My Thursdays start with praying before school at 6:30 with Dixie students. Every week anywhere from 15 to 25 students come. Lauren and I get up between 5:30 and 6:00 to clean up the kitchen table and put food out all the students coming. I always tell people Thursday is my favorite day of the week. Lauren leaves for work around 7:00 and students go off to school anytime before 7:30 and, for me, it's my off day.
This morning I prayed that we as a group would put off our own agendas, walk with the Spirit or to not stress about our schedules. I've been thinking a lot lately about worry and stress and comparing that to God telling us were free from anxiety. I, also, learned recently that 40 million adults are treated in American for anxiety; the key word there is treated, that doesn't even include people stressing about work or school or just the normal things throughout the day.
In Matthew 6 Jesus says look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Then He ask, "Are you not of more value than they?" He basically says see the birds, they do nothing of great importance. Don't you think your heavenly Father would take care of you better than them? Then Jesus goes on to say it's not like you can had anytime to your day by worrying about it.
I hear these words about I've been thought these words before to, but on Thursdays I can't help but think how much time I waste thinking "it's my day off, so I can do whatever I feel like." And it's not like just on my days off I need to put off my agenda to follow my heavenly Father's.
Why do we get so overwhelmed with our jobs, our free time, or even our ministry sometimes.
Better question, why are we so fast to forget the promises of God?
A quote from Crazy Love p.41 Francis Chan says, "When I am consumed by my problems- stressed out about my life, my family, and my job- I actually convey the belief that I think the circumstances are more important than God's command to always rejoice.(Phil 4:4) In other words, that I have a 'right' to disobey God because of the magnitude of my responsibilites."
The title, struggle, is because I say I want to put off my agenda and put on the Spirits, but I struggle so much to do so.
I know my plans will never amount to anything close to what God has planned for me! So why then to I do what I want and not what my heavenly Father wants!?
So my encouragement to myself and to you readers, put off your agenda and see what God has in store for you! I mean He did created everything don't you think He knows what's best....
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
God is good!
As a younglife leader I love when the students I hang out with push me closer to Christ. Although that happens probably every time I talk to them, lately it's been so amazing. Something has happened to these high school kids where I as "the leader" get to sit back and just watch them learn and love God! It's amazing how God just calls us to come along for the ride!
For a month of so I've been a part of this JV football team Bible study. It was set up by one student who just wanted his friends to know about Jesus! Every week guys have come knowing nothing and ask question and fall in love with this Savior that they have long for more more! Last week we talked about the choice they have to make and then some came to weekend camp and heard the same stuff again. Five guys decide to give their lives to Christ and for this Savior who they heard came for them! Some come from party backgrounds and all hav been into run ins with the cops and they heard they are broke and believed it! they heard they have been saved and they believed it! then they heard they have a gift from God and all they have to do is choice to open it and they believed it! and they opened it! and when they went to school monday and someone said "you decide to follow God? Now you can't drink or go to parties or do anything so you should just stay in your house all day." Their response to me was "at that moment I realized they weren't true friends and realized this room (bible study room) is real and lost all respect for those friends right then" and then went on to say "my best friends are you guys."
One of the guys told their friend the prodigal son story they heard from the weekend. Another one asked how can I help my friend who is just starting to party see God. And another one texted m today and aid whats some good ways I can tell my friend whos girlfriend just broke up with him about God. Another one who is a great athlete and starts varsity football and basketball as a sophomore said I want to use that to glorify God not myself like I have done in the past!
These kids get it the Spirit inside them didn't waste anytime in showing them they should tell the Good News to their friends!!! It's simple to them, and for me to see the simplicity and wanting to tell everyone what the decided encourages me so much. How hard is it to tell your co workers or non christian friends about God.... for me I try to say short little Godly things about I'm afraid of really sharing my faith I think cause I'm afraid to scare them away. But that didn't stop Jesus and He even tells us some will follow and some with make fun of stay away from you, but it didn't stop Him!
I want to remember the simplicity of following Christ!!! And I just want to praise Him for how He is working so much around me and just letting me come along for the ride!!! God is good! Oh praise Him!!!!
For a month of so I've been a part of this JV football team Bible study. It was set up by one student who just wanted his friends to know about Jesus! Every week guys have come knowing nothing and ask question and fall in love with this Savior that they have long for more more! Last week we talked about the choice they have to make and then some came to weekend camp and heard the same stuff again. Five guys decide to give their lives to Christ and for this Savior who they heard came for them! Some come from party backgrounds and all hav been into run ins with the cops and they heard they are broke and believed it! they heard they have been saved and they believed it! then they heard they have a gift from God and all they have to do is choice to open it and they believed it! and they opened it! and when they went to school monday and someone said "you decide to follow God? Now you can't drink or go to parties or do anything so you should just stay in your house all day." Their response to me was "at that moment I realized they weren't true friends and realized this room (bible study room) is real and lost all respect for those friends right then" and then went on to say "my best friends are you guys."
One of the guys told their friend the prodigal son story they heard from the weekend. Another one asked how can I help my friend who is just starting to party see God. And another one texted m today and aid whats some good ways I can tell my friend whos girlfriend just broke up with him about God. Another one who is a great athlete and starts varsity football and basketball as a sophomore said I want to use that to glorify God not myself like I have done in the past!
These kids get it the Spirit inside them didn't waste anytime in showing them they should tell the Good News to their friends!!! It's simple to them, and for me to see the simplicity and wanting to tell everyone what the decided encourages me so much. How hard is it to tell your co workers or non christian friends about God.... for me I try to say short little Godly things about I'm afraid of really sharing my faith I think cause I'm afraid to scare them away. But that didn't stop Jesus and He even tells us some will follow and some with make fun of stay away from you, but it didn't stop Him!
I want to remember the simplicity of following Christ!!! And I just want to praise Him for how He is working so much around me and just letting me come along for the ride!!! God is good! Oh praise Him!!!!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Temporally Fulfillment
So last night I gave a club talk on 'need' and how we fill our lives with things that don't last. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdcJSsRfL8s&feature=related) In the video you'll see all the things Brady has; popularity, fame, money, superbowl rings, etc.... but the crazy thing is Brady says he's still not fulfilled. He says he doesn't sleep any better at night, and he's still feels like there is something more.
I left club and that talk kind of like that which was the plan. I left club and got into my car and I was thinking about it and I felt like I left something on the table still. Students I felt didn't respond the way I hoped during the talk which got me thinking....
I talked about filling our life with sports, partying, girlfriends/boyfriends, etc... and i was getting small comments after every point I made. The problem with us as humans, were so use to temporally fulfillment we don't know any better or think it's possible to have anything better.
Just think whenever we try and stop doing something we replace it with doing something else, or whenever a hobby gets out we replace it with something else and its just a repenting pattern.
But thats not right, were told in John 4:14 if we drink the water from Christ we will never thirst again. Jeremiah 2: 13 tells us we as humans have sin in two ways: one being, we have forsaken God, the spring of living water. Two being, we have dug our own cisterns , broken cisterns that don't hold water.
I love the Tom Brady video because he clearly has thought about his life, and he knows there is something more. He has gained everything we are told to strive for and he's left empty and he knows it!!!! Why dont we!!? Keep plugging in quick fixes, you'll see that it just doesn't work until you find your Creator!
Now the hard part is waking up every day and not looking for the quick fill, but walking in step with the Spirit inside of me. The same Spirit that led Christ now wants to lead my day and I pray I let Him!!!!
I left club and that talk kind of like that which was the plan. I left club and got into my car and I was thinking about it and I felt like I left something on the table still. Students I felt didn't respond the way I hoped during the talk which got me thinking....
I talked about filling our life with sports, partying, girlfriends/boyfriends, etc... and i was getting small comments after every point I made. The problem with us as humans, were so use to temporally fulfillment we don't know any better or think it's possible to have anything better.
Just think whenever we try and stop doing something we replace it with doing something else, or whenever a hobby gets out we replace it with something else and its just a repenting pattern.
But thats not right, were told in John 4:14 if we drink the water from Christ we will never thirst again. Jeremiah 2: 13 tells us we as humans have sin in two ways: one being, we have forsaken God, the spring of living water. Two being, we have dug our own cisterns , broken cisterns that don't hold water.
I love the Tom Brady video because he clearly has thought about his life, and he knows there is something more. He has gained everything we are told to strive for and he's left empty and he knows it!!!! Why dont we!!? Keep plugging in quick fixes, you'll see that it just doesn't work until you find your Creator!
Now the hard part is waking up every day and not looking for the quick fill, but walking in step with the Spirit inside of me. The same Spirit that led Christ now wants to lead my day and I pray I let Him!!!!
Friday, October 23, 2009
something cool i read....
So Forgotten God by Francis Chan is one of the few books I'm reading now. If you don't know who Francis Chan is you should; he's the author of Forgotten God and Crazy Love and the pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, CA.
Here is a quote from the book I thought was really good.
"Let's focus on believing the promises given to us by God, on submitting to Him the fears that we have, and on surrendering ourselves fully to the work and will of God, the Holy Spirit."
There's a couple things that stand out to me in this:
First, focusing on the promises of God, I feel like way to often I just want to know the "put offs and the put ons." I feel like we has humans just want the list of to dos. Too often we read or hear the "rules of being a christian" and forget about all the promises we have. We go through life trying to be 'better'. Trying so hard to be good enough when God says we're all evil and all righteous acts are like filthy rags.
So if that's the case what should we do? If we can't be good enough what should we do? Should we just give up? NO! Christ died for us, He knows we weren't good enough!! And what should we do....? Christ says sell everything and follow me. All He wants is us, He doesn't want our boasting in the law, He wants us.
In the first chapter of Ephesians He tells us we are adopted, He tells us we are blessed, He tells us we have redemption, He even makes His will known to us, He has given us an inheritance, and in v.13 He says "In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit."
THE HOLY SPIRIT!!! In John 16 Christ tells us it is to our advantage that He leaves so His Spirit can come!(did you read that!!! read it again, its better for us to have the Spirit in us then Christ next to us!) That is the same Spirit that Christ had!!! The same Spirit that brought 3000 people to knowing Him on the day the disciples received the Holy Spirit!
Second, 'Submitting to Him the fears we have, surrendering ourselves fully to the work and will of God, the Holy Spirit'
When I think of submitting to Him, I think I have to be more real with God. I'm also reading a book called Papa Prayer by Larry Crabb and its all about being relational with God, and by selling everything and following Him I feel like He's saying He wants only a relationship with me... 'Let go of everything besides Me.'
What if my fear is surrendering everything to You?
Well then I forgot the first part about the promises!!! God will provide!!!
Oh Lord, help me let go of my fears, help me focus on your promises, all I want is You!
Here is a quote from the book I thought was really good.
"Let's focus on believing the promises given to us by God, on submitting to Him the fears that we have, and on surrendering ourselves fully to the work and will of God, the Holy Spirit."
There's a couple things that stand out to me in this:
First, focusing on the promises of God, I feel like way to often I just want to know the "put offs and the put ons." I feel like we has humans just want the list of to dos. Too often we read or hear the "rules of being a christian" and forget about all the promises we have. We go through life trying to be 'better'. Trying so hard to be good enough when God says we're all evil and all righteous acts are like filthy rags.
So if that's the case what should we do? If we can't be good enough what should we do? Should we just give up? NO! Christ died for us, He knows we weren't good enough!! And what should we do....? Christ says sell everything and follow me. All He wants is us, He doesn't want our boasting in the law, He wants us.
In the first chapter of Ephesians He tells us we are adopted, He tells us we are blessed, He tells us we have redemption, He even makes His will known to us, He has given us an inheritance, and in v.13 He says "In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit."
THE HOLY SPIRIT!!! In John 16 Christ tells us it is to our advantage that He leaves so His Spirit can come!(did you read that!!! read it again, its better for us to have the Spirit in us then Christ next to us!) That is the same Spirit that Christ had!!! The same Spirit that brought 3000 people to knowing Him on the day the disciples received the Holy Spirit!
Second, 'Submitting to Him the fears we have, surrendering ourselves fully to the work and will of God, the Holy Spirit'
When I think of submitting to Him, I think I have to be more real with God. I'm also reading a book called Papa Prayer by Larry Crabb and its all about being relational with God, and by selling everything and following Him I feel like He's saying He wants only a relationship with me... 'Let go of everything besides Me.'
What if my fear is surrendering everything to You?
Well then I forgot the first part about the promises!!! God will provide!!!
Oh Lord, help me let go of my fears, help me focus on your promises, all I want is You!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
1st time.....
Well I'm at work and don't really have time to type anything for my first time blog, but I wanted to type something just to see how this thing worked.
The odds of me keeping up with thing is 50/50.... so we'll see.
I have been thinking about something I want to share today though: What would you do if you were not afraid? I heard this question today on the radio and it really got me thinking about much we do or don't do because we're afraid. I don't want to live a life of fear, that's not having faith. I want to live a life of faith.
well quick thought......
all4HISglory!
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