OK, it's been absolutely forever since I've written in this thing. One of my resolutions this year was to pick it back up so here I go again.
The past few months have been a really interesting time for me. Not only have I learned the most amazing things about God I've ever dreamt of, but I feel like my life has come to a crossroads. I can either go straight and continue on with my comfortable life, or I can turn and head towards a life that's a LOT more scary - yet a lot more dependant on Christ. I've become obsessed with thinking about my future - "Where am I going?" "When is this going to happen?" "What is that going to happen?" "Lord, I need..."
I've become so consumed that I seemed to have forgotten what's really important.
During my quiet time tonight, I read the following:
Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's." Psalm 103: 1-5
Again, I've become so consumed with the future that I've forgotten how He forgives my sins, heals me, and how He redeemed my life from the pit and how only He satisfies my desires.
How easily do I forget! My life is overflowing with the good things He has given me - a great job, amazing friends and family who love me, and a ministry that He's entrusted me with. The empty life I once lived in a pit has now been transformed and redeemed by the love of Christ.
Read this truth that Paul writes:
"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philipians 4:19
That's a mind blowing promise. God's going to meet all my needs - present AND future. What I really need to be obsessed with is praising Him, glorifying Him and finding satisfaction in Him- not what's coming up next. That's already been taken care of.
Thanks, Lord.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Sticker Wisdom
A couple of weeks ago, a friend and I went to a wedding in Atlanta. We did a lot of driving around/exploring the city and we got stuck in traffic (there is a lot of traffic in ATL, even more than here) behind this car. I immediately noticed the bumper sticker that proclaimed - "Jesus, protect me from Your followers!"
This shocked me a bit, but upon thinking more about it, it brought real sadness to my heart. How true is this sticker? Do we as Christians sometimes do more harm than good? I think it can be true.
Ghandi said this about Christianity:
"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. If all Christians acted like Christ, the whole world would be Christian.” Um, ouch!
Also, consider this verse:
"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity." Colossians 4:5
God has chosen to do His work here on us through us, His children. It's an awesome responsibility, and one that I think we take too lightly at times. If we profess the name of Christ, we must have the actions to back it up - not just the words. Words are just not enough. If we truly have the love of God within us, our actions should naturally follow.
Of course, none of us will ever be a perfect representation of Christ. We are all imperfect sinners who fail daily. But that doesn't mean that we shouldn't try. Do we truly make the most of every opportunity?
John urged us: "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:18
I urge you all to pray and examine your hearts and see what aspects of your lives do not reflect Christ the way they should. We all have them. I know I do. And I also know that with the help of the Spirit, we all can also be continually transformed. Are you going to let the change happen, or stay stuck in the same old patterns?
This shocked me a bit, but upon thinking more about it, it brought real sadness to my heart. How true is this sticker? Do we as Christians sometimes do more harm than good? I think it can be true.
Ghandi said this about Christianity:
"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. If all Christians acted like Christ, the whole world would be Christian.” Um, ouch!
Also, consider this verse:
"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity." Colossians 4:5
God has chosen to do His work here on us through us, His children. It's an awesome responsibility, and one that I think we take too lightly at times. If we profess the name of Christ, we must have the actions to back it up - not just the words. Words are just not enough. If we truly have the love of God within us, our actions should naturally follow.
Of course, none of us will ever be a perfect representation of Christ. We are all imperfect sinners who fail daily. But that doesn't mean that we shouldn't try. Do we truly make the most of every opportunity?
John urged us: "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:18
I urge you all to pray and examine your hearts and see what aspects of your lives do not reflect Christ the way they should. We all have them. I know I do. And I also know that with the help of the Spirit, we all can also be continually transformed. Are you going to let the change happen, or stay stuck in the same old patterns?
Friday, April 10, 2009
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart. Psalm 27:14
I heard this song tonight, and it really spoke to me. At one time or another, we all wait on the Lord for something. And it's often painful, and it often breaks us. But I feel like what we accomplish while we wait is sometimes much more important than what we're actually waiting for.
I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait
I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting-I will serve You
While I'm waiting-I will worship
While I'm waiting-I will not faint
I'll be running the race Even while I wait
I'm waiting I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
John Waller
The book of Romans says this about Abraham:
"Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised." Romans 4:20-21
God is faithful, and He will do exactly what He has promised to those who believe in Him.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." John 14:1-3
I do have faith that God will keep the promises He has made me. I'm still working on the ability to rest in that faith all the time. And I hope that my faith will someday mirror Abraham's and it will be unwavering. I get closer every day.
What are you waiting for? And what are you doing while you wait for it? Do you have faith that God will keep the promises He has made to you?
Everything will not always be the way we think it should be, but praise God for that. His Will be done.
I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait
I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting-I will serve You
While I'm waiting-I will worship
While I'm waiting-I will not faint
I'll be running the race Even while I wait
I'm waiting I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
John Waller
The book of Romans says this about Abraham:
"Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised." Romans 4:20-21
God is faithful, and He will do exactly what He has promised to those who believe in Him.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." John 14:1-3
I do have faith that God will keep the promises He has made me. I'm still working on the ability to rest in that faith all the time. And I hope that my faith will someday mirror Abraham's and it will be unwavering. I get closer every day.
What are you waiting for? And what are you doing while you wait for it? Do you have faith that God will keep the promises He has made to you?
Everything will not always be the way we think it should be, but praise God for that. His Will be done.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Franklin Square 4-4-09
Saturday was a regularly scheduled day at the park. It was an unusual day for many reasons...
It started out with us searching for parking for almost 45 minutes when we arrived because DC was so packed from the Cherry Blossom festival. Frustrating, as we had someone new volunteering for the first time and he has been waiting for us the whole time and I felt horrible keeping him waiting.
And literally, the second we headed into the park we encountered a man who felt we were ignoring him...we probably were as we always get rushed when we go there and try to head to the middle of the park right away. Its safer and easier if we can get set up right away and most people will just follow us and wait patiently. This guy got mad. He started yelling, calling us hypocrites, etc. I started to get mad because he refused to listen to what any of us had to say about the situation. And, he said that we can't just throw food at them, that thats not cool, etc. Then I got really mad because thats the opposite of what we do. We've tried to be really faithful to the people down there, and we'd never even seen that guy before! We gave him a lunch, and I went back and talked to him and explained a bit more about who we were and what we did down there and he seemed to calm down a bit.
So, we got to our usual spot and I realized that we had forgotten to pray before we came into the park...that was a bit too coincidental for me! So we prayed and went on with the day.
The new volunteer (Julian) spoke Spanish, so we were really excited that he was there as a lot of the guys don't speak any English and there had been no way for us to communicate with them in the past. I was also really impressed with how focused he was on Evangelism - I am the first to admit that that is not one of my gifts, so I really admire it when I see people who aren't hesitant to do it.
There were a lot of new people there that day - one guy was obviously about our age, and he very much wanted to talk to us. We chatted for a few minutes before he asked me - "Has God ever delivered you from evil?" That's a pretty serious question, and I didn't know exactly how to go about answering it. I told him parts of my testomony, which is always hard for me, but does get easier each time I share it. I didn't share everything with him, but went over some highlights with him. I then asked him what he believed, and he didn't really seem to know the answer. He told me that he had been involved with drugs for a long time, and had been staying at various shelters for a long time. I'm not sure how it came up exactly, but we ended up talking a long time about how salvation is a gift from God, and how there is nothing we can do to "earn" it- and there's nothing we can do that makes God "take it away" We talked about Ephesians 2:8-9 which is one of my absolute favorite verses:
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
I got distracted by one of our regulars, Tim, and asked Julian to go over and talk with him more. The most amazing thing was that the guy (Jamele) prayed to accept Christ right there! That was really powerful to see happen.
There was one really sad part of the day, though. We watched a drug deal go down amongst 2 guys who were there. One was Tony, who had been involved with Troy's original Bible study last year, and the other was James, who had been a part of our study last week. It was very disheartening. I want so much for the light of Christ to penetrate that park and reach those people...I know that I need to be patient. I also know that it is not up to me - its up to the Holy Spirit. But it just breaks my heart so much to see that.
I think the biggest lesson that I got out of Saturday was the realization that I am not praying enough for the ministry or for the guys down there. I want so much to see God work down there, but I'm relying too much on myself and not enough on the Holy Spirit. We are not the ones working down there - its God working through us. Ephesians 3:20 reminds us that God can do "Immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine" and I have faith that He can do great things down there. But I need to be going to Him more regularly in prayer - covering the situation. And we as a team need to be praying more together - before and after we go, etc. Good lesson to learn!
Please be praying for us as a team - we really need it!
Check out Troy's post about the day -
http://blog.troythoman.com/
It started out with us searching for parking for almost 45 minutes when we arrived because DC was so packed from the Cherry Blossom festival. Frustrating, as we had someone new volunteering for the first time and he has been waiting for us the whole time and I felt horrible keeping him waiting.
And literally, the second we headed into the park we encountered a man who felt we were ignoring him...we probably were as we always get rushed when we go there and try to head to the middle of the park right away. Its safer and easier if we can get set up right away and most people will just follow us and wait patiently. This guy got mad. He started yelling, calling us hypocrites, etc. I started to get mad because he refused to listen to what any of us had to say about the situation. And, he said that we can't just throw food at them, that thats not cool, etc. Then I got really mad because thats the opposite of what we do. We've tried to be really faithful to the people down there, and we'd never even seen that guy before! We gave him a lunch, and I went back and talked to him and explained a bit more about who we were and what we did down there and he seemed to calm down a bit.
So, we got to our usual spot and I realized that we had forgotten to pray before we came into the park...that was a bit too coincidental for me! So we prayed and went on with the day.
The new volunteer (Julian) spoke Spanish, so we were really excited that he was there as a lot of the guys don't speak any English and there had been no way for us to communicate with them in the past. I was also really impressed with how focused he was on Evangelism - I am the first to admit that that is not one of my gifts, so I really admire it when I see people who aren't hesitant to do it.
There were a lot of new people there that day - one guy was obviously about our age, and he very much wanted to talk to us. We chatted for a few minutes before he asked me - "Has God ever delivered you from evil?" That's a pretty serious question, and I didn't know exactly how to go about answering it. I told him parts of my testomony, which is always hard for me, but does get easier each time I share it. I didn't share everything with him, but went over some highlights with him. I then asked him what he believed, and he didn't really seem to know the answer. He told me that he had been involved with drugs for a long time, and had been staying at various shelters for a long time. I'm not sure how it came up exactly, but we ended up talking a long time about how salvation is a gift from God, and how there is nothing we can do to "earn" it- and there's nothing we can do that makes God "take it away" We talked about Ephesians 2:8-9 which is one of my absolute favorite verses:
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
I got distracted by one of our regulars, Tim, and asked Julian to go over and talk with him more. The most amazing thing was that the guy (Jamele) prayed to accept Christ right there! That was really powerful to see happen.
There was one really sad part of the day, though. We watched a drug deal go down amongst 2 guys who were there. One was Tony, who had been involved with Troy's original Bible study last year, and the other was James, who had been a part of our study last week. It was very disheartening. I want so much for the light of Christ to penetrate that park and reach those people...I know that I need to be patient. I also know that it is not up to me - its up to the Holy Spirit. But it just breaks my heart so much to see that.
I think the biggest lesson that I got out of Saturday was the realization that I am not praying enough for the ministry or for the guys down there. I want so much to see God work down there, but I'm relying too much on myself and not enough on the Holy Spirit. We are not the ones working down there - its God working through us. Ephesians 3:20 reminds us that God can do "Immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine" and I have faith that He can do great things down there. But I need to be going to Him more regularly in prayer - covering the situation. And we as a team need to be praying more together - before and after we go, etc. Good lesson to learn!
Please be praying for us as a team - we really need it!
Check out Troy's post about the day -
http://blog.troythoman.com/
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Obedience...just do it!
When the word "obey" comes to mind, it is usually perceived in a negative light. When I think of obedience, I often think of being a child and being told to obey my parents...and it was usually in a situation where the last thing I wanted to do was obey. I grew to hate the phrase "because I said so" because it meant putting my personal desires on hold and doing the opposite of what I wanted.
Now, as an adult, my parents don't really tell me what to do anymore. But as a Christian, I am still called to obedience to Christ. But I still have a really hard time with that term!
Let's look at a story from 1 Samuel 15.
OK, so Saul has been appointed King over Israel, and the Lord sent him a command through Samuel:
2 This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. 3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.' 1 Samuel 15:2-3
Seems pretty simple, right? God wants the Amalekites destroyed for what they have done to Israel. He wants them and everything they own gone. Let's see how Saul responds to this commands.
7 Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, to the east of Egypt. 8 He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. 9 But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed. 1 Samuel 15:7-9
Essentially, they did only part of what God commanded them to do. They didn't understand why God wanted them to destroy what was good- so they didn't do it. I honestly don't know why God wanted everything destroyed either, but I do know its not my job to understand everything God chooses to do. Let's see what happened next.
10 Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel: 11 "I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions." Samuel was troubled, and he cried out to the LORD all that night.
12 Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, "Saul has gone to Carmel. There he has set up a monument in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal."
13 When Samuel reached him, Saul said, "The LORD bless you! I have carried out the LORD's instructions."
14 But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?"
15 Saul answered, "The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but we totally destroyed the rest."
We're told that God was actually grieved because Saul didn't listen to Him. He had given him a command, and Saul, in his human nature, only followed through halfway. What strikes me as funny, is that Saul had a monument sent up in his own honor. Why? He obviously didn't see the situation that God did...he thought he'd done a great job and that he deserved to be commemorated for his actions. How many times have we felt this way? I'm honest enough to admit that my pride has been my downfall on several occasions in the past, but that's not what this is about.
OK, so Saul greets Samuel with "Hey! I did what God told me to do!" And Samuel (very sarcastically/hilariously I might add) asks why he hears animal noises when the Lord had made it clear that everything was to be destroyed. I can actually see Saul put up his defenses as he makes excuses. He said the best animals were saved to sacrifice to the Lord. Well, sacrificing things to the Lord is great, but that is not what God asked him to do.
16 "Stop!" Samuel said to Saul. "Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night." "Tell me," Saul replied. 17 Samuel said, "Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. 18 And he sent you on a mission, saying, 'Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have wiped them out.' 19 Why did you not obey the LORD ? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD 1 Samuel 15:16-19
I love Samuel's response. "Just stop. Listen to me." He then proceeds to remind Saul what his position is, what his mission was, and then ask a question that we all need to be asked sometimes..."Why did you not obey the Lord?" That's a great question. But let's see how Saul responds.
20 "But I did obey the LORD," Saul said. "I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. 21 The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal." 1 Samuel 15:20-21
I can almost see Samuel rolling his eyes while Saul is talking. "But, but, but I did obey the Lord..." Come on Saul. Seriously...did you obey the Lord? Really? Almost, but not quite. Samuel hits him pretty hard next.
22 But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD ? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king." 1 Samuel 15:22-23
You can read the rest of the story..basically Samuel finishes Saul's job, and we're told again that the Lord is grieved over the situation.
Samuel hits me pretty hard with his words, too. We know that as Christians, we are called to give our time and resources sacrificially...and joyfully. But we learn here that obedience better than sacrifice. Wow...obedience is by far the more difficult action.
So, in echoing Samuel...what keeps us from obeying the Lord? Paul asks a similar question in the book of Galatians:
"You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?" Galatians 5:7
There are endless reasons why were are disobedient. As humans, we are full of pride and tend to think that we know what's best and right for our lives. As humans, we also fear rejection, punishment, and the unknown. We might fear that we're not well-equipped for the job. I know that I'm personally terrified of all those things. Sometimes I would rather completely avoid a situation rather than be obedient. Or, like Saul, complete the easy part of the task and avoid the part that I don't understand or want to do. But that grieves God!
I've been reading and thinking a lot about obedience and what it looks like over the past couple of weeks. Nehemiah was obedient to God's calling. Paul was certainly obedient to God's calling. Am I? Not always.
I started thinking. How how do I change my heart to where I no longer am scared of or avoid obedience in the more difficult situations?
Then I realized the only thing I can really do is simply obey. First, I need to pray about it. But after that, I just have to do it...and find joy in obedience, even if it doesn't make much sense to me. Sometimes God tells us "Because I said so" and that needs to be enough for us. He knows best! I constantly have to remember this -
8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:8
I do have faith in a big God who is sovereign over all, and I've given Him my life. Romans 1:5 tells us that obedience comes from faith. James 1:22 tells us to do what the Word says. Jesus Himself said -"Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it." Luke 11:28
There's no simple solution - no book called "Obedience...made easy" It just requires taking those steps of faith and watching how God works through us when we obey Him. Through it, we get to grow in our relationship with Christ, and experience the joy and abundant life He's promised us. That's a pretty good incentive!
Now, as an adult, my parents don't really tell me what to do anymore. But as a Christian, I am still called to obedience to Christ. But I still have a really hard time with that term!
Let's look at a story from 1 Samuel 15.
OK, so Saul has been appointed King over Israel, and the Lord sent him a command through Samuel:
2 This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. 3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.' 1 Samuel 15:2-3
Seems pretty simple, right? God wants the Amalekites destroyed for what they have done to Israel. He wants them and everything they own gone. Let's see how Saul responds to this commands.
7 Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, to the east of Egypt. 8 He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. 9 But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed. 1 Samuel 15:7-9
Essentially, they did only part of what God commanded them to do. They didn't understand why God wanted them to destroy what was good- so they didn't do it. I honestly don't know why God wanted everything destroyed either, but I do know its not my job to understand everything God chooses to do. Let's see what happened next.
10 Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel: 11 "I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions." Samuel was troubled, and he cried out to the LORD all that night.
12 Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, "Saul has gone to Carmel. There he has set up a monument in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal."
13 When Samuel reached him, Saul said, "The LORD bless you! I have carried out the LORD's instructions."
14 But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?"
15 Saul answered, "The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but we totally destroyed the rest."
We're told that God was actually grieved because Saul didn't listen to Him. He had given him a command, and Saul, in his human nature, only followed through halfway. What strikes me as funny, is that Saul had a monument sent up in his own honor. Why? He obviously didn't see the situation that God did...he thought he'd done a great job and that he deserved to be commemorated for his actions. How many times have we felt this way? I'm honest enough to admit that my pride has been my downfall on several occasions in the past, but that's not what this is about.
OK, so Saul greets Samuel with "Hey! I did what God told me to do!" And Samuel (very sarcastically/hilariously I might add) asks why he hears animal noises when the Lord had made it clear that everything was to be destroyed. I can actually see Saul put up his defenses as he makes excuses. He said the best animals were saved to sacrifice to the Lord. Well, sacrificing things to the Lord is great, but that is not what God asked him to do.
16 "Stop!" Samuel said to Saul. "Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night." "Tell me," Saul replied. 17 Samuel said, "Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. 18 And he sent you on a mission, saying, 'Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have wiped them out.' 19 Why did you not obey the LORD ? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD 1 Samuel 15:16-19
I love Samuel's response. "Just stop. Listen to me." He then proceeds to remind Saul what his position is, what his mission was, and then ask a question that we all need to be asked sometimes..."Why did you not obey the Lord?" That's a great question. But let's see how Saul responds.
20 "But I did obey the LORD," Saul said. "I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. 21 The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal." 1 Samuel 15:20-21
I can almost see Samuel rolling his eyes while Saul is talking. "But, but, but I did obey the Lord..." Come on Saul. Seriously...did you obey the Lord? Really? Almost, but not quite. Samuel hits him pretty hard next.
22 But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD ? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king." 1 Samuel 15:22-23
You can read the rest of the story..basically Samuel finishes Saul's job, and we're told again that the Lord is grieved over the situation.
Samuel hits me pretty hard with his words, too. We know that as Christians, we are called to give our time and resources sacrificially...and joyfully. But we learn here that obedience better than sacrifice. Wow...obedience is by far the more difficult action.
So, in echoing Samuel...what keeps us from obeying the Lord? Paul asks a similar question in the book of Galatians:
"You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?" Galatians 5:7
There are endless reasons why were are disobedient. As humans, we are full of pride and tend to think that we know what's best and right for our lives. As humans, we also fear rejection, punishment, and the unknown. We might fear that we're not well-equipped for the job. I know that I'm personally terrified of all those things. Sometimes I would rather completely avoid a situation rather than be obedient. Or, like Saul, complete the easy part of the task and avoid the part that I don't understand or want to do. But that grieves God!
I've been reading and thinking a lot about obedience and what it looks like over the past couple of weeks. Nehemiah was obedient to God's calling. Paul was certainly obedient to God's calling. Am I? Not always.
I started thinking. How how do I change my heart to where I no longer am scared of or avoid obedience in the more difficult situations?
Then I realized the only thing I can really do is simply obey. First, I need to pray about it. But after that, I just have to do it...and find joy in obedience, even if it doesn't make much sense to me. Sometimes God tells us "Because I said so" and that needs to be enough for us. He knows best! I constantly have to remember this -
8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:8
I do have faith in a big God who is sovereign over all, and I've given Him my life. Romans 1:5 tells us that obedience comes from faith. James 1:22 tells us to do what the Word says. Jesus Himself said -"Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it." Luke 11:28
There's no simple solution - no book called "Obedience...made easy" It just requires taking those steps of faith and watching how God works through us when we obey Him. Through it, we get to grow in our relationship with Christ, and experience the joy and abundant life He's promised us. That's a pretty good incentive!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Remembering
Over the past week, the thought of "Remembering God" has been brought to my attention twice. First, my mentor discussed remembering "my passover" which essentially means reflecting on the time in my life when I came to know Jesus. A few days later, we discussed this passage in bible study:
"Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you. "Deuteronomy 8:2-5
OK, so I can take a hint. I have been taking time this week to reflect on what it's been like to know God personally and I wanted to share a few things. Especially in light of the fact that "my passover" is coming up April 16th.
How can I even begin to express what it's been like? The difference God has made in my life is indescribable. I can only attempt to explain some of the biggest blessings I have experienced.
God is my Rock...
Before I knew God, I leaned on my friends and myself. I depended on others for my joy, and for comfort, and for wisdom, and for love. And I got let down - a lot. Especially when I depended on myself. You just cannot lean on anybody, or anything and think they are always going to come through for you. I never really understood that until I gave my life to Christ and realized that He will never let me down. He is always there for me. He's perfect. And most of all - He loves me. All of me. No matter what! I forget that more than I care to admit.
"From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe." Psalm 61:2-3
God is my peace...
"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast,because he trusts in you." Isaiah 26:3
I may still worry about things sometimes, but I am finally in a place where I no longer want to me in control of my life. God has control of everything. I have peace now, knowing that He is perfect and that He's calling all the shots. All I have to do is be obedient.
God is my provider...
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17
Everything I have comes from God...its not my my human effort. And I can't worry anymore about what I have and do not have.
Those are only a glimpse into what I've been blessed to experience...the deeper I grow in my faith, the better it gets.
"Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you. "Deuteronomy 8:2-5
OK, so I can take a hint. I have been taking time this week to reflect on what it's been like to know God personally and I wanted to share a few things. Especially in light of the fact that "my passover" is coming up April 16th.
How can I even begin to express what it's been like? The difference God has made in my life is indescribable. I can only attempt to explain some of the biggest blessings I have experienced.
God is my Rock...
Before I knew God, I leaned on my friends and myself. I depended on others for my joy, and for comfort, and for wisdom, and for love. And I got let down - a lot. Especially when I depended on myself. You just cannot lean on anybody, or anything and think they are always going to come through for you. I never really understood that until I gave my life to Christ and realized that He will never let me down. He is always there for me. He's perfect. And most of all - He loves me. All of me. No matter what! I forget that more than I care to admit.
"From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe." Psalm 61:2-3
God is my peace...
"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast,because he trusts in you." Isaiah 26:3
I may still worry about things sometimes, but I am finally in a place where I no longer want to me in control of my life. God has control of everything. I have peace now, knowing that He is perfect and that He's calling all the shots. All I have to do is be obedient.
God is my provider...
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17
Everything I have comes from God...its not my my human effort. And I can't worry anymore about what I have and do not have.
Those are only a glimpse into what I've been blessed to experience...the deeper I grow in my faith, the better it gets.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Burgers & Bibles 3-14-09
To start this off, I'd like to add a disclaimer:
The name "Burgers & Bibles" is not my favorite. It's what Troy called the study last year, and since we were not actually at the park today, I am calling it that as a default..if anyone has any other names, please contact me immediately!! Thanks :)
OK, so today was the first day Troy had enough people that agreed to come study the Bible with us! I was pretty excited about it all week, and couldn't wait to watch what would unfold. Troy initially wanted to teach on James, but after some thought he decided to do a study on why we need God. This ended up being a great Gospel presentation. Check out the presentation if you're interested...http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddbqx5b_85d5767f22&invite=1290364000
When we got to McDonalds, Tony (one of the guys Troy did the study with last year) was the only one there. The other guys who said they were coming weren't there, which was initially a bit disappointing. However, Troy and Tony walked over to the park and got some other guys over to study with us. We ended up with 5 men - one of them was Tim, who we had had quite a bit of interaction with over the past few weeks. Tim is a believer - but has proclaimed that he has "one foot in, one foot out." But that man knows his Scripture! He can quote the Bible like no one I have ever met. He just needs some direction and encouragement in his life.
So, we started off the study with a prayer. My intention was to stay pretty quiet and be support staff for Troy. Well, it's sometimes a bit hard for me to keep my mouth shut. Especially when right after the prayer one of the guys Tony brought said he didn't believe in Jesus. Hmmm. We needed to talk about that. It was a little hard to understand why exactly he didn't believe - he said there were several other religions that he believed in, and was asking about the DaVinci code, and really just questioned whether or not Jesus existed. Well, my apologetics is definitely not as good as it should be. Plus, he really needed someone to sit down with him and answer all his questions. We answered a couple of basic questions, and told him we would love to talk with him about it another time. We were there to do a study, and were hoping that he would listen regardless of his disbelief. I pray that we get to have more interactions with him soon, so we can spend some real time answering his questions and listening to his concerns.
We went through the study, and everyone really seemed to be listening to what Troy was saying. I was pretty impressed with the way Troy led them - he seemed really confident, and held everyone's attention. I tried to help as much as I could by looking up verses that came to mind when the men had questions.
The discussion was lively, too. We got to discussing trials (James 1) - specifically how they help us grow in our faith and how they teach us to depend on the Lord. We discussed temptations and how the Lord can help us get through them-
12So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! 13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:12-13
It was hard to hear those guys discuss how they struggled with staying away from their temptations. Drugs and women seemed to be the common denominator among them. None of them seemed to have the confidence that they could just stay away from the tempting situations. It made me even more determined to play a role in bringing the hope we have in Jesus to these people. If we can even touch one life through our ministry, it will all be worth it.
I can remember what it was like for me before all of my hope was in Jesus. I felt like I had no one I could turn to, and it was a pretty lonely existence. All I want is for people to understand that they don't have to go through life alone - that they have a God who loves them and wants to have a personal relationship with them.
At the end of the study, several of the guys seemed really encouraged by what we had talked about. I was encouraged too. Plus, I was ridiculously proud of Troy! I look forward to watching him grow in his leadership. I'm praying this week that those guys remember what they heard - and that God really works in their lives this week. This just keeps getting better and better...!
On the way out, I stopped by the park and located Diane (the homeless lady I shared my testimony with last week). She said "she remembered my face" and seemed glad to see me. I had brought her some McDonalds and she seemed thrilled that I had thought of her. She had said that she was at McDonalds earlier, wishing that she had some money for some French fries. I was glad to be able to do something nice for her...I'm just going to keep serving her and hope that she will see Christ in me. Such a privilege and honor.
The name "Burgers & Bibles" is not my favorite. It's what Troy called the study last year, and since we were not actually at the park today, I am calling it that as a default..if anyone has any other names, please contact me immediately!! Thanks :)
OK, so today was the first day Troy had enough people that agreed to come study the Bible with us! I was pretty excited about it all week, and couldn't wait to watch what would unfold. Troy initially wanted to teach on James, but after some thought he decided to do a study on why we need God. This ended up being a great Gospel presentation. Check out the presentation if you're interested...http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddbqx5b_85d5767f22&invite=1290364000
When we got to McDonalds, Tony (one of the guys Troy did the study with last year) was the only one there. The other guys who said they were coming weren't there, which was initially a bit disappointing. However, Troy and Tony walked over to the park and got some other guys over to study with us. We ended up with 5 men - one of them was Tim, who we had had quite a bit of interaction with over the past few weeks. Tim is a believer - but has proclaimed that he has "one foot in, one foot out." But that man knows his Scripture! He can quote the Bible like no one I have ever met. He just needs some direction and encouragement in his life.
So, we started off the study with a prayer. My intention was to stay pretty quiet and be support staff for Troy. Well, it's sometimes a bit hard for me to keep my mouth shut. Especially when right after the prayer one of the guys Tony brought said he didn't believe in Jesus. Hmmm. We needed to talk about that. It was a little hard to understand why exactly he didn't believe - he said there were several other religions that he believed in, and was asking about the DaVinci code, and really just questioned whether or not Jesus existed. Well, my apologetics is definitely not as good as it should be. Plus, he really needed someone to sit down with him and answer all his questions. We answered a couple of basic questions, and told him we would love to talk with him about it another time. We were there to do a study, and were hoping that he would listen regardless of his disbelief. I pray that we get to have more interactions with him soon, so we can spend some real time answering his questions and listening to his concerns.
We went through the study, and everyone really seemed to be listening to what Troy was saying. I was pretty impressed with the way Troy led them - he seemed really confident, and held everyone's attention. I tried to help as much as I could by looking up verses that came to mind when the men had questions.
The discussion was lively, too. We got to discussing trials (James 1) - specifically how they help us grow in our faith and how they teach us to depend on the Lord. We discussed temptations and how the Lord can help us get through them-
12So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! 13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:12-13
It was hard to hear those guys discuss how they struggled with staying away from their temptations. Drugs and women seemed to be the common denominator among them. None of them seemed to have the confidence that they could just stay away from the tempting situations. It made me even more determined to play a role in bringing the hope we have in Jesus to these people. If we can even touch one life through our ministry, it will all be worth it.
I can remember what it was like for me before all of my hope was in Jesus. I felt like I had no one I could turn to, and it was a pretty lonely existence. All I want is for people to understand that they don't have to go through life alone - that they have a God who loves them and wants to have a personal relationship with them.
At the end of the study, several of the guys seemed really encouraged by what we had talked about. I was encouraged too. Plus, I was ridiculously proud of Troy! I look forward to watching him grow in his leadership. I'm praying this week that those guys remember what they heard - and that God really works in their lives this week. This just keeps getting better and better...!
On the way out, I stopped by the park and located Diane (the homeless lady I shared my testimony with last week). She said "she remembered my face" and seemed glad to see me. I had brought her some McDonalds and she seemed thrilled that I had thought of her. She had said that she was at McDonalds earlier, wishing that she had some money for some French fries. I was glad to be able to do something nice for her...I'm just going to keep serving her and hope that she will see Christ in me. Such a privilege and honor.
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