News from September 2011

Stories.

September 27, 2011

My devos this morning took a little bit of a deviation from the reading guide. Not because what I read wasn’t great but because I have had something on my heart for the past 24 hours. So bear with me as I share my journal entry… as it is LONG and not really on Timothy or Psalms .. but I wanted to share. :)

The past few days have brought up the discussion of “our stories”. This past Sunday we finished our week of 24/7 Prayer with a Sunday morning of worship and sharing. Stories of peoples faith journeys were highlighted and it was awesome. People from so many different walks of life all come together in one building, as one body and praise the One and Only God.

Yesterday our young adults bible study continued the conversation of stories. A passage from Ephesians 1 was brought up. It says that God makes ALL THINGS work for His will. Out of this came the question… “how do you feel about the fact that ‘all things’ are His will? Everything you have walked through, good and bad, are God’s ‘Plan A’ for you life; it was and is His will”.

My first answer, although very true, wasn’t very personal. I haven’t walked through anything extremely difficult, intense and/or tragic… but I know many people who have. So my answer was simply: sometimes it is hard to believe that a God of love and faithfulness would allow people to walk through such trials and hurts. Sometimes it’s hard for me to understand why God has allowed us to walk in freedom and knowing Him, yet other NATIONS have no idea who He is and may never know who He is.

As the conversation continued we came to a place of realization that we are all often frustrated with God because our stories aren’t going our way… but who’s story is it really? Who’s kingdom are we really concerned for? Ours? Or God’s.

I, personally, came to the realization that I get frustrated with my story because it is so normal. Don’t get me wrong, I am very grateful for my story. I LOVE what Jesus has blessed me with… let’s face it, my life has been extremely blessed! I just realized that there is often a restlessness in my heart; a bit of a discontent. My heart wants more; wants to know more excitement than just working a minimum wage customer service job.

I think that this isn’t always a bad thing. I am a dreamer, no question about it, I have big dreams and ambitions… which is good. However, I realize that I need to bloom where I am planted. What if God were to say “Britt, for the rest of your life you will be working a customer service job in Canada”? That thought of that scares me, I instantly cringe because it’s not what I want; it’s not the story I want. But what does that matter?

In Jeremiah 29 God says to the people who are exiled in Babylon “Build homes and plan to stay. Plant gardens and eat the food you produce. Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them and have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! And work for the peace and prosperity of Babylon. Pray to the Lord for that city where you are held captive, for if Babylon has peace, so will you… The truth is that you will be in Babylon for 70 years but then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised and I will bring you home again.”

He asks these people to plan to stay; to thrive in this place of captivity; to bloom where they are planted; because he knows the plans that He has for them.

A best friend’s blog post yesterday was simply a verse from Esther 4 “and who knows whether you have come here for such a time as this”. God has me here working a minimum wage customer service job, he has me learning and growing among AMAZING friends and an AMAZING church family. I am living the story He has planned for me and I know He has plans to give me a future and a hope. All I need to do is, the often not-so-easy task of just trusting Him and believing that He has great plans for me. That life in Christ is a great adventure, full of excitement. If I seek Him and glorify Him in all that I do, He will find me and He is all that matters.

So Father, blessed be Your name forever and ever. From the east to the west, I will praise Your name. You are high above the nations, Your glory is far greater than the heavens. (Psalm 113). May I have a healthy amount of restlessness, one that allows me to be bold in proclaiming Your name everywhere I go… but may I also always remember that I am here for a time as this and to bloom where I am planted. Thank you for my/Your story. I love you. Amen.

September 26, 2011

And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.
2Thes 3:13

Never tire of doing what is right.
Last night I was doing some homework for my Eng100 class. My assignment was to read and compare Hamlet’s “To Be or Not to Be” and Alfred Tennyson’s “The Lotos-Eaters”. In both pieces of writing the characters are expressing the desire to “give up”, questioning if it would be easier to end “the slings and arrows of outrageous misfortune” to “give us long rest or death, dark death or dreamful ease”. The characters want to escape their circumstances, escape the world, the pain and the toil.

The bible tells us to never cease doing that is right. So what happens when life is just too hard to carry on? Do we just throw in the towel?

Only sentences before Paul writes, “may the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.”

God’s love is the greatest of all, the highest, deepest, richest love of all – direct our hearts there, direct them to what is good.

Christ persevered through the pain of the cross while carrying the shame of the world. He could have stopped, but he persevered.

With God’s love in our hearts, and Christ’s perseverance no one would tire from doing what is right. No one would question life or death; they would just serve with selfless ambitions.

God, it is easy to think that this world is too much to handle, too hard to endure. But I trust that if you are truly in my heart and I am blessed with your perseverance then I can sustain through all… like Job. Lord, please give me your love today, let me love with your heart. Give me your strength to persevere all hardships today.

I love you,
Kelsey

September 23, 2011

2 Thessalonians 2:10b-12

10”...because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

This is a hard verse, a hard verse to even read let alone understand…I wanted to move right on through this part of the passage, to the hope and the glory that we have in Christ…but for some reason I just couldn’t look past this…

There are people I love that don’t know Jesus, there are people I am in relationship with who have refused to love the truth, believe the truth and so be saved…

Yet so often I just walk on by as if its fine or I just sit in silence…

But today as I read this, my heart is broken and my plea is that God will soften their hears, that He will dispel any strong delusion that keeps them from seeing the truth…that He will, as He promises He is…be merciful and compassionate to them, slow to anger and abounding in love for them…irresistable love!!!

Jesus, use me to be your love, your truth, break my heart for the hearts that break yours. Remove the veils from our eyes that we would see you clearly…we need you Jesus, Amen.

Erin

September 22, 2011

2 Thessalonians 1:11–12

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

This verse is like a giant mind explosion when you start to play it out.

What does it mean to made worthy of God’s calling?

What would it look like for the name of Jesus to be glorified in me?

Do you really mean EVERY resolve for good…and EVERY work of faith?

I mean realistically, how could any of us become worthy of the calling and anointing of a perfect God?

It’s such an incredible mystery because I feel like I can’t even comprehend just how deep and how perfect that calling must be…let alone create a framework to know what I must do, or who I must be in order to be worthy of it…

How do you achieve perfection? How do you complete the infinite?

You don’t.

Recently God has been teaching me about the depth of who He is…about the finite reality that is both EVERYTHING I know…and yet NOTHING when compared to his vastness. It’s hard to sometimes not feel almost depressed…because I realize how short my lifespan is…how little impact I can really make in the broad spectrum of the universe…

AND YET…

It is in this way that God is teaching me about the meaningless of life without Him. The purposelessness of living with a relationship with Jesus.

I mean if the GOSPEL IS TRUE, and JESUS REALLY IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS…then that very fact takes the meaninglessness of my life and gives it infinite purpose. It takes the nothingness of who I am and brings it inline with the divine precision by which God initiated and sustains all of creation…

And thats just getting started…thats just the first layer of truth…THIS IS BEFORE WE EVEN START TO PLAY OUT THE DETAILS…

Mind. Blown.

C.S. Lewis said that if the Gospel is true then it is of infinite importance…if it is not true…it is completely unimportant….the only thing it CANNOT BE….is of medium importance.

Jesus please continue to teach me of the manifold importance and purpose you bring me…and of the desolate wasteland that is life apart from you…I want to continually be increasing in submission to you…that by your grace you may make me worthy of your calling, and you would be glorified through me.

September 21, 2011

“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.”
1 Thessalonians 5 : 23–24

These two verses have hit me square in the chest. The grace that makes no sense is given to Kyle, the one whose deeds are comparable to used menstrual cloths.

It just rocks me to my core.

These verses give me a comfort that I forget all to often and lose. I guess I just talk myself out of it. How can a guy like me possibly receive something like this.

God I ask for your grace to penetrate the lives of myself, of Donnivin, of Jill, of Brandon, of Grandma, or Grandpa, and for all else who feel that pain.

May I live my life in a way that is honouring to you Father.

I sit here and shake my head. the song “I will exalt” is playing behind me…“There will be no one like you, no one beside you, you alone are worthy of my praise. Your presence is all I need, It’s all I need, it’s all I want, it’s all I seek and without it, without it I’m not living.”

Father may i exalt you with my voice, with my actions with my everything.

Your Grace is AMAZING. May I never look at that word without realizing who has given it to me and at what price. One that I can NEVER repay.

MIMTW,

Kyle

September 20, 2011

“God has called us to be holy, not to live impure lives”
1 Thessalonians 4:7

What does this even mean?

Automatically I understand the “not to live impure lives” part.

It means not to live a life full of sin… meaning do not live a life full of lies, unloving words, actions and thoughts, not to live a life of excessive drug and alcohol abuse, not to live a life full of lust and sexual sin, and the list goes on.

I understand that this means to live a life of honour, respect and love. A life of purity. A life that is not rooted in this world but in heaven.

I guess what I do not understand is how to move it beyond just the basics and the legalism or format of it. How do I really get to the heart of the matter? What does it mean to be holy?

I can live the purest life possible and yet if my heart isn’t in it… then I feel like it doesn’t really matter. If my heart and soul aren’t really focused on Christ; if they aren’t really striving to be Christ-like and holy… set apart… then what does it matter?

Father, I do not really have an answer. All I know is that I want to be what you have called me to be. I want to live a life for you; a life set apart. I want to be a person who does not conform to the world, who lives purely. I want to live purely… not because I have to but because I want to. I love you. Amen.

September 19, 2011

“Some sat in darkness and the deepest of gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains, for they had rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High. So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled and there was no one to help. Then they cried to the Lord in their troubles and he saved them from their distress.”
Psalm 107:10–13

God redeems the lives of people who have turned against him. He rescues them when they cry out his name.

God doesn’t have to consider forgiveness when people cry out for his help; he doesn’t weigh their sin in comparison to how sorry they are. No, God just forgives. He is the father, and we are they prodigal children, all he wants is for us to come back to him. All he wants is for us to love him.

This got me thinking… how often to I reap in the awesomeness of God and not give him thanks? How often am I on my face in thankfulness towards God and the fact that he is so forgiving and so loving? Am I not redeemed? So why am I not always full of praise?

Everything good is a blessing from God. You don’t have to be a follower of Christ to be blessed by God; but when you are a follower of Christ your eyes has been opened to his amazing works, and with this blessing we should always position our hearts to praise.

God you have been the redeemer from the chains of my past. I am now given the blessing to walk with you to be covered with your blood, covered with your love. So this morning God I do give you thanks for the breath in my lungs, the job you have blessed me with and my amazing friends and family. But I know all of these are a blessing from you, all of which I do not deserve, all love which you can take away. Thank you for all the blessings in my life, all the ones I can see, and the ones not yet made known to me. Let me give praise, and not receive my blessings as if I deserved them.

I love you,
Kelsey

September 15, 2011

1 Thessalonians 1: 4–5a

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.

The Gospel came to them…not only in word – but in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with FULL conviction.

As a guy who spends a considerable amount of time each week thinking about, talking about, writing about, and trying to figure out how to help people understand the Gospel…

I wonder how it is that I can also be a man who can often lack conviction.

It’s not that I don’t agree with what the Gospel teaches…I would even go so far as to say that I BELIEVE most of it….

And yet – there are things that I don’t always feel convicted about when it comes to what the Gospel teaches me…

I don’t often find myself resting in a belief that says that God will be the provider of all my needs

Or that I can trust Him completely

Or that His plan for my life is the best possible plan

I don’t always feel convicted about being content in all circumstances…

Because what if God doesn’t help me?

What if He doesn’t work it out for my good?

What if He forgets? Or makes a mistake? Or our plans don’t line up?

Even as I type it…it sounds stupid.

And yet its where my heart often is….

So then of course the reality I face is that the phrase “full conviction” isn’t really an accurate descriptor of how my heart and the Gospel interact..

In fact often I don’t believe the Gospel nearly enough

And yet I believe I am chosen by God.

I believe that growth in my belief of the Gospel is the work of the Spirit inside me…

I believe that God is working in my heart…

I just want to be able to trust Him with everything…all the time.

Jesus – I really do love you. I suck at trusting you. I suck at being convicted about the truth of who You are…please continue to grow and shape me to be more like you. Help me to have the Gospel as my primary motivation.

September 15, 2011

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.”

Colossians 4 : 5

Wen I see this word outsiders, i think of those who know you but have yet to experience you for themselves.

Father, one of the main reasons I’ve stayed at Johnston Bentley for as long as I have, is because of the relationships I’ve formed and also witnessing the incredible movement of yourself through my fellow coworkers.

As I am entering another season at JBMAC, this verse just stands out to me. May I not be arrogant when I engage in conversation, but I ask that you would remind me to be a reflector of yourself.

Father there are going to be times when I just don’t want to talk. Shame on me. Remind me of your truth and the desperation for it wherever I am.

The glory be to you forever and ever,

Make it more than words.

Amen.

September 13, 2011

Colossians 3:10–11

“In it’s place you have clothed yourselves with a brand new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you.
In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric or uncivilized, slave or free. Christ is all that matters and he lives in all of us.”

CHRIST IS ALL THAT MATTERS.

This hit me today. He lives in me and he is all that matters.

So why then do I place so much value on other things in my life?

Many different things distract me from this truth.

Things like what people think of me, of my work, of my life, of my worship leading. They all begin to matter more to me than Christ.

Father, I am sorry that so often I forget what matters most in this life. Continue to remind me who and what I live for. Lord, I love You. You are all that matters. Thank You for Your sacrifice. May I glorify You and shine Your light in all I do today. Amen.

September 12, 2011

“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”
Colossians 2:8

The world we live in today is exploding with false philosophy which has made it nearly impossible to avoid being influenced by things other than Christ himself. So what do we do?

This morning was different. More or less backwards for me. Anyone who knows me knows that I keep to a strict schedule every morning: wake up, make coffee, do my devotions, and get ready to go to work. I have done it for years, and I hardly ever break routine. Except for today.

Today I went to the gym first. Not because I wanted to switch my life up, but because I forgot my bible at the church. I feel now that God did that to me on purpose.

While I was doing my work out, I started to look around: magazines filled with gossip, dieting and fashion; headlines of home-wreckers, back-stabber and cheaters. Temping to read I admit, but I decided to watch the TV. One TV was tuned to Much Music and was playing some sort of provocative video; the news was just depressing. I was frustrated. It was a battle to not engage in what the world wants you to. The claws of the world reach out every minute of every day promoting almost everything I believe to be wrong. This is how they want me to live? It’s not the way God wants me to live.

Help

Next song on my Ipod:

“Strong Tower” by Kutless

I close my eyes and try to focus on the words, “shelter over me, beautiful and mighty, ever-lasting king”

I start to pray.

God, we cannot escape from the world. We can’t just avoid it. But you can shelter us. Every single day to world will try to pull us with false philosophy on how we should live, and it goes against what you have called us to. It’s not that we you want us to live. But LORD, you are my strong tower, fortress when I am weak, beautiful and mighty, everlasting king.

May I find refuge in you today, be my comfort and my protection.

I love you,
Kelsey

September 9, 2011

Colossians 1:17

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

I just need this reminder…not something deeply intellectual or thought provoking, but just the TRUTH…that He is here.

I forget this often, I am blind to this often…but does that make this any less true? All that I worry about, all that I hold onto…is He not bigger? Is He not before all things, and holding all things together? Why do I not truly believe this? Why has this truth not captured my heart and transformed my way of thinking and living out? Why do I continue to fail and falter in seeing this?

Jesus, once again, I am faced with the unbelief that is so prevalent in my heart and mind, once again, I am brought to the place of your truth colliding with my heart and mind and allowing your Word to wash over me. Thank you for your truth. Thank you for your never ending presence and working in my own life and in all of your creation. Please remove the veil from my eyes, that I would see you more clearly. Thank you Jesus, in your Name, Amen.

Erin

September 8, 2011

Phil. 4:6–7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Every now and then I come across a passage of scripture (like this one) and the first thought in my head sounds something like “Yeah sure…easier said than done.”

I mean how do you not be anxious about ANYTHING?

How do you just let the stress go?

It’s not going to help. No matter how “relaxed” I am about it..

Bankruptcy is real.

Addiction still hurts.

Unemployment still sucks.

And to be honest…even if the peace of God which surpasses all understanding DID guard my heart and mind….HOW WILL THAT PAY MY BILLS?

And as these thoughts race through my mind…I am reminded of one simple…and incredibly perspective altering truth…

Paul wrote these words…from jail.

From a Roman jail…the worst kind.

There must be a place where seemingly unconquerable odds and the fullness of hope in Christ meet.

There must be a place where no matter how dark our circumstances seem – the light of Christ is bigger, better, stronger, more beautiful.

And thats the answer.

No matter how ugly my life….Christ is beautiful.

The Gospel is beautiful.

The reality of God come to earth to save me in the midst of a mess that I CREATED….is truly beautiful.

And so when I find myself surrounded by anxiety and stress…circumstances that are absolutely crushing…

The truth for me today is…Christ is beautiful.

The truth for my neighbours….is that Christ is beautiful.

And in the face of beauty…the darkness can’t win.

As Needtobreathe says… I just want something beautiful to touch me

Jesus…I just want you to touch me.

September 6, 2011

Philippians 2:1

”... Are your hearts tender and sympathetic?”

I read this and almost “bypassed” it, as if it weren’t important.

Just seemed like a filler or an introduction to what Paul was writing.
The more I thought about it, the more important I realized that this simple question is.

Is my heart tender and sympathetic?
I want to answer yes but the truth is, it’s not. I know that at times I can be hard-hearted. Maybe it is out of fear of hurt and rejection. Or maybe I am just selfish.

But the truth of the matter is that as someone who loves Jesus, as someone who works at a church, as someone who is meant to be a light to the world, I need to have a tender heart. I need to have a heart that breaks for what breaks Jesus’ heart. I need to have a heart that puts others and their needs before myself.

Father, break my heart for what breaks Yours. Make my heart tender Lord. I love you. Amen.

September 2, 2011

Ephesians 6:10–11

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

There are so many things that I try to be strong in…but they all fail and I am left not strong but weak…

I wonder how different my life would be if instead of trying to find strength in other things, in other people, in myself, I would find my strength in Jesus…I wonder what lies I would stop believing, I wonder what TRUTH would capture my heart…

I am not truly strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might…I am not always guarded with the full armour of God…I so easily fall prey to the schemes of the devil and am unable to stand against them.

I am reminded by how far I fall short of of you Jesus, apart from you I have no strength…Jesus help me, be my strength, be my hope, be my shield, my armour, my God…let this move from the ideal to the reality…that I would be strong in you…in the midst of all that would weaken me – be my strength!
In Your Name, Amen.

Erin

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