I've had a few things laid on my heart this past week, and to be honest with you, I'm not sure how they are connected. So excuse this post if it seems like a jumble of ideas, but I have to share this stuff.
"He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less." -John 3:30
That is one of my girlfriend's favorite verses, and it is a great verse.
It simply states our goal as followers of Christ.
It has to become all about Him.
This simple principle is so hard to live by, for me. It's MY life, MY future, MY plans. It's ironic that I have no trouble trusting God with something as big as eternity, but I struggle to trust Him with my finances, my classes, my job, and my future.
We worry about these things because it's all about us, we're worried about how we're going to handle these problems that life presents.
The truth is, we can't handle everything. We sure try, but it comes out worse than if we would have let God handle it.
You have to keep coming back to John 3:30, "He MUST become more and more, and I MUST become less and less."
This isn't a suggestion.
Look at the language, this is urgent.
The Bible says that when we are weak, He is strong.
Over and over and over again the Bible tells us to let go.
Trust God with all aspects of your life.
Don't let worrying rot you away.
Give it to God.
Let Him become more and more in your life.
I don't know what that means to you, what areas in your life that you're telling God, "I got this."
I know its not an easy thing to do, and you don't want to trust God with certain things because you just don't see how He can fix it.
All I can say is that we also see in the Bible that insight follows obedience.
Most of us want it the other way around.
God, you show me how You are going to help me, and I will give this problem up to you.
God wants us to go out on faith, give up ourselves to Him, our problems and worries, and on the other side of obedience, after you have let God do his thing, we will understand.
"He MUST become more and more, and I MUST become less and less."
My Jesus
He died for me.
Paid my eternal debt.
Died so I can truly live.
He died on the cross for you too.
Salvation is calling.
Paid my eternal debt.
Died so I can truly live.
He died on the cross for you too.
Salvation is calling.
The Glory of it All
I bought David Crowder's album Remedy a few months ago. It was one of the best buys I have ever made, it's full of great worship songs, but the one that really clicks with me is "The Glory of if All."
There is one part in that song that says:
"After all is lost,
find Him there.
After night,
dawn is there.
After all
falls apart,
He repairs."
It hits home every time. It constantly reminds me that no matter how many times I screw up, no matter how broken I am, no matter how many times I succumb to sin. He is there, and He is ready to forgive.
We can always go back to God.
If I was a Baptist preacher, I would say that deserves an Amen!
There is one part in that song that says:
"After all is lost,
find Him there.
After night,
dawn is there.
After all
falls apart,
He repairs."
It hits home every time. It constantly reminds me that no matter how many times I screw up, no matter how broken I am, no matter how many times I succumb to sin. He is there, and He is ready to forgive.
We can always go back to God.
If I was a Baptist preacher, I would say that deserves an Amen!
Passion
Many of my friends are really involved in clubs and various extra curricular activities. Most of them are great causes, they feed the hungry, and help the poor.
I always ask myself what drives these people. Sure, there is an innate sense to do good and to make a difference and the friends they have made.
At the core of the issue, I think that these clubs and activities give them a taste of passion. They ignite a spark in their heart that hints at a need they never felt. It gives them a taste of that drive that is within them. That drive that wants to change the world, shake the planet, and save people.
Sure, guilt, and the awareness of people's needs can make you support a cause. But neither of those have the effect of unleashing that passion.
I think the only thing that satisfies that passion, hunger, and drive is Christ. I think that is the calling we all have within us.
Everyone wants to make a difference, we just spend most of our time finding out how.
I feel a burden when I talk to my friends and their causes, I know the causes are good, but Christ's call for our lives is much more.
I think of what these people could accomplish if their hearts were ignited for Christ.
If they were living for the King and armed with the knowledge and message that could truly change the world.
Imagine the difference that would make.
I guess that's my call, to show these kids that Christ is calling them.
To show them that passion that Christ gives.
To help that fire grow and make a Kingdom difference.
"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need." -Luke 12:31
I always ask myself what drives these people. Sure, there is an innate sense to do good and to make a difference and the friends they have made.
At the core of the issue, I think that these clubs and activities give them a taste of passion. They ignite a spark in their heart that hints at a need they never felt. It gives them a taste of that drive that is within them. That drive that wants to change the world, shake the planet, and save people.
Sure, guilt, and the awareness of people's needs can make you support a cause. But neither of those have the effect of unleashing that passion.
I think the only thing that satisfies that passion, hunger, and drive is Christ. I think that is the calling we all have within us.
Everyone wants to make a difference, we just spend most of our time finding out how.
I feel a burden when I talk to my friends and their causes, I know the causes are good, but Christ's call for our lives is much more.
I think of what these people could accomplish if their hearts were ignited for Christ.
If they were living for the King and armed with the knowledge and message that could truly change the world.
Imagine the difference that would make.
I guess that's my call, to show these kids that Christ is calling them.
To show them that passion that Christ gives.
To help that fire grow and make a Kingdom difference.
"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need." -Luke 12:31
Freshman Life
The end is in sight.
I'm almost done with my first year of college. It has gone by pretty fast, though moving up here seems like a long time ago. I feel like I have changed a lot and grown up as well. From little things to big things, I've learned how to semi successfully do loads of laundry and I've also learned a lot about real world financial operations(even less fun than laundry.)
I'm thankful that God led me to Gainesville, I love the city and am now a huge supporter of going away to school, I recommend it to everyone.
However, not everything is easy. You really have to stay disciplined to succeed when you are on your own. You're going to make mistakes, luckily I've been able to get through my first year without any major ones.
If I had to give people some tips about college I would say to get organized and plan a lot more.
Try to relax and not freak out about college, you can handle it if you work at it.
For us Christians, it is brave to avoid sin, and foolish to put yourself in bad situations and try and "stand up" to temptation. The flesh fails you.
Definitely stick to your beliefs. I've seen too many people compromise what they stand for, and end up losing themselves in the process. This has drastic effects.
All in all, it has been a great year so far, I just have to wrap up this last month and a half and finish strong. I look forward to being home soon, but won't mind coming back.
I'm almost done with my first year of college. It has gone by pretty fast, though moving up here seems like a long time ago. I feel like I have changed a lot and grown up as well. From little things to big things, I've learned how to semi successfully do loads of laundry and I've also learned a lot about real world financial operations(even less fun than laundry.)
I'm thankful that God led me to Gainesville, I love the city and am now a huge supporter of going away to school, I recommend it to everyone.
However, not everything is easy. You really have to stay disciplined to succeed when you are on your own. You're going to make mistakes, luckily I've been able to get through my first year without any major ones.
If I had to give people some tips about college I would say to get organized and plan a lot more.
Try to relax and not freak out about college, you can handle it if you work at it.
For us Christians, it is brave to avoid sin, and foolish to put yourself in bad situations and try and "stand up" to temptation. The flesh fails you.
Definitely stick to your beliefs. I've seen too many people compromise what they stand for, and end up losing themselves in the process. This has drastic effects.
All in all, it has been a great year so far, I just have to wrap up this last month and a half and finish strong. I look forward to being home soon, but won't mind coming back.
Love
I think Christianity gets over complicated very often. People need things to talk about and they focus on rules and religion, while missing the simple truth.
I was reading 1 John, and the thought that comes through over and over is to love one another.
That's it.
Just how all sin comes from pride, all righteousness comes from love.
I'm not saying loving one another is always easy, but it is what we must do.
"But anyone who hates a brother or sister is still living and walking in darkness." - 1 John 2:11
With that scripture, I challenge you to love those around you, and I also challenge you to forgive.
It's not hard to love people, it's hard to forgive people that hurt you. Those are the people that are hard to love.
God says to let those grudges go.
Forgive those people of what they did to you.
Holding on to grudges and fantasies of revenge only strengthens that person's hold on you and your life. It only makes the hurt worse, and pulls you both farther away.
The scriptures say to put away your hate, to forgive one another, and love one another.
If you continue to hate, you're still walking in darkness.
If you have someone in your life that you need to forgive, that you need to love, I pray that you have the courage to walk in the light and start loving that person.
I was reading 1 John, and the thought that comes through over and over is to love one another.
That's it.
Just how all sin comes from pride, all righteousness comes from love.
I'm not saying loving one another is always easy, but it is what we must do.
"But anyone who hates a brother or sister is still living and walking in darkness." - 1 John 2:11
With that scripture, I challenge you to love those around you, and I also challenge you to forgive.
It's not hard to love people, it's hard to forgive people that hurt you. Those are the people that are hard to love.
God says to let those grudges go.
Forgive those people of what they did to you.
Holding on to grudges and fantasies of revenge only strengthens that person's hold on you and your life. It only makes the hurt worse, and pulls you both farther away.
The scriptures say to put away your hate, to forgive one another, and love one another.
If you continue to hate, you're still walking in darkness.
If you have someone in your life that you need to forgive, that you need to love, I pray that you have the courage to walk in the light and start loving that person.
Hurdles
Life hurts, it beats you down and wears you out.
There are times when I am exhausted.
I feel like I can't battle sin anymore.
I just don't understand why a loving God would make it so hard for me to follow Him.
I try and do what's right but still do what's wrong.
My flesh leads me to temptations I can't withstand.
I am weak.
It's times like this when this verse hits home.
"Even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.
Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
-2 Corinthians 12:7-10
You see, Paul's been there.
He knows what I'm going through. He was a better Christian than me and even he still had sin he had to battle. It's not about being perfect, I just can't do that. I try my hardest, but I still screw up. But it is in my weaknesses, my failures, my defeats, my brokenness, when He is strong.
Maybe that's why I write at a time like this, fresh from battle with sin, in my moments of weakness is when God will use this.
But I tell you, in our defeats, we find victory in him.
When all is lost, He is there.
Through Him, we can overcome.
These sound like cliches until you've been there. God has lifted my spirits and delivered me from my shame and hurt.
He can do the same from you.
Only God can heal a broken home, stop an addiction, or simply give you the strength to go on.
Life is hard, I screw up.
All I know is life is better with Jesus than without.
It breaks my heart to see people going through pain without God. I firmly believe that is one reason why God puts hurdles in our paths. So we can experience them, and overcome. Once you've been there, you can reach out and help someone who is there now.
Only those who have been through divorce can truly understand the hurt of someone going through divorce.
Only those who have overcome addiction can relate to others trapped in the bondage of addiction.
God gives us the strength, when we are weak, to pull through problems, reach out to others, and in the end glorify Him.
There are other forces at work, causing pain and sorrow, we come across those people in our lives everyday, coworkers, classmates, spouses, family. God doesn't make us immune to these problems, God gives us the strength to deal with them, and come out on top, victorious.
That way we can go into a broken world and show them that there is a way out of the pain.
That way is Jesus.
There are times when I am exhausted.
I feel like I can't battle sin anymore.
I just don't understand why a loving God would make it so hard for me to follow Him.
I try and do what's right but still do what's wrong.
My flesh leads me to temptations I can't withstand.
I am weak.
It's times like this when this verse hits home.
"Even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.
Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
-2 Corinthians 12:7-10
You see, Paul's been there.
He knows what I'm going through. He was a better Christian than me and even he still had sin he had to battle. It's not about being perfect, I just can't do that. I try my hardest, but I still screw up. But it is in my weaknesses, my failures, my defeats, my brokenness, when He is strong.
Maybe that's why I write at a time like this, fresh from battle with sin, in my moments of weakness is when God will use this.
But I tell you, in our defeats, we find victory in him.
When all is lost, He is there.
Through Him, we can overcome.
These sound like cliches until you've been there. God has lifted my spirits and delivered me from my shame and hurt.
He can do the same from you.
Only God can heal a broken home, stop an addiction, or simply give you the strength to go on.
Life is hard, I screw up.
All I know is life is better with Jesus than without.
It breaks my heart to see people going through pain without God. I firmly believe that is one reason why God puts hurdles in our paths. So we can experience them, and overcome. Once you've been there, you can reach out and help someone who is there now.
Only those who have been through divorce can truly understand the hurt of someone going through divorce.
Only those who have overcome addiction can relate to others trapped in the bondage of addiction.
God gives us the strength, when we are weak, to pull through problems, reach out to others, and in the end glorify Him.
There are other forces at work, causing pain and sorrow, we come across those people in our lives everyday, coworkers, classmates, spouses, family. God doesn't make us immune to these problems, God gives us the strength to deal with them, and come out on top, victorious.
That way we can go into a broken world and show them that there is a way out of the pain.
That way is Jesus.
