It is so amazing how God gives us exactly what we need when we need it! The last few days were a quite an experience at the Campus Ministries Convention in Georgia. I felt a call and pull on my heart in such a way that I have not felt in quite some time. I thought I had my life planned out and knew what was going to happen next. I'm going to get a job as a teacher, work, live the standard life, and do what I can for God on the side. I know it sounds so... lackadaisical, but that is truly how I felt. Reaching out for Christ was not number one on my heart or in my mind. Yet, during these last few days, like a ton of bricks I felt it.
The impression was clear, reaching out for Christ and sharing him needed to be my number one priority. The other stuff; that would come in time. It is not that the career path that I have chosen is wrong, it's that my order was wrong. As I have drawn closer and connected with Christ this year, it is becoming clearer and clearer to me that I want to truly live for him, holding nothing back. No longer saying, "God you can have this part of my life, but not this little piece over here." I want him to have it all and completely transform me, with a new heart, a new spirit.
Now, I don't know where this leaves me. What I once thought I was so sure of, I am now unsure of. I want to live a life with Jesus as number one but I'm not sure where that is leading and I'm scared. John 8 had the perfect verse for me this evening, verse 12, "Then Jesus spake...I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." I know there is a ton in chapter eight and honestly some of it confuses me, but tonight God wanted me to read that verse cause he knew I needed some assurance. My heavenly Father has a plan for me and by his grace I intend to be apart of that plan.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Sunday, March 18, 2012
John Chapter Seven
What is happening? There seems to be a change of pace in the life of Jesus continuing on from chapter six. John in this chapter shows the contention and controversy surrounding Jesus. The question of the hour; "Do we believe in him or not?" The religious leaders for the most part want to get rid of him. All they see is a rebel, someone who is challenging their rules, their traditions, their customs. The people on the other hand, are split, not sure what to do, who to listen to. It is becoming not so popular to follow Jesus, so decisions are having to be made.
In the midst of all of this Jesus goes to teach in the temple, and what he has to say doesn't win over the crowd, it infuriates some and inspires awe in others. Me... I am confused, enlightened, and inspired. His words in verse 24 are what stop me this week, "Judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgement." Judge righteous judgement...What does that mean?
I don't know why, but I immediately think of the story of when David was anointed by Samuel to be king over Israel. 1 Samuel 16:7, "...Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." So is righteous judgement just looking at the heart? But we are only human, we cannot see the heart, we do not know what is on someone else's heart. Only God knows, only he has righteous judgement. So how does Jesus expect us not to base things on the outward appearance; on what we see?
But wait, Matthew in chapter 7 talks about knowing whether people are truly of God, "real" Christians. Verse 20, "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." By their fruits? What fruits?
One other place in the Bible that I think of fruits in relation to people, and how they show themselves. Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
These are the things that matter. Because when you think about it, God judged David based on these things, but David wasn't perfect. Yet David was always searching and in the end completely yielded to God. God knows where our hearts are, he knew that David's heart was ultimately his, because he saw in David the fruits of the Spirit. So Jesus tells us if judgement is made do it according to the fruits of the Spirit, not according to the initial appearance that we see. Remember in John 5 Jesus was judged for not keeping the Sabbath, but if you look at what he did, aren't all of the fruits of the Spirit evident?
I know I'm not perfect and I have so much more to learn about Jesus. I have so much growing to do but through it all it is my prayer to strive for and have the fruits of the Spirit, because I just want to be what Jesus has been to me.
In the midst of all of this Jesus goes to teach in the temple, and what he has to say doesn't win over the crowd, it infuriates some and inspires awe in others. Me... I am confused, enlightened, and inspired. His words in verse 24 are what stop me this week, "Judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgement." Judge righteous judgement...What does that mean?
I don't know why, but I immediately think of the story of when David was anointed by Samuel to be king over Israel. 1 Samuel 16:7, "...Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." So is righteous judgement just looking at the heart? But we are only human, we cannot see the heart, we do not know what is on someone else's heart. Only God knows, only he has righteous judgement. So how does Jesus expect us not to base things on the outward appearance; on what we see?
But wait, Matthew in chapter 7 talks about knowing whether people are truly of God, "real" Christians. Verse 20, "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." By their fruits? What fruits?
One other place in the Bible that I think of fruits in relation to people, and how they show themselves. Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
These are the things that matter. Because when you think about it, God judged David based on these things, but David wasn't perfect. Yet David was always searching and in the end completely yielded to God. God knows where our hearts are, he knew that David's heart was ultimately his, because he saw in David the fruits of the Spirit. So Jesus tells us if judgement is made do it according to the fruits of the Spirit, not according to the initial appearance that we see. Remember in John 5 Jesus was judged for not keeping the Sabbath, but if you look at what he did, aren't all of the fruits of the Spirit evident?
I know I'm not perfect and I have so much more to learn about Jesus. I have so much growing to do but through it all it is my prayer to strive for and have the fruits of the Spirit, because I just want to be what Jesus has been to me.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
John Chapter Six
Jesus keeps performing miracle after miracle which has created this mass of people that are completely obsessed with him. They follow Jesus everywhere. In the beginning of this chapter we see this huge crowd of at least five thousand that follow Jesus to Galilee. They have seen or heard about his miracles and want in on the action. And this is what amazes me, the first thing Jesus thinks of when he sees the crowd, "How can we feed them?"
Again Jesus shows his commitment to the people, he works another miracle in which the physical needs of the crowd are taken care of. What did they do to deserve this? Why is Jesus so attached, so committed? From what I've learned about Jesus so far this year it's that he truly cares and he will do whatever necessary to reach the heart, the soul, to truly give us what we really need.
Jesus pulls away though. He needs some time away from the crowd. (I imagine it is hard to always be giving and never having a moment to regenerate yourself.) Because these people were seriously always around, because even now when Jesus left to be alone, they wondered where he went. When they saw the boat was gone, they all loaded in their boats and crossed over to Capernaum too!
And now is where it gets interesting. Jesus has showed his care, his commitment to them. But now he needs to know; will they commit to him. Are they following him just because he fed them or is it real? Are their souls really being fed? So Jesus reveals that he is sent from heaven and is the bread of life. The people then ask for another sign to verify this statement! Why? Have they not seen enough or is it that they are looking for a reason not to believe?
Many of the followers left after this, they could not accept the truth of Jesus. They could not commit themselves to him. Yet, there were a few that stayed for they realized what Jesus had was real and committed themselves to him. From this I see that Jesus is completely committed to me, he has done so much for me and in my life! The question is am I committed to him? Or will I leave when the going gets tough? Will I yield all? Or am I only on board for the good stuff?
Again Jesus shows his commitment to the people, he works another miracle in which the physical needs of the crowd are taken care of. What did they do to deserve this? Why is Jesus so attached, so committed? From what I've learned about Jesus so far this year it's that he truly cares and he will do whatever necessary to reach the heart, the soul, to truly give us what we really need.
Jesus pulls away though. He needs some time away from the crowd. (I imagine it is hard to always be giving and never having a moment to regenerate yourself.) Because these people were seriously always around, because even now when Jesus left to be alone, they wondered where he went. When they saw the boat was gone, they all loaded in their boats and crossed over to Capernaum too!
And now is where it gets interesting. Jesus has showed his care, his commitment to them. But now he needs to know; will they commit to him. Are they following him just because he fed them or is it real? Are their souls really being fed? So Jesus reveals that he is sent from heaven and is the bread of life. The people then ask for another sign to verify this statement! Why? Have they not seen enough or is it that they are looking for a reason not to believe?
Many of the followers left after this, they could not accept the truth of Jesus. They could not commit themselves to him. Yet, there were a few that stayed for they realized what Jesus had was real and committed themselves to him. From this I see that Jesus is completely committed to me, he has done so much for me and in my life! The question is am I committed to him? Or will I leave when the going gets tough? Will I yield all? Or am I only on board for the good stuff?
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