I often think about some of the callings that God puts on our lives sometimes. Whether they are major callings that lead into new seasons for a lengthy amount of time or whether they are minor callings for a short time, sometimes these callings seem to have us walk into a place that challenges our initial instincts. What I mean by that is sometimes it seems that God is calling us into a place that seems challengeing, strange, or seemingly dangerous regardless of the length of time.
As I've thought about God's calling on our lives I was drawn to Isaiah 35. Isaiah was writing on being in the desert and what it looks like when God calls us into a desert. Think about it... God calls you into a desert... a place synonomous with dryness and heat. In addition, life is definitely not the first thing that pops into your mind when you think desert. Yet God calls us into these places because it is here that He wants to grow us. The best part is that when He calls us and we not only surrender but commit to going where He calls us, He does incredible things.
Isaiah 35 explains that the desert will rejoice and blossom and ther will be an abundance of flowers. The Lord will display His glory and will encourage those with fearful hearts. When God shows up He will open the eyes of the blind, the ears of the deaf, the lame will walk, and the mute will talk. Springs will gush forth in the desert and will satisfy the land. (My paraphrase)
God shows up when we respond and move to where He calls to no matter what season it might be. When He calls us into a place that seems like a desert, His word declares that He shows up. It is not because of the location but because of surrender and commitment which allows Him to transform us from the inside out.
I want to encourage you those of you who may be in a season that God has called you into that seems turbulant or difficult. Yet commit to the calling and God will provide life in the desert and you will see God do works in you and through you for His glory.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Fresh Anointing
I just finished up the second day of a conference that I'm currently attending. Tonight was a powerful night full of worship, the word, and prayer.
The president of my seminary, Bishop Ken Ulmer, taught about fresh anointing tonight. He opened with Psalm 92:10 which the psalmist declares that they have been anointed with fresh oil. Psalm 92 is a hymn that the people of Israel would sing on the Sabbath. The fresh anointing of oil was symbolic for a fresh authority, affirmation, and empowerment from the Spirit of God. This anointing was done at the end of the week (the Sabbath) in preparation for a new week. It was the end of one season and the beginning of a new one.
In the same way that Israel understood that they needed a fresh anointing from the Lord in each new season, we need to be seeking after the Lord's fresh anointing for our lives. In order to be passionate Christians who are going to be effective world changers for the kingdom we need to have a fresh anointing from the Holy Spirit in each season of our lives. As stated above, this anointing brings a fresh authority, affirmation, and empowerment and if we are going to be PC's we need to allow the Spirit to enter into our lives and and breathe new life into us. I pray that we would seek after the Lord and receive His fresh anointing in every new season so that we can continue to be used to be world changers for Jesus.
The president of my seminary, Bishop Ken Ulmer, taught about fresh anointing tonight. He opened with Psalm 92:10 which the psalmist declares that they have been anointed with fresh oil. Psalm 92 is a hymn that the people of Israel would sing on the Sabbath. The fresh anointing of oil was symbolic for a fresh authority, affirmation, and empowerment from the Spirit of God. This anointing was done at the end of the week (the Sabbath) in preparation for a new week. It was the end of one season and the beginning of a new one.
In the same way that Israel understood that they needed a fresh anointing from the Lord in each new season, we need to be seeking after the Lord's fresh anointing for our lives. In order to be passionate Christians who are going to be effective world changers for the kingdom we need to have a fresh anointing from the Holy Spirit in each season of our lives. As stated above, this anointing brings a fresh authority, affirmation, and empowerment and if we are going to be PC's we need to allow the Spirit to enter into our lives and and breathe new life into us. I pray that we would seek after the Lord and receive His fresh anointing in every new season so that we can continue to be used to be world changers for Jesus.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Mexico...
I'm pumped about going down to Mexico with Pure tomorrow night. It's gonna be an amazing time of ministry as we serve people around Helping Hands.
It's been a long time since I've been down to Helping Hands. I was 18 years old the first time I went down there. I was serving in Jr. High school ministry and it was one of those trips where everything that could go wrong did. We got lost (we as in me and my buddy who was driving) and we got separated from the group for 2 hours. Hub cabs came off. Flat tires. It took forever to get down there (like 9 hours). Oh yeah... Federal Police at gun point (on the way home). Yet despite all of those mishaps we did make it and although our schedule for the next day was completely changed it all worked out. We got to serve at an orphanage, hand out rice and beans to laborers, and serve around the mission itself. It was a powerful time of worship and teaching and the cool part is that some of those Jr. High students are now serving in Pure.
I can't wait to see what God is going to do down in Mexico and to see young adults passionately give their lives away for the kingdom. Jesus said that if we want to find our true life in Him then we need to lose our lives for His sake. This is how we lose our lives for His sake by pouring ourselves into other people's lives. I can't wait to see how it turns out.
It's been a long time since I've been down to Helping Hands. I was 18 years old the first time I went down there. I was serving in Jr. High school ministry and it was one of those trips where everything that could go wrong did. We got lost (we as in me and my buddy who was driving) and we got separated from the group for 2 hours. Hub cabs came off. Flat tires. It took forever to get down there (like 9 hours). Oh yeah... Federal Police at gun point (on the way home). Yet despite all of those mishaps we did make it and although our schedule for the next day was completely changed it all worked out. We got to serve at an orphanage, hand out rice and beans to laborers, and serve around the mission itself. It was a powerful time of worship and teaching and the cool part is that some of those Jr. High students are now serving in Pure.
I can't wait to see what God is going to do down in Mexico and to see young adults passionately give their lives away for the kingdom. Jesus said that if we want to find our true life in Him then we need to lose our lives for His sake. This is how we lose our lives for His sake by pouring ourselves into other people's lives. I can't wait to see how it turns out.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Fear of the Lord
In one of my classes last night we had the opportunity to briefly discuss the church in America and just some general observations what state the church is in. While it was a good discussion with some insightful thoughts from my classmates we seemed to miss something. As I sat there and listened it hit me. I read earlier that day Psalm 25 and remembered that David explains that those who fear the Lord will have have their path shown by Him. There is little fear of the Lord by many people today. There is nothing sacred about the Holy. We treat God as almost a commodity and as someone who must fit in our box of life. There is little reverence for the King of Glory. I shared my thoughts about it and the class had the opportunity to reflect and share their thoughts around this idea. Has the fear of the Lord diminished in the church and do we truly honor and revere the sacred?
Monday, September 21, 2009
"The Spirit should identify God's people in such a way that their values and worldview are radically different from the wisdom of this age. They do know what God is about in Christ; they do live out the life of the future in the present age that is passing away; they are marked by the cross forever. As such they are the people of the Spirit, who stand in bold contrast to those who are merely human and do not understand the scandal of the cross. Being spiritual does not lead to elitism; it leads to a deeper understanding of God's profound mystery -- redemption through a crucified Messiah."
- Gordon Fee
This is one of my favorite quotes of all time and is one of those quotes that simply resonates deep within me each time I read it.
As I reflect on this quote I can't help but be brought back to someone who impacted my life by standing in bold contrast to the world through the Holy Spirit. My mom embodied this understanding of living for Christ through the the Spirit. Today would have been her birthday and ultimately it is now a day of reflection. There is not a day that goes by that I do not thank God for the mother He gave me and the profound impact she made on my life. It was her embrace of and obedience to the Spirit which allowed her to live a life of faith, hope, and most importantly love.
It is so crucial that we allow the Spirit to take hold of our lives in every way. Only then will we be able to begin to understand what God's purpose is for our lives and only through being filled with the Spirit will we be able to pour out His love to the world. Through the Spirit we are identified as radically different from the wisdom of this age. Allowing the the Spirit to grab our entire being and transform us is the only way we are able to be Passionate Christians and thus world changers for Christ.
- Gordon Fee
This is one of my favorite quotes of all time and is one of those quotes that simply resonates deep within me each time I read it.
As I reflect on this quote I can't help but be brought back to someone who impacted my life by standing in bold contrast to the world through the Holy Spirit. My mom embodied this understanding of living for Christ through the the Spirit. Today would have been her birthday and ultimately it is now a day of reflection. There is not a day that goes by that I do not thank God for the mother He gave me and the profound impact she made on my life. It was her embrace of and obedience to the Spirit which allowed her to live a life of faith, hope, and most importantly love.
It is so crucial that we allow the Spirit to take hold of our lives in every way. Only then will we be able to begin to understand what God's purpose is for our lives and only through being filled with the Spirit will we be able to pour out His love to the world. Through the Spirit we are identified as radically different from the wisdom of this age. Allowing the the Spirit to grab our entire being and transform us is the only way we are able to be Passionate Christians and thus world changers for Christ.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Live to the hilt
Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God — Jim Elliot
Last night at PURE @Shane talked about Jim Elliot as he wrapped up the Profile PC series. Interestingly Jim Elliot was brought up again tonight at my school by Pastor Jack Hayford. Both @Shane and Pastor Jack used the life of Jim Elliot as an example of what true passion looks like and how it is birthed out of the Spirit and is not a fleeting feeling or emotion.
As Pastor Jack ended his talk tonight he shared a quote from Jim Elliot which he states "Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God." I thought that it was a fitting exhortation of being a PC (Passionate Christian). I was moved by the image of the hilt of a sword and that we need to live out God's will in our lives to the maximum extent. We need to run with reckless abandon down the path the Lord has set before us. Only through the Holy Spirit can we truly experience true passion and allow Him to transform us into PC's.
Bring on FHL!
Last night at PURE @Shane talked about Jim Elliot as he wrapped up the Profile PC series. Interestingly Jim Elliot was brought up again tonight at my school by Pastor Jack Hayford. Both @Shane and Pastor Jack used the life of Jim Elliot as an example of what true passion looks like and how it is birthed out of the Spirit and is not a fleeting feeling or emotion.
As Pastor Jack ended his talk tonight he shared a quote from Jim Elliot which he states "Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God." I thought that it was a fitting exhortation of being a PC (Passionate Christian). I was moved by the image of the hilt of a sword and that we need to live out God's will in our lives to the maximum extent. We need to run with reckless abandon down the path the Lord has set before us. Only through the Holy Spirit can we truly experience true passion and allow Him to transform us into PC's.
Bring on FHL!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Passionate World Changers: The Word
I've been reading through Psalm 1 this morning and as I reflected on this passage I kept thinking about PURE's current series on being a Passionate Christian (PC).
The author of this Psalm gives a description of two types of people. There are the Godly people who do not follow the advice of the wicked or stand around with sinners or join in with mockers. Rather they delight themselves in God's law and spend time meditating on it day and night. Ultimately these folks are the ones who bear fruit each season and who prosper in all they do. God watches over their path.
On the flip side the author describes those who are wicked. These individuals are described as a worthless chaff which are scattered by the winds. Their path leads to destruction.
This picture of these two groups of individuals is so powerful. Those who not only read and study God's word but take joy in spending time in it will see God move and will see the Spirit produce fruit in their lives. God will continue to watch over their path and continue to guide them. Those who decide to walk their own path go down a road that is destructive and aimless as they become scattered by the wind.
@Shane explained a few weeks ago that if we are going to be passionate world changers for Christ we must love spending time with Him in the word. It is by spending time with Him through the word and delighting ourselves in what it has to say that we see the Spirit move. By engaging the word and engaging in worship and engaging with prayer we see God take hold of our hearts and transform us from the inside out. Through that transformation we are able to be passionate world changers for Christ and ultimately bring glory to His name.
The author of this Psalm gives a description of two types of people. There are the Godly people who do not follow the advice of the wicked or stand around with sinners or join in with mockers. Rather they delight themselves in God's law and spend time meditating on it day and night. Ultimately these folks are the ones who bear fruit each season and who prosper in all they do. God watches over their path.
On the flip side the author describes those who are wicked. These individuals are described as a worthless chaff which are scattered by the winds. Their path leads to destruction.
This picture of these two groups of individuals is so powerful. Those who not only read and study God's word but take joy in spending time in it will see God move and will see the Spirit produce fruit in their lives. God will continue to watch over their path and continue to guide them. Those who decide to walk their own path go down a road that is destructive and aimless as they become scattered by the wind.
@Shane explained a few weeks ago that if we are going to be passionate world changers for Christ we must love spending time with Him in the word. It is by spending time with Him through the word and delighting ourselves in what it has to say that we see the Spirit move. By engaging the word and engaging in worship and engaging with prayer we see God take hold of our hearts and transform us from the inside out. Through that transformation we are able to be passionate world changers for Christ and ultimately bring glory to His name.
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