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| I was going to write about this a while ago and I just didn't... During the first weekend of November, I went to Omaha for a conference. During free time on Saturday afternoon, I was able to go home for a few hours. The conference was pretty good but it was so refreshing to see my family. I hadn't seen my brother (Zephaniah,) mom and dad since graduation in May, and my brother Michael since Christmas so needless to say, I was due. One of my favorite things to do with Zephaniah is to put him on my shoulders. It is certainly one of his favorite things too. In no other place to I have the same feelings of pride and contentment than with him on my shoulders and in no other place does he feel such joy and zest than on his big brother Kenyon's shoulders. At one point, he was up there and said he was scared and I asked him what he was scared of, then he said that I would drop him. After that, I asked him if he trusted me to which he replied yes. Then I said "Do you think I would drop you?" "No." "Then what are you afraid of?" I think that is a pretty close portrayal of many conversations each of us has had and are currently having with God. He is so powerful and infinite and wants to not only carry us on His broad shoulders but also to display us and show us off, saying "This one is mine. I am so proud of him!" or "I love her so much!" but we squirm and worry about falling when God assures us so much and so often that He has us safe on His shoulders and in His hands. My challenge to you is to allow God to hold you. Zephaniah calmed down when he realized that I wouldn't let him fall. How much more will God hold us and take care of our needs and desires. "Never will I leave you nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:5
"Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other." Deuteronomy 4:39
"...for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God." Deuteronomy 7:21 | | |
| A website/book exists where people send secrets they have to some stranger and he compiles them on a website and in a book. I do not feel as if I should give the name of it away but I am sure that most people who will read this know what I am talking about. Anyway, I like to check it out and pray for people. Some of the things that people confess break my heart. I wouldnt necessarily call myself heartless, but tender-hearted is not a word I would use to describe myself as either...yet. I am praying about that. But I read the things people put and it wrecks me to no end. I see so much hurt and strife.
As a Christian it challenges me and makes me sad at the same time. It makes me sad because John 13:35 says "The world will know you are my disciples by your love." So many statements exist by people saying things such as "I wear a smile so no one will see my pain." As a Christ follower, that KILLS me. Christ showed love to everyone, giving peace to the afflicted and troubled.
I challenge you to BE CHRIST TO SOMEONE WHO IS HURTING! How will you know who to be Christ to? Pray about it. Maybe it is someone who you notice is always smiling but not vocal. Maybe it is someone who is always quiet. Ask God to lead you. But the amount of time we have is so short compared to the amount of people who need to know the love of Jesus. Showing someone you care in such a small way even like holding the door will go further than you or I know. People are WRITHING on the inside for someone to love them and care for them. The person of Christ would. The resurrected Christ does. We need to also.
God I pray for each person who sees this. I pray that you would put someone in their path to say hello to or to convict them long enough to care about someone you so intensely love. If they dodge it, I pray that you would put more and more people there until they respond.
Lord, show us how to love others as you love us. Deeply. Passionately. Recklessly. Unabandoned. Despite all.
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| So I was listening to music walking through campus the other day and this certain song came on my ipod while on shuffle: Redefined by Cross Movement. I so appreciate Cross Movement because they are very talented lyrically, but moreso, they bring the Word and are so good at it. They have great rhythm which makes them easy to listen to and what they have to say easy to receive. I am glad it is a good message.
Anydangway...
In this song, Redefined, a few lines from the third verse wrecked me...
"And where my fellas at?
All my zealous cats who shed a tear over the fact that Hell is packed
Cats that's jealous at the way the Lord is treated
Who see the Lord getting cheated on and they get heated
That's Elijah for you
That's the Bible for you
We gon' take the streets
That's revival for you"
Wow. I was and am severely challenged by the first two lines...where are the guys (and girls) at who cry over the fact that Hell is packed? How many of you experience a broken heart at the fact that so many are streaming into Hell? I will be the first to ashamedly admit that I am not enough. James 5:16 says to confess our sins before one another. It is a sad thing for me as I will tell you I am a people person. I pray and am praying for a heart that mirrors the one of Christ. I challenge you to do the same.
What the artist goes on to say is good too. "...who see the Lord getting cheated on and they get heated..." I really like this. If no other reason, it challenges me in my own walk. To not cheat the Lord. To turn from my pride and my self and who I am to become more like He is. It frustrates me to no end when I go astray. It never turns out well. Again- I bet it usually does not for you either. So here is a message to you and me: Stop. Sin is a conscious decision to go astray- stop it! It does not make sense!
Finally- "thats revival for you."
Pray for revival.
In your church.
In your school/work/etc.
In your home.
In your life.
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| I have a lot to say. I am going to try and refrain from putting it all here but yea...Anydangway... I am reading Numbers right now for my personal bible study and it is a better book than I thought. I have come across some portions of scripture that are really good. Numbers 16 was good for that. In it lies so many good messages that are practical for our daily use. Moses' reaction to complaints against him- worship. Countless times, it says that Moses "fell facedown." How do you react when people bring things against you or when problems arise? The part that really got me was around v.45. The Israelites are really starting to grumble and get whiny and God has had about enough. He is ready to waste them when, again, Moses (and Aaron) fall facedown. God unleashes a plague and Aaron goes and advocates for the people. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PLAGUE. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DEATH! I am writing to challenge we Christians to mobilize. How is your prayer life? What are you praying for? Are they small things or big things? I am not saying we should not pray for small things because God is able and willing to take care of our small problems as well as our large ones, but He is also willing and able to take care of our large problems. Look at Elijah and the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18- my fav chapter in the bible.) I challenge we Christians to either continue or start praying to the darkness and to the death in the areas of our society and watch as our King of Kings brings life and light and stops the plague and stops Hell from advancing.
Numbers 16:45-48 “Get away from all these people so that I can instantly destroy them!” But Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground. And Moses said to Aaron, “Quick, take an incense burner and place burning coals on it from the altar. Lay incense on it, and carry it out among the people to purify them and make them right with the Lord. The Lord’s anger is blazing against them—the plague has already begun.” Aaron did as Moses told him and ran out among the people. The plague had already begun to strike down the people, but Aaron burned the incense and purified the people. He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague stopped.
Ephesians 6:12 "For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." | | |
| Whilst getting dressed yesterday morning, I turned on the tv and some version of the today show happened to be on. It was two women on a couch or something and another girl somewhere else in the studio; they kept panning to and from her. Anyway, they were interviewing Hulk Hogan (former WWF wrestler.) He was talking about a very low point in his life where his wife left him and he had kids and things were just tough. I think he did some drugs too at some point.
Anyway, Laila Ali called him one night and invited him to come to church with her. He went and down the road, ended up giving his life to Christ. What blew Hogan away was the love and care that Ali showed him. He was so touched by her reaching out without an agenda- just reaching out because she loved him.
That is such an awesome picture of the body of Christ, or what it should be. Jesus was one who showed love to everyone, especially the people no one else cared about. What an opportunity we have as Christians to show love to someone for the heck of it. Merely asking how someone is doing and taking the few minutes to actually listen to them often times goes a long way.
I challenge you today: reach out to someone today. You can know them or not know them. If you go through a drive thru, pay for the person's meal behind you. Show love.
John 13:35- "The world will know you are my disciples by your Love."
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