Saturday, November 12, 2011

Running the Race

The other day in class we discussed the idea of having a mission statement for your family. In fact, it is an assignment and we are being required to create one. Our professor urged us as singles to consider what we want to prioritize in our future families. What will our values be? What will drive us? What do we want to pass down to our children?

This assignment has caused me to think quite a bit and although it started out with me considering my future family, it essentially got me thinking about who I am as a person. What do I prioritize in my life? What are my values? What drives me?

My values have changed a lot this semester. I have been rocked by my coursework in Seminary and my view of my relationship with God has been challenged and refined. I’ve realized that much of the time, my Christianity can be pretty self-serving. I spend altogether too much time thinking about myself. I’m consistently seeking God’s will for my future, hoping to make it through my education, to have the perfect family, and to work in ministry. I ask the Lord to help me to navigate through the stress in my life and draw me closer to Him. None of those are bad things. I should look to the Lord for guidance in those areas. But is my faith really all about me? What am I doing on a daily basis to impact others? What am I doing to bring others closer to the Lord?

When Jesus came to earth, his priorities were pretty clear, “To seek and to save the Lost” Luke 19:10. I’m starting to think bigger than myself or my future. My life is not my own. It’s His and my love for Him should compel me not to merely seek God for what He can do for me, but for how He can use me to reach others. As we go through our daily routines, we have so many opportunities to engage other people and share God’s love with them. I have walked through my life with blinders on, totally ignoring the fact that there are people I encounter every day that are broken and hurting and in desperate need of a savior. For this reason, I have begun to look outward and to ask God each day to make me aware of the opportunities He has placed in front of me to be the incarnation of the gospel I so readily proclaim.

These considerations will ultimately affect the kind of husband I will choose to spend my life with and the way we will decide to raise our children. As a single person right now, I can say that my family will be one that serves the Lord together. As parents we will model our faith to our children, in both our devotion to the Lord and our ministry unto the Lord. As a family, we will seek out opportunities to share the love of Christ with others, including our family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and acquaintances. My children will know what it means to be an authentic Christian because it will be walked out and not only talked about by their parents, and made evident through the love that they have for each other and everyone around them. That is who my family will be.

Being single isn’t a time to sit around and wait for your future spouse and for all your dreams to come true. My professor gave us this word of advice, “The only reason for anyone to get married is because they have done all that they can to glorify God as a single person and the only way they can glorify God any more is by marrying a godly man or woman and serving Him together.” This is a time for God to refine you and to develop godly characteristics in you that will ultimately not only affect your future, but that of your children.

This is a time for me to consider if the values that I have for my family are evident in my own life now. Am I growing every day in my intimacy with the Lord? One day I will have to submit to my husband. Am I submitting daily to the Lordship of Christ in my life? One day I hope to model my faith to my children. Am I modeling my faith to my family and friends and those around me? I desire to have a family that is ultimately driven by a desire to be known by God and make God known to others. Am I making God known to others today?

It is so vital that as Christians we are aware of our purpose, our calling, and our identity in Christ. It is essential that we evaluate our thoughts and actions, as well as our relationships with others, in light of who God says we are and his ultimate plan for us. If we do not have a clear vision for our life, it can be easy to get off track and miss the mark. I think that the following passage from Phil 3:12-21 (The Message Version) nicely sums up my point in all of this:

12-14 I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.
15-16So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you'll see it yet! Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it.
17-19Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I've warned you of them many times; sadly, I'm having to do it again. All they want is easy street. They hate Christ's Cross. But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites.
20-21But there's far more to life for us. We're citizens of high heaven! We're waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He'll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

The Good Fight

It’s been a long time since I’ve blogged about anything, but there are some things that have been stirring up inside recently and I feel the need to share. So, thanks for reading! Most of my friends and family know that I am studying at Liberty University in the Seminary right now, and I can honestly say that although I have been here for only a little over a month, being here has caused me to deeply evaluate the core principles of my faith.

I have been saved since I was ten years old and have been beyond blessed to be a part of an amazing community of brothers and sisters in Christ. When I was 13 years old, I made the decision that I wanted to give my life to the Lord serving in youth ministry. I have done all the things that a “good Christian” should do. I go to church (at least) once a week. I pray. I read my Bible. I hang out with my Christian friends. I participate in youth conferences and love serving local ministries. These are all great things and I have found them to be very beneficial in growing in my walk with the Lord. But since arriving here I have been haunted by one scripture, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” Matt. 28:19-20. The Great Commission. Notice that this is a command. It’s not optional. I have found myself questioning if I am really living up to the call.

This scripture has been used to support missions work overseas, but I wonder sometimes if we are missing the point. Do we realize that everyone that the Lord has placed within our sphere of influence is our mission field? Do we realize that our mission isn’t limited to Sundays and Wednesdays and that rather it begins each time we wake up in the morning with fresh air in our lungs?

I’m beginning to question...is my faith making an eternal difference for anyone other than myself? Or is it merely self-serving? Does my faith have any significance to the people outside of my Christian bubble? Outside of organized church events, or in other words, in my day to day interactions with those around me, how am I sharing my faith? It has been said before, ”preach the gospel at all times, when necessary use words.” Is this a cop out? After all, does it not say in the Bible, “How can they call on the one they have not believed in? How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:14-15).

Jesus calls us to share the good news of his death, burial, and resurrection with everyone. We are not called to drop hints…”Yeah, I’m a Christian….I go to church.” We are called to drop life-preservers by telling people not only how God has changed our lives, but most importantly how they can come to know Him too! We cannot be afraid to confront people with the truth of the gospel. The gospel is confrontational. It cannot be watered down or else it loses its effectiveness.

My professor told a story about an unsaved person who asked a Christian if he really believed that without Jesus people are condemned to Hell, of course the Christian responded that the Bible does tell us that. The unsaved man then responded, “If that’s true, how much does a Christian have to hate someone to not share with them about Jesus?” Does that not speak volumes? He told another story about a family he knew, who prayed for many years that their father would accept Jesus’ gift of salvation. Eventually, he did and his son asked him, “Dad, what took so long?” To which the father responded, “Son, nobody ever told me how.”

Statistics show that only two percent of Christians regularly share their faith with others and only five percent of all Christians have ever led someone to Christ. If you’re reading this, I want you to ask yourself, “Am I regularly sharing my faith?” “Am I looking for opportunities to lead people to faith in Christ?” “Have I been blind to the spiritual condition of those around me?”

If anyone had an excuse to not share their faith, it was Paul. Paul was regularly imprisoned and tortured for his sharing of the gospel. Paul writes in 2 Cor. 11:23-27:

23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.

So what is our excuse for not sharing the gospel with the lost and hurting around us? What fear or selfishness is holding us back? Paul never once mentioned that he was close to giving up; he only asked for more boldness. Paul was eventually killed for the sake of the gospel. He had his head sliced off at the command of Nero, a vicious persecutor of the early church. But at the end of his life, he was able to say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” What about us? Are we fighting the good fight?

Monday, June 28, 2010

Faith

God has certainly been speaking to my heart, during my time here in Colombia. This past week God has been drilling the following scripture into my head. "...He must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that He will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all His ways." James 1:6-8. On and off again, I have struggled with doubt and anxiety, and God has been really dealing with me in this area. God has showed me that He has big plans for me, but he cannot use me to accomplish big things, if I can't trust in Him for the little things.

I'm kind of stubborn and thick-headed. Many times, when God speaks to me, He will use several different people or several different methods to tell me the same thing, until eventually the truth sinks deep into my heart. That has what has been going on this past week.

It started one night as I was having my nightly devotions, and immediately the scripture gripped my heart. I knew God was speaking to me, so over the next few days I continued to mediate on it. Later in the week, my dad sent me a text telling me that God has been showing Him not to worry about anything. The message God had told him was, "Live in the moment, ever conscious of His presence. Trust in Him." This was further confirmation. Later on that morning we went to church. Granted, it's difficult for me to understand the Pastors, because their Spanish is very fast and not very clear, but God was still able to reach me through the message. The message was at times God tests us. During the tests, he requires two things: obedience and faith. Then Pastor Lorena, quoted that same scripture from James, "But ask in faith without doubting...." At this point, I was certain that God was speaking to me loud and clear.

What spoke to me most though was a conversation I had with Gabriela, the woman who runs Yo Soy el Camino. Gabriela was telling me yesterday her testimony about coming to Christ and how the home got started. 16 years ago, Gabriela received a prophetic word from her Pastor that God was going to give her the little ones. At the time, she didn't know what this meant and assumed God was talking about evangelism and winning souls. Turns out God's plan was much more involved than that. 4 years later Gabriela and her friend started in orphange in a small house with 25 kids. Eventually, God began to show Gabriela that he wanted her to start a Christian children's home, Yo Soy el Camino. Gabriela had many dreams that she was walking around with one bare foot and one black shoe. God showed Gabriela that the black shoe represented the orphanage and that she needed to leave it behind to do what God had called her to do. Later, she had a dream that she was riding down the street in a car with one leg hanging out of the vehicle. The black shoe flew off her foot. In another dream, God showed her the black shoe being carried far away by a river. It was at this point that Gabriela decided to take the necessary steps to start Yo Soy el Camino.

Gabriela shared all of this with her Pastor, who told her that God showed Him that she needed to start the home the very next day. Gabriela already had a house for the children, but she had no food or resources. Gabriela was faithful to do what God had told her, and started the home the next day anyway with four children. Gabriela had faith that God was going to provide for her and the kids, and He did. Shortly after, a woman came along who committed to provide food for the home. She continued to support the home for the next four years. Being here now, I am blown away by how God has provided for the children. The home is supported by two churches in the United States, as well as by many people in the local community here in Colombia. If it had not been for Gabriela's faith many of these children would still be living in the streets today.

Gabriela also received the name "Yo Soy el Camino" in a dream. She saw a long line of children walking along a path. The children were clothed in white, and were heading towards the end of the path, where the sun was setting over a beautiful mountain. In English, the name means I am the Path.

After telling me all of this, Gabriela turned to me and said, "I never doubt. The Bible says that when you ask for things you should never worry, because if you do you are being double-minded and you limit God's hand working in your life." There it was again. That same scripture. Wow. For her, it's that simple. The Bible says not to doubt, so she doesn't. This is the kind of faith I wish to exemplify in my own life. This is the kind of groundbreaking faith that I seek after.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Reflecting on my first week in Colombia

I would like to try to write a blog for each week here at the children's home with the kids. There is so much I wish to share about this experience already! While I am here, I am conducting a VBS for the 18 kids living at the home. The lessons focus on who God is, and who we are in God. This first week focused on following Jesus. The kids learned that we are all in need of the gift of salvation, and that Jesus can be our best friend. It's pretty cool, because the kids already know alot of what I am teaching them. Often they can guess the topic of the lesson, before I even give it, and sometimes they already know the memory verse for the day. It is so good that the kids receive so much spirtual nourishment from the nearby church and the staff at the home.

The kids are all so special. They are all individuals and I am getting to know their different qualities. At times, they can get a little crazy, and they like to watch me do everything. But I love them soooooooo much! It's funny because I have only been here a week and already this feels like home. I'm already having those familiar pangs of sadness at the thought of leaving and going back home. Of course, I will be overjoyed to see my family and friends, but I will be leaving 18 of my kids behind. The thought is heartbreaking.

I am learning alot from Gabriela, the lady that runs the home. She is such an extraordinary women of God! You would have to be to care for 18 children as if they were your own. Gabriela has been with the kids for 12 years. She lives with them, sleeps with them, eats with them. She has watched them grow. She told me that during one season she prayed for eight years just so that the children can have milk and eggs....can you imagine? Now, they have so much of it they find themselves giving it away. She also told me that she has been praying for years for somebody to come and do what I am doing with kids......that just blows my mind. It's so incredibly honoring that God would use me to answer this prayer. That's all for now =)

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Fear

Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear but you received the spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, "Abba, father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Romans 8:14-16

Lately, God has been revealing to me areas where I have fears in my life that are hindering me in my walk with Him. I'm realizing that much of the time fear is not instantly recognizable, and it takes various forms. In a nutshell, fear is any area where I'm not trusting God to take control of my life. It's any place where, if I'm honest, I'm not expecting God to actually move. It's those circumstances, in which I allow nagging worries and doubt to eat away at my confidence in the promises God has made to me. As a daughter of Christ, there is no room for fear and insecurity in my life. If we allow fear to get the best of us, it can limit God from moving in our lives. It can hinder us from our purpose and destiny.

As Christians, we are in a constant state of warfare. The devil is always going to whisper lies in our ears, and attempt to tear down our trust in God. Luckily, God has given us weapons for this battle we are in. One of the greatest weapons God has given us is his word. God's love for us runs deep, and he has made us many many promises in his Word. It is our job to embrace those promises and claim them for ourselves. We need to stand on the authority of God's word.....the truth. As we begin to saturate ourselves in the truth, we will be able to instantly recognize any areas in our lives where the enemy has lied to us. Fear will have no power over us.

Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have summoned you by name; you are mine. Isaiah 43:1

Other references: Psalm 3:5-6, Psalm 23:4, Psalm 27:1, Psalm 27:3, Psalm 34:4, Psalm 91:4-6, Psalm 112:6-8,Proverbs 3:24-26, Proverbs 29:25, Isaiah 41:10, Isaiah 54:3-5, 1 John 4:18, 2 Tim 1:7