Following in Your Footsteps: And the answer is...

I've been wanting to write this post for awhile, but for some reason, it seemed to continually be put on the backburner. You know what? I'm glad it did!

 Raise your hand if you know the answers for...
How do we gain world peace?
How do I love my sibling who annoys me?
How do I forgive?
How do I see eye to eye with someone who I disagree with?
 

I just started a new book and as I read the intro  I realized that it could be a huge tool in opening my eyes even wider to what the answer is in terms of being a better Christian.

 Each page turned in Red Letter Revolution, my eyes watered and my heart stretched.

It dawned on me that my attempt of being a Christian hasn't earned me a gold star or an A+. I have failed to really follow what Jesus has taught me. My eyes have skimmed over the red letters in the New Testament (the red letters being Jesus' words). Yes, I may have read His teachings but my reaction most likely resembled, "Wow, I wouldn't be able to do/say that" or "Aw, how nice...Jesus sure is an amazing guy!" Instead, I should have reacted in a way of, "That's the answer...that's how I reach my hurting sisters and brothers...thank you Jesus for showing me the way to their hearts...I can't wait to go out and serve them, just like You have served us."

 

The Gospel is all about love, service, and redemption. I believe that Jesus didn't serve those people just so we could read about it and adore Him. [Yes, we should definitely adore Him for who He is because He is amazing!] Instead, we should take one step farther and not only adore Him, but follow in His footsteps. He has shown us how to reach people. He wants to use us to represent the kingdom of God. Jeremiah 29:11 says that He has great plans for us and I believe that the number one plan He has is that we embody the kingdom of God.

You know those questions I asked in the beginning of the post?

Jesus has given us the answer.

Jesus is the answer.

 

When deciding what to do for the homeless & poor...Jesus is the answer.

When talking about war...Jesus is the answer.

When fighting with a friend...Jesus is the answer.

When in contact with someone different than us (whether it be color, orientation, religion)...Jesus is the answer.

 

Love, service & grace is who I see Jesus as. That's what He was and is about. So many times I have chosen the wrong answer. I have answered in a way that religion and legalism (not Gospel based) would have me answer or I have acted out of own self-interest, but guess what? Jesus would have never answered in that way. More times than not, I think we answer to situations based on our comfort level, pocket book, and traditions that have been passed down. We fail when we do that.
We aren't representing the kingdom of God when we find our answer apart from Jesus.

 

Now, the last thing I want to do is to make us feel like failures in our attempt to be Christ-like. I'm writing this as motivation, as a reminder of what our motives should be. We talk so much about what we should do and search for the answers, when all along the answer has been standing right in front of us...Jesus.
Thank God for His loving-kindness and forgiveness towards us. Now we can step forward and follow in Jesus' footsteps, rather than walking in the opposite direction.
 

1 John 4:7-12 says, "⁷ Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. ⁸ The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. ⁹ By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. ¹⁰ In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. ¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us."

 

 Friends, if we know that God is love and that when we love one another, God abides in us, that should give us the motivation and confidence to live our lives in the shadow of who Jesus is. He loved the down and out. He even loved the people who nailed Him to the cross.

Do we have enough faith to turn the other cheek?
Do we have enough faith to give the coat off our backs?
Do we have enough faith to love our enemies?

 Tony Campolo has asked himself and I think we can ask the same question...
"Do we have enough faith to live this radical lifestyle?"

I challenge you to read the red letters of the Bible (Jesus' words) not as a story, but as a lifestyle...as an answer to change the world.

 

 

 Will you join me in following in Jesus' footsteps?

Check out www.redletterchristians.org or read the book Red Letter Revolution by Shane Claiborne & Tony Campolo about the many controversial issues that the church faces today.

Got my thinking cap on

 

I don't know about you, but I like to think.

My thinking cap is almost always on.

The 'what-if's  tend to boggle my mind.

The 'I wonder's like to creep in.

The 'I wish's tend to take over.

I mean, I'm not the only one, right?

 

It's not that I dwell on the past.

I know that the past is past, but when it comes to the future, that's a whole other story.

My mind just loves to jump ahead, but my feet just can't keep up.

I think that's pretty normal for us, human beings.

If only, we could see ahead.

If only, we could find out what's next.

I'm always thinking about the uncertain.

What about you?

 

I don't think it's necessarily a problem to think about the uncertain future that lies in front of us.

However, when it starts to take over and the thoughts turn into worries, it becomes a problem.

 

The truth is, God holds us in His hands.

In His hands, not only does He hold our present, but He holds our future.

This truth should create an overwhelming excitement in our hearts that allows us to be certain in uncertainty.

Jeremiah 29:11 - 'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.'"
 

If it all depended on me, I wouldn't be able to be confident in the unknown, but knowing that God has it under control is such a relief! I hope this amazing truth gives you relief and creates a yearning to be in God's will, because it is never too late to put your faith in Him!

 

I love what Oswald Chambers says in "My Utmost for His Highest", "Leave everything to Him and it will be gloriously and graciously uncertain how He will come in - but you can be certain that He will come. Remain faithful to Him."

 

Don't forget to pray for the unreached people group of the day!

Reading plan for the week:
Today: 2 Samuel 4-7
Tuesday: 2 Samuel 8-12
Wednesday: 2 Samuel 13-15
Thursday: 2 Samuel 16-18
Friday: 2 Samuel 19:21
Saturday: 2 Samuel 22-24

 

 

Day 29 In Him we find...

I think everyone at some point in their  lives have wondered what is their purpose here on Earth. We may have wondered things like..."Is my purpose to be a doctor or a teacher or a mother?" Whether you know what your purpose is or not, God has a bigger purpose for you than you know. 

We may think we figured out our own purpose, but really God is the one that has a purpose for us. He is the reason you are alive today, reading my blog. We don't find purpose in a career, but we find purpose in God. He is the creator of the universe, the creator of us, and the creator of our purpose.

If you are wondering today what your purpose is, let me help you out, your purpose is to show God's love to others. It's that simple. All the other details, God has figured out. I know I always quote Jeremiah 29:11, but I'm going to quote it again...."'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." He has wonderful plans for everyone, but there is one common purpose for everyone...to be witnesses of His love. Matthew 5:16 says, "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

All throughout the Bible we see different stories of how God has a purpose for His people. There was a purpose for Adam, Eve, Noah, David, Pharaoh, Mary, John the Baptist, and of course Jesus (and many, many others). Jesus said, "For I have come down from heaven not to do My own will and purpose but to do the will and purpose of Him Who sent me" in John 6:38. Never doubt that God has a purpose for you, because He does. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." We may think that we know what our purpose is in life, but we need to trust that God has an even better purpose. Proverbs 19:21 says, "Many are the plans in a person’s heart,

    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails." 

First and foremost, we are called to show God's love to others and leave the rest up to Him. 

Trust in His purpose for your life.

In Him we find purpose.

If you are joining me in the year long Bible reading plan, today's scripture is Acts 24-26.

Got faith?

 

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (NASB), Hebrews 11:1, is the verse I'm memorizing this week. Read that again and think about it for a second. I think a lot of times we read things and don't take the time to really sit and figure it out what it means. When it comes to the Bible, we for sure don't want to miss out on the meaning! My college minister always encouraged us to refer back to the Bible's purest translation, the Hebrew and Greek language. Taking his advice, I decided to share with you the Greek translation of this verse. I've never taken a Greek class (I hope to one day), but www.blueletterbible.org helps me out a lot. So if you're ever intrested in finding the Greek translation, check out www.blueletterbible.org. This is what I use and it gives lots of good information.

Pistis is the greek word for faith which means "the conviction of truth of anything" or "belief".

Assurance, in the greek language, is hypostasis which means "that which has foundation, is firm" and "a substance, real being."

Finally, elegchos is the greek word for conviction which means "a proof, that by which a thing is proved or tested."

So if I am translating it correctly, it means our belief is our firm foundation of what we hope for and the proof of things we can't see. Our beliefs should be our foundation for our lives even if we cannot physically see them. My belief in God (something not seen) is my firm foundation for my life which then becomes proof that it is true.

I love how The Message interprets Hebrews 11:1 as, "The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see."

Here are a few things that I put my faith in...
I have faith that God has healed me. (Isaiah 53:5)
I have faith that God will never leave me. (Deuteronomy 31:6)
I have faith that God is strong, when I am weak. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
I have faith that God created me for a purpose. (Jeremiah 29:11)
I have faith that God loves me with an everlasting love. (Jeremiah 31:3)

All this talk about faith leads me to ask...

what do you believe in? What do you put your faith in?

Also, if you are memorizing scripture with me, it's time to pick out a new verse! 

I would love to hear what you put your faith in and the verse you are memorizing!

 

Check out this song...it's one of my favorites!

 

 

Clueless, overwhelmed & excited

Have you ever been truly excited about the future instead of scared?

What about being content with being clueless?

Positively overwhelmed instead of negatively overwhelmed?

 Well, that's where I am...at the crossroads of being positively overwhelmed and excited.

It has now been nine months since I have been unable to work. These nine months have been filled with struggle, courage, sadness, happiness, pain, anxiety, contentment, reflection, and growth. Put all of that together and you get overwhelming. It may not sound like a piece of cake (which it hasn't been), but overall, it has been pretty amazing to see what God has done the past nine months.

There were times when I wanted to give up, but God was there holding me up.

There were times when I have felt lonely, but God always opened my eyes to see that He never leaves my side.

There were times when I was scared, but God showed me that there is hope.

There were times when I was confused, but God made it clear.

There were times when I was hurt, but God bandaged me up.

Obviously, it has been a pretty overwhelming time, but the past few weeks it has been especially overwhelming...in a good way. I'm not saying it has been perfect, because it has been tough. However, I have seen God move so much lately.

He has overwhelmed me with ideas of how He can use me. 

He has overwhelmed me with the love and encouragment of people, including strangers!

He has overwhelmed me with the joy that comes from serving.

 He has overwhelmed me with His timing and how He truly connects people together.

Needless to say, this is my kind of state of being overwhelmed.

For once in my life, I have no clue what I want to do as a career, who I'm going to marry, where I'm going to be in 10 years and so on...usually this would freak me out, but it doesn't! Crazy, I know, especially since I like everything planned out. You're probably wondering, "why are you okay with this?" I'm content because I know God has it under control. The past 9 months has clearly shown me that God has it under control. He's working everything out and I'm stoked!! He has healed me and transformed in me in so many ways. I know He is going to continue to challenge and work on me, because I'm far from perfect. Knowing that the creator of the universe has a plan for my life, gives me peace that being clueless is okay!

If you're clueless, overwhelmed, anxious, seek God. His promises and teachings will give you hope and courage to live out His will for your life. When God is at the center of your life, everything else falls into place. Then you are able to glorify God with the amazing testimony He has given you.

I'm gonna go back to Jeremiah 29:11 once again (because it's awesome!), "For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future!"

Don't forget to memorize a verse this week! Find an accountability partner to encourage you or let me know and I'd be glad to help!

"That's MY story & I'm stickin to it!"

So I made it to church again! 2 Sundays in a row for me and I hope it keeps going! Last Sunday, I blogged about the sermon because I felt that it was great information for us and today is the same. Maybe every Sunday my blog will be my perspective on the sermon I heard that day...hmm "Sunday's Sermon Notes"...I like that.

Anywho, the sermon today was about sharing your story. No, I'm not talking about sharing your funny story about your dog eating your homework or when you spilled spaghetti on your pastor (yes...I've done that...oops!) I'm talking about the story that God has written specifically for you. Did you know that God has written a story for you? He has your complete story on His bookshelf, while all you've read is the current chapter you're in and the previous chapters. I know, I know, all you want to know is how your story ends, trust me, I do too! However, I hate to break it to you, but you can't. No fortune teller or psychic can tell you how your story ends, but God can. That should be encouraging though because remember Jeremiah 29:11? It says, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.'" I know I use that verse all the time, but it is full of hope and I think we all need some hope every once in awhile.

You may be thinking, "Why do I need to share my story? Who cares about my life?" Well, God made you for a reason. There is a reason that you are alive today. When we put our faith and trust in God, He turns our bad story into a good story. He wipes sins away. He gives us a new start. When He does these good things in our lives, we should shout it from the rooftops!

Maybe you're thinking now, "Well, my story isn't interesting...I'm an ordinary Joe." I've got news for you, it doesn't have to be interesting! God can use anyone and anything to show people His love, grace, and mercy. He can use any ordinary Joe. In fact, I think maybe He prefers to use ordinary people. Think about it,He used an ordinary man to build an ark that would save them from the flood. He used an ordinary teenage girl to be Jesus' mother. He used Moses even though Moses claimed he wasn't a good speaker. He used the twelve disciples who were uneducated fisherman and other tradesmen. These are just a few examples, but you get the point...God isn't looking for the most educated and skilled people to use, but He is looking for the ordinary too!

So think about your story right now. Think about how God has provided for you, protected you, changed you and so on. If you have trouble thinking about those things, I can for sure tell you one thing...He has kept you alive! Yes, you may have faced some hard times and things may not have gone your way (remember life on Earth can't be perfect), but I know that God has given you something to be thankful for. Pastor Doyle said, "we should all be able to say that even though we may have an ordinary story, it's extraordinary because God's in it." So think about ways and people you can share your story. God can use you when you talk about your life! Someone may be going through what you went through 3 months ago. Use what God has given you and share it with others. I'd love to hear your story!

What is my purpose?

The past week I have been trying my hardest to rest and be a good patient. So instead of just laying on the couch doing nothing, I decided to read. My mom lent me this book called, "Finding God's Will" by Pastor Gregg Matte and she thought I would love it. She was right! It's a short, easy read and it's jam packed with a lot of good information and advice on "finding God's will". I don't know about you or where you are in your life, but I'm not totally sure what God wants me to do with my life. Like I've said in previous posts, all my life I knew what I wanted to do as a career and now that I've graduated, I feel a little lost. Can you relate? Now just because you read the book doesn't mean that the minute you finish it, God will reveal His specific will for you. Maybe He will for you, who knows, but that's not what happened with me. We can't expect God to just drop a career or whatever in your lap, we have to do some work too. The first point in the book is "to find God's will, do God's will." Let's pause for a second- do you feel like you have a purpose in this world? Wait, let me answer it for you, OF COURSE YOU DO!!! God has a purpose for everyone! He doesn't have a purpose just for the wealthy or the goody-two-shoes, He has a purpose for a each and every person on this earth. Never doubt that truth. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Pastor Gregg explains in the book that God has a general will and specific will. You wanna know what the general will is? It's simple....love God, love one another and share the good news about Jesus Christ. So if you feel totally lost right now, that's a good place to start. While loving others, seeking God and reading His Word, God will reveal to you His specific will for you. In the book he talks about a German proverb that goes like this..."Begin to weave, and God will give you the thread." He also says, "I believe that if we would simply walk with God in our ordinary routines, we would discover that He is present and waiting to show us His will." So no matter how old you are or what stage of life you are a in, know this....it's not too late to find God's will for you. The first step is to start living in His general will - love God, love others, and share with others the love of Christ. Before you say, "but", (I know I'm guilty of speaking that lovely word), ask God for strength, grace, and forgiveness to live in His will. Then try it out! How are you going to love someone today? Who will you share the good news with? 1 John 4:19 - We love because He first loved us. We'll talk about the "but" next time....Show some love today! :)