I've got to be honest...scripture hasn't been as 'lively' or 'passionate' in my head lately. I'm not sure the direct reason. I honestly hate these times, but I know God continues to guide us even when we feel like we are not being fed to our maximum capability. I've recently read from 2 Corinthians about "being the aroma of Christ" and "we who have unveiled faces reflect the Lord's glory." This is where I desire to be; daily challenged by his word so I may also be transforming into a more clearer image of reflecting God's glory.
Sometimes lyrics like this help us fall for Christ...
If all we have is love then all I have is You
If life is what we choose my choice is You
I'm coming Your way
I'm coming Your way
I'm coming Your way
If all we do is try I'm giving You all mine
If faith helps us to decide I have decided
With all of my breath with this heart in my chest
Every look in my eye You know why
I'm coming Your way
I'm coming Your way
I'm coming Your way
-Desperation Band "I'm Coming Your Way"
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Watch the Bush Burn
So it's tax day and what a better passage to read then about the burning bush. Here is what I wrote today in my daily writings...
Today I decided to jump back and read one of my favorite chapters in the old testament: Exodus 3. This is when Moses comes across a burning bush as the bush isn't really burning. It's God who is first telling Moses to take his people out of Egypt, and he promises to lead them to "a land flowing with milk and honey" (v.8). The very chapter marks probably the most important journey of any large mass of people within the whole history of man kind. It's God's people being moved from one location to another, but the journey would provide many test and trials for the people to truely understand God's greatness.
This story of the bush burning makes me know God is near. He is always beside us, watching, planning, and delivering through our daily lives. He knows he can speak to us in unique ways and the burning bush was definitely a unique way to catch Moses' attention. But sometimes I do wish this bush in front of me would just start a blaze. Wouldn't that be incredible? Then God could tell me where he wanted my life to lead towards. He could describe to me my main mission field and ministry in my life. Maybe he would say, "Go, tell the students at USM about 'I AM'" or "Become one flesh with Emily and start an orphanage in Mexico" or "Start a donut shop in Petal to tell people about Him as they order their glazed and chocolate creme filling donuts." What is my calling today? And, what is my calling for tomorrow? That's the question I have today. What would God tell me if he talked to me through a burning bush today?
Sunday, March 29, 2009
The Fight
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.
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.
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....
-------------------
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
-------------------
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)