Good morning! I have been on the road for an hour and a half now on my way to New York City! We have put on our first movie of the day-"Cars."
And already I'm tired! Are we there yet?
I will celbrate though! God is good! I do love looking out the window and seeing creation. It is beautiful out right now. And I am terribly excited to be in New York City. There is so much there I have never seen or experienced. I have a message of absolute truth and power to share! And I am so blessed that I get to bless others! I am excited for the change God wants to do on my heart and I pray that God reveals more of His beautiful heart to me!
And that is my prayer for these kids and chaperones too. I pray that we really see God moving and working-and I hope that shapes us so substantially. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling...be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." (Psalm 46:1-3;10-11, ESV Translation)
Please pray for us on our trip this week! Praise be to God for His rich blessings on our lives. God be with you all also!
Blessings!
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
the faithfulness of God
Have you ever wondered where God is in so many situations? Have you ever contemplated your place in Him or had to battle against demons you didn't even recognize?
I feel I'm stuck in a battle lately, one that I do not understand. I have had so many moments lately where I feel I have forgot I am a Christian. I have forgotten God on many levels and have failed brilliantly at loving Him. I wallow in the mud of my self-pity and dross.
I have felt broken and stolen. I have been rocked and brought so dearly to my knees.
Moments in my life over the past few weeks have changed me though. God has shown up in my eyes and heart, though I was never searching for Him. He has reminded me of Himself.
Last week, I led a mission trip with jr. high youth. It was challenging on many levels. One thing we did throughout the week was called "Yay, God!"s, where the students had an opportunity to share where they had seen God working in the day. When I was drained from lack of sleep and pushed to the limits, I had a "Yay, God!" moment. My group had gone to a nursing home and I worked with this woman named Lois one afternoon. Lois and I shared some ice cream and then she asked to go outside for a little while. I pushed her into this little courtyard and we stopped and looked and smelled roses. Then Lois turned her eyes up to the sky and she said, "Sometimes you just have to look up and let the wind blow around you." She noted that she always loved turning her eyes upward for that was enough to help her through. It was a sweet and tender moment that reminded me to turn to the Lord. Her words were so profound.
After that, Lois and I headed up to the chapel. They had a service right at the end of our volunteering time, and so I wheeled her there a few moments early. Lois and I were the only ones there, except the chaplain, who came over and told Lois the songs they were to sing. She mentioned the hymn "Holy, Holy, Holy" was one they would sing that day. This was Lois' favorite hymn. She took extreme pleasure in singing it to the Father. At that moment, she started singing the melody to herself and began tearing up. What a searing memory that is in my mind. I had much to learn from this little moment about God and my walk with Him from Lois.
I was exhausted from the week with the kids, and this past weekend did not make catching up any easier. I continued to wrestle with some of the thoughts and questions I was having. This morning, God brought some Scripture to me. My devotional reading this morning was Lamentations 3:19-24. That Scripture says:
"I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my sould is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.'" (TNIV Translation)
I have sinned. I have transgressed. I have also confessed my iniquity to God and I have hope in the forgiveness brought into my life by Jesus Christ. Hebrews tells us that God is faithful, though we are not, because for Him not to be, would be against His character and being.
I praise the LORD that His is always faithful, will never part, though I wrestle in this "body of death." I am thankful that He has called me mine and will never leave or forsake His covenant with me. "How deep the Father's love for us."
Blessings.
I feel I'm stuck in a battle lately, one that I do not understand. I have had so many moments lately where I feel I have forgot I am a Christian. I have forgotten God on many levels and have failed brilliantly at loving Him. I wallow in the mud of my self-pity and dross.
I have felt broken and stolen. I have been rocked and brought so dearly to my knees.
Moments in my life over the past few weeks have changed me though. God has shown up in my eyes and heart, though I was never searching for Him. He has reminded me of Himself.
Last week, I led a mission trip with jr. high youth. It was challenging on many levels. One thing we did throughout the week was called "Yay, God!"s, where the students had an opportunity to share where they had seen God working in the day. When I was drained from lack of sleep and pushed to the limits, I had a "Yay, God!" moment. My group had gone to a nursing home and I worked with this woman named Lois one afternoon. Lois and I shared some ice cream and then she asked to go outside for a little while. I pushed her into this little courtyard and we stopped and looked and smelled roses. Then Lois turned her eyes up to the sky and she said, "Sometimes you just have to look up and let the wind blow around you." She noted that she always loved turning her eyes upward for that was enough to help her through. It was a sweet and tender moment that reminded me to turn to the Lord. Her words were so profound.
After that, Lois and I headed up to the chapel. They had a service right at the end of our volunteering time, and so I wheeled her there a few moments early. Lois and I were the only ones there, except the chaplain, who came over and told Lois the songs they were to sing. She mentioned the hymn "Holy, Holy, Holy" was one they would sing that day. This was Lois' favorite hymn. She took extreme pleasure in singing it to the Father. At that moment, she started singing the melody to herself and began tearing up. What a searing memory that is in my mind. I had much to learn from this little moment about God and my walk with Him from Lois.
I was exhausted from the week with the kids, and this past weekend did not make catching up any easier. I continued to wrestle with some of the thoughts and questions I was having. This morning, God brought some Scripture to me. My devotional reading this morning was Lamentations 3:19-24. That Scripture says:
"I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my sould is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.'" (TNIV Translation)
I have sinned. I have transgressed. I have also confessed my iniquity to God and I have hope in the forgiveness brought into my life by Jesus Christ. Hebrews tells us that God is faithful, though we are not, because for Him not to be, would be against His character and being.
I praise the LORD that His is always faithful, will never part, though I wrestle in this "body of death." I am thankful that He has called me mine and will never leave or forsake His covenant with me. "How deep the Father's love for us."
Blessings.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Dependency on Grace...and MJ
Hey all,
I'm writing this morning from my hotel room in Eagan, MN. I have found it to be nice to have nothing more to do than read and hang out. It is a gorgeous bedroom, in fact my bed is a king-size. It's huge! This is also the first time I, as an adult, have stayed at a hotel by myself and paid for it all. It's exciting for me, albeit only me.
I finished a book called "What's So Amazing About Grace?" by Philip Yancey this morning, and it was very moving. Parts of it I didn't grasp the direction he was going, but it was good. One thing he did write on that really spoke to me was about legalism. Taking in John 7, when Jesus talks about people coming to Him and saying they did all these things for Him, yet He answers "I never knew you" was so grappling. The point Yancey really makes is it is not knowing Jesus, but Jesus knowing you.
How do we do that? I believe it is what grace is all about. It is taking away from our self-dependency and relying on a gift that only Jesus Christ can give us. When we do not try to do all these things for Jesus, but we do things through Him, we depend on Him and allow His power to do all the work. But I do not know the answer. I'm left in a state of doubt. I just have to depend on Jesus and what He has already accomplished for me.
One thing I do know--Romans 8:33-39 says "Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then can condemn? No one. Christ Jese who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' (Psalm 44:22)
No, in all things we are more than conquerors throuhg him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (TNIV translation)
Trusting in Jesus Christ has to be (and is) my hope. His grace needs to be my addiction. But I need help with that dependency. I need to seek that fix. I have to believe that God does hold me. He does know me, I have to be sure. God grant me your strength and your let your grace shine so very radiantly in my soul, for I need that now.
On a side note, I have been a little sad that Michael Jackson passed. (I know the whole world has been talking about this...I'm not traipsing new ground.) I am blown away by the enormous amount of people that have "bevied" to his memorial. And with good reason, he was phenomenal. I'm not even upset that people would rather go to this than to church or to hear about Jesus Christ.
What bothers me, is the message that so many are preaching about him and his family. They are Jehovah's Witnesses. THIS IS NOT CHRISTIAN. The message that will be translated will be a message from this church--and that is not cool with me. I pray that God would speak a different message to the people through it--that the devil will not use his evil schemes to turn people away from God.
I don't know where Michael Jackson stood with God. I know he was raised as JW, but if he turned when he was older, or if he left God completely, I don't know. I would love it if he did, but I don't know.
I pray that Jesus Christ would be glorified through this event, and throughout this day. God's blessings to you all.
Brandon
I'm writing this morning from my hotel room in Eagan, MN. I have found it to be nice to have nothing more to do than read and hang out. It is a gorgeous bedroom, in fact my bed is a king-size. It's huge! This is also the first time I, as an adult, have stayed at a hotel by myself and paid for it all. It's exciting for me, albeit only me.
I finished a book called "What's So Amazing About Grace?" by Philip Yancey this morning, and it was very moving. Parts of it I didn't grasp the direction he was going, but it was good. One thing he did write on that really spoke to me was about legalism. Taking in John 7, when Jesus talks about people coming to Him and saying they did all these things for Him, yet He answers "I never knew you" was so grappling. The point Yancey really makes is it is not knowing Jesus, but Jesus knowing you.
How do we do that? I believe it is what grace is all about. It is taking away from our self-dependency and relying on a gift that only Jesus Christ can give us. When we do not try to do all these things for Jesus, but we do things through Him, we depend on Him and allow His power to do all the work. But I do not know the answer. I'm left in a state of doubt. I just have to depend on Jesus and what He has already accomplished for me.
One thing I do know--Romans 8:33-39 says "Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then can condemn? No one. Christ Jese who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' (Psalm 44:22)
No, in all things we are more than conquerors throuhg him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (TNIV translation)
Trusting in Jesus Christ has to be (and is) my hope. His grace needs to be my addiction. But I need help with that dependency. I need to seek that fix. I have to believe that God does hold me. He does know me, I have to be sure. God grant me your strength and your let your grace shine so very radiantly in my soul, for I need that now.
On a side note, I have been a little sad that Michael Jackson passed. (I know the whole world has been talking about this...I'm not traipsing new ground.) I am blown away by the enormous amount of people that have "bevied" to his memorial. And with good reason, he was phenomenal. I'm not even upset that people would rather go to this than to church or to hear about Jesus Christ.
What bothers me, is the message that so many are preaching about him and his family. They are Jehovah's Witnesses. THIS IS NOT CHRISTIAN. The message that will be translated will be a message from this church--and that is not cool with me. I pray that God would speak a different message to the people through it--that the devil will not use his evil schemes to turn people away from God.
I don't know where Michael Jackson stood with God. I know he was raised as JW, but if he turned when he was older, or if he left God completely, I don't know. I would love it if he did, but I don't know.
I pray that Jesus Christ would be glorified through this event, and throughout this day. God's blessings to you all.
Brandon
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