Thinking back to my past used to be painful and embarrassing for me. I was a very different person before I met Christ and as I look back, I'm amazed at how much God has changed me. I'm amazed only because it's something I never could have accomplished on my own, no matter how hard I tried.
Thinking back to my past now isn't as painful for me (although I still shudder at the thought at times) because I can now see a certain joy and blessing through my past and my present - a joy that is only visible because of the works of my creator and saviour.
I really enjoy 2 Corinthians 5:17:
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is made a new creation: The old is gone, the new has come!"
God promises us that after we accept Christ into our life and earn salvation, it is not the end of the road. Instead, he begins to lead us through the process of sanctification - to become more like him every day we live on this earth. I was reading an article and it said that hagiasmos means sanctification in Greek, and it is the same as hagios, which is the Greek word for holy. Therefore, to be sanctified means to be made more holy!
Brothers and sisters, we are all going through this process of sanctification. God is working in all of our hearts so that we may become more like Him! As we continue to pursue Christ, we become more and more like Christ, but this doesn't come without a few aches and pains.
Last night, I was reading "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis, and I came across this wonderful parable (that he got from George MacDonald) of how it is when God is working in him to become more like Christ.
"Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself."
When God works in us, it is not always easy and very often it is painful, but He is building us to become something greater and much more beautiful - He is changing us into the masterpiece he intended for us to be. So I want to encourage you to hold on tightly to the Lord through the aches and the pains you feel as he is working on you. It isn't always easy and it may feel like you have been abandoned, or life is really difficult to handle, but trust in the Lord because he is always working on you. He never stops.
On that note, don't forget to trust in the Lord when you fall and stumble. Our God is a forgiving, merciful and loving God. When you make mistakes - which you most likely will - God is waiting there right beside you to help you back up. As I write this I think of King David, a man who was always after God's own heart, but who made mistakes on several different occasions. It is David's softened heart towards the Lord that really speaks to me. When he is rebuked by Nathan (2 Samuel 12:7) his immediate response is to repent for his sins and then he humbly accepts the discipline of the Lord (2 Samuel 12:20).
I desire for my heart to be as soft towards the Lord just like King David. I desire to have a heart that is soft enough for God to mould with ease so that daily, I become more and more like Him.
I trust that we are always changing for God is always working, and as a body, we really need to work together in encouraging one another. If people hadn't accepted that I was changing, it would have been much more difficult for me to change. I was a certain way for a very long time, and if people hadn't let go of that idea of me, I would have been so discouraged. In the same way, there are people in our lives that we have known for such a long time and because we believe we know them so well, we have a difficult time realizing they are changing and being made new. But we must open our eyes and see how God is working! And encourage our brothers and sisters by taking note of how God is changing them!
It isn't always easy, but I believe we can do this! We can support one another and encourage one another to become more like Christ! So let's continue to walk down this path together. Let's encourage each other to hold on tightly to our Saviour, let's help each other up when we stumble, and let's grow together as one body!
With love,
kjoosaurus.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
To Know You More [11/26/13]
Heavenly Father,
I want to know you more. I want to discover more of you - more of your character - that I may truly mean it when I say "I love you, Lord." I desire to fall deeply in love with you. I desire for you to be on my mind all day long, I wish to seek you in every waking moment and dream of you as I sleep. Reveal to me your character; help me get to know you! Father, show me who you are through scripture, through testimonies, through nature, through all of your creations. Show me, so that I can fall more and more in love with you with every passing day.
In Your name,
Amen.
For the past couple of months, this has been my prayer. I want to know him more and more because as I do, I believe I will fall deeper in love with him and he will continue to surpass the limited human expectations I have placed on him. As I have been praying this prayer, he has truly been revealing himself to me. He has revealed many of his characteristics that I had previously heard of, but had not really known or understood.
Most recently, God revealed more of himself to me through the book of Deuteronomy. Specifically, through chapters 28 and 30 when Moses knows he is soon to be taken by the Lord and he speaks to the Israelites the commandments, blessings and curses. I encourage you to read them now :)
In chapter 28, what God showed me was his wrath against sin. Moses is speaking of what happens when the commands are obeyed and when they are disobeyed. First, the blessings are spoken of in the first 14 verses. But then, the curses are described from verse 15 to verse 68. The heavy emphasis of what happens to those who disobey the Lord stirred up a new fear in me as I sat in my bed reading. The wrath of God follows sin/the sinner everywhere it goes. Wherever you go, whatever you do, whatever you desire. Anything you take pleasure in or find joy in, will be taken away. As I read line after line, there was only one thought in my head: God hates sin. This passage is when the fear of the Lord began to make much more sense to me. But we'll get back to that later.
Now. Jumping to Deuteronomy 30, I found hope, and another characteristic of the Lord! Two chapters ago, Moses had been describing the blessings that will be given to those who obey, and the curses that fall open those who don't. But in chapter 30, he begins to describe what happens to those who return to the Lord!
Deuteronomy 30:1-4
And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse,
which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among
all the nations where the Lord your God has driven you,
and return to the Lord your God, you and your children, and obey
his voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart
and all your soul,
then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you,
and he will gather you again from all the peoples where
the Lord your God has scattered you.
If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven,
from there the Lord your God will gather you, and
from there he will take you.
Our God is a compassionate, forgiving and gracious God! For even those who have gone to the lowest of lows, who have strayed the furthest and who have hid the longest have still not gone low enough, far enough, or long enough to be out of God's reach. If, and when, we choose to return to the Lord, he receives us! He does not reject us and leave us, but accepts us and guides us back to the right path. For in verse 6 it says, "and the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live."
He himself guides us because he desires for us to turn back to him. He desires for us to love him and trust in him! This desire is shown in verse 14 when it says, "But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it." This very verse is later quoted by Paul in Romans 10:8, but in it he weaves in the gift of the new covenant: Jesus Christ. If we believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead, then we are saved! Just as Moses and Paul say, to be saved is not an impossible feat. In fact, God has made it very achievable for us because he loves us. He is such a merciful God.
He revealed so much of himself to me through these passages, and as I continued to research and seek, there was more that he revealed. The next thing he helped me to better understand was what it means to fear the Lord. This fear was explained through a sermon I was listening to that described it in a way that made it much clearer!
I'm going to paint a picture for you, so imagine it with me :)
You have some well-earned vacation time and you've gone on a trip to see Niagara Falls. It's your first time going and you're very, very excited as you have heard so much about it but never had the opportunity to witness the majestic beauty with your own two eyes. As you approach the waterfalls you can hear the water crashing down and you can't wait anymore, so you run to the railing! You stand on that little cement block the railing is built on and you lean slightly over the railing to get a better view of the breathtaking waterfalls. But suddenly, since you were so caught up in the moment, you realize you've leaned a little too far. You feel yourself losing balance and you know you're about to fall in. That's when the thought, "I'm about to die," jumps into your head. (If you've ever had a near-death incident, you know what I'm talking about.) But as soon as the thought crosses your mind, somebody grabs you and brings you back to safety. You grab on to them, but you haven't forgotten the sound of the crashing water, the feel of the cool wind on your face, the distance from the railing to the water. Your legs are still trembling and you still feel the fear from what almost happened even though you know you're safe. You grab onto the person who saved you and you never want to let them go.
This is what fearing the Lord is like. As sinners, we were destined for the wrath of God (remember the anger God has towards sin in Deuteronomy 28) - a life of misery and separation from the creator. But the Lord loves us and because of this love, he gave us the choice to choose life over death by accepting and believing in Jesus Christ. This is a gift that I have taken for granted... One that I want to appreciate more, and that has been another one of my prayers. I pray that God will allow me to realize what he saved me from! I believe that as I begin to see and realize what I was rescued from, I will love the Lord my God more and more.
Day by day, I learn more about the one who rescued me. I'm continuously learning and I'm excited to share with you what I'm learning :) Let's share together as we learn more and more about our creator! Don't be afraid to comment, message me, talk to me in person, or whatever method of communication you prefer.
Thanks for reading!
-kjoosaurus out!
Thursday, September 12, 2013
The Pursuit of Holiness [09/12/2013]
HI!
It's been a long time. A very, very long time. As much as I've wanted to share everything that God has been doing in my life with you all, it's been difficult to find the time to go to school and use the internet since I have decided not to get internet at home and my laptop is currently broken! Wah. But this time away from the internet and all of it's wonderful distractions has been good for me. It has given me so much more time to spend with our Heavenly Father and I have really been enjoying and appreciating the silence that lack of technology gives me. I will write when I have time/feel like it! (Hopefully that isn't too infrequent)
God has been speaking to me daily, and I wish I could share every single day with you all, but unfortunately, my fingers get tired very quickly. So I will just share with you what God has spoken to me today!
Recently, I have been reading through the Old Testament. In the last couple of days, I have been reading through Leviticus. I don't know about you guys, but nearing the end of Exodus, I was already getting tired. With all of the specifics about how to build things, what colours to use, etc. And then Leviticus with all of the specifics on making sacrifices. It was just an overwhelming amount of information that I quite honestly didn't care about.
Just as I was getting super exhausted (and counting down how many more chapters of Leviticus were remaining) I read this beautiful verse. "For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy." (Leviticus 11:45)
These many, many chapters in Leviticus of God speaking to Moses and the Israelites about the specific details of sacrifices finally made sense. Yes, there was a lot. Yes, the details were ridiculously specific. Yes, there are a lot of animals the Israelites were not allowed to eat. But all of these tiny details made me realize one thing. God is holy. So, so holy. And we, as his people and his children, are called to be holy as well!
Holiness appears to be a huge theme in Leviticus. And it carries on to be quoted in the New Testament by Peter who says, "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." (1 Peter 1:14-16) As Christians, we are called to be different from those who don't believe. I'm sure you all realize this, or have heard this at least, but how are we called to be different?
In Ephesians 2:1-2 it says, "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience."
There is the difference.
Those who are unbelievers are the children of disobedience, while we who believe are children of obedience. We are called to be holy just as God is holy. No longer are we the ignorant unbelievers we once were, but now we know. We know we are children of God. Called to be imitators of God. Through him, we have been made new!
It's a lot of pressure. As I think of the many things God has been convicting me of recently, I feel a bit nervous. But God is good and he is faithful. And he says, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2) As we thrive to be holy just as our Father is holy, he is glorified through us! We are children, made in his image.
Later on in Chapter 19 of Leviticus, there is one phrase that is repeated. God says over, and over, and over again, "I am the Lord your God."
He is MY Lord. My God.
He is YOUR Lord. YOUR God.
Isn't that crazy and wonderful? As I read that phrase every time it appeared, it gave me chills. The Lord God has called us as his children, and because he is OUR God, we should be holy just as he is holy. Being holy to the extent that he is holy is impossible, for "there is no one holy like the Lord" (1 Samuel 2:2) but, we are still able to pursue holiness, and we should!
Often I think of how powerful our God is and it amazes me how he loves us and showers us with grace and mercy. Even as I write this, my heart pounds more quickly as I think of how God has chosen us to be his children. Holy, as he is holy. It's not an easy path to take, and we all slip and fall. But God is faithful. God is good. And he is constantly guiding us down this path and lifting us back up every time we hit the ground. He has also given us each other, to encourage one another to continue this pursuit of holiness!
Ah, how good it feels to share and learn with you all once again.
Hopefully, there will be many more times like this!
- kjoosaurus out!
It's been a long time. A very, very long time. As much as I've wanted to share everything that God has been doing in my life with you all, it's been difficult to find the time to go to school and use the internet since I have decided not to get internet at home and my laptop is currently broken! Wah. But this time away from the internet and all of it's wonderful distractions has been good for me. It has given me so much more time to spend with our Heavenly Father and I have really been enjoying and appreciating the silence that lack of technology gives me. I will write when I have time/feel like it! (Hopefully that isn't too infrequent)
God has been speaking to me daily, and I wish I could share every single day with you all, but unfortunately, my fingers get tired very quickly. So I will just share with you what God has spoken to me today!
Recently, I have been reading through the Old Testament. In the last couple of days, I have been reading through Leviticus. I don't know about you guys, but nearing the end of Exodus, I was already getting tired. With all of the specifics about how to build things, what colours to use, etc. And then Leviticus with all of the specifics on making sacrifices. It was just an overwhelming amount of information that I quite honestly didn't care about.
Just as I was getting super exhausted (and counting down how many more chapters of Leviticus were remaining) I read this beautiful verse. "For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy." (Leviticus 11:45)
These many, many chapters in Leviticus of God speaking to Moses and the Israelites about the specific details of sacrifices finally made sense. Yes, there was a lot. Yes, the details were ridiculously specific. Yes, there are a lot of animals the Israelites were not allowed to eat. But all of these tiny details made me realize one thing. God is holy. So, so holy. And we, as his people and his children, are called to be holy as well!
Holiness appears to be a huge theme in Leviticus. And it carries on to be quoted in the New Testament by Peter who says, "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." (1 Peter 1:14-16) As Christians, we are called to be different from those who don't believe. I'm sure you all realize this, or have heard this at least, but how are we called to be different?
In Ephesians 2:1-2 it says, "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience."
There is the difference.
Those who are unbelievers are the children of disobedience, while we who believe are children of obedience. We are called to be holy just as God is holy. No longer are we the ignorant unbelievers we once were, but now we know. We know we are children of God. Called to be imitators of God. Through him, we have been made new!
It's a lot of pressure. As I think of the many things God has been convicting me of recently, I feel a bit nervous. But God is good and he is faithful. And he says, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2) As we thrive to be holy just as our Father is holy, he is glorified through us! We are children, made in his image.
Later on in Chapter 19 of Leviticus, there is one phrase that is repeated. God says over, and over, and over again, "I am the Lord your God."
He is MY Lord. My God.
He is YOUR Lord. YOUR God.
Isn't that crazy and wonderful? As I read that phrase every time it appeared, it gave me chills. The Lord God has called us as his children, and because he is OUR God, we should be holy just as he is holy. Being holy to the extent that he is holy is impossible, for "there is no one holy like the Lord" (1 Samuel 2:2) but, we are still able to pursue holiness, and we should!
Often I think of how powerful our God is and it amazes me how he loves us and showers us with grace and mercy. Even as I write this, my heart pounds more quickly as I think of how God has chosen us to be his children. Holy, as he is holy. It's not an easy path to take, and we all slip and fall. But God is faithful. God is good. And he is constantly guiding us down this path and lifting us back up every time we hit the ground. He has also given us each other, to encourage one another to continue this pursuit of holiness!
Ah, how good it feels to share and learn with you all once again.
Hopefully, there will be many more times like this!
- kjoosaurus out!
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Where is the center of your life? [06/16/13]
Dear friends,
I hope you have all been well! And happy Father's day to all the wonderful fathers out there! I'm a little sad to be separated from my own father on this special day, but thank the Lord for technology! I could talk to him on the phone all day if I wanted! (More like if he wanted... which he doesn't.) But that is okay! I hope you all have an amazing day today filled with very special time with your families :)
Today, I would like to share with you a couple of verses that have been speaking to me in the past couple of days. You see, I'm preparing to go to Haiti in August and as we train together as a team, we are supposed to memorize a whole pile of bible verses, which is an excellent idea, but I have a very unfortunate memory. I've memorized next to nothing and no matter how hard I try, it just won't stick! But they've still been speaking to me. :)
Romans 12:1
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your act of spiritual worship."
Galatians 2:20
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
The life I had previously lived had been a Kristen-centered life. What was the purpose of my life? Earn money, buy a car, buy a house, buy clothes, buy food, be popular, be funny, be "loved," be famous, be fit... and the list goes on and on. These are the only things I wanted in life and I worked hard for them. I earned a lot of money in high school and I was able to buy many different objects, but I got bored of every single one of them. I also had many friends in high school, but I was never satisfied. I wanted more. I wanted them to love me the MOST. I wanted to be everybody's best friend.
I was, and still am, very sinful. My heart was so full of sin and pride... But at the time, I didn't realize the extent of it. Even now, I am still realizing every day exactly how sinful I really am, and it makes me all the more thankful for the mercy God poured out onto us. Have you ever thought about it? Have you ever realized how merciful our God truly is?
In Romans, Paul is urging us, but not telling us, to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to God. He is exhorting us to offer our lives to God. I was reading a commentary on this verse and it was explaining how the greek word for spiritual is logikos. But derived from logikos is also the English word logical - which is normally associated with the mind. The definition is a little confusing, but it makes sense when you put it into context. When it says "this is your spiritual act of worship," it makes sense for the word logikos to be inserted there. For it should be logical that since God has shown us mercy, we would offer our bodies as living sacrifices to him! He has freed us from our old masters... So now that we are free, why would we continue to serve our old masters?
Just as Galatians says, we have been given this new life to live where Christ lives in us! We are now in union with Christ - both actively and passively. Further on in Galatians (5:13-6:10), it speaks of both walking in the Spirit and being led by the Spirit. It is not only one or only the other, but it is both. Christ now lives in us, but we now also live by faith in the Son of God!
Amen to that! We have been freed from our old masters and are now able to serve our merciful God with our lives. We are able to walk in the Spirit and be led by the Spirit! I am truly so grateful that God has allowed my eyes to be opened to his great works. Every single time I heard the truth of how a God sent his one and only son to die on a cross for an undeserving human... I feel nothing but overwhelming thankfulness in my heart and the desire to give everything I am to my creator. How blessed are we, dear friends, to be able to serve such a wonderful God. I don't want to sit around and live for myself anymore!
Brothers and sisters, may we learn to love like our creator! May we learn to die to ourselves every single day and live for God! May we learn to love one another selflessly!
Much love. :)
-kjoosaurus out!
I hope you have all been well! And happy Father's day to all the wonderful fathers out there! I'm a little sad to be separated from my own father on this special day, but thank the Lord for technology! I could talk to him on the phone all day if I wanted! (More like if he wanted... which he doesn't.) But that is okay! I hope you all have an amazing day today filled with very special time with your families :)
Today, I would like to share with you a couple of verses that have been speaking to me in the past couple of days. You see, I'm preparing to go to Haiti in August and as we train together as a team, we are supposed to memorize a whole pile of bible verses, which is an excellent idea, but I have a very unfortunate memory. I've memorized next to nothing and no matter how hard I try, it just won't stick! But they've still been speaking to me. :)
Romans 12:1
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your act of spiritual worship."
Galatians 2:20
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
The life I had previously lived had been a Kristen-centered life. What was the purpose of my life? Earn money, buy a car, buy a house, buy clothes, buy food, be popular, be funny, be "loved," be famous, be fit... and the list goes on and on. These are the only things I wanted in life and I worked hard for them. I earned a lot of money in high school and I was able to buy many different objects, but I got bored of every single one of them. I also had many friends in high school, but I was never satisfied. I wanted more. I wanted them to love me the MOST. I wanted to be everybody's best friend.
I was, and still am, very sinful. My heart was so full of sin and pride... But at the time, I didn't realize the extent of it. Even now, I am still realizing every day exactly how sinful I really am, and it makes me all the more thankful for the mercy God poured out onto us. Have you ever thought about it? Have you ever realized how merciful our God truly is?
In Romans, Paul is urging us, but not telling us, to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to God. He is exhorting us to offer our lives to God. I was reading a commentary on this verse and it was explaining how the greek word for spiritual is logikos. But derived from logikos is also the English word logical - which is normally associated with the mind. The definition is a little confusing, but it makes sense when you put it into context. When it says "this is your spiritual act of worship," it makes sense for the word logikos to be inserted there. For it should be logical that since God has shown us mercy, we would offer our bodies as living sacrifices to him! He has freed us from our old masters... So now that we are free, why would we continue to serve our old masters?
Just as Galatians says, we have been given this new life to live where Christ lives in us! We are now in union with Christ - both actively and passively. Further on in Galatians (5:13-6:10), it speaks of both walking in the Spirit and being led by the Spirit. It is not only one or only the other, but it is both. Christ now lives in us, but we now also live by faith in the Son of God!
Amen to that! We have been freed from our old masters and are now able to serve our merciful God with our lives. We are able to walk in the Spirit and be led by the Spirit! I am truly so grateful that God has allowed my eyes to be opened to his great works. Every single time I heard the truth of how a God sent his one and only son to die on a cross for an undeserving human... I feel nothing but overwhelming thankfulness in my heart and the desire to give everything I am to my creator. How blessed are we, dear friends, to be able to serve such a wonderful God. I don't want to sit around and live for myself anymore!
Brothers and sisters, may we learn to love like our creator! May we learn to die to ourselves every single day and live for God! May we learn to love one another selflessly!
Much love. :)
-kjoosaurus out!
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Memory of a goldfish [6/4/13]
Hi everybody! :)
There has been a question in my mind for a few weeks now... And I really can't figure out the answer to this question!
Is it summer yet?
The weather has been up and down and all around and it seems as though I can no longer pinpoint what season it is. How confusing! But you know what's cool? Although our walk with God seems to be hectic at times, and there are periods of time when God feels more absent than others, he is always constant and he is always there. No matter what!
In the past week and a bit that I haven't posted anything, a lot has happened and God has, as usual, been working and revealing new and old things to me! I no longer label my faith as a roller coaster ride, because thankfully, my faith has become more constant. The only roller coaster ride in my faith is how struggles come and go! But I try to welcome these struggles as I am able to participate in the sufferings of Christ and will be overjoyed when his glory is revealed! (1 Peter 4:13) The past couple of weeks have been a test of welcoming new struggles as they have been marked with different struggles where I was tempted let go of my trust in God and tried to deal with the problem myself.
I love, love, love it when I am able to see what God has been doing my life. I love it when he reveals his plans to me and shows me what he has been teaching me and how he has been doing it!
Today, I was spending some much needed time reading the word of God when I was lead to read Exodus 14-17. This specific part of Exodus is where the Israelites cross the Red Sea, and rejoice, then seem to forget what God has done for them when they complain for food and water. In Exodus 14:31 it says, "And when the Israelites saw the great power the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant."
If I were them, I would be exactly the same! What other man or god could split the Red Sea in half and allow us to pass through with safety!? What else is capable of doing this impossible task? From my knowledge, the answer is nobody. There is no one else capable of such amazing works! None but our God!
As I continued to read Exodus, I read Exodus 17:7 where it says, "And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarrelled and because they tested the Lord saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?" The meaning of Massah is testing and the meaning of Meribah is quarrelling and in my opinion, is that not slightly embarrassing for the Israelites that their lack of trust in God was so significant that they actually named the place after their doubt?
From fear to testing - what a distinct contrast between Exodus 14 and Exodus 17! When I read this, I actually started chuckling a little bit. How inconsistent and foolish humans are. We say we fear the Lord one moment, and the next moment we test him? You would think that once you walked through a parted sea, you would always fear God and trust in him and his provision. But nope! We always end up doubting him and sometimes forgetting the amazing things he has done for us!
As I read Exodus, God was gently telling me that I am no different from the Israelites. I as well have seen God do amazing things in my life, only to forget the next week and go back to my foolish ways of doubt. And I think this is the case for many people! If this is you, then you are not alone! We are often called to trust in God, in his provision and trust that his plan will be unraveled in his time, but we still end up worrying about whatever situation is causing us to struggle and we try to put things in our own control.
So brothers and sisters, I want to encourage each and every one of you to remind yourselves of who our God is - how powerful, wonderful and caring he is. We should also encourage one another in these times (and all other times)! As I have had several different struggles entering my life recently, I was blessed to have brothers and sisters that continued to remind me to just trust in the Lord - be constant in prayer and thanksgiving to the Lord for what he does in my life. Praise the Lord!
May we trust in the Lord always! :)
- kjoosaurus out!
Friday, May 24, 2013
Always and Forever [5/24/13]
Hello hello hello!
So lately, I have been falling deeper and deeper in love with my beautiful saviour and wonderful creator. It's so nice to be able to spend time with him daily, rejoicing and thanking him for how he has blessed me! When I was still in Sunday School, I can remember thinking "how is it possible that people talk about God all the time? Aren't we going to run out of things to talk about? We talk about him every week... I DON'T UNDERSTAND."
What a silly little girl I was! As I dive into the word, I'm not only discovering more about God, but also discovering how little I know about God. It's a chain reaction. When one question is answered, two more pop up! As I've been seeking him more, one of God's many characteristics has been sticking out to me and challenging me in new ways.
Psalm 16:8
I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Matthew 28:20
...And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Deuteronomy 31:8
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
These verses are only the tiniest examples of God's persistence and consistence in our lives! I'm sure all of you have experienced similar ups and downs in your faith and lives to my own. We have our good days and our bad days, we have our struggles and our joys, our trials and tribulations. But we have a God who always remains the same! There's no such thing as a bad day for him. He doesn't go through the same roller coaster rides that we go through - he is constant in our lives and persistently showing us his beauty and love no matter how hard we try to push it away.
This brings me great comfort knowing how reliable, dependable and consistent our father is! When everything in this world falls away, we will still have our father - he does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17)
When I see verses that say "surely I am with you always" and "he will never leave you or forsake you" it reminds me of multiple choice questions on exam. Before you get super confused, question how God reminds me of a multiple choice question and then call me crazy, hear me out.
In the beginning of first year, I went to the Academic Success Center to get some advice because I was absolutely terrible at multiple choice questions (I mean seriously, who tells you to pick the better answer of two right answers?!) Anyways, one piece of advice they gave me was to try avoiding answers that contain the words "always" or "never" because nothing is consistent enough to be always or never.
What great advice! It's so very true! Things in this world will not go on forever and ever. Things on this earth are simply temporary and will one day cease to exist, but God is the one constant in all of our lives! Always loving and guiding us as we journey through this world. This love and persistence he has shown us has brought up a desire in my heart to be just like him in this way! Persistently loving my fellow brothers and sisters in all situations and at all times! I know there will always be people in this world we struggle with - people who manage to push all the right buttons at all the right times. I have people in my life who seem to just cause so much trouble for themselves and then complain about it endlessly - asking me for love and attention that I eventually become reluctant to give. It's easy to stop paying attention to these people and spending the time we used to because we don't want to hear about how they made the exact same mistake as the last ten mistakes.
Yet this is one of the many ways our father loves us. We are constantly making the exact same mistakes over and over again! We try to learn from our mistakes but we so often end up making the same ones. But thankfully, God is persistent and patient with us. He loves us and is there for us despite the situation and I hope to love my fellow brothers and sisters just as he loves me. How eternally grateful I am to my saviour! I am grateful for him loving me despite all of my silly mistakes and mountains of complaints! I hope to imitate my wonderful maker and learn to love even those who push those buttons! Join me in this journey of learning to love as God first loved us :)
"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
- Ephesians 5:1
- kjoosaurus out!
So lately, I have been falling deeper and deeper in love with my beautiful saviour and wonderful creator. It's so nice to be able to spend time with him daily, rejoicing and thanking him for how he has blessed me! When I was still in Sunday School, I can remember thinking "how is it possible that people talk about God all the time? Aren't we going to run out of things to talk about? We talk about him every week... I DON'T UNDERSTAND."
What a silly little girl I was! As I dive into the word, I'm not only discovering more about God, but also discovering how little I know about God. It's a chain reaction. When one question is answered, two more pop up! As I've been seeking him more, one of God's many characteristics has been sticking out to me and challenging me in new ways.
Psalm 16:8
I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Matthew 28:20
...And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Deuteronomy 31:8
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
These verses are only the tiniest examples of God's persistence and consistence in our lives! I'm sure all of you have experienced similar ups and downs in your faith and lives to my own. We have our good days and our bad days, we have our struggles and our joys, our trials and tribulations. But we have a God who always remains the same! There's no such thing as a bad day for him. He doesn't go through the same roller coaster rides that we go through - he is constant in our lives and persistently showing us his beauty and love no matter how hard we try to push it away.
This brings me great comfort knowing how reliable, dependable and consistent our father is! When everything in this world falls away, we will still have our father - he does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17)
When I see verses that say "surely I am with you always" and "he will never leave you or forsake you" it reminds me of multiple choice questions on exam. Before you get super confused, question how God reminds me of a multiple choice question and then call me crazy, hear me out.
In the beginning of first year, I went to the Academic Success Center to get some advice because I was absolutely terrible at multiple choice questions (I mean seriously, who tells you to pick the better answer of two right answers?!) Anyways, one piece of advice they gave me was to try avoiding answers that contain the words "always" or "never" because nothing is consistent enough to be always or never.
What great advice! It's so very true! Things in this world will not go on forever and ever. Things on this earth are simply temporary and will one day cease to exist, but God is the one constant in all of our lives! Always loving and guiding us as we journey through this world. This love and persistence he has shown us has brought up a desire in my heart to be just like him in this way! Persistently loving my fellow brothers and sisters in all situations and at all times! I know there will always be people in this world we struggle with - people who manage to push all the right buttons at all the right times. I have people in my life who seem to just cause so much trouble for themselves and then complain about it endlessly - asking me for love and attention that I eventually become reluctant to give. It's easy to stop paying attention to these people and spending the time we used to because we don't want to hear about how they made the exact same mistake as the last ten mistakes.
Yet this is one of the many ways our father loves us. We are constantly making the exact same mistakes over and over again! We try to learn from our mistakes but we so often end up making the same ones. But thankfully, God is persistent and patient with us. He loves us and is there for us despite the situation and I hope to love my fellow brothers and sisters just as he loves me. How eternally grateful I am to my saviour! I am grateful for him loving me despite all of my silly mistakes and mountains of complaints! I hope to imitate my wonderful maker and learn to love even those who push those buttons! Join me in this journey of learning to love as God first loved us :)
"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
- Ephesians 5:1
- kjoosaurus out!
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
The Lord is my shepherd [05/22/13]
Hello to my wonderful friends :)
I've received many encouraging words about this blog, and I want to thank you for the kind words you've spoken! I've found that I'm rather unskilled at expressing my gratitude to people, but in reality, I am actually extremely grateful! I really do thank God for using you to encourage and challenge me. I'm better at expressing myself through writing so FEEL MY LOVE AND THANKS! :D
I love the way God works. He is so detail-oriented, meticulous, mysterious and exciting! The way he plans things in his perfect timing is amazing and mind-blowing every time he reveals part of his plan to me.
Yesterday, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed... The very wrong side. You know those mornings when you just feel groggy and disoriented? That was my Tuesday morning. When I wake up like that, I dread the day ahead because I'm grumpy and lazy and sensitive and just a bunch of not so very good things. So there went wrong side of the bed Kristen, walking very slowly to meet her friend at Starbucks and secretly, but not so secretly, wishing she could stay in bed forever.
As I waited, I said to God, "Please give me the energy to get through the day. Please give me the motivation to stay out and not cancel all of my plans and go home to my really warm and cozy bed."
You know what's cool? When you can SEE God answering your prayers! God is very true to his words.
1 John 5:14
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.
Once I met up with my friend, we started talking about our faith. She's a brand new Christian friend I met in my Spanish class. She told me her testimony, about her life in Rwanda, about her many struggles with her family, about betrayals from the past and she just listed so many things she had gone through that I could never even imagine going through. Then, as she began to tell me about how Christ had saved her, I saw such pure and genuine love for God in her expressions and I could hear the thankfulness in her voice. I was so encouraged by her! Her ability to remain optimistic and hopeful in Christ when everybody else had hurt her and deserted her.
My day didn't end there either! Later on, I was walking along Mackenzie King bridge, and I made eye contact with the most beautiful pair of blue eyes I have seen. I've seen many beautiful blue eyes, but this pair was especially captivating. These eyes belonged to a homeless man sitting on the side, asking for spare change. Normally, I just say "sorry, I don't have any change" (which I don't) and then proceed with my day, but I just had to stop and talk to him. He told me about his day, about the "newbie" panhandlers, about how this was his spot and how he had to kick people out of his spot sometimes. It was a simple conversation, but he was just filled with so much joy and happiness! I had to run to catch my bus, but as I was leaving, he gave me an excellent handshake accompanied with an enormous smile and said, "My name is Frankie. It was really nice to meet you."
God really provides us with everything we need. Sometimes, I laugh at myself because I worry about the silliest things like having to deal with people in my disoriented state of mind. I laugh because I know I have an all-powerful God who is constantly providing for me and loving me, yet I still worry.
In John 14:27, Jesus says:
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
What Jesus has to offer us is beyond anything the world tries to offer us. Thanks to Jesus, we can live every single day with joy and peace in our hearts. What the world hands us is temporary and short-lived, but what Christ has offered to us is beyond all else and I'm grateful for this truth in my life! I'm grateful for the way God leads me to people who will encourage me and brighten up my day - constantly showing me his goodness and captivating love.
This is not at all what I was planning on writing about, but that's okay because I was still able to share God's goodness in my life! :)
I want to end this post with Psalm 23.
This was my grandmother's favourite Psalm. It has always meant a lot to me, but as I saw her rejoice in the truth of these words in her passing days, it has found an extra special place in my heart. I'm working on memorizing it and I encourage you to join me! It will probably take me a while since my memory isn't my forte, so don't worry if your memory is bad too! :)
I've received many encouraging words about this blog, and I want to thank you for the kind words you've spoken! I've found that I'm rather unskilled at expressing my gratitude to people, but in reality, I am actually extremely grateful! I really do thank God for using you to encourage and challenge me. I'm better at expressing myself through writing so FEEL MY LOVE AND THANKS! :D
I love the way God works. He is so detail-oriented, meticulous, mysterious and exciting! The way he plans things in his perfect timing is amazing and mind-blowing every time he reveals part of his plan to me.
Yesterday, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed... The very wrong side. You know those mornings when you just feel groggy and disoriented? That was my Tuesday morning. When I wake up like that, I dread the day ahead because I'm grumpy and lazy and sensitive and just a bunch of not so very good things. So there went wrong side of the bed Kristen, walking very slowly to meet her friend at Starbucks and secretly, but not so secretly, wishing she could stay in bed forever.
As I waited, I said to God, "Please give me the energy to get through the day. Please give me the motivation to stay out and not cancel all of my plans and go home to my really warm and cozy bed."
You know what's cool? When you can SEE God answering your prayers! God is very true to his words.
1 John 5:14
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.
Once I met up with my friend, we started talking about our faith. She's a brand new Christian friend I met in my Spanish class. She told me her testimony, about her life in Rwanda, about her many struggles with her family, about betrayals from the past and she just listed so many things she had gone through that I could never even imagine going through. Then, as she began to tell me about how Christ had saved her, I saw such pure and genuine love for God in her expressions and I could hear the thankfulness in her voice. I was so encouraged by her! Her ability to remain optimistic and hopeful in Christ when everybody else had hurt her and deserted her.
My day didn't end there either! Later on, I was walking along Mackenzie King bridge, and I made eye contact with the most beautiful pair of blue eyes I have seen. I've seen many beautiful blue eyes, but this pair was especially captivating. These eyes belonged to a homeless man sitting on the side, asking for spare change. Normally, I just say "sorry, I don't have any change" (which I don't) and then proceed with my day, but I just had to stop and talk to him. He told me about his day, about the "newbie" panhandlers, about how this was his spot and how he had to kick people out of his spot sometimes. It was a simple conversation, but he was just filled with so much joy and happiness! I had to run to catch my bus, but as I was leaving, he gave me an excellent handshake accompanied with an enormous smile and said, "My name is Frankie. It was really nice to meet you."
God really provides us with everything we need. Sometimes, I laugh at myself because I worry about the silliest things like having to deal with people in my disoriented state of mind. I laugh because I know I have an all-powerful God who is constantly providing for me and loving me, yet I still worry.
In John 14:27, Jesus says:
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
What Jesus has to offer us is beyond anything the world tries to offer us. Thanks to Jesus, we can live every single day with joy and peace in our hearts. What the world hands us is temporary and short-lived, but what Christ has offered to us is beyond all else and I'm grateful for this truth in my life! I'm grateful for the way God leads me to people who will encourage me and brighten up my day - constantly showing me his goodness and captivating love.
This is not at all what I was planning on writing about, but that's okay because I was still able to share God's goodness in my life! :)
I want to end this post with Psalm 23.
This was my grandmother's favourite Psalm. It has always meant a lot to me, but as I saw her rejoice in the truth of these words in her passing days, it has found an extra special place in my heart. I'm working on memorizing it and I encourage you to join me! It will probably take me a while since my memory isn't my forte, so don't worry if your memory is bad too! :)
"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green
pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall
follow me
all the days of my life
and I shall dwell in the house of the
Lord
forever."
Monday, May 20, 2013
We are family! [05/19/13]
Hi there!
God is great! Amen? AMEN.
In recent days, God's glory has been revealing itself more and more in my life. The more I search for him, desire him, and seek him, the more I find him in all of the different areas of my life. What I'm about to say is a little bit cheesy, but I don't care so I'm going to say it anyways. :)
Lately, God has been showing me to appreciate the tiniest of things. He's been opening my eyes to the beauty of his creations as I walk around the city I live in. He's been showing me the simple beauty of the flowers, the way the clouds drift across the blue sky, the way the rain feels as it hits my skin. The fact that I can MOVE. That I have two legs to walk on. Two hands. Yeah, it's kind of cheesy, but I'm so grateful to be able to appreciate every bit of what my heavenly father has created for me to enjoy. I take many things in life for granted and rarely spend time to just stop and thank God for the breath I am breathing.
Why am I sharing this simple detail of my life with you? I'm sharing it because I have recently come to realize a desire that has been stirring in my heart. A desire to share the blessings from God with my brothers and sisters in Christ! Of course, I already do share a bit of my life with certain people, but God is doing so much more in my life than I share with others.
The bible talks a lot about sharing with others and encouraging one another.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
I believe that through our daily testimonies, we are called to encourage one another and build each other up! God is constantly moving in our lives and wouldn't it be wonderful if we were constantly sharing his workings with each other? When we go to hang out with our friends, it's always a good time. We laugh, we talk about funny things, we tell stories and talk about current events, but I also think it would be wonderful to spend more time talking about our creator and how he is moving in our lives!
I was talking to a beloved friend the other day, and she said, "I don't think my testimony is one that is very encouraging."
The more I thought about it, the more I wondered about people who think their testimony isn't spectacular. Maybe it isn't the kind of testimony where the dead come back to life, and all the sick are healed, but it's still God moving, shaping and leading a person into a beautiful relationship with Christ! It's still a person coming to believe that Christ is their Lord and saviour - king of all kings. And that, is what I think is wonderful about every testimony.
I know there are people who think they don't have too much to say, and what Christ is doing in their life isn't really worth sharing about all the time, but I have to disagree with this way of thinking. I want to encourage more people to share with one another. I realized this is why God brought me to start writing this blog! (Yes, it took me over a year to discover the true purpose - I'm a little slower than average.) There are days when I would write, and I thought I was writing about silly things that nobody cared about but every word reflected on the different effects God has had in my daily life and although they may be small and simple, they are worth sharing with the world because everything God does is part of a greater purpose.
In today's sermon, PG talked about how we should be open about the love we have for our saviour! Why do we allow ourselves to be ashamed or quiet about our love? Shouldn't we be intentional in the ways we express our love for Christ? When I really love a person, I really can't stop talking about them. I can go on and on and on about a person that I really love, because I feel so close and comfortable with them. This should transfer to my relationship with Christ! And it's what I now aim to do! He is always up to something! God doesn't just sit there and twiddle his thumbs around waiting for something to happen. He is working and moving and watching us! In every moment! So yes, maybe there are days when it feels like not much has happened, but the more we look, the more we will find!
So, let's share with one another! Share with your brothers and sisters. When you find joy in a situation, tell somebody! It's wonderful to share our burdens, but let's also share our joy and rejoice in the joyful moments we all experience! Let us build each other up and encourage each other on a daily basis :)
Anyways, that is all for today! I hope to share my daily joys and struggles with you!
-kjoosaurus out!
God is great! Amen? AMEN.
In recent days, God's glory has been revealing itself more and more in my life. The more I search for him, desire him, and seek him, the more I find him in all of the different areas of my life. What I'm about to say is a little bit cheesy, but I don't care so I'm going to say it anyways. :)
Lately, God has been showing me to appreciate the tiniest of things. He's been opening my eyes to the beauty of his creations as I walk around the city I live in. He's been showing me the simple beauty of the flowers, the way the clouds drift across the blue sky, the way the rain feels as it hits my skin. The fact that I can MOVE. That I have two legs to walk on. Two hands. Yeah, it's kind of cheesy, but I'm so grateful to be able to appreciate every bit of what my heavenly father has created for me to enjoy. I take many things in life for granted and rarely spend time to just stop and thank God for the breath I am breathing.
Why am I sharing this simple detail of my life with you? I'm sharing it because I have recently come to realize a desire that has been stirring in my heart. A desire to share the blessings from God with my brothers and sisters in Christ! Of course, I already do share a bit of my life with certain people, but God is doing so much more in my life than I share with others.
The bible talks a lot about sharing with others and encouraging one another.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
I believe that through our daily testimonies, we are called to encourage one another and build each other up! God is constantly moving in our lives and wouldn't it be wonderful if we were constantly sharing his workings with each other? When we go to hang out with our friends, it's always a good time. We laugh, we talk about funny things, we tell stories and talk about current events, but I also think it would be wonderful to spend more time talking about our creator and how he is moving in our lives!
I was talking to a beloved friend the other day, and she said, "I don't think my testimony is one that is very encouraging."
The more I thought about it, the more I wondered about people who think their testimony isn't spectacular. Maybe it isn't the kind of testimony where the dead come back to life, and all the sick are healed, but it's still God moving, shaping and leading a person into a beautiful relationship with Christ! It's still a person coming to believe that Christ is their Lord and saviour - king of all kings. And that, is what I think is wonderful about every testimony.
I know there are people who think they don't have too much to say, and what Christ is doing in their life isn't really worth sharing about all the time, but I have to disagree with this way of thinking. I want to encourage more people to share with one another. I realized this is why God brought me to start writing this blog! (Yes, it took me over a year to discover the true purpose - I'm a little slower than average.) There are days when I would write, and I thought I was writing about silly things that nobody cared about but every word reflected on the different effects God has had in my daily life and although they may be small and simple, they are worth sharing with the world because everything God does is part of a greater purpose.
In today's sermon, PG talked about how we should be open about the love we have for our saviour! Why do we allow ourselves to be ashamed or quiet about our love? Shouldn't we be intentional in the ways we express our love for Christ? When I really love a person, I really can't stop talking about them. I can go on and on and on about a person that I really love, because I feel so close and comfortable with them. This should transfer to my relationship with Christ! And it's what I now aim to do! He is always up to something! God doesn't just sit there and twiddle his thumbs around waiting for something to happen. He is working and moving and watching us! In every moment! So yes, maybe there are days when it feels like not much has happened, but the more we look, the more we will find!
So, let's share with one another! Share with your brothers and sisters. When you find joy in a situation, tell somebody! It's wonderful to share our burdens, but let's also share our joy and rejoice in the joyful moments we all experience! Let us build each other up and encourage each other on a daily basis :)
Anyways, that is all for today! I hope to share my daily joys and struggles with you!
-kjoosaurus out!
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Where are we going now? [04/06/13]
Hello brothers and sisters!
My, oh my it has been a long time, hasn't it? It's been about a couple of months since the last time I was able to write anything, but I can assure you that the time was well spent doing things of worth rather than spending my time being unproductive.
Quick summary of our time apart:
- I actually a lot study now (I know, I'm surprised too)
- God has been working on my character! In ways I see, yet still do not fully understand.
- I am temporarily employed! (Temporary because I'm still looking for a job with better hours)
This summary doesn't really cover all the bases of what has been going on in the past while - I've been meaning to blog as I was always inspired by the works of God seen in my life, but for some reason, the opportunity was never taken.
I wish I could tell you about everything that has been happening in my life, but I would be writing forever and ever. I'll try my best to organize my thoughts in a way that is clear, concise and understandable. Okay, here we go!
The past 60 days were filled with disappointment, struggles, joy, love and a lot of eye opening. I've never been a deep thinker. Life to me is black and white. It's filled with lines where the in-between is illegible to me. When I'm forced to think too deeply and it gets hard, I easily give up. But God has been changing this in my once simple life.
Simply put, I have learned a bit more of three things:
1. Satan's lies
2. My true character
3. God's character
Satan's lies... They surround us in this world as it is a world where Satan is deemed as King: he promises comfort, satisfaction and pleasure. If we are to succumb to the pressures of this world, then we will be forever happy as we drown in endless amounts of money, food, gadgets and fun. He plays with the fleshly desires that we as humans are faulted with. He lies to us and tells us one of two things: God is bad or sin is better.
His lies, they are so simple - why do we fall for them over and over again?
We are sheep. We are lost without our shepherd who will love us and find us when we are lost, but praise the Lord for we are able to recognize his voice and learn to stop being deceived by the multitude of voices that claim to lead the way for us. In John 10, Christ explains so well how his sheep will recognize his voice and follow him through the gate. He paints an image of protection as he describes to what extent he will go just to protect his sheep. I want to be the sheep that is able to recognize the voice of the shepherd - the sheep who will diligently be lead by the shepherd.
As I became more aware of the lies Satan has been deceiving me with, God also guided me in becoming more aware of my true character. As I learn more about the different lies I have believed, I've realized how much the Lord has done in my life and also how much further I have to go!
I've been cowardly in my way of living. All my life, I have never been able to hold my ground when it came to any opinions I held. In arguments, I would always give in. Even in essays I wrote, I would always receive the same comments: Your arguments are valid, but you need to stick firmly to your opinion.
I was recently listening to a sermon when I came across this phrase: Nail one's colors to the mast.
I didn't understand at all what this meant, so I looked it up on the ever so useful Google and found a definition that convicted me of how I have lived my life so far.
In the 17th century, flags were lowered as a mark of submission. It is believed the phrase "nail one's colors to the mast" came from a battle where the English fleet was at the point where the main ship had been brought down and to the rest of the fleet, it may have appeared to be defeat, but the admiral climbed to what was left of the mast and nailed the flag at the top where it was visible to the rest of the fleet. This act of perseverance resulted in the English fleet being victorious.
To be able to stand so firmly in a seemingly lost battle. That is what it means to nail one's colors to the mast.
I am not a persistent person by nature, but with God, all things are possible. He gives us the strength to persist in battles that are lost. When people aren't responding to the gospel that is preached, when trials and tribulations are the persistent ones in the picture, when it seems as if you are alone in a dark world. That is when it is crucial to nail your colors to the mast. For God will be VICTORIOUS.
This finally leads us to God's character. He's such a mysterious God who works in such mysterious ways. The God of all gods, King of all kings, Lord of all lords. We so often hear people preach about the beautiful and wonderful things he has done in our lives. "God loves you so much. God wants you so much. God is love." These things are so true! The bible even says that "God is love." (1 John 4:8) I was raised on this teaching. I was raised to believe that God is a warm, loving, fuzzy wuzzy God who just wants me to lean on him when I'm having a hard time. But, I never took the time to think about the full character of God.
Yes, he is a God who loves us oh so dearly, and a God we must love! But, he is also a God we must fear. This is what I have only recently been applying to my life. A God whom I must fear. How often do I think about how powerful God is? The answer is, rarely. I often forget that this is the God who simply spoke the universe into existence. SPOKE. THE WORLD. INTO EXISTENCE. Astronomers estimate the universe to consist of over 100 billion galaxies and our God spoke it into existence. I can't even think of anything or anybody to compare that to. That is how powerful our God is.
My life was spent believing in a God of love, but this was not truly God I was believing in. Our God is a God we must love, and fear. In a sermon, I heard somebody talking about how we are not truly believing in God if we live a life thinking God is just a God of love, or if God is just a God we fear. He is both things. An all-powerful, all-knowledgeable, loving, caring God. Capable of all things - creating the universe, speaking every detail of our lives into existence. Now that, is my God.
I'm still in a learning process. This is just the beginning, but praise God for bringing me to where I am now. Praise God for revealing himself in our lives.
As I see my brothers and sisters in Christ growing together, I am challenged and convicted. I thank God so much for bringing them into my life as they help me become more thirsty for God. At times, I am tempted to run away from this life. I've been tempted to throw it all down and make a run for it because in a worldly sense, being a Christian really isn't easy, but Christ has shown me how worth it all is. He understands me and allows me to rejoice in these struggles. He lets me follow him, he feeds me when I'm hungry and gives me water when I'm thirsty.
I hope I can spend more time sharing with you the mysterious workings of God in my life, and I hope we can grow together as we learn to love, rejoice and serve.
Rabbi yhebbik. (God loves you)
- kjoosaurus out!
My, oh my it has been a long time, hasn't it? It's been about a couple of months since the last time I was able to write anything, but I can assure you that the time was well spent doing things of worth rather than spending my time being unproductive.
Quick summary of our time apart:
- I actually a lot study now (I know, I'm surprised too)
- God has been working on my character! In ways I see, yet still do not fully understand.
- I am temporarily employed! (Temporary because I'm still looking for a job with better hours)
This summary doesn't really cover all the bases of what has been going on in the past while - I've been meaning to blog as I was always inspired by the works of God seen in my life, but for some reason, the opportunity was never taken.
I wish I could tell you about everything that has been happening in my life, but I would be writing forever and ever. I'll try my best to organize my thoughts in a way that is clear, concise and understandable. Okay, here we go!
The past 60 days were filled with disappointment, struggles, joy, love and a lot of eye opening. I've never been a deep thinker. Life to me is black and white. It's filled with lines where the in-between is illegible to me. When I'm forced to think too deeply and it gets hard, I easily give up. But God has been changing this in my once simple life.
Simply put, I have learned a bit more of three things:
1. Satan's lies
2. My true character
3. God's character
Satan's lies... They surround us in this world as it is a world where Satan is deemed as King: he promises comfort, satisfaction and pleasure. If we are to succumb to the pressures of this world, then we will be forever happy as we drown in endless amounts of money, food, gadgets and fun. He plays with the fleshly desires that we as humans are faulted with. He lies to us and tells us one of two things: God is bad or sin is better.
His lies, they are so simple - why do we fall for them over and over again?
We are sheep. We are lost without our shepherd who will love us and find us when we are lost, but praise the Lord for we are able to recognize his voice and learn to stop being deceived by the multitude of voices that claim to lead the way for us. In John 10, Christ explains so well how his sheep will recognize his voice and follow him through the gate. He paints an image of protection as he describes to what extent he will go just to protect his sheep. I want to be the sheep that is able to recognize the voice of the shepherd - the sheep who will diligently be lead by the shepherd.
As I became more aware of the lies Satan has been deceiving me with, God also guided me in becoming more aware of my true character. As I learn more about the different lies I have believed, I've realized how much the Lord has done in my life and also how much further I have to go!
I've been cowardly in my way of living. All my life, I have never been able to hold my ground when it came to any opinions I held. In arguments, I would always give in. Even in essays I wrote, I would always receive the same comments: Your arguments are valid, but you need to stick firmly to your opinion.
I was recently listening to a sermon when I came across this phrase: Nail one's colors to the mast.
I didn't understand at all what this meant, so I looked it up on the ever so useful Google and found a definition that convicted me of how I have lived my life so far.
In the 17th century, flags were lowered as a mark of submission. It is believed the phrase "nail one's colors to the mast" came from a battle where the English fleet was at the point where the main ship had been brought down and to the rest of the fleet, it may have appeared to be defeat, but the admiral climbed to what was left of the mast and nailed the flag at the top where it was visible to the rest of the fleet. This act of perseverance resulted in the English fleet being victorious.
To be able to stand so firmly in a seemingly lost battle. That is what it means to nail one's colors to the mast.
I am not a persistent person by nature, but with God, all things are possible. He gives us the strength to persist in battles that are lost. When people aren't responding to the gospel that is preached, when trials and tribulations are the persistent ones in the picture, when it seems as if you are alone in a dark world. That is when it is crucial to nail your colors to the mast. For God will be VICTORIOUS.
This finally leads us to God's character. He's such a mysterious God who works in such mysterious ways. The God of all gods, King of all kings, Lord of all lords. We so often hear people preach about the beautiful and wonderful things he has done in our lives. "God loves you so much. God wants you so much. God is love." These things are so true! The bible even says that "God is love." (1 John 4:8) I was raised on this teaching. I was raised to believe that God is a warm, loving, fuzzy wuzzy God who just wants me to lean on him when I'm having a hard time. But, I never took the time to think about the full character of God.
Yes, he is a God who loves us oh so dearly, and a God we must love! But, he is also a God we must fear. This is what I have only recently been applying to my life. A God whom I must fear. How often do I think about how powerful God is? The answer is, rarely. I often forget that this is the God who simply spoke the universe into existence. SPOKE. THE WORLD. INTO EXISTENCE. Astronomers estimate the universe to consist of over 100 billion galaxies and our God spoke it into existence. I can't even think of anything or anybody to compare that to. That is how powerful our God is.
My life was spent believing in a God of love, but this was not truly God I was believing in. Our God is a God we must love, and fear. In a sermon, I heard somebody talking about how we are not truly believing in God if we live a life thinking God is just a God of love, or if God is just a God we fear. He is both things. An all-powerful, all-knowledgeable, loving, caring God. Capable of all things - creating the universe, speaking every detail of our lives into existence. Now that, is my God.
I'm still in a learning process. This is just the beginning, but praise God for bringing me to where I am now. Praise God for revealing himself in our lives.
As I see my brothers and sisters in Christ growing together, I am challenged and convicted. I thank God so much for bringing them into my life as they help me become more thirsty for God. At times, I am tempted to run away from this life. I've been tempted to throw it all down and make a run for it because in a worldly sense, being a Christian really isn't easy, but Christ has shown me how worth it all is. He understands me and allows me to rejoice in these struggles. He lets me follow him, he feeds me when I'm hungry and gives me water when I'm thirsty.
I hope I can spend more time sharing with you the mysterious workings of God in my life, and I hope we can grow together as we learn to love, rejoice and serve.
Rabbi yhebbik. (God loves you)
- kjoosaurus out!
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Fruit of the Spirit [2/2/13]
Hello~
Finally, a week of madness is over! No more exams and tests... Until next week! haha. I finally have the chance to share a little bit with you all again :)
This morning as I was doing QT, I read Galatians 5:22-26.
It says:
As I was reading this, I realized how important the fruit of Spirit must be because God specifically listed out each characteristic that qualifies as the fruit of the Spirit. It's also important to realize that the fruit is coming from the Holy Spirit and not from our own selves. Although we don't give ourselves these qualities, we still have to allow the Holy Spirit to work through and in us. God is so willing to change and mould us, but he can't do this if we are unwilling to be changed.
In John 15:5 Jesus says:
Finally, a week of madness is over! No more exams and tests... Until next week! haha. I finally have the chance to share a little bit with you all again :)
This morning as I was doing QT, I read Galatians 5:22-26.
It says:
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."
As I was reading this, I realized how important the fruit of Spirit must be because God specifically listed out each characteristic that qualifies as the fruit of the Spirit. It's also important to realize that the fruit is coming from the Holy Spirit and not from our own selves. Although we don't give ourselves these qualities, we still have to allow the Holy Spirit to work through and in us. God is so willing to change and mould us, but he can't do this if we are unwilling to be changed.
In John 15:5 Jesus says:
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
Just as the branches draw life from the vine, we as well draw our lives from Jesus. If the branch is separate from the vine, it can do nothing just as if we are separate from Jesus, we can do nothing.
I'm always amazed at how we always try to work and grow and live on our own when we're always reminded of how little we are able to do without Jesus! I'm sure we all know that we, on our own, have no strength, but we often forget to ask God for his guidance and his strength.
I'm always amazed at how we always try to work and grow and live on our own when we're always reminded of how little we are able to do without Jesus! I'm sure we all know that we, on our own, have no strength, but we often forget to ask God for his guidance and his strength.
I know that I personally rely on my own strength and knowledge to get through things... If I realize I can't do it on my own, I turn to other people, but why is it that I so often turn to God last? He has taught me this lesson over and over and over again, yet I am always making the same mistake! But God is so patient, loving and merciful... Even when we make the same mistakes over and over again, he so patiently teaches us the same lesson until we finally have it imprinted in our minds!
I pray that we will allow the Holy Spirit to work in us! I pray that we will let go of everything we don't need and allow God to be our everything as he is all we truly need.
Jesus, we thank you for your goodness, your glory, your patience and mercy.
Thanks for reading~
-kjoosaurus out!
I pray that we will allow the Holy Spirit to work in us! I pray that we will let go of everything we don't need and allow God to be our everything as he is all we truly need.
Jesus, we thank you for your goodness, your glory, your patience and mercy.
Thanks for reading~
-kjoosaurus out!
Friday, January 25, 2013
His Perfect Timing [01/24/13]
Hello all!
It's another freezing cold day here in Ottawa and according to the Ottawa Citizen, "Ottawa was colder than Iqaluit on Wednesday, as the windchill-adjusted temperature hit a low of -40." Being from Vancouver where the climate is generally warmer, this cold weather has the tendency to bring my mood lower and lower and lower... Just like the temperature! I then tend to become very impatient with people and react unreasonably, but today as I was going about with a frown on my face, God was gently reminding me to be patient and loving to everybody rather than rash and impatient.
In this modern society, we are always so busy with the distractions of life. We have to go to work, school, some have kids to take care of, others have extra-curricular activities to attend, and the list is just never-ending! Also, there's the topic of technology. Everything is instant. We have high-speed internet, we can text people, and we get frustrated when things begin to lag and slow down. We begin to grow accustomed to this speedy life and we become impatient with anything that doesn't move at the same pace as the rest of our life.
Do you find yourself getting upset when somebody is taking their precious, sweet time to make your coffee in the morning? Do you find yourself getting frustrated when the line at the grocery store is so long and you've already been standing there for five minutes?
Just like the way I expect everything in my life to be instant, I also expect everything from God to be instant. I often find myself expecting him to answer my many prayers right away. I want him to tell me exactly what to do as SOON as I pray, and when he tells me to wait, I get impatient and frustrated!
But, although it may be difficult to remember, God's timing is always the best timing possible!
Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.
God already has a time set out for everything and we have to wait for his answer before taking action. If you're like me, this doesn't happen very often. There are times when we can become extremely impulsive. We rely on our own knowledge and strength and we take matters into our own hands.
Just as we act impulsively, there are many figures in the bible that acted impulsively as well. An extreme example might be Moses.
Exodus 2:11-1211 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. 12 Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
Like Moses, we become blinded by our emotions. We react impulsively and we do it without consulting God. Even though our heart may be in the right place, the actions we perform might not be suitable for the situation! We're so used to acting in the present. When we see something we don't like, we want to change it right away but that isn't always what God has planned for us. Sometimes God might want us to act right away, but his method may be different from our own. We should always be looking up towards him instead of around us!
God has perfect timing for everything, and all we have to do is ask him when to do what and how. He will tell us! He might not always answer our prayers right away, but he will never leave a prayer unanswered. :)
Thanks for reading~
-kjoosaurus out!
It's another freezing cold day here in Ottawa and according to the Ottawa Citizen, "Ottawa was colder than Iqaluit on Wednesday, as the windchill-adjusted temperature hit a low of -40." Being from Vancouver where the climate is generally warmer, this cold weather has the tendency to bring my mood lower and lower and lower... Just like the temperature! I then tend to become very impatient with people and react unreasonably, but today as I was going about with a frown on my face, God was gently reminding me to be patient and loving to everybody rather than rash and impatient.
In this modern society, we are always so busy with the distractions of life. We have to go to work, school, some have kids to take care of, others have extra-curricular activities to attend, and the list is just never-ending! Also, there's the topic of technology. Everything is instant. We have high-speed internet, we can text people, and we get frustrated when things begin to lag and slow down. We begin to grow accustomed to this speedy life and we become impatient with anything that doesn't move at the same pace as the rest of our life.
Do you find yourself getting upset when somebody is taking their precious, sweet time to make your coffee in the morning? Do you find yourself getting frustrated when the line at the grocery store is so long and you've already been standing there for five minutes?
Just like the way I expect everything in my life to be instant, I also expect everything from God to be instant. I often find myself expecting him to answer my many prayers right away. I want him to tell me exactly what to do as SOON as I pray, and when he tells me to wait, I get impatient and frustrated!
But, although it may be difficult to remember, God's timing is always the best timing possible!
Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.
God already has a time set out for everything and we have to wait for his answer before taking action. If you're like me, this doesn't happen very often. There are times when we can become extremely impulsive. We rely on our own knowledge and strength and we take matters into our own hands.
Just as we act impulsively, there are many figures in the bible that acted impulsively as well. An extreme example might be Moses.
Exodus 2:11-1211 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. 12 Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
Like Moses, we become blinded by our emotions. We react impulsively and we do it without consulting God. Even though our heart may be in the right place, the actions we perform might not be suitable for the situation! We're so used to acting in the present. When we see something we don't like, we want to change it right away but that isn't always what God has planned for us. Sometimes God might want us to act right away, but his method may be different from our own. We should always be looking up towards him instead of around us!
God has perfect timing for everything, and all we have to do is ask him when to do what and how. He will tell us! He might not always answer our prayers right away, but he will never leave a prayer unanswered. :)
Thanks for reading~
-kjoosaurus out!
Thursday, January 24, 2013
You've got a friend in me [01/23/13]
Hello!
I just came home from a lovely night at youth hangout and although it consisted of two youth and around five c&c members, it was still a great night! While we were spending time together, PG asked us what we valued and wanted in a friend. I've been asked this question before and I had a list of things that I value in a friend (such as honesty, loyalty, acceptance, the ability to be comfortable around them, etc.) but then he asked us if we believe we are being that kind of friend to others and it really made me think. I began to wonder what kind of friend I'm really being and if I'm being the kind of friend that I am called to be to others!
I believe that as Christians, we should do our best to be a certain kind of friend to others! To be encouraging, to always be building each other up, and to be constantly praying for one another. That's the kind of friend I would hope to be to others and I would hope to have!
Ephesians 4:29-32
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
God calls us to be supportive and forgiving friends. Wouldn't it be great if being always encouraging, kind and forgiving was possible? But, unfortunately, it is VERY hard to be these things. Often in close relationships, there are conflicts. People and their feelings tend to get hurt and if they don't know how to forgive, then the relationship could possibly be lost. From previous experience, I've noticed that holding in feelings of pain and hurt have been hindering to not only the other person, but to myself as well. We should always be seeking to forgive as we are called to forgive just as God forgave us!
God also blesses us with one other so that we may grow as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Proverbs 27:17
Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
At times, it's hard to sharpen your friends. It can be hard to say something constructive and also have it filled with love. I believe that we naturally get defensive of our flaws and prefer not to be reminded of them and because of this, we become offended when our flaws and mistakes are pointed out to us. But I also believe that this is something we should be doing. We should be encouraging one another to become better followers of Christ! Of course we wouldn't be sharpening one another out of pride, but we would be doing it out of love! Sharpening one another is a part of loving one another. We want each other to become better followers of Christ and at times, other people can see things in you that you wouldn't be able to see in yourself.
After tonight, I think I'll personally be trying to find ways to become the friend I am called to be! My prayer is to become more encouraging, supportive, loving and forgiving! I hope we can all be this friend and have this friend. (:
Thanks for reading~~
- kjoosaurus out!
I just came home from a lovely night at youth hangout and although it consisted of two youth and around five c&c members, it was still a great night! While we were spending time together, PG asked us what we valued and wanted in a friend. I've been asked this question before and I had a list of things that I value in a friend (such as honesty, loyalty, acceptance, the ability to be comfortable around them, etc.) but then he asked us if we believe we are being that kind of friend to others and it really made me think. I began to wonder what kind of friend I'm really being and if I'm being the kind of friend that I am called to be to others!
I believe that as Christians, we should do our best to be a certain kind of friend to others! To be encouraging, to always be building each other up, and to be constantly praying for one another. That's the kind of friend I would hope to be to others and I would hope to have!
Ephesians 4:29-32
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
God calls us to be supportive and forgiving friends. Wouldn't it be great if being always encouraging, kind and forgiving was possible? But, unfortunately, it is VERY hard to be these things. Often in close relationships, there are conflicts. People and their feelings tend to get hurt and if they don't know how to forgive, then the relationship could possibly be lost. From previous experience, I've noticed that holding in feelings of pain and hurt have been hindering to not only the other person, but to myself as well. We should always be seeking to forgive as we are called to forgive just as God forgave us!
God also blesses us with one other so that we may grow as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Proverbs 27:17
Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
At times, it's hard to sharpen your friends. It can be hard to say something constructive and also have it filled with love. I believe that we naturally get defensive of our flaws and prefer not to be reminded of them and because of this, we become offended when our flaws and mistakes are pointed out to us. But I also believe that this is something we should be doing. We should be encouraging one another to become better followers of Christ! Of course we wouldn't be sharpening one another out of pride, but we would be doing it out of love! Sharpening one another is a part of loving one another. We want each other to become better followers of Christ and at times, other people can see things in you that you wouldn't be able to see in yourself.
After tonight, I think I'll personally be trying to find ways to become the friend I am called to be! My prayer is to become more encouraging, supportive, loving and forgiving! I hope we can all be this friend and have this friend. (:
Thanks for reading~~
- kjoosaurus out!
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Faithful to the End [01/22/13]
Hello everybody!
Wow, I can't believe it's almost the end of January and this is only my first post of 2013! The past two months have been incredibly busy but God has definitely been working in my life and in the lives of others around me. He has revealed so much to me and I wanted to share a bit of what has been revealed to me with all of you~
What are some things people of this world highly value? Money? Love? Objects? Food? Those answers are definitely all correct! Personally, I believe one of the things we value the most is comfort. In general, people want to live comfortably. They want to have a stable job that provides them with a stable income which provides them with gadgets, plenty of food, a comfortable home and room for even more spending. In fact, the goals many people set for themselves are often made to lead to a comfortable life! Get into the good school so that I can get that good job that has good pay.
People also seek comfort in other aspects of their lives such as the emotional part of their life. We don't want to live a life where we are constantly stressed out. We don't want to live a life where we are being persecuted, ridiculed and hated. We want to be loved, adored and admired. But is this what being a Christian is about? Is this what we should be seeking and pursuing?
In 2 Corinthians 11 and 12, Paul talks about the sufferings he has gone through. He mentions how he was constantly abused, how he was often hungry and often in danger. He then says at one point, when Satan had put a thorn in his flesh, he pleaded three times with God to take it away from him, but God said, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (Chap. 12:9) In this verse, Paul is talking about how God is glorified through our own weaknesses and sufferings. He is able to reveal himself to others through our own struggles. Reading this verse made me wonder... When I'm struggling and when I'm weak, will I be glorifying God?
I want to share about a couple of martyrs I learned about recently. Their names are Perpetua and Felicity and their story takes place in Carthage. These two girls became Christians in a time when it was dangerous to become a Christian as Christians were being persecuted. It was more common to see the lower class (slaves) becoming Christians, but it was extremely rare to see anybody who was noble to become a Christian. Perpetua was one of those rare cases. Perpetua had everything she needed to live comfortably. Her father provided her with everything she needed, she was married and pregnant! But through Felicity, her slave, Perpetua became a Christian.
The story of Perpetua and Felicity is complex, but what happens in the end is that the two of them were killed in front of thousands of people. They were killed because they were Christians, but right until the end, they were faithful to God and glorified him even through their sufferings. They gave absolutely everything up to him and they were completely faithful to him from the beginning to the end.
When I learned about their story, I began to question my own faith. Am I faithful enough to God that I would give up everything I have just to glorify him? Do I have so much joy in glorifying him that I would go through a great deal of pain and suffering just for him to be glorified? The answers to those questions were no, but to be a faithful servant to God is what I desire. I want to live a life that glorifies him. I want to persist through my sufferings with joy just by knowing how my weakness is glorifying God! Instead of complaining to God about my struggles, I want to rejoice!
Wouldn't it be great to be as faithful as Paul, Perpetua and Felicity? I'll be praying that every one of us becomes as faithful as they are!
Thanks for reading~~
- kjoosaurus out!
Wow, I can't believe it's almost the end of January and this is only my first post of 2013! The past two months have been incredibly busy but God has definitely been working in my life and in the lives of others around me. He has revealed so much to me and I wanted to share a bit of what has been revealed to me with all of you~
What are some things people of this world highly value? Money? Love? Objects? Food? Those answers are definitely all correct! Personally, I believe one of the things we value the most is comfort. In general, people want to live comfortably. They want to have a stable job that provides them with a stable income which provides them with gadgets, plenty of food, a comfortable home and room for even more spending. In fact, the goals many people set for themselves are often made to lead to a comfortable life! Get into the good school so that I can get that good job that has good pay.
People also seek comfort in other aspects of their lives such as the emotional part of their life. We don't want to live a life where we are constantly stressed out. We don't want to live a life where we are being persecuted, ridiculed and hated. We want to be loved, adored and admired. But is this what being a Christian is about? Is this what we should be seeking and pursuing?
In 2 Corinthians 11 and 12, Paul talks about the sufferings he has gone through. He mentions how he was constantly abused, how he was often hungry and often in danger. He then says at one point, when Satan had put a thorn in his flesh, he pleaded three times with God to take it away from him, but God said, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (Chap. 12:9) In this verse, Paul is talking about how God is glorified through our own weaknesses and sufferings. He is able to reveal himself to others through our own struggles. Reading this verse made me wonder... When I'm struggling and when I'm weak, will I be glorifying God?
I want to share about a couple of martyrs I learned about recently. Their names are Perpetua and Felicity and their story takes place in Carthage. These two girls became Christians in a time when it was dangerous to become a Christian as Christians were being persecuted. It was more common to see the lower class (slaves) becoming Christians, but it was extremely rare to see anybody who was noble to become a Christian. Perpetua was one of those rare cases. Perpetua had everything she needed to live comfortably. Her father provided her with everything she needed, she was married and pregnant! But through Felicity, her slave, Perpetua became a Christian.
The story of Perpetua and Felicity is complex, but what happens in the end is that the two of them were killed in front of thousands of people. They were killed because they were Christians, but right until the end, they were faithful to God and glorified him even through their sufferings. They gave absolutely everything up to him and they were completely faithful to him from the beginning to the end.
When I learned about their story, I began to question my own faith. Am I faithful enough to God that I would give up everything I have just to glorify him? Do I have so much joy in glorifying him that I would go through a great deal of pain and suffering just for him to be glorified? The answers to those questions were no, but to be a faithful servant to God is what I desire. I want to live a life that glorifies him. I want to persist through my sufferings with joy just by knowing how my weakness is glorifying God! Instead of complaining to God about my struggles, I want to rejoice!
Wouldn't it be great to be as faithful as Paul, Perpetua and Felicity? I'll be praying that every one of us becomes as faithful as they are!
Thanks for reading~~
- kjoosaurus out!
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