When I was a child, James Dobson was the Christian parenting whisperer. My mom read his book, "The Strong Willed Child", and it armed her for the fight. With me.
I'm not exactly sure what I was like as a child. I was quiet and reserved. I heard I was strong willed. I was a thinker. I argued if it didn't make sense, not for the fun of it. Although that's what it seemed like. As a mom I understand that it isn't always easy to explain things to a child, and sometimes it's not the right time. So I give my mom grace.
As I look back over my life, I appreciate my strong will more than anything else. It has been the thing that formed my powerful choices, and my follow through.
When I was six, I gave my life to Jesus. I didn't see any evidence there was a God, but I was morbidly afraid of hell fire. (pronounced hell fahr) ;) The choice seemed obvious to me, so I chose. Then I spent the next ten years forcing my brain to conform to my choice. Because my ability to choose was stronger.
I remember the day I chose Adam. It came a couple weeks after I thought I had chosen him. The first time was because he had kissed me. I had a kiss vow with God. The real day I chose him was the day he showed his heart to me. I didn't look back.
Our culture tries to convince us that we are at the whim of our circumstances and our instincts. Somehow this teaches us that we are powerless in the tide of our feelings or mentalities. But this is not true. For example, lets say I really want to drink an entire pitcher of beer. My brain tells me that that amount of alcohol will cause pain tomorrow. My feelings tell me that it will make me feel better. So then I choose. Going with logic or feelings is not the problem. Rather, it's not realizing that my power was in my choice. I can't blame either, because I chose. Every time I refuse to take responsibility for my choice, I hand over my power to something that was smaller than I.
Making a powerful choice is like designing a career path. This is the way, walk ye in it. It was my sheer stubborn will that has kept me on the path of my choices. I felt like I was betraying myself if I broke a commitment. Today my best choices are no longer held by force of will. Adam is everything I thought I saw back then and more. I am in love with him more and more each day.
I don't really know how to define how my relationship with Jesus has become bigger than reality. I had a friend challenge me to start blogging about how my knowledge and encounter are meeting, and I'm still working on that one. I only understand that I am in love with this Person that makes me more whole and joyous with every passing day. My head understands more and more, but His Presence reminds me I'm a baby. My heart is growing like the Grinch's on Christmas day. God still does not show up for me like I want Him to, but I think He has a better idea of what I need and I trust Him.
In today's sermon, the pastor ended with the question, "Is Jesus Enough"? I have a lot of dreams for myself and my family. Really big dreams. It scares the shit out of me to consider that they might not come true. But when I look at Jesus I know that my walk with Him has no limit, and that my life is just seventy or eighty years at the beginning of eternity. I may dream big, but it's because I'm like Him, and His adventure with me is just beginning.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Friday, February 21, 2014
He Makes Me Brave
Military basic training ingrains three principles into it's recruits; physical strength and endurance, excellence in weaponry, and command structure. Once trained, a soldier is equipped with everything he or she needs; the ability to discern a threat, to listen and obey commands, to work with a team, and to conquer.
The Believer is called to rest in the tension between two positions; to live in peace, and to be a warrior.
1 Thessalonians 4:11 …and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you.
Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Revelation 3: 21 He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
We weren't born in a Kingdom just to develop character and then be carried away into the sweet by and by, we were born into an Army of Grace. Jesus broke the power of death, but it is our job to retake the ground that Adam surrendered. Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. That prayer cannot be enacted in passivity. It has to be enacted in that tension; the tension between rest and battle.
Some of the day to day crap we go through is self inflicted, and some of it isn't. Make no mistake, whether self inflicted or not, the Enemy is set to sabotage you. And God's plan for you. The battlefield is in the mind. You may not see demons behind every rock, but discouragement is not a heavenly fruit.
Jesus was attacked in the wilderness at His weakest point. The Enemy questioned Who He was, and what He came to do. Jesus didn't get rocked, but I get rocked in this all the time.
Right now this is my biggest fight; Who I am, and What I am supposed to be doing.
God is hard at work in my life; teaching my Who and Whose I am, giving me a lion heart, preparing my hands for war.
Psalms 18:34 He trains my hands for battle, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
Ephesians 6:13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, stand firm.
Notice that standing firm is the last step. Fight, resist, then stand firm.
Faithfulness and forbearing are amazing fruit, but they make aren't the only weapon we are designed to wield. Is a soldier only trained in physical fitness and then sent into the Enemy's camp? Nope. He puts on camo, a kevlar helmet, bullet proof vest and carries a semi automatic weapon, grenades, a bayonet, a ka-bar knife, and possibly a handgun. He depends on his buddies for strength, and he does exactly what he's been told to do. If he gets overwhelmed by enemy fire, he retreats or hunkers down. But he doesn't go into battle with the purpose of hunkering down. He goes in to win.
I'm practicing the tension; learning peace and learning battle. I'm not going to let faithfulness become passivity. Fighting from a position of rest and identity. He makes me brave. :)
The Believer is called to rest in the tension between two positions; to live in peace, and to be a warrior.
1 Thessalonians 4:11 …and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you.
Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Revelation 3: 21 He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
We weren't born in a Kingdom just to develop character and then be carried away into the sweet by and by, we were born into an Army of Grace. Jesus broke the power of death, but it is our job to retake the ground that Adam surrendered. Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. That prayer cannot be enacted in passivity. It has to be enacted in that tension; the tension between rest and battle.
Some of the day to day crap we go through is self inflicted, and some of it isn't. Make no mistake, whether self inflicted or not, the Enemy is set to sabotage you. And God's plan for you. The battlefield is in the mind. You may not see demons behind every rock, but discouragement is not a heavenly fruit.
Jesus was attacked in the wilderness at His weakest point. The Enemy questioned Who He was, and what He came to do. Jesus didn't get rocked, but I get rocked in this all the time.
Right now this is my biggest fight; Who I am, and What I am supposed to be doing.
God is hard at work in my life; teaching my Who and Whose I am, giving me a lion heart, preparing my hands for war.
Psalms 18:34 He trains my hands for battle, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
Ephesians 6:13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, stand firm.
Notice that standing firm is the last step. Fight, resist, then stand firm.
Faithfulness and forbearing are amazing fruit, but they make aren't the only weapon we are designed to wield. Is a soldier only trained in physical fitness and then sent into the Enemy's camp? Nope. He puts on camo, a kevlar helmet, bullet proof vest and carries a semi automatic weapon, grenades, a bayonet, a ka-bar knife, and possibly a handgun. He depends on his buddies for strength, and he does exactly what he's been told to do. If he gets overwhelmed by enemy fire, he retreats or hunkers down. But he doesn't go into battle with the purpose of hunkering down. He goes in to win.
I'm practicing the tension; learning peace and learning battle. I'm not going to let faithfulness become passivity. Fighting from a position of rest and identity. He makes me brave. :)
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