I have just one quote to share with you today, but it is a very good and profound one. I have been dwelling on it and thinking about the way God works. I hope it blesses y'all. It is from a book I have been reading lately called, "Called to Lead" by John MacArthur. And he writes:
"God is still bypassing the elite. He's leaving the proud intellectuals in universities and seminaries, and He's looking for clay pots who will carry the treasure of saving truth with humility. By using frail and common people, God makes it clear that the power is His, not ours. The fact that God can make spiritual leaders out of such unsightly clay jars is proof of the greatness of His power. Spiritual power is not the product of human genius or human technique. The power is from God.
"And the wonderful thing is that our weakness doesn't prove fatal to the cause of truth...knowing our weakness isn't a disadvantage; it is essential to what we do as leaders." (pg. 114 - 115)
I don't know about you, but that is powerful to me! It signifies to me how it is not about us. It is completely about God and His glory. We can just get in the way - but His power is beyond us!
We are clay pots, and yet there is a beautiful treasure hidden in us if we belong to Jesus Christ. It is our job to let that shine through, even in our frail bodies.
God does crazy things! His power is made perfect in our weaknesses and He uses you and me to be His vessels to carry His message and to shine His light in dark places. He involves us, not by our own volition, but because He wants to. He wants us and we can play a role in the greatest thing in this universe.
I hope you're blessed today and I pray that blessing over you!
Love you all more than you know!
To Him Be The Glory!
Brandon
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
response
Good morning!
Just have a little bit to share today, but I'm excited!
The past few weeks I have been reading through the Gospel of John and this morning I read through John 13. In this chapter Jesus and the disciples get ready for the Passover meal - also know as the Last Supper. John depicts this night very clearly and expands it to many chapters of Jesus' final teachings and exhortations. It is a very profound and great reading. There is so much to learn!
As I stated earlier, I read through John 13 this morning, and the famous footwashing ceremony occurs here. There is such beauty in reading and recreating the scene in my mind. I love thinking about how the Savior gets on His knees to bless His disciples. It completely challenges me and how I respond to people.
As I read the verses I was struck by what Jesus did. Jesus knew how this would all go down, and He also knew how He was going to be betrayed. He knew what Judas was going to do the whole time. He knew that the Cross was coming soon and He willingly stepped forward to take on my sins. I look at this moment when Jesus cleanses His followers feet and I think of the moment He washed Judas' feet. I look inward and think of how I would wash his feet. Would I scrub hard with much force? Would I gracefully touch them with a veneer of cynicism?
I don't know how I would respond. But I don't think I would respond the way Jesus did. He touched the feet lovingly. He washed them just as He would wash anyone else and He cared for Judas. Judas was one of His closest friends - He had deep care for who this man was, and yet, He knew the failings of this man. Sometimes, I think we think Jesus never trusted Judas and that He looked down upon this one that Satan chose to use for his evil plan. I was shown this morning that this was not the case. Judas was a friend of Jesus. And he betrayed Him.
I don't think we're much different sometimes.
I think we are friends with Christ, and we still betray Him. I say this because I do it. I don't think I'm the only one.
Where are you at? Do you respond to those you know could betray you with the same love Jesus did to Judas? Do you respond to your enemies with that kind of care?
Honest confession reveals the place our heart is at and how God can transform us. I want Him to transform me. I am not always responding to His call of love, grace, and forgiveness the way I should. I fail. And I want God to change this. My human condition is broken and ONLY repaired by the grace of God.
And His grace is calling to me. It is desiring me. God wants me. He is for me. He wants me to love Him and His children the same way and sacrificially. I love that thought of being desired by the Most Holy God. And I want to respond His way.
God, you call me out of my defeat, out of my ugliness, out of my despair. You call me and you love me. Lord, I don't respond as I should to my friends, my enemies, or to you. I want a new way of thinking and I want to respond the way you desire. God make me new once again. Forgive me as I confess and repent, as I turn to you, to walk as the man you call me to be. I want your integrity, to walk in your boldness, and to surround my heart only in your goodness. You are ever faithful and you love me. You are for me and I praise your Holy Name. I love you Jesus. Amen.
Just have a little bit to share today, but I'm excited!
The past few weeks I have been reading through the Gospel of John and this morning I read through John 13. In this chapter Jesus and the disciples get ready for the Passover meal - also know as the Last Supper. John depicts this night very clearly and expands it to many chapters of Jesus' final teachings and exhortations. It is a very profound and great reading. There is so much to learn!
As I stated earlier, I read through John 13 this morning, and the famous footwashing ceremony occurs here. There is such beauty in reading and recreating the scene in my mind. I love thinking about how the Savior gets on His knees to bless His disciples. It completely challenges me and how I respond to people.
As I read the verses I was struck by what Jesus did. Jesus knew how this would all go down, and He also knew how He was going to be betrayed. He knew what Judas was going to do the whole time. He knew that the Cross was coming soon and He willingly stepped forward to take on my sins. I look at this moment when Jesus cleanses His followers feet and I think of the moment He washed Judas' feet. I look inward and think of how I would wash his feet. Would I scrub hard with much force? Would I gracefully touch them with a veneer of cynicism?
I don't know how I would respond. But I don't think I would respond the way Jesus did. He touched the feet lovingly. He washed them just as He would wash anyone else and He cared for Judas. Judas was one of His closest friends - He had deep care for who this man was, and yet, He knew the failings of this man. Sometimes, I think we think Jesus never trusted Judas and that He looked down upon this one that Satan chose to use for his evil plan. I was shown this morning that this was not the case. Judas was a friend of Jesus. And he betrayed Him.
I don't think we're much different sometimes.
I think we are friends with Christ, and we still betray Him. I say this because I do it. I don't think I'm the only one.
Where are you at? Do you respond to those you know could betray you with the same love Jesus did to Judas? Do you respond to your enemies with that kind of care?
Honest confession reveals the place our heart is at and how God can transform us. I want Him to transform me. I am not always responding to His call of love, grace, and forgiveness the way I should. I fail. And I want God to change this. My human condition is broken and ONLY repaired by the grace of God.
And His grace is calling to me. It is desiring me. God wants me. He is for me. He wants me to love Him and His children the same way and sacrificially. I love that thought of being desired by the Most Holy God. And I want to respond His way.
God, you call me out of my defeat, out of my ugliness, out of my despair. You call me and you love me. Lord, I don't respond as I should to my friends, my enemies, or to you. I want a new way of thinking and I want to respond the way you desire. God make me new once again. Forgive me as I confess and repent, as I turn to you, to walk as the man you call me to be. I want your integrity, to walk in your boldness, and to surround my heart only in your goodness. You are ever faithful and you love me. You are for me and I praise your Holy Name. I love you Jesus. Amen.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
The goodness of God
Today, I was planning on blogging, and I was going to take a look at and share what I have learned as I have meditated on a verse. Right before I decided to blog, I thought I would preview a curriculum DVD I recently purchased and then go after this writing. As I watched the DVD I was blown away and want to talk about something I learned instead.
So, let's jump right into it! The DVD I watched was on stewardship, and the lesson I watched was based on Matthew 25:14 - 30, also known more commonly as the Parable of the Talents. This parable is one on work and working for God.
In the passage, we learn about 3 workers who are given a sum of money by a nobleman, or their master, who was leaving for a period of time. The nobleman ordered the servants to invest the money for him as however they saw fit, but to do something. Two of the servants were faithful in investing their money. The nobleman, after discovering what they had done with the talents told these two men to "enter into the joy of your master." (verses 21 & 23) The third worker, however, did not do anything with what he was given.
The response the third worker gives goes like this, "Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours." (verses 24 - 25)
As I was watching the DVD, they pointed out the obvious things in the parable, such as God is the nobleman, or master, and we are the workers. They also pointed out that God equips us all with certain attributes and things to control. We are to work for God and bring Him glory - things most people hit on when they hear this passage preached. But they made one astute observation, and it dealt with how the third worker responded to the master. When the servant answered the master, the DVD stated that this worker did not trust in the goodness of God and therefore, was complacent with what God gave him. WOAH!
Think about that - this man did not trust in the goodness of God. The whole of the Gospel revolves around the belief that we think of God as good and working for our good. The Bible is full of this truth, and for many, this is not what they believe. And many of these people are ones who claim Christ as their Savior.
The Bible calls ALL Christians to action - not complacency. God calls us to be good stewards, which means we must work. And in our work we need to rely on God's goodness.
I thought more on this, and looked around at many people I see in church who see it as a piece of their life, and not interconnected. Are people missing that God is good? I think this might be a bigger problem than I completely realize and I think there might be an immense amount of truth to this thought.
Even in my own life, I look at the things I struggle with. Am I seeing that God is working this for good in my life? Do I believe God to be good and that when I work for Him that I will be blessed because of my investment? Do I trust in His goodness?
We who do trust in God's goodness can spout it out for as long as we have breath, but God's goodness cannot be captured in our words; it must be experienced. We must challenge our congregants to seek out God's goodness in their lives. We also must be calling on God to display His goodness to them, and partly, through our lives.
I also think about my life right now. I will use this as an example, even though I think I might have beaten it a little bit to an extreme. Still...I currently am in a relationship and it is fantastic! And this is SO exciting for me! I was single for many years and I always wondered when it would happen. I trusted God to do what He wanted to do, and now I am getting to experience something better than I could have ever imagined.
The same is true with a friend of mine. She has been single for a little while and has been waiting to find someone, and now someone is entering into her life and it is very exciting! She has trusted God to do what He wants and she is getting to experience something wonderful too! We are blessed!
I know those words can be hard to hear - especially if you have wanted a relationship for a long time. God does work for good for those who trust Him and wait on Him. And He wants us to be faithful.
This parable also ties into our faith. It's all about our faith. And our faith is tied to our work. Our faith is about a man named Jesus, who was completely God, and He entered into humanity to show us the Father's heart. Our faith rests on Him dying on a cross for our sins and rising to life again to give us new life. Our faith completely lies on what He accomplished. And that new life is what we get to have now!
Turn to God now, and if you haven't trusted in His goodness for your life, ask Him to show you it. Ask Him to reveal to you who He really is and all that He is about in a profound way. I bet He will answer in a more amazing way than you could believe! Trust in Him, I speak with my life that He will never turn on you.
God you've been so good to us. I pray that you would use these words to show others how wonderful you are! God would you work in a profound way to show all your children that you are good? Remove their fears that tell them differently. God be so evident. You are good to me Lord and you have shown me your goodness. Thank you Father. I know that you are for me! =D Lead me in the way everlasting. I love you Lord. In the precious name of Jesus. Amen.
Brandon
So, let's jump right into it! The DVD I watched was on stewardship, and the lesson I watched was based on Matthew 25:14 - 30, also known more commonly as the Parable of the Talents. This parable is one on work and working for God.
In the passage, we learn about 3 workers who are given a sum of money by a nobleman, or their master, who was leaving for a period of time. The nobleman ordered the servants to invest the money for him as however they saw fit, but to do something. Two of the servants were faithful in investing their money. The nobleman, after discovering what they had done with the talents told these two men to "enter into the joy of your master." (verses 21 & 23) The third worker, however, did not do anything with what he was given.
The response the third worker gives goes like this, "Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours." (verses 24 - 25)
As I was watching the DVD, they pointed out the obvious things in the parable, such as God is the nobleman, or master, and we are the workers. They also pointed out that God equips us all with certain attributes and things to control. We are to work for God and bring Him glory - things most people hit on when they hear this passage preached. But they made one astute observation, and it dealt with how the third worker responded to the master. When the servant answered the master, the DVD stated that this worker did not trust in the goodness of God and therefore, was complacent with what God gave him. WOAH!
Think about that - this man did not trust in the goodness of God. The whole of the Gospel revolves around the belief that we think of God as good and working for our good. The Bible is full of this truth, and for many, this is not what they believe. And many of these people are ones who claim Christ as their Savior.
The Bible calls ALL Christians to action - not complacency. God calls us to be good stewards, which means we must work. And in our work we need to rely on God's goodness.
I thought more on this, and looked around at many people I see in church who see it as a piece of their life, and not interconnected. Are people missing that God is good? I think this might be a bigger problem than I completely realize and I think there might be an immense amount of truth to this thought.
Even in my own life, I look at the things I struggle with. Am I seeing that God is working this for good in my life? Do I believe God to be good and that when I work for Him that I will be blessed because of my investment? Do I trust in His goodness?
We who do trust in God's goodness can spout it out for as long as we have breath, but God's goodness cannot be captured in our words; it must be experienced. We must challenge our congregants to seek out God's goodness in their lives. We also must be calling on God to display His goodness to them, and partly, through our lives.
I also think about my life right now. I will use this as an example, even though I think I might have beaten it a little bit to an extreme. Still...I currently am in a relationship and it is fantastic! And this is SO exciting for me! I was single for many years and I always wondered when it would happen. I trusted God to do what He wanted to do, and now I am getting to experience something better than I could have ever imagined.
The same is true with a friend of mine. She has been single for a little while and has been waiting to find someone, and now someone is entering into her life and it is very exciting! She has trusted God to do what He wants and she is getting to experience something wonderful too! We are blessed!
I know those words can be hard to hear - especially if you have wanted a relationship for a long time. God does work for good for those who trust Him and wait on Him. And He wants us to be faithful.
This parable also ties into our faith. It's all about our faith. And our faith is tied to our work. Our faith is about a man named Jesus, who was completely God, and He entered into humanity to show us the Father's heart. Our faith rests on Him dying on a cross for our sins and rising to life again to give us new life. Our faith completely lies on what He accomplished. And that new life is what we get to have now!
Turn to God now, and if you haven't trusted in His goodness for your life, ask Him to show you it. Ask Him to reveal to you who He really is and all that He is about in a profound way. I bet He will answer in a more amazing way than you could believe! Trust in Him, I speak with my life that He will never turn on you.
God you've been so good to us. I pray that you would use these words to show others how wonderful you are! God would you work in a profound way to show all your children that you are good? Remove their fears that tell them differently. God be so evident. You are good to me Lord and you have shown me your goodness. Thank you Father. I know that you are for me! =D Lead me in the way everlasting. I love you Lord. In the precious name of Jesus. Amen.
Brandon
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