"Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil — and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." Hebrews 2:14-15
Joseph walked Mary on a donkey for over 90 miles in the scorching sun, the wind whipping around their faces and caking them with dust from the dirt road. The stable is packed with different farm animals. Flies are buzzing around them, and the air is heavy with the stench of manure and sickly sweet hay. And into this, a baby enters - Jesus. And when this baby was born into nothing, with parents who were mere children themselves, God fulfilled every promise and every prophecy - all in His perfect time.
He made himself to the very least with no status or opportunity, so that He can commune with us. The very least so that He can meet with the very most desperate: you and me. He doesn’t mind that I might not be ready yet and He doesn’t mind the wretched condition of my heart or the blackness of my sin. God’s time is now and He enters into the mess - our mess, ready or not and His timing is perfect.
What a God we serve.
This week has been tough on Colorado, the summer even tougher. We have experienced some of the most destructive forest fires in this nations history, and then to top it off we have a witnessed one of the most senseless acts of violence this country has ever seen. I live 10 miles from the fires and 30 minutes from the shooting, I feel as though I am at the core of this suffering and my heart is broken. Broken for the lost, broken for the suffering, broken for those who seek comfort but can find none. And more than all of these, my heart is broken for the afflicter.
From these tragedies, arise so many questions. Why did this happen? Why does God let these bad things happen? What was the reason for this? Why why why? It's in these times that I don't feel ready, and I feel like I don't have the adequate words or answers to comfort people. And I don't feel ready to be a missionary, or to work in ministry.
But then I remember a time when I wasn't ready to surrender to Jesus, I remember when I wasn't ready to move to Colorado, I remember when I wasn't ready to share my testimony with people, I remember when I wasn't ready to lead someone to Christ, or convey my beliefs, I remember when I wasn't ready to let go of unhealthy relationships, I remember when I questioned everything, and I when I wasn't ready to give up MY plans and MY dreams. And than I remember that never, not even once, was I truly as ready as I had wanted to be. And I remember that God has kept and fulfilled every last one of His promises, every single one, in His perfect time. He says follow me, and He leads - He does not falter. We don't have to be ready, He has been ready for us since the beginning of time.
God's purpose is perfect.
God's purpose is sovereign.
God's purpose prevails.
I can feel God moving in this place, using me and using others - bringing light from former darkness. I know He will take all these messes, and use them for His glory and divine purpose. Colorado needs your prayers. Pray that Aurora feels His touch - pray that Colorado feels His touch. Lord we need you now.
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18
Monday, July 23, 2012
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Perfect Imperfections
"I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life." 1 Timothy 1:12-16
A new month = a new adventure! On Sunday July 8th, we began working with another church plant in Loveland, Colorado called Elevation Church; I pretty much fell in love with Elevation about 5 minutes after walking in. There is a warmth and love for Christ there that is so tangible, it kind of makes you never want to leave. The staff immediately made us feel apart of the team, and have already started to really pour into us. This month is going to be great, I can already tell! :)
A new month = a new adventure! On Sunday July 8th, we began working with another church plant in Loveland, Colorado called Elevation Church; I pretty much fell in love with Elevation about 5 minutes after walking in. There is a warmth and love for Christ there that is so tangible, it kind of makes you never want to leave. The staff immediately made us feel apart of the team, and have already started to really pour into us. This month is going to be great, I can already tell! :)
One thing I have really learned from church planting thus far, is the importance of meeting people wherever they are. Too often as a church we project perfection, not purposely, but rather as an attempt to meet an inaccurate standard of what we deem as adequacy. We forget how important it is to be vulnerable, because that means stepping out and letting our guard down. But vulnerability is such an awesome tool to connect with people, because when they see the imperfections, the struggles, and the mistakes they see something they can identify with. Sometimes we forget that we really aren't suppose to have all together with the perfect job/family/home/friends/car; the fact of the matter is, if we did have it all together we would have no need for salvation because we would be capable of manufacturing it ourselves.
Since coming to Colorado, I have seen people from some of the most broken pasts doing major things for the kingdom. They faced trials that I couldn't even comprehend conquering, and came out as fearless disciples of Christ. The reality is that we are going to hit bumps in the road, and we are going face adversity but even our lowest of lows are redeemable and useable through Christ. He makes the imperfections perfect. Romans 5:3-5 calls us to rejoice in our adversity because adversity produces perseverance, perseverance produces character and character produces hope. And hope in the Holy Spirit never fails us. God can use our nothings and our mistakes and put them out front for everyone to see to call others to Him. We just have to let go of our pride and pursue humility. We were chosen, predestined, designated and called; not just for grace through salvation but to be vessels of Christ. You know the saying..."Let Go, Let God."
I can't wait to see how God moves this week. We have several kids camps coming up for Elevation, and God has placed a few special people in my life that I'm hoping will be drawn closer to Him. Be praying for the Holy Spirit to move!
I can't wait to see how God moves this week. We have several kids camps coming up for Elevation, and God has placed a few special people in my life that I'm hoping will be drawn closer to Him. Be praying for the Holy Spirit to move!
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Living God's Love
"Since you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For the old you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." Colossians 3:1-3
I am so excited, happy, amazed, overjoyed, thrilled, delighted, ecstatic...okay you get the point. Now let me tell you why.
I am so excited, happy, amazed, overjoyed, thrilled, delighted, ecstatic...okay you get the point. Now let me tell you why.
For the past 3 weeks we have been working on a preview for The Pursuit Church's All Star kids games which is July 9th-13th. The preview was basically a free one day event where kids got to come and play soccer, football, basketball, make crafts, and more importantly hear about the love of Jesus. We had almost a 100 kids show up, and in a 3 hr time span 17 kids gave their life to Christ. 17 kids that come from all walks of life and backgrounds now have a basic understanding of the gospel, and of what true, unconditional love actually means. These kid's lives have radically changed, and the affect that they will have on their own friends and family will be immeasurable.
One little girl in particular that I got to coach (I was the soccer coach of the camp) caught my eye and my heart. She was one of the first to raise her hand after the devotion to say that she wanted Jesus to come into her heart. After one of the counselors explained what that meant and they prayed together she made her way over to the bench beside me. She then proceeded to plop down with a huge sigh, and look at me with a frustrated scowl on her face. I asked her what was wrong and after a huff and a few more sighs this is what she said: "I prayed that prayer to Jesus and stuff and they said He is in my heart now and all my bad stuff is forgiven. But does he know I hit my brother last week? Cause my mom said thats real bad and I dunno if Jesus will forgive that. Do I have to do extra stuff for that one?" I immediately explained that all her past and presents mistakes are forgiven - even the really, really bad ones. She was relieved, and I couldn't help but laugh as she skipped off towards her friends.
I sat there pondering the implications of her words, because although her innocence was precious, she voiced something many people struggle with: Am I clean enough for God? Am I too far gone for redemption? Am I really forgiven? The reality is that Jesus covers all of our sins and all of our mistakes so that we don't have to be clean enough. He doesn't even wait to call us after we get our act together...He calls us to Himself right in the middle of our sin. (see Mark 2:14-17) How can we even question this gift? Every time we do it's like we are standing at the foot of the cross, staring up at Jesus telling him that what he did isn’t quite going to cut it. We let our insecurities reign over us and we just can't seem to let go of the guilt our past mistakes have born. We are staring this King in the face & telling him that DYING for us isn’t quite sufficient enough. We keep letting the burdens of our past reappear as if they hold some value, when in actuality they mean nothing, and are worthless in the face of Christ.
I reflect on my own life and know that I am guilty of this, and that makes me want to fall on my face in shame. I’ve done it - I do it all the time. We get so caught up in our own selfishness and doubts that we distract ourselves from the simple, pure, beautiful point of it all. His grace is sufficient for us and His sacrifice was enough. We HAVE to rest in this, because if we can't even accept His boundless love for ourselves personally, than we can't even begin to show His love to others.
One little girl in particular that I got to coach (I was the soccer coach of the camp) caught my eye and my heart. She was one of the first to raise her hand after the devotion to say that she wanted Jesus to come into her heart. After one of the counselors explained what that meant and they prayed together she made her way over to the bench beside me. She then proceeded to plop down with a huge sigh, and look at me with a frustrated scowl on her face. I asked her what was wrong and after a huff and a few more sighs this is what she said: "I prayed that prayer to Jesus and stuff and they said He is in my heart now and all my bad stuff is forgiven. But does he know I hit my brother last week? Cause my mom said thats real bad and I dunno if Jesus will forgive that. Do I have to do extra stuff for that one?" I immediately explained that all her past and presents mistakes are forgiven - even the really, really bad ones. She was relieved, and I couldn't help but laugh as she skipped off towards her friends.
I sat there pondering the implications of her words, because although her innocence was precious, she voiced something many people struggle with: Am I clean enough for God? Am I too far gone for redemption? Am I really forgiven? The reality is that Jesus covers all of our sins and all of our mistakes so that we don't have to be clean enough. He doesn't even wait to call us after we get our act together...He calls us to Himself right in the middle of our sin. (see Mark 2:14-17) How can we even question this gift? Every time we do it's like we are standing at the foot of the cross, staring up at Jesus telling him that what he did isn’t quite going to cut it. We let our insecurities reign over us and we just can't seem to let go of the guilt our past mistakes have born. We are staring this King in the face & telling him that DYING for us isn’t quite sufficient enough. We keep letting the burdens of our past reappear as if they hold some value, when in actuality they mean nothing, and are worthless in the face of Christ.
I reflect on my own life and know that I am guilty of this, and that makes me want to fall on my face in shame. I’ve done it - I do it all the time. We get so caught up in our own selfishness and doubts that we distract ourselves from the simple, pure, beautiful point of it all. His grace is sufficient for us and His sacrifice was enough. We HAVE to rest in this, because if we can't even accept His boundless love for ourselves personally, than we can't even begin to show His love to others.
Redemption is one of the sweetest things I have experienced in this life. As humans with a finite minds, the concept of grace and redemption are hard ones to wrap our brains around. We forgive but with limits, and we love but with conditions. God breaks chains, and He has no limits or conditions. God looks at us in all of our mess and brokenness, and tells us that once we are truly surrendered to Him nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). Not because of anything we do, I mean we can't even save ourselves let alone keep ourselves saved, but because of grace and eternal, blissful, unbounded love.
Being Christ-like is the pinnacle we reach for. That being said, God doesn't call us to be perfect, because let's be honest - that ain't happening. But He does call us to love like He does, forgive like He does, and extend mercy like He does. I challenge all of us as believers to be imitators of Christ - Loving like God does, means meeting people in whatever brokenness they are in, and loving them with an agenda free, pure love that is not tainted with judgement. Let every word and action point to Him. Let us be completely saturated and consumed by our Savior. Our days are numbered. Our lives are short. Our clock is ticking. How will you use your life to glorify His name?
Being Christ-like is the pinnacle we reach for. That being said, God doesn't call us to be perfect, because let's be honest - that ain't happening. But He does call us to love like He does, forgive like He does, and extend mercy like He does. I challenge all of us as believers to be imitators of Christ - Loving like God does, means meeting people in whatever brokenness they are in, and loving them with an agenda free, pure love that is not tainted with judgement. Let every word and action point to Him. Let us be completely saturated and consumed by our Savior. Our days are numbered. Our lives are short. Our clock is ticking. How will you use your life to glorify His name?
Live His Love.
All Star Kid's Preview Day
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