To the God of all comfort

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. 

2 Corinthians 1:3-7

 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away,our inner self  is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 4

As Long as God is Glorified in Life and Death

Every time I go to visit Gran (my dad’s mom) I always expect to see Papa John. To see him reclining on his overstuffed, puffy chair, smiling, laughing, wearing black suspenders; telling jokes and relating stories of World War 2 and the Civil War.

But, I also know I won’t see him.

He passed away a few years ago. I was young; I wish I could remember more of him and more of the funeral. I do remember  that there was small group of people and a lady with a beautiful voice sung, “His Eye in on the Sparrow” and I played “Amazing Grace” with my mom and sister.  I remember it was outside and my brother, Jason, led the service.

I wish I could run to him and he would envelope me in a huge hug and he would smell like cigars and tell me, “ hello, pretty girl!” I wish I could ask him more about his life, more about his knowledge of history. And, more about his faith.   

He raised my dad and uncle as Southern Baptists but, as he and Gran got older they stopped going to church. They said they listened to the radio and read books and such but, I still question if they were saved. It devastates me to think they aren’t; especially Papa John because, then, I will never see him again. With Gran, I still have an opportunity to talk to her.

But, maybe I’m wrong. Maybe he is in heaven; worshiping God with no more pain and suffering. Maybe I will see him again when I enter into that place.

It’s a beautiful, glorious, and comforting thought.

I wish he was still alive so I could be sure. So, I could share more about Christ, about church, about my life. 

I wish he was still alive so my dad can talk to him.

My dad, and an older brother, are not saved.

This devastates me every day; to the point of tears. Every day, I plead and beg with God to save their lives.

 I’ve shared the message with him. I live my life as a witness for Christ.

He teaches biology and most of his friends are unbelievers. There seems to be no hope.

But, there is hope. But, there is also no time.

His life could be taken from him at anytime and then our chance to make a difference in his life is gone. Then, he’ll be suffering in the forever pain of hell.

If he dies without salvation, I would be utterly devastated. I hope and pray my faith would hold strong but, I know it would be wavered. I hope that I would understand that God has a reason, though I may not know it.

I hold strong to these verses for all of my unbelieving family. Whether they are still alive or have passed away:

The Lord God is in your midst; a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.

Zephaniah 3:17
 

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." Luke 19:10

The topic of my dad and brother is so heavy on my heart there will probably be many, many more posts about them.

And, I apologize if this post is rambling. These thoughts were in my head and I had to get them out. If you can glean and learn anything from them, good. If not, that good too. 

As long as God is glorified.

For those who know me, you know that I am a Passion freak. Anything related to Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Christy Nockels, Louis Giglio, Do Something Now, Atlanta, and anyone, or anything else, that is in any small away affiliated to this group, I adore. I was devastated when Chris Tomlin got married last year. I buy all the music (I listen to Passion 2010: Awakening multiple times a day [and that's a slight understatement]. It's the only album I've listened to for the past 3 months). I have all the lyrics to all the songs memorized. I go to the Passion website multiple times daily. I go to the artist's websites constantly hoping they've added a tour date close enough for me to go to. And, when I find out  someone is coming, I get excited. Way too excited.

This became evident earlier this week when I found out that Chris Tomlin, Christy Nockels, and Louis Giglio were going to be 1 hour and 38 minutes from me on March 19th and tickets were only $25. Now, you should know that I work at my school's music library and, I've been on the schedule to work Saturdays for as long as I can remember. And, it just so happens that March 19th is a Saturday, meaning I would have to ask off work. 

"Well", I thought. "That's no problem. March 19th is more than a month away. I'll most definitely be able to get off work!" I immediately told a friend, who is almost as much a Passion freak as me (if that's even possible), and we started making plans. Everything was going along perfectly. 

And, then,  that changed. 

The day after I found out about the concert, my boyfriend mentioned the Winter Jam concert that was coming to Lexington in March. He mentioned how some cousins and friends were going that wanted to hang out with me and it was pretty much going to be an awesome weekend. We'd leave Friday when I got off work and come back Sunday.

March.

I stopped what I was doing and quickly asked what day. March 12th. He continued talking, mentioning how some of his cousins and friends were driving up and wanted to hang out with me and it was going to pretty much an awesome weekend. We'd leave Friday after I get off work and come back Sunday.

As he was talking my heart was sinking farther and farther down. March 12th. 7 days, a week, the Saturday, before the 19th, the day that my all time favorite artist was coming. I obviously couldn't do both. I couldn't, ask off two Saturdays in a row. 

I was at a crossroads. I wasn't particularly interested in the Winter Jam concert. David Crowder was going to be there and obviously I'd want to see him since he is an important part of Passion. But, that was it. Of course, I'd be with my boyfriend. That should been enough. 

But, it wasn't. 

I wrestled with what to do. I talked to several people, all who gave me different answers such as, I should go to the concert I want to go to or, I should do what obviously make my boyfriend happy. I prayed about it.

In the end I realized that, yes, I was making idols out of Chris Tomlin and Louis Giglio, and the whole Passion crew. I had seen them at Passion 2010 and Passion 2011. I had seen Tomlin in concert last summer. But, it's not very often I get to spend a weekend with my boyfriend. The answer to this petty decision should have been obvious but, my own selfish, and idol-making ways got control. All along I knew the answer but, I refused to acknowledge it.

Take time to read this quite lengthy quote from John Piper's book, A Hunger For God:

"The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison but apple pie. It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but endless nibbling at the table of the world. It is not the X-rated video, but the prime-time dribble of triviality we drink in every night. For all the ill that Satan can do, when God describes what keeps us from the banquet table of his love, it is a piece of land, a yoke of oxen, and a wife (Luke 14:18–20). The greatest adversary of love to God is not his enemies but his gifts. And the most deadly appetites are not for the poison of evil, but for the simple pleasures of earth. For when these replace an appetite for God himself, the idolatry is scarcely recognizable, and almost incurable.

Jesus said some people hear the word of God, and a desire for God is awakened in their hearts. But then, “as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life” (Luke 8:14). In another place he said, “The desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mark 4:19). “The pleasures of this life” and “the desires for other things”—these are not evil in themselves. These are not vices. These are gifts of God. They are your basic meat and potatoes and coffee and gardening and reading and decorating and traveling and investing and TV-watching and Internet-surfing and shopping and exercising and collecting and talking. And all of them can become deadly substitutes for God."

These rather eye-opening paragraphs are full of truth. In a way, Chris Tomlin was becoming a substitute for God. Obviously, there is nothing evil about Tomlin. And, mind you, Stephen isn't God but, I knew what God wanted me to do and I didn't do it because of Tomlin.

This whole experience was rather humbling. It brought me closer to the Lord, to Stephen and, farther away from Tomlin. It reminded me that some things of this world may seem to bring us closer to God, but, they can just end up getting in the way.

What sort of things are you turning into idols? It can be anything; anything that distracts you from giving all the glory to God. It could be your books - theology, novels, textbooks. It could be the internet. It could be your favorite speaker such as John  Piper or David Platt. Arguments you're passionate about such as the whole Calvinism/Armenianism debate. 

Take time to think about your idols and how you can overcome them. And, remember: 

Soli Deo gloria. All glory to God. 

God alone deserves all the praise, worship, and adoration we can give Him.

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. ~ Philippians 1:9-11

A Living Sacrifice

"And he sat down opposite  the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on." ~ Mark 12:41-44


I read this with my family this morning during our devotional reading. And, I have to say, it had me confused. Doesn't it seem a tad unreasonable to give ALL that you have? I mean, in the current world we live in, we need at least a small sum in order to live. So, what did Jesus mean? Is he telling us to give away all we have and own and live on the streets? No, but, rather, we need to give enough that it hurts; a sacrifice. 

In Genesis 22, God called Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac. As he was about too, God told Abraham to stop. Likewise, God sacrificed His own Son for our sins. Shouldn't we be willing to sacrifice our stuff? We have so much: ipods, kindles, cell phones, computers, Netflix, etc. If Abraham and God can willingly sacrifice their sons, we should be equally willing to give up these petty items. 


We are called to be living sacrifices. Usually, people think of giving up their lives in order to share the gospel in a third world country. And, though this is one way, it is not the only way we can give our lives for the sake of the cross. We can serve in America, giving our time to church, the homeless, etc. We can give money to organizations in support of sharing the gospel. There are a plethora of opportunities. 


To go back to the parable Jesus told, the woman gave her last pennies. She gave so it hurt. We should follow her example and do the same. 


Radical, by David Platt, is an incredible book focusing on this exact topic. From this book, Platt has begun The Radical Movement, a list of 5 challenges that you can do over the course of a year:

1. To pray for the entire world.
2. To read through the entire Word.
3. To sacrifice your money for a specific purpose.
4. To give your time in another context.
5. To commit your life to a multiplying community.

I have taken this to heart and have begun by adopting a child from Compassion International - $38 a month that I probably would otherwise spend on clothes, eating out, music, and other such petty things.

I encourage you to do the same. By doing so, you will be investing in the kingdom of Christ and changing lives. Both are infinitely better than any material possession. 



"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." ~ Romans 12:1-2