Music Monday: Cannot Keep You

Well, I just got back from my LLMD (Lyme Literate Medical Doctor) and had a great appointment! So many of my symptoms are gone and my physical exam was the best yet! He even is letting me stop some of my meds...wohooo!! I'm closer to the finish line than ever before and it feels good :) Please continue to keep me in your prayers.

Anywho, today is Music Monday!

A lot of times I discover songs through Pandora. So I have random pieces of paper laying around the house with different song titles. Today's song was written down probably almost a year ago and I'm finally sharing it with you! Oopsie. 

It's called "Cannot Keep You" by Michael Gungor. One of his most popular songs is, "Beautiful Things" (love, love, LOVE that song), as well as, "White Man" (too cute...you know you want to look it up ;) ,  but "Cannot Keep You" isn't as well known so I figured I'd shine the spotlight on it today. 

Cannot Keep You

"They tried to keep you in a tent

They could not keep you in a temple

Or any of their idols, to see and understand

We cannot keep you in a church

We cannot keep you in a Bible

Or it's just another idol to box you in

They could not keep you in their walls

We cannot keep you in ours either

For you are so much greater

Who is like the Lord?

The maker of the heavens

Who dwells with the poor

He lifts them from the ashes

And He seats them among princess

Who is like the Lord?

We've tried to keep you in our tents

We've tried to keep you in our temples

We've worshiped all our idols

We want all that to end

So we will find you in the streets

And we will find you in the prisons

And even in our Bibles and churches

Who is like the Lord

The maker of the heavens

Who dwells with the poor

He lifts them from the ashes

And He seats them among princes

Who is like the Lord

We cannot contain, cannot contain

The glory of your name

You took me from the ashes

And you healed me from my blindness

Who is like the Lord"

Not to bash the church, because I love the church, but it has to be said...sometimes we (the church) like to keep God all to ourselves. The truth is, God isn't only for the church but He is for all, even those who don't believe in Him. Sometimes we focus on the people in our church more (which they should be cared for). Sometimes we focus on our own ministries more, when instead we should be getting outside of the church walls. That's why I love this song, because it gives us a visual of our God who doesn't dwell only in buildings. 

"So we will find you in the streets and we will find you in the prisons and even in our Bibles and churches. Who is like the Lord?" God is not only pursuing the church goers, but He is pursuing the people on the streets. He is pursuing the people in the prisons. He is pursuing the people in the hospitals. He is pursuing people in America. He is pursuing people in every nation. He cannot be put in a box and if we keep Him there, we are doing a disservice to Him and all of the people who do not know Him. Therefore, if God is pursuing all people, we should pursue all people for "we cannot contain the glory of Your name." 

What lyrics speak to you? 

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Following in Your Footsteps: If you love...

 

If you love someone, then you are...

Judgmental.

Hateful.

Prejudice.

Disrespectful.

Arrogant.

Jealous...

 

"Say what, Chelsea?! Did you say if you love someone, you are judgmental?"

 

Oops...what I mean is...

 

If you love someone, then you are...

Nonjudgmental.

Kind.

Humble.

Open minded.

Forgiving.

Respectful.

Giving.

Caring.

Compassionate.

Trusting.

Gracious...

 

 If we say we are following Jesus, the second list should make up how we treat others. You see, I thought about writing separate posts on different characteristics of Jesus such as grace, compassion, and ending with love. However, I realized that they all go hand-in-hand.

 

If you love someone, then you are going to be respectful and compassionate..etc.

When I think of Jesus, the first word that comes to my mind is love.

As Christians or Christ followers, our first priority should be to love, then everything else follows along.

 

Of course, like I've said before, we aren't perfect like Jesus, but because of His love for us we can love others.

1 John 4:19 says, "We love because He first loved us."

I know that it can be difficult sometimes to love, but love is the best way to embody the Gospel.

 

As a church/body of believers, we should be constantly aware of how we are treating people. We should be always welcoming to everyone and anyone. We should never turn anyone away for any reason. We should love unconditionally, just like Christ did.

He hung out with the sinners...He let a prostitute wash His feet with her hair....He wasn't afraid to interact with people who might be different than Him.

 

For instance, if a lesbian couple walks into a church...how should we treat them?

If we were to ask Jesus, I'm sure He would say, "love them".

We aren't God...we don't have the right to judge them, the only thing we need to do is love them.

Many people say "love the sinner and hate the sin", but Tony Campolo says, "Jesus says, 'love the sinner and hate your own sin'".

 

What if a homeless man walks into a church...how should we treat them?

Do we go lock up everything valuable? Do we tell him to leave?

Jesus wouldn't tell him to leave...Jesus would talk to him...feed him and love him.

 

You see, we have a lot to learn from Jesus. The church needs His compassion, love, generosity, grace (etc..) in order to shine His light throughout the world. Many people think that being a Christian is all about rules, but guess what?

The only 2 things that Jesus commands us to do is to...

love God

&

love others.

 

 So it may be helpful if we are constantly checking ourselves...reminding ourselves that as we grow in relationship with God our love for Him grows and will soon spill out to others.

 

Reading plan for this week:

Monday: Job 35-37

Tuesday: Job 38-39

Wednesday: Job 40-42

Thursday: Psalm 1-8

Friday: Psalm 9-16

Saturday: Psalm 17-20



Following in Your Footsteps: What makes a Christian?

 

When you think of a Christian, what do you think of?

 

-A person who goes to church every single Sunday, including a Bible study every week.

-A person who puts money in the offering plate at church.

-A person who has a "Christian fish" on their car bumper.

-A person who has 75 Bible verses memorized.

 

OR maybe you think of a Christian as...

 

-A person who doesn't like to have fun.

-A person who forces their beliefs on others.

-A person who judges others in a hateful manner.

-A person who is hypocritical.

 

OR maybe when you think of a Christian, you think of all of the above.

 

If you were to look up "Christian" in the dictionary, it would probably say, "one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ". And if someone believes in something, in turn they would act on it or follow it, right?

So whatever Jesus teaches, a Christian should follow it, correct?  

 

Let's play a game of TRUE/FALSE...

-Jesus didn't like to have fun. FALSE, how could a guy not have fun with his friends (aka disciples) fishing on the boat?

-Jesus forced His beliefs on others. FALSE, of course, He told people what He thought, but He never did it in a condescending way, instead He lovingly spoke His mind.

-Jesus judged others in a hateful manner. FALSE, Jesus may have told people to repent, but He always did it in a loving way.

-Jesus was hypocritical. FALSE, what He said, He did and what He did, He said.

 

So if Jesus didn't do those things, Christians shouldn't either (but more on that on the next post). In Shane Claiborne's book, Irresistible Revolution, he said,

 "He saw Jesus in me. And I saw Jesus in Him."

That's how it should be.

If we are hypocritical, judgmental, and arrogant, people will not see Jesus in us.

Christians should strive to show Jesus to everyone around them.

Of course, because we are humans, we are not perfect, but we can still try our best to live the way Christ wants us to live.

 

 

Shane also talks about his search for a real Christian. He said, "I wondered what it would look like if we decided to really follow Jesus. In fact, I wasn't sure what a fully devoted Christian looked like or if the world had even seen one in the last few centuries. From my desk at college, it looked like some time back we had stopped living Christianity and started just studying it."

Like I said, this book may make you feel a tad bit uncomfortable, but it's so thought provoking.

 

I think many people think of Christianity as a religion, which it is; however, I think it should be seen as a way of life, instead of a list rules.

Let's eliminate the negative connotation of Christianity that our culture has created and let's simply follow Christ - loving God & loving others.

Today, I just started reading Kyle Idleman's book, Not a Fan, and  he says, "Following by definition requires more than mental assent, it calls for movement."

 

I don't know if you are following Christ, but either way, I'm so glad you are checking the series out! I hope you stop by again as we journey together about what it looks like to walk in Jesus' footsteps. I hope we can be challenged together to really, really follow Jesus. I know that I have been the opposite of Christ-like  many times, so I am thankful for God's grace and forgiveness.  

 

If you want, check out my post Are you a fan or follower? to see what category you may fit in.

 

Think about this & feel free to share below in a comment-I'd love to hear!

As Christians, what are some ways we have contributed to this negative perception? Where have we messed up and how can we shed positive light on Christianity?

 

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

 

Bible reading plan this week:

Monday: Nehemiah 1-3

Tuesday: Nehemiah 4-6

Wednesday: Nehemiah 7

Thursday: Nehemiah 8-9

Friday: Nehemiah 10-11

Saturday: Nehemiah 12-13

 

imperfect people hangout

What is church to you?

Is it a building?

Is it a group of people?

Is it a place where you can lift your hands in praise and worship to God?

Is it a place that makes you feel like an outcast?

Is it a place where you find fellowship with other people who share your same beliefs?

Is it a place where you feel judged for who you are?

Is it a place where you feel welcomed?

 

I think we can all agree that we have defined church on our own terms based on our experiences.

Unfortunately, if we have had bad experiences in church, then most likely we see the church in a bad light. If that's the case, going to church may not seem appealing.

However, if you've had good experiences in church, then it is safe to say, you are probably willing to go to church, if you aren't already.

 

For those of you who see church as a judgmental place where you feel as small as grasshopper, let me just say, I've felt that way, too.

 

Instead of getting angry with the church, vow to never go back, and turn away from your faith, remember that no one is perfect...even church people.

A church building doesn't consist of people who never sin, but is simply made up of imperfect, believers who want to follow Christ with the accountability from others.

 

No one should be turned away from the church for any reason.

The church should be a welcoming place where people can come together to encourage, motivate, and learn from each other.

It should be a safe place where flaws are welcomed, gifts are used, relationships are made, and all glory is given to God.

 

Maybe you feel out of place at your church or maybe you've given up on church...perhaps you can try again by keeping in mind, that even church leaders can mess up. Maybe you can visit a new church. Either way, don't give up on faith because of imperfect people.

 

God hasn't given up on you so don't give up on Him. He wants you to grow in His grace. Finding a church where you feel welcomed, encouraged to use your gifts, and challenged to grow deeper in God's word is an important part of strengthening your journey with Christ so that you will be used by Him for His glory.

 

Bible Reading Plan

Today: Judges 19-21

Tuesday: Ruth

Wednesday: 1 Samuel 1-3

Thursday: 1 Samuel 4-8

Friday: 1 Samuel 9-12

Saturday: 1 Samuel 13-14

 

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

"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!