The message this morning struck me to the core. It led me to truly consider who Christ is in my life: what He deserves, what He is worth, how He should affect who I am, and what this should mean for all of us. I propose this question:
Do we believe Him to be what others tell us, what we read about, or do we know Him to be the Messiah, the Son of the living God?
I mean truly know Him; at a deep and personal relationship level. He is living God, King and Creator, Savior and Redeemer, Messiah and Friend. Now, did you catch that last one? He is our friend, or at least He longs to be. I find we get so caught up in the holier than thou notion that we oft forget that first and foremost, He longs to have a deep, intimate, and personal relationship with each one of us. Now, what does this mean to you?
It means He loves you, that He loves us, and He so longs for that continual, everyday, communication and relationship that He deserves. God is perfect, just, and almighty, but He also sent His Son to live amongst the lost, the lonely and the destitute. He is a God that loves the poor, the oppressed, and hungry, and no one has gone so far that the loving embrace of Jesus Christ can no longer reach them. There is literally nothing that you have done or will do that can separate you from the love of Christ. That, my friends, is the truth!
It is also important to remember that just because we accept His love and are developing a personal relationship with Him, we are not immune to problems that this life brings. WE still have our battles, our struggles, our moments of desperation and hopelessness, but He is there, working alongside us through everything. We may never achieve fame or greatness, and most definitely not the perfection that Christ exemplified in this life, but I can tell you that until He comes or calls me home, I will live every day fighting to be who He has called me to be. I will fight to beat my sin struggles, my negativity, and the ways of this world, or I will die trying. I will keep fighting! For Him, for the love He so freely gives to each of us, and to be a light for all those who continue to fight each day of their own lives.
Verse:
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
~Matthew 16:16
May God bless each and everyone of you in your own fights, in your own struggles, and may His loving relationship with you be a constant reminder of the hope we have to hold onto!
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Forgiveness
Hello again! Over the past week the notion and mention of forgiveness has shown up over and over again at random times during work, church, and even my devotional from yesterday. I am feeling as though God wants me to touch on this topic with y'all.
Forgiveness, in and of itself, sounds like a very simple concept, until it comes time for you to give it. When we wrong God through our sins and struggles, it has become second nature for us to accept the forgiveness that He so freely gives because that is a part of our faith, our relationship with Him, and the redemptive power that relationship brings. However, when someone wrongs us, we seem to so quickly forget the lessons God has taught us on forgiveness. If we have been hurt by someone, this idea that seems so simple, suddenly becomes much more complex in our heads. "How can we forgive them? They don't deserve forgiveness after what they did!" Ever had thoughts like this run through your head? The truth to the matter is we forgive because it is what we have been called to do. In Matthew 6:14, it is clearly laid out that, "if you forgive men when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you."
If we truly examine forgiveness, it really is quite a radical concept. God gave the utmost example of love and forgiveness by sending His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins; we did not deserve this love, and definitely not this forgiveness for all of the sins we have done, and will continue to commit, but He forgave us anyway. This unmerited forgiveness that we receive from God on a daily basis is truly an act of grace and mercy that we need to reflect in our own lives. We may not feel that people deserve our forgiveness, but if God based His forgiveness on whether or not He thought we deserved it, I can guarantee Hell, rather than eternal life, is what we'd have to look forward to. If we can change our perspective on forgiveness to one that more accurately portrays the forgiveness that God calls us to give, I feel that both giving and receiving forgiveness from others will become engrained in who we are as Christians, and also grant us the forgiveness from God that He promises us.
Verses:
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.
~Mark 11:24-25
No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord, because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatestdeclares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
~Jeremiah 31:34
I will leave you with this parable from Matthew 18:21-35 to think about.
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
I pray it helps you to understand and begin to change your perspective on this radical act of love that forgiveness was created to be. Much love and God bless!
Forgiveness, in and of itself, sounds like a very simple concept, until it comes time for you to give it. When we wrong God through our sins and struggles, it has become second nature for us to accept the forgiveness that He so freely gives because that is a part of our faith, our relationship with Him, and the redemptive power that relationship brings. However, when someone wrongs us, we seem to so quickly forget the lessons God has taught us on forgiveness. If we have been hurt by someone, this idea that seems so simple, suddenly becomes much more complex in our heads. "How can we forgive them? They don't deserve forgiveness after what they did!" Ever had thoughts like this run through your head? The truth to the matter is we forgive because it is what we have been called to do. In Matthew 6:14, it is clearly laid out that, "if you forgive men when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you."
If we truly examine forgiveness, it really is quite a radical concept. God gave the utmost example of love and forgiveness by sending His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins; we did not deserve this love, and definitely not this forgiveness for all of the sins we have done, and will continue to commit, but He forgave us anyway. This unmerited forgiveness that we receive from God on a daily basis is truly an act of grace and mercy that we need to reflect in our own lives. We may not feel that people deserve our forgiveness, but if God based His forgiveness on whether or not He thought we deserved it, I can guarantee Hell, rather than eternal life, is what we'd have to look forward to. If we can change our perspective on forgiveness to one that more accurately portrays the forgiveness that God calls us to give, I feel that both giving and receiving forgiveness from others will become engrained in who we are as Christians, and also grant us the forgiveness from God that He promises us.
Verses:
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.
~Mark 11:24-25
No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord, because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatestdeclares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
~Jeremiah 31:34
I will leave you with this parable from Matthew 18:21-35 to think about.
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
I pray it helps you to understand and begin to change your perspective on this radical act of love that forgiveness was created to be. Much love and God bless!
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
He is More
Hey y'all, its been too long, and I apologize for disappearing over the summer, but I decided to commit some more time to my personal relationship with Christ to, in turn, have more to reflect on for all of you. A lot has happened over the summer, including a new job as an RN (yeah, gotta be a grown up), another amazing Agape tour with a bunch of awesome lads and lasses, Sonshine weekend 2012, and countless other experiences that I will remember for all time. And although I may not be starting school today like many of you, I decided it would be a good day to dive back in to this blog, to delve into the Word, to spark some conversation, to grow closer in Him, and hopefully bring a little insight and joy into some of your days.
The past few weeks have been incredible for me, yes they've had their downs as well, but Christ and His plan for my life has been overwhelmingly evident. However, in all this, it struck me that it is in these amazing times in our lives when we often forget Who should be getting the credit and gratitude for these things. It is so easy to fall on God in the rough and terrible times, to come crawling to the foot of His throne, begging for forgiveness, and we should do these things, but why is it then that we don't come running to Him with a prayer of thanks and love when His reasons for our hardships are made evident in our successes? He is worthy of more than anything we could ever offer, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't offer anything at all.
This past week, Chris August released another album and the title track is entitled the Upside of Down, and it speaks to these same truths I've been addressing. He sings of how sometimes it takes the sad and troubled times to realize where our happiness is truly found; in Christ. We need these troubled times to recognize our absolute need for Christ, but we also need to remember and acknowledge Him in all of our ways, including our highest of highs. Here is the link and the lyrics:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1Ko0tcmW3U
The downside of being up is my inside is empty of
The one thing my heart truly needs
When I feel invincible a million miles from miserable
It's always all about me
I don't know why I don't love You like I should, like You would
Through bad and good oh
Funny how we figure out where happiness is found
In the midst of this sadness I'm closer to You now
And that’s the upside of down, the upside of down
It’s all switched around, I lost and I found
The upside of down
You are more in my less, You are strength in my weakness
I'll never go back again
And then Your sunshine ends the rain and I return to my old ways
Why am I a fair weather friend?
I wanna be the one to love You like I should, like You would
Through the bad and good oh
Funny how we figure out where happiness is found
In the midst of this sadness I'm closer to You now
That’s the upside of tragedies knowing You're holding my heart always, always
I may be down but I'm finding there's joy in the pain, in the pain
Funny how we figure out where happiness is found
In the midst of this sadness I'm closer, I’m closer to You now and oh
The upside of down
It’s all switched around, I lost and I found
The upside of down
Scripture:
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
He deserves all of our affection, attention, love, and gratefulness at all times; not just when we feel as though we need Him for something. He is more than we could ever ask for or imagine, and though His strength is more evident in our weakness, I think its time we start acknowledging Him in all circumstances, good or bad, failure or success. He deserves all that we are, all of the time. I love y'all and am excited to be starting this back up with all of you. God bless!
The past few weeks have been incredible for me, yes they've had their downs as well, but Christ and His plan for my life has been overwhelmingly evident. However, in all this, it struck me that it is in these amazing times in our lives when we often forget Who should be getting the credit and gratitude for these things. It is so easy to fall on God in the rough and terrible times, to come crawling to the foot of His throne, begging for forgiveness, and we should do these things, but why is it then that we don't come running to Him with a prayer of thanks and love when His reasons for our hardships are made evident in our successes? He is worthy of more than anything we could ever offer, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't offer anything at all.
This past week, Chris August released another album and the title track is entitled the Upside of Down, and it speaks to these same truths I've been addressing. He sings of how sometimes it takes the sad and troubled times to realize where our happiness is truly found; in Christ. We need these troubled times to recognize our absolute need for Christ, but we also need to remember and acknowledge Him in all of our ways, including our highest of highs. Here is the link and the lyrics:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1Ko0tcmW3U
The downside of being up is my inside is empty of
The one thing my heart truly needs
When I feel invincible a million miles from miserable
It's always all about me
I don't know why I don't love You like I should, like You would
Through bad and good oh
Funny how we figure out where happiness is found
In the midst of this sadness I'm closer to You now
And that’s the upside of down, the upside of down
It’s all switched around, I lost and I found
The upside of down
You are more in my less, You are strength in my weakness
I'll never go back again
And then Your sunshine ends the rain and I return to my old ways
Why am I a fair weather friend?
I wanna be the one to love You like I should, like You would
Through the bad and good oh
Funny how we figure out where happiness is found
In the midst of this sadness I'm closer to You now
That’s the upside of tragedies knowing You're holding my heart always, always
I may be down but I'm finding there's joy in the pain, in the pain
Funny how we figure out where happiness is found
In the midst of this sadness I'm closer, I’m closer to You now and oh
The upside of down
It’s all switched around, I lost and I found
The upside of down
Scripture:
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
He deserves all of our affection, attention, love, and gratefulness at all times; not just when we feel as though we need Him for something. He is more than we could ever ask for or imagine, and though His strength is more evident in our weakness, I think its time we start acknowledging Him in all circumstances, good or bad, failure or success. He deserves all that we are, all of the time. I love y'all and am excited to be starting this back up with all of you. God bless!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Pleasing
It hit me today that so often I am doing things that are only pleasing to me. I am a self-serving being who puts me first a majority of the time. I do the things that I want and think will be the most pleasing and most beneficial to me. I understand that I am not alone in this; we each put ourselves first in our own lives. We are the main characters in an act about us, with everyone else being the supporting cast, when in actuality this storyline has never really been about me, about us.
The story is God's. It is about His creation, His wonders, and His love, and we play the supporting roles. This life we live should be centered on Him, putting ourselves and our concerns second to the plans of the Father with our sole aim being to please our King. It is so convicting when the realization hits that I have been putting myself first again; it is so easy to fall back into. I strive to live a life second to God, to Christ who has saved and redeemed me, but without continual reminders, the selfish spirit within me reveals its ugly self. Faith is the only answer to this self-serving issue. We have to believe in order to overcome, to thrive, and to please the Creator of the Universe.
Verse:
And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
~Hebrews 11:6
It is only through faith in God, in His existence, His power, and His control that we can live a life second to Him, a life that is pleasing to our Father. It seems like such a minute thing, to place our faith in Him, but until we truly do so we cannot understand how powerful it actually is. Faith, even as small as a mustard seed, can move mountains, so living a life second to Christ, through faith, is essential in our walk towards letting go of our self-serving attitude and living a life pleasing to our Father.
The story is God's. It is about His creation, His wonders, and His love, and we play the supporting roles. This life we live should be centered on Him, putting ourselves and our concerns second to the plans of the Father with our sole aim being to please our King. It is so convicting when the realization hits that I have been putting myself first again; it is so easy to fall back into. I strive to live a life second to God, to Christ who has saved and redeemed me, but without continual reminders, the selfish spirit within me reveals its ugly self. Faith is the only answer to this self-serving issue. We have to believe in order to overcome, to thrive, and to please the Creator of the Universe.
Verse:
And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
~Hebrews 11:6
It is only through faith in God, in His existence, His power, and His control that we can live a life second to Him, a life that is pleasing to our Father. It seems like such a minute thing, to place our faith in Him, but until we truly do so we cannot understand how powerful it actually is. Faith, even as small as a mustard seed, can move mountains, so living a life second to Christ, through faith, is essential in our walk towards letting go of our self-serving attitude and living a life pleasing to our Father.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Am I Crazy?
Am I crazy? This is a question I sometimes find myself asking. Am I crazy to believe that God exists? That He knows and cares for me? That I can have continual conversation with Him? That He answers prayers? That He satisfies my needs? That He sent His Son to die on the cross? That He loves me enough to shed His own blood for my ransom? That He is more than enough for me?
I can see how conventional wisdom would find these thoughts crazy. The human in me cannot fathom how a Being with no beginning and no end created everything I am, everything I see, and everything I hope to be. My mind cannot wrap itself around the concept of God, but my soul, the very core of who I am, believes in and needs this God more than my physical body needs its next breath. This faith, this God, that can seem so foreign, even crazy to some, is the sole purpose of my existence.
The idea that a Man that was born in this world, but was not of this world, came over 2,000 years ago strictly so He could die for our sins is beyond comprehension, and that is why it gets labeled as crazy. Our minds simply cannot handle these truths. The skeptics and nonbelievers label me as crazy, as a weak being needing a fairy tale story to use as a crutch to get through this rugged life simply because, without faith, it is nearly impossible to see the rationale behind the crazy love of Christ. We find unconditional love to be a foreign concept, but Christ died to change that, to save us, and to allow us to live out a crazy life of faith, reliant on the One True God.
Verse:
God didn't send me out to collect a following for myself, but to preach the Message of what he has done, collecting a following for him. And he didn't send me to do it with a lot of fancy rhetoric of my own, lest the powerful action at the center—Christ on the Cross—be trivialized into mere words. The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hellbent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense. This is the way God works, and most powerfully as it turns out. It's written, I'll turn conventional wisdom on its head, I'll expose so-called experts as crackpots. So where can you find someone truly wise, truly educated, truly intelligent in this day and age? Hasn't God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense? Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God, God in his wisdom took delight in using what the world considered dumb—preaching, of all things!—to bring those who trust him into the way of salvation.
~1 Corinthians 1:17-20 from The Message
Christ died for me, for us, and I long to spread that news to any and all. I do not spread His Word, or write this blog for my own fame and reputation, but rather to show that this crazy concept of Christianity, is not a crazy concept at all. It is a truer love than one can find anywhere else. It is a relationship with the Creator of Heaven and of Earth. It is a life of faith in things unseen, but belief in their reality nonetheless. It is a chance at losing this life for one that is far greater than anything we could have ever planned. My mission, my purpose, my aim, is to continue to serve Christ with all that I am. Am I crazy? Absolutely! I am crazy in love with the One who gives me reason to live.
I can see how conventional wisdom would find these thoughts crazy. The human in me cannot fathom how a Being with no beginning and no end created everything I am, everything I see, and everything I hope to be. My mind cannot wrap itself around the concept of God, but my soul, the very core of who I am, believes in and needs this God more than my physical body needs its next breath. This faith, this God, that can seem so foreign, even crazy to some, is the sole purpose of my existence.
The idea that a Man that was born in this world, but was not of this world, came over 2,000 years ago strictly so He could die for our sins is beyond comprehension, and that is why it gets labeled as crazy. Our minds simply cannot handle these truths. The skeptics and nonbelievers label me as crazy, as a weak being needing a fairy tale story to use as a crutch to get through this rugged life simply because, without faith, it is nearly impossible to see the rationale behind the crazy love of Christ. We find unconditional love to be a foreign concept, but Christ died to change that, to save us, and to allow us to live out a crazy life of faith, reliant on the One True God.
Verse:
God didn't send me out to collect a following for myself, but to preach the Message of what he has done, collecting a following for him. And he didn't send me to do it with a lot of fancy rhetoric of my own, lest the powerful action at the center—Christ on the Cross—be trivialized into mere words. The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hellbent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense. This is the way God works, and most powerfully as it turns out. It's written, I'll turn conventional wisdom on its head, I'll expose so-called experts as crackpots. So where can you find someone truly wise, truly educated, truly intelligent in this day and age? Hasn't God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense? Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God, God in his wisdom took delight in using what the world considered dumb—preaching, of all things!—to bring those who trust him into the way of salvation.
~1 Corinthians 1:17-20 from The Message
Christ died for me, for us, and I long to spread that news to any and all. I do not spread His Word, or write this blog for my own fame and reputation, but rather to show that this crazy concept of Christianity, is not a crazy concept at all. It is a truer love than one can find anywhere else. It is a relationship with the Creator of Heaven and of Earth. It is a life of faith in things unseen, but belief in their reality nonetheless. It is a chance at losing this life for one that is far greater than anything we could have ever planned. My mission, my purpose, my aim, is to continue to serve Christ with all that I am. Am I crazy? Absolutely! I am crazy in love with the One who gives me reason to live.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Fear, Rejection, & Hope
As I approach college graduation, the chats that occur with people are often concerning what is next in my life; where are you going to work, what do you want to do, etc.? Just today, a friend of mine said she is ready to move on and graduate, but fears applying and searching for a job because she hates being rejected. This statement resonated with me; I'm sure none of us enjoy rejection, but as a follower of Christ, I have learned that through fear and rejection, I can still find hope.
That hope is in Christ Jesus. Sure, I may not know where I will be in 3 months, or whether I will have a job or not, but I do know who my Savior is, and have full faith that He has my best in mind. Fear is natural and rejection happens, but God has each and every one of us in the palm of His hand. He is there to ease the hurt, teach valuable life lessons, and help us to grow with each passing experience. The plans I have and dreams I've created will all fall short of the remarkable things that God has already planned out before me; I may get rejected from my "dream job," but the dream job that God intends for me will be right around the corner.
Verses:
Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,
“I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you.”
I will never abandon you.”
So we can say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper,
so I will have no fear.
What can mere people do to me?"
so I will have no fear.
What can mere people do to me?"
Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.
~Hebrews 13:5-7
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
~Jeremiah 29:11
I prayed over and submitted my first job applications today. Some I was excited about, and others scared me, but I applied nonetheless because who I am to close a door that God has potentially opened. I still have a fear of rejection, of not being where I think I should be, but I also know that this fear is no match for my Savior, and that is cause for great joy. I will be where God intends me to be, making a difference in His name because I am willing to do so. He will use you no matter where you end up. So fear not, for the Lord, our God, is with us. Take heart brothers and sisters, we have a hope in Christ Jesus, and He has a plan for our future.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Christ is Risen
As we begin this Holy Week in remembrance, reflection, and celebration of the most life changing events in human history, I am overwhelmed with joy in the truth that Christ is risen and alive today! He is alive and well in the hearts, lives, and actions of His followers who have carried their crosses, and spread His love since His death and resurrection over 2,000 years ago. It is in this joy and gratefulness, however, that we are also forced to face the truth of the matter that necessitated Christ's death on that cross so many years ago.
It was the sin of the human race, past, present and future; our sin that held Him there as He cried out to His Maker. He had done nothing wrong, and yet He took our place upon that cross. He had committed no crime, and yet He paid for our lives with His blood along side those who had. Yes, it was a remarkable and necessary event, seeing as the wages of sin is death, but it is key to recall that it was our sin that put Him there.
Now in the sadness of this realization, we can take heart in the outcome of Christ's death on the cross. For though our actions put Him there, the love and power of God overcame the cross, overcame our sin, and defeated death for any and all who confess Christ as their risen Lord! It is because of this death and resurrection, this life saving event by the Maker and Lover of our souls, that we are given the gift of everlasting life. We do not deserve it; in fact, we deserve just the opposite, but Christ is in the business of forgiving, and His actions on the cross are proof of that.
Verse:
"He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”
~Matthew 28:6-7
I cannot express how bitter sweet the emotions are when I think of the events that took place at Calvary so many years ago, but the one truth I can rejoice in is that Christ is risen, He is alive, He forgives us, and He longs for a relationship with each and every one of us. We've run long enough. It is time we turn to Him, cast our fears and worries at His feet, and thank the Lord for the risen Christ who is and was, and is to come! Christ is risen!
The lyrics to the song Christ is Risen by Matt Maher express the depth of this truth:
Let no one caught in sin remain
Inside the lie of inward shame
We fix our eyes upon the cross
And run to him who showed great love
And bled for us
Freely you bled, for us
Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave!
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with him again
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave!
Beneath the weight of all our sin
You bow to none but heavens will
No scheme of hell, no scoffer's crown
No burden great can hold you down
In strength you reign
Forever let your church proclaim
And here is a cover of this song that I made last night!
http://soundcloud.com/jacob_wager/christ-is-risen
Much love and God bless y'all!
It was the sin of the human race, past, present and future; our sin that held Him there as He cried out to His Maker. He had done nothing wrong, and yet He took our place upon that cross. He had committed no crime, and yet He paid for our lives with His blood along side those who had. Yes, it was a remarkable and necessary event, seeing as the wages of sin is death, but it is key to recall that it was our sin that put Him there.
Now in the sadness of this realization, we can take heart in the outcome of Christ's death on the cross. For though our actions put Him there, the love and power of God overcame the cross, overcame our sin, and defeated death for any and all who confess Christ as their risen Lord! It is because of this death and resurrection, this life saving event by the Maker and Lover of our souls, that we are given the gift of everlasting life. We do not deserve it; in fact, we deserve just the opposite, but Christ is in the business of forgiving, and His actions on the cross are proof of that.
Verse:
"He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”
~Matthew 28:6-7
I cannot express how bitter sweet the emotions are when I think of the events that took place at Calvary so many years ago, but the one truth I can rejoice in is that Christ is risen, He is alive, He forgives us, and He longs for a relationship with each and every one of us. We've run long enough. It is time we turn to Him, cast our fears and worries at His feet, and thank the Lord for the risen Christ who is and was, and is to come! Christ is risen!
The lyrics to the song Christ is Risen by Matt Maher express the depth of this truth:
Let no one caught in sin remain
Inside the lie of inward shame
We fix our eyes upon the cross
And run to him who showed great love
And bled for us
Freely you bled, for us
Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave!
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with him again
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave!
Beneath the weight of all our sin
You bow to none but heavens will
No scheme of hell, no scoffer's crown
No burden great can hold you down
In strength you reign
Forever let your church proclaim
And here is a cover of this song that I made last night!
http://soundcloud.com/jacob_wager/christ-is-risen
Much love and God bless y'all!
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
So Much More
This life, this relationship, this love is so much more than we could ever imagine. We get so caught up in all the things of this life that we forget what is really important. Anything we put before God, anything we focus all our thoughts on, is considered an idol! We need to clear the stage of this life and make room for the focus and attention to be on the One who deserves all the glory!
Verse:
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Matthew 6:33
I found this song last night and found it so convicting. I believe my words will just be extra after hearing this, so I will let God speak through this song. Listen, reflect, and pray to clear the stage for the King of Kings for He is worth so much more!
It's called Clear the Stage by Jimmy Needham
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpYClnBtH-4
I love you all!
Verse:
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Matthew 6:33
I found this song last night and found it so convicting. I believe my words will just be extra after hearing this, so I will let God speak through this song. Listen, reflect, and pray to clear the stage for the King of Kings for He is worth so much more!
It's called Clear the Stage by Jimmy Needham
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpYClnBtH-4
I love you all!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Draw Me Near
I realize there was no post last week, and for that I am sorry. I was on spring break, and literally took a break from everything. I spent time with the Lord, rejuvenated my spirit, and am back at this week. This post is less of a lesson and more of a prayer. I often find it easy to dig into the Word, to rattle off a message to you all, and to simply move on with my week. From here on out, however, I want it to be a little different. I want to enter into prayer with my Father, to really get to the core of my relationship with Him before I spread His word to all of you, so that we can all grow from these blogs.
As most of you know, a friend of mine and I have a duo called The Grace Collective. We have been working on a few more of our original pieces lately (getting them on Youtube eventually) and the following song contains lyrics that came straight from my heart. It took me all of ten minutes to write this song because it simply was not me doing the work. It was the cry and plea of my heart to envelop myself in the love and redemptive power of Christ.
Draw Me Near - The Grace Collective
I have but one desire
To grow closer to You Lord
To seek Your heart of hearts
And strive to know you more
All other things in life
Will simply fade away
But, You, my Rock and King
Forever will remain
So let my heart ring true
And let my faith stand strong
All praise belongs to You
And to You we lift this song
Draw me near, Lord, to find shelter in Your love
Pull me closer, so I will know that You’re enough
And let me dwell, now, in the light of who You are
Just draw me near, Lord, just draw me near
Where You need me Lord
Give me strength to heed that call
And remind my heart that You
Will be the guiding light through all
I need nothing more than You
You’ve surrounded me with grace
I’ve been anointed by Your love
And I will live to seek Your face
For Your cup, it overflows
And new mercies You provide
You’ve ignited change within
Now draw me closer to Your side
Verse:
So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he'll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet.
James 4:7-10 of The Message
I pray these lyrics, this prayer, will not only be my prayer, but the prayer of all of you as well. We live for and serve a mighty and awesome God. He is so worthy of our praise, our time, and our love. We must simply ask Him to draw us near.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Exalt Him
We serve a mighty God, and today I want to give Him thanks. He deserves more than we could ever offer, and yet He so desires and longs for the praise, love, and adoration we can bring before Him. It seems like such a minuscule thing to take a minute and thank God for all He has done, but it is one of the most important things we can do as Christians. Thanking Him, in every situation, strengthens our faith, builds a deeper relationship with Christ, and encourages us to keep pressing forward in the spiritual battle that is this earthly life.
Struggles come and hurt happens, but all that is temporary compared to the steadfast love and promise of everlasting life that can only be found in Christ Jesus. In all things, give thanks. Find the lesson, learn from it, and continue to strive towards that deeper relationship. A true test of our faith is when we find ourselves in those difficult situations; it is easy to praise God when things are going well, but when we are pushed to our limits does He still get the praise He deserves? I do not have all the answers, and I don't ever intend to. Faith is about believing without seeing; I do not have to know every aspect of God's plan for my life to accept the fact that it is the best possible plan for me. I simply believe it, and I strive to thank Him continually for all the wonderful things He has placed in my life.
Verse:
LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.
~Isaiah 25:1
Reflect on what God has done for you, how His tests have strengthened your life, and how you have learned from these trials to see that better and brighter paths have been opened up before you because of Him. Thank Him, exalt Him, worship Him, and love Him. He deserves all this and more!
Struggles come and hurt happens, but all that is temporary compared to the steadfast love and promise of everlasting life that can only be found in Christ Jesus. In all things, give thanks. Find the lesson, learn from it, and continue to strive towards that deeper relationship. A true test of our faith is when we find ourselves in those difficult situations; it is easy to praise God when things are going well, but when we are pushed to our limits does He still get the praise He deserves? I do not have all the answers, and I don't ever intend to. Faith is about believing without seeing; I do not have to know every aspect of God's plan for my life to accept the fact that it is the best possible plan for me. I simply believe it, and I strive to thank Him continually for all the wonderful things He has placed in my life.
Verse:
LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.
~Isaiah 25:1
Reflect on what God has done for you, how His tests have strengthened your life, and how you have learned from these trials to see that better and brighter paths have been opened up before you because of Him. Thank Him, exalt Him, worship Him, and love Him. He deserves all this and more!
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
His Strength
Through Christ, we have been given new life, been made whole, and granted a chance to start with a clean slate. However, I oftentimes find it difficult to relinquish my control and rely on His strength. It is easy to sit back and let life take us along, shying away from difficult circumstances, and trying to find the easiest path to simply make it through, to just get by. That, however, is not what God calls us to do. Through the Holy Spirit, we have been given power, love, and self-discipline to take on all that life brings us. We have been given the strength of Christ to make the most of our lives while we are here.
We must face the facts, and accept that with this life comes several challenges and hard times. It is when these trying times present themselves that we are faced with a decision; either we rely on ourselves and try to sneak by, or we rely on His perfect strength and turn these tests into testimonies. He longs to mold and shape us into what He created us to be, and it is often necessary to go through some tests and trials to get there. However, if we choose to let life pass us by without making an effort to learn or grow in these situations, then we will never be all that He has made us to be. He is our Rock, our Creator, the Author and Perfecter of our faith! Why would we rely on anyone but Him in these situations?
Verses:
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
~2 Timothy 1:
You are my strength, I watch for You; You, God, are my fortress...But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.
~Psalm 59:9 & 16-17
I pray that as you read these verses, you take time to reflect on your life lately. Have you been trying to sneak by? To handle all of life's difficulties on your own? Or have you found comfort in fortress that is the steadfast love and strength of Jesus Christ? It is only through His strength that we have the power to learn, grow, love and be loved.
Be blessed!
Also, time is running out to donate to my polar plunge page for Special Olympics Minnesota. Please give what you can! Much love y'all!
http://www.plungemn.org/plunger/jacobwager
Thanks again!
We must face the facts, and accept that with this life comes several challenges and hard times. It is when these trying times present themselves that we are faced with a decision; either we rely on ourselves and try to sneak by, or we rely on His perfect strength and turn these tests into testimonies. He longs to mold and shape us into what He created us to be, and it is often necessary to go through some tests and trials to get there. However, if we choose to let life pass us by without making an effort to learn or grow in these situations, then we will never be all that He has made us to be. He is our Rock, our Creator, the Author and Perfecter of our faith! Why would we rely on anyone but Him in these situations?
Verses:
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
~2 Timothy 1:
You are my strength, I watch for You; You, God, are my fortress...But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.
~Psalm 59:9 & 16-17
I pray that as you read these verses, you take time to reflect on your life lately. Have you been trying to sneak by? To handle all of life's difficulties on your own? Or have you found comfort in fortress that is the steadfast love and strength of Jesus Christ? It is only through His strength that we have the power to learn, grow, love and be loved.
Be blessed!
Also, time is running out to donate to my polar plunge page for Special Olympics Minnesota. Please give what you can! Much love y'all!
http://www.plungemn.org/plunger/jacobwager
Thanks again!
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Being Authentic
As my senior year nears completion, the reality that true, adult-life lies just around the corner can be slightly unnerving. However, God has really placed on my heart the importance of living an authentic Christian life when making these future life decisions. Though the times can be stressful, I can find comfort and rest knowing that God has perfect plans for my life. This does not mean I will simply wait back and hope life "happens" the way God intends it, but I whole-heartedly believe that He calls us to live a life true to His word, fully depending on Him, but also acting on the wisdom He has provided, and taking risks that that will honor His name.
That is what living an authentic Christian life looks like. We are not called to a life of perfection, nor do we need to "fake it 'til we make it" as society often pressures us to believe. As a follower of Christ, I recognize that I am not perfect, nor will I ever be, but I do strive to live a life that exudes authenticity. If and when I make mistakes, I yearn to fix and learn from them. I love Jesus Christ with all my heart, and nothing hurts more than when I take an outside look at my life and notice discrepancies that I am not proud of. However, Christ forgives, and it is essential to recognize and believe that.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight
~Proverbs 3:5-6
An authentic life is not a perfect life, but it is one that looks the same to the outside world as it does behind closed doors. It is a life that takes chances based on wisdom and the will of God. It is the life of a person who loves God enough to accept the amazing gifts He has freely presented before us, and strives to never take them for granted. It is a life that yearns to be free of judgement for the only perfect being was Christ Himself. It is when the flesh and judgement take over that the authentic Christian life begins to look a lot more like hypocrisy to the outside world.
As a Christian I still struggle, I stumble, I fall, and I downright fail, but I continue to accept the redemptive love of Christ. I strive to learn, to forgive, to share, and to love as Christ did. I remind myself that a life worthy of the love of Christ is not a life held to a standard of perfection, but rather a life held to His standard of grace. He longs for us to lead authentic lives that lead others straight to Him.
Tonight my prayer is not that you become perfect people, but rather authentic Christians. I pray that you examine your lives and weed out the areas that may not fit under this description. It is time that we quit hiding behind these masks of perfection and judgement, and time we become the authentic humans that Christ died for on the Cross of Calvary.
That is what living an authentic Christian life looks like. We are not called to a life of perfection, nor do we need to "fake it 'til we make it" as society often pressures us to believe. As a follower of Christ, I recognize that I am not perfect, nor will I ever be, but I do strive to live a life that exudes authenticity. If and when I make mistakes, I yearn to fix and learn from them. I love Jesus Christ with all my heart, and nothing hurts more than when I take an outside look at my life and notice discrepancies that I am not proud of. However, Christ forgives, and it is essential to recognize and believe that.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight
~Proverbs 3:5-6
An authentic life is not a perfect life, but it is one that looks the same to the outside world as it does behind closed doors. It is a life that takes chances based on wisdom and the will of God. It is the life of a person who loves God enough to accept the amazing gifts He has freely presented before us, and strives to never take them for granted. It is a life that yearns to be free of judgement for the only perfect being was Christ Himself. It is when the flesh and judgement take over that the authentic Christian life begins to look a lot more like hypocrisy to the outside world.
As a Christian I still struggle, I stumble, I fall, and I downright fail, but I continue to accept the redemptive love of Christ. I strive to learn, to forgive, to share, and to love as Christ did. I remind myself that a life worthy of the love of Christ is not a life held to a standard of perfection, but rather a life held to His standard of grace. He longs for us to lead authentic lives that lead others straight to Him.
Tonight my prayer is not that you become perfect people, but rather authentic Christians. I pray that you examine your lives and weed out the areas that may not fit under this description. It is time that we quit hiding behind these masks of perfection and judgement, and time we become the authentic humans that Christ died for on the Cross of Calvary.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Failure
Failure is a daily occurrence for me. I fail to get everything accomplished that I had intended on doing, I fail in fending off the sins that deep down I do not want to commit, and I fail to reflect Christ in the best possible way I know how. It pains me to admit these failures, to admit that I fall far short of the standard of perfection that Christ exemplified, however, I find joy in His forgiveness.
He forgives all of us. I do not understand, nor will I ever comprehend His love for us, but I fully believe that through Him we can be picked back up from our failures. He does not hold us to a standard of perfection, but rather a standard of grace. His grace makes up for where our human bodies, desires, and tendencies bring us, and His grace is far more than we could ever need.
I strive to beat my sin struggles, to grow closer with God on a daily basis, and fend off the spiritual attacks that come along with the territory. Some days, I am able to remain strong, to rely on Him and make it through. Other days, my flesh fails me, and I find myself back at square one, humbly repenting at the cross of Christ. It is painful to admit my mistakes again and again, but the beauty is that His steadfast grace will always cover me, and renew me to my fullest. We are imperfect beings loved and made whole by a perfect God and His perfect grace.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
~Psalm 73:26
~Psalm 73:26
Failure is inevitable, but accepting His grace, and learning from our shortcomings gives us exactly what we need to press on. I do not expect to be perfect, but I strive to learn from my mistakes, to avoid them in the future, and inch myself closer to being the reflection of Christ that my soul longs for me to be. I love Him, and He loves me; His mercy is relentless, His love is never ceasing, and His grace overflows for all of us. It is with a grateful heart that I accept those gifts in place of my failures, and pray and urge all of you to accept them as well.
We fail and learn; He forgives and forgets.
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