A couple of weeks ago in one of the Bible studies, someone brought out the verse, "Be perfect as your heaven father is perfect." Pretty much everyone said that is something we should strive for, but we are never going to reach.
Is it? As I was looking through more stuff, I heard John Bevere say that God never gave us a commandment in the New Testament that we couldn't keep. So does God want me to be perfect? Isn't that the whole reason we accept salvation in the first place, because it is impossible?
Well, just a few days ago, I was reading in the words of David. Do you not what he called himself in one of the Psalms? BLAMELESS. Blameless, without blame, without fault, perfect. In God's eyes, David was blameless. That man was putting God first, keeping God's commandments, and God saw him as perfect.
Think about it, when we accept God's forgiveness, he erases all of our wrongdoings, our faults, our flaws. We are reborn into the family of God and we are without blemish, just like a real new born would be.
So, this commandment is simply another example, that we cannot go through this life without God. He commands us to be perfect, and we cannot do it. But when we let God clean us up, He removes our sin farther than the east is from the west. So we can go through lives "boldly" talking to God and we can walk into eternity without fear. He has made us perfect, and therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
How Big Do You REALLY Think God Is?
God is big. God is really big. He created everything. Yet, I believe that most of us really do not believe it.
If we believed that God is really all powerful, we would not have any worries. If we believed that God is really keeps His promises, we would have no fear. If we really believed that God created the earth, planets, stars, galaxies, constellations, super novas, black holes, and He still knows how many hiars are on my head, than there would be no struggles with reading your Bible each day, with finding time to pray to God, with finding the courage to speak up.
I have had trouble with all of this, we all have. What this means is that I am a liar, a hypocrite. I know the facts, but I do not really believe them. God knew when He made us that our tiny brains would never be able to handle HIM. He knew that, and He forgives us for that.
But it still hurts my heart. Those many times when I let my mind wander during worship, prayer, or devotion, it did not just mean that I had an overactive mind, it meant that I thought other things were more important than God. It meant that I did not think that God was really all that great.
If we believed that God is really all powerful, we would not have any worries. If we believed that God is really keeps His promises, we would have no fear. If we really believed that God created the earth, planets, stars, galaxies, constellations, super novas, black holes, and He still knows how many hiars are on my head, than there would be no struggles with reading your Bible each day, with finding time to pray to God, with finding the courage to speak up.
I have had trouble with all of this, we all have. What this means is that I am a liar, a hypocrite. I know the facts, but I do not really believe them. God knew when He made us that our tiny brains would never be able to handle HIM. He knew that, and He forgives us for that.
But it still hurts my heart. Those many times when I let my mind wander during worship, prayer, or devotion, it did not just mean that I had an overactive mind, it meant that I thought other things were more important than God. It meant that I did not think that God was really all that great.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
I Know What I am Doing for the Rest of my Life
So, in the back of my mind I kinda thought that all these life questions about "Where am I going" and "What am I doing" would stop at high school graduation. No, it just gets worse. Especially since each semester you ponder these questions you waste thousands and thousands of dollars. Already the helpful advice that I am getting from my counselors is do this test and answers these questions so you know right now exactly what you are doing for the rest of your life. For the first time in my life, that mindset seems foriegn to me.
I already know the answer to that question. For the rest of my life, I am following after God with all of my heart, all of my soul, and all of my strength, and all of my mind. That is no easy task, and it is not something you can really get a college degree in. Truth be told, I do not have a plan. I do not have a clue what my life will be like 10 years from now. But. I have peace about what I am doing right now, and I trust God to open up new paths that I never could have dreamed up on my own.
It is the most wonderful feeling. I used to be so stressed out about life decisions and worried how I was going to mess up my whole life if I did not hear the right thing from God. Then when it finally got through my head to just trust God, everything got exciting.
I am such an organizer; I usually need a plan. It was kinda hard for me to let go the imaginary control that comes with putting a goal on a piece of paper. But really, what kind of life is that? People talk about being spontaneous, and we, the ones who are trusting in God for the plan, are some of the few who get to do that. What kind of adventure is it if the path is laid out for you? Those roads usually lead more to traffic jams than thrill rides. What is an exploration if the map to where you are going is available in any bookstore? By trusting in God's plan, we get everything! Adventure! Spontaniety! Purpose! Passion! We are living the dream!
I already know the answer to that question. For the rest of my life, I am following after God with all of my heart, all of my soul, and all of my strength, and all of my mind. That is no easy task, and it is not something you can really get a college degree in. Truth be told, I do not have a plan. I do not have a clue what my life will be like 10 years from now. But. I have peace about what I am doing right now, and I trust God to open up new paths that I never could have dreamed up on my own.
It is the most wonderful feeling. I used to be so stressed out about life decisions and worried how I was going to mess up my whole life if I did not hear the right thing from God. Then when it finally got through my head to just trust God, everything got exciting.
I am such an organizer; I usually need a plan. It was kinda hard for me to let go the imaginary control that comes with putting a goal on a piece of paper. But really, what kind of life is that? People talk about being spontaneous, and we, the ones who are trusting in God for the plan, are some of the few who get to do that. What kind of adventure is it if the path is laid out for you? Those roads usually lead more to traffic jams than thrill rides. What is an exploration if the map to where you are going is available in any bookstore? By trusting in God's plan, we get everything! Adventure! Spontaniety! Purpose! Passion! We are living the dream!
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Facedown
This is a post inspired from the book Facedown, by Matt Redman.
A more fulfilling worship life can sometimes begin with something that is set aside just for God. Sunday is the day set aside just for God. We have our Sunday best and our special words that we use only in correspondence to God like “holy,” “inspired,” or “awesome.” Even deeper than that is a life that is completely set aside for the glory of God, a life that is untarnished by the world and untrained by sin. This life is the life that God desires the most and that He appreciates the most.
A more fulfilling worship life can sometimes begin with something that is set aside just for God. Sunday is the day set aside just for God. We have our Sunday best and our special words that we use only in correspondence to God like “holy,” “inspired,” or “awesome.” Even deeper than that is a life that is completely set aside for the glory of God, a life that is untarnished by the world and untrained by sin. This life is the life that God desires the most and that He appreciates the most.
Friday, August 24, 2007
The Uncomprehendable
I went to a little Bible group the other day. It was their first meeting, and it was a little awkward. We were all facing each other, there was no loud speaker to make a distinction from leader and congregation. I was just trying to not focus on the little things and, being the ultra-spiritual person that I am, press in past all the annoyances. Then it hit me. It was not anything I did. I honestly was not expecting much with all the setbacks. It was not like there was a special worship leader or the perfect song that triggered it. It just happened.
God was there. I felt Him. It was so...awesome. I mean, can you imagine, the God of everything being with us, with our little group of 10 or 15? It's like, you know that God will never leave you or forsake you, yeah, yeah, BUT...when you feel Him hovering over your little sacrifice, and the light of His glory is making it so plain how pathetic the life you are giving Him really is, and yet you can feel the love completely overwhelming any emotion or thought that does not involve Him. You know. You KNOW.
He is simply incomprehensible. Any attempt to understand God and His complete grandiousness either ends up in belittling His plans or a completely shutting down the brain. God is truly indescribable.
God was there. I felt Him. It was so...awesome. I mean, can you imagine, the God of everything being with us, with our little group of 10 or 15? It's like, you know that God will never leave you or forsake you, yeah, yeah, BUT...when you feel Him hovering over your little sacrifice, and the light of His glory is making it so plain how pathetic the life you are giving Him really is, and yet you can feel the love completely overwhelming any emotion or thought that does not involve Him. You know. You KNOW.
He is simply incomprehensible. Any attempt to understand God and His complete grandiousness either ends up in belittling His plans or a completely shutting down the brain. God is truly indescribable.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Back from Summer
I have not posted in a while. It was a long glorious summer. God did a lot of things in my life. Now, I am a college student, and once again I am forced to see how the school ideals, philosiphies, and past times fit into God's picture. And a lot of times it just doesn't.
The trick this year is going to be learning to be so comfortable in God and God's love for me that nothing else matters. There are going to be times when I am just going to have to stand out or sell out. When it comes down to it, any social problems that comes along during the next four years is peanuts. If all it takes is some criticism to shut me up, than I need to rethink my Christianity. If I stay silent, than I need to face the fact that I am living a lie.
One of the big things that God dealt with me this summer is that most our excuses for not living completely for God come from not really believing that God is who He says He is. There is a verse in the Bible that says a person's mind belongs to God because He trusts in God. So, when we have trouble with bad thoughts, lust, anger, or simply having trouble focusing when we pray, it is because we do not believe God is big enough to handle our problems. One preacher said that telling other people about God and worshiping God is a natural reaction to how we feel about God. So when we stay silent, when we have nothing to say, it just means that we do not think that God is all that great.
So this school year, I want to live for God and nothing else. I cannot say in my heart and sing in church how great God is, and yet not say anything when crunch time comes. I will not be meek, I will not be shy, and I will not live a lie. I will not be ashamed to take some criticism for my love for God. The God who sees and made everything. The God who holds the billions of galaxies in his hand. The God who looked down through all the stars, all the planets, all the people, and chose me to live for Him. The Maker of the Universe, The Holy One, The Ungraspable Being, He loves me. Therefore, I will give my all to Him now and for all eternity.
The trick this year is going to be learning to be so comfortable in God and God's love for me that nothing else matters. There are going to be times when I am just going to have to stand out or sell out. When it comes down to it, any social problems that comes along during the next four years is peanuts. If all it takes is some criticism to shut me up, than I need to rethink my Christianity. If I stay silent, than I need to face the fact that I am living a lie.
One of the big things that God dealt with me this summer is that most our excuses for not living completely for God come from not really believing that God is who He says He is. There is a verse in the Bible that says a person's mind belongs to God because He trusts in God. So, when we have trouble with bad thoughts, lust, anger, or simply having trouble focusing when we pray, it is because we do not believe God is big enough to handle our problems. One preacher said that telling other people about God and worshiping God is a natural reaction to how we feel about God. So when we stay silent, when we have nothing to say, it just means that we do not think that God is all that great.
So this school year, I want to live for God and nothing else. I cannot say in my heart and sing in church how great God is, and yet not say anything when crunch time comes. I will not be meek, I will not be shy, and I will not live a lie. I will not be ashamed to take some criticism for my love for God. The God who sees and made everything. The God who holds the billions of galaxies in his hand. The God who looked down through all the stars, all the planets, all the people, and chose me to live for Him. The Maker of the Universe, The Holy One, The Ungraspable Being, He loves me. Therefore, I will give my all to Him now and for all eternity.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Illuminate: 0
I am nothing. In the scale of the universe i am infitesinetly small. From movies, I can see a normal sized person standing on the should of a montrous giant with the little man's head not even as high as the big man's chin. If, however, there was a little ant on the little man, that is even too big for what I would be if i sat on the shoulder of God.
Even in size to the world I live in, I am nothing. In the words of Louie Giglio, 99.99999999999999% of the people on earth do not know my name. I am nobody.
And in that moment, I realize that all of a sudden I have nothing to do. I have just been demoted, debunked, downsized from my all important place in society. The hope of the next generation with honors and awards and schalorships, and they mean nothing. Faced with the immenseness of God, anything I have means nothing.
Yet God still spent a lot of time on ME. He designed me, he planned out my life and my friends and my family, he created a special master plan to get Jesus to come to this earth for a little minute speck in His astounding creation.
"I am nothing, but I know I AM" The only significant achievement in my life is knowing God. The only attribute that makes me special or worthwhile to anyone is that I know God. The only thing of value that I can bring to the world, to my job, to my church is not my brain or my organizational skills or my personality. They mean nothing. Only God matters.
Dear God, i am not. The moment you releved your holiness to me, I was left with nothing of mine that seemed of value. I have nothing to give, nothing to do. In this state of nothingness I come to you and stand in awe. I would rather spend all of my days and all of my night just standing here in the assurance that I know you than to waste my time in the nothingness that I have been doing. I am your servant, O Lord, waiting forever for your bidding. I LOVE YOU!!
in Jesus Name, Amen.
Even in size to the world I live in, I am nothing. In the words of Louie Giglio, 99.99999999999999% of the people on earth do not know my name. I am nobody.
And in that moment, I realize that all of a sudden I have nothing to do. I have just been demoted, debunked, downsized from my all important place in society. The hope of the next generation with honors and awards and schalorships, and they mean nothing. Faced with the immenseness of God, anything I have means nothing.
Yet God still spent a lot of time on ME. He designed me, he planned out my life and my friends and my family, he created a special master plan to get Jesus to come to this earth for a little minute speck in His astounding creation.
"I am nothing, but I know I AM" The only significant achievement in my life is knowing God. The only attribute that makes me special or worthwhile to anyone is that I know God. The only thing of value that I can bring to the world, to my job, to my church is not my brain or my organizational skills or my personality. They mean nothing. Only God matters.
Dear God, i am not. The moment you releved your holiness to me, I was left with nothing of mine that seemed of value. I have nothing to give, nothing to do. In this state of nothingness I come to you and stand in awe. I would rather spend all of my days and all of my night just standing here in the assurance that I know you than to waste my time in the nothingness that I have been doing. I am your servant, O Lord, waiting forever for your bidding. I LOVE YOU!!
in Jesus Name, Amen.
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