Is It In You?

What is it that we long for the most?
what is it that our heart aches for?
is it for popularity? Fame? Fortune?
do we long to always be right?

Or is it more?

is it a search for belonging?
a search for purpose?
maybe for fulfillment and love
love, that’s it!

Its different than the love from parents
its different than the love of your friends
its real, heart pounding, palm sweating love, right?

No. we thing it is
we think that if we find love, all of our problems will go away
but love like that, its like the wind
it comes and goes and when it goes
we look somewhere else for it

Real love, its like a hurricane!
we cant contain it!
we cant change it!
we don’t know what to do with it!

It goes way beyond us!
it infects us!
it pours out of us, flooding all that surrounds us!

We cant stop it!
it becomes who we are!
it shapes us!
it molds us!
it shakes us!
It becomes us!

Has it become you?
is it in you?
this live changing love that transforms all its around?

You cant find it in him
you cant find it in her
it’s the one thing Wal-Mart doesn’t sell
They cant sell it

Its not for sale!
it’s a gift!
its yours!
do you accept?

Its real!
its good!
its fulfilling!
its way too much for just me

It wont stop!
its everlasting!
its life!
is it in you?

Your heart is made for it
its incomplete without it
you will know when you find it
is it in you?

Do you have life?
are you living?
there’s no pint in living
if you cant feel alive

Is it in you? This live everlasting?
is it in you? This love overflowing?
is it in you? This reason for living?

Is it in you?

Things that we search for
the good and the bad
in the end
they are all for not

We can all try, as i
to search the world
for what we long so deeply for
and all we get

All we get
is momentary satisfaction
something not real
something not forever

For the one thing that is eternal
the love from a hurricane
is here tonight
do you feel it?

Its what youre searching for
its what you have always wanted
its tender and soft
its strong and mighty

Is it in you?
Do you know it?
Do you want it?
Do you want it?

You can have it!
it is yours!
please take it!
please take it!

For hurricane Christ
its only here for a season
will you be swept away?
will you let go?

The popularity
the shallow relationship
the desire to be known
will you let it go?

Will you let the one
the one who holds the universe
the one who defeated death
the one who is here

Will you let Him
love you
feed you
strengthen you

Will you let Him
protect you
hold you in His arms
and keep you safe?

Is it in you? This live everlasting?
is it in you? This love overflowing?
is it in you? This reason for living?
Is it in you? This God of the universe?

Is He in you?

When You're In Love

Love. Its a word that has multiple meanings. I mean, say you love your girlfriend or spouse. Then you turn around and you say that you love vinti white mocas from Starbucks. Do you have the same love for Starbucks as you do your significant other? I think not. If so, maybe you need to reevaluate your relationship with the person you are with. For some, when they think of love, they think of the emotions and feelings Michael Buble or Frank Sinatra sing about. Others think about a passion for something or someone. Regardless, most automatically think of a feeling or emotion of devotion for another. 

A.W. Tozer writes in The Pursuit of God, 

O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I  am painfully conscious of my need for further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, so that I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, "Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away." Then give me grace to rise and follow thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long. 

WOW!!! What a prayer! So the part that hits me the most is actually the first line. 

O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more.

We have all tasted the goodness of God havnt we. However, here is the real issue. Has it satisfied you? That's a hard question. Some may say that it's hard to decipher the goodness of God. Well, let me make it easier on you. James 1:17 tells us that "every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."  So every good and perfect thing comes from our Father in heaven. Alrighty, now that we have that clear, why is it that we are not satisfied with what God gives us? 

Perhaps it is because we are a spoiled people. I know that I am spoiled. Summer 2008 I went to Kenya and lived among the Turkana people. I saw them praise God for all they had, which was nothing compared to a Tennessean. They had at best 2 changes of clothes (very rare) and lived in clay huts or straw (of twig) huts. Most if not all did not have shoes and they got their water from an alligator and malaria infested river. They live in an area that is 120 degrees in the day and 80 degrees at night and they have a few animals and a few crops, but not a lot. The one thing they do have is a heart for the Lord. The sing as loud as they can and praise Him and give Him thanks at all times! I have so much more than they and I might give thanks to my God and Savior a few times a day! I am spoiled and arrogant and that is not a pleasant aroma to my Father. 

Now, lets jump ahead and say that we are satisfied with what God gives us. Do we want more? I know I can testify that a lot of times I have the same feeling I have at Thanksgiving when I've eaten too  much and cant move. If someone asks me to eat more, I simply cant! Here is the cool thing about the love/grace/mercy (say whatever you want because they are all the same) of God.  We can overflow with it and in so doing, we show that love to others! And that is what we are called to do, to love our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor as ourself (Matt. 22:38-40). 

Now part of loving your neighbor is loving your enemy. Thats kinda hard. What makes it hard is that God doesnt call us to love our enemy like we love Starbucks or even our significant other. the Greek that is used is Agápe. Agápe (αγάπη agápē) means "love" in modern day Greek, such as in the term s'agapo (Σ'αγαπώ), which means "I love you". In Ancient Greek, it often refers to a general affection or deeper sense of "true love" rather than the attraction suggested by "eros". Agape is used in the biblical passage known as the "love chapter", 1 Corinthians 13, and is described there and throughout the New Testament as sacrificial love. 

So imagine this. Matthew 5:43-44 states "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." In some late manuscripts it says to bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you. But the ancient Greek text uses the Agápe form of love. How hard is that! We are to love our enemies in a sacrificial way, the same way God loves us! Thats intense. How do we do this? We are only able to love our enemies by being madly in love with our Lord and Savior. When you are truly in love, you to to great lengths to be with the one you love. 

Here's the meat. "The fact is, we need god to help us love God. And if we need His help to love Him, a perfect being, we definitely need His help to love others, fault-filled humans. Something mysterious, even supernatural must happen in order for genuine love for God to grow in our hearts. the Holy Spirit has to move in our lives."* 

When we are running toward Christ and pursuing a loving, intimate relationship with Him, we dont have the opportunity to wonder if what we are doing is right. We have to stop loving and pursuing Jesus in order to sin. 

Take a minute and think about that. Its when we slow down and take a break while we are running toward God that Satan intervenes and tempts us. So what can we do? Well dont slow down! Granted, that seems like a daunting task and it is possible, however not all that probable. God gives us all we need for ministry (II Peter 1:3) and for life. All we need to do is be faithful and obedient.The biggest way we show our unconditional love for Christ is through our faith and obedience to Him. 

* Chan, Francis. Crazy Love. Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2008. Page 104

** The other three types of love in Greek are as follows:

Éros (έρως érōs) is passionate love, with sensual desire and longing. The Modern Greek word "erotas" means "intimate love;" however, eros does not have to be sexual in nature. Eros can be interpreted as a love for someone whom you love more than the philia, love of friendship. It can also apply to dating relationships as well as marriage. Plato refined his own definition: Although eros is initially felt for a person, with contemplation it becomes an appreciation of the beauty within that person, or even becomes appreciation of beauty itself. It should be noted Plato does not talk of physical attraction as a necessary part of love, hence the use of the word platonic to mean, "without physical attraction." Plato also said eros helps the soul recall knowledge of beauty, and contributes to an understanding of spiritual truth. Lovers and philosophers are all inspired to seek truth by eros. The most famous ancient work on the subject of eros is Plato's Symposium, which is a discussion among the students of Socrates on the nature of eros.

Philia (φιλία philía) means friendship in modern Greek. It is a dispassionate virtuous love, a concept developed by Aristotle. It includes loyalty to friends, family, and community, and requires virtue, equality and familiarity. In ancient texts, philos denoted a general type of love, used for love between family, between friends, a desire or enjoyment of an activity, as well as between lovers.

Storge (στοργή storgē) means "affection" in ancient and modern Greek. It is natural affection, like that felt by parents for offspring. Rarely used in ancient works, and then almost exclusively as a descriptor of relationships within the family. It is also known to express mere acceptance or putting up with situations, as in "loving" the tyrant.

Stubbornness

Stubbornness. We all have it to some degree. I have more of it than I would like to admit. I think sometimes we have it because we feel that if we dont, we are a push over and others will get what they want. But is it always about us? Is it always about being right, or is it about doing the right thing, with our without recognition? Because of our stubbornness, we argue, get nasty and turn our backs on the people we love and care about. After we have a confrontation, we usually feel like we were right and the other person just wont understand or perhaps will never understand our view point. Yes, our view is important and our feelings and emotions are important, but so are theirs. We usually never take their side into consideration. I am so glad that Christ does take our side into consideration and pleads on our behalf to the Father! Because of His unending and relentless love, we are safe in His arms and God the Father sees us, He doesnt see the stubborn man or woman, the sinful man or woman, but He sees His Son! Dude! Thats awesome!! Now I could go on and on about God not counting mans sins against them, but I have limited time right now, so Ill have to save that entry for another time.

What An Encouragement!

So, I am a guy (and for those of you who didn't know, now ya know) and I will admit that I have trouble being single. I long for that companionship of another woman (I think it really started after losing my mom to cancer a few years ago) and want to give love to another woman. In times that I have not been dating someone, I have tried to satisfy that need to a female companion in many different ways, which I will not go into, and for a time (very short) it satisfied me. 

Well, the other night, I was at my best friends apartment and she and I were cooking dinner for my other best friend to celebrate her birthday. Well...some onions needed to be sautéed so I poured some oil in the skillet (which I assumed was cool because I had not yet turned the burner on) for the onions to cook in. To my surprise, the skillet burst into flames because the wrong burner had been turned on earlier so the pan was red hot! I quickly grabbed the skillet and rushed out the door with it (so the smoke detectors would not go off). When I did, I tripped and some of the flaming oil sloshed out of the pan and onto my foot! Amazingly, my foot was not burned! Praise be to God! 

Anyway, I tell that short story because I was reminded of that incident tonight when singing "Whole World in His Hands" by Matt Redman. The second verse and the chorus really rang out to me today. 

Verse 2:
When I walk through fire
I will not be burned
When the waves come crashing round me
Still I know with all my heart

Chorus:
D G A
He’s got the whole world in His hands
D G A
He’s got the whole world in His hands
Bm
I’ll fear no evil
G
For You are with me
F#
Strong to deliver
G
Mighty to save
F#m A
He’s got the whole world in His hands

So, for me, singing that song made me remember that there will be times in my life that are full of trial and tribulation, but God will deliver me, just as he kept me from getting burned from the fire raining down on my foot!

Now, you are probably wondering, "What does this all have to do with you struggling with being single?" Well, being single is a struggle for me, but I know that God will deliver me from it! The question is...how? Psalm 37:4 says this

"Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart!"

When we delight ourselves in the Lord, the things we want and desire are those things of the Lord. If God's plan for me is to get married, than He will not bless me with the gift of singleness (if you are wondering how singleness can be a gift, read I Corinthians 7). I do not believe that He has singleness as my blessing, therefore, how do I find a Christ centered mate? Well...for starters, STOP LOOKING! That was not verbally screamed at me, but in my heart, it reverberated loudly. I first have to trust that God has a plan for my life, and if I am not to be single (like I stated earlier), then God must have someone out there for me. One BIG question I have to ask myself though is "Does God satisfy my soul?" Right now, if I am honest, the answer is no. I trust Him, but I am still looking and putting more effort into seeking a mate than I am seeking the One who has the master plan! Duh Jeff! I shouldn't be stretching my arms out, looking for a relationship (horizontal relationship) but rather, I should be lifting them up to the heavens, reaching for the One True God who can satisfy my soul! This is discussed in Colossions 3. By pursuing a relationship with God, I am trusting Him and delighting myself in Him and in so doing, He will give me the desires of my heart, which will, in turn, but of Him. 

Now that we understand how to find a mate (oh, and dont just seek the Lord in order to find the person you want to marry, seek God because you long for Him and want a intimate relationship with Him above all other things), how do you determine if she is "the one?" For this, there are 4 things to look at. 

1. Is she a follower of Christ? (II Corinthians 6:14)
2. Is she a morally submitted follower of Christ? (by this I mean does she profess one thing, but live another)
3. Is she a follower of Christ who is running at the same pace you are spiritually? (she should be around the same area you are spiritually so that you are on a journey together, not one ahead of the other)
4. Is she a follower of Christ who has similar passions? (really, if you are both in your own little worlds of ministry, it can get crazy. However, if you have the same passions and desires, you can work side by side in the same ministry of different ones and be an encouragement to each other.)

Now, you have sought after God and He has given you the desires of your heart. Then you find someone and are dating them and they meet the 4 qualifications listed above. How long do you date them before you know they are the one God has for you? Well, there is no right or wrong answer for this. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that you need to be dating someone for so long before you get engaged and married. However, it is wise to consult your friends and family and your mentor(s) before you pop the big question. As a general rule, and something my mentor has told me, one should probably date someone for at least a year before getting engaged. In that time, you should be able to see how the two of you react to the good and the bad and also see spiritual growth in each other or lack thereof. If you are not growing spiritually, than the relationship is probably not going to work out (at least that has been my experience in the past).

So this blog is titled "What An Encouragement!" This is because singleness is something I struggle with and today I was given a peace about it. "I will live to love You!" That is my desire, my goal, my prayer!

TILL I SEE YOU
 
A B C#m7
The greatest love that anyone could ever know
A B C#m7
That overcame the cross and grave to find my soul
A B
And 'til I see You face to face
C#m7
And grace amazing takes me home
A
I'll trust in You
 
A B C#m7
With all I am I live to see Your Kingdom come
A B C#m7
And in my heart I pray you'd let Your will be done
A B
And 'til I see You face to face
C#m7
And grace amazing takes me home
A
I'll trust in You
 
E B/D#
I will live to love You
C#m7 E/G#
I will live to bring You praise
A B C#m7 B
I will live a child in awe of You
 
A B C#m7
You are the voice that called the universe to be
A B C#m7
You are the whisper in my heart that speaks to me
A B
And 'til I see You face to face
C#m7
And grace amazing takes me home
A
I'll trust in You

E B/D#
I will live to love You
C#m7 E/G#
I will live to bring You praise
A B C#m7 B
I will live a child in awe of You
 
A E B C#m7
You alone are God of all
A E B C#m7
You alone are worthy Lord
A E B C#m7
And with all I am my soul will bless
A
Your Name
 

* Whole World in His Hands by Matt Redman
* Til I See You by Hillsong United

Set Apart

A few days ago (actually i think it was Wednesday), I went to pick up my friend and she discovered that there was a hole in my window (plastic was covering the lack of a window that someone had shattered with a rock three weeks prior). She asked me if anything was taken and I said no. Well...later that night (actually, I think it was morning), I realized that my guitar was no where to be found and that in fact, something had been taken from my truck. My star burst red and orange Ibenez AE acoustic/electric guitar, which I have had since December 2008, was gone. Well, needless to say, I was distraught, however, I was at peace about it for some odd strange reason. 

So today I went to the local guitar store to see if I could find a cheap guitar to substitute for the one that was stolen. I picked up a nice lookin Fender and was playing it and tuning it and low and behold I see a bright red headstock sitting among a plethora of brown and black guitars. It was set apart from everything else, shining in all of it's brilliance!

Isn't funny how we always look for something that will "just suffice?" and somewhat fulfill our needs, wants and desires? But like that guitar, Christ is standing right in front of us, shining in all of His brilliance, with His arms open wide saying "Come." He is always there, all we have to do is look. I have no doubt in my mind that God led me to Morrell's today. I could have gone to a pawn show, Kates music or Music Alley (where I bought the guitar), but He led me there. I know that playing and leading others in worship is the plan God has for me and He ALWAYS equips those He calls and will always provide. 

Anyway, I talked to the store owner and he told me to go through the police and I would get it back. The good thing is that the guitar shop has the persons drivers license who sold them the guitar. So the process begins of filing a police report and getting my guitar back, fighting for it, just like Christ fights for us every day. 

The Haircut

Ya know, I never knew how much a haircut related to our salvation. For quite some time now I have had a huge head or hair and a beard. Well...just a few minutes ago, I shaved that beard off. And ya wanna know what? I felt so liberated! The funny thing is that I didn't feel suppressed or burdened by it. In so many ways, before our salvation through Christ Jesus, we feel the same way. We don't really know anything is wrong until we feel convicted and it's fixed. It is only in hindsight that we see how bad off were truly were. It is only after the chains of sin have been lifted do we know how brought down by the enemy we really were. 

The sad thing about hair is that it grows back, and if we are not careful, it will get out of control. In the same way, if we are not in relationship with our Savior, our sins, our struggles will come back and we will once again be overcome by them. However, there is HOPE!

Em
Our God is greater
C
Our God is stronger
G                                                  D
God you are higher than any other
Em
Our God is Healer
C
Awesome in power
G                       D
Our God, Our God
Em
and if our God is for us
C
then who could ever stop us
G
and if our God is with us
D
then what could stand against

This is the chorus to "Our God" by Chris Tomlin off of the Awakening cd by Passion released earlier this year. For some, because they cannot see God, they do not believe, or say that God is dead. Well to them I say, "My God's not dead, He's surely alive and He's living on the inside, roaring like a LION!" (1) 

God is perfect, mighty to save, a rock and holy. Francis Chan puts it this way:

"We don't get to decide who God is. 'God said to Moses, "I am who I am' (Ex. 3:14). We don't get to change that. To say that God is holy is to say that He is set apart, distinct from us. And because of His set apart-ness, there is no way we can ever fathom all of who He is. To the Jews, saying something three times demonstrated its perfection, so to cal God 'Holy, Holy, Holy' is to say that He is perfectly set apart, with nothing and no one to compare Him to. That is what it means to be 'Holy.' His perfect holiness, by definition, assures us that our words can't contain Him. Isn't is a comfort to worship a God we cannot exaggerate?" (2)

There is nothing too big for God, so when we fall, when we let our hair grow more than it probably should, we run to God (the barber) who shapes us and molds us into the person He has for us. We are people with a purpose. God has a plan for me and for you and He is using us to share His love to all people that He may be glorified. 

(1) Like A Lion by David Crowder* Band off of Awakening by Passion
(2) Francis Chan. Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God. Denver: David C. Cook, 2008, pg. 31

A View From the Outside In

Lord I love You
But do I like You
I need You Lord
But do I delight in You?

I seek after You Lord
But do I yearn for relationship?
I need You Father
But do I really want You?

I step back and look
You open my eyes
And for what seems like the first time
I actually see

I see my slothful nature
I see my cowardness
I see my denial
I see my disobedience

Oh Abba how You love me
How You long for me
How you desire relationship
How You sacrificed for me

God You make all things new
You grace is sufficient
Your renewing mercy lefts me up
Gives me wings like eagles

You have set me free
From the bondage of sin
You have set me atop the highest mountain
That I might shine You

For I am Your temple
And in Your temple You dwell
Father You are my God and King
And in You I delight

Rein In Us!

So, I play guitar and I express how I feel through playin my guitar. It is also one of the ways I talk with God and how He talks to me. The chorus and bridge by Starfield expresses how I feel.

C G
Oh Great and Mighty One, with one desire we come
Dm C F G
That You would reign, that You would reign in us
C G
We're offering up our lives, a living sacrifice
Dm C F G
That You would reign, that You would reign in us


G F C G
We cry out for Your life to revive us, cry out
F C G
For Your love to defy us, cry out
F C Am Gsus G
For Your mercy to keep us blameless until You return


F C G
So, reign please reign in us
F C G
Come purify our hearts, we need Your touch
F C G
Come cleanse us like a flood and send us out
F C G
So the world may know You reign you reign in us


So this is what has been going on in my heart. My life the past few years has been characterized by deceit, dishonesty and sexual immorality. I would lie to people about things I knew they wouldn't wanna hear. I struggled with pornography and answering personals on craigslist and talking to people I didn't know so I wouldn't feel alone and/or to satisfy physical wants and desires. My relationships were not holy, they ware very physical and in some I was sexually active. The pursuit of Christ was always a goal, however, it never was made a priority. Sin had consumed me like Venom to Spider Man. Instead of being consumed by the Spirit, I was consumed by sin and sin is the separation from God.

The thing is, during those years, I was working for a campus ministry and a church. I am amazed at how two-faced I was, that I was one person when doing church stuff, but when I was alone, or with my girlfriend, I was another person. Not only did I bring myself down, but I brought down those who I dated. I tried a few times to turn from my sin and return to God. However, this would not last and I would fall right back into my old habits.

In October 2009, I heard a quote from one of the wisest men I know. "I feel that most of us are far more educated than our level of obedience." This was said based off of James 1:22-25.

22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

I have looked into the mirror of my soul for so long and never done anything.I've always known I need to do something and even how to do it, but my lethargic self has been less that willing to cooperate with the Spirit burning within me. Well...now I am doing something. I am sick and tired of surrendering my life to other gods and idols. Christ is my one true love and it's about time I start showing that and living it! My life verse is Isaiah 26:8 which states (as interpreted by me)

"Lord, as we walk in Your ways, we eagerly wait for You! For it is Your name and Your RENOWN that are the desire of our souls!"

The other day, I was walking from my dorm to the student center which is about a five minute walk. The entire way over there, I heard footsteps behind me. I never looked behind me because I was afraid to. Why was I? was I scared of what I would see? Maybe the person behind me would give me an odd look? In my heart, I could hear God telling me that He has been chasing after me for quite some time and I have been afraid to look behind me, scared of what He might reveal to me. A few days later, I traveled to Knoxville for a sports card show. I was supposed to be in Kingsport at a discipleship now weekend, but I was called and told I was no longer needed (but still getting paid). On the way there, I had a great worship session in my truck. I had another awesome worship session on the way back. When I got back to my dorm, I changed and went to the mountains to spend alone time with my Father. I didn't say one word while I was there. I just stood, sat, walked and ran in the midst of His splendor. It was there that I really learned how to worship and live a life pleasing to my Savior.

So God, this is my prayer:

"Take my life, I lay it down
At the cross where I am found
All I have I give to You, oh God

Take my hands and make them clean
Keep my heart in purity
That I may walk in all You have for me

Oh, here I stand arms open wide
Oh, I am Yours and You are mine Jesus

Take my moments and my days
Let each breath that I take
Be ever only for You, oh God

My whole life is Yours, I give it all
Surrendered to Your name
And forever I will pray
Have Your way, have Your way"


*Lyrics from Reign In Us by Starfield and Arms Open Wide by Hillsong

Melting Snow

Right now I am sitting on my bed. When I look outside my window I see the mountains in the distance and the leafless, stripped trees swaying in the wind. I also see the ground, that no less than 24 hours earlier was covered with an eye piercing white blanket of snow, like a blanket covering all that is dead and barren underneath. Now, most of the snow is gone and the real ground covering is revealed. The dead grass, mud, twigs and rocks that give the ground its texture and form are seen and the ground is shown for what it really is.

However, for me, I see a lot more than that. Maybe it’s just the way God reveals Himself to me. When I look at the mountains, I see the mighty power of God, His strength and power. I am the trees, swaying in the wind, bending beneath the weight of His mercy. When we surrender ourselves to God, he strips us down to the bare wood. Because we are His children (if we have accepted Christ as our Savior), He has covered us in a blanket of white, so in His eyes, we are pure. Our afflictions have been eclipsed by His glory! Ya know how you are not supposed to look at an eclips or at the sun, because it will blind you? Well, in a way, Gods snowy white blanket of mercy (Jesus Christ) blinds Him and He cant see our iniquities. Yes, He knows they are there and He will help us through them, but when He sees us, He sees pure sons and daughters. Is that not exciting?!

Now, because God loves us, He wants us to be the best we can be. So although His mercy will never go away, He does tend to show us for who we are, just like when the snow melts, it reveals the ground for what it is. When God shows us for what we really are, it gives us the chance to become more like Him (although we will never achieve such a feat, for even though we are called to be perfect as Christ is perfect, we are not. However, the strive for perfection and a Godward life that is what that commandment is really getting at)!

God showing us for who we are is one of the many ways He loves us. Yes, it’s sad when the snow melts away and there are no more snowmen or snowball fights and we all have to go back to school, but spiritually, it’s a good thing. Whenever it snows now, I am reminded of the abounding grace God has for me and whenever it melts away, I take the time to pray to God and ask Him to show me who I really am so that I might be more like Him in all ways of my life. God, I pray that as the snow melts away and reveals the earth for what it truly is, may you show me who I really am, that I may run into your loving arms of perfection and allow you to shape and mold my life and become the man you would have me to be.

Simple

I wrote this a while back, but i thought id share it anyway :)


Follow - there is no better way to describe this journey
One foot in front of the other, looking forward
My eyes on You and You alone
For when I fixate my eyes on You, the Glorious Redeemer
And see You face to face
What else can I do but worship?
I humble myself before you, oh God
Strip me of my human desire
Rid me of all my impurities and iniquities
I bow at Your feet, my King
I Believe
Trust and faith I put in You, my Father
Let my heart be Your home, Your dwelling place
Now that I am pure in Your sight
White as the newly fallen snow
Not worthy to be called Your son
But mercy and grace define You
You are love
It is because of Your yearn for relationship
That I may begin to know You
And through knowing You, I can Obey
Obedience is almost a taboo word
It has a connotation of demand, but is it?
Are You demanding me to trust You, to love, to follow and believe?
Or perhaps is it just a simple request?
Yes, I believe it to be
Obedience and servitude are my direct responses
To Your love and kindness, grace and mercy
I follow because You ask
I believe for You are Truth
I obey out of belief
I follow out of obedience
It's a circle, purified and made perfect
By the only one capable of making such
A pure and holy trinity
All things depend on the other
Father, Son, Holy Spirit
Follow, Believe, Obey
My God, how simple Your message
So simple, that a mere sinner understands
That without You, I am simply….nothing.

The Butterfly

You know, a butterfly is an amazing creature. Created by a glorious Father who loves it, cares for it and feeds it. This magnificent creature starts off as something so small, so insignificant, but the plan of the Father has for it is most amazing. This tiny creature works as hard as it can to not die by another animal or by the foot of someone walkin through the woods. It lives not by its own agenda, but of an internal agenda put in its heart by its creator. It lives to praise God. It was created to praise God. The God of the universe, the very being that came down to earth to be in relation with us and die for us, is who this lil caterpillar is made for. If it makes it to the cocoon stage, it is shaped and molded into what Gods ultimate plan for it is. God always has a bigger plan for us. His love for us is big, its loud, its strong and its true. Once the caterpiller breaks free from its cocoon, it’s no longer a caterpillar, but a breathtaking butterfly who screams the praise of God with every flap of its wings! Unfortunately for the butterfly, its life span is not very long. Maybe a few weeks at best. However, for those few weeks, it lets nothing get in between it and its creator.
In the grand scheme of things, how are we any different than the butterfly? Aside the deep theological answers of free will and what not, how are we different? Honestly, were not different. We are born as ugly beings of little significance and we go through life trying not to die. There is a point in our lives in which God transforms us (salvation) and we are new beings, worshiping Him with every action and word (or at least trying to do so). We live for a short while and then we die. So, why is this important?
Its important because no matter what happens in our lives, God is always there. He will never leave us. “When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me. Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.” Well I am not Catholic, so I replace Mary with Christ, but these lyrics are true. God did not implant His will for us in our hearts. He gave us His word. He gave us a choice. I chose Him and through His word, through His creation he speaks to me. He comforts me in times of sadness. He clothes me when I am naked, feeds me when I am hungry, heals me when I am sick. He wipes away the tear currently running down my cheek, loves me for who I am and am becoming through Him, not for who I was or what I did. My God is a gracious God! My God is the everlasting God! My God makes me speechless, yet He fills my lungs with breath every second of the day. The Provider lives!

Just a Thought

Exodus 3:15
…the LORD, the God of your fathers – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob…This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation

- LORD as defined by Marriam-Webster, is one having power and authority over others; a ruler by preeminence to who service and obedience are due.
o A ruler by preeminence means a ruler having paramount rank or being supreme. Basically, this is saying that LORD = SUPREMACY

Hosea 12:5
The Lord God Almighty, the Lord is His name of Renown

- RENOWN as defined by Marriam-Webster, is a state of being widely acclaimed and highly honored
o LORD = RENOWN


So, if the Lord is supreme and His name, LORD is how He, God, is widely acclaimed and highly honored, and if He is to be remembered from generation to generation, then why is He forgotten? Why is He neglected? Why is He disobeyed? If the Lord God Almighty is the desire of our hearts, they why do I put my faith in things of this world? If Jesus Christ is what I live for, then why do I not meditate on His Word?
If we are really honest with ourselves, we don’t treat God like Lord, but like a friend who is always there when we want them to be. The thing about God is that He is always there. He is there when we are happy, but also when we are sad. He is there when we don’t want Him there. He shows us things we don’t want to see, things we don’t want to hear, things we don’t want to admit. Maybe that’s why it’s so easy to proclaim Him to others, but we won’t let Him proclaim Himself to us.