Iron sharpens iron is what the good book says... but we seem to either avoid the delicate (and maybe uncomfortable) process of being sharpened and remain dull or we feel so sharp already that we want to cut our opposing "iron" into two defeated pieces.
I have encountered numerous occassions in which politics and theological viewpoints become a topic that are met with the phrase, "thems are fighten words." It can be a most difficult thing to allow someone elses view of the truth affect your own because we are easily arrogant enough to think that we have it all figured out. And so, instead of going through the uncomfortable process of sharpening eachothers knowledge and understanding of the truth, we tip-toe around these topics and doctrines that need to be exposed to the light.
So (speaking to me also) let's get over ourselves please and learn to disagree well, let's see that we don't know anything, and let's learn how to find truth together with the Spirit.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
rib cage... or cage of ribs?
man... it's been difficult for me to come on here and share what's inside of me. I am so closed off from everything in such a weird way. It seems that I have no control over how I am able to express myself most of the time, as if all my desires and emotions, all the things that I know would be the right way to go about acting or reacting are locked up inside of me behind a cage of ribs and flesh like stone. I can sometimes hear the faint cry of the Spirit trying to help me free them, to turn these stones into flesh again so that these spiritual things can seep back through my pores and penetrate my life... but a louder voice easily disarms the work of the former and my mouth stays sealed up and my pores remain a prison.
When I was in Guatemala I was so easily moved by the Spirit and all of this became more accesible in a way. Not for any reason that has been changed by geography, but by the condition of my heart at all times. It's a good thing to come to our senses again to regain focus on what's important and become a soft vessel for God to work with... but when it comes and goes just as easily, our ground isn't solid is it? When I was in Panimaquin my purpose was clear and my heart and mind were focused on that purpose (not to say that I succeeded valiantly), to please God. I made myself availiable and did not have many distractions... that loud voice faded away on that mountain. Again, geography; not the issue. When we are focused soley on pleasing God, the sense of the Spirit becomes hightened and in that way we resist the devil. Resisting the devil isn't a battle that we have to fight one on one because trust me, if we try to fight him off in order to focus on the heart of God, he will take us down. Our first task in resisting the "enemy" is placing our focus on our heavenly Father and turning our back to the devil... and though we seem defenseless in this position we must understand that Jesus is our defense. Picture a line drawn on the ground (probably drawn by Jesus... in sidewalk chalk... He likes to do that sometimes) and the devil is trying to come attack us... but he can't cross the line. He will shout curses and lies and try to build up our flesh to distract us so that we stop focusing of God and cross over to his side for a little fight, and when we do this, when we cross over into his territory to give him a bloody nose and our focus isn't on God anymore we begin to fall prey to his temptations. We only need to stay on our side of the line and turn our attention to God and when we do this, the enemy's voice is silenced.
May we make it our aim to always please God in everything we do... even if we begin to look a little crazy, because "if we are beside ourselves it's for His sake." I want to release the Spirit in my life to lead me out of my own captivity and into the freedom of the spiritual life we have been given by God. I am tired of shrinking back in the crucial moments that arise at unexpected times and leave me in despair. I am tired of hurting the closest friend I have just because she's so near to the real me. I am tired of seeing hopelessness and opportunities for God's light to shine but turning away because of more "important" things. I want to be undevided in my pursuit of pleasing my Father, so His Spirit can set me apart from my own ways and not one of these stones will be left standing.
When I was in Guatemala I was so easily moved by the Spirit and all of this became more accesible in a way. Not for any reason that has been changed by geography, but by the condition of my heart at all times. It's a good thing to come to our senses again to regain focus on what's important and become a soft vessel for God to work with... but when it comes and goes just as easily, our ground isn't solid is it? When I was in Panimaquin my purpose was clear and my heart and mind were focused on that purpose (not to say that I succeeded valiantly), to please God. I made myself availiable and did not have many distractions... that loud voice faded away on that mountain. Again, geography; not the issue. When we are focused soley on pleasing God, the sense of the Spirit becomes hightened and in that way we resist the devil. Resisting the devil isn't a battle that we have to fight one on one because trust me, if we try to fight him off in order to focus on the heart of God, he will take us down. Our first task in resisting the "enemy" is placing our focus on our heavenly Father and turning our back to the devil... and though we seem defenseless in this position we must understand that Jesus is our defense. Picture a line drawn on the ground (probably drawn by Jesus... in sidewalk chalk... He likes to do that sometimes) and the devil is trying to come attack us... but he can't cross the line. He will shout curses and lies and try to build up our flesh to distract us so that we stop focusing of God and cross over to his side for a little fight, and when we do this, when we cross over into his territory to give him a bloody nose and our focus isn't on God anymore we begin to fall prey to his temptations. We only need to stay on our side of the line and turn our attention to God and when we do this, the enemy's voice is silenced.
May we make it our aim to always please God in everything we do... even if we begin to look a little crazy, because "if we are beside ourselves it's for His sake." I want to release the Spirit in my life to lead me out of my own captivity and into the freedom of the spiritual life we have been given by God. I am tired of shrinking back in the crucial moments that arise at unexpected times and leave me in despair. I am tired of hurting the closest friend I have just because she's so near to the real me. I am tired of seeing hopelessness and opportunities for God's light to shine but turning away because of more "important" things. I want to be undevided in my pursuit of pleasing my Father, so His Spirit can set me apart from my own ways and not one of these stones will be left standing.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
After We Die... ?
Some people ask, "What is this life all about, so full of strife."
Some people say they hope real life truly begins after we die... after we die
Some people look into the mirror at night, they see their pain and start to cry
Some people look through tears and cry for the pain we daily fight
Oh this life, Oh this life has begun
Oh there's life, All this life in Jesus
Some people walk down the road aimlessly, nowhere to go
Some people walk through this life looking for hope in after we die... after we die
Some people join hand in hand and side by side finally stand
Some people give the life they hold and find anew this love we've been told
There is no life apart from Christ
Living is dying to your sin and to your flesh
Love is the ultimate weapon to slay ourselves
So God give us compassion that peirces our hearts and inside we'll find...
Oh this life, Oh this life has begun
Oh there's life, All this life in Jesus
new song... may change slightly. Pretty self explanitory I think. This world is full of hopeless people who are trying to find the answer... trying to find "the way". Not only am I speaking of those who are not walking in salvation but also those who think that their salvation is only a means to an end and in the next life we will truly live. Jesus came to give us life and life more abundant... what is that life? Do we think that it is a life of riches or even a life of never going hungry because of the Lord's provision? Do we think it's a life of being set higher than those who don't believe and detesting their sinful lives? Do we think that it's a life of being comfortable or being blessed with our dream job that helps us feel fulfilled? Is it a life that is centered on our own needs or our own good? If this is the abundant life, than I feel that the Apostle Paul may have missed out on all of this abundance. Jesus came to give us a new abundant and eternal life that starts now... this day, and it's not about us. This new life is one of love and the good of others. It's laying down our lives for others and finding Christ's life in its place... and it begins now!
Some people say they hope real life truly begins after we die... after we die
Some people look into the mirror at night, they see their pain and start to cry
Some people look through tears and cry for the pain we daily fight
Oh this life, Oh this life has begun
Oh there's life, All this life in Jesus
Some people walk down the road aimlessly, nowhere to go
Some people walk through this life looking for hope in after we die... after we die
Some people join hand in hand and side by side finally stand
Some people give the life they hold and find anew this love we've been told
There is no life apart from Christ
Living is dying to your sin and to your flesh
Love is the ultimate weapon to slay ourselves
So God give us compassion that peirces our hearts and inside we'll find...
Oh this life, Oh this life has begun
Oh there's life, All this life in Jesus
new song... may change slightly. Pretty self explanitory I think. This world is full of hopeless people who are trying to find the answer... trying to find "the way". Not only am I speaking of those who are not walking in salvation but also those who think that their salvation is only a means to an end and in the next life we will truly live. Jesus came to give us life and life more abundant... what is that life? Do we think that it is a life of riches or even a life of never going hungry because of the Lord's provision? Do we think it's a life of being set higher than those who don't believe and detesting their sinful lives? Do we think that it's a life of being comfortable or being blessed with our dream job that helps us feel fulfilled? Is it a life that is centered on our own needs or our own good? If this is the abundant life, than I feel that the Apostle Paul may have missed out on all of this abundance. Jesus came to give us a new abundant and eternal life that starts now... this day, and it's not about us. This new life is one of love and the good of others. It's laying down our lives for others and finding Christ's life in its place... and it begins now!
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