Tuesday, April 21, 2009

A List

Recent or Re-Emphasized Events/Thoughts/Realizations

  • A couple weeks ago I fell while out for a jog. No reported witnesses. Praise God.
  • I burned my finger the other day. I have a new scar. :)
  • On Sunday night, at church, during a serious moment, I fell. And everyone either saw or heard. (We're talking 100+ people here. I know, right?)
  • I got yelled at by my parents on the phone for "not communicating".Bulleted List
  • I found out I probably can't go to New York this summer because I have to take my grandparents to Texas to visit their home and family.
  • I found out I still don't know how to say no; or at least communicate what's best for me.
  • I still don't have a "real" job; but the trip to Texas means I'll be gone during "hiring season". (I know God will provide though.)
  • I don't know whether to stay in the girls' intern house (even though I'm not going to be an intern and I don't have a job), move back in with my parents (I think I'd go crazy), or move into an apartment with a friend of mine (I don't have a job and I'm supposed to somehow save up for school anyway).
  • I'm not much of a game player and I don't do dishonesty very well. Especially when it comes to the things that matter.
  • I would prefer that a person honestly tell me what they think about me, how they feel about me, or their opinion of me/what I say/what I do, so that I can address it/them appropriately-possibly with an apology, possibly with clarification, definitely with complete honesty and unconditional love.
  • I miss theatre. Like, I cried myself to sleep one night last week because I missed it so much.
  • I'm not in control of my life anymore, but I'm okay with that.
  • I need God more than a balloon needs air.
  • I love God more than anyone/anything. Period.
  • I am truly, deeply, ridiculously content with God and me.
  • It's not about me, my job is to be like the moon-a Son reflector-both in word and action. No excuses or exceptions.
  • Everything good flows out of God's love. Nothing good comes without it.


Oh! And I'm preaching tomorrow night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So excited/humbled! Pray for me?

much love.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Emotions Devotion

Pastor Jeremy
Sermon on 3/16/09
Discussion on 3/22/09

(Acts)

The Stadium Unplugged

Acts 2:1-4

1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Summary

We must stop doubting for the sake of fear, and start doubting to find an answer. We need to start allowing the Head to control the body by becoming Spirit led and operating in love so that "super" God can once again unite with the "natural" us.


Doubting
is not a sign of mental weakness, denial is.
There are two types of doubters:
1. honest doubters- those who doubt and question to find an answer.
2. willful doubters- those who question and doubt to prove people wrong and validate their oponion.
In what ways and areas do you find yourself doubting? Why? What will it take to convince you?

There are more churches in this city than burger joints and Starbucks; yet we still haven't seen this city saved because instead of being the bride of Christ, we have become the bride of Frankenstein.
What will it take for the body of Christ to "come together?"


Rather than swords or spears God used "tongues" of fire to symbolize unity and edification.
"God operates through love; through love there is power."
God's motive is not to show off His power, but to meet the need. He wants us to worship Him because we love Him, not because we fear Him.
Was there ever a time where you wanted to be used by God's power, but had the wrong motive? What happened? What can we learn from this experience?


Most churches have transitioned from being a movement to being a monument or museum, it's time to start moving again.
We have become a people who care more about people's opinion than God's dominion.
We have stopped encountering God's supernatural power because we have taken the driver's seat away from God.
What are ways in your life in which you have "taken the driver's seat"? What have been the results?

I am a SPIRIT...I live in a BODY, and I have a SOUL; and inside of my soul, I have my MIND, WILL, and EMOTIONS.
Our soul needs to be subject to our spirit, while our spirit needs to be subject to the Holy Spirit and the Word.
Referring to the story Pastor told about training his dogs, what are the "dogs" in your life? What areas of your life need to become subject by the Spirit rather than your soul (mind, will, emotions)? How can we train these areas?

Personal Reflections

(Please take home and answer these questions privately)

1. What are ways that you can be used in "love" this week?

2. How are you being controlled by your soul (mind, will, emotions)?

3. How do you react when you don't know what to do? How should you react?

4. What was the "Suddenly" of your life? How have you been changed by it?

You can listen to the podcast by going to http://www.myspace.com/warindustries

Choose Life

Proverbs 18:21 says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and those who love it will eat of its fruit."

Recently, God's been teaching me to truly tame my tongue. To live like I actually believe that truth. I actually used that verse as a challenge for myself and the children and youth that are in the class I teach at my dad's church (as well as a couple of the girls I mentor), after breaking down exactly what it means.
See, I've known that verse for a very long time; but I've learned that there are many different levels of understanding when it comes to God and His Word. I've reached a new one as far as that verse is concerned; and now God's helping me live it out. Let's take a closer look at it...maybe you (whoever reads this) can work on it with me as well.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue...

Tongue obviously means the words we speak. But what if a person is mute? Well, in all reality, it's not just about the words we use; it's about any form of communication-from speech to sign language. So, the words we use have enough power to either create life or destroy it. (Really, one could go so far as to say that body language is a form of communication; and that it too has the power to create or destroy. Have you ever been hurt by a person's actions or body language? I have.) Let's move on...
...and those who love it...

Who loves what? Well, "it" refers to language, or speaking; and anyone who uses "it" loves "it". So I'm pretty sure that's all of us. Unless of course you've taken a vow of silence recently, and are not using anything at all to communicate with others; in which case you may be exempt. Haha, but the rest of us definitely fall into the "love it" category.
...will eat of its fruit.

Once again "it" is referring to the things we say. The picture I painted for my class was this:
Imagine you're a farmer, and you're planting seeds. You choose which seeds to sow, and the seeds you sow grow into plants that bear fruit. The fruit your plants will bear depends entirely on what was sown by you. Your words are seeds, and there are only two types of seed available: death and life. If you sow seeds of life, when the time comes for your plants to bear fruit, you will eat life. If you sow seeds of death, when the time comes for your plants to bear fruit, you will eat death. These seeds can be planted in your life, a situation, or the life of someone you know; but regardless of where it's sown, the sower will eat it. Maybe your "plant" will grow quickly (like tomatoes), or maybe it will take some time (like a pumpkin or watermelon); but it will grow. And you will eat it. Here's something else God showed me and my class: we may plant a seed, but God is the One Who decides how quickly it grows and how big it gets. If that's the case, even the smallest seed of life can grow into a very large fruit! And if we add body language to this, even the smallest thing (maybe a simple, but sincere smile) can change a life forever.
Jesus said that the enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy; but that He came so that we can have life, and have it more abundantly (John 10:9-11). God said that He knows the plans He has for us, plans to prosper us and not to harm us-to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). In a different version, it says: He knows the thoughts He thinks toward us, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give us hope and a future. God wants life for us; in fact, as I mentioned before, He wants us to have life more abundantly. According to dictionary.com, the word abundant means:
1. present in great quantity; more than adequate; oversufficient: an abundant supply of water.
2. well supplied; abounding: a river abundant in salmon.
3. richly supplied: an abundant land.
Synonyms include: copious, profuse, overflowing, plentiful, teeming, and rich.
It gets even better, the antonyms are sparse and scarce.
Crazy! Many people have this picture of a judgmental, condemning God; but 1 John 4:8b says it best
God is love.

Plain and simple. In fact, looking at this verse in context really puts it into perspective.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1 John 4:7-11

Basically, God really loves you. He sent His Son to die for you. Now, God wants abundant life for you. I challenge you to not only accept His gift of love; but to walk it out in the words you speak.
Choose Life, speak life, and live abundantly.

much love.