That one time I tried to speak ...

This is for any of you who may be interested in reading my notes from that one time I tried to share a little part of my story and heart at the Northfield Christian Fellowship women's Christmas tea back in December.

I started like Paul does with a "family chat" kind of style in sharing a little bit of my history,  relational ties, credentials, and roles. But NONE of them qualify me except the blood of Jesus by the Power of the Spirit. Nothing I say matters if I don’t have love and submit to the Spirit. (And honestly I’ve done a lot of things, said a lot of things, without love.)

     1COR 13.1-3 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

     MATT 12.36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak ... BUT!!! ...

     2COR 3.4-6 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

     DISCLAIMER: I’m emotional. I’m a crier. But it’s not to manipulate. I’m used to being a “worship cheerleader” singing what I'm passionate about. NOT a speaker. So bare with me.

"Giving the Best Gift"

So, pastors and teachers and theological scholars use these breakdowns to teach Scripture: Eisegesis VS Exegesis. Eisegesis is reading your own ideas/interpretation in to scripture. Handpicking verses (out of context) to support an idea, like lots of cults do. GETS DANGEROUS! Don't do it. OR There's Exegesis where there is critical explanation or interpretation of a text or portion of a text, especially of the Bible. And that is what I will be doing tonight.

    Tonight will be like unwrapping a gift. Actually we’re going to start unwrapping the BEST GIFT! Like when a parent starts to help a child peel the paper back on a present, and when they begin to realize what it is that’s wrapped up, they GO CRAZY unwrapping. Especially when we’re young and think that the gift is going to “change our lives”. But tonight, we will begin to unwrap the only GIFT that will truly change your life. It will be a gift that you can’t wait to share, or Re-Gift. Not re-gift like a White Elephant gift … But like the BEST thing you’ve ever seen or tasted or beheld and can’t HELP but give it to others.

JAMES 1.16-25

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. 19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.  

 

The best Gift ever given to us, by the Best Gift Giver there has ever been, was Jesus.  And the best Gift we ever have to give is Jesus and His love poured through us by the power of the Spirit. Because baby Jesus came, we got salvation and the power of the Spirit living in us!!! Some of y’all are like “uh oh! Is she going all charismatic on us?! Talking about that Spirit?!” No, but let me share the lyrics of an old favorite song with you. I’m a southerner and have southern gospel roots that influenced a few favorite Christmas songs. One in particular is Sweet Little Jesus Boy (originally I heard it sung by Mahalia Jackson. YouTube it.) It says:  Sweet Little Jesus Boy/They made You be born in a manger/Sweet little Holy chil'/Didn't know who You wus/Didn't know You'd come to save us Lawd/To take our sins away/Our eyes was blind/We couldn't see/We didn't know who You was

Read V16&17 again.

     That means that God is constant. He doesn’t change. So we can know exactly who He is as He reveals Himself to us. We didn’t know who He was. And still today there are so many things about God that we don’t know or don’t understand, even much about the Holy Spirit. BUT We need to ask God to show us Himself instead of mindlessly letting other people fill in the blanks for us. Like when you stare at those black-n-white images and close your eyes to let some picture appear in your mind’s eye.  COL 2.8 says See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. Unlike those illusions, don’t let your imagination or other people’s “empty philosophies” run away with you. Let the Word of God inform you about the Image of God! We’ve got to learn to stop focusing only on the parts of God that make really good sense to us and start LOVING His mystery.     

     Then, every revelation of His immensity will be like the sensation of falling in love. BECAUSE IT IS falling in love. Falling in love with the Triune God. The Creator of the vast expanses of our Universe and beyond! Oh to know Him correctly this side of eternity and one day absolutely fully!!! Love God. Love Jesus. Love the Holy Spirit. Is that your heart?

Read V18 again.

This means that when we heard the Word of Truth, we became a new creation. We chose to follow Christ but not by our own initiative. We were  drawn in and given new life or “reborn” by the power of the Spirit! So here we are back to talking about the Spirit. Some of us truthfully don’t understand much about Him. So let’s look at the tip of the iceberg of what His role is:

-       Look at the example of babies, their gestation and their birth has NOTHING to do with them. They don’t control it. Their parents are the ones!

-       So let’s LOOK AT JESUS’ BIRTH! It was all the Spirit’s work! It was the Spirit who placed a Holy Child in Mary’s womb. And after His mother gave birth to Him, He relied on the power of the Spirit to live a sinless life. He was 100% God and 100% man. He could’ve snapped His little baby fingers to rush everything by or make Mary forgo labor BUT Phil 2 .8 says being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient. to the point of death, even death on a cross. He humbled Himself by being obedient to the Father's will instead of demanding His way. So, even starting with His birth He was setting the example for the way we are to live. To rely on the power of the Spirit to bring into fruition a God-honoring, God-exalting life in us.

Read V19-21 again.

Sometimes that filthiness and rampant wickedness comes out when we lose perspective of the Gift and stop following His lead. We focus more on the things He’s built us to do instead of God Himself, and we begin comparing what The Gift looks like in other people’s lives to ours.

     When our eyes are no longer on The Gift Giver but on others, we whip out our measuring sticks to see how others measure up according to OUR standards. And we don’t just measure, we use those sticks for beatings. If you’re not good enough, we beat you down. If we think you’re better than us, we beat you down. We lose our focus. We lose our perspective.  And we beat the life right out of people! Stop comparing. You were made to love the Gift Giver, to love God, and then, Love People. Go read Ann Voskamp's post about this. She is SO much more eloquent and deep and moving than this little blurb here.

     You were NOT made to LOVE your passion/talent. (Some of you just came to a screeching halt, I'm sure of it.)You were made to love God and love on people. You were, however, given your talent to do things only you can by the power of the Spirit … To be in the place that you are, around the people that you are, to make an impact for ETERNITY. When your eyes are on Jesus and you see that you and everyone else only measure up by the grace of God and the blood of Jesus, you begin to treasure The Gift, Jesus, the Greatest Treasure. You begin to see that your very breath is a gift. And you begin to realize that not only spiritually BUT ALSO PHYSICALLY He is literally your very life. HE ALONE AUTHORS your breath and your life.  Give your families and loved ones a gift of infinite worth, the gift of a woman whose joy and peace effect ETERNITY.  A mother, sister, wife, friend who speaks LIFE into those who she’s around. Ask God to begin to work in you His eternal perspective = that you get to play a part of someone having ETERNITY stamped on their heart.

      As you start walking confidently with this fresh perspective, and you’re “baking, cleaning, writing, singing your guts out" for God’s glory and not your own, people will take notice and criticism will somehow find its way to your ears. If you truly want to be excellent and hone your skill, WELCOME. IT. You might say BUT WAIT, WHAT IF IT’S FROM MEAN PEOPLE. Consider the source y’all. Satan wants nothing more than for you to feel defeated and be rendered ineffective. But whether it’s from a trusted friend or a “meanie weanie,” take it with a grain of salt and continue doing whatever it is that God has called you to do.  There’s no need for self-preservation: read 1 Peter2.20b-24. There’s no need for self-promotion: read 2Cor3.1-2.  Just be at peace: read Romans 12.17-18

READ V22-25 again. A great OT example of this is Abram!

Genesis 12:1-3 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

    God says, "I will bless you" … and OUT OF THAT you will be a blessing to others.  HE ALWAYS GIVES US WHAT WE NEED! Are you allowing the Spirit to have His way in you so that His Presence in you is a sweet fragrance, an encouragement, … a gift? You know those people that are just life-giving to be around!  Or, do you repel and drain? Now stop thinking of anyone else here but YO SELF!

     God was saying to Abram to leave everything, lay everything down – because I (God) love you more than anything. My gift for you is the absolute greatest beyond your wildest dreams. But you have to leave everything you know, trust me with everything you have (which is simply what I’ve already entrusted to you), and you will have everything you need Because. I. Will. Be. With. You.

Look at these lyrics to another possibly familiar song that my dad used to sing - I’d Rather Have Jesus:  I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold/I’d rather be His than have riches untold/I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands/I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand//I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause/I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause/I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame/I’d rather be true to His holy name//He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom/He’s sweeter than honey from out the comb/He’s all that my hungering spirit needs/I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead// Refrain: Than to be the king of a vast domain/Or be held in sin’s dread sway/I’d rather have Jesus than anything/This world affords today.

     If knowing that no matter what Jesus will be with you, leading and guiding you, doesn’t warm and fill your soul with hope, then maybe you simply aren’t wanting Jesus more than anything else, right now.  BUT TELL ME THIS: who here wants to wake up on Christmas morning with a heart that wants The Greatest Gift more than anything else?!!!!! WHAT JOY!!!TO WAKE UP WITH TIDINGS OF COMFORT AND JOY!!!

    So let me take the liberty to flip the words of this old carol for a little better understanding: God’s rest for you merry, gentle (wo)men! Let nothing dismay you. Remember Christ our SAVIOR was born on Christmas day to save us all from Satan’s power EVERYTIME we have gone astray, Oh Tidings of comfort and joy!!!

And with that refreshed perspective so let our prayer then become the lyrics to this familiar carol: Pray with me, please,

O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here, Until the Son of God appears.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

He will come again. 

Amen.

grace and grief

My grandfather passed away yesterday.

He was my Paw Nick, and I was his Peanut. I was his only granddaughter. And I have never in my life suffered loss like this before. Heartache, yes. Trials, yes. But deep loss? No one this close yet.

Unitl now I would deliberate for great lengths of time on how to say the right thing at the right time. I worried about sounding sincere and not being trite.  I wanted to do right by the words and the receiver the best I could.

But yesterday, I realized I had never truly been on the receiving end. And I was overwhelmed. Not only with the onslaught of emotions harassing me and the inability to grieve (because I have three VERY NEEDY LITTLE PEOPLE who are currently all under age three) but also with every tweet of a text and ping of a notification. I was overwhelmed that I would even be thought of.

Somewhere, at some point, God allowed someone to share a piece of the ache that I feel. And so much so that it motivated them to reach out to me. And it didn’t matter then the verbiage they used or how eloquent or moving their words were. I knew that their act of reaching was sincere. I was humbled to be thought of and cared for in that way. Their words put some sturdy legs back underneath me so that my faith didn’t give way.

They healed. They held. And they are STILL the vessels that are ushering grace in to hold me.

So I want to encourage you, whoever you are reading this, that when a time comes for you to give comfort and words are all that you have, give them. I promise you most people aren’t going to be picky about what you give. And I sat there yesterday thinking of all the sad hearts who have mulled over who didn’t say this or that or do this or that. I pray that grace comes in and softens that hardness to receive and be humbled by such sweet love. I pray that we can continue to be thankful and rejoice and graciously receive what gifts of healing are sent our way. Because they are all from a great and gracious Father and King who has given far more than we could ever deserve.

And there lies my Hope. There lies my Joy.

Thank you to those of you who have already been willing to keep pointing my eyes back to my Helper. He is the Lord, the Issuer of every breath I breathe, and I will rest in Him now and one day for eternity!

guest writer: katy

Who knew that stress was so stressful???

I mean, really. It had me at the doctor's office twice last week with stomach issues, and we all know Ain’t NOBODY got time fuh DAT! And you know how it got me there? It had me forgetting that 'I don't do it.' You say,”Whaaaat?! Camie, you are crazy.” Well, I already know that. But on the heels of some of the most trying days of my life, stress had me forgetting some integral truth that I'd been rehearsing for almost the past two years of my life. And when I read the blog post that I’m sharing with you today, it was absolutely a balm to my weary soul (after being a glass of cold water in the face), a resounding victory cry, and a call to remain faithful in pressing in.

Let me fill you in on my sistafriend, Katy. God brought our lives together through some fun circumstances with our husbands; and after finding out we were both from the south, had a handful of mutual friends and a mutual love for some good tex-mex, we knew were destined to be together. (chuckle chuckle) Katy has been my friend that, even though physical distance has always separated us, God has seen fit to continuously knit our hearts together through sharing the truth of His word with one another during our (sometimes insanely) similar life circumstances. The latest and craziest has been both of us finding out that we were pregnant (both unanticipated) putting us in the situation of having three kids under the age of three. We’ve laughed, and cried, and been angry, and been honest with each other in every season of life we’ve been through together, and I truly can’t thank the Lord enough for her. She has such a fun gift for writing and I LOVE that I get to share that with you. And while you’re at her blog, take a look around. I have no doubt she will bless your socks off.

Katy Tullos: I Don’t Know How You Do It

creatures of comfort

In the wake of a longer season of suffering than I’ve experienced in years, I am earnestly (and frequently) reflecting on a quote from Randy Alcorn’s book Safely Home that simply says this:

Real gold fears no fire.

     Oh! The implications of those words for the children of God. Have you been trusting Him through your light and momentary affliction? Do you consider yourself worthy to be called to suffer for His name and glory?
     Through this season I’ve seen friends suffering the absence of life due to physical and eternal distances, the emotional and physical stresses of sleepless nights, families being tried as marriages are attacked, and even myself suffering from the consequences of my sin and bitterness. I found myself not rejoicing in this suffering and burden bearing nor delighting in my reproof, but pleading with God for comfort. I wanted it all to end promptly. I especially longed for closure before I actually had to reach out and trust God in trusting someone else to see this ugliness.
     BUT of course that was not what God had in store. You see, something amazing starts to take shape when life seems to be out of my control and falling apart. My clouded eyes and calloused heart begin to see more clearly and become softened to behold God’s sufficiency and grandeur. And it takes place only by way of clinging, in faith, to the words, person, people, and purposes of Christ. Why do we believe that sometimes it is OK to suffer and walk our lives alone? I believe it’s pride, believing in self-sufficiency rather than Christ’s sufficiency.
     Oh, brothers and sisters! Are you clinging to someone who is just a hobby or shopping buddy during your season of suffering, or are you clinging to someone who will bring scripture to bear on your life? Are you believing the Word of God and acting on it no matter how you feel? Or are you giving up and giving in? What God says, He will do. Go on. Reach out. Don't be deceived into thinking that health in the Body and its members is defined by a lack of issues. Health means that when issues arise (cause they will), the body can and will battle the attack without becoming ill and overwhelmed. Praise God that He is victorious before us, dwelling in us, and reigning over us! He WILL bring a good result. I will trust Him. I will worship. I will follow.
     I want to leave you with one last quote to ponder from Thomas á Kempis who wrote, "Jesus now has many lovers of His heavenly kingdom, but few bearers of His cross. He has many who desire consolation, but few who desire tribulation. He finds many companions of His table, but few of His abstinence. All desire to rejoice with Him but few are willing to endure anything for Him or with Him. Many follow Jesus to the breaking of bread but few to the drinking of the cup of His passion. Many revere His miracles, but few follow the humiliation of His cross."

mullings

I just recently completed the “Get Real” bible study with some of the women of Harvest Bible Chapel Peoria, and I am so thankful for the willingness and humility of the ladies who taught and how God used them to speak (some hard) truth to us. But times of refreshment and learning are usually followed by times of sifting and trying. And though I feel like I could have written multiple blogs after each session, I have found that my priorities have desperately needed shifting to do what best worships God instead of my self throughout the day. So, I had to forgo blogging until this morning. [Ok, I have to just stop and say that I really wish I could expound on everything that’s led to this post, but I am just going to have to ask you to go and listen and read for yourself. Go taste and see that the Lord is good and that His Word proves true.]

Now that I'm a few weeks out from having been poured into immensely, I am finding myself being tested on wether or not I can/will accurately handle the truth to which my eyes have been opened. I’m sure most of you who read this will identify with me that when God lays parts of you open, you become very sensitive to that sin and shortcoming not only in your own life but also other’s as well. So you are then given the chance to walk in humility and be a vessel of the grace that is being poured out to you, IF you are willing. And then there are times where we’ve been illuminated to something that resonates so deeply and moves us so powerfully that we are quick to share it and let it go instead of letting that Word take root as we meditate on it and really let God work it into our bones so we can live it out. It’s like we hear it, think it sounds great and clever, and regurgitate it back out and then it’s gone. We haven’t let it take root for the Spirit to nourish and water and prune that truth for it to bear fruit in our lives.

But what is really striking a chord with me, and has since I surrendered my life to the Lord, is that spiritual maturity and wisdom aren’t just reserved for the older. No one is just rewarded those things because they have more years in their life than another. And the older that one gets, the easier it is to cast judgement on someone younger than yourself just because you believe they haven’t had the years in their life yet to know things or gain wisdom. And let me just say that I will always go to bat for the young. Shame on me for showing disrespect to a brother or sister in Christ because they are younger, and I assumed that they didn’t have the capacity to see the wood for the trees. If their heart is the Lord’s, He can teach and move and show them what He pleases! Historically God used the young. He shames the old with the young. He calls for the young to come to Him and for the old to be as the young in their faith and trust in Him!!! 1 Timothy 4.12 says to not let anyone despise or think less of you because of your youth. And even in the face of that condescension to still be an example in your speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. 1 Corinthians 3.18-19 warns that no one deceive themselves supposing that they are wise in their age. They should become a fool by discarding worldly discernment and recognizing their self as being dull, stupid, and foolish, without true learning and scholarship. Walk in humility! Then comes wisdom. Worldly knowhow is foolishness, absurdity, and stupidity with God, and He WILL lay hold of the ‘wise’ in their own craftiness.

Proverbs 1.7 also says that reverential and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning, the starting point, the essence of wisdom. BUT fools despise skillful and godly wisdom, instruction, and discipline. (Especially when it comes from a younger believer.) Brother and sister, let the latter not be you!!! My heart cry, my plead, my challenge is this:  that we let Ephesians 4 be true of us; that we are walking in a manner worthy of the calling to which we’ve been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace.

That is my heart this morning. I pray it’s to God’s glory.

willing

Earlier this morning I ventured out of the house with the girls and into the blinding fog to join some women from Harvest for a new five week study called ‘Get Real’. Although the girls protested being there (even after we were leaving Eisley tried to wriggle her way out of the stroller in protest, and I almost ran her over…), I am beyond thankful for throwing us in the car to go, and I look forward with great expectancy to the weeks to come.

I was hesitant to sign up because I knew it would be hard work to get us out the door and back in time for lunch not to mention it meant the girls were now missing morning nap two days out of the week instead of just one. I was also a little concerned with how I was going to maneuver two toddlers with a baby boy belly that is getting bigger every day. However, I couldn’t get away from hearing about this study group, and I have been aching to dig in deeper with other women before I’m disconnected for a bit when little brother comes. So, we went.

Jonna, pastor Tim’s wife, taught the opening session today and posed the question, “are we willing?” She reminded us that we can learn and regurgitate Truth all day long, but unless we are actually willing to do something about it/live it out/let it change us, we will just be wasting our time. The study progressed and God very gently began pointing out the flaws in me that He is wanting to change into His image. However, it wasn’t until our breakout group time that my eyes were very clearly opened and my heart felt the weight of conviction as my own mouth spewed out ugly truths about my sin. Instead of running to God’s Word for truth and waiting in quiet strength, I confessed that I’ve been running to technology in my alone time to peruse the web, check (and subconsciously compare my life to) social media, and catch up on meaningless shows.

God had started chiseling away as I read the honest words of a friend from college and realized that I and so many others were blindly falling and sometimes even WILLINGLY walking into Satan’s traps and distractions instead of choosing to live in the truth of God’s Word. Without even realizing it, I had begun to choose to wait for my family to mess up and disappoint me in their disobedience instead of looking to my Father and following His example of waiting to be GRACIOUS and show MERCY in my disobedience! (Is 30.18) I pray that if you read this, you would allow God to reveal what He wants to change in you. And when the question is asked, ‘are you willing?’, you will have an unwavering trust in God to boldly answer with a resounding ‘Yes!'

This God—his way is perfect;
    the word of the Lord proves true;
    he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

Psalm 18.30

guest writer: austin

Often I've thought of inviting one of my friends who blog to write an article as a guest writer. I never really knew what topic I would ask them to center on or how I would incorporate it into the themes of my blog. But when I read this post on my friend's blog, I knew I had to share. It is so many thoughts and convictions that have been inside me and never quite articulated and grouped together the way that He has done so. Now, calling all worshipers, take a read and ponder what he has said so poignantly.

Many are called but few are chosen…

Man, where do I begin??  I think I’ve started this off 4 different ways.  I love worship leaders.  I love praise and worship time.  I love great musicianship.  I love a great voice and nice full rich guitar tone and tasteful drumming with some fat synth undertones, low end and a delicate right hand melody line from the piano.  I love original music.  I love a church that loves to sing.  I love passion in those moments.  I love volume from the believers while the leaders step back and let the Church rise up in faith in Jesus.
Over the past few years God has really put a lot in my heart for worship leaders and without knowing how to lay it out eloquently I’m just going to list out random comments and questions I have.  Don’t judge me, I’m just like you and I don’t pretend to be above anyone.  What I really want to see is more of us honestly asking ourselves the tough questions.
Bottom Line: Many are called to worship but FEW are chosen to the leading of God’s people. 
To be a worship leader we have to be hard and soft. vulnerable and secure.  Bold and meek.  confident and transparent. Self assured but deeply, self-sacrificially humble.  It’s like being in two places at once, hot and cold, wet and dry.  Filled up yet poured out.
To The Proud:
Not everyone is called to the leading of the Church in worship.
Do many of us simply lead worship because that’s what we’re “supposed to do?”  ie: expectation from others, from family, “i’m a musician”, “that’s what i want to do”, band wagon, one of the most recognized and up-front ministries, ego, pride?
How much is my relationship with Jesus drawing me into leading His people in praise and worship time, reflection and meditation on Him?
How much time do I spend personally, in worship, awe and adoration?
How committed to His Glory am I?
How committed to my Glory, in Jesus’ Name, am I?
To The Under-assured:
Who says you aren’t good enough?
For the longest time our talents have been glorified instead of Jesus and so our hearts have been neglected sending many into the above category.  I believe there needs to be a healthy balance between a heart after Jesus, a passion for the Church and finally, a talent or gifting that seamlessly operates, flowing from moment to moment by the leading of the Holy Spirit to accomplish the desire of His heart.
Just SING IT or PLAY IT.  There’s no need to be intimidated or fearful.  There’s no need to be nervous.  There’s need to be genuine.  There’s need to be authentic.  There’s need to be deeply passionate and expressive.
Do something that shows Him off.  Something that leaves room for Him to do what only He can do.

I believe that some should step down and some should step up.  I believe that we all have seasons of filling up and seasons of pouring out.  Nothing different can be produced with out us doing things differently.  Our services aren’t “the thing”, He is “the thing”.  He’s worth it.  He’s due it.  He requires devotion, honesty, passion, our best, our first.  Let’s make Him most important in our worship.  I believe both the proud and the insecure are self-centered places to be.  I sure have traversed between both sicknesses but the more time I spend singing my prayers or just being alone with Him, I see less of me wanting to be something I’m not.  I see less of me scouring scripture for song lyrics.  I see less intimidation when fellow worship leaders are in the congregation.  I see more of Jesus working His plans out through my life.  I see my desire for other leader’s success increase.  Most of all, I see my desire to know Jesus increase.

*This article was written by Austin Luhring. You can find him at austinluhring.com.

roots

Here's a post with analogies of 'greenthumbery'; a post about growth and roots; Roots that we allow to grow in the soil of our souls, and the roots of our heritage and the legacy that we are cultivating in future generations.

     I'm sure you've all heard your moms or some parental figure tell you that in order for you to solve a certain conflict, whether it be between siblings, peers, etc., you just need to "nip it in the bud." While I grew up believing that was a trustworthy saying, I am believing now with fresh perspective and spiritual eyes that God is requiring much more than just the nipping of a bud. Yes, He prunes us. But when it comes to roots of bitterness vs. roots of righteousness, I fully believe that He expects us to "rip it at the root". And this process can be as taxing and painful as it sounds if we've allowed roots of bitterness to go deep into the soil of our souls and bear its poisonous fruit by neglecting to forgive, by holding on to a small tinge of resentment, or neglecting to choose an attitude of humility and instead taking up "our rights". 

     Hebrews 12:15 says that we are to "see to it that ... no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled". Y'all. The fruit that bitterness bears defiles many. It effects many. It troubles many. It transcends generations to many. I'm sure if you're reading this, someone who struggles with bitterness (maybe even yourself...) has popped into your head and you've already recalled encounters with them and how their hurt spills over on to the people around them and their relationships struggle under the weight of this toxicity. It is serious business. Bitterness doesn't affect just you. So when you finally repent of that bitterness and break free from its bondage, there will be many relationships that will need to be reconciled and restored by asking for forgiveness. If you've been set free from bitterness I would LOVE to hear your testimony!

     Most people who've been held captive by their bitterness, if they are Christians, also tend to confuse their spiritual gifts and spiritual fruit. They falsely believe that God has equipped them only to be a 'generous' tree or a 'patience' tree, when in all actuality, the fruit of the Spirit comes as a whole package. You don't pick and choose which fruit gets to grow on your tree. It should ALL be coming to fruition (by the grace of God and the power of the Spirit). It's a whole package deal. Have you been believing that you can only bear one kind of fruit cause God 'just made you that way?' Yes, we're human and have strengths and weaknesses. But Galatians 5:22 is comprising all that FRUIT into one basket. One package deal. With the Holy Spirit, He brings it all.

     Ok, I gotta be honest. That last little bit was spoken afresh to me by pastor Harkness at Harvest East Peoria a few weeks ago. And he also shared a story about a grove of orange trees. This grove was visited in the middle of a drought and most of the trees in it were looking pretty shrimpy with the exception of a few which seemed to be doing extremely well. Upon asking why there was such a vast difference between the two sets of trees, it was discovered that the trees that were in poor shape had been watered day in and day out. When the drought hit, they obviously were without water and did poorly. However with the trees that seemed to be flourishing, it was discovered that they had been raised on rations of water. Though the supply was great, their caretaker would restrict their watering so that the roots would grow deep. They would go through these periods of suffering during their growth so that they wouldn't rely solely on the water from the caretaker. Their roots were so deep that they were tapping into the ground water below and were able to prosper and produce fruit during the drought. They hadn't been pampered into developing shallow roots.
     What an awesome picture of what seasons of suffering produce in believers: roots of righteousness that go deep so we can withstand periods of drought. And not just withstand, but flourish. Instead of allowing suffering to make us beat down, weak, and embittered producing no fruit, believers can allow roots of righteousness to firmly implant so that the fruit of the Spirit can thrive!
     There a few quotes that I'd like to share that help put this analogy into what it looks like practically in my life, and quite possibly many of yours as well. These are the roots of righteousness that I desire to take hold in my life and be the legacy that I leave behind ... "A godly woman is one who possesses inner tranquility; she doesn't have to prove herself to anyone. She is strong, yet doesn't use her strength to control or dominate; nor does she depend on recognition from others. Hers is an inner contentment and satisfaction based not on accomplishments, position, or authority, but on a deep awareness of God's eternal, personal love for her." - EmilieBarnes "God faithfully serves us, even when we are faithless, so staying home to serve the family is a good reminder of how our serving reflects God’s faithfulness. ... We do use our gifts with our family, and we need to be content and joyful with that. We must ask ourselves why we are seeking approval of man and not resting in the love of God. We don’t have anything to prove to God. He loves us more than we can imagine. People will give their opinions, but we are accountable before God for our actions. If we know we are doing what God is asking of us as moms, then we can disregard public opinion. When you struggle with being a homemaker, if you feel condemned or guilty instead of convicted, that is a tactic from the enemy to tempt you to sin. The Holy Spirit’s job is to convict us of our sin and instruct us in obedience. If we ignore him, we quickly start to believe lies and rationalize our sinful actions. Is it a sin to work? No, but it’s a sin to not keep godly priorities—godly woman, wife, mom, and friend. There are many people who can work jobs, but only you can raise the children with whom God has blessed you."  -GraceDriscoll
      And to finish, some beautiful lyrics from a beautiful song:

She rises up as morning breaks/She moves among these rooms alone/Before we wake/And her heart is so full; it overflows/She waters us with love and the children grow/So many years from now/Long after we are gone/These trees will spread their branches out/And bless the dawn/These trees will spread their branches out/And bless someone -PlantingTrees AndrewPeterson

 

heartcries

Wash me in the water of the Word
I lay me on the alter of Your will
Present me blameless
Without blemish,
Holy Bride, white
Lord, purify Your Bride 

 water of the Word  - shane and shane