Well, it's been a while. I have been incredibly busy and alot has changed in my life over the past month or so.
Again, I am blown away by God's sovereignty, period. He's got everything under control. Sometimes God likes to remind us of that. It's almost as if he says, "Hey, you. Calm down. I got it. Let me move." I love Jesus. Yay God.
I've been learning alot about the perfect will of God and the unity in the body recently. Have you ever been in such a close nit group that when one is hurting, the other knows and helps, without fail? When someone is happy, the other knows it just by default? It's awesome to see God's supernatural power in these things. He wants to get involved in our every day life, but we have to welcome Him. The Holy Spirit is a gentleman and will not go where He's not wanted... keep that in mind. If we want God to do big things, we have to usher those big things in. Half the battle is knowing that God can do more than we can imagine, but He can. Scripture tells us just how much can do and more.
You know... it's so easy to get frustrated with people. They will let you down and disappoint you and you them. It's natural. We have the ability to be slaves to righteousness once saved, but it's so hard to walk the straight and narrow. The past 2 days.... wow. I have a hard time dealing with stupid people, but God says love them anyway. Praise Jesus, it is He who lives within me.
I must die to myself daily in order to live as Christ lives. I'm just a conduit who's available.
Love and be love.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
Life... is good.
I love the fact that life is good, no matter what the circumstances. It's amazing how our perspective of good and bad change as our hearts change and mature. We realize that people everywhere are suffering... some for the sake of Christ, others because they constantly put themselves in situations of sheer torture and pain. I truly just want people to walk in the fullness of the Lord, by whatever means necessary. I want people to experience the supernatural powers of our Savior. Need healing? He's our medical insurance. Need financial help? He's our money tree. Need friends? He's our comforter. Need life? He's our salvation.
It's so beautiful. God is on our side. Believe it. Live it.
It's so beautiful. God is on our side. Believe it. Live it.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Funny story....
So God is incredibly providential but loves to get a laugh in every once in a while. I go home the other day, go in my house, and for some reason leave my windows down in my car. I never do this... but God knew what was goin' down...lol.
I change clothes, get my cell, lock the door, and walk right back out... without my keys, car and house.
Well, I never grab only my cell either, but so I did this time. Praise Jesus, because I don't have a spare key hidden anywhere around. So, I immediately start praying and God places someone on my heart to call.
Long story short, this person helped me break into my own house over the phone (that I never have without my keys), using a credit card (that came out of my car with the windows down...lol).
Needless to say, I was relieved to get in my house, but I then realized that I need new locks. :o)
I think as we grow in our walk, it's not that God blesses us more, it's that we see how much God does bless us. God is in the little, big, and between. May we be more sensitive to His spirit and know He is God. Amen.
I change clothes, get my cell, lock the door, and walk right back out... without my keys, car and house.
Well, I never grab only my cell either, but so I did this time. Praise Jesus, because I don't have a spare key hidden anywhere around. So, I immediately start praying and God places someone on my heart to call.
Long story short, this person helped me break into my own house over the phone (that I never have without my keys), using a credit card (that came out of my car with the windows down...lol).
Needless to say, I was relieved to get in my house, but I then realized that I need new locks. :o)
I think as we grow in our walk, it's not that God blesses us more, it's that we see how much God does bless us. God is in the little, big, and between. May we be more sensitive to His spirit and know He is God. Amen.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Prayer & Responsibility
God's really been teaching me a lot about prayer and intercession lately and it's so interesting that I have got to share. Feel free to talk to me about any of this... I'd love to dive deeper.
I know you've heard people say God doesn't need us, He'll do it with us or without us. This is very true, but the fact is, He wants to accomplish all things through us... big difference. Let me explain this as best I can.
Fact: God can, but will not disobey His own rules. Example: God is loving and kind, merciful and gracious, but must be just and show wrath at other times. When He says the wrong shall be punished, He has to finish what He starts. The important thing is God is so loving and kind He never wants to hurt us, kill us, only discipline us... in order for us to grow. It's just that sometimes it's necessary to do the hard and what we deem as "unfair" stuff to the body because He can NOT contradict himself.
This brings me to the next revelation. God is sovereign, but what does that really mean right? His whole purpose in creation was to glorify Himself. Sounds selfish, but... He did this so that we in turn can have eternal life and be blessed throughout our life here on earth. It was and is the best for us.
He calls us to do certain things. People say you're supposed to pray just because God says to, but then people say, why should I pray if God is going to do what he wants to regardless? Here is where we miss the boat. God, in His awesomeness... first made the choice to work through us, thus He must finish the work in which He starts in us. If God did everything for us and we just lived in a great world with no sin, where there was no evil, how would be know just how truly blessed we are? We wouldn't because we'd have no comparison, so that in turn would not be the most glorifying thing for Himself and definitely would not bless us or be most beneficial for us. Follow me?
Ok... bare with me for just a few more minutes. Back to prayer... God calls us to pray. Yes, He could do what he wanted without us praying, but here's the thing. Our prayers do work. Our prayers do make a difference because it's the purest way God uses us to "intercede" for others and sometimes even ourselves. We admit our shortcomings and say God I need your help. We pleed for mercy and He gives because He is gracious. See, His desire is to love... more than anything. He says "Ask and it shall be given... Seek, knock..." This must be taken in context, but here's the point of this. God's rule was to work through us, therefore needing us to plea for others and pray in thankfulness. We intercede (Note: Misconception is that people think this means prayer itself, it doesn't... it is defined as a "meeting; go between") for what God places on our heart.
For instance, you know when someone just comes to mind. You don't know why but let's say you call them. Sometimes God places those people on our hearts for more than us just calling. He may want you and me to pray for them. They may be in danger, having a rough day, or even worse. God uses us to help others. We're responsible for this as well. Ignoring the call, or heart, is ignoring God and what you could and may prevent or aid in preventing by "pleading" the case for someone else.
Now let's take this a step further. This truly explains why catastrophic events ever happen. It really does. Keep in mind, it's all a part of the plan and God knows what is to come, but He ordains us to be a part of that.
Let's take that huge tsunami that hit Thailand a few years back. Who's to say God didn't place that nation on a group of believers' hearts to pray for them as a whole and stop that wave. Can you imagine a band of angels being commanded out of heaven to stand before that city at the edge of the sea and hold back the water. What a sight?! A true miracle of God. Who's to say He didn't place on the heart of His people somewhere, but they ignored the call. They ignored the calling to intercede on that nation's behalf. Now grant it, sometimes God just does things, but think about it... We're all wicked if we go back to the basics of the fall. Our nature is sinful. You don't have to teach a child to lie. You have to teach them not to. Therefore, ultimately we all deserve eternal damnation. So when we look at the tragedies like this... we can then "understand" why those things happen. God wants to do good through us by therefore using us to get His work done. This goes back to the whole principle that God won't break His own rules. He wants us to intercede for others because He wants everyone to have a chance. He doesn't want the "innocent" to die but sometimes it's necessary to live out His own provisions.
This puts so much more emphasis and importance on prayer. We have a responsibility to pray for those whom God places on our heart. It's a duty and privelege to know we're helping in a much bigger plan. We really do make a difference. This whole concept also makes the phrase "their blood will be on your hands" so much more real. It's literal to a degree. If God calls us to intercede and we don't, and He has to follow His rules and wipe whomever out.... blood on our hands. Judgment by God will fall on us as individuals, if He had placed it on our hearts to help in intervening.
Now, this doesn't mean we need to be scared that we're killing people if we don't pray. It just means we need to be sensitive to the spirit. We need to be walking and talking with Jesus daily so that when He speaks it's not so distant that we can't hear or understand Him. He must be our first priority. We can be better used when He is ALL we desire. Our desires then are transformed into His desires. We need to live like a Christian and not just "be" one. You never know when the person you may be interceding for is one of your own.
All this fits so perfectly together. It's amazing just how sovereign and intricate our God really is.
Until later... Love and be love.
I know you've heard people say God doesn't need us, He'll do it with us or without us. This is very true, but the fact is, He wants to accomplish all things through us... big difference. Let me explain this as best I can.
Fact: God can, but will not disobey His own rules. Example: God is loving and kind, merciful and gracious, but must be just and show wrath at other times. When He says the wrong shall be punished, He has to finish what He starts. The important thing is God is so loving and kind He never wants to hurt us, kill us, only discipline us... in order for us to grow. It's just that sometimes it's necessary to do the hard and what we deem as "unfair" stuff to the body because He can NOT contradict himself.
This brings me to the next revelation. God is sovereign, but what does that really mean right? His whole purpose in creation was to glorify Himself. Sounds selfish, but... He did this so that we in turn can have eternal life and be blessed throughout our life here on earth. It was and is the best for us.
He calls us to do certain things. People say you're supposed to pray just because God says to, but then people say, why should I pray if God is going to do what he wants to regardless? Here is where we miss the boat. God, in His awesomeness... first made the choice to work through us, thus He must finish the work in which He starts in us. If God did everything for us and we just lived in a great world with no sin, where there was no evil, how would be know just how truly blessed we are? We wouldn't because we'd have no comparison, so that in turn would not be the most glorifying thing for Himself and definitely would not bless us or be most beneficial for us. Follow me?
Ok... bare with me for just a few more minutes. Back to prayer... God calls us to pray. Yes, He could do what he wanted without us praying, but here's the thing. Our prayers do work. Our prayers do make a difference because it's the purest way God uses us to "intercede" for others and sometimes even ourselves. We admit our shortcomings and say God I need your help. We pleed for mercy and He gives because He is gracious. See, His desire is to love... more than anything. He says "Ask and it shall be given... Seek, knock..." This must be taken in context, but here's the point of this. God's rule was to work through us, therefore needing us to plea for others and pray in thankfulness. We intercede (Note: Misconception is that people think this means prayer itself, it doesn't... it is defined as a "meeting; go between") for what God places on our heart.
For instance, you know when someone just comes to mind. You don't know why but let's say you call them. Sometimes God places those people on our hearts for more than us just calling. He may want you and me to pray for them. They may be in danger, having a rough day, or even worse. God uses us to help others. We're responsible for this as well. Ignoring the call, or heart, is ignoring God and what you could and may prevent or aid in preventing by "pleading" the case for someone else.
Now let's take this a step further. This truly explains why catastrophic events ever happen. It really does. Keep in mind, it's all a part of the plan and God knows what is to come, but He ordains us to be a part of that.
Let's take that huge tsunami that hit Thailand a few years back. Who's to say God didn't place that nation on a group of believers' hearts to pray for them as a whole and stop that wave. Can you imagine a band of angels being commanded out of heaven to stand before that city at the edge of the sea and hold back the water. What a sight?! A true miracle of God. Who's to say He didn't place on the heart of His people somewhere, but they ignored the call. They ignored the calling to intercede on that nation's behalf. Now grant it, sometimes God just does things, but think about it... We're all wicked if we go back to the basics of the fall. Our nature is sinful. You don't have to teach a child to lie. You have to teach them not to. Therefore, ultimately we all deserve eternal damnation. So when we look at the tragedies like this... we can then "understand" why those things happen. God wants to do good through us by therefore using us to get His work done. This goes back to the whole principle that God won't break His own rules. He wants us to intercede for others because He wants everyone to have a chance. He doesn't want the "innocent" to die but sometimes it's necessary to live out His own provisions.
This puts so much more emphasis and importance on prayer. We have a responsibility to pray for those whom God places on our heart. It's a duty and privelege to know we're helping in a much bigger plan. We really do make a difference. This whole concept also makes the phrase "their blood will be on your hands" so much more real. It's literal to a degree. If God calls us to intercede and we don't, and He has to follow His rules and wipe whomever out.... blood on our hands. Judgment by God will fall on us as individuals, if He had placed it on our hearts to help in intervening.
Now, this doesn't mean we need to be scared that we're killing people if we don't pray. It just means we need to be sensitive to the spirit. We need to be walking and talking with Jesus daily so that when He speaks it's not so distant that we can't hear or understand Him. He must be our first priority. We can be better used when He is ALL we desire. Our desires then are transformed into His desires. We need to live like a Christian and not just "be" one. You never know when the person you may be interceding for is one of your own.
All this fits so perfectly together. It's amazing just how sovereign and intricate our God really is.
Until later... Love and be love.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Love = God
God is good. I am home from a week vacation from the bean. It's been awesome. We were on Lookout Mountain in GA and TN. It was beautiful and completely reminded me how big God is and how small we are.
I've seen a lot of things happen over the past week or so. God has revealed much to me about sacrificial love. He is never ending and has a plan and purpose for all things. I have been dumbfounded in the past 72 hours about what God has said to me about our callings and specifically what he has for each of us. It's so funny to think back to our childhood when we experienced things...
We think what we experience is normal and everyone has the same experiences. We grow up not knowing how we are different because we don't know the inner parts of other people. Fact is... we're so different, but more than that... we're unique. We're uniquely made and put together so intricately by a God who is more personal than we will ever fathom. A God who created a personal plan for each of us in a personal timing.
Think about how in this ginormous universe, God intimately knows each of us and is concerned for our well being. We say so quickly... God loves you, but that's not it. He does, but it's more than that... God is love. Love is God. When we truly understand what love is... we'll get a more accurate depiction of our God who died for his love. The only way we'll continue to grow in knowing more about this love and how to apply it is to read His plan... His word... His heart. We can't just sit here and expect God to download into us. We have to passionately pursue Him as He does us. Praise God His pursuit is not reliant on ours. When His word says "Wait...," it's not saying "don't do anything, let me do it for you," it's sayin' wait as in what a waiter does. "Aggressively serving" God wants us to aggressively serve until He otherwise commands. Now what that looks like for you individually depends on how close you are in fellowship with Him. I encourage and challenge you to thirst... so much your life depends on it.
God is planting within me a passion to help people understand this love. Now practically, I have no idea what this means or looks like... whether it means that I give up everything I have here and go elsewhere, or focus my attention on things other than my job, or move somewhere else, or just stay and do exactly what I've been doing. God only knows and because of that... I will ask what He wants of me today and today alone. Tomorrow, I'll ask about tomorrow. Each day is for itself. God's timing is immaculate and my worry for the future proves my lack of trust. My will is in His hands and by golly, that is all I need to know. I shall rest in His promises as I challenge you to do as well. Take all that you do to heart and do all with your heart. Love genuinely, but more importantly.... love freely.
Until later...
I've seen a lot of things happen over the past week or so. God has revealed much to me about sacrificial love. He is never ending and has a plan and purpose for all things. I have been dumbfounded in the past 72 hours about what God has said to me about our callings and specifically what he has for each of us. It's so funny to think back to our childhood when we experienced things...
We think what we experience is normal and everyone has the same experiences. We grow up not knowing how we are different because we don't know the inner parts of other people. Fact is... we're so different, but more than that... we're unique. We're uniquely made and put together so intricately by a God who is more personal than we will ever fathom. A God who created a personal plan for each of us in a personal timing.
Think about how in this ginormous universe, God intimately knows each of us and is concerned for our well being. We say so quickly... God loves you, but that's not it. He does, but it's more than that... God is love. Love is God. When we truly understand what love is... we'll get a more accurate depiction of our God who died for his love. The only way we'll continue to grow in knowing more about this love and how to apply it is to read His plan... His word... His heart. We can't just sit here and expect God to download into us. We have to passionately pursue Him as He does us. Praise God His pursuit is not reliant on ours. When His word says "Wait...," it's not saying "don't do anything, let me do it for you," it's sayin' wait as in what a waiter does. "Aggressively serving" God wants us to aggressively serve until He otherwise commands. Now what that looks like for you individually depends on how close you are in fellowship with Him. I encourage and challenge you to thirst... so much your life depends on it.
God is planting within me a passion to help people understand this love. Now practically, I have no idea what this means or looks like... whether it means that I give up everything I have here and go elsewhere, or focus my attention on things other than my job, or move somewhere else, or just stay and do exactly what I've been doing. God only knows and because of that... I will ask what He wants of me today and today alone. Tomorrow, I'll ask about tomorrow. Each day is for itself. God's timing is immaculate and my worry for the future proves my lack of trust. My will is in His hands and by golly, that is all I need to know. I shall rest in His promises as I challenge you to do as well. Take all that you do to heart and do all with your heart. Love genuinely, but more importantly.... love freely.
Until later...
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
So Blessed
I have had some amazing things happen to me in the past 2 days. I won a 3 day, 2 night paid vacation at a 5 star hotel and resort in Orlando, FL. I had a massage and a facial. I have been given more freedom in my job and told how smoothly things are running. I am going on vacation beginning this Friday... meaning I will be a camp counselor for a week. I am so pumped and excited to get away.
I feel like this is going to be so refreshing. I am excited to meet new people, praise God, worship and learn more. I'm excited about the people I'm going to be hanging out and growing with over the week. Thanks goes out to the person who told me about this. Thank you and I look forward to hangin' out with you too.
Life is good. Tis all there is to it. It's stressful sometimes, but overall... pretty nice. *sigh*
I feel like this is going to be so refreshing. I am excited to meet new people, praise God, worship and learn more. I'm excited about the people I'm going to be hanging out and growing with over the week. Thanks goes out to the person who told me about this. Thank you and I look forward to hangin' out with you too.
Life is good. Tis all there is to it. It's stressful sometimes, but overall... pretty nice. *sigh*
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Time
Apparently, we grow up. This is something we all know, however... it hits you like a ton of bricks time and time again. It's so odd when you realize everyone you graduated with in highschool is either married, engaged, pregnant, or already has a family. I think this is a stage every guy and/or girl goes through at some point in their twenties, unless they are in one of the above stated categories.
I did have more to say... however... not coming back to me at the moment.
I did have more to say... however... not coming back to me at the moment.
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