I'm up late tonight watching this... http://www.abcnews.go.com/Nightline/FaceOff/
This is a debate titled "Does Satan Exist?" on ABCNews between a bishop and and non believer versus Christians Mark Driscoll and a former hooker in her old life before Christ.
I need to learn more. I need to continue to learn more about the story of Christ and the Cosmic Battle between Truth and Falsehood. Right now I feel like God is not using me like I could be used simply because I don't know what I could...That's tough...
The fight breaks out in the hearts of those who don't see Christ. Peace reigns in the hearts of those who believe in the resurrection. Christ has risen for all of us.
Now as we talk to those who continue to fight against the truth of God, is it ok to be frustrated? We love them b/c we desire each to be in Heaven, but I continually become frustrated to those who deny the Truth. I pray I always hate evil, and I pray that the truth in Christ will continue to be revealed to me.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Let's just say, "It's time"
Sometimes it's just time to say thanks. The Lord has brought me through so much! I'm amazed at the wild story my whole life has followed, and how things from Arkansas to Hattiesburg, MS are all interconnected into a written life story of TC. I'm glad God has mercy because I know I could have easily been on the otherside of the river, but some how and some way he provided. He has provided wonderful relationships to help me always stay focused on His Word and plan in my life.
Today I definitely desire to pray for those who do not know Christ. What does life mean to them? After talking to several people, I can understand how people can't comprehend a creator of all things, but at the same time I don't understand how people can't believe someone had to have created this earth like someone has created the house we sleep in. There has to be a creator for something to be created. How do people not believe in Christ? Yes, I struggle to fully understand how God knitted everything together in this world, but I still know he created all things. God is real. God is great. I rejoice for the many blessings from Christ.
Today I definitely desire to pray for those who do not know Christ. What does life mean to them? After talking to several people, I can understand how people can't comprehend a creator of all things, but at the same time I don't understand how people can't believe someone had to have created this earth like someone has created the house we sleep in. There has to be a creator for something to be created. How do people not believe in Christ? Yes, I struggle to fully understand how God knitted everything together in this world, but I still know he created all things. God is real. God is great. I rejoice for the many blessings from Christ.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Words from Poland...
My sister is serving God for 2 years in Poland through the IMB. She recently e-mailed this word to me and others so I wanted to share with you....
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So this week I gave God my appetites. I gave him my appetite for food, for music, for the internet, for relationships and other things. I didn't fast to really have some special word from God that would make everything all clear. Mostly, I wanted to give him these things this week as offerings and sacrifices. It was a week of worship. Though I saw pretty much every emotion known to man and really wondered about my own sanity, it was a good week. There were no huge epiphanies or "ah ha!" moments. But there was a steady desire for God and for right decisions. Two passages of scripture that I learned from this week are...
"The Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it." Genesis 4:6-7
Sin is pictured as an animal here that is sitting at your door. It is waiting for you to open the door so it can devour you. There's this idea that whatever it is that is sitting at your door doesn't desire the best for you. We see what it does with Cain in the next verse, "Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him."
Passage number two is Isaiah 1:16b-17. "cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause." This passage gives examples of what doing good looks like. These are all relational. It's how we deal with the people around us. My time here should be a time of doing good. My time for as long as I live should be a time of doing good. We must think about what Justice would look like in our relationships. Are we doing evil in our relationships? Or are we seeking justice? Are we pleading the cause of the widow? Are we bringing justice to the fatherless? Are we correcting oppression?
I feel like part of oppression is ignorance. We send teenagers in the states on mission trips all the time and there are always stories of how those short term missionaries had their eyes opened. God changes people when they see with their eyes how the world is and how he sees the people in the world. The moment we see past someone's exterior image and status and our eyes are opened to see into someone's heart--our lives are changed forever. God connects hearts.
My desire, to work toward correcting oppression in Poland among the Roma (notice I say "working toward"), is to see people's hearts be connected. I have this vision to see Poles and Americans have their eyes opened to God's people regardless of their status here in Poland. I'm working toward putting together bike tours through Poland in which we'll have the opportunity to meet new Roma people who live off the beaten paths in Poland.
So thank you for praying with me during this past week and for continuing to pray for me. Thanks also, if you're reading this last paragraph, for reading this lengthy debrief. I hope to be keeping up with my updates more regularly.
"making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it [the mystery of the gospel] boldly, as I ought to speak." Ephesians 6:19
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So this week I gave God my appetites. I gave him my appetite for food, for music, for the internet, for relationships and other things. I didn't fast to really have some special word from God that would make everything all clear. Mostly, I wanted to give him these things this week as offerings and sacrifices. It was a week of worship. Though I saw pretty much every emotion known to man and really wondered about my own sanity, it was a good week. There were no huge epiphanies or "ah ha!" moments. But there was a steady desire for God and for right decisions. Two passages of scripture that I learned from this week are...
"The Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it." Genesis 4:6-7
Sin is pictured as an animal here that is sitting at your door. It is waiting for you to open the door so it can devour you. There's this idea that whatever it is that is sitting at your door doesn't desire the best for you. We see what it does with Cain in the next verse, "Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him."
Passage number two is Isaiah 1:16b-17. "cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause." This passage gives examples of what doing good looks like. These are all relational. It's how we deal with the people around us. My time here should be a time of doing good. My time for as long as I live should be a time of doing good. We must think about what Justice would look like in our relationships. Are we doing evil in our relationships? Or are we seeking justice? Are we pleading the cause of the widow? Are we bringing justice to the fatherless? Are we correcting oppression?
I feel like part of oppression is ignorance. We send teenagers in the states on mission trips all the time and there are always stories of how those short term missionaries had their eyes opened. God changes people when they see with their eyes how the world is and how he sees the people in the world. The moment we see past someone's exterior image and status and our eyes are opened to see into someone's heart--our lives are changed forever. God connects hearts.
My desire, to work toward correcting oppression in Poland among the Roma (notice I say "working toward"), is to see people's hearts be connected. I have this vision to see Poles and Americans have their eyes opened to God's people regardless of their status here in Poland. I'm working toward putting together bike tours through Poland in which we'll have the opportunity to meet new Roma people who live off the beaten paths in Poland.
So thank you for praying with me during this past week and for continuing to pray for me. Thanks also, if you're reading this last paragraph, for reading this lengthy debrief. I hope to be keeping up with my updates more regularly.
"making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it [the mystery of the gospel] boldly, as I ought to speak." Ephesians 6:19
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Acts
So I have spent the last couple of weeks finishing out Acts, and I love how the last verse of the book reads. “Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.” This sums up the whole book of Acts. The gospel is a message to be heard and shared by believers. People are meant to hear the message of Christ, and Paul is a major testimony to the effort it takes to spread the gospel to all. Paul takes advantage of every opportunity to speak of “higher things” even when he is stuck on a boat with only bread to eat in chapter 27. He boldly proclaims the gospel!
By looking back on Acts I can’t help but to summarize the whole book by the first 11 verses in the book, and my key verse must be Acts 1:8. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
I’m amazed. After reading through the whole book I now have a better understanding of the power of the Holy Spirit. From verse 8 our power clearly comes from the Holy Spirit. So I pray we may never look to ourselves for power, but I pray we may always look to the Spirit for power and deliverance. My prayer request this week start with the Holy Spirit. May the Spirit guide us in our studies and interactions in this journey here on earth. I pray Christ is our cornerstone and sole focus (Matt 6:33) for He is the greatest and we are blessed to know and see Christ (Matt 5:8).
By looking back on Acts I can’t help but to summarize the whole book by the first 11 verses in the book, and my key verse must be Acts 1:8. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
I’m amazed. After reading through the whole book I now have a better understanding of the power of the Holy Spirit. From verse 8 our power clearly comes from the Holy Spirit. So I pray we may never look to ourselves for power, but I pray we may always look to the Spirit for power and deliverance. My prayer request this week start with the Holy Spirit. May the Spirit guide us in our studies and interactions in this journey here on earth. I pray Christ is our cornerstone and sole focus (Matt 6:33) for He is the greatest and we are blessed to know and see Christ (Matt 5:8).
Friday, January 23, 2009
Compelled by the Spirit
Wow. I stumbled across some incredible scripture this morning. Acts 20…Paul’s farewell to the Ephesians.
“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” Acts 20: 24
My boy Lecrae starts off his song “Sold Out” with these lyrics, “Man I consider my life nothing. If I could just finish the race and complete the job the Lord Jesus gave me. I live to tell the world His message. Romans 1:16 I’m not ashamed. I ain’t ashamed. We sold out. Seeking God’s face to we fold out.”
I can’t fully explain in words my desire to complete the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. This passion in my heart carries two sides of emotion. My first emotion is excitement and thrill to carry out His gospel to those who haven’t heard. My second emotion is humility and unworthiness. Who am I to carry such knowledge and foundational understanding of God’s gospel message? But as I read this passage of scripture Paul first jumps back to the foundation of what Acts seems to be all about: the power of the Spirit. He says in verse 22, “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.” He is compelled by the Spirit. How great and mighty is the Spirit of God? Obviously God is much greater than us in his plan and schedule for our lives. This I can relate to my current life as my parents are about to move everything to Beaumont, TX. No, they have never lived in Texas, and, yes, they are of the young age of 53. Why are they moving? The Spirit is leading them to a new music ministry at a church that appears to have a very strong congregation. My parents need and desire this journey. We must let the Spirit lead. How pitiful are we when we let our daily comforts lose focus on God’s movement and the Holy Spirit at work in our lives. He is greater. We are less. Nothing in our whole body and knowledge should ever attempt to out-due or out-work Christ and his Holy plan.
*On a side note: Our lazy attempts at life has a direct relationship with people’s attentiveness on mission trips. I pray the Spirit is the sole reason people are attending mission trips today. My heart burns when people attend mission trips solely because of comfort and peace. Why do some continue to bury their spiritual gifts in a trip guided away from their natural ability? Broken relationships? A dislike for others on the trip? I hope not. Let the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ lead your life of missions, and never let evil treasure get in the way.
The bottom line is that we are here to complete the task the Lord Jesus has given us. I pray this is my heartbeat. I pray this is the heartbeat of every Christian in the sanctuary at Temple Baptist. I pray this for my family, friends, and coworkers. Do they see the fullness of Christ? I pray we may never forget the fullness of Christ and the necessity to always be searching for the lost. Take a “risk” and do something different for the Lord’s Kingdom today.
“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” Acts 20: 24
My boy Lecrae starts off his song “Sold Out” with these lyrics, “Man I consider my life nothing. If I could just finish the race and complete the job the Lord Jesus gave me. I live to tell the world His message. Romans 1:16 I’m not ashamed. I ain’t ashamed. We sold out. Seeking God’s face to we fold out.”
I can’t fully explain in words my desire to complete the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. This passion in my heart carries two sides of emotion. My first emotion is excitement and thrill to carry out His gospel to those who haven’t heard. My second emotion is humility and unworthiness. Who am I to carry such knowledge and foundational understanding of God’s gospel message? But as I read this passage of scripture Paul first jumps back to the foundation of what Acts seems to be all about: the power of the Spirit. He says in verse 22, “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.” He is compelled by the Spirit. How great and mighty is the Spirit of God? Obviously God is much greater than us in his plan and schedule for our lives. This I can relate to my current life as my parents are about to move everything to Beaumont, TX. No, they have never lived in Texas, and, yes, they are of the young age of 53. Why are they moving? The Spirit is leading them to a new music ministry at a church that appears to have a very strong congregation. My parents need and desire this journey. We must let the Spirit lead. How pitiful are we when we let our daily comforts lose focus on God’s movement and the Holy Spirit at work in our lives. He is greater. We are less. Nothing in our whole body and knowledge should ever attempt to out-due or out-work Christ and his Holy plan.
*On a side note: Our lazy attempts at life has a direct relationship with people’s attentiveness on mission trips. I pray the Spirit is the sole reason people are attending mission trips today. My heart burns when people attend mission trips solely because of comfort and peace. Why do some continue to bury their spiritual gifts in a trip guided away from their natural ability? Broken relationships? A dislike for others on the trip? I hope not. Let the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ lead your life of missions, and never let evil treasure get in the way.
The bottom line is that we are here to complete the task the Lord Jesus has given us. I pray this is my heartbeat. I pray this is the heartbeat of every Christian in the sanctuary at Temple Baptist. I pray this for my family, friends, and coworkers. Do they see the fullness of Christ? I pray we may never forget the fullness of Christ and the necessity to always be searching for the lost. Take a “risk” and do something different for the Lord’s Kingdom today.
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