Be a nobody.

Listen to this: Michael Oh (!)

From Wheaton College Chapel 11/24/08

Fear

Luke 1:2-33 An angel shows up and tells Mary that the rest of her life is going to change radically.  What if God told you that the rest of your life would be radically different from the norm or even what you ever expected?  Would you be like Mary and humbly accept?  Or maybe more like Zechariah and scorn God?  Or more like Jonah and flee?  Or like Moses and make excuses?  God calls us to radical living.  Are we going to live in fear or faith?

The truth is, that God has never called anyone to comfortable situations.  Read Hebrews 11.  However, living in fearless faith is passionate and directional, not irresponsible or irrational.  It is counting the cost, realizing that it is a risk worth taking (since God is in control), and then jumping, without looking back.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5, 6

Life Gone By

I’ve been browsing through some old photos and it amazes me how many experiences I’ve been through.  I’ve done a lot of different things.  One thing I know: God is faithful.

Recently, one of my friends said his age when asked.  20 years?  We’ve been around for two decades.  No kidding I’ve seen and done a lot.  And life just got started.

Perfume

How do we reconcile spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on college tuitions?  We only can if our education is the perfume which we pour out at Jesus’ feet.  Our lives are not our own.  If we are living to make a name for ourselves, we are missing it.  Either we’re going, we’re sending, or we’re disobeying.

From chapel 10.24.08

Link to come……

Writing

I hate writing.  Let me qualify that.  I hate writing, when it’s for an assignment.  Most other times, I love writing.  Case in point, this blog.  Really though, what gives?  Why the discrepency?  I think it’s because there is a part of our humanness that desires to be free.  We long for freedom.  Freedom from restriction, freedom from oppression.  Not true freedom though, more like license.  License to do whatever we want, when we want.  Unfortunatley, that usually ends in brokenness.  The difference between license and true freedom, is that license is self-serving, and true freedom still looks out for the good of other.  Our desire for license is really just a corrupted version of our desire for freedom.  It’s a product of the Fall.  Previously, our freedom was found in our perfect relationship with God.  Now, our only hope for true freedom is in Christ.

Move

In 1 Kings 19, Elijah is mourning that he is the only faithful one left.  God’s reply is “You don’t even know.  I have thousands of people who are faithful to my name.”  Then in Matthew 9, Jesus says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

If God already has the people, why do we have to pray for them?  When we ask God for things that are inline with God’s will, his response is often “Of course.  I’d love to give that to you.  In fact, look!  I’ve been giving that to you already before you even knew to ask for it.”  This juxtaposition shows the role of prayer.  It is an act of submission to God.  Realizing that our call is to obedience and God will take care of everything else.  Nothing should ever stand in the way of our obedience.  Not money, not logistics, not our fears, not our own hopes.  God is moving.  The question is: Are you willing to move?

“Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!”

~Jesus

Actually

Does it ever hit you?  That there are actually broken people in a broken world?  What am I doing here?

Care for Aids

I just want to spotlight an organization.  Care for Aids is dedicataed to bringing AIDS relief to Africa by partnering churches in the U.S. with churches in Africa.  I know a couple of the founders and can vouch for them as truly compassionate people.  They also have some legit t-shirts.  Get yours.

Love. Joy. Peace.

In the 25th chapter of Leviticus, God declares that every 50 years, the Israelites are to have a Year of Jubilee.  His command is to “proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants” because “it shall be a jubilee for you.”  In that year, everyone is to return to their own property and have their inheritances redeemed.  Think about that.  It’s meant to be a reflection of God’s grace towards us.  He created us to be in relationship with him, but because of Sin, we no longer can.  Christ’s redemption of us gives us back, that which God granted us in the first place: a relationship with him.

Because of God’s love for us, we are enabled to love others.  That is the point of Jubilee.  Let’s proclaim liberty throughout the land.  Let’s bring reconciliation to our world.  Let’s serve each other.  Why?  Because Christ has brought us liberty, and through liberty, love, joy, and peace between God and humanity.

A Prayer for the Election (by John Piper)

DesiringGod[dot]org