Jesus....

Jesus Christ is a fountain of life, a rushing wind that stirs within our souls, brings light to our eyes and calm for the hurried heart.  

He makes all things new, repairs what what was once broken by sin and revives the heart once lost in despair.  

His hope is everlasting, his joy is a delight and his peace is un-surpassing.  He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and He reigns for all eternity!  

Those who trust in Him will never be put to shame!

Pain....

The older I get the more pain I seem to experience in this life.  Whether it be a broken relationship, a betrayal, a loss or a disappointment, we all experience pain.

To be quite frank, pain stinks.

Sometimes its that gnawing feeling of hopelessness in your gut.  Other times it's that overwhelming sense of despair or depression that you just can't seem to shake.  It might come in waves, it might come when you least expect it or when your day was actually going pretty good, but there it is again, pain.

So, what do we do with pain?

Well, I suppose we could medicate it.  Lots of people try that method, masking our pain with alcohol, popularity, success, sex, or pills.  You name it.  Yet, pain still lingers.  It's still there in the mornings when we wake up, even though the night before for a brief moment it was sucked away in a sea of our own self-medication.

I've found that in my deepest times of pain, if I look towards a true healer then I can be made well.  In a strange way I become thankful for the pain, because it caused me to depend upon a source of wholeness and healing.  As I drink from rivers of life in the midst of despairing loss my heart is at peace.

Peace.

I want peace.

Jesus says, "come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest"- Matthew 11:28

Rest.

The opposite of struggling, and worried.  Rest for your wounded heart and wholeness for your soul so discouraged and hurting by the pain you've experienced.  Self-medication just doesn't seem to cut it.   Yet, Jesus says, to lay it down, all of our pain, struggles, worries, disappointments and shortcomings before His feet and He will bring rest.

Jesus came so that you might be set free.  Come to the healer today and be made well.  He has the power to make all things, even your wounded heart, brand new.

Stop rebelling, turn around, admit that you've been doing it all wrong and cry out to the healer, place all your sin and failures before Him and be set free.

"Jesus said, I came that they may have life and have it to the full"- John 10:10

"Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead and you shall be saved"- Romans 10:9

Wandering

Many of us wander through life with no real purpose or destination.  We are uncertain of where we’re headed.  We spend countless hours dreaming up a better life.  In the midst of our confusion we seek to find purpose in the dream that others made for us, because quite honestly, we aren’t really sure how to really live out our dreams, because it seems like when we do they never really fulfill us like we thought they would. 

So in order to fill that deep longing in our souls we pursue the American dream; success, money, a family, relationships, you name it, but if we could be quite honest we’re still just as depressed at the end of the day with all these things in our lives. 

Then maybe the answer is to seek whatever gives us the greatest pleasure, so we run after what makes us feel good and we immerse ourselves into sex, alcohol or we put ourselves in positions where due to our pride, we feel pretty great about ourselves, but in the long run that doesn’t work either. 

I used to wander. 

I longed to be loved and feel beautiful, so I chased after boys and thought if I had a cute boyfriend on my arm that I’d be happy, but I always did and I felt just as empty.  I thought if I were thin that meant I was beautiful, but no matter how thin I got I still felt ugly when I looked in the mirror. 

I hated my life.  I believed that I was worth less, that my life had no purpose and that I would never amount to anything.  I felt so ugly.  I hated the thought of another day.  I didn’t see the point in life.  I was wandering and everyone was telling me where I needed to go to find happiness, but that just wasn’t working. 

On the outside I looked like I had it all together pretty good.  I was successful at sports, I did well in school, and was on the fast track to going to Millikin University to play golf for the school and get a college degree. 

Yet, I was miserable, hopeless and depressed.  Maybe you can relate?

Ironically though, in my wandering, I was found.  I remember the day, July 30^th, 2002, 11 years ago.  I’d grown up in the church and I knew all about this Jesus guy who others had told me had died for my sins and was the Son of God.  Quite honestly, before that day I didn’t really get it.  I’d never come face to face with the reality that yes, I was a sinner, I had done wrong and before a Holy God it is only by His mercies that He has sent Jesus to die for me on my behalf, so that I could be set free from my sin and restored back into right relationship with God through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. 

I remember what I was wearing, Doc Marten shoes, American Eagle jeans and one of my favorite tops with blue and red stripes.  The fact that I remember what I was wearing speaks to the how powerful this moment was to me in my life considering I don’t remember what I ate for lunch yesterday. 

I was tired of wandering.  I was tired of the restless nights, crying myself to sleep, I was done with the feelings of despair and hopelessness.  My way of living life wasn’t working.  I was finished with me running the show.  Something drew me to this Jesus, something told me that in His hand that He held the keys to my freedom. 

I saw Him in my sister, she had joy, hope, purpose and peace.  I longed for those things and I came to realize she had all of these promises and more, because of Jesus. 

It became so clear to me that night as the Youth Pastor shared a message with all of us.  He said, we’re all dirty rags because of our sin and the only way we can enter into Heaven is to have a clean rag and the only person that can wash our rag clean is Jesus. 

For the first time it all made sense.  I had made a mess of my life and I needed forgiveness. I needed a healer. It was in that moment that I said,

“God, I’m so tired of living life on my own, please, wash this rag clean and help me start a new life through Jesus Christ”. 

Even as I type those words my eyes well with tears as I recall that moment.  In an instant everything changed.  I knew that my life would never be the same.  It was as if someone lifted a great burden off of my shoulders and for the first time I could walk in true freedom. 

I wasn’t a prisoner anymore to despair and sadness.  Something inside of me sprung to life.  It was Jesus.  He captured my heart, invaded my soul and put a new song in me. 

Jesus, oh what a wonderful name.  His love set me free, His peace became my hope and His joy became my crown. 

I had been made brand new.  I had become a new creation through Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:17)

Sure, life has still had its ups and downs.  I’ve experienced some very painful things in life these past 11 years as I’ve walked with Jesus and have experienced sadness, yet my life is anchored and founded upon a solid rock.  Even in the midst of great pain I know that my hope is found in something that cannot be shaken.  I place my hope in the person of Jesus Christ and I find that in my pain He brings healing. 

Are you wandering?  There is good news for you.  There is a healer and His name is Jesus!

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free - Galations 5:1

My sin isn't that bad....

The Christian who believes that their sin isn't "that bad" is terribly deceived.  Sin in all forms is offensive to a holy, set apart God.  

The Christian should be quick to deal with their sin.  They should not treat it as if it weren't that big of a deal.  In not dealing with seriously with sin they slander the son who was crucified on their behalf.  Who are you to tell God that your sin isn't that big of a deal?  

Stand before him and tell him that your sin isn't that bad.  See if in that moment you feel the same way when you aren't even able to speak for fear of the God who is set apart, holy and righteous in all He does.  

Should we fear God?  I say, yes.  A healthy fear of God will help us to deal rightly with sin.  If we have no fear of Him, if we see no need to tremble at the very thought of His power, His justice and His might then we will see no need to deal in earnest with our sin. 

The reasons the world screams hypocrite is because quite frankly, we are.  If my sin is more important then pleasing my God, then yes, we have certainly forgotten the son who was murdered on our behalf.  

God is not ok with the pride in your heart that lives to take control.  The world watches and wonders if there is anything to this Jesus and they need to see Him reflected in you.  An un-repentant Christian is like using a fork to eat soup, its useless and is not being used for the purpose which is was created.  

God has created you to make much of Him, to lift high the name of Jesus and to be set free from all of your burdens.  His love for you is endless, His own son was slayed to set you free.  Deal in earnest with your sin and watch as the God of the universe starts to set you free from who you once were and starts to use your life for which it was created.  

God by His grace rescues us by His mercy.  He offers a way out so that we do not have to sin.  He offers new life in Jesus Christ who came to redeem all those who are far off.  Yet, we should not take for granted the grace of God, but should live in light of the weight of what we have been rescued from.  We should daily be asking God to search our hearts and see if there is offensive way within us.  

By way of application we should seek to;

1.  Pray that God would show us when, how and why we sin.  When He shows us our sin, we need to humbly repent and ask to be changed by the Holy Spirit.

2.  We need to surround ourselves with people who know us well enough to call us out on sin and hold us accountable to walk in newness of life away from sin. 

3.  Replace sin with holiness.  We need to fill our minds with the word of God.  We should study it, memorize it and let it change us from the inside out.  

4.  We need to take sin seriously and realize that is offensive to a holy God.  

 "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"- Romans 6:1-2

God: Unchanging

"I the LORD do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed."- Malachi 3:6

Have you ever thought about walking into God's mind and staying there for a moment?  It would be immeasurable, it would have no limits.  It would take us countless lifetimes to grasp the very scope of it.  It's brilliance would boggle us and its depth would befuddle our finite minds.  

As I contemplate this verse in Malachi I'm struck by the great depth of it.  The Lord does not change His mind, because if He did, we could very well be destroyed.  

Sometimes when I look around at the world and I see the injustice and evil within our world I can't help but wonder why God puts up with us the way that He does.  It is only by His grace that we still exist.  We deserve punishment for the way we have gone about our lives.  If put on trial our world would have plenty of things against us for God to just up and pull the plug on this whole thing.  

Yet, God because He is full of mercy chooses not to destroy us when He very well could.  We are at the mercy of a higher authority and just as you and I cannot control natural disasters, the future, death, or a plethora of other things outside of our realm of control.  We ultimately are in the hands of an Almighty God who with one breath could wipe out all of humanity.  Yet, He chooses not to change His mind.  For our sake, this is a good thing.  

So, whats the big deal?  Why should be care about all of this?  I know, your probably not getting the warm fuzzy's reading this post thinking about how God could wipe you out in one breath, but here's why I think this matters.  

It helps us to have the right reverence for God.  Ultimately, understanding this about God will cause us to fear Him in a way that is reverential and praise worthy.  For me, it causes me to lay aside my own will and cast myself at the mercy of a high authority, because quite frankly sometimes we make God out to be a wimp and He will have none of that, nor does He deserve any of that.  

Low views of God minimize the worship He deserves.  We attempt to strip Him of His power when He will have none of that.  We attempt to make God like us, one with limitations and failings, yet God, is not like us.  Although we are made in His image in order to reflect His character.  His personhood is far greater than ours.  He has no limits, He makes no mistakes, nor does He ever fail.  

The right view of God shows to a world that desperately needs Him that quite simply, they need Him.  The right view of God hits the mortal, finite man right between the eyes with the reality that he is at the mercy of an all powerful, unchanging God who by His mercy sent His son Jesus Christ to set sinners like you and me free.  Wow, now that is beautiful.   

God sends Jesus for humanities sin.  If we trust in the perfect work of Christ, laying down our own pride, admitting that God is holy, just and perfect and that we are not, then we have freedom and life.  

This we can be sure of that God will never change when it comes to His love for sinners.  He will never take back the cross, but He is patient, not wanting anyone to perish.  

Let us worship the true God, who is the great and unchanging I AM.  There was no one before Him, nor shall there be anyone after Him.  Hallelujah.  How GREAT is our GOD! 

Thoughts on The Gospel

The mystery of the gospel is that I am accepted by God, made new through the power of the Holy Spirit and seen as forgiven and free all due to the work of Jesus Christ.  

I am certainly not deserving yet God in His infinite mercies takes a rebel like me and calls me His daughter.  He fills me with joy, He puts a new song in my heart and He places me on a path far greater than I could ever dream.  

This gospel sets me free, not to be who I want to be, but to be whom God created me to be.  When has the creation ever told the creator what its purpose is anyways?  I will trust that my creator holds within His hand a far better plan.  I will walk by faith and not sight trusting in the perfect promises of God.  

Oh, how I love the gospel! 

Thoughts about Ruth....

I'm learning to trust God.  

Recently God has been stripping me of things that I held quite dear.  I know its for my ultimate good and for His glory.  I find that as I seek Him in prayer I'm taking it in stride.  My heart feels at peace and at rest in my maker.  

I was thinking about Ruth today.  How she ended up in the field of Boaz, the very one who could redeem her from her desolation, become her provider and give her life.  Without a redeemer Ruth and her mother-in-law probably would have died, but out of nowhere Boaz shows up.  God provides.  

Ever wanted to take the reigns yourself and make things happen, because I mean how is God suppose to make something happen if in your mind it seems impossible?  Well, I'm sure thats how Ruth and Naomi felt as well, yet God shows up, in His perfect timing to bring a man into their lives who would redeem them and pursue them.  

It's a wonderful picture of the gospel.  We are desolate, dead in our sins and in need of redemption.  God sends Jesus who pursues us and adopts us into His family if we would call out to Him to redeem us by His perfect work on the cross in dying for our sins.  He, just like Boaz rescued Ruth, rescues us, hallelujah!  

This gives me hope that no matter how long my waiting, God can drop any provision in from out of nowhere tomorrow if He wanted to.  I need not worry about what tomorrow holds, but I trust Him for today.