so this is definitely my "crazy week".
-paper due tomorrow, and an geography exam
-accounting exam tues
-advertising exam thurs
needless to say school is consuming lots of my time lately, which i suppose it should be since this is my "job" right now, but it seems like a lot more then previous years. probably because its combined with my last year of college so i am trying to make the most of my relationships here too. please pray for balance with my time and school and friends.
possible thoughts for my post-college life...
1. IHOP--Kansas City
2. Bethel Church school of ministry, pastor Bill Johnson--Redding, CA
3. YWAM DTS--anywhere in the world
4. bham...job?
i am pretty confident that i am called into full time ministry. that might mean i am in the marketplace for a time, but i think long-term i'll be doing ministry of some kind, somewhere. and because that is what i am being called to do, i think it is wise to get training. and i think now is the time in my life to do that when i dont have any obligations. so who knows, we will see where the Lord ends up calling me for the initial first step. all i know is that the first 3 possibilities make me extremely excited and i cant think of anything else i would want to do with my life! as of today i'm leaning towards Bethel, but you know.
God is good. and faithful. and he is my guide, my shepherd.
I am following Him. no matter what.
goodbye American Dream...hello God of the Universe and Your destiny for my life.
i love and miss you all SO much! geeze.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
computer
sorry i haven't really been able to use this. my computer broken a couple weeks ago and my new one still hasn't come in so i've only been able to use my roommate's when they aren't using them or left them at home...but hopefully this week
on another note if you guys don't have a prayer life...not this "quiet time" bullcrap where all you do is ask for things but genuine communication with the Father on a daily basis where you seek out the actually heart of God then i suggest you start and if you have a hard time just pray for the grace of prayer from the Spirit to tell you what to pray for and how to pray. it will seriously change your life...not just be another thing added to normal life but an actual changing of your life. you will begin to hear God like you have never heard Him and He will speak to you more than He's ever spoken to you. obedience to Him is also a big big part of this. He asks us to do a lot of weird stuff but it's just to see if we will step out in that faith and obey Him.
also another thought. i think it was who paul made a town so angry by preaching the gospel that they took him outside and stoned him and he survived the stoning and went right back into the city and continued to preach what he had just been stoned for...think about it
on another note if you guys don't have a prayer life...not this "quiet time" bullcrap where all you do is ask for things but genuine communication with the Father on a daily basis where you seek out the actually heart of God then i suggest you start and if you have a hard time just pray for the grace of prayer from the Spirit to tell you what to pray for and how to pray. it will seriously change your life...not just be another thing added to normal life but an actual changing of your life. you will begin to hear God like you have never heard Him and He will speak to you more than He's ever spoken to you. obedience to Him is also a big big part of this. He asks us to do a lot of weird stuff but it's just to see if we will step out in that faith and obey Him.
also another thought. i think it was who paul made a town so angry by preaching the gospel that they took him outside and stoned him and he survived the stoning and went right back into the city and continued to preach what he had just been stoned for...think about it
Friday, September 21, 2007
Grace
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
In this passage, Paul is talking about how he has a thorn in his flesh that torments him, causes him pain. He asks God three times to take it from it, but God does not. "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
A friend was sharing with me her constant struggle with bulimia. She loves the Lord and desires nothing more than to please Him with her life, but this one thing has been a constant struggle. In Jesus' name we are believing that Jesus is healing her body and mind and that she will be completely set her free, but through this the Lord is teaching her so much and allowing this "thorn" which is from the enemy, for good. Not only can she relate to so many girls that struggle with eating disorders, the thorn has created the constant desire for more of Jesus in her life.
It is grace for Him to allow the thorn in my flesh. I think the thorn is different for everyone and even changes from season to season, but none the less as long as we are on this earth and until we have our resurrected bodies, i believe we will always have a thorn to some degree. And I am learning to be grateful for that. So many times I pray away the thorn but I am beginning to see a different side. (He works everything for the good of those love Him..Romans 8:28) The hard situations, struggles, disappointments, etc. are ALL being worked out for my good! I can't see the big picture, He does. He is making my way perfect. (psalm18:32)
Without the thorn it would be so easy to rely on myself or others for things I can only really receive from Jesus. The worlds comforts are fleeting, His are lasting forever. It is kindness, or grace, for Him not t0 take away the thorn. Because of His sympathetic understanding towards us, he knows how easy it would be to not look to the unseen but the seen. The temporary, not the ever-lasting. (for our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. so we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2cor3:17-18).
The torn reminds me constantly that I can't do it alone. I am weak and I NEED him.
The god of this age has blinded people (2cor4:4) and made them think the thorn is cruel and that if God really loved us then why would he allow pain? He doesn't desire the pain of the thorn, he desires us. He desires my life remain in Him and a love relationship with me that is so alive and real that the thorn is so worth it.
-sandra
In this passage, Paul is talking about how he has a thorn in his flesh that torments him, causes him pain. He asks God three times to take it from it, but God does not. "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
A friend was sharing with me her constant struggle with bulimia. She loves the Lord and desires nothing more than to please Him with her life, but this one thing has been a constant struggle. In Jesus' name we are believing that Jesus is healing her body and mind and that she will be completely set her free, but through this the Lord is teaching her so much and allowing this "thorn" which is from the enemy, for good. Not only can she relate to so many girls that struggle with eating disorders, the thorn has created the constant desire for more of Jesus in her life.
It is grace for Him to allow the thorn in my flesh. I think the thorn is different for everyone and even changes from season to season, but none the less as long as we are on this earth and until we have our resurrected bodies, i believe we will always have a thorn to some degree. And I am learning to be grateful for that. So many times I pray away the thorn but I am beginning to see a different side. (He works everything for the good of those love Him..Romans 8:28) The hard situations, struggles, disappointments, etc. are ALL being worked out for my good! I can't see the big picture, He does. He is making my way perfect. (psalm18:32)
Without the thorn it would be so easy to rely on myself or others for things I can only really receive from Jesus. The worlds comforts are fleeting, His are lasting forever. It is kindness, or grace, for Him not t0 take away the thorn. Because of His sympathetic understanding towards us, he knows how easy it would be to not look to the unseen but the seen. The temporary, not the ever-lasting. (for our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. so we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2cor3:17-18).
The torn reminds me constantly that I can't do it alone. I am weak and I NEED him.
The god of this age has blinded people (2cor4:4) and made them think the thorn is cruel and that if God really loved us then why would he allow pain? He doesn't desire the pain of the thorn, he desires us. He desires my life remain in Him and a love relationship with me that is so alive and real that the thorn is so worth it.
-sandra
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
The Passion of the City
This is me going over what I learned at church Sunday and trying to apply it to my life.
"The tallest building of any city shows you the God of that city"
How true is that... At church we are studying Genesis, and last Sunday we went through Genesis 11:1-9 which is the tower of babel story. We talked about the Twin Towers, which were the tallest buildings in the country at one time. What did they represent? the Twin Towers were a metaphor for capitalism and economic success. Our country values that more than anything, and that is why they were attacked on 9/11. The terrorist knew that was what we valued above anything so they attacked the symbol of our countries God.
There are two cities, the city of man and the city of God. The point isn't to keeps these separate but that through God's grace the city of man will be transformed into God's city.
We see in Genesis 11:4 that the passion of the city of man was themselves and their own glory. "Then they said, "Come let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth."
We can see the insecurity in there thinking. Insecurity is produced by two things: pride and fear.
Pride: "lets make a name for ourselves"
Fear: "lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth"
This was mans attempt to glorify themselves because they were afraid of being alone, being separated from each other. AND...
They disobeyed God's command in Genesis 1:28, And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it..." Insted they stayed in one place and were building a city for their own glory, because they didn't trust God.
Now also, we cannot read this passage and take it literally. Meaning that the people thought they could build a tower that literally would reach into heaven. Instead, what it is saying is that the tower isn't physically reaching the Heavens, but spiritually.
The irony is in verse 5 "And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built" It is ironic... he didn't come down because he was impressed with the city and tower, but because out of his mercy on those who were confused. He saw that there was nothing they couldn't do to glorify themselves so out of his grace he confused their language and dispersed them over the face of the earth. It was to show them that Gods glory is the greatest benefit, not yours. The more I read the Bible the more I see that God doesn't punish out of anger but out of love. When he punishes us it is to bringing us back to him. And how amazing is that! We don't deserve it. There is a verse in a Derek Webb song where he says, "In God we trust, even when He looks like the enemy." I know it feels like Gods punishment is death, but in reality it is fatherly love, he does it for our own good, so that we wouldn't continue to live in despair. What we think is for our benefit or glory will only end in destruction.
"The tallest building of any city shows you the God of that city"
How true is that... At church we are studying Genesis, and last Sunday we went through Genesis 11:1-9 which is the tower of babel story. We talked about the Twin Towers, which were the tallest buildings in the country at one time. What did they represent? the Twin Towers were a metaphor for capitalism and economic success. Our country values that more than anything, and that is why they were attacked on 9/11. The terrorist knew that was what we valued above anything so they attacked the symbol of our countries God.
There are two cities, the city of man and the city of God. The point isn't to keeps these separate but that through God's grace the city of man will be transformed into God's city.
We see in Genesis 11:4 that the passion of the city of man was themselves and their own glory. "Then they said, "Come let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth."
We can see the insecurity in there thinking. Insecurity is produced by two things: pride and fear.
Pride: "lets make a name for ourselves"
Fear: "lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth"
This was mans attempt to glorify themselves because they were afraid of being alone, being separated from each other. AND...
They disobeyed God's command in Genesis 1:28, And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it..." Insted they stayed in one place and were building a city for their own glory, because they didn't trust God.
Now also, we cannot read this passage and take it literally. Meaning that the people thought they could build a tower that literally would reach into heaven. Instead, what it is saying is that the tower isn't physically reaching the Heavens, but spiritually.
The irony is in verse 5 "And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built" It is ironic... he didn't come down because he was impressed with the city and tower, but because out of his mercy on those who were confused. He saw that there was nothing they couldn't do to glorify themselves so out of his grace he confused their language and dispersed them over the face of the earth. It was to show them that Gods glory is the greatest benefit, not yours. The more I read the Bible the more I see that God doesn't punish out of anger but out of love. When he punishes us it is to bringing us back to him. And how amazing is that! We don't deserve it. There is a verse in a Derek Webb song where he says, "In God we trust, even when He looks like the enemy." I know it feels like Gods punishment is death, but in reality it is fatherly love, he does it for our own good, so that we wouldn't continue to live in despair. What we think is for our benefit or glory will only end in destruction.
Where is Jesus in this?
Acts 2:1-13 the Pentecost
"Ever since the early church fathers, commentators have seen the blessing of the Pentecost as a deliberate reversal of the curse of Babel."
Before Jesus was crucified he promised that the holy spirit would come and on the Pentecost his promise is fulfilled. It is a reversal of the curse of Babel because a)all of them are gathered in one place, like in Babel and 2)The holy spirit allows them to speak in other languages and they can understand each other. It is God promising to bring us all back together, because Gods city unites everyone. "The account of Babel describes fearful people proudly trying to ascend to heaven, whereas the account of Pentecost in Jerusalem describes heaven humbly descending to Earth."
The point of this is to try and apply it to my life. Daily, I try to make a name for myself. I mean I want to be in the music business, originally apart of me was drawn to the fame in it. Make connections and networking. It makes me rethink why I go to college? So i can get a job and make money or be financially stable. Those are honest and nobal answers, right? Well, i have to ask myself what is the motive behind the answers? Ultimately, I want to bring glory to myself and build up my own tower of Babel. But when you see how Heaven humbly descended to earth in Jesus Christ it makes you rethink your motives. We see in the story of Babel that personal glorification is death and nothing good comes from it. God's will for us is the only thing that brings us life. I have to repent daily for wanting to glorify myself and reliy and trust in Jesus. Trust that despite my attempts to glorify myself, God is completely commited to creating a new heavens and new earth, and since Jesus in deed died for my sin, He is making me into a new person. There is tension. Although i am completely accepted by God and clothed in Christ righteousness, I still live in a world that is tainted with sin. Christ defeated sin on the cross, but the effects of the fall still exist.
God's passion for his city is...?
Justice! and Us! read Revelation 21"What began in a garden will become to full fruition in a city"
God's city is a refuge, where every tear will be wiped away and no one who does what is detestable or false will be there.
We bring glory and honor into the new creation. It is a regenertion, we can do good in this world, but god makes it perfect in his city. His city is resourceful with all the nations bringing their glory and honor. diversity is a very good thing in God's City. And lastly God's city is Spiritual. v22 "And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the almighty and the Lamb."
-cities are meant to be a preview of the city to come... Jerusalem revelation 21:1-2
When I think about Cities today, I think about crime and violence not peace and justice. So at City Church we talk about this a lot, and I definitely want to live in a big city for these reasons. I still don't know how I can help restore Justice in this world. On a big picture, career wise, that is something i am waiting for God to show me. But I can get involved in the community I live and be a part of the good that is transforming Nashville into God's city."Christians should be a community radically committed to the good of the city as a whole."
Here is a link with an article by Tim Keller about Christianity, Culture, and Cities
http://www.christianvisionproject.com/2006/06/a_new_kind_of_urban_christian.html
-cities are meant to be a preview of the city to come... Jerusalem revelation 21:1-2
When I think about Cities today, I think about crime and violence not peace and justice. So at City Church we talk about this a lot, and I definitely want to live in a big city for these reasons. I still don't know how I can help restore Justice in this world. On a big picture, career wise, that is something i am waiting for God to show me. But I can get involved in the community I live and be a part of the good that is transforming Nashville into God's city."Christians should be a community radically committed to the good of the city as a whole."
Here is a link with an article by Tim Keller about Christianity, Culture, and Cities
http://www.christianvisionproject.com/2006/06/a_new_kind_of_urban_christian.html
Monday, September 10, 2007
Purpose
Ok, so we all know that communication is something that our family struggles with. I pretty much have no idea what is going on in anyone's life, and only talking every few weeks doesn't help much. So the idea behind this is we can post what is going on in our lives, what God is teaching us, what we need prayer for, or something that was funny and we wanted to share with everyone i.e. youtube video, song... . I don't want this to replace phone conversation but be an agent to spur on more phone conversations. What do you all think?
-Fletcher
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