However, here is a blog entry from Compassion International – and I think my feelings echo the sentiments written here. I encourage you to read it and reflect on the motives of your own heart. Is bottled water (or any other beverage for that matter) just a convenience? What kind of effort would it take to obtain a glass of tap water or pack your own bottle of tap water on a road trip, to the movies, on a picnic, etc? I mean this to be far from legalistic, just something to consider and reflect on.

 

I think the first quote that grabbed me in the article is the opening statement:

I drink bottled water because I like the convenience and because I like the taste. I LIKE … and every bottle I choose demonstrates what I value most. I value myself.

Followed by this quote:

We’ve come to pay good money — two or three or four times the cost of gasoline — for a product we have always gotten, and can still get, for free, from taps in our homes.

So a little over a week ago, a dozen or so of us descended upon Palm Springs for one of the best conferences ever, Resolved.  What an incredible weekend of friends, fellowhip, sunshine, and most importantly incredible teaching about our GREAT GOD and our wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ. 

The theme of the conference was Sin. I definitely felt anxious about going to a conference where I expected to be convicted beyond all belief about the sin in my life. I spent the week before reflecting on the areas where God might reveal to me that sin has a foothold. I was nervous about hearing pastors whom I have grown to respect to the utmost come down on me for all of the awful sins in my life. That the guilt of unconfessed and repetitive sin would consume me.  I prepared my heart for a shocker of a weekend as best I could.

What happened at Resolved was entirely different and in no way close to what I would have even imagined. The sessions led by incredible pastors like CJ Maheney, Steve Lawson, and John Piper were not a gauntlet of all the awful things I was doing and how much I was hurting God with my sin, but instead, a beautiful image of this enormous God, a God who can stand and tolerate no sin, but is so loving and kind, generous and powerful that he sent his Son Jesus Christ to atone for those sins. This gift of his Son a free gift to me, no guilt and shame needed, just a repentant heart along with his immense grace and mercy on my life.

In the two sermons by John Piper, which were 2 of the most incredible times of teaching in my life, Dr Piper, or Grandpa John as we say, was able to bring us to see our GREAT GREAT GOD. A God who is sovereign over ALL things, including, and especially sin. 

I guess until now I always knew that God was sovereign over sin, but I don’t think I even realized the enormity and magnificence of what that meant. I knew God designed this world, all the time knowing that his Son’s death and ressurection would be the pinacle moment of all history, all to give God the glory (Sunday School answer here!) – but to really hear it spelled out, that this was God’s PLAN from the beginning. That the fall of Satan, fall of Adam, betrayal by nation of Israel, and finally the betrayal by Judas all fell into God’s sovereign, ordained plan.

As Dr. Piper said, He could have stopped and taken away a lot of these enormous sins or even created an earth without them, and we would have seen the power of God, in His creation – but through Sin, God showed his incredible grace, mercy, love, forgiveness, majesty and so many other attributes within His divine plan.

I also loved the way Grandpa John defined the way he uses the word ordained as something God either causes or permits with infinite knowledge and ultimate power to stop or change, but doesn’t.

In his second sermon, Grandpa John also said God even blesses our wicked prayers. Because if he didn’t, we’d all be dead. Think about that, how God loves us even when we are terrible, day after day. What a huge image of love that is right there.

What I took home from Resolved was not a conscience paralyzed with guilt, feeling like a failure, but instead a heart so enamored with my beautiful, loving, omnipotent God. The God I desire and long for like nothing else in this world.  My soul was not so concerned with the ME, ME, ME of Sin, all the things I am doing wrong in my life, and how I am hurting others and my precious God. But instead focused on the God that I seek to please and serve with all abandon.  I love this fresh perspective, of not coming at sin, as healing the symptoms of myself before healing the heart, but instead, replacing my sinful ugly heart, with the heart of Jesus, the all loving, giving, serving Savior. By worshipping and praising the Almighty God, and starting with seeking and serving Him first and foremost, and knowing that the Holy Spirit will lead the way in a life that is pleasing and honoring to God.

As he wrapped up the final night of Resolved, he summarized all he taught, saying, “In ordaining the fall, Lucifer’s and Adam’s, the treason of Israel and Judas – in order that I might be conformed by the image of Christ, so that I will make much of the Glory of grace – which will come back around and bring Grace to all of the treasonous people” – and to that I only can say AMEN!

Holy Week is one of my favorite times to be around church. I love the joyful noise the choir makes on Palm Sunday. The way the light pours in through the stained glass windows, the palm branches displayed along the pews and in the baptismal. We sing praises to our God and his wonderful Son, our King.  I think for me, Palm Sunday is a time that for many is like the first day of spring. It signals a beginning, a  time of refreshment.

But the week continues on. Thursday night the orange-y light of evening bounces around the Sanctuary and eventually fades to darkness. The service is one of reflection and repentance. As we meditate on the things Jesus said and did in the upper room, at that Last Supper, we consider what will happen in a day’s time. We sit with Jesus as his friends, those he loves, and calls his own. Jesus has provided for us food and drink that greatly surpass the food and drink of this world. We are called to consider our heart. Confess our sins. Seek out those whom we may have dissention with.

This year, God spoke to my heart during the Maundy Thursday service in a new way. As I prepared my heart for eating the Bread and taking the Cup, God’s Word echoed through the halls of my mind, “becoming like him in his death, and so somehow to attain the resurrection from the dead.” (Phil 3:10b-11)

Over the course of Lent, I memorized the Book of Philippians – And through this, God has spoken to my heart in so many incredible ways, it is unbelievable. (perhaps more reflections on this later) – But God used this snippet of scripture to reveal to me what it means that “it has been granted to me on his behalf not only to believe on him, but also suffer for him.” (Phil  1:29).

Later Paul writes, “But whatever was to my profit, I now consider loss, for the sake of knowing Christ. What is more, I consider everything loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things…” (Phil 3:7-8)

The question in my heart was, What does it mean to become like him in his death?

The answer, that I should lose all things for the sake of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord!

In the past year or so, I have really understood that I need to question the things I consider normal. Most things are ‘normal’ because that is what the world, or my culture tells me is so. But God’s Word is clear, and it has become pushed aside by myself and others of my generation.  Choosing to live by the standards of Gods word – in action, but also in mindset, means that I am going to miss out on a lot of what the world has to offer.  Understanding that my value is not wrapped up in what I look like, or how successful I am, or all of the stuff I can acquire is not the norm. The worst part? Most people probably believe that they aren’t this way themselves. I know I have always considered that to be true to myself. But as I have searched more into God’s word, removing more of the influences of the world from my life, I see how much I was influenced by my culture.

As God spoke into my heart, “becoming like him in his death” on Thursday night, I heard a call to continue removing those things of the world and to not be like those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh…their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, their glory is in their shame, their minds are set on earthly things. For me many times the earthly things are just selfish thoughts and ambitions.

For so long I have asked God to break my heart for what breaks his. Sometimes my heart is so calloused I can hardly see the pain of others, let alone care about it.  I have a hard time seeing outside myself. But after I partook in the communion, I returned to my seat in the pews. Before me was a long line of brothers and sisters in Christ, approaching their God with broken and repentant hearts. As my eyes scanned the aisle, I saw grief, pain, brokeness, betrayal, heartache, anxiety, and so much more. That night God gave me the eyes to see my friends, his children, as broken, hurting people who are seeking Him and his will in their lives.  I felt it a priveledge to lift them to Him in prayer, interceding on their behalf.  May God comfort, heal, restore, and bless them in ways that only He can.

Friday, we entered the Sanctuary more solemnly, in almost darkness. We worshipped through song, and watched the crucifixion as portrayed in The Passion of the Christ. Painful to watch, I had to force myself to keep my eyes open, even at its most gruesome. Remembering that what I was seeing was my deserved punishment, taken on my behalf by God’s precious son, Jesus.  As the song says, “Amazing Love, how can it be? That you my King would die for me” – can you imagine a king, a president, any kind of leader – who would offer to take the pusishment for the worst of criminals? Would our president offer to exchange places with a death row inmate? Would I? Would anyone? Incredible.

As we sang the Wonderful Cross – God continued to speak into my heart with the lyric “O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross, bids me come and die and find that I may truly live” – here it is again. The Cross bidding me to die to myself. To become like Christ in his death. Let the sin and ways of the world die, accoridng to the song, that I may truly live, according to scriptures, to attain. Let the old self die! “My richest gain I count but loss!”

The message that night was one of the best I have heard; the real, hard truth was preached, it was not softened or fluffed. Dave spoke about the Cross – and not just what happened, but why.  He said, God is a HOLY, RIGHTEOUS, and JUST God. He is also a LOVING GOD. And the penalty had to be paid for our sin.  He explained how God isn’t holy one minute just the next and loving the next. But is always all of them. He is them. And those terms can only be defined by the standard that is God. God is not defined by them.  God did not put Jesus on the cross to make our lives great, (although we have been tremendously blessed by Jesus’ death) but He did it because his wrath had to be taken, our sin had to be paid for.  And as an after effect, we are the recipients of unfathomable grace, and peace and joy like none other. But God is JUST. Wow, I know this was the truth preached. I hunger for that kind of real truth, the hard stuff, the stuff that isn’t always easy to hear and accept, the stuff that isn’t popular, but is TRUE.

As we reflected some more that night, I thought more about the verse, “becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow to attain the resurrection from the dead.”

If God had let the story end at Friday night, it would still be cause for rejoicing and celebrating. Our debt was paid. Jesus drank the cup, the whole cup of God’s wrath for us.

But with Sunday, came Christ’s resurrection from the dead. And we were raised with him! Praise to God! Now, we are his co-heirs, raised with him in his glory! Now, we are not only no longer separated from God, we are united with Him, for all eternity in Jesus Christ our savior – and beyond having peace and joy on this earth that comes with knowing Jesus, THIS IS THE BEST NEWS!!! Eternity with our God, and King!

So on Sunday morning when we returned to the same Sanctuary, light once again flooding in, bright dresses, and ties and bonnets, we are reminded of the joyful eternity that awaits us when we are finally raised with Christ before our Almighty God! Hallelujah! He is Risen!

Scroll down to  A Crucifixion Narrative.  It is hard to read.  Unfathomable to bear, yet it is our deserved fate. But Jesus stepped in and took it from us.  This Holy Week, let your heart reflect on this, not only the physical pain, but the emotional suffering Jesus took on for us as he drank the cup. This would have been our eternity, but Jesus overcame it for us.

Amen!

Lately, a lot of my friends have been extremely transparent, in the good way. I am so encouraged how they have chosen to share their struggles, anxieties, weaknesses with me. It has brought me a true joy, to share with them in their pain, seek truth for the uncertainties, and rejoice with them in the victories.

I personally struggle a lot in my prayer life. It isn’t what I know it could be, or should be. I know God wants so much more from me, time where its just He and I with no other distractions. More so, I know He wants, often demands, silence from me. A quietness before Him.  Yet I am full of so many words and thoughts, that I find this impossible. (But do I really even try?)

I know through the various circumstances that have led to those around me sharing their hearts with me, it has brought me to my figurative knees before God. I have become overwhelmed with the need to bring their requests,  and even my own for them, and for myself, before Him.

Like Paul and the Philippians,

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first days until now, being confident of this, He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus      -Philippians 1:4-6

For my own self, please pray that I might be as transparent. That I might be able to sit before God, in silence, and obedience and listen to Him. That there would be no distractions.

Thank you friends, for your transparency.  It has allowed me to come before our God focusing on things other than myself, and caused me to be joyous when I see God working to conform our hearts to His will, and that we are partners in the Gospel.

Be encouraged.

To echo the words of Paul to the Colossians:

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ,  in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.  For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.            – Colossians 2: 1-5

So Lent has arrived.  Friends are hustling and bustling with their new “resolutions.” In the last few weeks I have been offered a few different ideas of things I could give up.

I have only observed lent once before, two years ago, I gave up Celebrity Gossip websites and magazines. Basically, I gave up celebrities for Lent. I was obsessed with Celebrity Gossip. I would check my websites hourly, if not more. I always bought a tabloid magazine when I was checking out at the grocery store. I knew more about Jessica Simpson, Angelina Jolie, and John Mayer than a lot of my own friends and family. I was addicted to information.

Then Britney went and shaved her head, less than a week into Lent. COME ON! But, I held strong to the resolution of staying off the sites. After the 40 days were up, I had almost no clue with what was going on with my favorite A-listers. And it seemed a lot less necessary to know who was partying this week in NYC and who was laying on the beaches of Malibu.

As lame as it sounds, giving up Celebrities for Lent had a pretty awesome impact on my life.  The website thing snowballed into spending less time surfing the web and watching TV. I was able to spend more time thinking about things that matter and spending time with those that I love. When the 40 days was up, I wasn’t itching to click on to Perezhilton.com or Pinkisthenewblog.com. I didn’t really even miss them. And they sure as heck did not miss me.

I no longer was laughing at the way these people looked and acted, and began to realize how much that affected the condition of my own heart and saw how much that affected my own self view. I was able step out of the lenses which I saw the world, and pick up the lenses of God’s word and see myself and others that way.

This is still such a journey for me, and one forty day Celebrity Hiatus did not restore my right thinking, but got me on an incredible path, and away from destructive thoughts.

*******************

So, I the last few weeks, particularly since SnoCal my heart has been convicted deeply of what being a Christian is costing me.

Honestly, most days it doesn’t cost me much. Perhaps a piece of my income for tithing, Tuesday nights for CAD, the occasisional weekend high school trip, and a week each summer for Camp.

But those are things I really, truly, enjoy.

So I wonder, is the sacrifice of serving Christ, always going to be unenjoyable? Or can I enjoy the cost?

I think the answer to that is yes, and I think that is God’s desire for us. That we find enjoyment in seeking and desiring him. (Hello, John Piper!)

But I think with that enjoyment, we should be inspired to give more, sacrifice more, let the cost be greater.  And God is so faithful, he blesses those sacrifices. Not in the ways we expect, but in ways that we can easily miss unless we are attentive and listening to Him.

In these last few days preceding lent, I have been pondering how much I am willing to give up. I scare myself with how much I realize I can and should give up and how little I am willing to.

Pray that my heart would be more willing, and that would seek to live with so much less than I have.

So for the purpose of lent I have resolved to do the following:

1. 40 Days of Water – For 40 days I will drink no beverage other than water. No coffee, no tea, no soda, no Quickly, no milkshakes. Anything that goes in a cup, will be H2O.  At the end I will tabulate approximately what I “saved” on beverages and donate towards clean water for those in need. I already have “pledged to reduce bottled water use” – with my Brita Filter. So I have cut out most daily beverages outside of water. The challenge here will be for my morning tea, Saturday morning Starbucks run, and the nighttime Quickly stops. I also love the slogan for this

“Forty Days of Water*

*No Ark Neccessary“

No Ark Necessary

2. Memorize The Book of Philippians – Someone had mentioned to me that for Lent, we don’t always have to give something up. But we can resolve to do something new. I began working on some Scripture memorization a few weeks ago, after Angela inspired me.  So 40 days, 4 chapters. I broke it all out into a reading plan today, and it seems a bit daunting, but I know that God will give me the strength and discipline to do it, so long as I yield to Him.  The book of Philippians is 4 chapters – that is 1 chapter every 10 days. Chapters 1 & 2 are 30 verses each. (3 & 4 have 21 and 23 respectively) , which breaks down to about 3 verses per day.

3. Give up biting my nails. This is more for fun, so that I will have long nails and be able to get a manicure in 40 days.

So my Lent resolutions truly aren’t that sacrificial. I think the memorization will take time, and discipline. I need to be dedicated to doing it, and not getting behind.

There are things that I am not giving up in absolute for Lent, but that I would like to focus on through this period anyway (less tv, less mindless websurfing (mob wars!), less personal stuff while at work (ahem, blogs!), less playing with my blackberry (brickbreaker & facebook status updates), more time reflecting and meditating on God’s word, longer and deeper quiet times, better prayer life, more giving of finances, a kinder heart and attitude towards others, more time spent on ministry and other people, attitudes and actions of service).

It is my prayer and goal that by the time Holy Week arrives that the condition of my heart is more sacrificial and more willing to give, and that at the end of it all I am different than I am today. I pray that God works and changes me in the next 40 days, and that those changes don’t just stop, but affect me for the rest of my life.  I pray that in this time which is ultimately about reflection and repentance that I can know and hear God just a little bit better than I do today.

Let me know what you are giving up or adding on for Lent.

And if you are interested in joining with me in memorizing Philippians here is my daily breakdown (I picked to use the NIV since I already knew a few of these verses, I also can make you a set of flashcards with 1-2 verses on each one if you are interested):

Philippians 1

Day 1 (2/25/09)

¹Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:

²Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³I thank my God every time I remember you.

Day 2 (2/26/09)

⁴In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy ⁵because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, ⁶being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Day 3 (2/27/09)

⁷It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. ⁸God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Day 4 (2/28/09)

⁹And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, ¹⁰so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, ¹¹filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Day 5 (3/1/09)

¹²Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. ¹³As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. ¹⁴Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.

Day 6 (3/2/09)

¹⁵It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. ¹⁶The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. ¹⁷The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. ¹⁸But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Day 7 (3/3/09)

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, ¹⁹for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.²⁰I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

Day 8 (3/4/09)

²¹For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. ²²If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! ²³I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; ²⁴but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

Day 9 (3/5/09)

Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.

Day 10 (3/6/09)

²⁷Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel ²⁸without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. ²⁹For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, ³⁰since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

Days 11-20

Philippians 2

Day 11 (3/7/09)

¹If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ²then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ³Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Day 12 (3/8/09)

⁵Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
⁶Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
⁷but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
⁸And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

Day 13 (3/9/09)
⁹Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Day 14 (3/10/09)

¹²Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

Day 15 (3/11/09)

¹⁴Do everything without complaining or arguing, ¹⁵so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe ¹⁶as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.

Day 16 (3/12/09)

¹⁷But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. ¹⁸So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Day 17 (3/13/09)

¹⁹I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. ²⁰I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare.

Day 18 (3/14/09)

²¹For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. ²²But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. ²³I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. ²⁴And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.

Day 19 (3/15/09)

²⁵But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. ²⁶For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. ²⁷Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.

Day 20 (3/16/09)

²⁸Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. ²⁹Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him, ³⁰because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me.

Days 21-30

Philippians 3

Day 21 (3/17/09)

¹Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.

²Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. ³For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— ⁴though I myself have reasons for such confidence.

Day 22 (3/18/09)
If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.

⁷But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.

Day 23 (3/19/09)

⁸What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ ⁹and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

Day 24 (3/20/09)

¹⁰I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Day 25 (3/21/09)

¹²Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. ¹³Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Day 26 (3/22/09)

¹⁵All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. ¹⁶Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

Day 27 (3/23/09)

¹⁷Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. ¹⁸For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.

Day 28 (3/24/09)

¹⁹Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. ²⁰But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Day 29 & 30 – Catch Up & Practice Days

Days 31-40

Philippians 4

Day 31 (3/27/09)

¹Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!

Day 32 (3/28/09)

²I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. ³Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow,help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Day 33 (3/29/09)

⁴Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Day 34 (3/30/09)

⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Day 35 (3/31/09)

¹⁰I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. ¹¹I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹²I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

Day 36 (4/1/09)

¹³I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

¹⁴Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. ¹⁵Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only;

Day 37 (4/2/09)

¹⁶for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. ¹⁷Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. ¹⁸I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.

Day 38 (4/3/09)

¹⁹And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

²⁰To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Day 39 (4/4/09)

²¹Greet all the saints in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send greetings. ²²All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.

²³The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Day 40 (4/5/09)

Amen.

Last night, I was laying in bed, listening to the rain pitter patter against my windows. The street lights were making shadows with my blinds on my bedroom wall. One of my favorite sounds on a rainy day, aside from the rain itself, is the sound of the wet roads as cars drive by. Usually in the morning that is how I can tell if it has been raining during the night or not.

As I was saying my prayers, thanking God for the much needed rain I began to wonder, if I didn’t believe in God, who would I thank for the rain?

Would I even pray for rain? Or just hope that somewhere, somehow trust that the science of clouds and water would mix together and provide the earth with what it needs?

But what if one day, without any rhyme or reason this earth stopped providing? And the rain stopped coming. And the earth began to dry up, crops died, food became scarce, drink, scarcer. What would I do then? Can I pray to the science? Can I tell it my hopes and fears?

Would I be inclined to believe that there is an Almighty God out there, providing for his children? Would I begin to pray, to this unknown God and ask him to come, to help? And when that help came, would I thank Him?

How does one listen to the rain or see the sunset or see one life end or another one begin and not think about God?

Romans 1 says,

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.  – Romans 1: 19-20

The Bible says, God is plain to all people.  THROUGH HIS CREATION. How incredible is that?

I urge you, if you have been thankful for the rain (or a sunset, or a new baby, the growth of a flower from a seed) , consider who you are thanking.  Question how it came to be, do not suppress those questions, seek the answers.  God is revealing Himself to you, look for it. Listen for it.

You may have noticed a link on my right hand column, for Compassion International, an organization that I am a “part” of.  I sponsor a 6 year old little girl named Felista, who lives in Tanzania (at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro).

Last summer, while spending some time at a Christian Music Festival, I was in awe of how much money people spent on things that didn’t matter.  CD’s, clothes, books, jewelry, sticker, you name it, they sold it.

Don’t get me wrong, the things sold in the vendor tents are not in and of themselves bad, in fact a lot of the booths were for ministries and Christian organizations.  I also realize that the merchandise of the vendors are a ministry for many business owners. I understand the reasoning between the buying and the selling.

From my observations, I think most of the motivations of purchases fell under one of two categories.

1. People who are looking for an “evangelical tool” to share the gospel. Maybe they wear the T-Shirt with an awesome design that is intriguing to someone unfamiliar with biblical ideas, and it opens up a door for conversation. Or someone finds a sticker they want for their school binder, or back of their car, in hopes that someone might ask them about it.

(Category 1(a) is people who just buy Christian “junk” because they want to deck out their wardrobe, accessories, rooms, homes in Christian stuff – so that it says “Hey I am a CHRISTIAN”,” fearful that without these literal labels somoene might not recognize them as one…I think this is another issue that could be covered at another time.)

2. People who buy things because they need new shirts, hats, flip flops anyway, and might as well buy them from a fellow believer.

Anyhow, regardless of what category most buyers fall under, a LOT of money was being thrown around for “more” stuff.  I don’t think the right description for me is apalled, but in shock of how much money people have to spend, and in awe of how they choose to spend it.

Spending two days at the festival, I had a good amount of time to circle the booths, several times. It was interesting to see which booths were popular and which booths were manned by someone usually reading a book, due to lack of interest in whatever they were displaying, most of these were booths that weren’t selling things but informing people about different ministries and organizations.

There were a handful of things that caught my eye, but after the first night, I was convicted of spending my money on things that don’t matter, when I could just as easily give twenty bucks to any number of charities present, that invest in what does matter, PEOPLE.

I felt a great sadness thinking of all the money spent for people to get to this event, tickets, lodging, food, transportation, and souvenirs.

Now let me say, that I think there were some redeeming things about the festival, Christians sharing time in fellowship, meeting other believers (whom they may share similar thoughts and ideas with or not), meaningful conversations, families and youth groups attending a wholesome event, sharing in learning and worship.

But back to my point. The Compassion booth was quiet. There were about five volunteers manning it when I first went by.  My heart kept tugging me back to it though. I felt convicted of spending any of my own money on trivial things for myself before doing something by putting another person before me.  (ok confession, I did get a henna that first night, so yes, I did put myself first and probably shouldn’t have based on what I am saying here).

The words of Matthew 25 were echoing through my head,

‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ – Matthew 25:45

Wow. My heart broke realizing this was one of those instances:

For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me – Matthew 25:42-43

I knew that I was called to give back what God has blessed me with, and was pulled back to the Compassion booth.  There, some incredibly helpful people answered all my questions about Compassion, about how the program worked, what exactly the financial support paid for, what to expect, etc.  Overnight I prayed about sponsoring a child and the next day, I made my way over to the table and signed up.

I sifted through the different children, not sure what I was looking for. Maybe a child with the same birthdate as me, or from a spanish-speaking country, or a country that one of my friends has visited as a short-term missionary.  And then I found Felista, who lives in the outskirts of Arusha, Tanzania. A city I had never heard of until a  coworker mentioned he was going to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro and that is where he’d be staying. Coincidentally, a missionary family at church also lives and serves there.   (Hey now I had even more of a reason to share about my sponsorship with my coworkers!).

So I filled out the paperwork and took home the package of information on Felista, Tanzania, and what it means to be a Compassion Sponsor.

Sponsoring Felista has been a lot more interactive than I would have thought. I have been able to write her several letters, and she has responded to each one, usually very quickly. She draws me adorable pictures and tells me about her family and what she is learning at school and in Bible classes. At Christmas and for her Birthday I was able to share a little more financial support with her. Compassion has updated her profile with more information and sent me an updated picture, bookmarks, and wallet sized photos for me to place in different locations, reminding me to pray for her.  And those are the tangible benefits I “get” from supporting her.

There is so much more, that I didn’t even realize. The main thing I have learned is just how much I have. It is much less of a comparison of what I have that she doesn’t, but considering what I can share with her in my letters. Compassion asks that you don’t brag about your wealth, size of your home,  new cars, etc. (I think this is a pretty obvious instruction).

But when I write her letters I carefully consider what I do share.

What in my life is meaningful? What can I share that would encourage her and her family?  What types of things have I invested my life in that matter, that translate from human to human, despite geographical and economical differences?

Felista’s picture sits on my dresser, facing my bed. Usually I think about her as I am crawling into bed, or getting up in the morning. What would she be doing at this hour? Have I written her lately? What would I say this time? This is her gift, and God’s blessing to me.
I think about her family’s humility, that a stranger 9736 miles away pays to support their daughter’s education and healthcare. I wonder, would I be humble enough myself to accept that kind of support?

I am joyful of the way God has designed the Church to take care of one another. He provides in different ways for different people, and then asks us to share that with each other.  It is so much more awesome this way, than money just growing like leaves on trees.

I then question, if the tables were reversed, would I be as joyful? If I was the one in need of the financial support would I be as joyful?

From the Compassion Blog entry 2/10/09, Letters from Kenya:

I measure my happiness based on my circumstances rather than my calling. These children are happy despite their circumstances. They are happy because they know God and because they are known by God. How else can we become truly fulfilled?

I am inspired by them. That they worship God our creator DESPITE their circumstances, and unlike me worshiping BECAUSE of them.

Rejoice always,  pray without ceasing,  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Now you know why I sponsor. My heart bubbles with joy from this sponsorship, and I have no motivation to ask you do consider it yourself, except to encourage you to be obedient to our God, and that you might share in that same joy.

If you already have a child you sponsor, consider sending them a quick note about the things you are learning, and reminding them that you love them.

If God were a God that only answered prayers our way, he would merely be a genie-in-a-bottle and not the Almighty all Sovereign God.

How much greater are answered prayers when they are answered His way instead of ours?

His repsonse is so much more, and in more creative ways than we can usually think of even asking for.

So if the above is true, as we grow and learn to conform our will to His, and we begin to pray “His will be done,” won’t our prayer life seem less murky and muddled and much more evident and encouraging?

Pray then like this:

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Matthew 6:9-13

Tonight in Bible Study, we began a new book.

The topic of the chapter we are going through is the Power of the Gospel. Referencing our old Philippians study,  when we talked about, as the Church, being of one mind and one accord (Philippians 2:2),  How we need to strive to be unified and as one body be working towards the same goal,  Ang brought up the fact that we probably wouldn’t even know each other if it wasn’t for the Gospel. It is what unifies us. It is the power of the Gospel that unites us, and that we are united for.

One of the last questions of the night, “Why is mutual encouragement valuable to Christians?”

LN shared a really incredible verse, Hebrews 10:24 (and 25), “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,  not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” She also said something brilliant, that we ought to encourage the encouragers to encourage more. I love when you tack verse 25 onto 24, and it says “all the more as you see the Day drawing near”. Let’s keep on together until that magnificent Day comes.

I shared that encouragement is the way that we are reminded to keep going, that we are not alone, and ultimately, God shows he cares for my emotional well being.

And then it got me to thinking of ways that I have been encouraged lately. Because I really have been. God has really placed a peaceful joy over my soul the last few weeks, something that cannot be explained except in giving credit to Him.

But a few months back, I had been spending some time contemplating 2 Corinthians 13:5, wondering how do we go about testing ourselves, and how would we know the results of that test. I look around my life and was frustrated that I didn’t know what kind of fruit I was looking for, but I couldn’t seem to find it. Then that is when the self-doubt started coming in. God, am I not doing enough for you? Should I be doing something I am not? I don’t evangelize on street corners. Have I ever really shared the gospel with anyone? I  Am I truly a believer?

Those quiet questions, maybe not even prayers, were still heard by God. Almost a month ago, I was sitting in a room with some of the people I love the most in this world. People that I consider my friends, and I realized, that they are much more than friends, they are also the fruit.  I felt the strong peace of God in a loud whisper on my heart saying, here are your fruits, the ones you love, the ones you invest time in. See how much more they love and honor me now? Thank you for serving me here. I hope you have much joy.

It was something I didn’t even realize I needed to hear.  And the joy? I do have it. My heart is so full seeing these changed lives, hearts that adore God Almighty, brimming with joy of their own. It was one of those moments that affirmed that I am being obedient to God’s will (at least in this area, right?) and that I am in the faith.

And then Ang offered an incredible verse that I think explains exactly how I feel. As Paul concludes his letter to the Philippians, he writes, “Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.” Ang explained how she was in awe of Paul’s passion for the Philippians, calling them his CROWN, essentially his reward. And today, my full heart considers these sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and my crown. Some of you are reading this are that joy and crown, so stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloveds.

And in this, I am reminded not of what I have done, but what God has done, through me, even despite me.

And I thank Him for being a God that cares, that allowed me to be His servant and in the midst of everything else He has lavished upon me, he offers this blessing of encouragement.