Thursday, December 9, 2010
This is my prayer in the desert...
“This is my prayer in the desert, when all that’s within me feels dry. This is my prayer in my hunger and need, my God is the God who provides…”
One of my favorite songs by Hillsong is “Desert Song.” I know, that’s a lot of songs in one sentence. This song is such a powerful anthem. It proclaims a choice that no matter what, God is still God and there is still a reason to worship Him. All of this is fine and dandy when the sun is shining, but what about when it storms? What about when your world is turned upside down? What about when your spouse dies, or your child dies, or you lose your home or you don’t have food to eat, or when it seems there is no one else in the world who possibly loves you? Is God still God then? The answer is a resounding yes.
The last year and a half have included some incredible moments where I have felt the manifest presence of God. When I would worship, more specifically when I would sing, I feel God’s presence. I could look at a sunrise and feel so overcome by the presence of God at the beauty of His creation. However, for the past month or so I have felt completely dry. It’s almost work to feel even a tinge of God’s presence, especially compared to what I’ve felt in the past. Admittedly there is fault in my own actions in creating what seems to be a chasm between me and the presence of God. I would listen to nothing but secular songs over and over again. Now, I am not saying that secular songs are evil and one has to ban them in their playlists. I enjoy the occasional John Mayer/Robin Thicke/John Legend combination. I am saying that if one is already starting to feel dry spiritually, the answer isn’t to weigh oneself down with music that does not glorify God or necessarily usher in His presence. So, I cut out the secular music but guess what, the problem wasn’t fixed. I finally admitted to myself that I am indeed in the desert.
Monday, I was praying with one of my friends and God gave me this vision of me being in a desert (big surprise). However, everywhere I looked and everywhere I went there was this well with me. God was showing me that yes I’m in a desert, but He is still with me. In the NASB version of Hebrews 13:5 God’s promise states, “…I will never desert you, nor forsake you.” Even in a desert, God will not desert you.
I wrote this blog in order to be transparent. At 23 I definitely don’t think I have all the answers. However, this is what I’ve concluded. I need to surround myself with things that bring life to me. For me these things are reading, writing, playing the guitar, and worshipping. [Worshipping and singing are synonymous for me because I can’t separate the two]. I also have covenant sisters that hold me accountable to reading my bible daily. It is important to not only read the bible but to declare its truth to yourself. Psalm 103 begins with “Bless the Lord oh my soul.” Even when your soul doesn’t feel like blessing God, DEMAND it to. Also, I sat down and asked God what He wants me to learn from this period. He wants me to learn how to find rest in Him alone. The great thing about God is when you seek after Him you will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13)
I won’t sit idly by and sulk through this desert period. I acknowledge that I feel dry. I feel so dry it’s practically arid. However, I am too in love with the creator of the universe. I belong to Him. He is the Lord God Almighty. His name is PROVIDER. His name is HEALER. “Desert Song” states, “ALL OF MY LIFE, IN EVERY SEASON, YOU ARE STILL GOD, I HAVE A REASON TO SING. I HAVE A REASON TO WORSHIP! This is my prayer in the fire, in weakness, in trial, or pain. There is a faith proved of more worth than gold, so refine me Lord through the flame.”
Saturday, September 4, 2010
It's time to get on the offense...
Well, it’s football season. I don’t think only men get into the spirit of football. There’s something exciting about football season. I prefer going to games and being a part of the atmosphere. Some of my fondest memories at UNC involved dousing myself in Carolina blue, putting on my pearls to add a bit of class, meeting up with my friends at the student gate, and blazing off toward the midfield section, grabbing a few pompoms on the way. The air is overwhelmingly dense with the ensuing battle that is waiting to take place on the field in front of us: a battle of good (Carolina) verses evil (everyone else).
Life is a constant struggle between good and evil. There is so much pain and suffering in the world that most people have to live their lives day to day. Some people are so hurt that they are too afraid to hope for anything because the past has taught them to always expect to get hit. Life is about defense versus offense. The defense on a football team is imperative to the team’s success. Its sole job is to protect the home goal from the offense’s attempts at crossing the line of scrimmage or the goal line. However, if the defense has to continually play in the game because the team has a weak offense, the game has a good chance at being lost. Unfortunately, even UNC has had this situation in a game. The offense could never get past the other team’s defense, and our defense could not last 45 minutes of continual play.
I see so many Christians, myself included, always on the defense. There have been so many days where I’ve expected the enemy to try to come into my territory. After a while, the other team knows your weaknesses and even anticipates your next move. The enemy strategically hits you where it hurts the most. For me, it’s my self-esteem. All it takes is for me to have one negative thought about myself that can turn into a downward spiral of worthlessness.
In the same way that the offense knows how to attack the weaknesses of the defense, at some point it’s time for the defense to see that the offense is attacking them in the same way every time. If the defense always leaves a hole up the middle, all the quarterback has to do is hand the ball to the running back and there goes the first down and or touchdown. After so many times, the defense better close up that hole, forcing the offense to either try another route or force them into a turnover on downs.
It’s time to get on the offense. The defense has finally closed up the holes. Practically for me, it’s learning how to automatically speak truth over myself. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says, “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” This is your WAR CRY!!!!! God has equipped us with the necessary tools to not only affectively defend ourselves but strategically fight against the attacks of the enemy. He has given us His word, truth trumps lies. He has given us worship, praise trumps pain. He has given us His spirit, life trumps death.
The Christian life promises persecution, yet the Christian life promises victory. Romans 8:14-17 says, “Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.” Hillsong’s song “Desert Song” says, “I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ.” Praise the Lord that we are indeed victorious over our current situations, victorious over the impeding attacks of the enemy and victorious over anything that sets itself up against the truth that is in Jesus Christ. We have strong offense and strong defense. We will have a winning season. We are victorious in Christ Jesus!
Life is a constant struggle between good and evil. There is so much pain and suffering in the world that most people have to live their lives day to day. Some people are so hurt that they are too afraid to hope for anything because the past has taught them to always expect to get hit. Life is about defense versus offense. The defense on a football team is imperative to the team’s success. Its sole job is to protect the home goal from the offense’s attempts at crossing the line of scrimmage or the goal line. However, if the defense has to continually play in the game because the team has a weak offense, the game has a good chance at being lost. Unfortunately, even UNC has had this situation in a game. The offense could never get past the other team’s defense, and our defense could not last 45 minutes of continual play.
I see so many Christians, myself included, always on the defense. There have been so many days where I’ve expected the enemy to try to come into my territory. After a while, the other team knows your weaknesses and even anticipates your next move. The enemy strategically hits you where it hurts the most. For me, it’s my self-esteem. All it takes is for me to have one negative thought about myself that can turn into a downward spiral of worthlessness.
In the same way that the offense knows how to attack the weaknesses of the defense, at some point it’s time for the defense to see that the offense is attacking them in the same way every time. If the defense always leaves a hole up the middle, all the quarterback has to do is hand the ball to the running back and there goes the first down and or touchdown. After so many times, the defense better close up that hole, forcing the offense to either try another route or force them into a turnover on downs.
It’s time to get on the offense. The defense has finally closed up the holes. Practically for me, it’s learning how to automatically speak truth over myself. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says, “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” This is your WAR CRY!!!!! God has equipped us with the necessary tools to not only affectively defend ourselves but strategically fight against the attacks of the enemy. He has given us His word, truth trumps lies. He has given us worship, praise trumps pain. He has given us His spirit, life trumps death.
The Christian life promises persecution, yet the Christian life promises victory. Romans 8:14-17 says, “Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.” Hillsong’s song “Desert Song” says, “I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ.” Praise the Lord that we are indeed victorious over our current situations, victorious over the impeding attacks of the enemy and victorious over anything that sets itself up against the truth that is in Jesus Christ. We have strong offense and strong defense. We will have a winning season. We are victorious in Christ Jesus!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Determining God's heart for us...
I went to the mall yesterday with my mom. We passed a newsstand that had two stacks of newspapers. One stack had a sign that said, “Good news, 50 cents.” The other stack had a sign that said, “Bad news, half a dollar.”
In a world where lies, deceit, unfaithfulness, discouragement, depression, and heartbreak run rampant, it is understandable why it is so difficult for us to truly grasp how immensely God loves us. Our hearts have been so desensitized to what true love is, we can hardly recognize it, and harder still, accept it when it is freely given. One of my favorite scriptures in the Bible is Ephesians 3:16-19: “I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” A close look as these verses could possibly equip us enough to faintly comprehend the incomprehensible love God has for us.
• “Out of His glorious riches…” (God’s provision)
o God has dominion over ALL! He possesses all. Everything was made by Him and for Him. If that wasn’t the case, we wouldn’t have Romans 8:28. God said He will work through all things for our good. God works though all for His glory. He uses all to bring His name the praise, not because He needs a self-esteem booster, but because of what happens when we praise God. God wants us to find Him because He knows that we need Him. When we praise Him, we are connected to Him. That’s why we praise Him in spirit and in truth, qualities He posses. John 4:23-24 says, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshippers must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” When we connect ourselves to Him in spirit and in truth we then become connected to and have access to His glorious riches
• “Strengthen you with power through His spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (God’s presence)
o God doesn’t ask us to be strong, He asks us to rely on Him. II Corinthians 12:9-10 says, “But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” God knows that we have limits to what we can do by ourselves. That’s why He wants us to rely on His infinite strength. Also, it is important to realize, God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called. If God asks us to do something that is already in our ability, then we lose sight of who is really in charge because all we have to do is depend on ourselves. But, how much greater and stronger is the testimony if God calls us to move mountains or lead His people, or preach to the nations because He knows we can’t do that on our own, but with His strength. Then, everyone will be drawn to Him because they see Him through the way we rely on Him.
o The second part to this line is “through His spirit in your inner being.” God is ALWAYS with you. He sent the Holy Spirit to reside in us. John 17:23 says, “I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” Here, Jesus is praying before He is arrested. He declares that He will be in us just as God is in Him. How amazing is that? If we have the revelation of that state of being, then we really can have the faith that moves mountains.
• “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God”
o When you are rooted and established in the knowledge of how much you are loved, you will be unstoppable. Rooted, like an oak tree that doesn’t just have one root, but an intricate network of roots systematically searching for the nutrients needed to support its giant structure.
o This mention of power alludes to the fact that the power does not come from you, but from the Spirit that is at work within you. We can not grasp the immense love God has for us in our own ability. It takes God to love God. We can try to grasp His love by meditating on the fact that He gave from Himself, to bring us unto Himself. Even this won’t help you fully begin to understand.
Pursue God in a way that completely takes over who you think you are. Discover how much God loves you in a way that makes you forget about false pretenses, insecurities, fear, and doubt. Seek His beauty. Seek His love. Seek His presence. Seek His assurance. Seek what He wants for you. Seek how He sees you. Discover how to live in His will. Discover how to relate to Him. Discover how He speaks to you. Discover His presence. It’s not what you can do for God. It’s about realizing He’s worthy and giving yourself completely to Him. It is selfish of you to hold on to what you think is right or righteous or is the right decision for yourself. Your life is not your own in the first place so how can you hold on to descriptions about yourself that don’t come from God? He is the answer. His love is the answer. His love casts out fear. He is the only one.
In a world where lies, deceit, unfaithfulness, discouragement, depression, and heartbreak run rampant, it is understandable why it is so difficult for us to truly grasp how immensely God loves us. Our hearts have been so desensitized to what true love is, we can hardly recognize it, and harder still, accept it when it is freely given. One of my favorite scriptures in the Bible is Ephesians 3:16-19: “I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” A close look as these verses could possibly equip us enough to faintly comprehend the incomprehensible love God has for us.
• “Out of His glorious riches…” (God’s provision)
o God has dominion over ALL! He possesses all. Everything was made by Him and for Him. If that wasn’t the case, we wouldn’t have Romans 8:28. God said He will work through all things for our good. God works though all for His glory. He uses all to bring His name the praise, not because He needs a self-esteem booster, but because of what happens when we praise God. God wants us to find Him because He knows that we need Him. When we praise Him, we are connected to Him. That’s why we praise Him in spirit and in truth, qualities He posses. John 4:23-24 says, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshippers must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” When we connect ourselves to Him in spirit and in truth we then become connected to and have access to His glorious riches
• “Strengthen you with power through His spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (God’s presence)
o God doesn’t ask us to be strong, He asks us to rely on Him. II Corinthians 12:9-10 says, “But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” God knows that we have limits to what we can do by ourselves. That’s why He wants us to rely on His infinite strength. Also, it is important to realize, God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called. If God asks us to do something that is already in our ability, then we lose sight of who is really in charge because all we have to do is depend on ourselves. But, how much greater and stronger is the testimony if God calls us to move mountains or lead His people, or preach to the nations because He knows we can’t do that on our own, but with His strength. Then, everyone will be drawn to Him because they see Him through the way we rely on Him.
o The second part to this line is “through His spirit in your inner being.” God is ALWAYS with you. He sent the Holy Spirit to reside in us. John 17:23 says, “I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” Here, Jesus is praying before He is arrested. He declares that He will be in us just as God is in Him. How amazing is that? If we have the revelation of that state of being, then we really can have the faith that moves mountains.
• “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God”
o When you are rooted and established in the knowledge of how much you are loved, you will be unstoppable. Rooted, like an oak tree that doesn’t just have one root, but an intricate network of roots systematically searching for the nutrients needed to support its giant structure.
o This mention of power alludes to the fact that the power does not come from you, but from the Spirit that is at work within you. We can not grasp the immense love God has for us in our own ability. It takes God to love God. We can try to grasp His love by meditating on the fact that He gave from Himself, to bring us unto Himself. Even this won’t help you fully begin to understand.
Pursue God in a way that completely takes over who you think you are. Discover how much God loves you in a way that makes you forget about false pretenses, insecurities, fear, and doubt. Seek His beauty. Seek His love. Seek His presence. Seek His assurance. Seek what He wants for you. Seek how He sees you. Discover how to live in His will. Discover how to relate to Him. Discover how He speaks to you. Discover His presence. It’s not what you can do for God. It’s about realizing He’s worthy and giving yourself completely to Him. It is selfish of you to hold on to what you think is right or righteous or is the right decision for yourself. Your life is not your own in the first place so how can you hold on to descriptions about yourself that don’t come from God? He is the answer. His love is the answer. His love casts out fear. He is the only one.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
God doesn't called the equipped...
Our present circumstances always seem to have a way to help us forget the truth of what is at work in us. My campus minister Heather told me a quote one day and I will never forget it. She said, "God does not called the equipped, but He equips the called." This statement was so profound to me when I first heard it. Matter of fact it still has as much affect on me now. God will not call us to act in our comfort zones. If you are comfortable where you are, you will not be depending on God’s strength but on your own. Many times in order to show that He indeed is in charge, God will call you out of your comfort zone. How can God show His strength when you feel like you are in control? Look at the example of Moses. Moses was comfortable working for his Father in law. However, God wanted to use him in a mightier way and so called him out of his comfort zone. It is not in his own strength that Moses performed those miracles. It is only because God chose to work through Moses. Moses did not have a say in the matter. If it was up to Moses, Aaron would have been in charge or he would have still been shepherding sheep, not God’s people.
God wants to use us. However, he has to put us in a position where we can be used by Him. His heart for us is unimaginably huge. He wants us to be made whole. He wants us to live like we’re loved. The revelation of God’s love for you is imperative to your well-being. God doesn’t want us to limp into heaven. God wants us to experience eternal life here on earth. John 17:3 says, “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” Eternal life starts when we accept Jesus Christ into our hearts. We just choose to live like we are unloved. If we live like we are loved, prosperity and joy will run rampant in Christians today instead of an increasing suicide rate, depression rate, divorce rate, etc.
Daily, God extends to us an invitation. He invites us to walk in Him. He asks us to trust Him and do what He says for us to do. We have to make a choice to accept this invitation. Love would not be true love if the other person was being forced into it. People get caught up in thinking, "If God knows we're going to mess up, why would He even make us?" He made us because He loves us. He loves us because He made us. Then, He gave us the choice to choose to love Him back. If I threatened your life to love me, it wouldn’t be real. However, when you make the decision to love me, it gains meaning. It takes on the qualities of I Corinthians 13. It becomes patient, kind, trusting, never boasting, always persevering, etc. That’s why God extends an invitation to us, so we choose to love Him and trust Him.
Your reality is not your finality. Your present circumstances only present you with the opportunity to trust God's sovereignty and ultimately His love that surpasses all understanding.
God wants to use us. However, he has to put us in a position where we can be used by Him. His heart for us is unimaginably huge. He wants us to be made whole. He wants us to live like we’re loved. The revelation of God’s love for you is imperative to your well-being. God doesn’t want us to limp into heaven. God wants us to experience eternal life here on earth. John 17:3 says, “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” Eternal life starts when we accept Jesus Christ into our hearts. We just choose to live like we are unloved. If we live like we are loved, prosperity and joy will run rampant in Christians today instead of an increasing suicide rate, depression rate, divorce rate, etc.
Daily, God extends to us an invitation. He invites us to walk in Him. He asks us to trust Him and do what He says for us to do. We have to make a choice to accept this invitation. Love would not be true love if the other person was being forced into it. People get caught up in thinking, "If God knows we're going to mess up, why would He even make us?" He made us because He loves us. He loves us because He made us. Then, He gave us the choice to choose to love Him back. If I threatened your life to love me, it wouldn’t be real. However, when you make the decision to love me, it gains meaning. It takes on the qualities of I Corinthians 13. It becomes patient, kind, trusting, never boasting, always persevering, etc. That’s why God extends an invitation to us, so we choose to love Him and trust Him.
Your reality is not your finality. Your present circumstances only present you with the opportunity to trust God's sovereignty and ultimately His love that surpasses all understanding.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Delight yourself in the Lord...
Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart” (NIV). Some people see this and believe that if they just pray some here, or read their bible there, or sing this worship song, etc, that God will give them whatever they want. If that is you, I’m sorry to have to be the one to tell you this, but that’s not how it works. You can’t trick God into giving you those things that you think will make you happy. Having a relationship with God is unveiling a mystery that will never be completely solved during this lifetime, it is infinitely renewable, and is as full of surprises as the first time you felt His truth. Let’s take a closer look at this scripture:
• To delight oneself means to take or seek pleasure in; to enjoy (http://www.dictionary.com)
• Lord is more than just another name for God. The title Lord means that person has lordship over your life and over what you do. They reign in supremacy in your decisions, actions, and emotions.
• “He will give you…” If God says He will do something, He will do it. There is no hesitation or doubt.
• “The desires of your heart.” This is what is the most important. Notice our desires come last in this sequence. Our desires cannot come into fruition until we have first made the vertical connection with God. There are many other examples of this in the bible. Judges 20:18 shows how the Israelites were about to fight the Benjamites and they asked God before doing anything who should they send first. God says “Judah shall go first.” Not only is it significant that the Israelites asked God before moving, but God said Judah was to go first. Judah means praise. Look what happens when you establish a relationship with God first. Verse 35 of that same chapter in Judges says, “the LORD defeated Benjamin before Israel…”
When you delight yourself in the Lord, you become closer to Him. You begin to understand His personality, see His Characteristics, and know His heart. When you are close to God, you become more and more like Him. He is light and there is no darkness in the light (John 1:5-7). As you become more and more like Him, His desires become your desires. Therefore, God will not have any problem giving you the desires of your heart because they are what He desires you to have.
It is one thing to read and study this scripture and another to live it. My challenge to you is to discover the joy of being in the presence of the Lord. Become captivated by His presence. Be satisfied in Him first. Then you will see your life and heart change. Then you will see your Benjamin defeated. Then you will see your desires being met. Then you will see His heart to love you.
• To delight oneself means to take or seek pleasure in; to enjoy (http://www.dictionary.com)
• Lord is more than just another name for God. The title Lord means that person has lordship over your life and over what you do. They reign in supremacy in your decisions, actions, and emotions.
• “He will give you…” If God says He will do something, He will do it. There is no hesitation or doubt.
• “The desires of your heart.” This is what is the most important. Notice our desires come last in this sequence. Our desires cannot come into fruition until we have first made the vertical connection with God. There are many other examples of this in the bible. Judges 20:18 shows how the Israelites were about to fight the Benjamites and they asked God before doing anything who should they send first. God says “Judah shall go first.” Not only is it significant that the Israelites asked God before moving, but God said Judah was to go first. Judah means praise. Look what happens when you establish a relationship with God first. Verse 35 of that same chapter in Judges says, “the LORD defeated Benjamin before Israel…”
When you delight yourself in the Lord, you become closer to Him. You begin to understand His personality, see His Characteristics, and know His heart. When you are close to God, you become more and more like Him. He is light and there is no darkness in the light (John 1:5-7). As you become more and more like Him, His desires become your desires. Therefore, God will not have any problem giving you the desires of your heart because they are what He desires you to have.
It is one thing to read and study this scripture and another to live it. My challenge to you is to discover the joy of being in the presence of the Lord. Become captivated by His presence. Be satisfied in Him first. Then you will see your life and heart change. Then you will see your Benjamin defeated. Then you will see your desires being met. Then you will see His heart to love you.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
How to Handle a Bad Day...
Isn't it encouraging to know that righteousness doesn't depend on being in a good mood 24/7? The last few days have been less than sunshine and birds chirping. It's funny how all it takes is one negative thought that can start a downward spiral of self-consciousness, loneliness, and despair. These moments are so tough to deal with. Everything in your life has a tinge of darkness. If it gets bad enough, you'll start to think things like "What am I doing here?" and "Nobody wants me" and "I'm a failure." The longer these thoughts marinate in your mind, the longer they start to become truth. How do you fight these thoughts? How do you overcome these moments? Is there any way out?
Psalm 118:17 says, "I will not die but live, and will declare what the Lord has done."
You have to declare the truth to yourself. You have to command yourself to live.
Psalm 103 says, "Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His Holy name."
You have to command your soul to praise the Lord. There are times that we don't necessarily feel like praising the Lord. There are times that we want to listen to songs that match our mood and complement our lonely feelings and sad moods instead of music that fights against it.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says, "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
You have to realize that there is someone who wants you to stay in a bad mood all the time. Satan is real and he is fighting to demolish our spirits and relationships with God. He is a pro at telling half-truths. He will say "You are lonely." That is a half truth. Yes, I feel lonely, but Deuteronomy 31:6 says God will never leave me nor forsake me. Satan will say , "You messed up. There is no way you can fix this." The truth is yes, you messed up. However, there is redemption. Psalm 103:2-3 says, "Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not His benefits--who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases." There is new grace, new forgiveness with every morning. We are the redeemed of the Lord. We are His beloved.
So, I'm sitting here having written this blog, having had a bad day, and am now convinced that God is who He says He is. He is in love with me. He forgives me for all the times I've messed up. He is always with me. I can't help but to smile. So many times I've said, "Thank you God for giving me a reason to smile." If for no other reason, I can smile for and about Him. I will not die but live. I have a holy purpose to walk out. I choose to worship God and I choose to not go to sleep feeling sad and alone. This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!
Psalm 118:17 says, "I will not die but live, and will declare what the Lord has done."
You have to declare the truth to yourself. You have to command yourself to live.
Psalm 103 says, "Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His Holy name."
You have to command your soul to praise the Lord. There are times that we don't necessarily feel like praising the Lord. There are times that we want to listen to songs that match our mood and complement our lonely feelings and sad moods instead of music that fights against it.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says, "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
You have to realize that there is someone who wants you to stay in a bad mood all the time. Satan is real and he is fighting to demolish our spirits and relationships with God. He is a pro at telling half-truths. He will say "You are lonely." That is a half truth. Yes, I feel lonely, but Deuteronomy 31:6 says God will never leave me nor forsake me. Satan will say , "You messed up. There is no way you can fix this." The truth is yes, you messed up. However, there is redemption. Psalm 103:2-3 says, "Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not His benefits--who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases." There is new grace, new forgiveness with every morning. We are the redeemed of the Lord. We are His beloved.
So, I'm sitting here having written this blog, having had a bad day, and am now convinced that God is who He says He is. He is in love with me. He forgives me for all the times I've messed up. He is always with me. I can't help but to smile. So many times I've said, "Thank you God for giving me a reason to smile." If for no other reason, I can smile for and about Him. I will not die but live. I have a holy purpose to walk out. I choose to worship God and I choose to not go to sleep feeling sad and alone. This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!
Friday, June 25, 2010
Worship
So, the title of my blog is "A Worshipful Heart in a Warring World." What is worship? I've been on a worship team in church since I was 14. However, it wasn't until fairly recently I developed a personal understanding of what worship is. Worship is the response we give to the revelation that we are loved by God. There is a three step process that I have found helpful to continually come to this revelation.
1. You have to come face to face with the cross.
--We live in a dying world. We are eternally separated from God and essentially life. God is God, He can't stop being God. He can't stop being pure. We are human. We can't magically become God. We can't stop being evil. There has to be a bridge. Something has to happen to fix this separation. Praise be to God something did happen. In His great love for us, God sent His ONLY son to die for our sins. It is one thing to have John 3:16 memorized, but another thing to grasp its meaning. Jesus Christ is the bridge between us and God, between death and life, between darkness and light. He is the answer. He brings us into eternal fellowship and family with God. If we understand that and believe that we have eternal life. Eternal life doesn't start in heaven. It begins once we accept the truth of the cross. John 17:3.
2. You have to realize that you are loved.
--You can't live by who the world says you are. You can't even live by who you say you are. You have to live by who God says you are. Who does God say you are?
1. More than a conqueror. Romans 8:37
2. Co-heir with Christ. Romans 8:17
3. Fearfully and Wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14
4. Eternally loved. Romans 8:35-39
5. Strong in Him. Philippians 4:13.
6. Rich. 2 Corinthians 9:8-11
7. Free. Romans 8:2
It is so easy to be weighed down by the past and even by the sin we commit today. It is easy to assume, "There is no way God can forgive me for this. I can't even forgive myself. I might as well just forget about anything I might have had because I can't get away from this." In these moments, it is CRITICAL to remember who we are. We are loved with an eternal love that will never die. Paul prayed that we could at least grasp a little bit how loved we are while still understanding we will never truly understand it. Ephesians 3:16-18 talks about how great God's love is (stay tuned because I will do a further study on this passage). It is hard for us to understand true forgiveness because we can't truly forgive without God's help. So, with that, understand that it is not our job to necessarily understand why God forgives us, but the fact that He does. One day I was at the King's Park International Church prayer meeting and I asked God why He made me. He said because He loves me. Then I asked Him why does He love me. He said because He made me. There is no escaping it.
3. CELEBRATE!! You are loved!!
--My specific reaction to the revelation that I'm loved is singing. I love to worship God through song. I don't mean Sunday morning I get on stage and sing and that's the extent of my worship. No. Recently, God gave me the desire and grace to learn how to play the guitar (Psalm 37:4-->I will do a study on this later also). There hasn't been a day where I don't pick up that guitar and worship my God. Not to brag to people that I can play an instrument, but because I can't help but to do this in response to His love. Even beyond music, I can't help but to love others because of God's love. I can't help but to try to forgive others. I can't help but to live a lifestyle pleasing to God. I can't help but to want to go where He wants me to go. I can't help but to even have moments where I shout and scream because I feel the weight of God's love for me.
We were eternally separated from God and life until Jesus came down to bridge the gap. He loves us even when we can't love ourselves in our own power. How are you going to react to that?
1. You have to come face to face with the cross.
--We live in a dying world. We are eternally separated from God and essentially life. God is God, He can't stop being God. He can't stop being pure. We are human. We can't magically become God. We can't stop being evil. There has to be a bridge. Something has to happen to fix this separation. Praise be to God something did happen. In His great love for us, God sent His ONLY son to die for our sins. It is one thing to have John 3:16 memorized, but another thing to grasp its meaning. Jesus Christ is the bridge between us and God, between death and life, between darkness and light. He is the answer. He brings us into eternal fellowship and family with God. If we understand that and believe that we have eternal life. Eternal life doesn't start in heaven. It begins once we accept the truth of the cross. John 17:3.
2. You have to realize that you are loved.
--You can't live by who the world says you are. You can't even live by who you say you are. You have to live by who God says you are. Who does God say you are?
1. More than a conqueror. Romans 8:37
2. Co-heir with Christ. Romans 8:17
3. Fearfully and Wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14
4. Eternally loved. Romans 8:35-39
5. Strong in Him. Philippians 4:13.
6. Rich. 2 Corinthians 9:8-11
7. Free. Romans 8:2
It is so easy to be weighed down by the past and even by the sin we commit today. It is easy to assume, "There is no way God can forgive me for this. I can't even forgive myself. I might as well just forget about anything I might have had because I can't get away from this." In these moments, it is CRITICAL to remember who we are. We are loved with an eternal love that will never die. Paul prayed that we could at least grasp a little bit how loved we are while still understanding we will never truly understand it. Ephesians 3:16-18 talks about how great God's love is (stay tuned because I will do a further study on this passage). It is hard for us to understand true forgiveness because we can't truly forgive without God's help. So, with that, understand that it is not our job to necessarily understand why God forgives us, but the fact that He does. One day I was at the King's Park International Church prayer meeting and I asked God why He made me. He said because He loves me. Then I asked Him why does He love me. He said because He made me. There is no escaping it.
3. CELEBRATE!! You are loved!!
--My specific reaction to the revelation that I'm loved is singing. I love to worship God through song. I don't mean Sunday morning I get on stage and sing and that's the extent of my worship. No. Recently, God gave me the desire and grace to learn how to play the guitar (Psalm 37:4-->I will do a study on this later also). There hasn't been a day where I don't pick up that guitar and worship my God. Not to brag to people that I can play an instrument, but because I can't help but to do this in response to His love. Even beyond music, I can't help but to love others because of God's love. I can't help but to try to forgive others. I can't help but to live a lifestyle pleasing to God. I can't help but to want to go where He wants me to go. I can't help but to even have moments where I shout and scream because I feel the weight of God's love for me.
We were eternally separated from God and life until Jesus came down to bridge the gap. He loves us even when we can't love ourselves in our own power. How are you going to react to that?
Dying Daily
Die everyday in order to live forever.
My struggle is not against
What society construed or mixed together
To shape the person I’m supposed to be…
In their eyes.
But in Your eyes, I’m built
To last, built to fight those things
That force me to feel guilt,
Or pride, or hate, or jealousy…
In my heart.
Through God, my sole adversary,
I live. For God, my soul provider,
I die. I go to Him as you turn to some apothecary
Wishing for a fix to your struggle…
In your flesh.
Only when you turn completely
To the true vision and understanding
Of God will you be able to affectively
Prosper and flourish on earth…
In His eyes.
Accepting His will for your life
Provides you with the easiest way
To forget the daily toil and strife
And have joy in knowing you matter…
In His heart.
Find security in knowing when you fall
He is there to catch you when you have
Need, fear not for He possesses all.
Forget this life and die to live and walk…
In His faith.
My struggle is not against
What society construed or mixed together
To shape the person I’m supposed to be…
In their eyes.
But in Your eyes, I’m built
To last, built to fight those things
That force me to feel guilt,
Or pride, or hate, or jealousy…
In my heart.
Through God, my sole adversary,
I live. For God, my soul provider,
I die. I go to Him as you turn to some apothecary
Wishing for a fix to your struggle…
In your flesh.
Only when you turn completely
To the true vision and understanding
Of God will you be able to affectively
Prosper and flourish on earth…
In His eyes.
Accepting His will for your life
Provides you with the easiest way
To forget the daily toil and strife
And have joy in knowing you matter…
In His heart.
Find security in knowing when you fall
He is there to catch you when you have
Need, fear not for He possesses all.
Forget this life and die to live and walk…
In His faith.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Love
Too often people mistake fleeting feelings of momentary affection for the true eternal elation that comes from being in love. In order to understand what love is, it is imperative to understand where love comes from. 1 John 4:8 states, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” After understanding that God is love, we have to understand how that love is manifested. God’s love is an unconditional commitment to support us, fend for us, empower us, and provide everything we could ever need, not pending a reciprocation of His affections. This means, we could turn our backs on Him and He would still stay by us, waiting for the moment we choose to receive this phenomenal, priceless gift. Receiving this love is the easy part. Applying it to others is another story. It is so easy to let moments of frustration, hurt, and anger agitate our supposed love for another person. I Corinthians 13:5 states, “Love keeps no record of wrongs.” If we choose to love someone, we are choosing to not let what they do to us, which might cause us harm, belittle our feelings towards them. The reason it is so hard to love another person, or even to love God with the same vigor he shows us, is because love has the least to do with us. Love has nothing to do with our ability to rationalize or choose, but relies solely on our ability to accept that we do not truly love with our own power, but with the power given to us by the One who is love Himself. Love is being able to see a reflection of God in every aspect of the relationship. Love is friendship on fire. Love provides a cover for the hard times. Love is soothing like cooling water yet burns hot as the purest flames. Love encompasses and surpasses any and every other emotion ever felt. It is easy to be angry with someone, easy to hold grudges against a person. However, spend your lifetime forgiving those who have hurt you, loving those who others deem unworthy, and never allowing insignificant details to separate you from the ones, as well as the One, you are meant to be with. That is the true sign of a life of love, a life emulating God, and a life many, unfortunately, won’t ever attempt to achieve.
I was encouraged to start a blog...
I was encouraged to start a blog. My hope is for others to find hope for themselves by reading my posts. I will write about struggles Christians have , especially pertaining to overcoming brokenness. I have found a remedy in life...pure worship. Worship is the response you give to the revelation that you are loved by God. When you experience the love of God you have no other choice but to be completely undone. I hope all who follow this blog will find encouragement and ultimately your own understanding of who God is to you and how you will respond to realizing how much you are loved.
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