from experience it is easier to obey, even if I'm hesitant to say that), but it always begins with His love for us.
When you genuinely love somebody you will most likely live your life serving them and from that flows an unexplainable obedience to them as well. We give up our own wants and at times our own needs for another's wants and needs. We stop living for ourselves and start living for the other... hopefully that other is God. We learn to live for God by meeting with Him, conversing with Him and reading books and letters that He wrote for us. We learn God's love for us in the story that is written for us and by basking in the glory of the cross. We do not take a works-based approach to God but through His change in our lives our works will flow from His love. Besides, if we have to work our way to God and make ourselves right with Him, then why did Christ suffer and die on the cross for us?
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"You and I are Jews by birth, not 'sinners' like the Gentiles. Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.
But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us to sin? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law -- I stopped trying to meet all its requirements -- so that I might live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die."
~*Galatians 2:15-21 (NLT)*~
When you genuinely love somebody you will most likely live your life serving them and from that flows an unexplainable obedience to them as well. We give up our own wants and at times our own needs for another's wants and needs. We stop living for ourselves and start living for the other... hopefully that other is God. We learn to live for God by meeting with Him, conversing with Him and reading books and letters that He wrote for us. We learn God's love for us in the story that is written for us and by basking in the glory of the cross. We do not take a works-based approach to God but through His change in our lives our works will flow from His love. Besides, if we have to work our way to God and make ourselves right with Him, then why did Christ suffer and die on the cross for us?
--------------------------------------------
"You and I are Jews by birth, not 'sinners' like the Gentiles. Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.
But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us to sin? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law -- I stopped trying to meet all its requirements -- so that I might live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die."
~*Galatians 2:15-21 (NLT)*~
Romans 12:1-2
When I think of living, I think of vibrant and on fire for a purpose. When I think of living in Christ, I think of passion and obedience to my Creator. Most of the time obedience is not necessarily seen in a good way. I catch myself thinking of obedience as forcing me to do something and if I don't obey there will be a consequence... which is definitely NOT the case with God. Consequences for our actions? Yes. God forcing us to be obedient? Not so much. That is a common perception of obedience in our society today. Sometimes we forget our God is a loving Father. He does not force us to do anything. He does not force us to be obedient to Him. God simply gives us the chance and the choice to obey Him and walk in His will. I often think of it this way: We always have a choice and if we choose to disobey God that is our choice. Anything that happens then, whether good or bad, can be seen as a result of our disobedience. It is as "simple" as that. There should be no pointing fingers at God because He did NOT cause us to see. (Galatians 2:17 sums that up nicely... as do many other verses in the Bible).
We live and we learn. We go through tough times, also known as testing, given by God so that we learn and grow and sooner or later we will hopefully understand that we are safe only in the will of God. The safest place for us to be is in the hand of God. We are safer following Him and walking hand in hand with Christ down His path than we are walking in the ways and temptations of this world. The world's ways are easier and for a short period of time they may seem more satisfying, but in the end we see the outcome (or consequences) of deliberately disobeying our Lord. It is our choosing to be disobedient to our Father and to go our own way because it "seems" more pleasant for the time being and may look like the easier path to travel. Classifying ourselves as Christians doesn't make everything hunky dory and nobody said that following God and walking with Christ would be easy. In many places in the Bible we are "warned" of the difficulties to come our way for choosing Christ. But there is love found at the end of that choice. Love and comfort from our Savior King can be found in obedience.
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"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice -- the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."
~*Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)*~
We live and we learn. We go through tough times, also known as testing, given by God so that we learn and grow and sooner or later we will hopefully understand that we are safe only in the will of God. The safest place for us to be is in the hand of God. We are safer following Him and walking hand in hand with Christ down His path than we are walking in the ways and temptations of this world. The world's ways are easier and for a short period of time they may seem more satisfying, but in the end we see the outcome (or consequences) of deliberately disobeying our Lord. It is our choosing to be disobedient to our Father and to go our own way because it "seems" more pleasant for the time being and may look like the easier path to travel. Classifying ourselves as Christians doesn't make everything hunky dory and nobody said that following God and walking with Christ would be easy. In many places in the Bible we are "warned" of the difficulties to come our way for choosing Christ. But there is love found at the end of that choice. Love and comfort from our Savior King can be found in obedience.
--------------------------------------
"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice -- the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."
~*Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)*~
Blogging
So I already have one blog but it is one that I've started quite a while back (like a few years). I've come a long ways in the past few years of walking with God. Through so many struggles and pains he has never left my side. Through so many temptations and addictions he has shown me he loves me and will never let me go. This blog is my "God Blog" if you will. If possible, I'd like to start writing some of my daily reflections on verses and posting them here. That is what this blog is for :) I love to write and this is my blog for it. God is wonderfully beautiful. We can do anything through Him and through Him alone can our lives be wonderfully beautiful. Here is to a wonderfully beautiful you created in Christ Jesus for the glory of our Heavenly Father!!!
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