News from November 2011

Hold up.

November 30, 2011

“Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors waiting at my doorway.”

Proverbs 8 : 34

In the craziness of life, there is much that gets put aside for a time, like sleep, social life and especially a time to pause and listen. To simply delight in the presence of Yourself and not worry about the next thing on the list.

I think of a dog that is waiting to come inside. For hours they will sit at the door and wait. Sure some dogs bark, snarl and are incredibly impatient…Sort of like myself. A few minutes at most listening and I’ve moved on.

Father, remind your son to seek those moments where he can pause, slowdown and listen. Even if I can’t hear, there is incredible peace to be had waiting at your doorway.

Don’t let this one push down too hard on the accelerator. I know there is time in my days to pause, may I fight for those moments.

MIMTW,

Amen.

November 28, 2011

“He who has the Son has life; he who does not have to Son of God does not have life.” 1John5:12

This is clear: If the Son of God is not in the heart then there is not eternal life for the soul.

I know a lot of people who do not have the Son. A lot of family. A lot of friends. A lot of children.

This quite often makes me sick to my stomach. Not only because I desire to celebrate with them in heaven but because I am not in control of their fate. I can tell them about Jesus, I can show them love and try to lead them to the right path, but if they decide to walk it is completely up to God. The Spirit is in control of their hearts, He controls if they will love Him back. This is not in my control.

I’m a control freak.

As much as I love to have control on situations, I trust my God. Some days are harder than others, and some days I don’t trust at all, but I try.

God, your judgment is sound, and your paths are straight. You love your people and you desire for them to love you back. I pray for those in my life that do not know your love, they have not tasted life. I pray for them today, draw them close to you; use me. God I desire for their salvation, and I know you do too. So, please, bring them into the family of believers. What a wonderful day that will be, when we are all able to rejoice.

I love you,
Kelsey

November 25, 2011

1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

I need this reminder today, I need this reminder, this truth daily…that I have nothing to fear…

Yet I fear, in fact often I am paralyzed by fear…But perfect love casts out fear, there is no room for fear if I am perfected in love – God’s love is perfect, it is not lacking, it is never failing, never ceasing. All this I know in my head, I could recite this verse over and over, but it is not the truth that anchors my heart…why?

Have I not experienced your perfect love Jesus? What am I waiting for? Why does fear seem to always have the upperhand in my heart and in my life? I want to believe you are enough, that there is no room for fear when I am in your perfect love. Please help me in my unbelief, please let your love be the truth that does anchor my heart, that does secure my mind and calm all my fear. Thank you for your Word, that you do speak, you do move, you do work in the hearts of those that seek you. I love you.

In Your Name, Amen.

Erin

November 22, 2011

“But if we are living in the light of God’s presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his son, cleanses us from every sin.” 1 John 1:7

Living in the light. What does that even mean?

It is something we hear all the time. It’s a phrase we use so often in Christian settings…. but do we honestly know what it means? Do we truly live in the light?

I think today, for me, it simply means to be living in a place of complete love and trust in Jesus.
A place where the presence of God is all I need.
It is a place where Christ is all that matters.
He is all that satisfies.
And out of this place I become a reflector of this light.
A person who reflects the light and love of Christ.

Now the question is… am I truly living in the light? Am I living in a place where all that matters is Christ? And if I am, am I reflecting this light?

Father, You are awesome. my prayer today is simple. Help me to live in the light. Help me to be a reflector of this light. I love you. Amen.

November 21, 2011

“So then dear friends, since you are looking forward to [the second coming], make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” 2Peter 3:14

I am found spotless and blameless in Gods eyes. It wasn’t by my own actions but by my relationship with Jesus; He took my place, my sin and wretchedness and replaced it with his holy righteousness.

I am frustrated now. Not with this truth, not with God… nope, just myself. I KNOW Jesus took my place – I KNOW that – and I LOVE that. I am frustrated because I keep on thinking that each day when I slip into sin that I am doomed. That if Jesus were to come RIGHT NOW, I blew it. Each day I sin: I have bitterness, selfishness, vanity, pride and arrogance and God is just waiting for me to screw up so he can come and “too bad” for me because I blew it… I wasn’t perfect… I am not perfect.

That is NOT my God.

My motivation in life is not to just avoid the dreaded “Smite Button”.

“The LORD is not slow in keeping his promise, and some understand slowness. He is patient with you. NOT WANTING ANY ONE TO PERISH, but everyone come to repentance” 2Peter 3:9

My God is full of LOVE and GRACE

God, I want to live today submerged in this truth. I don’t even want to slip back into the thought that “I blew it” because I am not perfect. I am flawed… but you don’t see that. Thank you, Jesus, for making me perfect in God’s eyes. I am so sorry God had to see my sin on you. I am so sorry. Now allow me to lead today full of thankfulness, trusting in your love.

I love you,
Kelsey

November 18, 2011

2 Peter 19

“They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.”

It’s impossible to promise freedom when we have not experienced freedom…I mean we can fake it, but eventually they’re going to clue in and our credibility will be lost…

I cannot claim the freedom in Christ for someone else’s life, If I myself am not living in this freedom.

The passage states that whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved…There is so much that can overcome me, my emotions, exhaustion, fear, anxiety…all these at times have overcome me…all these at times I have been a slave to…

BUT…in Jesus I am free, in Jesus, I am not a slave to these, in Jesus, I have overcome and in Jesus…I can in assurance, promise freedom for those who are enslaved by this world.

If only I really believed this all the time, If only I really lived in this freedom all the time. There is much that I can be overcome by, but I want to be overcome by Jesus, by His love for me, the love that I do not understand and cannot comprehend….This is the love that I long to be overcome by, that I would live in the freedom of Jesus and in so doing, promise this freedom to the world around me.

Jesus, may my life be a testimony of the freedom that is in you, help me to live in your freedom, work in my heart and my mind that these would not just be words, but the actual reality in which I live.

Thank you for the freedom that is ours in you, I pray that you would help us all to claim this freedom, live in it and love others in it.

In your Name, Amen.

Erin

November 17, 2011

2 Peter 1: 5–7

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

As I read this passage of scripture – the word that really sticks out to me is “supplement.” I am called by scripture here to SUPPLEMENT my faith – with all of these virtues.

These virtues are NOT my faith, they are NOT my salvation, they are NOT my God….but they are in fact, a supplement.

An addendum.

An appendix.

Now I don’t by any means want to write these things off as unimportant…I am called here to make EVERY EFFORT to add them to my faith….however I also am struck this morning by the reality that I will sometimes DEFINE my faith by these things.

I can even go so far as to MEASURE my need to do devotions, to pray, to serve….by how well I feel like I am doing in displaying these virtues.

If I have been particuarly self-controlled lately…perhaps it is not as important that I do my devotions today.

If my brotherly affection has been somewhat lacking – maybe its time to dust off the old prayer mat…

This approach…..is problematic.

Because the reality is that what I am doing is forgetting that these attributes serve as an addition to a solid faith in Jesus. I cannot measure my faith based on them – they are EXTREMELY IMPORTANT ADDITIONS.

My faith….the REAL work of the Gospel capturing and controlling my heart – lies in my motivations. It lies in the deep parts of my heart that reveal why I am really doing what I am doing….

My faith is exposed by my willingness to love and serve with no expectation of return because I am humbled by the Grace of God….

And FROM THAT PLACE OF THANKFULNESS…I must make every effort to also add virtue, and knowledge, and self-control, and steadfastness, and godliness, and brotherly affection, and love.

Jesus – help me to be a man of faith. A man captured by the Gospel of YOUR truth…and from that point – give me strength to also be a man who displays these character attributes in such a way that I point people towards you.

November 14, 2011

“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as
braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it
should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle spirit,
which is of great worth in God’s sight” 1Peter 3:3&4

My mom used to always remind me of the saying that: “True
beauty is found on the inside” and this is quite true. Beauty doesn’t come from
how you look on the outside, but how your heart and spirit looks on the inside.
True beauty is achieved when the heart and spirit reflects God. His beauty surpasses
all.

I know for me, I hold a lot of weight on my outer beauty. I
like to wear nice clothes and do my hair up pretty. It’s quite embarrassing how
much time I can spend each day getting ready in the morning. But, it is more
important that I spend time aligning my heart with God’s than to put my face on
in the morning. Remembering that my beauty comes from the inside.

God, I pray that today you would make me beautiful. Make my
heart and my spirit reflect yours. Remind me today that my beauty isn’t in how
I look, but how my spirit is on the inside. Keep my spirit in check.

I love you,

Kelsey

November 11, 2011

1 Peter 2

11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.

16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.

21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

We are not of this world…we are sojourners, exiles…we are not bound to the worldly passions and desires, those which wage war against our souls.

We are FREE!!! Free to live as servants of God, free because of Jesus.

I have been facing the realization that I don’t truly know what freedom in Christ looks like. The concept of freedom seems awfully abstract and lofty, intangible and unattainable…I don’t see this freedom at work in my life.

If I am not bound to this world, to the passions and desires of this world, than what am I bound to, what am I living for? I think my honest answer to this question would be that in many ways I am currently bound to this world, I currently continually give in to the things, the delights of this world. Starbucks for example is a deep love of mine…it’s not just the coffee, but the atmosphere, the people, the feeling of happiness and delight I experience whenever I walk into Starbucks, whenever I sip one of their drinks…As I write this I am drinking a Starbucks Christmas drink – one of my favourites!

It seems like the words of Peter are colliding with my world…I am called to live as a sojourner, an exile, a wanderer in the land that I live. This world is not my home, this world is not the end goal…so how am I living, what am I living for? My next Starbucks drink or Jesus??? Am I living as a servant of God, am I living out the example of Jesus, am I following in His steps?

Jesus, so often I feel like I can live this life alone, so often I forget about you, or I lose focus of you. It’s not that I think I am strong, it’s not that I think I don’t need you…I’m not sure what it is…possibly that I have not entrusted myself to you fully. I have not allowed you to be everything in my life. Please help me to experience your freedom, that I would live not as one of this world, but as one set apart – a sojourner in a land not my home. I realize how far I am from this in my current frame of mind, please forgive me for putting the things of this world ahead of you. Please lead me, guide me, help to live in your freedom, loving your people!

I pray this in your Name, Jesus, Amen.

Erin

November 10, 2011

1 Peter 1:3–5
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Have you ever felt yourself starting to lose hope in Jesus?

Not that you would ever say it loud, maybe you wouldn’t even say it in your head.

I think the process of losing our hope is sneaky and gradual – its like chameleon that hides its true colors.

It looks like stress, it feels like being tired, it sounds like a sigh….

Simply put – it feels like a smaller deal then it really is.

But the reality is that deep down in our hearts…deep down in the depth of where we actually feel our deepest feelings…

We are questioning our hope.

Can we really trust God?

Is he really going to take care of me?

Could He possible care about these little details?

Stress.

Fear.

Sigh…

I have felt like this at times, the rising sense of hopelessness that leads to me feel lost and uncertain.

And yet this morning I am reminded that my inheritance is certain and beautiful. That my Hope is alive and active…undefiled and unfading.

This morning my hope feels renewed and restored.

Jesus is alive.

My hope is alive. Unfading. Unblemished. Perfect. Incapable of failure.

No need for stress.

No cause for fear.

Breathe a sigh of relief.

He is stronger.

He is better.

Jesus thank you…my heart needed this today – and I didn’t even know it. Continue to be my hope.

November 7, 2011

“Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.” Psalm 141:3

There seems to be a similar theme in today’s reading. In both Psalm 141 and James 3 the issue of the tongue is raised. In these pieces of scripture it talks about the tongue, or mouth, as being something that needs to be tamed. Our tongues need a guard; God needs to watch over our mouth, keeping the fiery tongue at bay.

It has been my pleasure to be teaching in Sunland over the past couple of months. The kids have been working on memorizing Psalm 141:3, learning about how words affect people, and helping them be good stewards of their words. It was amazing how much God was able to teach me within the times I was teaching in Sunland – he really showed me that it isn’t just the kids who need a guard over their mouths, but it was me as well. It is really important that I watch that I don’t say things I shouldn’t, or things that could hurt people, but also watching that I do say things of encouragement and compliments to show other people God’s love.

God, I do pray this morning that you would set a guard over my mouth, and that you would keep a watch over the door of my lips. From the tongue my words can bring life or death, and I would choose today to bring life. I pray that you would help me not just to say things I shouldn’t but help me say things I should. I pray that my words would bring life today.

I love you,
Kelsey

November 4, 2011

James 2

14 What good is it my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone… 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

What is faith?

Hebrews 11 defines it as the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen…but is there more? Maybe this is the definition of faith, but it is not the expression of faith, the expression of faith is the way I live my life, the works I do or do not do.

Does my life testify to faith? Would those around me see that I have faith? I’m scared to honestly know the answer to this question. My fear is that I do not live my life in a way that testifies to faith. I am much more a thinker and analyzer than I am a doer and step taker. I don’t risk, I don’t move unless I am almost sure of the outcome. I struggle every moment of every day with trusting in Jesus…where is faith being shown, being proved in this?

If my life would testify to faith, it would testify to the truth that I am lacking, that I need to grow in faith, that I need to move and walk in faith, that I need to love and work in faith…not in just what I can see, but in that which is unseen… in Him in whom my hope lies – Jesus.

Jesus, forgive me for my lack of faith, help me to walk in faith and to live in faith…that my life would testify to the faith, the trust and the hope that I have in you. Thank you Jesus, I love you.

In your Name, Amen.

Erin

November 3, 2011

James 1:27 – Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

The first thought that sticks out to me this morning – is that there is obviously more than one kind of Religion. There is religion that is pure and undefiled before God, and there is religion that is not.

Religion that is impure.

Religion that is defiled.

Religion that is disgusting.

The PURE kind of religion….the kind God loves…that is the kind of religion that VISITS orphans and widows in their affliction…and remains unstained from the world.

Visits orphans and widows.

Visits.

Not “thinks nice thoughts about orphans and widows.”

Not “gets upset when reads a newspaper article about injustice”

Not “really wishes something would be done.”

Visits.

Is in relationship with.

Pursues the abandoned in the midst of their pain.

Anything less than this – is disgusting.

Are you disgusting?

Am I disgusting?

Is our Church disgusting?

Its simply not enough to call ourselves religious and to not visit and be in relationship with and be among the orphans and the widows and the abandoned. Its not enough to really think great things about them…but not do anything.

We need to be there.

With them.

In the midst of their pain and affliction.

Are you going to them?

Or are you just thinking nice things about them? Really hoping things work out?

Is your religion disgusting?

Are you disgusting?

Are you sure?

Am I sure?

Jesus….this morning I get the sense that so much of what we call religion actually is disgusting in your sight.

Please…have mercy. And call us to greater things.

Give us the courage to be with the broken.

This is Love...

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