We've All Witnessed It

Drama.
Back-stabbing.
Revenge.
Hate.
Jealousy.
Hypocrisy.

They all break up friendships. You've seen it happen. I don't need to explain scenarios to you for you to understand what I mean, because, well, it's everywhere. Especially in high school. One minute someone who you thought was your friend suddenly is the person you're spreading rumors about.

But I feel for that person who is rejected. Whether she stole a boyfriend or loss her virginity, the problem runs deeper than most care to notice. Everyone points their fingers with condemnation while shaming her with their eyes. She feel like she wears a scarlet letter.

In the book of Lamentations Judah is personified as a woman. This really caught my attention and for the first chapter all I could think about was how alike high school this was. Everyone stares and laughs at the girl...and they don't see their own hypocrisy: "With no one to help her, the adversaries saw her and mocked at her downfall" (vs.7). Lamentations 1:2 says, "She weeps bitterly in the night...she has none to comfort her. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her.They have become her enemies." She is lonely and the saddest part is...she has no choice. No one cares to be seen with her. Everyone is afraid to.

Judah hadn't realized how great her consequences would be, or how desolate she would become (vs. 9). She almost seems shocked at the revelation, and the realization of how disobedient she truly was starts to sink in. This hard lesson has put the fear of God in her.

She continues by saying, "Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Is there any sorrow like my sorrow?" (vs. 12). She's asking for compassion, or for even a small ounce of understanding. But no one wants to. Because to do that, they'd have to admit that they understand her nature to sin. They'd have to admit they were no better than her.

Many times throughout this chapter she exclaims, "I have no comforter." In verse 16 she weeps for her lonliness and how conscious she is of how distant her comforter (God) is from her. In verse 18 she expands upon how rebellious she has been to her righteous and just God, and how undeserving she is of His mercy. The price for disobedience has never been so harsh...and costly.

By verse 20 she is crying out in distress to God - she can't deal with the overwhelming pain, shame, and guilt she suffers. In 21 the people is still rejoicing in her pain, and she reports it to God. She sees their hypocrisy and how unjust it is.

But the last verse, 22, is a warning and even a prophesy, if you will, about those of us who have scorned someone like her. We will have repercussions, my friends: "Let all their wickedness come before You, and do to them as You have done to me for all my transgressions..." Your sins are no better than anyone else's. We all lie and deceive ourselves in this because we are too prideful and self-righteous. Be on your guard, my friends. Confess your sins to God, so on judgement day, your mind doesn't reel back to this blog and the book of Lamentations. Take this warning and heed it wisely.

How Do They Do It???

How do they do it? I've often asked myself this question, huffing a little in frustration as I wondered how some people can do it. How can some people be overflowing with love constantly?

 I consider myself a loving person who cares a lot about people and being there for  them. For those that know me, I want to be everyone's friend. And sometimes, when I'm feeling super Jesus-like, I want to be his or her best friend. I love encouraging people, spending time and buying gifts as a gesture of love. I could barely know you and say, "Wanna go do something?"  Of course, I'm generally an introvert who is shy at first, but once I open up there is no stopping me. So you  better be ready!

But then there are those days....You know those days; those days you just want to avoid other human beings and watch Netflix. Or just sleep. Oh, and if you're feeling really anti-social, cuddle up with your cat and eat  ice cream. Whatever way is your style, you're not feeling very selfless and Jesus-like. I'm not saying that it's bad to have some serious alone  time now and then and rewind - no. I'm saying there needs to be a balance.  Otherwise the attitude becomes habitual, and suddenly, we're all we focus on.

That is dangerous; the idea that we don't have time for others, we just want to relax. I mean yeah we all have busy days, but don't let it turn into an excuse. That's when things get ugly. Trust me, I know. I ruined a relationship with someone because of this. But the world does not revolve around you.

So, with that said, maybe you've felt that attitude and self-focus creeping in, and you're wondering, how do some people do it??? Well, let me answer that.

Those who never tire of giving themselves and loving in every way possible have a secret weapon: the Bible. If you're thinking that you thought it was going to be way more exciting, let me elaborate. People who never tire of being selfless and giving love get into God's word daily. They let God speak to their hearts and in response God sows seeds inside of them that grow and prosper. They pray for God's words to penetrate their heart so they can produce a full harvest of righteousness. The seeds inside of them comes to life through obedience.

Their focus is not on themselves. It's on God. And you know why they're so happy? Because God's word gives them the energy - spiritual energy. It's a great, beautiful thing. It doesn't feel like work to compliment someone or just say hi and smile in the hallway. It's not weird to talk to the kid no one talks to in class. It all becomes second nature. Does your heart desire at this moment to be like that? If it does, God is speaking to your heart; right now, right this minute.

So, how do you become the person everyone wants to be friends with? That never tires of impacting someone's life in small ways? That's always loving and just a beautiful person inside and out?
1.) Get into God's word daily. Seek  Him; I promise He'll respond.
2.) Believe you can make a difference. Guess what- it's your calling. As a Christian, God calls us to love one another. You were made to make a difference.

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." - John 15:12
"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."1 Corinthians 13:13

Permeating Love

She stood there, wishing she could meet Him. He had something about Him that was enticing, like He could answer all her life questions. And she wanted those answers. But she’d never get them. He was like any other religious man, well known and busy with their holy work. No time for individuals. Just crowds.

Except, He was different. She couldn’t pin Him , like He didn’t come from here. He was natural. yet alien-ish. Religious, yet had reached out to the least of  these. She was no fool. She might be a woman,  but even she knew you didn’t associate with the lepers outside the city. She had followed Him. With her own eyes had she witnessed Him heal an elderly woman that was at death’s door moments before. Of course she didn’t share this with anyone. Not even her betrothed. What would they think? She had deliberately left her duties. It was a shortcut, she told herself. There was no harm done. Yet she had been alone  and her family would of accused her of being too interested in his works. The word, “Follower” would have easily been on the tips of their tongues.  She couldn’t be afforded to be cast out. She struggled to know more, but what was it worth, if He didn’t even know she existed?

She gazed at Him  once more.
Her trance gone at the shouting of people’s cries. “Kill Him! Kill Him!” Her eyes riveted to the fists slicing the air. There were thousands. The sun’s heat beat down hard, and she could only imagine it was punishment for the hate of this man. It didn’t make much sense to her, but it felt right. She wiped sweat from her brow. What did this one man mean to these people? He was harmless. Had they not already proved that? Or was there more, indeed, to fear?

She looked down at her dusty feet and sandals. Maybe it was her own bitterness toward these people that caused her such strife. Maybe the despisement of a people she had grown up with, lived with. A culture where rules were strict and freedom constrained. Where love felt more like religion than a Savior.  Wasn’t that what this man, Jesus, was? He claimed to be a Savior. She had gazed for hours into his eyes when he preached. His voice soft and resonant. All she saw was love. She traced it every time to her heart, for that was where his eyes seemed to pierce her. Like He knew her. Like He loved her. In that split second, she could swear without a doubt that it was a love she never knew. As if she had never known what love was before.  He penetrated her soul, and that was why she stood there,  hard,  rigid, defying secretly every human around her. She would not admit to them that she rather follow someone unknown, but who infused in her an alive spirit.

She impulsively stepped forward. Nudging her way through the crowd, uncaring  about the judgeful eyes and jabbing blather.  She stumbled to the front of the chaotic uproar.
The moment slowed down.
In hands she imagined nails coming down to thrust into his flesh.
Jesus stumbled with the cross.
“No!” Her voice echoed in her heart.
The guard’s sword sliced down on her side.
His eyes went wide. The mistake evident.
Jesus reached for her body.
He pierced her eyes. Permeated her soul.
“Love...you’re what I’ve searched for.”   she let out.
A tear burned down his face.
“Yes,  I who love you.”
Her dazed eyes noted the cross. She touched his bloodied face.
“You will die.”
“Let there be no doubt in my love.”
She wilted in his arms. Eyes glazing over. 
“You’re the love I’ve searched to save.” (<Jesus said)

The Purpose of Prayer

The primary purpose of prayer is not to change circumstances; 

the primary purpose of prayer is to change us!

 But either way, the chief objective remains the same:

 to glorify God in any and every situation. — Mark Batterson

So many times, we lose our focus when we are praying. We are fixated on getting out of them, wanting God to take our problems away so we can be relieved. If we are honest with ourselves, our prayers tend to gradually lean more to our own form of comfort...don't they? We start praying "praying away" prayers, asking God to get us out of difficult, painful, and challenging situations. We tell Him, "I didn't ask for this!" And He says, I know. And we sit in our chair, contemplating, "But why, God, why?" Sound familiar? You're not alone. God tends to show us his answer where we would not think to look; right at the problem itself. We tell ourselves there is another way.

Lean back and mull this over:            We are so set on getting out, we forget to grow through them.

                                    Our thoughts so anxious, we fail to get anything out them. 

We are so fixated on God changing our circumstances that we never permit God to change us. 

Sometimes the purpose of prayer is to get us out of circumstances, prayers of deliverance, but most of the time it is to get us through them. We need to stop asking God to solve our problems, and ask Him to help us stand firm in them, stay sustained, and have the willpower to continue in integrity. When has God ever told us to take the easy route? It never deepens our relationship with Him, never increase our faith, our trust, and definitely never shapes us into the person we were created to be. 

We want to pray away every problem, but short-sighted prayers will truncate God's perfect plan. 

In John 9 there was a man that was born blind. The people assumed it had something to do with him or his parents sinning, or maybe just a lack of faith. But Jesus corrected them saying, "This happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” Never doubt that God has a plan. We must remember, that through everything, in every good and bad situation, that it is all for God's glory. When we change our focus to God's Glory and perspective to how our prayers will change us, the purpose of prayer will be fulfilled. 

Perfect Love Casts Out All Fear

There is no fear in love. 

But perfect love drives out fear, 

because fear has to do with punishment. 

The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

1 John 4:18

God is Love.

And that's the great thing. 

It's so promising and hopeful. Yet, we can't seem to fully understand it and let it sink into our heart. We have all these questions. For example, How do we avoid fear? How do we trust God in the middle of fear? How do we overcome fear? It's impossible, we say. 

But the truth is, we aren't really searching how to counteract fear. And yes it is a serious weakness, mentally and spiritually. We try to look for ways to avoid fear and all the things that trigger it in our life. 

But we are missing a very valuable point:  We may not know God as well as we thought. 

When we truly know God and have a deep relationship with Him, his love makes us whole. We don't have room for weaknesses that might of been stumbling blocks before.  Suddenly his love consumes us and we feel like we are on top of the world. Like we're empowered. Undefeatable. A winner.  

We're trying to counteract something without the antidote. 

It's hard to explain what it's like to feel the true love of God when it consumes you, if you haven't experienced it before. You don't know that moment of dawning realization that comes and you just sit in awe for a moment, lingering. But let me tell you, when it hits you, it hits hard. And every time you think of it, it's as if hearing it for the first time. 

God's love impacts.

We are made to be loved. To have an undeniably strong response to it. So how do we understand let alone deal with fear? We must first go on an adventure of digging deeper into who our creator is. It's not about the questions in discovering to rid yourself of that awful feeling that comes over us and chills run up our spine. It's about trusting  God's Word as it reveals to us his perfect Love. (Which, is Him) So Love, is the antidote. Until you know that the problem is not overcoming fear by yourself, or overcoming it at all, you will never find the antidote. 

Once you get to know God, he takes you on the journey of your life. It's deep, adventurous, intimate, and perfect. You will crave it. Desire it like nothing you ever have before. And it lasts, that's the great news. It never gets old. Fear may not just disappear. It may take a while to get used to the idea that saturating yourself with God's perfect love cleanses you of anything weak the devil could use against you. 

But here's the next biggest thing: We must learn to trust God's Love. 

And that only happens when we spend time in his Word getting to know him, and learning to love him back. We have to believe that our creator will never let us down or forsake us. Only then can we fall into his overflowing Love that casts out all fear. Not trusting is fear itself. So what do you have to lose? Do you believe in a God who keeps his promises?

So is Love calling you?

Living out Worship

Gentle music in the back ground, quiet prayer, still mind, a long row of hard wooden pews filled with whispering voices,

To the contrast of music lifting your soul into a joyful song, hands raised to heaven, words roll off your tongue as if they are seeping straight from your heart.

One of these might be the first thing that pops into your head when you think of worship. These kinds of worship aren’t wrong there just a different preference of how you worship God. But worship isn’t just an action you do or a feeling you have every Sunday morning when you prepare to listen to the preacher. Worship isn’t just a verb you do every Sunday morning but a way of life.

     Here I give you seven ways of living out worship.

·        Give your life over to him.

“Those who try to keep their lives will lose them and those who give up their life will keep it.”

Luke 17:33

This is the first step to worship. If you don’t give him your life what makes you think you can truly worship Him? He must have your whole life or the “worshiping” you do doesn’t mean a thing. To truly worship Him means to worship with your whole heart, soul, mind and strength.

·        Be Unselfish and Humble.

       “In your life you must think and act like Christ Jesus. Christ himself was like God in everything.

But he did not think that being equal with God was something to be used for his own benefit. But he gave up his place with God and made himself nothing.”

     Philippians 2:5-7

Humble in all your ways even in worship with others around. Don’t be haughty in your countenance always thinking better of yourself than of others. True humbleness of heart will get you farther than selfish pride. Don’t read this and think, “Oh, humbleness of heart” and act humble but think prideful. God sees the heart as man sees the body.  To live true to form you must humble yourself in the sight of God, leaving your old life to follow the ways of Him.

·        Serve like Jesus did.

“’Whoever wants to become first among you must serve the rest of you like a slave. In the same way, the Son of Man did not come to be served. He came to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many people.”

        Mathew 20:27-28

A servant is the least of a house, the worst position. What could be worse than a slave? Maybe a garbage man, actually I think I’d rather be a garbage man. But even though it is the worst of the worst, God still tells us to humble ourselves enough to become one, to serve like he did and does. Just like Jesus washed the dirty dusty feet of the disciples, we are to “wash the feet” of our fellow brethren. We are to do the dirty work and not complain, to work as hard as possible even for the littlest payment. In fact we are to work even if we ourselves aren’t the one getting the benefit. This, in truth, is worshipping and honoring God by serving others for His name sake. When we have a good attitude we are giving him the glory but when we have a bad attitude people begin to wonder if we even care. Giving God a good testimony is worshipping his name. Letting people realize your love for him is not just at the surface but has deep roots in your heart.

·        Love as He loves

   “’This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you.

The greatest love a person can show is to die for his friend. “

     John 15:12-13

To love those who hurt you, to love those who have persecuted you. Love is a great word not meant to be tarnished like the world has done to it. In the worlds eyes love is all that gushy love that happens between a boy and a girl. Not true, the love that the world has depicted is a love that gives once and fades like the days. But the love that God has depicted is more than just a onetime thing. It’s a self-sacrificing love, life devoting love. It never ends and never has limits. This is the kind of love God wants you to show others, even your enemies.

·        Be a living sacrifice

“Since God has shown us great mercy, I beg you to offer your lives as a living sacrifice to him. Your offering must be only for God and pleasing to him, which is the spiritual way for you to worship.”

     Romans 12:1

Sacrifice, doesn’t mean to go put your life out on the line waiting for death. That’s not the only kind of sacrifice God has depicted here. Yes, if the time comes that God has chosen you to place your life in the hands of death, than do it without complaint praising and worshipping God the whole way. But there’s another kind of sacrifice, a living sacrifice. Sacrificing your favorite things what you watch, read, listen to, do, and even friends you have. These may seem “little”, but in the long run those things would have feed the “bad dog” in you, but since you sacrificed those things to do better things, worth honor and glory, you feed the “good dog” in you. It’s the one you feed the most that will survive. What you feed your brain is what your personality becomes. The real question is, is your personality a bad or good testimony? You can’t truly worship if your heart isn’t fully God’s.

·        Carry a Cross, Just like Jesus.

“’Whoever is not willing to carry his cross and follow me cannot be my follower.”

            Luke 14:27

Carry the cross does not mean we literally have to carry a wooden cross everywhere. It just means we have to carry our spiritual cross. The burdens and suffering, they’re all in the package no matter what, but because of Jesus we don’t have to carry it alone. He will always be by our side to help us when we are weak and at our end. In truth that’s when we feel him the most. At the end of our road and the cross is bearing down as if to crush us if we just take one misstep, that’s when Jesus is the closest to us because he is the only one who knows what it’s like, but He had to bare his cross alone.
·        Keep your eyes on Him.

“Let us look only to Jesus, the One who began our Faith and who makes it perfect. He suffered death on the cross. But he accepted the shame as if it were nothing because of the joy that God put before him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne.”

                   Hebrews 12:2

The pain he must have endured seems more than a grown man could endure, the pikes and whips, torture that was put upon him. It sounds horrible but to actually endure it seems an overpowering horror. Why would he do such a thing when so many people rejected and reject him still? He knew that, he had to have, I’m sure Satan used that many times on that horrible day. But it was the other thoughts that probably kept him going. Even when the whole world indeed was against him he kept going. Why you ask? Let me tell you the other thoughts he had that day. As he was beaten and literally broken the only thoughts he had were of you. He knew all this was worth it because you would come to be his through this. Like a man has to pay for his fiancés ring, Jesus also had to pay for our “engagement” to him. He knew some would reject, but just the knowledge that you and I would accept him made him have the motivation of going through with all this. And now that we know what he has gone through, don’t you think he deserves for us to live for him? Doesn’t he deserve to have your whole life, your praise, honor, and worship?

 

  Worship isn’t just a verb, but is a life style. In order to truly worship Him, you must give him your life, or your worship truly doesn’t mean a thing. Giving Him your life isn’t a onetime thing either it’s a lifelong commitment you have to work at. Your words, your actions, choices you make, it all must be sent to the throne of God. If it isn’t honoring him why would you do it? This may seem like a daunting, up tight, strict task but in truth doesn’t God deserve it, isn’t He worth living for? Considering

Our outcome whether you do or don’t. I think it’s worth Living out Worship.

Raining In My Heart

Rain poured and drummed numerous beats of a symphony around her. She sat there, hair falling down over her face. Wet. Cold. Heavy. She shivered in response. She brought her legs closer to her body, cuddling.  She sat in the road, watching the heat rise up from the cooling rain. She wished her heart could do that. Numbly she touched her lips. They had to be blue. Her eyes were dark and sodden like the drowning dirt. The dirt trailed in strands down the road. Just like her tears over her cheeks and neck. Angel was crying mercy.

My heart cries out for that girl. Granted, she's fictional, but for all I know, there is a girl in the middle of this type of situation somewhere in the world. Right this minute. And it's raining in my heart for her. 

There is a ridiculous amount of suffering in the world, suffering we don't need. Suffering that is killing us, if not the deprivation of food and nutrition. 

And I want to be part of it.

Being part of suffering, for me, has the context of two things: Compassion and Love. What an odd ball mix. Suffering is their paradox, right? 

 Not exactly. 

Here's my perspective: Suffering in compassion & love. 

Google's definition of suffering is this:

1)Experience or be subjected to

2)Be affected by or subject to

Jesus' definition is this:

Surely he took up our pain

    and bore our suffering,

yet we considered him punished by God,

    stricken by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,

    he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was on him,

    and by his wounds we are healed.

Isaiah 53:4-5

That's a lot of hard core suffering he did for our sins. Jesus just didn't suffer because pain is painful. No, HIS REASON for suffering was more eternal and worthwhile. "For God so loved the world that He gave his only  begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life."

Jesus suffered in a positive way.

That's how I want to suffer.

When we are suffering together, we are probably doing it out of love. For example, there are thousands of martyrs every day who die for their faith. They suffer in love because of who they love and in return first loved them. They suffer in compassion because they understand the injustice done to others along side of them being persecuted for the same reasons. The fight is worth the suffering.

Suffering always has bad connotations. For all we know, the girl Angel was suffering in compassion and love. What if I finished the story...

Angel looked up. In the distance, she could see Jesus on the cross. Rugged and butchered. He didn't deserve it. She did. She had stolen that apple in the market. Her growling hunger seemed to override her guilt. It was the reason she could even feel shame. The rain pounded on her like that shame. She poked her toe. She couldn't even feel it. In her girlish way, she outstretched her wrinkled, small hands, lifting them high in the air. She winced. The guard at kicked her side when touching Jesus. Lifting her face to the heavens, she wailed, "I will suffer for love because you suffered for mine."