Looking up

“Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” – God (Jeremiah 29:7)


The power of prayer is underestimated... This has been the story of my life, I get so caught up in doing, that I forget about how to just be. Prayer is reminder that we have nothing to boast about. It is God doing, it always has, our job is to just be...
Prayer is counter cultural. It feels weird. It feels like we are not doing anything, and sometimes we lean on our own understanding of what we think should be done instead of waiting for God to show up. We meddle in things they we should not because "doing" is way more comfortable than waiting. 


For now, as I step into this unknown task, I will surrender it to God through prayer. God knows that things need  to be aligned for this work. When I lean on what I can see, the circumstances, in front of me I instantly get overwhelmed, afraid, discouraged. Prayer has a way of refocusing. It requires  you to look upward, and takes the obstacles in your way out of view.  One of Satan's biggest scheme is distracting you from looking up, because once we do we see how glorious God is! 


Denver is a big city, but this verse above reminds me that I need to be committed to praying for it. For God's glory to shine, for the aroma Christ to fill the streets, and for an unexplainable peace to be found. I must understand that is more valuable than me ever stepping foot into the city limits. 

Remembering the reason...

Is He Really My Lord?

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Mar

05

2012

. . . so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus . . . —Acts 20:24

Joy comes from seeing the complete fulfillment of the specific purpose for which I was created and born again, not from successfully doing something of my own choosing. The joy our Lord experienced came from doing what the Father sent Him to do. And He says to us, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21). Have you received a ministry from the Lord? If so, you must be faithful to it— to consider your life valuable only for the purpose of fulfilling that ministry. Knowing that you have done what Jesus sent you to do, think how satisfying it will be to hear Him say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21). We each have to find a niche in life, and spiritually we find it when we receive a ministry from the Lord. To do this we must have close fellowship with Jesus and must know Him as more than our personal Savior. And we must be willing to experience the full impact of Acts 9:16 — “I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

“Do you love Me?” Then, “Feed My sheep” (John 21:17). He is not offering us a choice of how we can serve Him; He is asking for absolute loyalty to His commission, a faithfulness to what we discern when we are in the closest possible fellowship with God. If you have received a ministry from the Lord Jesus, you will know that the need is not the same as the call— the need is the opportunity to exercise the call. The call is to be faithful to the ministry you received when you were in true fellowship with Him. This does not imply that there is a whole series of differing ministries marked out for you. It does mean that you must be sensitive to what God has called you to do, and this may sometimes require ignoring demands for service in other areas.

Today, I read this from my Utmost Highest devotional and it was good reminder of why I am doing this. That I need to stop looking at my present circumstances and look up. By looking Up, I will find joy, its that simple... God is good and worth this risk. 

Be still!

Currently this is my journey: figuring out how be still before the Lord. I am so great at "doing", but totally stink at "being". If Christianity is counter-cultural, then why  I am trying to turn to run my life like society does? Why I am I turning to prove myself all day? Why do I think "doing" is more powerful than prayer? Solitude a place where you can no longer convince yourself of virtuousness... Henri Nouwen puts this well in his devotion.

The Voice in the Garden of Solitude 1/12/2012 Solitude is the garden for our hearts, which yearn for love. It is the place where our aloneness can bear fruit. It is the home for our restless bodies and anxious minds. Solitude, whether it is connected with a physical space or not, is essential for our spiritual lives. It is not an easy place to be, since we are so insecure and fearful that we are easily distracted by whatever promises immediate satisfaction.Solitude is not immediately satisfying, because in solitude we meet our demons, our addictions, our feelings of lust and anger, and our immense need for recognition and approval. But if we do not run away, we will meet there also the One who says, "Do not be afraid. I am with you, and I will guide you through the valley of darkness." Let's keep returning to our solitude.