If there is one thing that I struggle with the most on a daily basis, it would be worrying. Anyone who knows anything about me can attest to this fact. I struggle with anxiety daily and for many different reasons.
The funny thing about this problem, though, is that I fully understand that God has everything under control. I know that He has a perfect plan and that nothing I do will change His will for my life. Yet I still worry... about everything. I worry about grades and tests. I worry about something happening to my family or friends. I worry about what other people think of me (this one is especially stupid).
I have a friend who is also struggling with anxiety. She asked me if I thought that worrying is a sin. My answer to her was yes, but at the time, I wasn't quite sure WHY I thought that. The bottom line is that Jesus told us not to do it, so if we do it and disobey Him, we are sinning.
Look up Matthew 6:25-34. A wise friend of mine referenced these verses to me. I love these verses, yet they are always very convicting for me. Jesus gives us several reasons why worrying is pointless and stupid. He shows that us He takes care of the birds. He makes sure they are fed. He then says in the second half of verse 26 and in verse 27, "Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"
God counts your life as far more precious than that of the birds. So if He takes care of them, why wouldn't He take care of you? Why do we go on worrying about things that are of no importance when the God of the universe has our futures already laid out? Our worrying is NOT going to help accomplish anything. Just as the verse says, we are not going to be able to add any time to our lives by worrying.
I'm coming to the realization that in the end, my grades don't matter. Yes, it is important to always do our best for the glory of God, but there is a difference between that and putting that object or thing ahead of God. The minute we make an idol out of our grades, or schoolwork, or boyfriend, or girlfriend, or whatever, then we have a problem. God should be the ONLY one that we worship.
When we get to Heaven, no one is going to remember that test we failed in college or the time that someone said something bad about our appearance. We will forget all about what others thought of us. It's going to be immaterial and petty. So if these things don't matter in eternity, why do we let them matter now?
Worrying is a choice. We make a conscious effort to worry every time it happens. Perhaps it is not that easy for you to just stop worrying, though. I know that for me worry has become such a burden to me that it feels as if I can never get rid of it. WRONG. There is no burden that Jesus cannot take away. He went to the cross bearing every burden and sin that we have, and He took care of them all. With His help, there is NOTHING that we cannot overcome. This includes worry.
Maybe worrying isn't something that you necessarily struggle with. But I can guarantee that there is, without a doubt, something that is heavy on your heart. All of us have sins that consume us and separate us from close communication with the Father. Examine your heart and pick out those specific sins. Then take them to the Throne of Grace and lay them at the feet of Jesus. He knows that we cannot do this alone. He is perfectly aware that we are humans and we are weak. He will never turn us away when we need His help.
Don't let these sins, whatever they may be, control your life. Give them over to Jesus, and start living your life with His purpose in mind. It is such a freeing feeling.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Faith like a mustard seed
I love Hebrews 11. This chapter of the Bible has been dubbed the "Faith Chapter" for very obvious reasons. This chapter chronicles various men and women in the Old Testament and some in the New Testament who lived by faith. Some of the people mentioned are Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, etc. However, my favorite part of this chapter comes toward the end.
Hebrews 11:32-38 (NIV):
"And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated - the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground."
I know that passage is pretty long, but it is so powerful. I love the part of verse 38 that says, "the world was not worthy of them." These men and women - martyrs for Christ - understood the awesome power of faith. They were persecuted and killed, but they never renounced Christ. They had such a deep relationship with God that nothing, not pain or fear, could shake their faith in Him. Wow, wow, wow. I can't wait to have conversations with these people in Heaven someday. I can't wait to hear their stories. I can't wait to worship our Lord and Savior side-by-side with them.
I would encourage all of your to read Foxe's Book of Martyrs. I am currently reading this book, and it is incredible. It gives in detail the lives of various martyrs throughout church history. They come from different time periods, but they all have one thing in common: they counted their very lives to be less than their faith in Jesus. They suffered excruciating tortures and deaths for the sake of the Almighty.
We rarely see faith like this anymore in America. We have it so easy in this country. Currently, we are able to worship freely and publicly. Yes, some people are trying to take these rights away, but the fact of the matter is that we can still have public church services on Sundays without fear of being arrested or killed.
This is not the case in many countries today. Just read some of the Voice of the Martyrs magazines. People around the world are being persecuted and killed for their Christianity. Some watch their families die right before their eyes. Some suffer incredible pain and torment, both physically and emotionally. But they will not renounce Christ. They have the kind of faith that can move mountains. They have the very faith that is lacking in America.
Jesus says in Luke 17:6 (NIV): "He replied, 'If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, "Be uprooted and planted in the sea," and it will obey you.'"
It doesn't take a lot of faith to do great things. Jesus showed His disciples that even faith as small as a mustard seed (which is TINY) can perform miracles. Yet how many of us lack even that much faith? Sometimes I feel as if I do.
We need to realize that faith is incredibly powerful because our God is incredibly powerful. If we have faith in Him, we can do anything with His help. We can move mountains. But many of us will never get to that point. We tell ourselves that where we are right presently is good enough. "I don't need any more faith. I've got enough to get my through each day." My friends, this is not enough!
I want to have the faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah and Abraham. I want the faith of Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua and Rahab. I want to have the faith of the early church who suffered immensely for the sake of the Gospel. I want to show others just how great and mighty Jesus Christ is by having a faith that is mighty. I want to have such a faith that if I am called to be a martyr for the sake of Christ that I will lay down my life for Him without even blinking.
I want the kind of faith that draws in unbelievers. I want people to look at me and see Jesus. I want to gush the love, mercy and grace of the Heavenly Father. I want more than anything in the world for those around me to see Christ for who He is and accept Him as their Lord and Savior. I want to get to Heaven and see my family, my friends and brothers and sisters in Christ.
I want to have faith like a mustard seed because even that amount of faith is more powerful than anything we know. I want American Christians to wake up and see that our God is immense and strong and powerful and ferocious and great and loving and zealous and kind! I want a revival to sweep across our nation. I want myself and my fellow Christians to tear down the strongholds of Satan and see lives healed and changed forever. When Jesus returns to take His beloved home, I want to stand proudly, knowing that I did everything I could to further His Gospel on this earth.
As John writes in the second to last verse of the Bible, Revelation 22:20 (NIV):
"He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.
AMEN. COME, LORD JESUS.'"
Hebrews 11:32-38 (NIV):
"And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated - the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground."
I know that passage is pretty long, but it is so powerful. I love the part of verse 38 that says, "the world was not worthy of them." These men and women - martyrs for Christ - understood the awesome power of faith. They were persecuted and killed, but they never renounced Christ. They had such a deep relationship with God that nothing, not pain or fear, could shake their faith in Him. Wow, wow, wow. I can't wait to have conversations with these people in Heaven someday. I can't wait to hear their stories. I can't wait to worship our Lord and Savior side-by-side with them.
I would encourage all of your to read Foxe's Book of Martyrs. I am currently reading this book, and it is incredible. It gives in detail the lives of various martyrs throughout church history. They come from different time periods, but they all have one thing in common: they counted their very lives to be less than their faith in Jesus. They suffered excruciating tortures and deaths for the sake of the Almighty.
We rarely see faith like this anymore in America. We have it so easy in this country. Currently, we are able to worship freely and publicly. Yes, some people are trying to take these rights away, but the fact of the matter is that we can still have public church services on Sundays without fear of being arrested or killed.
This is not the case in many countries today. Just read some of the Voice of the Martyrs magazines. People around the world are being persecuted and killed for their Christianity. Some watch their families die right before their eyes. Some suffer incredible pain and torment, both physically and emotionally. But they will not renounce Christ. They have the kind of faith that can move mountains. They have the very faith that is lacking in America.
Jesus says in Luke 17:6 (NIV): "He replied, 'If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, "Be uprooted and planted in the sea," and it will obey you.'"
It doesn't take a lot of faith to do great things. Jesus showed His disciples that even faith as small as a mustard seed (which is TINY) can perform miracles. Yet how many of us lack even that much faith? Sometimes I feel as if I do.
We need to realize that faith is incredibly powerful because our God is incredibly powerful. If we have faith in Him, we can do anything with His help. We can move mountains. But many of us will never get to that point. We tell ourselves that where we are right presently is good enough. "I don't need any more faith. I've got enough to get my through each day." My friends, this is not enough!
I want to have the faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah and Abraham. I want the faith of Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua and Rahab. I want to have the faith of the early church who suffered immensely for the sake of the Gospel. I want to show others just how great and mighty Jesus Christ is by having a faith that is mighty. I want to have such a faith that if I am called to be a martyr for the sake of Christ that I will lay down my life for Him without even blinking.
I want the kind of faith that draws in unbelievers. I want people to look at me and see Jesus. I want to gush the love, mercy and grace of the Heavenly Father. I want more than anything in the world for those around me to see Christ for who He is and accept Him as their Lord and Savior. I want to get to Heaven and see my family, my friends and brothers and sisters in Christ.
I want to have faith like a mustard seed because even that amount of faith is more powerful than anything we know. I want American Christians to wake up and see that our God is immense and strong and powerful and ferocious and great and loving and zealous and kind! I want a revival to sweep across our nation. I want myself and my fellow Christians to tear down the strongholds of Satan and see lives healed and changed forever. When Jesus returns to take His beloved home, I want to stand proudly, knowing that I did everything I could to further His Gospel on this earth.
As John writes in the second to last verse of the Bible, Revelation 22:20 (NIV):
"He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.
AMEN. COME, LORD JESUS.'"
Monday, October 15, 2012
No turning back
In one of my classes, we just finished reading The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan. I read this book several times when I was younger, and I still find it an exciting story. However, as I read it through this time, I was able to read deeper into the spiritual meanings behind the allegories.
At one point in the story, Christian, the main character, and his companion, Hopeful are passing through the Plains of Ease when they see the pillar of Lot's wife (if you aren't familiar with this story, check out Genesis 19 - it's a great story). As Lot and his family were escaping Sodom and Gomorrah, the Lord had instructed them not to turn back and look. Lot's wife disobeyed, turned to look at her former home and was turned into a pillar of salt.
Lot's wife was not ready to give up her material desires. Her home was being destroyed, and this made her distraught. She just wanted one more glimpse of the cities. This may seem harmless at first until you realize that God had forbidden it. When you disobey God, you face the consequences. Lot's wife turned back and as a result, she was killed.
Being a Christian is hard. It's a long journey, just as is portrayed in The Pilgrim's Progress. But we cannot keep turning back and thinking about all the things we have left behind. We get bogged down, and sometimes, we become stagnant in our walk with the Lord or even begin taking steps back toward our sin.
Hebrews 12:1 (NIV) gives us a good mental image (with my added emphasis): "Therefore, since we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."
We are to throw off anything and everything that hinders us from drawing closer to God. This is an incredibly hard task. This means that if you have friends that are causing you to sin, you need to do something about that. Trust me, it's a very difficult decision. On one hand you want to be able to minister to them, but on the other hand, if they are bringing you down, you need to flee from temptation and just maybe find yourself some new friends.
I love the second part of that verse that talks about running a race. What a great image! When a runner is running in a race, he rarely looks behind him. Sure, he may look to either side of himself, but if he were to look behind him, that would require him turning his whole upper body, thus slowing him down. He just doesn't do this! He knows that if he wants to win the race, he must keep his eyes fixed on the goal and run with everything he has. He can't be worried about those around him. All that matters is reaching the goal.
As Christians, our eyes need to be fixed only on Jesus Christ, the Author and Perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). If we try to turn back to the things that we gave up, we take our eyes off of Him, and suddenly the world's pleasures enter our view and we subject ourselves to the temptations around us.
When Christ saved you, you lost your burden. You gave up the lusts of the flesh to pursue a greater Master. God does not desire us to ever return to that place of loneliness, despair and pain, so why should we feel the need to turn around and dwell upon them? It makes no sense. Our lives are much more complete and fulfilled living focused on God. Worldly pleasures will never give us the true joy that is found in Him.
I challenge you (and myself) to focus on keeping our eyes on Jesus. If something in this world is taking away our time with Him, we need to get rid of it and never go back; for only then can we pursue a deeper and more meaningful relationship with God.
At one point in the story, Christian, the main character, and his companion, Hopeful are passing through the Plains of Ease when they see the pillar of Lot's wife (if you aren't familiar with this story, check out Genesis 19 - it's a great story). As Lot and his family were escaping Sodom and Gomorrah, the Lord had instructed them not to turn back and look. Lot's wife disobeyed, turned to look at her former home and was turned into a pillar of salt.
Lot's wife was not ready to give up her material desires. Her home was being destroyed, and this made her distraught. She just wanted one more glimpse of the cities. This may seem harmless at first until you realize that God had forbidden it. When you disobey God, you face the consequences. Lot's wife turned back and as a result, she was killed.
Being a Christian is hard. It's a long journey, just as is portrayed in The Pilgrim's Progress. But we cannot keep turning back and thinking about all the things we have left behind. We get bogged down, and sometimes, we become stagnant in our walk with the Lord or even begin taking steps back toward our sin.
Hebrews 12:1 (NIV) gives us a good mental image (with my added emphasis): "Therefore, since we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."
We are to throw off anything and everything that hinders us from drawing closer to God. This is an incredibly hard task. This means that if you have friends that are causing you to sin, you need to do something about that. Trust me, it's a very difficult decision. On one hand you want to be able to minister to them, but on the other hand, if they are bringing you down, you need to flee from temptation and just maybe find yourself some new friends.
I love the second part of that verse that talks about running a race. What a great image! When a runner is running in a race, he rarely looks behind him. Sure, he may look to either side of himself, but if he were to look behind him, that would require him turning his whole upper body, thus slowing him down. He just doesn't do this! He knows that if he wants to win the race, he must keep his eyes fixed on the goal and run with everything he has. He can't be worried about those around him. All that matters is reaching the goal.
As Christians, our eyes need to be fixed only on Jesus Christ, the Author and Perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). If we try to turn back to the things that we gave up, we take our eyes off of Him, and suddenly the world's pleasures enter our view and we subject ourselves to the temptations around us.
When Christ saved you, you lost your burden. You gave up the lusts of the flesh to pursue a greater Master. God does not desire us to ever return to that place of loneliness, despair and pain, so why should we feel the need to turn around and dwell upon them? It makes no sense. Our lives are much more complete and fulfilled living focused on God. Worldly pleasures will never give us the true joy that is found in Him.
I challenge you (and myself) to focus on keeping our eyes on Jesus. If something in this world is taking away our time with Him, we need to get rid of it and never go back; for only then can we pursue a deeper and more meaningful relationship with God.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Vulnerability
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." ~ Psalm 51:17 (NIV)
vul-ner-a-ble (adj.) - capable of being physically or emotionally wounded (as per Merriam-Webster online dictionary)
When you are vulnerable, you are completely open. You are at your weakest. You are susceptible to attacks. Everything has been stripped away. You feel completely and utterly helpless. Does this sound familiar at all? Have you ever been at this point?
This is a hard place to be. I've been there only a few times in my life, and let me just say that it's not comfortable. Too often we like to be in control. We make ourselves out to be powerful. We are independent. We know what is going on, and we can handle any situation. But according to this verse in Psalm, that is not how God wants us to be.
You see, when we are at our very weakest, that's when God is able to use us. Once we have stripped away all of the notions that we are strong and in charge, we are open to God coming in and cleaning us up. In the moments of our vulnerability, we recognize that we need Someone who is greater than us to take care of us. We understand that we cannot do things on our own.
Paul, one of the greatest evangelists of all time, knew exactly what it felt like to be weak. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul talks of how God gave him a thorn in his flesh, a "messenger of Satan" to torment him. He begged and pleaded with God to take this away. We don't know exactly what this thorn was, but we do know that it caused Paul lots of pain, whether physically, emotionally or spiritually. He struggled with this thing. It weakened and exhausted him. Yet read what he writes after this:
"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." ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV)
Can't you see? Unless we let God strip us of our pride, we will never be able to truly glorify Him. Unless we get rid of our idols and put Him first in our lives, we amount to nothing. Our lives have no meaning and purpose. Unless we become weak, we can never be strong.
It's only when we are completely vulnerable that God's power is manifest in us. Paul also writes in 1 Corinthians 1:17: "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."
Many times God is pictured as a Potter and we are pictured as the clay. Imagine a piece of clay that is already hardened into a lump. Human potters can't use this. It can't be molded into anything because it is too hard. But imagine a piece of clay that is weak and pliable. This piece of clay is able to be stretched and moved and turned into something useful, such as a pot or bowl.
Unless we rid ourselves of our false sense of pride, we can never be made into something beautiful. We must empty ourselves. We must allow God to break us and mold us. The process is not always pretty. Often it's very painful to be stretched our of our comfort zone, but the end result is glorious. God can take something as ugly as a lump of clay and turn it into something beautiful. And He will do that if you allow Him.
I am a very stubborn person. I like to think of myself as independent. I can handle things on my own. I hate when other people tell me what to do. My friends, this is a lie straight from the pit of hell! This is exactly what Satan wants us to think. He wants us to distance ourselves from God and put our trust in our own strength because he knows then that we are giving into our sinful nature. Flee from the temptation to think of yourselves better than others!
Empty yourselves. Bare your soul to God and let Him see to the very depths of your heart. There are no secrets with God anyway. He can see into your life whether you want Him to or not, but He wants you to be willing. He wants you to work with Him because it makes the process a lot easier. Part of our free will is that God isn't always going to dig in without us allowing Him. There are exceptions to this, but often if your heart is hardened against Him, He will allow you to continue in your ways until you wake up and change.
Being vulnerable is not a comfortable feeling. I hate feeling vulnerable, but then again, it's such a good place to be. You recognize that you are weak, and you open yourself completely to God's power and healing.
When you feel at your weakest, then will God make you your strongest.
vul-ner-a-ble (adj.) - capable of being physically or emotionally wounded (as per Merriam-Webster online dictionary)
When you are vulnerable, you are completely open. You are at your weakest. You are susceptible to attacks. Everything has been stripped away. You feel completely and utterly helpless. Does this sound familiar at all? Have you ever been at this point?
This is a hard place to be. I've been there only a few times in my life, and let me just say that it's not comfortable. Too often we like to be in control. We make ourselves out to be powerful. We are independent. We know what is going on, and we can handle any situation. But according to this verse in Psalm, that is not how God wants us to be.
You see, when we are at our very weakest, that's when God is able to use us. Once we have stripped away all of the notions that we are strong and in charge, we are open to God coming in and cleaning us up. In the moments of our vulnerability, we recognize that we need Someone who is greater than us to take care of us. We understand that we cannot do things on our own.
Paul, one of the greatest evangelists of all time, knew exactly what it felt like to be weak. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul talks of how God gave him a thorn in his flesh, a "messenger of Satan" to torment him. He begged and pleaded with God to take this away. We don't know exactly what this thorn was, but we do know that it caused Paul lots of pain, whether physically, emotionally or spiritually. He struggled with this thing. It weakened and exhausted him. Yet read what he writes after this:
"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." ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV)
Can't you see? Unless we let God strip us of our pride, we will never be able to truly glorify Him. Unless we get rid of our idols and put Him first in our lives, we amount to nothing. Our lives have no meaning and purpose. Unless we become weak, we can never be strong.
It's only when we are completely vulnerable that God's power is manifest in us. Paul also writes in 1 Corinthians 1:17: "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."
Many times God is pictured as a Potter and we are pictured as the clay. Imagine a piece of clay that is already hardened into a lump. Human potters can't use this. It can't be molded into anything because it is too hard. But imagine a piece of clay that is weak and pliable. This piece of clay is able to be stretched and moved and turned into something useful, such as a pot or bowl.
Unless we rid ourselves of our false sense of pride, we can never be made into something beautiful. We must empty ourselves. We must allow God to break us and mold us. The process is not always pretty. Often it's very painful to be stretched our of our comfort zone, but the end result is glorious. God can take something as ugly as a lump of clay and turn it into something beautiful. And He will do that if you allow Him.
I am a very stubborn person. I like to think of myself as independent. I can handle things on my own. I hate when other people tell me what to do. My friends, this is a lie straight from the pit of hell! This is exactly what Satan wants us to think. He wants us to distance ourselves from God and put our trust in our own strength because he knows then that we are giving into our sinful nature. Flee from the temptation to think of yourselves better than others!
Empty yourselves. Bare your soul to God and let Him see to the very depths of your heart. There are no secrets with God anyway. He can see into your life whether you want Him to or not, but He wants you to be willing. He wants you to work with Him because it makes the process a lot easier. Part of our free will is that God isn't always going to dig in without us allowing Him. There are exceptions to this, but often if your heart is hardened against Him, He will allow you to continue in your ways until you wake up and change.
Being vulnerable is not a comfortable feeling. I hate feeling vulnerable, but then again, it's such a good place to be. You recognize that you are weak, and you open yourself completely to God's power and healing.
When you feel at your weakest, then will God make you your strongest.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
No condemnation
John 8:1-11 tells a story that many of the earliest manuscripts do not have, yet it is such a beautiful story and to me, it sounds like something that could have actually happened. The story is of the adulterous woman who was caught in the act by the Pharisees and brought to Jesus. The Pharisees are trying to catch Jesus in a trap, so they ask him in verse 4, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?"
Bold move, Pharisees. Yet you fail to understand that you are up against the Creator of the Law. Surely you are not going to be able to fool Jesus here. And as we see, they don't even come close.
After hearing this question, Jesus basically ignores them. He bends over and begins drawing in the dirt on the ground with His finger. The Bible says that the Pharisees kept questioning Him, trying desperately to get Him to say something He would regret. Not going to happen, guys.
Eventually Jesus speaks. I can just picture all of these Pharisees raising their voices and arguing, yet once Jesus opens His mouth, everyone goes silent. This is the moment they have been waiting for. They are going to get Him here.
"Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her."
Without any other words, Jesus bends over and begins writing in the sand again. I only wish I knew what He was writing. Immediately there is a sense of conviction among the Pharisees because one-by-one they all begin to leave. After all, how can they argue with that statement?
After a little while, only the woman stands there. I can picture her face splotchy and her eyes red from crying. Or maybe she was more defiant. Maybe her hair is a mess and her clothes are torn or wrinkled. Not exactly how you would want to find yourself standing before Jesus.
Jesus stands up again and asks her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" To this, she replies, "No one, Lord." I can picture Jesus smiling right here, His face beaming with eternal love for this poor woman. "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more."
What a beautiful story. Here is a woman caught in the act of adultery. This basically means that the Pharisees found her sleeping with a man who was not her husband. How embarrassing! She is probably yanked around and dragged to the temple courts where Jesus is teaching the people. The Pharisees then proceed to make the woman stand before all of the people. Now everyone in town knows of her adultery.
Imagine her making eye contact with Jesus. He looks into her soul and sees every wrong thing that she has every done. He has every right to accuse her and punish her for her sins. He, being sinless and perfect, could have cast the first stone.
But He didn't. It like He says elsewhere. He did not come here to condemn us but to give us life. To show us the way to Heaven. To give us a taste of a love that can only come from the Father.
I love this story because it puts things in perspective for me. If Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior of the world, did not condemn this woman or throw a stone at her, why should we judge and condemn our fellow man? Why should we cast stones at each other? Aren't we all sinners? Aren't we all destined for the same eternal fire should we refuse to accept Christ as our Savior?
Jesus will not condemn us. He asks only that we do an about-face. That we see where we have been and we run far from it. That we leave our lives of sin and start living for His glory and honor.
Bold move, Pharisees. Yet you fail to understand that you are up against the Creator of the Law. Surely you are not going to be able to fool Jesus here. And as we see, they don't even come close.
After hearing this question, Jesus basically ignores them. He bends over and begins drawing in the dirt on the ground with His finger. The Bible says that the Pharisees kept questioning Him, trying desperately to get Him to say something He would regret. Not going to happen, guys.
Eventually Jesus speaks. I can just picture all of these Pharisees raising their voices and arguing, yet once Jesus opens His mouth, everyone goes silent. This is the moment they have been waiting for. They are going to get Him here.
"Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her."
Without any other words, Jesus bends over and begins writing in the sand again. I only wish I knew what He was writing. Immediately there is a sense of conviction among the Pharisees because one-by-one they all begin to leave. After all, how can they argue with that statement?
After a little while, only the woman stands there. I can picture her face splotchy and her eyes red from crying. Or maybe she was more defiant. Maybe her hair is a mess and her clothes are torn or wrinkled. Not exactly how you would want to find yourself standing before Jesus.
Jesus stands up again and asks her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" To this, she replies, "No one, Lord." I can picture Jesus smiling right here, His face beaming with eternal love for this poor woman. "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more."
What a beautiful story. Here is a woman caught in the act of adultery. This basically means that the Pharisees found her sleeping with a man who was not her husband. How embarrassing! She is probably yanked around and dragged to the temple courts where Jesus is teaching the people. The Pharisees then proceed to make the woman stand before all of the people. Now everyone in town knows of her adultery.
Imagine her making eye contact with Jesus. He looks into her soul and sees every wrong thing that she has every done. He has every right to accuse her and punish her for her sins. He, being sinless and perfect, could have cast the first stone.
But He didn't. It like He says elsewhere. He did not come here to condemn us but to give us life. To show us the way to Heaven. To give us a taste of a love that can only come from the Father.
I love this story because it puts things in perspective for me. If Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior of the world, did not condemn this woman or throw a stone at her, why should we judge and condemn our fellow man? Why should we cast stones at each other? Aren't we all sinners? Aren't we all destined for the same eternal fire should we refuse to accept Christ as our Savior?
Jesus will not condemn us. He asks only that we do an about-face. That we see where we have been and we run far from it. That we leave our lives of sin and start living for His glory and honor.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
"I was blind but now I see!"
One of the most amazing things about the human body, in my opinion, is our eyes. The eye is so complex and beautiful. With our eyes we can take in the world around us. We see nature, we see beauty, we see life, we see others. Think of the most beautiful thing on the earth that you've ever seen. For me, it's difficult to name just one. In 2008, my family was able to take a trip to Alaska, which was amazing. I was able to see glaciers, mountains, beautiful forests. However, this summer, I was able to go to Peru. There, I was able to visit Machu Picchu, hike to the top of Huayna Picchu (Google it if you don't know what it is) and feel as if I was on top of the world. The scenery was breath-taking, and I felt closer to God physically than I have anywhere else in the whole world.
Now imagine that all being taken away. Imagine being born without your eyesight. Imagine being blind. Imagine not knowing what your parents or siblings look like. Imagine not knowing what you look like. In a way, it might be nice not to have to worry about your outward appearance, but still, blindness can be devastating.
This was the predicament for an unnamed guy in John 9. The Bible tells us that this man was blind from birth. He had never seen another human being before. He hadn't experienced the physical beauty of the earth. I'm sure that when he woke up that particular morning, he was just expecting a normal day.
This was no normal day. This man was about to be touched by the Hand of the Son of God.
This man was just sitting there, minding his own business, when he hears voices. Next thing he knows, someone is putting mud on his eyes. Now I'm sorry, but I probably would not have reacted too kindly to this, especially since this mud was made with someone's saliva. "Seriously, guys? This is NOT funny." But then he hears a voice say, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam." (verse 7) I would have thought this to be pretty strange, but the next thing the Bible says is that the man went and washed in the pool, just as the voice told him.
The end of that sentence blows me away, "...and came back seeing." (verse 7b)
Can you even picture this? This man had not seen anything in his entire life, but in one moment, after being touched by the Creator of the universe, his eyes are healed AND HE CAN SEE. Imagine the look on his face as he takes in the sights around him. Imagine his ecstasy when he sees people around him, when he sees the landscape, the water in the pool, the animals in the streets. I can just picture him shouting for joy and maybe dancing around.
His moment of joy is cut short when people start to question him. Honestly, I would said, "Listen, guys, can you just leave me alone for a while? I'm kind of busy drinking in the wonders of creation right now!"
Long story short, the Pharisees get involved. It seems like wherever Jesus goes, the Pharisees aren't far behind. They drag in this man's parents, who testify that he is indeed their son who was blind from birth. The people drag the man back and say, "Look, this guy is a sinner! Give the glory to God!"
The man's reply is amazing. Verse 25, "Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see." It's just like the song "Amazing Grace" - "...was blind but now I see."
You see, this is exactly where I was, and where you were, and perhaps even where you still are. If you haven't accepted Christ as your Savior, then you are blind. You cannot know true happiness, joy or beauty. Yes, you are able to physically see the world around you, but you are blind spiritually. All of us have been there, but by God's grace, some of us can now see.
I was six years old when I accepted Christ into my heart. I finally realized that the aching in my heart could only be eased by one Person. There was nothing I could do on my own to make the emptiness go away. I knew that I needed Christ more than anything else in the entire world. I got out of bed and prayed with my sister. I asked Jesus to live inside of me and never leave (and He never, ever, ever will leave). At that very instant, God took His pen and wrote my name in the Lamb's Book of Life. The angels rejoiced, and everyone in Heaven partied. For I was a lost sheep who had found my Shepherd.
It may not have hit me at that time because I was so young, but my life has never been the same. I am a radically different person. I am nowhere near where I should be by any means, but slowly and surely God is showing me the path He wants me to take. He took the mud, placed it on my eyes and bid me wash in the blood of the Lamb. I can now know true happiness because of the simple words of that prayer.
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind but now I see!
Now imagine that all being taken away. Imagine being born without your eyesight. Imagine being blind. Imagine not knowing what your parents or siblings look like. Imagine not knowing what you look like. In a way, it might be nice not to have to worry about your outward appearance, but still, blindness can be devastating.
This was the predicament for an unnamed guy in John 9. The Bible tells us that this man was blind from birth. He had never seen another human being before. He hadn't experienced the physical beauty of the earth. I'm sure that when he woke up that particular morning, he was just expecting a normal day.
This was no normal day. This man was about to be touched by the Hand of the Son of God.
This man was just sitting there, minding his own business, when he hears voices. Next thing he knows, someone is putting mud on his eyes. Now I'm sorry, but I probably would not have reacted too kindly to this, especially since this mud was made with someone's saliva. "Seriously, guys? This is NOT funny." But then he hears a voice say, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam." (verse 7) I would have thought this to be pretty strange, but the next thing the Bible says is that the man went and washed in the pool, just as the voice told him.
The end of that sentence blows me away, "...and came back seeing." (verse 7b)
Can you even picture this? This man had not seen anything in his entire life, but in one moment, after being touched by the Creator of the universe, his eyes are healed AND HE CAN SEE. Imagine the look on his face as he takes in the sights around him. Imagine his ecstasy when he sees people around him, when he sees the landscape, the water in the pool, the animals in the streets. I can just picture him shouting for joy and maybe dancing around.
His moment of joy is cut short when people start to question him. Honestly, I would said, "Listen, guys, can you just leave me alone for a while? I'm kind of busy drinking in the wonders of creation right now!"
Long story short, the Pharisees get involved. It seems like wherever Jesus goes, the Pharisees aren't far behind. They drag in this man's parents, who testify that he is indeed their son who was blind from birth. The people drag the man back and say, "Look, this guy is a sinner! Give the glory to God!"
The man's reply is amazing. Verse 25, "Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see." It's just like the song "Amazing Grace" - "...was blind but now I see."
You see, this is exactly where I was, and where you were, and perhaps even where you still are. If you haven't accepted Christ as your Savior, then you are blind. You cannot know true happiness, joy or beauty. Yes, you are able to physically see the world around you, but you are blind spiritually. All of us have been there, but by God's grace, some of us can now see.
I was six years old when I accepted Christ into my heart. I finally realized that the aching in my heart could only be eased by one Person. There was nothing I could do on my own to make the emptiness go away. I knew that I needed Christ more than anything else in the entire world. I got out of bed and prayed with my sister. I asked Jesus to live inside of me and never leave (and He never, ever, ever will leave). At that very instant, God took His pen and wrote my name in the Lamb's Book of Life. The angels rejoiced, and everyone in Heaven partied. For I was a lost sheep who had found my Shepherd.
It may not have hit me at that time because I was so young, but my life has never been the same. I am a radically different person. I am nowhere near where I should be by any means, but slowly and surely God is showing me the path He wants me to take. He took the mud, placed it on my eyes and bid me wash in the blood of the Lamb. I can now know true happiness because of the simple words of that prayer.
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind but now I see!
Monday, October 8, 2012
Trusting in God
Trust isn't easy. Too often I have put my trust in someone, only to end up feeling betrayed by them. I try to see the good in people, yet time after time, I walk away disappointed and frustrated. However, in order to have a good relationship with your family or friends, a certain level of trust is required. The same goes with God.
With regard to trust, I have a lot of respect for Abraham. Yes, he made many mistakes, but so have I and so have you. There is always one incident recorded in the Bible that stands out to me. It's an amazing story.
You can probably guess where I am going with this. This particular story is found in Genesis 22, and the story is about Abraham and his son, Isaac. The back story is very important here. Abraham and his wife, Sarah, had no children at this point. This was a big deal in Biblical times. Being a barren woman during this time was heart-wrenching and often seen as a curse. The funny thing about this story is that God had promised Abraham (then Abram) that he would make his offspring as numerous as the stars in the night sky. The next verse says, "And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness." (Genesis 15:6 ESV)
Wow. Abraham didn't question God, he didn't doubt God, he believed God. Pure trust.
That's not even the best part of this story. Just as God promised, eventually Sarah gave birth to a son whom they named Isaac. What a happy ending for the two childless parents. I can only imagine the joy felt by all. After so many years of waiting, God blessed them and kept His promise (which He will always do).
However, things were about to get ugly. Some time later, God spoke to Abraham (how cool is that? Imagine God speaking directly to you!) and told him to take his only son, Isaac, and go to a mountain to offer a burnt offering to the Lord.
There were no arguments here. It says that Abraham awoke early the next morning, saddled his donkey, took two servants and his son, Isaac and set out for the mountain, complete with wood for the burnt offering. They get to the mountain and now Isaac is curious. He asks his father where the lamb is for the burnt offering. Abraham's reply is (in verse 8 of chapter 22), "God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." They build the altar, Abraham arranges the wood on top, then he... wait, he what? He binds his son, his only son, and lays him on the altar. What are you doing, Abraham?! This is crazy!
Just as Abraham is about to sacrifice his only child, an angel of God stops him, and God sends a ram for them to sacrifice in place of Isaac. Whew, that's a happy ending.
Look at the level of trust that is involved in this story. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that Abraham questioned what God was asking him to do. Abraham just did it. I have no doubt that if God had not stopped him, Abraham would have killed his son. Abraham had such a solid and deep relationship with God that no matter what God asked of him, he was willing to do in a heartbeat. No questions asked.
What I would give to have a trust like that. I'd like to think that I would be able to do something like that, but in reality, I'm not so sure I could. If God asked me to sacrifice someone I love and care about, I don't know what I would do. It would be one of the hardest things I would ever have to do. I would question. I would doubt. I would cry and scream and drag my feet.
The thing is, though, that we have no reason not to trust God at such a level. He is the Supreme Creator of all the universe, and bottom line, He is good. He has our futures mapped out and He knew everything about us before we were even born. A familiar verse in Jeremiah 29:11 says, "'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.'"
You see, God isn't out to get us. He didn't ask Abraham to do this because He wanted to see Isaac killed or Abraham mourn. No! This wasn't some sick joke! This was God pushing Abraham to the edge of the cliff and saying, "Jump, my son, and I will catch you!" He was trying to get Abraham to take a giant step of faith. And Abraham did it.
When it comes to the problems of our lives, we need to trust that God has the answer. No matter what we face, be it divorce, cancer, death, depression, anxiety, etc., we need to understand that God has us in the palm of His hand, and He will never let us go. We need to trust that the Almighty God is taking care of us and will not let us stumble.
Trust is definitely not an easy issue, but by God's grace, I hope that Christians today can realize that by putting our trust in God, we will find ourselves freed from burdens and doubts. And let me tell you what a peaceful place that is.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Treasures
Today in church, while the pastor was reading from Matthew 6:19-24, I stumbled upon some very familiar verses.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." - Matthew 6:20-21 (ESV)
I was particularly drawn to verse 21. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. That verse hit me like a ton of bricks. I began to ask myself the question, "Where are my treasures?" which eventually led to "Where is my heart?"
You see, I grew up in a privileged home. We always had everything we needed and then some. Christmas and birthdays were happy times because we could always look forward to an abundance of presents. Don't get me wrong, I'm not spoiled. I didn't always get what I wanted, but I was blessed... I still am very blessed.
As a result of this, it's always been very easy for me to get caught up in material possessions. When I was younger, I would constantly be saving up money then immediately spending it. If there was something I wanted, I wanted it as soon as possible. I would do whatever it took to get that item. If I didn't get that thing, I would become very upset. Just ask my mom, I could be a handful.
Now that I'm older and have become a little more independent financially, I realize that real happiness and satisfaction does not come from material possessions. Happiness comes from having a relationships with the Lord and with family and friends.
If the most important things to us, our treasures, are material, we are in for a world of hurt. Our hearts are not in the right place, and we will go through life without knowing real joy and happiness. Don't get me wrong, there are people out there who are filthy rich who will tell you that they are "happy" but it's only superficial. At the end of the day, all they have is their money and possessions.
I go to a college now that is made up of mostly middle-class students. Some are more well-off than others. I have seen people that can go for weeks without wearing the same outfit twice. All of us here have what we need, and then some. We always want more. I am definitely guilty of this. A lot of times I disguise my wants as needs. "I need new running shoes." "I need new boots." "I need a new car." The list goes on and on and on.
But this summer, I had the privilege to travel to Peru on a missions trip and see a whole different world. I saw what real poverty looks like. I saw families that struggled just to put food on the table every night. Yet these same families would invite you into their home and share with you what little they had. I saw children playing in the mud wearing no pants or shoes. I saw children, ages 5-15, sit for hours listening to the Word of God because to them, God is so irresistible. I saw young men and women my age serving the Lord with a fiery passion - a passion that is so severely lacking in American churches today. I saw what true happiness looks like, and my friends, we don't have the slightest clue. Our treasures are not in the right place, and thus, our hearts are not in the right place.
You see, God is all that is important. Why does it matter what I wear? Or what I drive? Or who I'm friends with? Or how much money I have or make? Why do we put so much emphasis on those things? None of it matters. We can take none of it to Heaven (or hell) with us. It's material, yet immaterial. It's just like the verse says. These things will rot and collect dust and lose their value, but our relationship with the Most Holy God will never fade. When we pour our strength into serving Him, we gain something that is priceless.
Peru changed my perspective, yet as soon as I returned to the States, I felt myself being drawn right back to where I started. It's so hard to reject material possessions as the source of happiness when we live in a culture that thrives on the next, best thing.
Don't get me wrong, sometimes God blesses us with the things we desire. We just have to remember that there is a whole other dimension. Once we forgo earthly pleasures, we can fix our eyes upon the Author and Perfecter of our faith. We can live with the same passion that I saw in Peru.
When we make God our treasure, we find our hearts set on God. And in my opinion, there is no better place to be.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." - Matthew 6:20-21 (ESV)
I was particularly drawn to verse 21. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. That verse hit me like a ton of bricks. I began to ask myself the question, "Where are my treasures?" which eventually led to "Where is my heart?"
You see, I grew up in a privileged home. We always had everything we needed and then some. Christmas and birthdays were happy times because we could always look forward to an abundance of presents. Don't get me wrong, I'm not spoiled. I didn't always get what I wanted, but I was blessed... I still am very blessed.
As a result of this, it's always been very easy for me to get caught up in material possessions. When I was younger, I would constantly be saving up money then immediately spending it. If there was something I wanted, I wanted it as soon as possible. I would do whatever it took to get that item. If I didn't get that thing, I would become very upset. Just ask my mom, I could be a handful.
Now that I'm older and have become a little more independent financially, I realize that real happiness and satisfaction does not come from material possessions. Happiness comes from having a relationships with the Lord and with family and friends.
If the most important things to us, our treasures, are material, we are in for a world of hurt. Our hearts are not in the right place, and we will go through life without knowing real joy and happiness. Don't get me wrong, there are people out there who are filthy rich who will tell you that they are "happy" but it's only superficial. At the end of the day, all they have is their money and possessions.
I go to a college now that is made up of mostly middle-class students. Some are more well-off than others. I have seen people that can go for weeks without wearing the same outfit twice. All of us here have what we need, and then some. We always want more. I am definitely guilty of this. A lot of times I disguise my wants as needs. "I need new running shoes." "I need new boots." "I need a new car." The list goes on and on and on.
But this summer, I had the privilege to travel to Peru on a missions trip and see a whole different world. I saw what real poverty looks like. I saw families that struggled just to put food on the table every night. Yet these same families would invite you into their home and share with you what little they had. I saw children playing in the mud wearing no pants or shoes. I saw children, ages 5-15, sit for hours listening to the Word of God because to them, God is so irresistible. I saw young men and women my age serving the Lord with a fiery passion - a passion that is so severely lacking in American churches today. I saw what true happiness looks like, and my friends, we don't have the slightest clue. Our treasures are not in the right place, and thus, our hearts are not in the right place.
You see, God is all that is important. Why does it matter what I wear? Or what I drive? Or who I'm friends with? Or how much money I have or make? Why do we put so much emphasis on those things? None of it matters. We can take none of it to Heaven (or hell) with us. It's material, yet immaterial. It's just like the verse says. These things will rot and collect dust and lose their value, but our relationship with the Most Holy God will never fade. When we pour our strength into serving Him, we gain something that is priceless.
Peru changed my perspective, yet as soon as I returned to the States, I felt myself being drawn right back to where I started. It's so hard to reject material possessions as the source of happiness when we live in a culture that thrives on the next, best thing.
Don't get me wrong, sometimes God blesses us with the things we desire. We just have to remember that there is a whole other dimension. Once we forgo earthly pleasures, we can fix our eyes upon the Author and Perfecter of our faith. We can live with the same passion that I saw in Peru.
When we make God our treasure, we find our hearts set on God. And in my opinion, there is no better place to be.
In the beginning
I've never been good at keeping blogs. I always start one, but then I never keep up with it. We'll see how this one goes.
This is not like the other blogs I've started. This is not necessarily where I am going to tell about my day or what is going on in my life as far as family or friends or activities. The purpose of this blog is for me to share my feelings on Scripture and God in general.
I make no promises that what I say will be accurate. I am a flawed human being, so my theology, at times, is pretty messed up. I can only pray that what I write will come from my heart and that God will direct my words. I don't even know if anyone will read this, which doesn't matter. As of late, I've felt like Jacob - wrestling with the Almighty. This is a place where I can put my thoughts, desires, struggles, etc. The reason I'm making this public is that perhaps God can use my words to help someone else.
I also make no promises that I will be able to keep this going for very long. I'm going to try to make time, if only 10 minutes a week. More than anything this will be a place where I write out my thoughts and what God has been teaching me.
I pray that God will help me grow through this, and that in the end He alone will be glorified.
This is not like the other blogs I've started. This is not necessarily where I am going to tell about my day or what is going on in my life as far as family or friends or activities. The purpose of this blog is for me to share my feelings on Scripture and God in general.
I make no promises that what I say will be accurate. I am a flawed human being, so my theology, at times, is pretty messed up. I can only pray that what I write will come from my heart and that God will direct my words. I don't even know if anyone will read this, which doesn't matter. As of late, I've felt like Jacob - wrestling with the Almighty. This is a place where I can put my thoughts, desires, struggles, etc. The reason I'm making this public is that perhaps God can use my words to help someone else.
I also make no promises that I will be able to keep this going for very long. I'm going to try to make time, if only 10 minutes a week. More than anything this will be a place where I write out my thoughts and what God has been teaching me.
I pray that God will help me grow through this, and that in the end He alone will be glorified.
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