Who Are Your Former Priests?

"The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost* those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them." -Hebrews 7:23-25 

*uttermost=completely 

Isn't it true that either at one point or still sometimes we fill up our lives with "former priests"? These things we seek after for fulfillment. Sure, they'll do for a short period of time, but because they aren't big enough to carry the weight of our joy, our desires, or our need for salvation, they die. They spend a short period of time in the office of our hearts before getting impeached as a result of incompetence. Great news, Jesus is the answer to ending the perpetual ups and downs of different priests in our hearts because he saves COMPLETELY and PERMANENTLY. So maybe in order to live in a most consistence nearness to Jesus, we need to identify those "former priests" in our lives and deny them the opportunity to sit at the throne of our hearts.   

 

High Thread Count, Tempur-Pedic, and Down

"shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain." -Philippians 2:15b-16

I heard a fantastic illustration of what reaching the world for the gospel of Christ might look like. Below is a paraphrased story from Pastor Perry Noble (New Spring Church).

He'd been having trouble sleeping for a couple weeks, and after a few friends told him that the problem was likely his mattress, he broke down and splurged on one of those really nice Tempur-Pedic mattresses, his wife then bought really soft, high-thread count sheets to put on, and one night they climbed into bed pulling the heavy, down comforter up so that only their nose and eyes were exposed. They keep their bedroom really cold, but snuggling under the covers on top of the new bed and new sheets was the greatest. Their four year old daughter had been sick that week, so when they put her to bed, they told her that if she needed anything, to just call. Well sure enough, not long after they had climbed into the comfort and warmth of their new bed, they heard a faint moan coming from her room. Despite having to abandon the warmth, they both sprung out of bed to go tend to their daughter....
because you don't ignore someone who is in pain and needs help just because it means you're going to have to leave comfort behind.  

I thought that was a powerful picture. Maybe we need to get out from under the comforter and go reach people where they are.

Broken Ornaments

" The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted." -Isaiah 61:1 

  

Our beautiful one-legged, no footed Christmas ornament named Shabar (Hebrew for "broken-hearted") reminding us this Christmas that Jesus came into a messed up world to save us!

What Makes You Fist Pump?

"Oh sing to the LORD a new song; 
sing to the LORD, all the earth! 
Sing to the LORD, bless his name; 
tell of his salvation from day to day."-Psalm 96:2

I attended a graduation ceremony yesterday morning, and the best part (next to watching my beautiful aunt walk across the stage to receive her diploma of course) was watching the students' reactions when their names were called. Many quietly proceeded to cross the stage with a slight grin, but a few danced right on up, giving a shout and a holler, as they threw their hands into the air out of excitement. It made me think, does the victory we have in Jesus make us want to fist pump? 

Our Salvation Has A Name

" And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.'" -Luke 1:30-31 

The Lord didn't reveal a grand plan to Mary that he wanted her to implement for our salvation. He didn't send her a formula, or a some complex algorithm. He didn't even introduce something that was unfamiliar to the people of the time. He sent a baby. He sent a human, someone that people could relate to. Our salvation, the greatest gift we could possibly imagine, has a name!

 

When Christmas Isn't All Nice and Neat

"Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham." -Hebrews 2:14-16

I got to church a little bit early this morning. While searching the hood for a parking spot that did not require I parallel park, I came across this...

If you're wondering what I took the picture of....stop looking, there really isn't much there. It's just a typical vacant lot littered with trash, a common sight in this part of the city. But, I got to thinking, Jesus was in heaven and then, he came down into this. He came down into the trash and emptiness of this world, both literally and metaphorically. That's radical. God in flesh. Perfection coming into the mess of a sin-stricken world. That's messed up. Can we celebrate that this Christmas!?! Let's not only rejoice, but also recognize how sorrowful this must have been for Christ to come as us. The reality of Christmas isn't all nice and neat and pretty at all. It's kind of twisted (if I'm allowed to say that), it was the start of a long trek to the cross. I think that's humbling for us in a society that treats it as a feel-good trip and economy booster.

 

What's Your Spiritual Sweat Smell Like?

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." -James 1:2 

Sometimes this verse is just rough. When the Holy Spirit convicts you with it, it's like a nagging request resonating in your heart. It's conviction and if, and only if, you can keep reading, it's encouraging. It made me think today, as I jumped off the treadmill drenched in sweat because it was especially toasty in the gym, joy can be a measure of our heart's spiritual sweat.

Everyone has that type of outer, visual evidence of an inner struggle called sweat. Some people produce lots of it, others, not so much. Some people get stinky when they sweat, while some don't. Every time we come up against a spiritual battle, a bout in the desert, a season of suffering, we sweat (figuratively....well maybe physically too). We have the choice to respond with misery or with joy. So maybe we need to sniff things out a bit. What fragrance emits from our hearts during times of suffering? We have the opportunity to sweat the sweet scent of joy because suffering in Christ is for his glory and our better!

Fixed Focus

"like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same." -Hebrews 1:12 

What our lives would look like if we fixed our focus on the supremacy of God in all circumstances. This single truth has the power to change everything. I want to have that fixed focus!  

We've Gotta Figure it Out

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundant." -John 10:10

There are two options available. The thief and the Way. If life isn't abundant, maybe we need to reexamine who we're following. No one is capable of impressing upon us life abundant, we've simply got to get out there and encounter Him!

I Dare You to Celebrate Christmas This Year!

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host praising God" -Luke 2:13 

I was chatting with a mom earlier today and when she said "we don't celebrate Christmas" it caught me off guard. I asked why not and she said because her children think it's all about getting presents. I said "so wait, what does Christmas mean to you?" She said with a frank expression, "Jesus' birth," so I said "you do celebrate Christmas!"

We've been so brainwashed into thinking that the celebration of Christmas must entail presents, decorations, shopping, food, and the like. What if we skipped all of the black Friday and cyber Monday spending; ditched the decorations; and fasted on Christmas day....what if we simply came to worship the one and only Son of God who came down in the most humble of ways to save us? What if, starting today, as we begin to count down to the highly anticipated day, we dare to celebrate Christmas?

What's It Worth To You?

"And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him." -Luke 5:11 

Would you do that? If I'm being honest with myself, I'd have to say that would be really hard. When I picture the disciples bringing in their boats, I think about what my life's equivalent to that would be. They were walking away from their profession and subsequently their means of provision. It was what they knew..their comfort.

Are we willing to give up our jobs, or means of provision, or comforts? I think we need to confront the reality that if we've allowed Jesus into our hearts, we have already surrendered our lives to him, so we are continually "on deck," per say, to act on our surrender as he may call us to. The great news is, as Billy Graham said “God never takes away something from your life without replacing it with something better” and following Jesus is the greatest thrill ride you could ever imagine.

Maybe following Jesus is not what everyone has made it out to be...the guys in this movie decided to wrestle with just that

  

Nets Be Filled

"'Put out into the deep and let down your nets for the catch.' And Simon answered, 'Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.' And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking." -Luke 5:4-6 

 If you've ever been trying to share Jesus with someone, this passage most likely hits home at some level. Three simple things I love about this interaction Jesus has with Simon in Luke 5....

#1.) Simon kinda dares to try validate his prior efforts to Jesus. I want to say "Come on Simon..really?" but I know I'm guilty of this all too often. We see all over scripture encouragement like in Galatians 6:9  "and let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up," yet still, once we've felt as though we've exhausted our own wisdom and resources, we start to object to the Lord's calling us to witness on the basis of having already "toiled." Until we've toiled alongside of Jesus, we've toiled in vain.
#2.) And that brings me to my second thought. It's so beautiful and simple- Simon caught nothing until Jesus came on the scene. Maybe we need to start inviting the Master Fisherman on our ventures at sea.
#3.) The nets were breaking. I don't know who everyone thinks developed the saying "go big or go home," but I bet it was Jesus. He doesn't act on a small scale nor is he a minimalist. Bringing people back to life, healing the blind, casting out demons, turning water to wine, feeding the five thousand, raising from the dead, the list goes on and on.

Brothers and sisters, be encouraged, if you feel the fish aren't biting, we serve the one and only God who fills nets. If you've never experienced empty nets, maybe it's time to start fishing and praying "nets be filled" type prayers. 

Chuck it like an old newspaper

"assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." -Ephesians 4:21-24 

This week, one of my patients was a dear old woman whom I spent a lot of time with simply because she was lonely. When I first walked in that morning, the first thing she asked me to do for her was to bring the trashcan closer to her bed. In her weathered, yet quite feisty words..."some dummy put it all the way on the other side of the room where I can't reach, some brains they had." I proceeded to put that trashcan right next to her bed at just the right angle so that she could slide the trash off the bed and into the can with ease. As I continued about my business with her, I wondered if she even had trash to put into the can.

We got cleaned up and I was straightening up her room for her when she very adamantly requested I toss the day-old newspaper. Knowing that reading the paper was just about the only available activity for her and its helpful in orienting confused patients, I asked to make sure that she didn't want it for later. "NO! I don't need that. Plus, I have enough problems of my own without reading about everyone else." When that day's paper came in later on at lunch time, before even taking it out of the bag, she wanted it in the trash.

I guess this is what we have to do with our old ways of life in the flesh, toss it like an old newspaper. When our old selves pop back up again, don't spend time to unwrap it and going exploring again into the depths of the past. Just like this woman needed to have the trashcan near her bedside in order to discard the paper, the truth is, if we are not walking alongside our Savior, we are completely incapable to shedding our former ways of life. Let's make getting rid of our old selves a first thing in the morning type priority and rejoice in the fact that Jesus has made himself available for us to be renewed!

Like that Loaf of Bread

"When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him." -Luke 24:30-31 

I heard a great message on this passage about the disciples traveling to Emmaus with Jesus and the pastor (Steven Furtick Blessed and Broken) really put this verse into perspective. Just as Jesus takes the bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it, so he does also with us in our own lives. We find ourselves in one of these four stages everyday. Whether the Lord is displacing you and making you uncomfortable with where he's placed you, or he has you in a joyous season of life....whether he's breaking you to bring you closer to him or he's giving your life to reflect the glory of his kingdom, you never leave his hands. Jesus doesn't put the bread down!

Verse 31 is a fantastic reminder of the reward to come when we surrender to God's hands and allow him to carry us through such stages according to his will. Then, our eyes will be opened to see that which satisfies our hearts!

All Things Beautiful

"He has made all things beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart , yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end." -Ecclesiastes 3:11

I attended my first ever Alcoholic's Anonymous meeting yesterday, and I have to say it was one of the most beautiful things that I have ever witnessed. A good friend told me she thought that it was something that everyone should experience in their lifetime, and I could not agree more! If you want to see Ecclesiastes 3:11 in real life, go to one!

The most common expression in that one hour long meeting was "I am not the person that I was." That's the power of Jesus right there folks! Forget the picture of righteousness that gets tied to "religious" people. If we want to see the beauty of Jesus, we might just need to be willing to admit our ugliness.

During the meeting, some expressed their appreciation for the toils in their lives that made them who they have become today. I think that so wonderfully reflects the second part of this verse. According to study Bible, "find out" in this verse comes from the Hebrew meaning "figure out or comprehend by study." The writer of Ecclesiastes recognizes in this verse that God gives him a heart to figure things out but also limits him in doing so. This resolve is what I saw yesterday-- beautiful people willing to resign to God's will in using their mistakes, regardless of how "sinful" they were, to remake them into a people that reflect his Son.     

When Salvation's at Stake

"When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried out in a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here."-Acts 16:27 

I drive Philly's eclectic Broad Street multiple times a week these day, and I see a lot. This morning on my ten minute drive to church, I watched a man in a wheelchair in the middle of the turning lane, use his only leg to push himself along. I wondered where he was going. Does that man know that Jesus died for the sin that caused him to lose his other leg? I saw another go headfirst into a trash care, fishing around for something. I wondered what he was looking for. Does that man know that the God of the universe is available to provide him with more than the treasures of this world? Another man, eyes glossy and bagged bottle in hand, stumbled into oncoming traffic (me) and took the next 15 or so seconds to stumble off the road onto the curb. I wondered how he got there. Does that man know that the love of Jesus provides a lasting satisfaction that doesn't fade once the night is through?

In this passage, Paul and Silas knew that the salvation of those around them was at stake! Can we take a minute to recognize that the salvation of those around us is at stake, so that we may dedicate whatever lifetime we have to carrying the name of Jesus to those people?

In Which Key Do You Sing?

"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were shaken." -Acts 16:25-26

This story in Acts is absolutely amazing. I'd encourage reading the whole thing because it's so powerful. Here are some practical notes I picked up from a sermon on the passage...
   -In the darkness, praise is unusual...it's not expected, but it reflects a God who is bigger than our trials and it affirms that he's in charge of our lives.

   -People pay attention to our responses in trials, so those responses are powerful.
   -The ability to worship like this in times of darkness comes from revelation of God, not simply information.  We have to experience him!
   -God does big things in these situations....like bringing people to freedom and salvation!

Will we dare to praise in prison, make a statement to our fellow prisoners, and be witness to the freeing hand of an unchanging God?

When Did you Last Count That?

"You know when I sit down and when I rise up" -Psalm 139:2 

When was the last time that you counted how many times over the course of the day that you went from a sitting to standing position? I wouldn't even be able to venture a decent guess as to what that might have been for today. And to be perfectly frank, who cares? What does something like that matter at all?....except to show us the personality of Jesus. 

Our God is the God of details. He's ruler over all that is grand and even the minutia that we fail to consider. I'm about ready to start trusting him with more than just my ups and downs!

He Asks Much and Gives Even More

"'By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld, your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore.'" -Genesis 22:16-17

What an example Abraham is. He surrendered to an obedience so extreme as to sacrifice his son, yet with his willingness to hold nothing back from the Lord, God spared his son and blessed Abraham abundantly. What strikes me most about this passage lately is that those who God asks much of in the way of sacrifice, he uses greatly. Are we willing to act in obedience like Abraham so that we may be blessed by the privilege of being a tool of the one and only living God?

A Different Perspective

"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." -Isaiah 43:19

The picture above is from our hotel window, overlooking downtown Charlotte. As I peered over the edge, I watched the people below strolling along the sidewalks and in and out of stores. The perspective is so different than if I was on the ground. I can see two people, who have no idea that they are walking towards each other and see that if neither one of them moves quickly, one...or both of them just might end up swimming with the swans in the pond. You can see so much farther ahead from that perspective from the window.
That's like what the Lord sees in our lives. He sees everything near and far. He knows who and what we are going to run into down the road and he provides for us accordingly. WOW! I'm thankful that during times in the desert, our provider has planted the rivers that satisfy our hearts. 

It's Feels Special

"For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose." -Galatians 2:19- 21

This sums up the beauty of the gospel I think that our world needs to hear! Following Jesus is the most special thing I can imagine.

It Feels Like Joy

"Therefore my heart is glad and my whole being rejoices" -Psalm 16:9 
"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." -Psalm 16:11 

 When I get really excited for something or am looking forward to something, I get loud and talk a lot (well...more than my normal "a lot")You know how sometimes you get really excited about something and people can just detect it when they're around you? Though that happiness is fleeting, all it takes is a rough class or a bad day at practice or an argument with someone you love to knock you off your horse of bliss. Living a life of continual ups and downs according to circumstances (happy one day, sad the next) is less than what God designed us for.

Great news!! He offers us himself that we might have unending joy in his presence.

Following Jesus feels like joy...it's not this plastic smile happiness all of the time or that "go get 'em" optimism always in the face of every hardship, but rather feeling loved by God regardless of the situation because of his faithfulness to his promises to us and his allowing us to glorify him!

It Feels Like Hope

"We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor for the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf." -Hebrews 6:19 

In everyday life, think about how many circumstantial things we base our hope on. How about time? Say you're playing a soccer game and your team has just gone a goal down. You look up at the clock to realize there are still 20 minutes left...there's hope for a comeback.

Maybe you snooze through your alarm on the morning you have to go to clinical. Once finally on the road, you hit a string of green lights and think to yourself, "there's still hope I'll make it in time, if I keep flowing with traffic this way."

Once at the hospital a patient codes and the response team manages to stabilize him. The doctor tells his family, "there's hope he'll live if we can perform emergency surgery to break up the clot within the next 24 hours." There's hope for her grade if she scores well on the next exam. There's hope for his job if he never again comes late or misses another meeting. There's hope.......IF.......

So much hope in this world is conditional. If something, then a favorable result. Jesus' death and resurrection took the "if" out of our hope statement as believers. Thanks to the UNCONDITIONAL (meaning no if's) love of our heavenly Father, our hope statement is not of this world. Instead of "there is hope if......" we can confidently proclaim: "There is and always will be hope because Jesus died to secure it, he already made a way for a one-on-one relationship with the God of love, and he made eternal salvation available after this world is over!"

Following Jesus feels like real, guaranteed, unconditional hope because the work to preserve it has already been done!    

It Feel Like Certainty

"Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths but do not speak; eyes, but no not see." -Psalm 115:2-5 

Our God is large and in charge....he's actually alive and active. We all have gods of our live. A really easy way of identifying what it may be is by asking what the one thing is in your life that you simply cannot imagine life without? Without this, you'd fall apart, you'd feel purposeless, powerless, and poor. The reality is that the little "g" gods of our lives will inevitably fail us a some point or another. Just like this scripture makes clear, they are not alive.

When we make the big "G" God the ruler over our lives, peace, security, and certainty can ensue permanently. When we serve Jesus, we will never be victims of circumstance, and I like that. There is never anything that happens in your life that was the result of bad luck. Everything has a purpose for your benefit and his glory. One of my favorite life scriptures sums up what it's like to walk with Jesus....

"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD  is the stronghold of my like; of whom shall I be afraid?" -Psalm 27:1 

Following Jesus feels like certainty in all things present and to come, because in the past he paid the price for circumstance so we wouldn't have to!   

It Feels Like Salvation

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." -John 3:17 

Simply defined, the word condemn means to express disapproval. I'm not sure at what point everything got twisted around and cartoons of God sending down lightning bolts grew to be the predominant picture of God, but according to his word, he sent Jesus to save us from disapproval, not strike us with it. When you have a perfect God and imperfect people, this is necessary. God loves you and he loves me and SENT...not might send if we are well behaved, not will do his best to send if he has time, not even is sending and you should expect arrival shortly....no he already sent his son to pay the price for every thing that we will do that hurts him...aka sin...so that "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1).

Following Jesus feels like salvation. And salvation means I don't have to get my life all neat and tiddy to bring before the throne of God, but can simply bring my broken pieces to him, unashamed because he came not to disapprove of me, but to save me! 

This movie makes me cry every time. I think it's the single most beautiful thing this side of heaven when people proclaim what Jesus has done for them. (Make sure you watch the slides, they're so powerful).  
  Jesus Saves- Jeremy Camp  

It Feels Like Love

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." -John 15:13 

"How great is the love of the Father has lavished on us, that we would be called the children of God." -1 John 3:1 

The word "love" has so many different meanings to different people. If I said "love" to you, it is likely that you would associate it with a relationship. The intentionality of God in that regard is so evident in scripture. We were hand-designed to love others and to love Him. There is no stronger gesture of affection than to love on someone. And it's mind blowing to me that the Lord actually desires our attention....just think about that for a minute, he wants your love in reciprocation for his. His love was evidenced when he sent his Son to "lay down his life" for us. It was clear when he conquered the grave and defeated sin. And it was made available when he offered his Spirit to actively live in us that we might be able to experience real love every day.

Following Jesus feels like you're being loved like no one else can love you.

How He Loves- David Crowder Band

 
 

It Feels Like Freedom

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." -Galatians 5:1 

We all have our yokes of slavery....a burden or two or twelve that weighs on us because of the presence of sin in this world and in our lives. They may be desires of the flesh, insecurity, fear, doubt, perfectionism, or success. They are those things that grab a hold of us, captivate our attention, time, passion, and focus, demanding we keep feeding them until they are satisfied. THEY LIE TO US. These parasite suck everything out of us with no return in the end. No matter how much money or success or friends or status or relationships....our hearts will never be made complete.  

People say religion is so restrictive and maybe it is...but a relationship with Jesus Christ is freeing! He died so we didn't have to. He paid the price so we could live without condemnation. He rose and found victory over slavery to those empty things of this world. I love the way Louie Giglio puts it: if "we choose to hook our lives and chain our destinies to Jesus" we will be "free and fully alive."

Following Jesus feels like freedom!

It Feels Like Peace

"You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you, 
because he trusts in you." -Isaiah 26:3 

A mind stayed on the Lord might look like a horse with those side blinders over his eyes that prevent the use of his peripherals. The horse can then only really focus on the path ahead, and therefore all distractions are eliminated from his field of vision. In the long run, with these blinders, the horse will stay the course.

When we focus in on Jesus, his everlasting love and the power of salvation in him, the Lord grants us perfect peace. And it's not a trade off, as though we give something and God returns the favor. Let's not try to barter with the God of the universe brothers and sisters. Jesus is peace and because the Lord knows our hearts, he knows that a heart focused in on him will ultimately be at peace.

You see, this world is uncertain, scary, and anything but peaceful most of the time, but if a mind stayed on Jesus is like a horse with blinders up, it blocks out the view of the world that brings all sorts of doubt and fear into our lives.

Following Jesus feels like perfect peace!!!

Perfect Peace- John Waller  

Sure Thing!

"And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise." -Hebrews 6:15 

What should my life look like if I actually believe day in and day out that God is faithful to his promises? Trust in God's word and his faithfulness destroys fear, insecurity, and doubt.  
  
While I'm Waiting-John Waller 

Ruin Satan's Day

"'I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you." -Luke 10:18-19

What have you done today to make yourself an enemy of Satan's? I want to be on his hit list so that I may boast in Christ alone and watch the power of victory over the grave defeat Satan in my life and in the lives of others.

A little bit of encouragement in going out boldly...Courageous-Casting Crowns

Rainstorm

"'Shower , O heaven, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness'"-Isaiah 45:8a 

Yesterday it poured, and I had the privilege of being on the field when it did. Standing on the sidelines, drenched through the couple of layers that I had on, I looked up in awe of the shear amount of rain dumping down on us. I had to squint to keep my contacts from floating away and spout water off my lips to prevent my mouth from filling. I began to notice a slight flavor to the water leaving my mouth. I don't mean the naturally refreshing taste of water, but rather a familiar hint of something more...something almost chemical. Indeed, the little bit of conditioner I had in my hair was being washed out by the rain and was now streaming over my lips. Eww.  

It got me thinking that if we get caught in a rainstorm of righteousness, something will be removed from us. Righteousness is not just something you slap on over the filth of sin. If it rains down, it washes that sin away. And as always, there in lies the challenge, because sometimes the process of having sin washed away leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

Praise the Lord that he loves us too much not to change us!    

Great Adventure

"A man's steps are from the LORD; how then can man understand his way?" -Proverbs 20:24 

Maybe the best response to this scripture is sweet surrender.

Laughing at the Future

"Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come."-Proverbs 31:25 

As I sat in a small lecture room with forty of my fellow nursing classmates, anxiously anticipating our first exam, there was a sense that everyone realized that the thinking (or lack there of) that we would do over the next hour and a half could have a profound impact on our futures.

I absolutely love the picture of the Proverbs 31 woman who has the strength and dignity of the Lord so bound in her heart that it is as if she is wearing it, and that it affects and enables her to be secure in her future to come, to the point of laughter or in the NASB "smiling". Just like a beautiful woman in a stunning outfit, it is apparent that she is empowered by Jesus.

In the words of the wonderful hymn...

 From life's first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny 

In Christ Alone  

Regardless of how uncertain life seems, that's worth smiling about:)

What Shape is Your Cross?

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and come follow me." - Mark 8:34 

There is not a task too menial, nor a feat too lofty once we pick up that cross. Sometimes it's frustrating to continue to share the gospel with people, yet fail to see a harvest...but that's carrying the cross. Sometimes we're drained of energy from pouring out and scant being poured into....but that's carrying the cross. Sometimes it's downright painful to be worked on by the Lord through situations and circumstances that arise through the entrance of sin into this world....but that's carrying the cross. The cross may take different forms in different stages of life, but be encouraged, never walk without it, for in the absence of the cross there is nothing to lean on and no one worth following. Most of all, if we fail to pick up the cross, we can't point others to the empty tomb.   

Useless

"The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever, Do not forsake the work of your hands."-Psalm 138:8

Do you ever feel useless to God? I do. Sometimes I think about his majesty and sovereignty, and in viewing myself in light of that, I wonder how in the world I am ever valued as a tool of the living God. Then I think about all of the amazing heroes of the Bible who were common men and women and in some cases, criminals, prostitutes, and persecutes, yet God used them. So when life feels stagnated or I feel like I'm not being effective for the gospel, this scripture is pretty amazing. He will not forget about the work that he is doing IN us or THROUGH us!    

Delightful Fright

" The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom"-Proverbs 9:10 

It is all over scripture! Proverbs 31 is a famous passage describing the godly woman and the highlighted conclusion is that she would fear the Lord. What is that? For so long I was very confused. My perception of fear is not what I want to apply to my relationship with the one who holds my heart. We avoid things that we fear and I know we don't want to avoid the Lord. I've been through seasons of my life when I did avoid the Lord and it's horrible. My life falls apart. So what is it to fear the Lord? I did some digging and check this out.....

John Piper- "if you are running from God because you are afraid of him, then you are not yet as afraid as you ought to be. In fact, your very flight is a mockery of God, presuming to think that you could outrun [him]. The fear of the Lord is fear of fleeing out of his fellowship into the way of sin. Therefore the fear of the Lord is full of peace and security and hope. It keeps us near to the merciful heart of God, our fortress, our refuge, our sanctuary, our shield, our sun."

That makes sense! It's paradoxical that the fear we should experience towards the Lord is in fact delightful to partake in!  

Did you See That?

"And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead."-Acts 10:39-41 

Have we seen the glory of Jesus in our lives? Have you and I witnessed his power and love? Not everyone has had the privilege of experiencing and actually more truthfully, not everyone has recognized Jesus in their lives. So what are we standing around for? We should consider ourselves chosen witnesses to carry the name of Christ! A small nuance here at the end of the passage is key to effective witnessing. Peter notes that the witnesses that he is talking to ate and drank with Jesus after he rose from the dead. We will never experience the fullness of Christ and we'll never want to share that fullness unless we eat and drink with him on a daily basis. Only then will our lives be radically redirected towards the mission of the gospel.

Mark Driscoll puts his life's mission like this, he is simply a "nobody trying to tell everybody about Somebody"

It's a "Who" Not a "What"

"The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"-John 1:29 

Let's just remember the reality of this truth. So often we look for things in our lives to fix problems, ease heartache, and fulfill emptiness. Praise the Lord we can stop looking for "whats" and start casting our eyes on the one and only "who" that is capable of saving us from ourselves and giving us love, hope, and life! 

Don't Touch the Hot Stove

"For the LORD gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; 
he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 
guarding the paths of justice 
and watching over the way of his saints." -Proverbs 2:6-8 

The book of Proverbs is all about wisdom and chapter two, fittingly in the beginning of the book, is about the "Value of Wisdom." It's such a dense chapter and I would be remiss to suggest that this post is a summery of it, so read it! Having said this, there is a theme.

#1.) Wisdom comes from God and he willingly provides it to us. Maybe we don't appreciate that as much as we should because we don't understand the purpose of wisdom sometimes. Maybe we think wisdom is just something that old people get over time and it means they can skillfully dial up those old cliches on the spot just when you don't want to hear them. You know, there's always someone "wise" around right when you're about to buy that sweet, new gadget, wagging their wrinkly finger and saying, "a penny saved is a penny earned." Or when something really lame has happened in your life....there they are again, suggesting you "look at both side of the coin." No....Godly, biblical wisdom is far more than the ability to make youngsters roll their eyes at trite verbiage delivered with a plastic smile and prideful tone.
#2.) Wisdom is for our protection. If you go through Proverbs 2 and circle all of the verbs that describe the acitions of the LORD in response to our willingness to accept wisdom, it's quite telling. He is "guarding," "watching," and "delivering."


It's only appropriate I end this post with a cliched analogy. Just like when mom or dad told you back when you were a little tot not to touch the stove because they wanted to protect you, our heavenly Father loves us so much as to offer wisdom, understanding, and knowledge of Him and his commandments....not because he wants us to grow prideful in our ourselves or because he wants us to live boring, risk-less lives, but so that we may be guarded from evil as we carry his name.    

When the earth quakes....

"For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains." -Mark 13:8 

Jesus goes on in verse 10 in saying "And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations." Friends, every day we get closer to the return of Jesus....are we ready for it?  

A Double Dog Sized Dare

"Then David said to Solomon his son, 'Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the LORD God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.'" - 1 Chronicles 28:20

The definition of courage according to the dictionary is:

the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear.

Needless to say, the need for courage implies that a situation or task or calling is going to be difficult and even scary. If I told you that someone was drowning and needed rescuing but didn't give you the tools you needed to go save them (location, a boat, a life vest or one of those life saver tubes), just told you to be brave, maybe you wouldn't go. That's not at all what God's asking of us. I love how Solomon goes on immediately after commanding David to be courageous about the God who will accompany him. We're called to be courageous, but are given the ultimate tool....the God of the universe who will go before us and guide our path.   

Where is God asking you to be courageous today in your life? Maybe there are new and uncomfortable situations or unreached people who need to hear about Jesus from you. Expect it to be scarier than a double dog sized dare, but realize that you will not be alone, and go where he has called with courage! 

Courageous- Casting Crowns   

Standing in Awe

"On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness"-Psalm 145:5-7a 

When was the last time we were stunned by the power and love of our heavenly Father? And what's more, he actually allows us to partake in glorifying him...what an honor. Louie Giglio puts this in perspective:  
"whenever we miss the sensitivity to the smallest little detail to what God is doing, that's when we cease to live, right then and there" 

Let's stand in awe daily of the God we serve, only in the shadow of his presence will there be fullness of life for us!  

What are we really asking?

"For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land." -Psalm 37:9 

 Have you ever prayed for patience? I got to thinking the other day that when I pray for patience, many times, it's not really a peace about waiting that I want. What my heart is often after is that what I am waiting for comes more quickly. Earnestly seeking patience through prayer means that we rejoice when God makes us wait because it develops that patience further, right? Let's make it our goal to seek God's peace and hope through seasons in our lives wherein he has us waiting on him, that's patience! And patience in the Lord is never fruitless.  

 While I'm Waiting- John Waller

Aiming to be Mistaken

"to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."-Ephesians 4:12-13 

What a life goal it is to seek to attain to the measure of Christ!! So are we continually maturing in the faith? And is everything that we do best for reflecting Jesus? I think that people who realize that they are ransomed and redeemed aim to "be mistaken for Jesus."

Mistaken by Warren Barfield

Why Not Submit?

"Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps."-Psalm 135:6 

Umm, this is so simply, if we have the option of following either our own plans or the plans of the one who determines all things ultimately anyway, why not submit and be on the same page as God, the creator and controller of all things? 

Ransomed

"knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ like that of a lamb without blemish or spot...." -1 Peter 1:18-19

      I'm sure we've all seen movies or TV shows where the bad guys are holding one of the good guys captive and they call the other good guys demanding money for that prisoner's release. That's worldly ransom, but seldom do the rescuers even end up paying the money. They come with a fake suitcase of "money" or they come with the money but also with a plan of freeing the captive and getting away without paying. Yes, they value the prisoner enough to put themselves in harm's way on his or her behalf, but often they don't have the money to pay the ransom or if they do, they simply don't want to give it up.
       Not the case with Jesus. In fact, he gave up much more than a couple billion dollars, and when it comes to having the ransom, he happens to be the ONLY one who does. Christ, the sinless lamb is the only one capable of paying for our captivity to sin. And he willingly did so, without an escape plan or counterfeit money in the suitcase.
     The context to this verse is of course important, but what if we didn't look at the context at all (in fact you might find I awkwardly didn't continue onto verse 20, leaving an incomplete sentence and thought), and simply looked at these two verses? What if we read these truths to a man or women, boy or girl who had never been introduced to the gospel? Assuming they believed them to be true, what type would they think would be the appropriate response "knowing that (they) were ransomed"? When someone pays for us that way, actually, when the only one capable of paying for us that way does so, do we respond with an offering of a life of holiness?

When Your Kingdom Gets Demolished

"Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar."-Psalm 51:18-19 

This is straight from a devotional called "Whiter than Snow" Meditations on Sin and Mercy by Paul David Tripp.....
     Why does David pray for prosperity? For one reason, he asks it for the glory and delight of the Lord. When God prospers people who are no longer living for their own little kingdoms but are living for his, the result is the furtherance of his kingdom purposes on earth, which results in his glory...So is it right to pray for prosperity? It is and you should, not for the sake of your kingdom, but for the success of his.

Are we willing to have our own kingdoms, agendas, and comforts,demolished for the sake of the furthering of the name of Jesus? In return, we'll have the deepest of satisfaction!!!

Secret Agent

"Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves."- Matthew 10:16

Jesus is sending out the disciples in this passage, but because he has called us to the same mission of making disciples, his instructions are relevant to us. So I feel like a secret agent being sent out on a mission when I read this.
I had to study Bible this verse (yes, "to study Bible" is indeed a verb) and it said that serpents are a symbol of shrewdness, which is defined as having a keen awareness, sharp intelligence, and a sense of practicality. As ambassadors for Jesus, we have to be smart, maybe a little sneaky (in truth of course, not deceitful), and intentional about when we share the gospel and who we spend our time with along with a bunch of other things. In all of this we must be held blameless. That's a fine line to walk.
This scripture is also a warning. Following Jesus will be dangerous, and that sounds exciting to me. I'm not sure how people can say that biblical Christianity is boring in any way.   

It's a Win Win Situation

"Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice."-Philippians 1:18 

I want to live with Paul's attitude, that regardless of anything (circumstances, methods, attitudes, persecutions) if the name of Jesus Christ is getting out, it's a win in his book. So if we get run over, chewed up, and spit out and people hear about Jesus because of it?......WIN! If our feelings get hurt and our pride destroyed and people hear about Jesus?......WIN! And even as we look ahead to verse 21, if we loose our lives for the sake of the gospel?.....WIN! Live every day for the WINS even if it's uncomfortable!
 

Give and Take and Get What We Don't Deserve

"Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart"-Psalm 37:4 

This scripture is so dense and there are so many ways you can go with it, but let's talk linguistics. According to the dictionary, "delight" has two meanings
       1.) to take great pleasure or joy
        2.) to give great pleasure or joy
So we are able to be pleased and fulfilled in Jesus.
At the same time, we are to offer pleasure to the Lord by glorifying his name and following his commandments.
When we take great pleasure in the Lord, our desires are taken care of. Our hearts are fulfilled in that alone. I've used this verse as a reminder that the Lord's timing is perfect, and it is, and it is so true that sometimes he has us wait on him, but maybe sometimes, we need to realize that true delight in the Lord meets the desires of our hearts!

Ambulance at KFC

"For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 


Today as we were driving around town, we passed a KFC. In the parking lot, there was parked an ambulance. As I chuckled, I thought of the irony and possible circumstances surrounding this conveniently placed medical service vehicle outside of a possible heart attack-inducing fast food joint. Maybe it had been called as an emergency situation arose inside. As an EMT, imagine being called to KFC or any other fast food restaurant in response to a patient who has had a heart attack. A more comical and far-fetched possibility is that someone, knowing the risks of indulging in too much fried chicken and biscuits, arranged for an ambulance ahead of time, in case tragedy should strike. Maybe they feared going into a competitive chicken eating battle without the appropriate back up.
This got me thinking though about dependency on Christ. Are we fearful of going into everyday life without his guiding our path? Part of boasting in weakness may just be calling ahead of time for assistance as opposed to waiting until we find ourselves in the middle of a predicament. I want my life to be one that is simply impossible to live with the strength of Jesus Christ!  

Toot His Horn Often

"If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness." -2 Corinthians 11:30 

Coach once told us that we should not be focusing on lifting Jesus up, because he can't go any higher, and even if he could, what makes us think that we'd be able to do that? We instead need to focus on humbling ourselves. I think sometimes we think we might need to put ourselves down and this verse is a great counter to that argument. We don't need to put ourselves down or minimize the talent's the Lord has blessed us with, rather we need to highlight what makes us low and what shows that we are broken, that his power my be evident! I wonder what exactly this looks and sounds like. I wish I had more to write about that, but I don't. Venture with me to seek opportunities to boast in weakness and maybe we can figure it out together. 

Garbage

"Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways." -Psalm 119:37 

-Focusing on worthless things leads to death in our hearts
-This act is not a function of our own will, but of God's power in us to redirect our focus on things that are above.
- The second part of the verse says "give me life in your ways" not "give me life in your ways and my accomplishments, and in love, and in money, and in ______." Go ahead and fill in the blank, but this verse suggests life comes in his ways and in his ways alone.
-This small line is an awesome prayer when we feel ourselves getting sucked into the ways of this world. However that looks for you, maybe challenge yourself to recognize those worthless things, and immediately go to the Lord in prayer with this simple line.

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." -Romans 8:18 

Say you and I are sitting at my favorite Indian restaurant just about to dig in to a savory meal cooked with probably over 30 different spices. The aromas that met our noses are so rich that they seem to make the food instantly palatable. After a quick blessing of course:) we venture into the depths of grilled meats, fresh vegetables, and seasoned basmati rice. You tell me about the delicious spice and sweetness your dish provides, and with a somewhat displeased look on my face I say to you, "yeah, that's cool, ya know....I could really go for a good PB&J."

What?!?!

It would be beyond silly, probably downright insulting, to compare delicious ethnic cuisine to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I wonder if that's not just a little glimpse into how ridiculous it is for us to complain about our sufferings when we have an eternal inheritance (Hebrews 9:15) waiting for us. I'm encouraged, because sometimes those sufferings do feel intense and at times they rock our worlds, but God has promised us the opportunity to experience a glory so intense it will seem like those sufferings were like piddly peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in comparison.        

Mom always says "don't play ball in the house"

"O Lord, all my longing is before you; my sighing is not hidden from you." -Psalm 38:9 

I guess you could look at this verse two ways.
   #1.) Through the eyes of Peter Brady when he broke his mom's vase while she wasn't home. Sometimes there's part of us that wants to hide what's going on in our hearts. We don't like to confront the reality of sin or face the conviction of scripture or of the Holy Spirit.  Confessing sin is like telling mom we broke her vase, as we grow fearfully weary of the consequence.

  And the other way....welp, I tried to come up with another TV character or some fun analogy, but I couldn't think of one, so let's just bring this real close to home. We can think of what we want out of every day; what we want out of life. I guess those deep desires that never change; the ones that actually feed our want for a car or a new gadget, nice clothes, or a piece of jewelry, relationships or acceptance. God understands what is beneath the surface and what resides in our hearts.

The Good News is that Jesus died for the broken vases and for the pain we experience when our longings seem to go unsatisfied. So regardless of which way we look at this scripture, hope reflects back at us! 

"look daddy i'm growing"

"Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up in salvation" -1 Peter 2:2 

 "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence"-2 Peter 1:3 

This afternoon, I watched a gorgeous, blond haired, four year old girl reach up to the table portion of a tall desk. As she stood on her tip-toes and stretched out her little arms, bellybutton exposed and tiny fingernails white from gripping the edge of the desk so intensely, she called out to her daddy. "Daddy, look, I'm growing, I can reach all the way to the top now!" She was so proud of how she'd changed and how she could now reach the top like a big girl.

It made me think that this little everyday life picture is an example of how we should respond to God's desire to grow us. Think about what that little girl's daddy provided for her that allowed her to grow that way: food, water, love, doctors visits, a place to sleep. She was so excited to share and show him her growth. What if we recognized how completely we've been resourced for growth, as the above verses show? Then what if we embraced and rejoiced in the opportunity to grow as followers of Jesus like that little four year old did?!


 
 

Security

"He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord." -Psalm 112:7


There are those times when things come up in life that scare you and seem to throw your circumstances and security into extreme question. I love this saying I heard a pastor say in reference to fear: "stop concerning yourself with "what is" and start realizing that "who is" never changes."

Confidently Broken

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."-Psalm 51:17 

I do not understand how a flawless, all-powerful God can be so loving. I am reminded of something I have witnesses many times on the soccer field (and though I am embarrassed to say, I have probably also partaken in). So, you're at a try-out or something of the sort, and there's this one girls....and well, she's just not good at all. Whether it be in our minds or through our words and actions, we separate that beautiful daughter of God because she's just not as good as everyone else at soccer (as if that mattered in light of all of eternity). Anyway, there's a point here. Imagine if God did that. He's perfect, it would be: "There she goes forgetting to love again" or "She just stinks at trusting." He would despise us for everything that we are, because in nothing do we ever come even close to measuring up to him. Instead he accepts our brokenness when we can't even accept it ourselves. Every part of me wants to suppress vulnerability, fear, and weakness, shove it in the closet and slam the door, so that no one will see it. Praise Jesus for bringing about his glory through even the most broken parts of us!

I Choose You!

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience" -Colossians 3:12

The other day I was watching Home Makeover: Weight Loss Edition, and one of the most powerful moments comes not at the end of the journey, but at the very beginning. The host, who's probably combed through thousands of applications, shows up at the door of a select applicant, who is most often at their wit's end. They are broken, hurting, out of options, and in many cases, feeling unworthy or worthless. Chris Powell shows up, they are shocked, and he looks into their eyes and says three powerful words: "I choose you." As I watched, brought nearly to tears (yeah, I am a little bit of a softy when it comes to this stuff), I thought about how empowering the phrase is to that person who is about to embark on an intense one year weight loss trek. Powell can give them all of the resources and education imaginable, but his putting his faith in them and his willingness to walk along side of them is probably more powerful than all of that combined.

This scene made me think about how amazing it must feel to have someone say those simple words to you, then I considered the truth that Jesus has indeed chosen us! How does that empower us to live? Jesus' love should drive us to boldness, faith, and humility.     

Rain for the Fruit

"Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains." -James 5:7

When I've had a bad day.....or two.....or three, James is my go to guy! This scripture is under the title "Patience in Suffering" in my Bible, so I'm thinking about how what he wrote applies to trials or days when it seems like nothing good has resulted. So if God began a good work in us that he is faithful to finish (Philippians 1:6), then I am wondering if trials, whether they're falling flat on my face at therapy or reaching a point of uncertainty about my future, are little rain showers on the field of planted fruit that the Lord plans to harvest in my heart. Only our God could make beauty out of a mess like me! Praise the Lord for that!

This is the Stuff-Francesca Battistelli   (I think this song nails it!)

Like a Flashlight

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." -Psalm 119:105 

This is such a Sunday School memory verse, but our wonderful chaplain recently shed new light on it (no pun intended) for me. Her comments were something along the lines of this: think about using a flashlight to light a darkened path in front of you so that you can walk in the woods without wiping out on a root or crossing paths with a forest friend. The flashlight really only allows you to see a certain distance in front of you, maybe three or four yards.

That's what God's Word does for us, it directs us as to what the next couple steps should be, but the Lord rarely gives us insight into the more distant path ahead. In light of this truth, a life in which every decision is dictated by the Word of God is really quite exciting because to some extent, you never know what's beyond that circle of light.  

My First Love

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions--is not from the Father but is from the world." -1 John 2:15-16

Can you think of anyone you know who actually loves Jesus more than anything? I want my life to be like that, so that Jesus is above success and pride and relationships and things and comfort and myself.

I am sure it looks different in different people, but in this video, Francis Chan describes someone he saw it in. 
Francis Chan-Grandma Clara

One other piece of this scripture that stands out, it's pretty clear that there is no middle ground. Either love Jesus or love the things of this world. We can't serve two masters.

Not Mistaken

"O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures." -Psalm 104:24 

We were created intentionally. I circled the word "wisdom" in this verse then looked it up. And even though I feel that putting Wikipedia and scripture in the same text box might just be a violation of the 11th unsaid commandment, I think this definition for wisdom reveals a lot about how intentional the Lord is in designing his children.
 
Wisdom is a deep understanding and realizing of people, things, events or situations, resulting in the ability to choose or act or inspire to consistently produce the optimum results

It is by no accident that you or I are the way we are. Our heavenly Father designed us uniquely for the individual purposes that he has predestined us to do, and I think that's amazing. What would my life look like if every day I understood and acted on the understanding that, though I may be awful at sewing and tennis and listening to directions and dancing and.....well, you get the picture, I am designed to honor God, and that's one thing I will never be incompetent at because that's what he created me to do! Once again, I feel honored.

I Should Be Honored

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." -2 Timothy 3:16 

I have a Bible sitting here on the table next to me right now. There are three upstairs in my bedroom, and a couple New Testaments in my backpack. People all over the world died because they were caught with a copy of God's word and others need a copy and have no way of receiving one. According to 2 Timothy 3:16, these words are the Lord's, so if I actually believe that, shouldn't I be utterly honored to open it? Who am I to even repeat his word aloud? Someone encouraged me to think of it this way: if God's word is profitable in all situations, not allowing it to radically change my life is a waste of any potential God has given me. That's convicting, but equally exciting if you ask me.