Taylor Frye's interview with Chad Foster
(This was written by a former student from the Cypress Student Ministry. She is attending Baylor and wanted to do this for one of her classes. Hope you enjoy it.)
We have all heard the famous Great Commission that tells us to, “Go and make disciples of every nation, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded, and I will be with you, even to the end of the age.” Well that is exactly what I would like to do with my life. I recently sat down with my youth pastor back home and this is what he told me to expect, “You need to be prepared for what God is going to do for in life and once you step into ministry don’t be close minded to how God wants to use you. Be open minded in all aspects when it comes to church. Ministry is always changing and if it’s not changing something is wrong. If we stay stagnant as a church then new believers won’t want to come because it’s a boring environment.”
It was so inspiring to see how much my youth pastor, Chad, loved and cared for these kids. Not only is it evident from five minutes of talking to him, but it is evident in his goals for this group of kids. He made me refocus and remember that ministry work is about the people you reach not the sermon you preach. As a college student it is really easy to focus on yourself and lose track of why you want to be in the ministry. No matter what question I asked him every answer revolved around the students. One of the most inspiring things he told me was that his favorite memory is baptizing his first student last year at our high school retreat. I remember his reaction that night as he baptized my friend John as tears streamed down both of their faces in pure joy and the realization that in the end everything we do is to glorify Him.
His goals for students were just as inspiring, and since I was looking into ministry, I realized that these should be goals for anyone’s ministry. His goal for the students when it comes to Bible study is simply that “God is not so big that you can’t talk to him…he’s big but he’s not so big that you have to stand in line and wait or that you’re not important to him.” I think that that it is key to showing people who do not know God that he is always there for you no matter what have done. Chad’s goal for the graduating seniors is important for any group of believers. It was that all of the seniors leave having a foundation for their faith and that they know how to develop and grow in their faith. Second Baptist Church does this through an event called Youth Sunday. This is one Sunday per year that the youth group takes over every aspect in the church. The students do everything from setting up tables to planning the music to being the ushers to preaching in the service. The church does this event is because “It empowers students to know God and make Him known…it requires spiritual growth. It gives them a purpose in the church.” As a participant in Youth Sunday, I can say that this event is one hundred percent effective. Had it not been for this event, I would probably be a Business major right now wondering what God had planned for my life.
Three years ago this youth group started with eight kids including myself and now there are close to two hundred kids that show up on a Wednesday night. I am truly in awe every time I come home for a visit and see thirty to forty kids that I have never seen before. This amazing growth can only be a miracle of God. Chad explained that this growth was partially because within this youth group there is a true sense of community. This is felt through the friendships that are created. I met my best friends from high school through this group. He goes onto say that if the kids come and love being around each other then they are going to want to come back.
Being the new youth group they may not always get the budget that they want or need, but that does not discourage Chad from continuing to do what God has planned for this youth group. He told me, “We don’t have a lot…its purely based on our relationship with God…there is no outside influence…it’s just us and God. Our job is to make God known whether its two kids, fifteen kids, or two thousand kids my job is just to share the gospel.” That speaks volumes. So often ministry work can get consumed in the wow factor, but here they do not have a choice. However, instead of focusing on what they do not have they choose to focus on what matters, the students’ relationships with God.
This whole meeting with Chad was inspiring. His love for God and serving Him reminded me of why I want to go into ministry. I am so excited to spend my summer serving God, and I hope that my outlook on ministry will be half of his when my internship ends.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
God on Speed Dial
“Dude, pull over. I gotta call God real quick.
“Hi. You’ve reached God. Please listen to all the options before making your selection. If you would like to offer a prayer for someone else, press 1. If you’d like to file a complaint about a prayer not being answered, press 2. If you’d like to ask for a favor, please go home and reflect on how you are a selfish human being. If you would like to pray for world peace, we will now transfer you to the queue to hold. You are caller No. 43,746,298. Thank you for your patience.”
If you were going to leave a message for God, what would you say?
Philippians 4:6
do not be anxious about anything,but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
I was reading an article this week that a friend sent me and it talked about this topic. There is an artist in Europe that did this phone booth thing. God can become part of your "Fave Five," thanks to artist Dylan Mortimer, who has set up prayer booths to explore “how private faith functions in the public sphere.” These prayer booths look like tricked-out phone booths, minus the phones and with the addition of a kneeling pad.
In a way this cracks me to think about prayer stations in public. Like people would actually walk along and say" Hmmm you know what? I need to pray" stop doing what they are doing get on their knees in public and pray??? But why dont we? I mean we have no problem stopping what we are doing to txt or make a call to a friend. Why is it so hard for us to stop and pray. People might look at you funny, right? Its ok people probably look at you funny when you are txting or calling. The greatest thing about pray is it helps the person praying but you might have a direct impact on someone who needs to have God on Speed Dial. So a challenge to all who read. Lets put God on Speed Dial at work, school, everywhere you go for 7days and see how it impacts you.
“Hi. You’ve reached God. Please listen to all the options before making your selection. If you would like to offer a prayer for someone else, press 1. If you’d like to file a complaint about a prayer not being answered, press 2. If you’d like to ask for a favor, please go home and reflect on how you are a selfish human being. If you would like to pray for world peace, we will now transfer you to the queue to hold. You are caller No. 43,746,298. Thank you for your patience.”
If you were going to leave a message for God, what would you say?
Philippians 4:6
do not be anxious about anything,but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
I was reading an article this week that a friend sent me and it talked about this topic. There is an artist in Europe that did this phone booth thing. God can become part of your "Fave Five," thanks to artist Dylan Mortimer, who has set up prayer booths to explore “how private faith functions in the public sphere.” These prayer booths look like tricked-out phone booths, minus the phones and with the addition of a kneeling pad.
In a way this cracks me to think about prayer stations in public. Like people would actually walk along and say" Hmmm you know what? I need to pray" stop doing what they are doing get on their knees in public and pray??? But why dont we? I mean we have no problem stopping what we are doing to txt or make a call to a friend. Why is it so hard for us to stop and pray. People might look at you funny, right? Its ok people probably look at you funny when you are txting or calling. The greatest thing about pray is it helps the person praying but you might have a direct impact on someone who needs to have God on Speed Dial. So a challenge to all who read. Lets put God on Speed Dial at work, school, everywhere you go for 7days and see how it impacts you.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Deserted Island
Romans 8:38
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.
I love the question if your were stranded on a deserted Island what would you bring or if you could have three things what would they be? I have heard so many answers depending on the genre of who you ask. Things from a book, tv, cell phone so you can tell them where you are, lap top, a boat(haha nice), a friend/family, and food/water. Oh and I have gotten a few people saying Gods word, the Bible.
Its funny to me that its usually the last thought and answer when I ask that question, the Bible. Why is that? Why is God's word an after thought? We are always on a spiritual deserted island at different parts of our lives. We feel alone, we feel unloved, we feel like we have to have things to make us happy when all we need is God's love. The passage above tells us no matter WHERE WE ARE, college, work, home, on a deserted island, NOTHING can separate us from God's love for us. We can turn our backs, we can try to ignore it, but God's love will conquer all!You want to know what is TRUE LOVE then know,understand,and except God's love. Trust me when you do that, then the "island" you are on wont feel so alone.You might even need to escape to that "island" often and bring nothing with you then Gods word and Gods love.
As I sit on my "island" I feel at peace with God and the love he continues to show me is unmeasurable. I hope your "island" is full of God's love and you continue to seek it!
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.
I love the question if your were stranded on a deserted Island what would you bring or if you could have three things what would they be? I have heard so many answers depending on the genre of who you ask. Things from a book, tv, cell phone so you can tell them where you are, lap top, a boat(haha nice), a friend/family, and food/water. Oh and I have gotten a few people saying Gods word, the Bible.
Its funny to me that its usually the last thought and answer when I ask that question, the Bible. Why is that? Why is God's word an after thought? We are always on a spiritual deserted island at different parts of our lives. We feel alone, we feel unloved, we feel like we have to have things to make us happy when all we need is God's love. The passage above tells us no matter WHERE WE ARE, college, work, home, on a deserted island, NOTHING can separate us from God's love for us. We can turn our backs, we can try to ignore it, but God's love will conquer all!You want to know what is TRUE LOVE then know,understand,and except God's love. Trust me when you do that, then the "island" you are on wont feel so alone.You might even need to escape to that "island" often and bring nothing with you then Gods word and Gods love.
As I sit on my "island" I feel at peace with God and the love he continues to show me is unmeasurable. I hope your "island" is full of God's love and you continue to seek it!
Monday, March 2, 2009
The Grizzly Man
The Grizzly Man, also known as Timothy Treadwell, was an avid bear buff and preservationist. For thirteen summers, beginning in 1990, Treadwell lived in Alaska in what is known as the Grizzly Maze, an area noted for its thick growth and common presence of grizzlies. For thirteen summers, Treadwell ignored the recommendations and violations issued by the National Park Service and attempted to interact and commune with these grizzlies by naming them and familiarizing himself with both the adults and cubs he encountered. Thirteen years. Thirteen summers spent alone, with virtually no company of humans—simply a forged “relationship” with some of the most dangerous animals on earth.
Treadwell was, for the most part, a loner. What he could not find and develop in human relationships, he sought to find in animals. The overwhelming sense in his documentary movie, The Grizzly Man, was that these animals were his life. The sense of isolation he felt from society and culture seemed to serve as a force that literally pushed him into the wilds of Alaska to commune with one of the only species he felt accepted him. Then, in late summer, early fall, of 2003, towards the end of the grizzlies’ feeding season and approaching the start of their hibernation, Timothy Treadwell and his girlfriend were killed by a grizzly bear.
In the documentary, pieces of his self-recorded time in the wild are released, and viewers are granted insight in the lonely life of Timothy Treadwell. In fact, in his last summer in Alaska, he was ready to go home to California, when at the airport he had an upsetting encounter with someone. He was so upset, so frustrated with people, that he willingly left the airport and returned to the Maze. It was a dangerous time to return there, but he wanted to commune with some of the only animals he believed accepted him.
It’s a story that haunts me, but also baffles me. When I first heard of Treadwell, I thought the guy was crazy. Literally. I could not understand what would make a grown man honestly believe he could live successfully among grizzly bears. But when I watched the documentary, and learned more, I became more sympathetic than judgmental. Treadwell was less crazy than I thought, and more lonely than I could have imagined. He was an example, although extreme, of a man who was literally dying for acceptance, for community and for relationships. What people denied him; he incorrectly believed he found in bears.
The moral of the story? People are dying for friendships. People are desperate for companionship. People are starving for camaraderie. Without them, we will not make it—maybe not physically, like Timothy Treadwell, but certainly spiritually. We forget how much we need other people, until we hear a story about the Grizzly Man and we are convicted. Do we have people around us who need to be cared for? At school? At church? On our sports teams? We have no idea of the turmoil that is potentially going on inside the heads of those who appear weird, distant, isolated and different. Maybe, just maybe, they need a friend. And maybe, just maybe, you could be that friend. Friendships have the potential to be a lifeline for other people. You have the potential to be a lifeline for other people.
The chances are good that the next Grizzly Man is not wandering your school hallways. But the chances are also good that there are some very lonely people who are wandering your hallways, wanting and needing to feel like someone, anyone cares for them. Are you willing to extend love? Are you willing to offer acceptance?
Life is too hard. We need each other. We need to be in relationship with people.
Something to Think About:
• Have you ever felt lonely before? How did it feel?
• What are some of the things you did to help rid yourself of the feeling of loneliness?
• What can be hard about reaching out to people who may be different from us to make them feel more accepted?
• Think of the people around you who seem like they are probably lonely.
• What is a way that you can reach out to them this week and be a friend?
Treadwell was, for the most part, a loner. What he could not find and develop in human relationships, he sought to find in animals. The overwhelming sense in his documentary movie, The Grizzly Man, was that these animals were his life. The sense of isolation he felt from society and culture seemed to serve as a force that literally pushed him into the wilds of Alaska to commune with one of the only species he felt accepted him. Then, in late summer, early fall, of 2003, towards the end of the grizzlies’ feeding season and approaching the start of their hibernation, Timothy Treadwell and his girlfriend were killed by a grizzly bear.
In the documentary, pieces of his self-recorded time in the wild are released, and viewers are granted insight in the lonely life of Timothy Treadwell. In fact, in his last summer in Alaska, he was ready to go home to California, when at the airport he had an upsetting encounter with someone. He was so upset, so frustrated with people, that he willingly left the airport and returned to the Maze. It was a dangerous time to return there, but he wanted to commune with some of the only animals he believed accepted him.
It’s a story that haunts me, but also baffles me. When I first heard of Treadwell, I thought the guy was crazy. Literally. I could not understand what would make a grown man honestly believe he could live successfully among grizzly bears. But when I watched the documentary, and learned more, I became more sympathetic than judgmental. Treadwell was less crazy than I thought, and more lonely than I could have imagined. He was an example, although extreme, of a man who was literally dying for acceptance, for community and for relationships. What people denied him; he incorrectly believed he found in bears.
The moral of the story? People are dying for friendships. People are desperate for companionship. People are starving for camaraderie. Without them, we will not make it—maybe not physically, like Timothy Treadwell, but certainly spiritually. We forget how much we need other people, until we hear a story about the Grizzly Man and we are convicted. Do we have people around us who need to be cared for? At school? At church? On our sports teams? We have no idea of the turmoil that is potentially going on inside the heads of those who appear weird, distant, isolated and different. Maybe, just maybe, they need a friend. And maybe, just maybe, you could be that friend. Friendships have the potential to be a lifeline for other people. You have the potential to be a lifeline for other people.
The chances are good that the next Grizzly Man is not wandering your school hallways. But the chances are also good that there are some very lonely people who are wandering your hallways, wanting and needing to feel like someone, anyone cares for them. Are you willing to extend love? Are you willing to offer acceptance?
Life is too hard. We need each other. We need to be in relationship with people.
Something to Think About:
• Have you ever felt lonely before? How did it feel?
• What are some of the things you did to help rid yourself of the feeling of loneliness?
• What can be hard about reaching out to people who may be different from us to make them feel more accepted?
• Think of the people around you who seem like they are probably lonely.
• What is a way that you can reach out to them this week and be a friend?
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Good News is the best news
Praise be to the Father of compassion and the God at all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
I love it when God just shows me how small I am and how BIG He is. The greatest thing in life besides the love from God is the love from family and friends. As I sit here on Sunday morning sipping my coffee and seeing the sun rise, I am greatful for so much. For the past several months its been hard being here in Houston and my family back home in Missouri, no before you starting thinking I am a little kid and home sick, its cause "I" cant take care of my family from here. This past Dec my mother was diagnoised with breast cancer. Talk about the ultimate gut check. I have been always the strong one (so I thought) when it comes to taking care of people and comforting them. It was something that came easy to me, to listen, help in anyway I can with peoples problems/issues. This one hit me blind sided and then did the ultimate upper cut! I COULDNT DO ANYTHING! Listening to my dad(my family rock) get upset, my brother sound stressed, and my mom just cry, I felt more helpless then I have ever felt. My mother would send me scriptures weekly, something that spoke to her or something that comforted her. I would pray, the church would pray but its one of those things that in the back of your mind is it enough? I mean I believe in God and the power of pray but when its my mother its like you want to make sure He hears you, that your prayer is the top of the list.
Well with several weeks of prayer, encouragement scriptiures, crying, and radiation my mother completed her radiation. As she is physically and emotionally exhausted she never once doubted God and his ability to hear her and others prayer.Its funny to me how my mother still at the age of 30, can still teach me things. I walked into my bathroom and this verse was sitting on my counter. Wow! God is good.
Thank you God for listening even though I didnt always.
I love it when God just shows me how small I am and how BIG He is. The greatest thing in life besides the love from God is the love from family and friends. As I sit here on Sunday morning sipping my coffee and seeing the sun rise, I am greatful for so much. For the past several months its been hard being here in Houston and my family back home in Missouri, no before you starting thinking I am a little kid and home sick, its cause "I" cant take care of my family from here. This past Dec my mother was diagnoised with breast cancer. Talk about the ultimate gut check. I have been always the strong one (so I thought) when it comes to taking care of people and comforting them. It was something that came easy to me, to listen, help in anyway I can with peoples problems/issues. This one hit me blind sided and then did the ultimate upper cut! I COULDNT DO ANYTHING! Listening to my dad(my family rock) get upset, my brother sound stressed, and my mom just cry, I felt more helpless then I have ever felt. My mother would send me scriptures weekly, something that spoke to her or something that comforted her. I would pray, the church would pray but its one of those things that in the back of your mind is it enough? I mean I believe in God and the power of pray but when its my mother its like you want to make sure He hears you, that your prayer is the top of the list.
Well with several weeks of prayer, encouragement scriptiures, crying, and radiation my mother completed her radiation. As she is physically and emotionally exhausted she never once doubted God and his ability to hear her and others prayer.Its funny to me how my mother still at the age of 30, can still teach me things. I walked into my bathroom and this verse was sitting on my counter. Wow! God is good.
Thank you God for listening even though I didnt always.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Chosen and Adopted
Born According to Plan
Ephesians 1:4-5
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.
Chosen and Adopted
God designed you as a wonderful and unique person for a job that only you can do. He could do that because he knew his plan for you before he had even created the world. The scripture above makes it very clear that you are not an accident. He had your life all mapped out way before you were born. One vital stop on the highway of your life is the day you become his adopted child by accepting his offer to forgive your sins and save you for all eternity.
The word “predestined” means that God planned everything out and made sure you got saved so you could be his daughter or son. I never quite understood this concept until I learned what God did for my friend Margaret. I meta student at a Christian camp. They had suffered some of the worst tragedies we could imagine. They had been terribly abused as a child. As a teenager they used drugs and alcohol.
At the end of this camp they accepted Jesus as her Savior. They immediately enrolled in the yearlong disciples’ Bible study program. In time, they shared their story. One day, they knew about Jesus and often prayed to him when things went wrong. God worked behind the scenes to move them here and there. He kept them alive until they came to the shelter and heard about Jesus.
Fortunately, God’s plan for most of us doesn’t include what Margaret suffered. Instead, he gave us Christian parents who love us dearly and tell us about Jesus from the time we’re born. They take us to church and share the plan of salvation with us. And one day, it all makes sense and we pray to receive Jesus as Savior. We ask him to forgive us for all the bad, mean, dishonest things we’ve done. He gives us a new heart and makes us pure enough to go to heaven when we die. At the very moment we ask him to save us, we are adopted into God’s family—all according to plan, right on time, and without fail.
Today’s Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank you for planning for my salvation. Thank you that before I was even born, you knew you would adopt me into your family. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to hear about Jesus and the faith to accept him as my savior. Please help me be a good son/daughter to you, one that will make you proud. Amen
Ephesians 1:4-5
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.
Chosen and Adopted
God designed you as a wonderful and unique person for a job that only you can do. He could do that because he knew his plan for you before he had even created the world. The scripture above makes it very clear that you are not an accident. He had your life all mapped out way before you were born. One vital stop on the highway of your life is the day you become his adopted child by accepting his offer to forgive your sins and save you for all eternity.
The word “predestined” means that God planned everything out and made sure you got saved so you could be his daughter or son. I never quite understood this concept until I learned what God did for my friend Margaret. I meta student at a Christian camp. They had suffered some of the worst tragedies we could imagine. They had been terribly abused as a child. As a teenager they used drugs and alcohol.
At the end of this camp they accepted Jesus as her Savior. They immediately enrolled in the yearlong disciples’ Bible study program. In time, they shared their story. One day, they knew about Jesus and often prayed to him when things went wrong. God worked behind the scenes to move them here and there. He kept them alive until they came to the shelter and heard about Jesus.
Fortunately, God’s plan for most of us doesn’t include what Margaret suffered. Instead, he gave us Christian parents who love us dearly and tell us about Jesus from the time we’re born. They take us to church and share the plan of salvation with us. And one day, it all makes sense and we pray to receive Jesus as Savior. We ask him to forgive us for all the bad, mean, dishonest things we’ve done. He gives us a new heart and makes us pure enough to go to heaven when we die. At the very moment we ask him to save us, we are adopted into God’s family—all according to plan, right on time, and without fail.
Today’s Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank you for planning for my salvation. Thank you that before I was even born, you knew you would adopt me into your family. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to hear about Jesus and the faith to accept him as my savior. Please help me be a good son/daughter to you, one that will make you proud. Amen
Monday, February 23, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Hide and Seek
Hide and Seek
Jeremiah 29:13
“ And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”
My Search for God
Do you remember when you were little and you would play a game of hide and seek? One thing I remember vividly is the way it felt when I was “IT”. I can sum it up in one word: Lonely. I used to dread having to look for people, but I loved the feeling I got when I found the first person. It meant that I was no longer “IT.” The person whom I had found now had my burden and became “IT” on the next round. Is it coming back to you yet?
The Bible records the ultimate game of Hide and Seek. We are lonely, lost and sick of being “IT.” We are desperate for an encounter with God. Just like in the game, if we search for God diligently we will find Him. Except unlike the game, God is not hiding from us. When we find Him he then takes our sin burden and carries it away, In response we repent and turn away from our sins. God gives us every capability to find Him. One way to start is through His Word. It is a reassuring feeling to know that I will never be “IT” again in my relationship to God.
Isaiah 55:6-7
“Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God for he will abundantly pardon.”
Today’s Prayer:
Thank You Lord for making yourself approachable and giving me the chance to find you. I want to search for you all my life, may I never give up. Thank you for delivering me from the awful sin burdens I had when I didn’t know you. I love you Lord, Amen.
Jeremiah 29:13
“ And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”
My Search for God
Do you remember when you were little and you would play a game of hide and seek? One thing I remember vividly is the way it felt when I was “IT”. I can sum it up in one word: Lonely. I used to dread having to look for people, but I loved the feeling I got when I found the first person. It meant that I was no longer “IT.” The person whom I had found now had my burden and became “IT” on the next round. Is it coming back to you yet?
The Bible records the ultimate game of Hide and Seek. We are lonely, lost and sick of being “IT.” We are desperate for an encounter with God. Just like in the game, if we search for God diligently we will find Him. Except unlike the game, God is not hiding from us. When we find Him he then takes our sin burden and carries it away, In response we repent and turn away from our sins. God gives us every capability to find Him. One way to start is through His Word. It is a reassuring feeling to know that I will never be “IT” again in my relationship to God.
Isaiah 55:6-7
“Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God for he will abundantly pardon.”
Today’s Prayer:
Thank You Lord for making yourself approachable and giving me the chance to find you. I want to search for you all my life, may I never give up. Thank you for delivering me from the awful sin burdens I had when I didn’t know you. I love you Lord, Amen.
Monday, February 16, 2009
What I was made to do
What I was Made to Do
Ephesians 2:10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
We’re created and saved for service to God.
Years ago, our family owned a Border collie. The first time we took her for a group walk, we noticed that she got very concerned when the members of our group didn’t stay together. I didnt stay with my parents, my brother lagged behind and my parents walked with Lady. Poor Lady didn’t know what to do. She nearly ran her legs off trying to check on everyone. We laughed and laughed at her efforts. They seemed terribly foolish from our point of view.
Missy was absolutely committed to her task, though. She persisted in checking on all of us because of who she was. Border collies are bred to herd and guard sheep. They just naturally try to keep them together because a stray sheep will almost certainly become coyote food. Lady didn’t understand why her barks and jumping in front of us didn’t turn us back into the pack.
There are some similarities between Lady and us, particularly when we consider what we are designed to be and do. Before God saves us, we just naturally sin. We’ve been born with a sin nature that desires to please self more than anything. But, after Jesus saves us, He gives us a new nature that desires to please God more than anything. The most natural thing in the world for a saved sinner to do is to obey God. It’s what He made us for.
God will never accept us in His presence because we keep His commandments or do good things for other people. He requires absolutely perfect holiness of anyone who enters into His presence. We can never make it by what we do. But, God made it possible for us to become righteous as we place our faith in Jesus and His death on the cross as the sacrifice for our sin. Once we believe, we do right things as an expression of our gratitude and to show our new character.
Today’s Prayer:
Dear Father, thank you for making it possible for me to have a personal relationship with You. Thank you for Jesus who died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins. Now that You have saved me and given me a new heart, please help me serve you faithfully and honorably. Help me be what You made me to be. Amen.
Ephesians 2:10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
We’re created and saved for service to God.
Years ago, our family owned a Border collie. The first time we took her for a group walk, we noticed that she got very concerned when the members of our group didn’t stay together. I didnt stay with my parents, my brother lagged behind and my parents walked with Lady. Poor Lady didn’t know what to do. She nearly ran her legs off trying to check on everyone. We laughed and laughed at her efforts. They seemed terribly foolish from our point of view.
Missy was absolutely committed to her task, though. She persisted in checking on all of us because of who she was. Border collies are bred to herd and guard sheep. They just naturally try to keep them together because a stray sheep will almost certainly become coyote food. Lady didn’t understand why her barks and jumping in front of us didn’t turn us back into the pack.
There are some similarities between Lady and us, particularly when we consider what we are designed to be and do. Before God saves us, we just naturally sin. We’ve been born with a sin nature that desires to please self more than anything. But, after Jesus saves us, He gives us a new nature that desires to please God more than anything. The most natural thing in the world for a saved sinner to do is to obey God. It’s what He made us for.
God will never accept us in His presence because we keep His commandments or do good things for other people. He requires absolutely perfect holiness of anyone who enters into His presence. We can never make it by what we do. But, God made it possible for us to become righteous as we place our faith in Jesus and His death on the cross as the sacrifice for our sin. Once we believe, we do right things as an expression of our gratitude and to show our new character.
Today’s Prayer:
Dear Father, thank you for making it possible for me to have a personal relationship with You. Thank you for Jesus who died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins. Now that You have saved me and given me a new heart, please help me serve you faithfully and honorably. Help me be what You made me to be. Amen.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Food for thought.....Enjoy
My relationship with God is a lot like the other relationships in my life . . . complex. It's based on a simple premise (He loves me, and I love Him) but the process of living that out in everyday life is sometimes really beautiful and sometimes an ugly mess. What about you? Do you get it "right" all the time? Yeah, I didn't think so.
And while the subtleties of my relationship with God may look differently than yours, there are three things that are a constant in my life, three areas He is constantly vying for my attention. These three areas indicate just where my heart really lies. I believe these three areas aren't unique to me. In fact, I believe that if you look closely enough you'll find these three show up in your life as well.
The first is a sense of wonder. Every one of us has it. We want to believe in something bigger than ourselves. We want to marvel at something, something that will capture our imagination and sense of awe. It is hardwired into all of us. And if we do not find wonder in our relationship with God, we will search for it elsewhere. We will find something to capture our minds and hearts. Whether it is the latest summer blockbuster, a relationship or a career, we will look anywhere and everywhere for something that will intrigue us.
What about you? How is your sense of wonder? If you have been in the church a while, it may be non-existent. Has your relationship with God become routine, even boring? Do you think you know everything about Him? You know on some level that is impossible, but the way you go through life may indicate that you believe it to be true. You think you know what God will and will not do in every situation, because that is what He has done in the past. There are no surprises. But look at the Bible-God always surprised people. He did things that constantly caught people off guard. He extends grace, raises the dead, punishes injustice. He is bigger than we think He is. So much bigger.
The second thing that is an integral part of everyone's relationship with God is a sense of discovery. We not only want to believe in something bigger than us, but we also want to discover who we are and why we exist. We want to know who is staring at us in the mirror. We'll try to settle for less than we are by consistently attaching ourselves to something or someone to define who we are. But God wants us to discover ourselves in the context of our relationship with Him and His Word, the Bible.
Do you think you've got you figured out? You either know so much about yourself that you are fixated on where you are lacking, or you know so little about yourself that you're waiting for someone or something to solve the mystery. But the process of discovery of who we are is unveiled daily in God's Word. The Holy Spirit pulls back the layers of our lives and shows us new things about ourselves. Also, in the context of our relationship with God and with others, we uncover new truths about who we are, both good and ugly.
The third integral part of a person's relationship with God is sometimes the most difficult . . . it's about having a passion for other people. People are messy and complicated. They can irritate us one minute, and bring great joy to us the next. But people are a key part of our relationship with God. You see, this relationship with Him isn't exclusive.
And while the subtleties of my relationship with God may look differently than yours, there are three things that are a constant in my life, three areas He is constantly vying for my attention. These three areas indicate just where my heart really lies. I believe these three areas aren't unique to me. In fact, I believe that if you look closely enough you'll find these three show up in your life as well.
The first is a sense of wonder. Every one of us has it. We want to believe in something bigger than ourselves. We want to marvel at something, something that will capture our imagination and sense of awe. It is hardwired into all of us. And if we do not find wonder in our relationship with God, we will search for it elsewhere. We will find something to capture our minds and hearts. Whether it is the latest summer blockbuster, a relationship or a career, we will look anywhere and everywhere for something that will intrigue us.
What about you? How is your sense of wonder? If you have been in the church a while, it may be non-existent. Has your relationship with God become routine, even boring? Do you think you know everything about Him? You know on some level that is impossible, but the way you go through life may indicate that you believe it to be true. You think you know what God will and will not do in every situation, because that is what He has done in the past. There are no surprises. But look at the Bible-God always surprised people. He did things that constantly caught people off guard. He extends grace, raises the dead, punishes injustice. He is bigger than we think He is. So much bigger.
The second thing that is an integral part of everyone's relationship with God is a sense of discovery. We not only want to believe in something bigger than us, but we also want to discover who we are and why we exist. We want to know who is staring at us in the mirror. We'll try to settle for less than we are by consistently attaching ourselves to something or someone to define who we are. But God wants us to discover ourselves in the context of our relationship with Him and His Word, the Bible.
Do you think you've got you figured out? You either know so much about yourself that you are fixated on where you are lacking, or you know so little about yourself that you're waiting for someone or something to solve the mystery. But the process of discovery of who we are is unveiled daily in God's Word. The Holy Spirit pulls back the layers of our lives and shows us new things about ourselves. Also, in the context of our relationship with God and with others, we uncover new truths about who we are, both good and ugly.
The third integral part of a person's relationship with God is sometimes the most difficult . . . it's about having a passion for other people. People are messy and complicated. They can irritate us one minute, and bring great joy to us the next. But people are a key part of our relationship with God. You see, this relationship with Him isn't exclusive.
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