Five years ago I found a passion buried deep within me, and at the same time I found someone to help me express and act upon that passion. Coinciding with my passion was an equal power brewing and it acted quicker than me. Once I began my journey, Satan had already found a strong hold in areas out of my control and used them to tear down my tower of courage and strength. One by one they fell.
A year after it all began, it was over. I lost my passion, my courage, my strength, and my vision. I limped off the battle field never to return: or so I thought.
Five years since, my heart has grown; my faith has been rebuilt and buffeted with, not my strength, but my captain’s, my leader’s, my friend’s, Christ’s strength. The towers that I built and lost, my God helped me walk around the ruins and pick up each brick. He followed me around the battered foundation that He preserved and helped mortar the bricks that rebuilt my towers of courage: fortified by God’s Word and power.
I stand now at the door of tomorrow: but before tomorrow comes, today must be made real. And what is real about today is that it is not just any day: it is a day that a battle is being fought. This is not a metaphor and this is not an example. Wake up from whatever stupor you are in and listen to my words. You are not just a person, you are not just a man or woman that is living on this planet. You are here for a reason, but like a frog in cold water, you have been boiled into apathy and lethargy, frightened by a real challenge and scared of what is real. This ,my friend, is your wake up call.
Every day we sit still and do nothing, more lives are lost and more ground is taken by Satan. He has a plan, he has soldiers, he has motivation, and he knows at least one person who will not get in his way, you. If we don’t act now, we will lose this war. He has sifted the hearts of man and destroyed all he can. He has taken the hearts of your son, your daughter, your mom, and your dad. We are a city broken by him. So now, now we are at a decision. Do we let him take them and then us, or do we fight. Fight not for ourselves, but for our God who has won us the victory: a victory we have yet to claim.
First Corinthians 15:58 says, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” In other words, “my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” Ask your self are you any of these? Do we really see what we are living as a battle? Do we really see the blast from the last blow that is hurtling us backwards, or are we so lost in this that we didn’t even feel it happen?
This is real and this is now. I go forth to evangelize an entire country. Not in my power, but in Christ’s. I am acting here, and I am acting now. Are you acting now? Are you acting here? If you are not, why? Respond to this question speaking straight to the face of the God that died for you. Answer honestly.
Your God is steadfast, strong, and ready for battle…are you?
Faith and Sand is a blog set up to follow my family's journey to the mission field of Peru, SA.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Do We Really Believe the Bible?
Not sure what you would expect to follow that kind of title, but I really mean it. Do we believe it or do we use it as a loose guide to fill the holes in our personal convictions? Yep, I just put it out there like that.
Do yourself and me a favor. Stop whatever it is your doing and find for me an example in the Bible of a missionary who went, planted/sowed, and then stayed until death in one church. Once you find that, find me a place where a brother fell into sin and they shunned him immediately, disregarding their own sins. Next, look for a definition of worldly. This one you can find, but let’s relate that to what you think in your mind is the definition of worldliness. List out what you think it is and be very honest.
Even with these few items, I think we will find, if we are honest with ourselves, a discrepancy in between what we think and what the Bible says. What does it say when the Bible challenges our thinking which is supposed to be based on the Bible? I say these things not to be contentious, but to ask you, me, all of us to wake up out of our stupor and proclaim the Word of God for what it is, truth. Teach it correctly because we are always in it. Share it the right way because it is a part of us.
We should be doing these things instead of sharing our opinions and convictions. Creating guidelines and policies because we feel they are right and claim they are from the Bible, but that have no biblical backing. I call once again for us to reopen our Bibles for the first time, and truly read it to understand what God has given to us. I am not saying everything would be different if we did that, but we would have a lot more people who understood their faith because they read and understood it for themselves instead of tacking other men’s word for it.
Do yourself and me a favor. Stop whatever it is your doing and find for me an example in the Bible of a missionary who went, planted/sowed, and then stayed until death in one church. Once you find that, find me a place where a brother fell into sin and they shunned him immediately, disregarding their own sins. Next, look for a definition of worldly. This one you can find, but let’s relate that to what you think in your mind is the definition of worldliness. List out what you think it is and be very honest.
Even with these few items, I think we will find, if we are honest with ourselves, a discrepancy in between what we think and what the Bible says. What does it say when the Bible challenges our thinking which is supposed to be based on the Bible? I say these things not to be contentious, but to ask you, me, all of us to wake up out of our stupor and proclaim the Word of God for what it is, truth. Teach it correctly because we are always in it. Share it the right way because it is a part of us.
We should be doing these things instead of sharing our opinions and convictions. Creating guidelines and policies because we feel they are right and claim they are from the Bible, but that have no biblical backing. I call once again for us to reopen our Bibles for the first time, and truly read it to understand what God has given to us. I am not saying everything would be different if we did that, but we would have a lot more people who understood their faith because they read and understood it for themselves instead of tacking other men’s word for it.
Where Do We Go to Learn
An interesting question came to me today. Where do we go to learn about God? It seems to be a simple answer, but think about it for a second. Most people would say church, but what exactly do we learn about God? We hear messages about the Bible that inspire us and convict us to live a better life and do more for God, but when do we ,or even worse, did we learn about who God truly is outside of Sunday school lessons and hymns?
If I were to say to you, who and/or what is God, what would you say? There is one correct answer, and I know a group of high school kids in Wilson, NC that could answer that question without a doubt. He is one thing before He is anything else to us. Think about this and let it be a catalyst for you to push to actually learn about your faith and more importantly, your God.
If I were to say to you, who and/or what is God, what would you say? There is one correct answer, and I know a group of high school kids in Wilson, NC that could answer that question without a doubt. He is one thing before He is anything else to us. Think about this and let it be a catalyst for you to push to actually learn about your faith and more importantly, your God.