Follow Me

I'm a big David Platt fan. He keeps it real. Radical was the first Christian book I ever read, and it holds a special place in my heart. I don't feel quite as strongly about Follow Me as I do about Radical, but I think that's because many of the thoughts presented in Follow Me have already been floating around my mind for some time now (while all of the thoughts in Radical were new and fascinating to me as a very recently saved sinner at the time).

More than anything, I desire to "do this life right." I want to walk with Jesus every day. I want to obey His commands. I want to serve in His Spirit. I want to hear His voice. I want to have an intimate relationship with Him. These concepts are no-brainers to me. But for some reason, so much of the church has lost them, denied them or flat out ignored them, and in turn, lost, denied or flat out ignored God Himself.

Hence, my excitement for this book. Perhaps Platt could knock some sense into us. Let's check out the convicting excerpts I marked with some thoughts included:


Shouldn't all of our decisions be based upon what is going to have the greatest impact for God's Kingdom?

(Can I get an amen? I should practice this more)

We miss out on seeing the Spirit's power when we refuse to live by faith. We miss out on experiencing Christ when we don't speak up for him.

(Oh, how I must do this. I had a random encounter with a stranger at CVS the other day and surprised myself when I said "God is good!" to them. That shouldn't have been surprising. That should be standard.)

Jesus is worthy of far more than intellectual belief, and there is so much more to following him than monotonous spirituality. There is indescribably joy to be found, deep satisfaction to be felt, and an eternal purpose to be fulfilled in dying to ourselves and living for him.

(Do. Want.)

The road to heaven is risky, lonely, and costly in this world, and few are willing to pay the price.

(I've experienced the lonely and the costly. What risks have I taken in faith lately?)

In our sin, we are utterly unable to call on Christ because we are totally consumed with running from God. At the core of who we are, we are enemies of God with no real desire for God.

...inviting Jesus to come into your heart is impossible when you're dead in sin. In your death, you need someone else, completely outside of you, to call you to life and enable you to live.

Does God hate sinners? Absolutely. Look at the cross. Jesus is enduring what we are due.

Does God love sinners? Absolutely. Look at the cross. Jesus is saving us from all we are due.

Our greatest need us not to try harder. Our greatest need is a new heart.

(I should probably get a tattoo of this. On my hands.)

The Good News of Christ is not that if you muster enough faith in Jesus, you can have physical and material reward on this earth. The Good News of Christ is that when you have childlike faith in Jesus, you will be reconciled to God for eternity.

(Hear that Joel Osteen?!)

[Jonathan Edwards writes] "We are depressed at our losses and excited and joyful about our worldly successes and prosperity. But when it comes to spiritual matters, how dull we feel! How heavy and hard our hearts! We can sit and hear of the infinite height, and depth, and length, and breadth of the love of God in Christ Jesus, of his giving his infinitely dear Son - and yet be cold and unmoved! ...If we are going to be emotional about anything, shouldn't it be our spiritual lives? Is there anything more inspiring, more exciting, more loveable and desirable in heaven or earth than the gospel of Jesus Christ?"

(Boom.)

[C.S. Lewis writes] "We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at sea. We are far too easily pleased."

(Well, dang.)

 ...far more important than looking and searching for God's will is simply knowing and trusting God.

(I've been learning this over and over lately. And know that I will need to continue learning it over and over for the rest of my life.)

The will of God is clear from cover to cover in Scripture. From beginning to end, God wills to be worshiped. He wills for all people to hear, receive, embrace, and respond to the gospel of his grace for the sake of his glory all over the globe.

So imagine sitting at a coffee shop today. What if God has been preparing the woman at the table next to you to hear the gospel? What if he has sovereignly arranged the circumstances in her life to set the stage for a conversation you will have with her about Jesus? What if God desires to use you, as you speak the gospel to her today, to change her life forever?

(This freaks me out. I don't like it. Too much pressure! I also have absolutely NO clue how to just start talking to someone about the gospel.)

Being a member of a church means realizing that we are responsible for helping the brothers and sisters around us to grow as disciples of Jesus. In the same way, they are responsible for helping us. We desperately need each other in the daily fight to follow Christ in a world that's full of sin.

...every single person in the church is already equipped by the Spirit of God for the purpose of ministry. Why would we want to sideline the Spirit of God in the many in order to delegate the work of God to a few?

(Where my ladies at?)

I want to be a part of a people who really believe that we have the Spirit of God in each of us for the spread of the gospel through all of us. I want to be a part of a people who are gladly sacrificing the pleasures, pursuits, and possessions of this world because we are living for treasure in the world to come. I want to be part of a people who have forsaken every earthly ambition in favor of one eternal aspiration: to see disciples made and churches multiplied from our houses to our communities to our cities to the nations.

(Really? ME TOO!)

...let's incorporate the character of God, the sinfulness of man, the sufficiency of Christ, the necessity of faith, and the urgency of eternity into our everyday conversations.

(Def need help with this!)

...wherever you find a Christian who is not leading men and women to Christ, something is not right.

Lamentations

Lamentations was heartbreaking to read. While it's written about the fall of Jerusalem, I found myself attributing the author's personification of the city to an actual person - someone I know. That person is not me, and I started to wonder if I haven't been walking with God long enough to have similar feelings of anguish toward Him.


1.14 He wove my sins into a rope
    and harnessed me to captivity’s yoke.
    I’m goaded by cruel taskmasters.

This image reminds me of the emotional choreography piece The Salvation Army Youth Drama group will be performing this weekend. The pain in their faces and movements as they act out how sin literally ties us up stings my soul. I can't imagine God Himself invoking this kind of suffering, but I can imagine our sins becoming chains of captivity. I, in fact, have experienced this.


3.1-3 I’m the man who has seen trouble,
    trouble coming from the lash of God’s anger.
He took me by the hand and walked me
    into pitch-black darkness.
Yes, he’s given me the back of his hand
    over and over and over again.

Again, very difficult for me to picture God in this way. However, I can understand people (both Christians and non-believers) feeling like He has caused the strife of their lives. While God's anger is very real, I believe His grace is much more abounding.


3.28-33 When life is heavy and hard to take,
    go off by yourself. Enter the silence.
Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions:
    Wait for hope to appear.
Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face.
    The “worst” is never the worst.
Why? Because the Master won’t ever
    walk out and fail to return.
If he works severely, he also works tenderly.
    His stockpiles of loyal love are immense.
He takes no pleasure in making life hard,
    in throwing roadblocks in the way:

Such beautiful poetry. Such glorious truth! I really adore these instructions and the narrative of God's steadfast love.


4.5 People used to the finest cuisine
    forage for food in the streets.
People used to the latest in fashions
    pick through the trash for something to wear.

If we believe what Jesus says about the difficulty of the rich entering the kingdom of heaven, I'd imagine this verse harkens to the punishment of hell where earthly treasures are stripped away. Though I imagine hell to be a much more terrible place that just somewhere food and clothing are hard to find.

Jeremiah

Jeremiah freaked me out. This book successfully put the fear of God in my heart. I don't often meditate on how powerful He is. Powerful enough to destroy nations. It's easier and more comfortable to meditate on the grace of God and love of Jesus Christ. But He's still almighty God. He's still capable of anything and everything. And that should be scary to us!



2.17 And why do you think all this has happened?
    Isn’t it because you walked out on your God
    just as he was beginning to lead you in the right way?

4.18 “It’s the way you’ve lived
    that’s brought all this on you.
The bitter taste is from your evil life.
    That’s what’s piercing your heart.”

These two verses hit hard, as they should. We are so quick to blame God and not ourselves when things "go wrong" in our lives. Self-reflection and repentance aren't always easy, but they are the sure-fire way back to Him, back to freedom.


9.1 I wish my head were a well of water
    and my eyes fountains of tears
So I could weep day and night
    for casualties among my dear, dear people.

Sometimes, I think that if I were God, I would weep day and night. There is so much evil in this world, I can't stand it. How can He watch people die by our actions (or lack thereof) and not cry constantly? Of course, there is also good in this world by His hand and causes to celebrate in heaven. But I personally have trouble taking a step back and looking at the current big picture. What I should be doing is looking at the future big picture given to us though His Word.


21.8-10 “And then tell the people at large, ‘God’s Message to you is this: Listen carefully. I’m giving you a choice: life or death. Whoever stays in this city will die—either in battle or by starvation or disease. But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who have surrounded the city will live. You’ll lose everything—but not your life. I’m determined to see this city destroyed. I’m that angry with this place! God’s Decree. I’m going to give it to the king of Babylon, and he’s going to burn it to the ground.’

I love the connections I made in these verses! Whoever stays in this city will die (replace "this city" with "sin"). But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans...will live (replace "the Chaldeans" with "Christ"). See where I'm going here? Just like God's promise in Jeremiah, He gives us the same promise in Christ: You'll lose everything—but not your life!


42.19 “God has plainly told you, you leftovers from Judah, ‘Don’t go to Egypt.’ Could anything be plainer? I warn you this day that you are living out a fantasy. You’re making a fatal mistake.

Just found this verse and those before/after it to be so illustrative of human nature. God says, "I have your best interest in mind. Follow my commands." He very plainly says through Jeremiah that those who flee to Egypt will die, but those who stick it out, as scared as they may be, will live. And the people say, "We're going to Egypt anyway. Don't care about your warnings. We know it will be better there!" Isn't this the most repetitive cycle on earth? Forget God, I'll do what I want, especially when faced with hardship and life seems easier somewhere else. We don't want to stick it out. We want to flee.

As terrifying as Jeremiah was to read, God's story of redemption shines through. He lays out His plans of punishment yet still promises to redeem His people. His mercy is evident even in His wrath. What an incredible, mysterous, unfathomable God we serve!

Isaiah

Finally! After re-reading the New Testament for a 40 Day Bible Challenge (and some procrastination), I've returned to where I left off in the Old Testament - the prophets! I've been pretty pumped to reach this point, because I expect to be rocked while reading these books. I am expectant for heart changes, life changes! I always want to hear the Lord speak, so He will no doubt do that and already has!


2.22 Quit scraping and fawning over mere humans,
    so full of themselves, so full of hot air!
    Can’t you see there’s nothing to them?

I think all of us desire approval, but we seek it in others rather than in God. I felt like this verse was calling me out in regard to some photos I post on Instagram/Facebook, hoping that others will like them or think I'm pretty. God likes me. God thinks I'm pretty. What more do I need? If that photo doesn't get 10 likes or more, what does that say about me? Nothing! Same if I got 1 like, 2 likes, no likes. I'm taking this verse out of context a bit but still feel like I can apply it to this situation.


13.13-16 Under the wrath of God-of-the-Angel-Armies,
    the Judgment Day of his raging anger.
Like a hunted white-tailed deer,
    like lost sheep with no shepherd,
People will huddle with a few of their own kind,
    run off to some makeshift shelter.
But tough luck to stragglers—they’ll be killed on the spot,
    throats cut, bellies ripped open,
Babies smashed on the rocks
    while mothers and fathers watch,
Houses looted,
    wives raped.

I've prayed several times for God's Kingdom to come to earth, for Jesus to return and set the world right. Even after reading Revelation (as if that's not enough to freak me out), I still have a romanticized view of what His return will look like because His glory is glorious. Here, Isaiah paints a...pretty terrifying picture of what Judgement Day will look like. I can't really hold onto my running through fields of flowers mentality (though perhaps that's what it will be like after all things are made new) after reading about wrath, ranging anger, death and rape. I'm starting to understand what the fear of God means!


22.4 "Don’t tell me it’s going to be all right.
    These people are doomed. It’s not all right."

I feel like this is a new life verse for me. How can I sit around, enjoying the wonderful life God has blessed me with (and He certainly has!) and not have a sense of urgency in my heart and in my gut. Souls are lost to Satan every day, perhaps even some I come in contact with or have relationships with. The Gospel is a big deal. The line between life and death is a big deal. We can't pretend everything is alright.


26.8 We’re in no hurry, God. We’re content to linger
    in the path sign-posted with your decisions.
Who you are and what you’ve done
    are all we’ll ever want.

This should be a life verse, too! I'm an impatient person. Why shouldn't everything I want happen now? I deserve it, right? Waiting on God doesn't really fit into my agenda! But it's what He tells me to do. And I can remember times I've waited on Him, and He's delivered the goods. They may not have looked the way I wanted, but they were and are good! And were worth waiting for. Truly, deep down, He is all I've ever wanted and want even as I type this now. Distractions and selfish motives aside, I want to be content to linger with Him.


29.16 Does a book say to its author,
    “He didn’t write a word of me”?
Does a meal say to the woman who cooked it,
    “She had nothing to do with this”?

Bam! This spoke to "old Elyse" the unbeliever, who denied God many times. Denial means nothing. He is who He is!


30.18 But God’s not finished. He’s waiting around to be gracious to you.
    He’s gathering strength to show mercy to you.
God takes the time to do everything right—everything.
    Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones.

Another unbeliever verse. I pray some of my friends read this. Because I know you don't think God has anything good for you. If He did, why hasn't it happened yet? He's waiting for you to come to Him. Can you admit your inadequacy and do that?


32.17 And where there’s Right, there’ll be Peace

Amen! Nuff said.


35

I'm not going to post this whole chapter here, but please read it! And let me know if your heart doesn't bloom. I feel like Miss Sheilds in A Christmas Story - "Poetry, sheer poetry! Isaiah! A++++++"


44.19-20 Pretty stupid, wouldn’t you say? Don’t they have eyes in their heads? Are their brains working at all? Doesn’t it occur to them to say, “Half of this tree I used for firewood: I baked bread, roasted meat, and enjoyed a good meal. And now I’ve used the rest to make an abominable no-god. Here I am praying to a stick of wood!” This lover of emptiness, of nothing, is so out of touch with reality, so far gone, that he can’t even look at what he’s doing, can’t even look at the no-god stick of wood in his hand and say, “This is crazy.”

This hit me pretty hard because so many people worship false idols. I know I did! And probably still do in some cases, though they may not be wood-carved images. In any case, these verses should serve as a slap in the face to most of us.


58.7-8 What I’m interested in seeing you do is:
    sharing your food with the hungry,
    inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
    putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
    being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
    and your lives will turn around at once.

Oh, how I long to do all of this and more! I've spent weeks seeking out serving opportunities. I've had many conversations about how I want to use my time doing what He's interested in seeing me do. To my dismay, some doors that seemed great have closed, so I continue to put the feelers out there and ask His help in creating a schedule that includes less of "me" and more of "them" (and Him as a result). I want to get down in the dirt. I'm not satisfied with just sending money overseas or just giving canned goods to a food drive. I desire real, face-to-face ministry. It's what I hope to do for the rest of my life.


59.2 There’s nothing wrong with God; the wrong is in you.
    Your wrongheaded lives caused the split between you and God.
    Your sins got between you so that he doesn’t hear.

Boom! Could apply this to any year of my life. Of course, more so to the past. I love how intense Isaiah is. If you know me well, you know I like to teeter on the side of offensive/convicting. Because we have to. I should be offended by my own sin, as should you by your own and the sins of others. What is wrong in us right now? I pray God reveals it.

One Death Won Life: An Easter Invitation

March 28, 2013 @ Outreach Red Bank (ORB) High School Group - theorb.org

40 Day Bible Challenge: Week 8

Final week of the challenge! And final thoughts...


"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever."

I love that my love for worldly things has been slowly passing away. Of course, I still desire things of this world from time to time, but it is refreshing to know that the Holy Spirit is working in me to redirect my gazes to Him.


"Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown."

I have a pretty "easy" life. I live in a safe, affluent area. I work for a church where sharing my faith isn't an issue - it's encouraged. I have instant access to my family and friends via a car, phone and Internet. I would like to say I'd be faithful to Jesus to the point of death, but in reality, I have no idea what that would be like. I know there are people dying right now for their belief in Jesus Christ. And I'm in my comfortable bed in my warm apartment reading Scripture. As if I could comprehend it all. I want the kind of faith that stands and doesn't cower in the face of death. And I'm not sure I have even an ounce of it right now.


"When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been."

So, Jesus will not return until x number of His followers are killed on account of their beliefs? This, along with Revelation as a whole, sits strangely in my stomach and pulls at my nerves.

40 Day Bible Challenge: Week 7

"Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good."

This is exactly how I want to live and often do as all I want is to learn more about Him and know His goodness!


"They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for."

Thank The Lord I was destined for His love! What if I was destined to a lifetime of disobedience? What if some of my friends or family members are? I suppose I would try to place hope in the fact that He works all things out for good. Though I've mentioned before how terrifying this is to me. That not all of us will join Him in the Kingdom of God.


"Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."

If I were to be really honest with myself, I think this is part of the reason why I do some of the things I do. Motivated by love for God, indeed, but also motivated to hopefully inspire others that their hearts may open. Am I taking on a bit of His job?


"So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables."

I often think of Jesus as peaceful and God as to be feared. Of course, it doesn't make sense to think of them separately. This passage reminds me of God's wrath/anger, which I just wouldn't think to see expressed through Jesus. But indeed He is fully God!


"He must become greater; I must become less."

I feel like I learn a bit each day about how to make Him greater in my life. There is no final chapter to that book here on earth. I can constantly learn how to serve and exalt Him - the opportunities to glorify God are endless!


"Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life."

This struck me because I've been studying scripture, other books and sermons that question whether we as Christians are truly saved and whether we understand that hell is real and if we don't follow Jesus' commands, we may very well be going there. I whole-heartedly believe that - we must be serious about our faith. Then I read a verse like this, which makes salvation sound so simple, and I wonder, "What about everything else?" Is hearing and believing truly enough? What about doing? What about repenting?


"Then they asked him, 'What must we do to do the works God requires?' Jesus answered, 'The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.'"

Again, it seems believing is enough and belief itself is the work. So! How do we define belief in Christ? Following commands to His glory? That makes sense to me. I feel like we pigeonhole belief as simply knowing God is good, worthy and able. Knowing that doesn't necessarily mean we spring into action. But I still feel like our salvation hinges upon whether or not we do.


"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him."

We are quick to blame or question God when our life circumstances seem unfair in our eyes. We should be eager to hope that His glory would be displayed though these circumstances.


"They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God."

As I read this, I imagined myself being one of the disciples, hearing Jesus pretty much flat out say "You will die for me." And not a peaceful, painless death either! I'm not sure how I would have reacted, aside from fearing the future, especially knowing He would not be there beside me in the flesh.

The Sacred Search

Last Thursday, I attended a fabulous event at Hawthorne Gospel Church where author Gary Thomas spoke about his book, The Sacred Search. The event was geared toward young adults who are either single (so you know we were all checking each other out!) or dating. The night included socializing, food, contests, worship, teaching and Q&A. It was basically the best night ever, and I wish there were more events like it!

Gary shoots it straight, and I really responded to his discussion of marriage, so I knew I wanted to buy his book and read it ASAP. I dedicated Saturday to doing just that! I definitely feel like I have a better, more Christ-centered view of marriage (certainly better than say, oh, two years ago), though my new vision of wanting to find a partner in ministry may prove to be...well, tough!

It's easy to find someone to date. It can even be easy to find someone to marry. But for the right reasons? That's another story.

What are the right reasons? Glad you asked. Let's dive into the passages I marked...


When husband and wife are committed in Christ, growing together in the Lord, supporting each other in their spiritual walks, raising children in the fear of the Lord, loving each other out of reverence for God, joy abounds and miracles happen. Selfish people become servants. Self-centered children grow up to become workers in God's kingdom. Strangers become intimate friends. Daily life is filled with the drama of kingdom building. There are plenty of mistakes, lots of repenting, times of frustration, sickness and even doubts. But in the end, God's presence prevails, and trials are overcome. If two people join themselves around this mission - if they make their martial choice based on the best person with whom they can accomplish this mission - they are far more likely to have a fulfilling and soul-building marriage.

as powerful as romance is, it might not be the best reason to get married

just because you're "in love" with someone doesn't mean you should seriously consider marrying them.

And here's something you need to know: the state of infatuation actually impedes your ability to objectively discern your partner's faults and weaknesses.

most of us are motivated more by feelings than by wisdom.

as soon as you become infatuated, you are vulnerable and stupid...Don't trust yourself. Recognize what's going on, and set some safeguards.

you don't want to commit to a man until you know how he can handle anger

make sure you are with someone who has power over his or her emotions

Wisdom waits. Wisdom is patient.

I think wisdom says you're being a bit foolish if you get engaged in less than a year. If you get married sooner than that, at the very least you should do so with the blessing of objective and wise friends. On your own, you're making a bet, with lifelong consequences, while in a min-set that has proven to be at least somewhat delusional. It's sort of like signing a mortgage or buying a business while drunk. You need to "dry out" a bit and think this though before you commit the rest of your life to someone you can't objectively evaluate.

Don't let a guy's position distract you from his person. You're looking for character, not status; you want to find a man who is solid in his core, not just someone who has a solid title.

Jesus' teachings direct us to make a decision that will lead to righteousness - to seek someone who will inspire us toward godliness, who will confront us when we go astray, who will forgive us when we mess up, who can encourage us with wisdom when we are uncertain about how to proceed.

What is your love doing to you - are you stronger in the midst of it, or do you feel more vulnerable, weak and perhaps even desperate?

if someone is willing to marry you without doing the hard work of determining whether you're suitable to be their spouse and their future kids' parent, what makes you think they'll do the hard work of building a satisfying, God-honoring marriage?

Scripture tells us that it is our choice whether we want to get married and who we want to marry. In other words, you get to choose. This isn't a denial of God's providence, nor does it preclude God leading two people together in certain cases. Rather, it's the Bible's way of saying that while marraige is really important, it's also something God lets us decide whether or not we want to be participants in, and who we want to be participants with. God has given you an awesome responsibility, so choose wisely.

Infatuation fills your eyes with what you're getting, but let the Bible fill your mind with what you're committing to give.

Don't minimize the importance of marrying someone who is spiritually tough, who doesn't grumble and forget all about God at the first sign of trouble. Life is usually full of trouble.

You're not just choosing a life partner...You're choosing your kids' future dad.

Does your Christian pray? Is you future spouse a student of the Bible? Does your Christian understand he or she is not perfect and needs to grow?

Infatuation is something you find. Sexual chemistry is something you find. A lost cell phone is something you find. But a strong, intimate, God-honoring marriage that leads to a lifelong partnership and that fosters a sense of oneness? That's something you make, and it takes a long time to make.

[when married] You are no longer evaluating this person; you are dedicated to sacrificially loving them.

If you believe the Bible, you are going to stumble many times in your marriage (James 3:20). You will break your spouse's heart. You will disappoint her. You will embarrass him. Your sin will inconvenience her.

If that person can't forgive you now, he or she will never be able to forgive you then.

There will be conflict. The only question is, will you grow toward each other as a result of conflict, or will your hearts grow even colder because you avoid the issue or because you respond to conflict in hurtful ways?

Sincere appreciation and genuine respect for your future spouse matter far more than similarity.

The person you marry is the person you're going to be married to. That sounds elementary, but a lot of people don't believe that. They fall for a person's potential, thinking that the person they're marrying is going to change into someone who is substantially different.

Why not seriously examine your compatibility before you take the vows, instead of after?

When I keep relating to God, I literally become a different person, so there's always someone new for my wife to get to know.

On your dates, find out what God is doing in and through your friend. Do they even hear from God? Are they aware of their sin? Are they hiding from their current sin? Do they have any sense of mission?

You should be fighting with all your might to stay pure - there definitely should be a strong sexual desire for each other. The absence of sexual desire could be a serious indicator of underlying problems.

Repeated actions, over time, make us who we are.

A marriage of ministry is a marital partnership. Two givers geometrically increase their ability to give.

Marriage doesn't solve emptiness; it exposes it.

There is no perfect spouse to be found; even really good spouses will try our patience, will sin against us, and occasionally may deliberately hurt us. Yet God can do some wonderful things through painful and even horrible circumstances.

I spent too much time as a single looking for a "good husband" and not enough energy thinking about what would make me a good wife.

Is your friendship great enough to put your loved one's good above your loved one's opinion of you?

Feeling romantically inclined toward someone but not mentioning it because you know doing so would be premature and unwise is one of the most loving and difficult things you will ever be asked to do.

If you know the relationship isn't wise or right, end it.

40 Day Bible Challenge: Week 6

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weakness"

Obviously, Jesus is amazing. He's perfect. He's God. So, it's hard for me to grasp that He truly understands how I'm feeling in every situation. Why would He want to? Because He loves me. He desires to understand me and me Him. My faith is strengthened by this jaw-dropping fact.

 
"We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand."

Anyone ever feel this way when trying to talking about Jesus to a closed-off nonbeliever? Or even a believer?

 
"It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance."

This terrifies me for my brother.

 
"It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

Amen. I've learned to fear Him more. And even fear for my salvation. Am I *really* a follower of Christ?

 
"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."

I love this description of faith!


"But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt"

I don't want to say I doubt God, but sometimes my prayers seems to be in such a distant future (for a husband, for a change of location) that I wonder when they'll ever happen. I know He is more than able to answer, but I wonder if my prayers align with His will. It's more doubting myself and my desires then doubting Him, I think!

 
"Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be."

I need to be slow to speak, and I'm not. Please pray the Holy Spirit works in me in this way and helps me watch my tongue!

 
"When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."

May I keep my motives in check while praying! Indeed some come from a selfish place.


"Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."

I've never thought of myself as Jesus' sister. How intimate siblings are! That would be a wonderful relationship to have.

40 Day Bible Challenge: Week 5

"let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." 

"Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them." 

These verses sound a bit contradictory, no? I realize there is a difference between doing "public" good to the glory of the Father and doing public good to glorify yourself. Just a tough balance to strike given our sinful nature and my personal desire to inspire others to follow Jesus. I like to share things I do for Him and things He does for me in hopes of peaking unbelievers' curiosity. 


The verses about God taking care of the birds and flowers are some of my favorites in the Bible. Really puts things into perspective!


"Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in you name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" 

If some Christians today are doing these things in Jesus' name, and they're actually happening, (demons are driven out, miracles are performed) but Jesus doesn't know them, then how are these things happening? Is God performing the miracles out of His mercy despite knowing that the true hearts of these people are not pure for Him?


Reading Matthew and picturing how the disciples, at a moment's notice, abandoned their lives for Jesus, really leaves me in wonder. How inviting must He have been? How special, how fascinating? Obviously tons of all of the above. He's the Messiah! But just imagine meeting Him in the flesh...must have been incredible.


"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

In David Platt's Radical study, he mentions that approximately 4.5 billion people are, well, currently headed to hell. Who will reach them? I must pray for the Spirit's hand in guiding all of us to be disciple makers and soul savers, in whatever country, state or town He leads us to and where we already are!


"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword."

We think of Jesus as a bringer of peace, which He definitely has been to my heart and spirit. But He's also brought chaos to my life haha! He completely turned it upside down and created divisions, so I definitely grasp the "meat" of this verse.


"And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come." 

Confused! So, we can speak against Jesus but not the Holy Spirit? If we speak against the Spirit, even if we repent, we won't be forgiven? And are not Jesus & the Spirit one and the same? Curse one, you're cursing God all together.


"And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith."

How many miracles has he not performed because of my/our lack of faith?


"Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death"

So, in the final days, Christians all over the world will be persecuted like the apostles were, like many still are today. I often think that I want to witness Christ's second coming, but when I really think about what it entails...I wonder if my faith would be strong enough.