When Love Takes You In

This is one of those videos that reminds me why I am here on the earth.... to make the glory and salvation of Christ known here and throughout the world. Steven does an amazing job with the song.

I grow weary of the church culture that I have seemingly experienced throughout my church trek since becoming a Christian. I have found behind the mask such a hollow facade; an empty people for the most part. I must say that I was deceived; I thought the bubble we call 'church' (at least in the context I know.... this is not the trend I see everywhere like China or Brazil and some places in North America) was right.....healthy.....biblical. And like the people I am frustrated with, I have only recently been enlightened to that fact that until the last year or so that my walk with Christ has been seemingly stagnant. Well, I have be growing, but I am saddened to think that I have been getting it wrong for soooo long. Praise be to God that He sent someone to show me. For I have longed for such guidance and He has heard my prayer.

I suppose that my turning point was going on the mission trip to Brazil. God took many months to lead me to the place where I would go.... I am so thankful that He did. My life has not been the same, nor should it ever be the same again. God changed me to see that I am deceived if I think that going to church on Sunday morning, yet leaving unchanged without experiencing God, without having a mission. I long to work alongside a Biblical faith family in which we are making Christ know and love each other. A place where people get Biblical Christianity I am sooo tired of a people (being mindful that I once through down with these people):

1. Who so are engrossed in religious formalism that they forget about the people across the road who will die and go to hell if they don't go and tell them.
   
2. Who give a tip of there hat to world missions and continue to develop programs that revolve incessantly around them.
3. Who should be on the firing line for God, but are still in the nurseries of their church drinking spiritual milk.
4. ........And I could go on, but to what end.

Perhaps the time as come to begin to lead the change. To go from having an amazing Sunday school lesson to pouring my life into students. Actually, teaching students to live the things we talk about. From doing ministry to keep the machinery of an institution running, to doing it because God has called His people to be the light of the world. Being real.... you know what I mean?

This video reminds me of the over 1 billion people who don't know Jesus. Many of whom have never heard of Jesus. I exist because of the grace and love Christ has poured out on me. How can I not in turn pour that back out on the world that needs Him. I exist to make the glory and salvation of Christ know here and around the world.

Striving instead of Abiding

As I look back on the first part of the semester I stand in amazement at how far I have come, and I am amazed even more to the fact that I don't have much further to go. Nursing school has been the most rigorous erudition experienced in my life. (I am shamed by this) .

Amazingly enough, school is not a high priority of mine, although I do strive to be excellent in this as in everything. I have received such a blessing from being mentored by a strong man of God. He along with others has taught me so much about how to live out the faith. Perhaps this is where the paradox begins…. I find myself at a loss for words at why life is so busy, yet seemingly so unproductive. I have school, work, church, relationships to sustain and how wonderful these things are… but am I really making a difference in those I see everyday. Or is in just shallow demeanor?

As I seek the consult of those close to me(most specifically my immediate peers) and that are co-laborers I find that I am not alone. Are we saddened and downcast? Not at all. For we are full of the joy of the Lord, herein we find strength; however, something is working amidst the conflict that is within.

It is a cry for something more… a struggle perhaps....

Is it wrong to want to just have a good job, with a good wife, and a couple of good kids and a nice car and, ohh how about long weekends and a few good friends, a fun retirement, and a quick and easy death? No.... For we know that the things that are to be taken hold of will come to us in there time if the Lord is desires; not to soon and of course not late. Yet this is not foremost or pressing issue of our hearts. In fact apart from the relational portion mentioned above those things are meaningless to us apart from there usefulness of kingdom work. For what is a nice car and a fun retirement worth? It's really just a motor (some are nicer than others) with outer shell that is can be pleasing to the eye. And retirement…who stays in retirement anymore. Is seems to me that those that have gone before us (most specifically of the faith, even though it is apparent in the mislaid as well) find this same cry in there hearts too (I fear oft that tradition and stubborn hearts blinds them to finding that "thirst-quencher" for their hearts). This being true there must be something more to life than the "stuff" one can accumulate or the things that we can do…

My present experience with Christ is superficial, only words. There have been times of triumph, but so many times of defeat. As my own position becomes continually more and more responsible, and my need great of special grace to fill it; but I have continually to mourn that I follow a such a distance and learn so slowly to imitate my precious Master. I cannot tell you how I am buffeted sometimes by temptation. I never know how bad a heart I had. Yet I do know that I love God and love His work, and desire to serve Him only in all things..

My striving will only bring me heartache apart from a purpose found in Christ. Such a purpose is found in abiding.... thus.....

How does a branch bear fruit 'Not by incessant effort for sunshine and air; not by vain struggles for those vivifying influences which give beauty to the blossom, and verdure to the leaf: it simply abides in the vine, in silent and undisturbed union, and blossoms and fruit appear as of spontaneous growth.
How then shall we bear fruit? By efforts and struggles to obtain that which is freely given(the Holy Spirit), by meditations on watchfulness, on prayer, on action, on temptation, and on dangers? NO: there must be a full concentration of the thoughts and affections on Christ; a complete surrender of the whole being to Him; a constant looking to Him for grace. Christians in whom these dispositions are once firmly fixed go on calmly as the infant borne in the arms of its mother. -Hudson Taylor

Shine don't Whine...

Still reading through the Psalms and I was reminded that just as turning on a light switch in a dark room dispels the darkness, so will our witness dispel the darkness among the nations. The light doesn't have to struggle to overcome the dark, for it is the very nature of the light to prevail. But until we are willing to go, in obedience to our Lord and our biblical mission to share the light, people will remain in darkness.


How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame?
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?
Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself;
The LORD will hear when I call to Him....

Offer right sacrifices and trust in the LORD.

Many are asking, "Who can show us any good?"
Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD.
You have filled my heart with greater joy
than when their grain and new wine abound.
I will lie down and sleep in peace.
for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 4: 2,3,5-8

Offer right sacrifices.... something to ponder....If I am given a life that consists of much wealth, success, renown, (grain and wine above) or one that given little I have Christ; He is the One and He alone is enough.

How far are you willing for your light to shine? (John 8:12; 2 Cor 4:6)
It is written:

Arise, shine, for your light has come,
And the glory of the Lord shines over you.
For look, darkness covers the earth,
and total darkness the peoples; but the Lord will shine over you
and His glory will appear over you
Nations will come to your light (Isa. 60:1-3)