If anyone reads this, you really dont know me. Let me tell you that I've truely got a lot of problems. I mean I am depraved. DEPRAVED. I see myself tinting everything with sin. The biggest problem I deal with is my ME-centeredness. I make everything about me. I am the chief of sinners.
Lord, I cry, would you save me from myself!
31.5.10
Digging deep
On studying theology (the study of God) and doctrine and church history:
"Careful study of the character and attributes of God should leave us feeling more amazed, more loved, and more secure in God's love. But this happens in the most surprising way. We become more confident of God's love for us as we understand we are not the center of the universe. God is. God is not centering himself around us and our worth. God is centered on his own eternal glory."
-Josh Harris
Dug down deep
"Careful study of the character and attributes of God should leave us feeling more amazed, more loved, and more secure in God's love. But this happens in the most surprising way. We become more confident of God's love for us as we understand we are not the center of the universe. God is. God is not centering himself around us and our worth. God is centered on his own eternal glory."
-Josh Harris
Dug down deep
29.5.10
Just Do Something!
This book has changed my life and perspectives! I bought it when I went to Together for the Gospel last month, but I just found this sermon tonight and it's great! I know it was for a men session but it's still so good for me to hear. : ) There is a womens session sermon too and I'm gonna listen to that as well, so I'll post that as well. : )
Here is a blog about the book and you can buy it on a link here.
Here is the sermon for the mens session: "just do it" here.
Women's sermon: "radical womanhood" here.
Here is the conference NEXT resource link.
I really hope someone listens to these. Just download them and put them on your MP3 player and while you are doing some mundane task or exercising or cleaning & listen to it. It's a great way to set your mind on things above!!! Colossians 3!
Here is a blog about the book and you can buy it on a link here.Here is the sermon for the mens session: "just do it" here.
Women's sermon: "radical womanhood" here.
Here is the conference NEXT resource link.
I really hope someone listens to these. Just download them and put them on your MP3 player and while you are doing some mundane task or exercising or cleaning & listen to it. It's a great way to set your mind on things above!!! Colossians 3!
27.5.10
Words. Happenings.
I was just living today and words just came flooding into my mind like a waterfall and I thought to myself, I should blog these thoughts. So I came back to my computer and these words drifted away like a cloud.
24.5.10
10.5.10
Musings of a Wandering Daydreamer
I was sprinting down the street with a huge black and brown rottweiler dog chasin' & ready to tear apart my legs.
It was chasin' me and I was too afraid to stop and dream it. Because I've done that before. One time I was running just like this and I gave into my achin' legs to give them rest and the results yielded death. This is the Ultimate Reality that I know to be true.
So I was tearin' down that street, and I'm continuing to slap my bare feet against the rocky pavement.
It's simply like this: I cannot stop. I know what would happen. But my strength is this: MY STRENGTH IS A GREAT GRACE that captivates every molecule of my body and draws me in. That is why I can keep running. That is the only reason I don't give into my aching legs. My endurance comes from grace. A lesson I cannot forget.
"Be killing sin or sin will be killing you." -John Owen.
"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.
Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you."
Romans 8:5-11
It was chasin' me and I was too afraid to stop and dream it. Because I've done that before. One time I was running just like this and I gave into my achin' legs to give them rest and the results yielded death. This is the Ultimate Reality that I know to be true.
So I was tearin' down that street, and I'm continuing to slap my bare feet against the rocky pavement.
It's simply like this: I cannot stop. I know what would happen. But my strength is this: MY STRENGTH IS A GREAT GRACE that captivates every molecule of my body and draws me in. That is why I can keep running. That is the only reason I don't give into my aching legs. My endurance comes from grace. A lesson I cannot forget."Be killing sin or sin will be killing you." -John Owen.
"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.
Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you."
Romans 8:5-11
Counting your chickens before they hatch (or treasuring the gifts and not the Giver)
Here is another lesson that I've learned and finally got around to putting it into words. Maybe a short anecdote will help explain it.
I was given a free gift. It was beautiful. (A '95 Ford Escort Station Wagon, it ran so super smooth and had low miles, & I totally dig wagons. :D..) I did not expect this to come but God used his children to give me a free car and I was so pumped for what that meant: I got to use this opportunity to boast in our Lord! I was excited and (probably prideful) to be quick to tell my parents and grandparents that it was grace! Grace, grace, God gave me a free car! So it was beyond the "want" (or so I thought) I mean, it wasn't a beautiful "hip" car, but I loved it because it was a great example of grace and that the Lord provides richly for what we need. These thoughts continued for a full day. I was excited. The day it happened, I got my car, drove to church, visited, came home, went to sleep, woke up and first thing: I washed it inside and out. So I was gonna stay home, but then i think, 'Man, i'm so excited, I'm just gonna go out and do some errands.' So I went to the bank and it was running beautifully.
I walk into the bank, do my business, come out and turn the key and RAHHHH, an ugggly noise comes out of the engine. So I bang my head on the steering wheel for a little bit because I can't believe that this is happening. I go out to check under the hood like I know what I'm looking for and cause everyone is looking at me. I open the hood with great authority like I do this all the time, give everything a good look over, except I have no clue at all what I'm looking at, and go in the car to try it again. Nothing. It won't turn over. I feel a mix of crying and severe anger. So after spending about 10 minutes in denial, I finally call my mom to ask my brother to come see if it needs to be jumped. He comes and nope, that certainly is not it. So I abandon my car until my dad gets off work and go home with Fidel.
When my dad checks it out he concludes that a rod in my motor bent and it will take more than it's worth to fix it. Booo was my heart. Immediately I become mad at God who "made me look like a fool" as in my heart I was gloating when I was telling everyone I knew that it was grace and God provides things out of thin air. Basically my heart was wretched toward the truth even when I was "trying to do the good thing" by boasting in the Lord.
That night was Upper Room potluck at Church so I go and while I'm there I realize a very important lesson: IT WAS STILL GRACE!!! EVERYTHING IS GRACE, even to the point of this: God is still giving us grace even when things that seem right aren't going right. Just because the things that have the appearance of right don't happen, doesn't mean that God isn't good. HE IS SOVEREIGN!
Well, I feel like I was able to put it into words better the other day. But the above is kinda what I got from this lesson. But does this make sense? Grace is EVERYTHING. This seems like such a simple "duh" statement, but for so long I "knew" this in my head and never "believed" it in my heart. This time around, I think it finally stuck.
When I was pondering these events a few days later I thought of this: what if someday the Lord will give me grace enough to be engaged to someone? and what if right after our engagement that person dies? Will I be crushed enough to curse God and turn away? NO. Because ALL is grace! I don't deserve this next breath I take, yet the Lord is gracious and merciful and loving! I shall rejoice in ALL circumstances, ALL GIFTS THE GOOD AND THE BAD because I will exalt the GIVER and not the gifts! :) The Lord gives and he takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord!
As I look back on many past experiences, I see my attitude towards such circumstances. I counted my chickens before they hatched, believing that I knew what was gonna happen in my life. BOY WAS I WRONG! Haha, dead wrong! Many things crashed in my face as the very thing that I very much hoped against happened right in front of me. Multiple times! And my heart was wicked and hurt, and I didn't rejoice in the Christ. I didn't learn the lesson that I should have so many times before, when it had to do with people and relationships in my life, but I finally understand this lesson a little better when it had to do with a car. :)
Now I realize this: I have no control or idea what the future holds because whenever I think something is right it is usually wrong, and through this the Lord is turning my head & pointing me to Him and not the gifts, which is a great lesson to learn and I am thankful for it. :)
Now I'm learning to not try to guess but to simply abide and rest in Christ! Every second of the day I long for this! Because I can't guess anything! And I finally understand this verse:
Matt 6:27 "And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?" The Spirit brought it to my mind as I was marinating about this situation... When we worry about the future, we worry about the inevitable, and WHY WORRY ABOUT THE INEVITABLE?.... IT IS INEVITABLY GONNA HAPPEN AND WE CAN'T CHANGE THAT!
Whew! This gives me great relief in many areas in life! I'm finally gaining peace from God's sovereignty in many areas, especially: the area of marriage, work, family and friends. I'm not perfectly in tune and understanding this, but I've certainly learned a load of stuff within this topic and I'm grateful! :D
I was given a free gift. It was beautiful. (A '95 Ford Escort Station Wagon, it ran so super smooth and had low miles, & I totally dig wagons. :D..) I did not expect this to come but God used his children to give me a free car and I was so pumped for what that meant: I got to use this opportunity to boast in our Lord! I was excited and (probably prideful) to be quick to tell my parents and grandparents that it was grace! Grace, grace, God gave me a free car! So it was beyond the "want" (or so I thought) I mean, it wasn't a beautiful "hip" car, but I loved it because it was a great example of grace and that the Lord provides richly for what we need. These thoughts continued for a full day. I was excited. The day it happened, I got my car, drove to church, visited, came home, went to sleep, woke up and first thing: I washed it inside and out. So I was gonna stay home, but then i think, 'Man, i'm so excited, I'm just gonna go out and do some errands.' So I went to the bank and it was running beautifully.
I walk into the bank, do my business, come out and turn the key and RAHHHH, an ugggly noise comes out of the engine. So I bang my head on the steering wheel for a little bit because I can't believe that this is happening. I go out to check under the hood like I know what I'm looking for and cause everyone is looking at me. I open the hood with great authority like I do this all the time, give everything a good look over, except I have no clue at all what I'm looking at, and go in the car to try it again. Nothing. It won't turn over. I feel a mix of crying and severe anger. So after spending about 10 minutes in denial, I finally call my mom to ask my brother to come see if it needs to be jumped. He comes and nope, that certainly is not it. So I abandon my car until my dad gets off work and go home with Fidel.
When my dad checks it out he concludes that a rod in my motor bent and it will take more than it's worth to fix it. Booo was my heart. Immediately I become mad at God who "made me look like a fool" as in my heart I was gloating when I was telling everyone I knew that it was grace and God provides things out of thin air. Basically my heart was wretched toward the truth even when I was "trying to do the good thing" by boasting in the Lord.
That night was Upper Room potluck at Church so I go and while I'm there I realize a very important lesson: IT WAS STILL GRACE!!! EVERYTHING IS GRACE, even to the point of this: God is still giving us grace even when things that seem right aren't going right. Just because the things that have the appearance of right don't happen, doesn't mean that God isn't good. HE IS SOVEREIGN!
Well, I feel like I was able to put it into words better the other day. But the above is kinda what I got from this lesson. But does this make sense? Grace is EVERYTHING. This seems like such a simple "duh" statement, but for so long I "knew" this in my head and never "believed" it in my heart. This time around, I think it finally stuck.
When I was pondering these events a few days later I thought of this: what if someday the Lord will give me grace enough to be engaged to someone? and what if right after our engagement that person dies? Will I be crushed enough to curse God and turn away? NO. Because ALL is grace! I don't deserve this next breath I take, yet the Lord is gracious and merciful and loving! I shall rejoice in ALL circumstances, ALL GIFTS THE GOOD AND THE BAD because I will exalt the GIVER and not the gifts! :) The Lord gives and he takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord!
As I look back on many past experiences, I see my attitude towards such circumstances. I counted my chickens before they hatched, believing that I knew what was gonna happen in my life. BOY WAS I WRONG! Haha, dead wrong! Many things crashed in my face as the very thing that I very much hoped against happened right in front of me. Multiple times! And my heart was wicked and hurt, and I didn't rejoice in the Christ. I didn't learn the lesson that I should have so many times before, when it had to do with people and relationships in my life, but I finally understand this lesson a little better when it had to do with a car. :)
Now I realize this: I have no control or idea what the future holds because whenever I think something is right it is usually wrong, and through this the Lord is turning my head & pointing me to Him and not the gifts, which is a great lesson to learn and I am thankful for it. :)
Now I'm learning to not try to guess but to simply abide and rest in Christ! Every second of the day I long for this! Because I can't guess anything! And I finally understand this verse:
Matt 6:27 "And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?" The Spirit brought it to my mind as I was marinating about this situation... When we worry about the future, we worry about the inevitable, and WHY WORRY ABOUT THE INEVITABLE?.... IT IS INEVITABLY GONNA HAPPEN AND WE CAN'T CHANGE THAT!
Whew! This gives me great relief in many areas in life! I'm finally gaining peace from God's sovereignty in many areas, especially: the area of marriage, work, family and friends. I'm not perfectly in tune and understanding this, but I've certainly learned a load of stuff within this topic and I'm grateful! :D
Kentucky Fried Fotografi
Some photos from my recent 8 states road trip to Kentucky for the conference T4G.
What grace that is lavished upon me! :D
I LOVE looking at these photos. We also took some great videos. What grace! :)
6.5.10
Something
**I wrote this for an app and I liked how it helped me understand what I'm learning in life better, so I thought I'd post parts of it here so I can always remember.
By the grace of God, I have come to see Christ as "the way, the truth, and the life." (John 14:6) As I am being sanctified by the Lord, he has led me to understand and believe in the ultimate reality of the preeminence of Christ. (Colossians 1:18) Thus, every day I am learning to comprehend and value the eternal, unstoppable, immeasurable importance of the Gospel.
This understanding influences everything about my life because it is deeply rooted in how I understand the world. As I approach anything, I look at it through the lenses of the gospel. There are three questions to ask: Who is God? Who is man? Who is Christ? From these questions the perfect holiness of God, the sinful depravity of man, and the reconciliation that comes from Christ on the cross is illuminated! And I truly believe that this is key to life!
I want to be God-centered and exalt Christ; therefore, I hope to point people to Christ and his gospel. So as I approach the topic of student development, I can only approach it in the way I've come to understand the world--through the gospel. Forgiveness comes from the gospel. Reconciliation comes from the gospel. Love comes from the gospel. Believers are empowered to forgive because they have been forgiven much. Believers are empowered to have mercy because ultimately, God has had mercy on us. "We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19)
Through the gospel, life makes sense. It is so vital; we never lose our need for the cross. From conversion through sanctification, as our awareness of God's holiness increases, and a growing awareness of our flesh and sinfulness increase, the cross looms bigger and we grow in the gospel, which is being able to rest in Christ. Rest in Him as our perfect Redeemer--the One who is "our righteousness, holiness, and redemption." (1 Corinthians 1:30)
By the grace of God, I have come to see Christ as "the way, the truth, and the life." (John 14:6) As I am being sanctified by the Lord, he has led me to understand and believe in the ultimate reality of the preeminence of Christ. (Colossians 1:18) Thus, every day I am learning to comprehend and value the eternal, unstoppable, immeasurable importance of the Gospel.
This understanding influences everything about my life because it is deeply rooted in how I understand the world. As I approach anything, I look at it through the lenses of the gospel. There are three questions to ask: Who is God? Who is man? Who is Christ? From these questions the perfect holiness of God, the sinful depravity of man, and the reconciliation that comes from Christ on the cross is illuminated! And I truly believe that this is key to life!
I want to be God-centered and exalt Christ; therefore, I hope to point people to Christ and his gospel. So as I approach the topic of student development, I can only approach it in the way I've come to understand the world--through the gospel. Forgiveness comes from the gospel. Reconciliation comes from the gospel. Love comes from the gospel. Believers are empowered to forgive because they have been forgiven much. Believers are empowered to have mercy because ultimately, God has had mercy on us. "We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19)
Through the gospel, life makes sense. It is so vital; we never lose our need for the cross. From conversion through sanctification, as our awareness of God's holiness increases, and a growing awareness of our flesh and sinfulness increase, the cross looms bigger and we grow in the gospel, which is being able to rest in Christ. Rest in Him as our perfect Redeemer--the One who is "our righteousness, holiness, and redemption." (1 Corinthians 1:30)
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