in the storm

So Bernard talked about how he was on a retreat and God was found in the stillness. We sang, "in the secret", a song about finding God in our secret place where it's a one-on-one silence. I love those moments where we step away from the world for a moment, maybe in the stillness of the morning before the insanity begins or for me it's often in my quiet of my room when the world has gone to sleep and i have not. Jesus had his quiet time with God. Sometimes it was so long people had to search for him but i think about that and i know communion with God is an perpetual thing, as prayer and our entire relationship with God is. When Bern spoke of finding God in the stillness, my inner being echoed this, "there is stillness in the storm." I'm getting chills right now is I write and it rings out from my Spirit.

Matthew 8:23-27
Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!

This passage is so beautiful for many reasons. 1) It depicts what stillness can be. 2) I speaks of what it means to follow Christ.

In the storm Jesus is sleeping. It doesn't bother him. storms mean nothing. hardships mean nothing. death and life are nothing in the comparison to eternity.

Those that trust in Jesus ought to know that if he sleeps then it's nothing i should be worried about either. Whether in death nor life i will follow Christ. When the storms come we ought to look to him and do likewise.

Do you know what comes before this passage? this is the third reason it's beautiful.

18-22
When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

If we dare say we will follow where he goes then our reaction cannot be "we are going to drown!" In the gospel of Mark it even goes on the say, "don't you care if we drown?" The real question is if following Christ meant he determines whether you live or die, would you do it? He has just told them what it cost and here they are refined. They prove they want it by their obedience and Jesus takes them higher.

There are so many things we don't realize about the cost of discipleship. We just get on the boat and follow. He says we live and we will live in absolute obedience, for his glory. He says die and we say, "hallelujah!"

There is so much more to say but in the end it is not what we say that matters. It's the life that is changed, morning by morning receiving those new mercies, knowing that by his great love we are not consumed, living a life that people will recognize and profoundly and significantly different from those that are dead in there transgressions.

May he who began a good work in you, carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus! Glory to God!

I once saw this...

I once saw a picture like this at the campus photography gallery. I had to get it recreated but you get the point. It's a painting on sale.


I wonder if any one sees the same problem i saw. As i read "Cost of Discipleship" this image is brought into mind. The author wrote this, "We gave away the word and sacraments wholesale, we baptized, confirmed and absolved a whole nation unasked and without condition. Our humanitarian sentiment made us give that which was holy to the scornful and unbelieving. We poured forth unending streams of grace. But the call to follow Jesus in the narrow way was hardly ever heard."

When i see this image it brings a certain sadness into my heart to know that we're giving the gospel away to people that aren't willing to pay the price. No man can pay in my stead and so i must pay my cost of discipleship. By putting the 50% off sign on Christianity we effectively cripple a person from ever following after God. We see generation after generation face this problem. There are many that don't have any idea what it means to be a disciple and they aren't interested in doing more because we told them there was no more. We drew them the bridge diagram and tell them that by praying a prayer and saying, "uh huh" a couple times would be the end of the matter. We tell him hell is a bad place and heaven is great so come for free.

We tell them grace means you can't do anything to gain heaven so they will receive an unconditional gift. We say:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (eph 2:8-9)

so we leave out the cost that should never be separated:

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (eph 2:10)


What an injustice we have done in our humanitarian sentiment! We have NOT saved those we give the gospel to. We have DAMNED them.

the hand of God and luci

Job 1
9 "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied.
10 "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.
11But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."
12 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

Isaiah 59

16 He saw that there was no one,
he was appalled that there was no one to intervene;
so his own arm worked salvation for him,
and his own righteousness sustained him.

17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate,
and the helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on the garments of vengeance
and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.

18 According to what they have done,
so will he repay
wrath to his enemies
and retribution to his foes;
he will repay the islands their due.

I've bolded the terms to indicate who acts. Satan initially asks God to act to test Job. Since God does not do that but allows satan to do it. What does God do though? I can see that God does not tempt or test us but allows satan to. I can see that God does act for justice. Though on the outside they are both "bad things happening" God does not raise his hand against his own.

Everyone once in a while i hear this line, "who are you and what did you do with my boyfriend?" and last night my answer was, "i killed him last night."

In fight club there is a line and i enjoy it very much. the narrator says it, "every evening i died and every evening i'm born again, resurrected."

It's the most liberating feeling to move forward and let go of everything. The die and move on. To evolve into something completely different and have nothing to do with the weakness of yesterday. To know that God doesn't just grow me but changes me, transforms me, re-creates me. insane!

the one that has earned my respect

there is something i know and i've only started to understand why i feel the way i do when i get excited that kids realize the truth. For me, i had to go through a long process to get to where i am. i had to know. i had to wrestle with things. I didn't know nor did i accept it as a kid. There is a growing understanding that as much as i know i'm really not that far beyond these kids. As much as they are ignorant of things, i know that GOd can reveal it with ease and i know that in comparison there must be many out there that think i'm a new born in my pursuit of God. They would be right if they were comparing me to Jesus or possibly themselves even. so where does that leave me? it leaves me in a place where i see those that follow God as much as they can and i'm happy for them. I see those that don't and i am sad. It has never had anything to do with age, i realize that it's not that. it's the fact that older folks talk a lot of hot garbage about how much they love Jesus but these kids are humble and know they don't. they admit their weakness and God gives them sooo much grace.

so my kid... my previously loud and disruptive kid. the kid i had to kick outta my class because he was so distracting. the kid who's only job was to stop distracting people not only told people to be quiet during class but on this particular day he was able to overcome. we learned about being bold despite having no ability nor words to speak the truth and yet God will bring forth all that is needed. So i asked him to close us in prayer. "but i don't know what to say" was the first thing that came out of his mouth. After i reminded him of the lesson he prayed knowing there is no way out. the truth is the truth after all. He prayed and it was good.

Please pray for my kids that they will overcome the lies of the devil and themselves by the Holy Spirit.

When i look at a moment like that i wonder to myself who else can claim the same victory as this student of mine? He has set an example for us. Let us not be any less.

RE: defiance to God ... eternity in mind

i don't have a lot of time these days but i felt it would be an injustice if i were to hoard this one.

So on sunday i off-handedly asked my kids, "so who's keeping their sabbath this week?" To be honest, i had no idea why i asked because they already said they wouldn't last week but as I looked around the room I was in shock to find all the kids had put up their hand. One kid even told me he talked to his parents about it! One of the other kids very bravely told me he just wanted an excuse not to do homework. One kid told me he had a French project due monday (yesterday) and he would definitely need to work on it on but he already finished it!!! How amazing is God? Kids planned ahead and finish homework so they could obey God!!!! In your face, satan!

quickie

http://youtube.com/watch?v=W1TMZASCR-I

Synchronization ...

5 metronomes, 5 different starting points. 1 foundation, Complete synchronization.

Doesn't this look like the Christian life to y'all? We start in different places but in the end we move together because we stand on Christ. Easy lessons, anyone? lol~