Praise the LORD O my Soul

I woke up one morning super early, and I felt down and out. Ever feel like that? Wake up in a bad mood for no reason at all? It's lame. The feeling puts a damper on our morning, then that damper can creep in and dominate our day if we let it.

Thankfully, the LORD pulled me out of the damper and depressive state. An emotional state that was caused by worry and trying to do life on my own (all that and it was only 6am). The LORD lead me to Psalm 103 and scissor kicked me in the gut. You know, a loving scissor kick.

"Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy
name."

Done. Stop at verse one. Praise the LORD. Those words are repeated through out the Psalm and then the Psalmist expresses why we should Praise the LORD...

"Praise the LORD, O my soul,

and forget not all His benefits--

who forgives all your sins
and heals all you diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and
compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good
things
so that your youth is renewed like
the eagle's."

We are commanded to praise the LORD. Better yet, the Holy Spirit in me (and you) craves to give God all the glory and praise, and to worship Him constantly. It's my (and your) flesh, my (your) sin that gets in the way of that constant praise. now that's lame.

Fast-forward a few hours and BAAM, I'm at my desk eating some Dove chocolate. In the wrapper of the chocolate reads a message: "Count your blessings, not your worries." The message hits home...

Immediately the Holy Spirit rolls my thoughts to Psalm 103. Praise the LORD with all my soul for all the blessings He's poured out on me. Because Jesus saved me. Because the LORD heals my hurts, my pains. And because the LORD loves me and wants to renew me. He wants us to worship Him not only because He deserves it, but because its then that we find the true love and joy the LORD is offering us. To praise the LORD is to tap into a fountain of goodness, that once jumped into, reveals how small our problems are, and how huge, compassionate, and gracious our God is.

Praising God takes us out of our small world and into his loving hands. Praising God takes our lives off of ourselves and on Him -- where they need to be. Praising God lets us experience His joy -- a pure joy that He desperately wants us to tap into and live in.

This praise is not just singing worship songs... Praising Jesus is a lifestyle. Praising Jesus is making our thoughts, our attitudes, and our actions bow down to Him. Praising Him is walking with Him daily. Its serving others so that they may meet Him and start a relationship of praise. Praising Jesus is being obedient to His call, to His conviction, and to His purpose for our lives.

Our praise matters to the LORD. It is the reason that He has created us! He has crafted praise so perfectly. Let me explain: when we praise the LORD, we are aware of His active hand in our lives. Praise places our focus upon the gifts and blessings the LORD has provided. Our souls are refined more and more by Jesus when we praise Him. The creation of praise is incredible because the more we do it, the more thankful we become, and the more we want to be thankful. The LORD demands our praise -- not just because He is worthy of it, but because He wants the best for us. He wants us to experience the Joy that He'll pour over us when we praise Him. He wants to break us of all the other idols in our lives that steal His glory, that we place our comfort and faith in. He alone demands praise because He created the Heavens and Earth to bring Him glory.

So next time your down and out, don't sulk in it like I did. That reaction gets us no where. But go & "praise the LORD, all His works everywhere in His dominion.

Praise the LORD, O my soul."

Majestic in Holiness

I've been kind of frustrated lately. You know how it goes sometimes... we get stuck, placed in frustrating times where life begins to get a bit hectic and nothing seems to go the 'easy way.' Money runs low, houses get flees, motorcycles don't work, and relationships get tough. You know the saying, "When it rains, it pours." The question we need to ask ourselves is, what are we built on when the rain comes. Since April, my world has been rocked. Since April, my world has completely changed. In April, the LORD called me to leave school without revealing why. All I got was Him telling me, "its not called faith if you see the next step." Now, the LORD doesn't always work this way. Each of us are different people, for He's made us all different, and made us for a different calling in life. Since the school decision I've been praying for next steps, the reason to drop out. The LORD has revealed said step, but now its time for me to man up and do it. For me to be patient and allow Him to speak clearly to me the detailed actions I am now to follow.

The problem: I'm not patient. Doubt creeps into my mind. Negative feelings seep out of me. I get tired and weary. Satan attacks, and attacks hard.

Solution: I dive head first into the Bible and beg Jesus to consume me. Two days ago, I asked the LORD to speak to me, to encourage me. aaaaand no surprise, He did.

"As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!"
Exodus 14:10-12

The Israelites have left Egypt traveling through the desert toward the Red Sea. They reach the Sea and look back to see the Egyptian army chasing after them. They panic. They allow the situation to overwhelm them, and honestly, who could blame them. Fear struck them at their core. The Israelites began to doubt the LORD and Moses like never before. They question everything; the LORD's mercy to get them out of slavery and they even suggest that life was better in Egypt - stagnant, typical, risk free, but safe. The Israelites even consider that serving the Egyptians, instead of the LORD our God, is better off for their future. Why? Because it was safe, it was conceivable, but not fruitful. The Israelites lose focus of God's power and guiding hand as they face the fierce Egyptian Army. They let fear override their faith in God. They let finite sin skew their perception of an infinite God. A God who has already provided and shown His miraculous power. Fear, doubt, panic, and faithlessness latch on to their minds, and take control of their consciousness.

Let this marinade. Have you done that? Have you been where the Israelite nation was? Have you ever been in a situation where the LORD has lead you, but Satan uses the good, perverts it, and attacks you constantly trying to divert your eyes from Jesus? I have. Hands down. Recently, those feelings have hit me daily.

Check it: "Moses answered the people, 'Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." Exodus 14:13 & 14

Baam! The LORD spoke immeasurably to me through these two verses. Just as Moses spoke to the Israelites, the LORD spoke to me: "Do not be afraid. Your fear is pointless. Do you not understand that I am the LORD who created the Heavens and the Earth? Do you not remember that I will blaze a path for you and be the Light for you to follow? Stand firm. Stand firm in the position of life I've placed you in. I'm teaching you here. Stand firm. It won't be easy. Don't bend, don't break, don't try to do it on your own - remember, Seth, 'I am who I am.' I am what you need. Lean on Me for I will help you stand firm. I will deliver you. Deliverance will come. I am faithful. Again, I will deliver you from this feeling of doubt, this feeling of aimlessness, and I will show you whats next. Just. be. patient. I will deliver you. Your problems that are causing you to doubt and fear will one day cease to exist. I am God and I am beside you. I will fight for you during this. I will protect you from this and more; from things you can't even imagine yet. Have faith for I will fight for you, all you need to do is be still - be calm. Seth, stay calm. Stand firm in Me, in Jesus, for I will fight, guide, and deliver you to My next step I have for you. You only need Me. Only I'll bring you true Joy. Be still and trust me."

I didn't read any further. I didn't need to. The LORD spoke loud and clear. I want you to hear this too. Don't be afraid. Don't worry. We need to stand firm for the LORD our God will provide for us. He will deliver. He will. He's faithful and true. He rules whatever worry or doubt or fear or struggle we may have. He is LORD of all - not just the good, but everything bows to Him. We can't fight, but He can. We don't have strength, but He is strength. He will fight for us. We must be still. This doesn't mean stagnant, not fruitful, but at peace in His presence. We need to be calm and seek His restful presence constantly. Only He can fight, only Jesus can sustain, only His Holy Spirit can calm our nerves.

Its difficult to be patient, but let Him fight and be still in His presence. Have faith in Jesus and stand firm in where He has called you. His deliverance will come because He is faithful.

He will not guide you and then not provide for you. Jesus expresses His faithfulness and love for us.

So go to Him. Place your trust in Him. And do it daily.

Thursday Night Bible Study (3): Acts 13

Acts 13

13:1-3 - Here we see how the leaders of the Church of Antioch seek Jesus. The Church at Antioch has been established, the Holy Spirit is using Her to bring people to know Jesus, and make those believers into disciples of Christ. But a Church alive, like the one in Antioch, is always seeking the LORD for next steps. Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen, and Saul seek the LORD's guiding hand by fasting, worshiping, and praying to Him. What some, mainly me, call the trifecta. Jesus calls us to do all three and we see these 5 men completely seek the LORD through the ways He commands. V2 expresses that while these men were fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke to both Barnabas and Saul to start their mission work, first separately and then to the Church leaders. By fasting and praying to the LORD, Saul and Barnabas heard what the LORD called them to do for His glory. I want to challenge you - maybe you're in a spiritual rut, need God's guidance, plead with God for a friend, need to repent of sin - to do as Jesus and the leaders at Antioch did, and fast. Today, Christians pray and worship on a daily, or at least a weekly basis, but we often neglect to fast as Jesus instructs us. Fasting is a powerful tool that will open our minds and hearts to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit more clearly.

13:4 - Don't miss this - Saul and Barnabas go, they do what the LORD commands. The two of them don't just hear the instructions, but they listen, they follow. I'm sure it was difficult. I'm sure it was uneasy. I would even bet that doubt, placed in their minds by the cunning deceiver, Satan, caused them to second guess they even heard the voice of God. But Saul and Barnabas ignore those thoughts from their sinful nature and follow Christ's command.

13:5 - As soon as Saul and Barnabas arrive in Salamis, they start to proclaim the word of God. They go straight to the Jewish synagogues and proclaim that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. They waist no time telling people about Jesus.

13:6-12 - Saul, now called Paul (v9) while filled with the Holy Spirit, lays the smack down on the false prophet named Elymas. Paul proclaims that the Holy Spirit will cause Elymas to go blind because his false teachings have placed him as an adversary of the LORD. Immediately the man becomes blind. Now, that's miraculous and awesome, but what happens next is even better. Because of Paul's teachings of Jesus Christ and the miracle the Holy Spirit did through Paul, the heart of the proconsul was transformed. The proconsul believed in Jesus. Verse 12 explains he saw and heard - it was the Holy Spirit's one-two punch to reveal the Truth of Jesus to this man.

13:13-15 - Once Paul and Barnabas arrived in Pisidian Antioch and on the Sabbath they go to the synagogue. Again, they go to the synagogue to preach about Jesus. After reading from the Old Testament, the leaders ask Paul to speak to the people and to encourage them.

13:16-41 - Paul stands up and begins to preach to the Jews. Paul unpacks for the people how God has orchestrated His actions from the beginning to the coming of Jesus Christ, and how Christ fulfills history perfectly. How history and time and creation were born for Him.

13:16-20 - Paul doesn't just physically stand up, but his speech stands up against the Jews. Paul is preaching a radical message. Paul's first few verses depict how God provided for the Israelites from the onset. He provided for them in slavery, provided a way for them to get out of slavery, and provided them a homeland. God provided as He showed His people His power with getting them out of Egypt and God showed the Israelites His mercy as they complained during the Exodus. God shows His mercy to us as He endures our conduct, our sin, and saves us anyway. God knew every one of our sins, small and large, before He sent His son Jesus, and He sent Him anyway - and Jesus freely gave Himself anyway. That's true love.

13:20-22 - Paul explains that the LORD provided Israel with judges, their first king Saul, and then David. The LORD will provide. When He calls us to do something, He will provide a way. The LORD provides leadership for His people. Saul didn't lean upon the LORD like the LORD demanded a leader to, so the LORD ousted him. The LORD will protect His people, especially from poor leadership.

13:23-25 - Paul expresses that everything that has happened in the world, has happened for the coming, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul goes in deeper with the mentioning of John the Baptist who gave his life to the service of God and to the proclamations that the Christ was near, thus the need for repentance. He believed in God and His son so much, that he lived in a desert wearing animal fur, drinking honey, and eating bugs. That's devotion. That's a faith that more people should live by.

13:26-31 - "it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent." Paul nails it. It's for the world that Jesus was sent - to save us all. What I can't understand is the complexity behind the Jews not recognizing Jesus for what He was, the Messiah, and by belittling Him to a shameful death, they fulfill God's promises. The detail and complexity behind such an event, that's without saying the awe of Jesus' resurrection, baffles me. Thankfully, He's God and we don't have to worry about such 'over-our-head' details. Jesus is the LORD fulfilling His promises to His people. Jesus and the message of salvation are for the people, even those who persecuted Him. His. mercy. blows. my. mind.

13:32-35 - Jesus fulfills the promises of God to the Israelites. Jesus' resurrection and conquering of death is the point of history.

13:36 & 37 - Like King David, God will put an end to our lives. But until the LORD does, we are to serve God's purpose for our lives. If you haven't dropped dead, then God isn't finished with you. He wants to know you more, wants you to know Him more, and wants to do work in you/us. Live for Him, serve Him, and do His will for your life. God's purpose never stopped for Jesus - He still saves people 2000 years after He conquered death!

13:38-40 - The kicker. Paul drops the bomb that Jesus died the horrible death to save humanity from our sins and to forgive us. That through the acceptance of Jesus Christ, we are justified from our sins. Paul continues that Jesus justifies us from sin, something that following the Law of Moses could never do. Basically, with that statement Paul does three things: 1) He speaks Truth. 2) His message, during this place and time, takes a quicker turn down radical road. 3) Paul is stating that good works, following the Law, will not get anyone anywhere. Only Jesus Christ saves and forgives of sins - not the Law. That is an extremely bold statement, a true statement, but radically bold.

13:41 - absolutely amazing. Most of the time, actions of the LORD are unexplainable, that's why they are of the LORD. He does the impossible. He is the unexplainable. Paul is pleading with the Jews to accept the Truth and to not be like their fathers who put the Messiah to death. Paul's recitation of Hab. 1:5 is extremely accurate. He is begging the Jews to accept Jesus, that they not doubt, scorn, or make a mockery of Him. Paul doesn't want them to fall in the same trap as their fathers. How many of us have fallen in that trap? How many of you don't believe? Make a mockery? The coolest thing is that Jesus died for us, even though we mock Him, lie to Him, and at times, doubt Him.

13:42 & 43 - The Jewish people were moved by Paul's preaching in the synagogue. So much so that they ask him to speak again next week and even follow him around town. Two things here grabbed my attention. 1) The congregation want Paul to speak again. They want to hear more about Jesus. They realize that God fulfills His promises and that they are missing something; that they are missing Jesus and His Holy Spirit. 2) Paul and Barnabas walk and talk with the congregation. They encourage and urge the people to continue in their walks with God. Paul isn't too good, isn't too tired, and isn't too prideful, to speak and encourage the people. As a leader, Paul gives himself for the glory of God. We could all learn from him.

13:44-48 - Fast-forward to the next Sabbath and almost the entire city came together to hear Paul speak. Paul doesn't disappoint. He preaches the message of Jesus and in return, some of the Jews in the area began to bash him. Filled with jealousy, which is sin, the Jews begin to slander Paul and Barnabas, and their teaching of Jesus. But Paul wasn't having any of it - he answers his opposition boldly and speaks truth to their hearts. Truth they don't want to hear and truth they don't accept. So Paul transitions his focus to the Gentiles because the Jews "do not consider themselves worthy of eternal life." We aren't worthy but there in lies the beauty of Christ's love. Paul continued to preach Jesus and those Gentiles whom the LORD appointed to eternal life believed in Him. Now, "appointed to eternal life?" It means, those people whom God had chosen and opened their hearts to receive Jesus on that day. God is omnipotent. He knows who and when and where we will accept Jesus. He knew when before the earth was spoken into existence. The Gentiles believed in Jesus and began their relationships with Him, forever saved, forever to be with Him.

13:49-52 - The Hand of the LORD was with Paul and his preaching so that the word of God spread throughout the area Paul was staying. With all standing up for Jesus and preaching His Good News, there will be opposition. There will be opposition every time we stand up for Jesus, spread His love, and His awesomeness. We need to continue to rest in Jesus when this persecution, because of being His disciples, arises in our lives. Paul and Barnabas kick the dust from their feet as the Jews booted them from Dodge, just as Jesus commands the His disciples. Its an act of shrugging off the persecution, keeping one's eyes on the future, JESUS, and not the past. Paul and Barnabas leave Pisidian Antioch because of the Jews, but simultaneously, because its God's will for them to preach Jesus' name to Iconium. God will receive glory from every situation - good and bad, joyous and sorrowful - He demands praise.

Chapter 13, like the entire Bible, unfolds God's plan to receive glory no matter what position His disciples are in. In what seems like a 'spiritual funk' or hardship, God will unfold His plan and guide us to give Him all glory.

From Everlasting to Everlasting He is God

God has revealed to me His power, faithfulness, and grace this week. I pray that He has done the same for you and rocked your world! Something He has taught me this week, and I've slowly grabbed a hold of, is that God is holding us in His palms. He is so large, so all knowing, so faithful. I loose track of His power. When times are tough and life gets a little more difficult, I place an Almighty God into a confining box. When the truth is, He made "the box" I'm trying to place Him in. The Holy Spirit nailed me with this thought: The LORD places us in difficult situations where we can't see a way out, so that we lean on Jesus, and for God to reveal His power in our lives. He told me to embrace my position in life - that He'll show me His hand. Shown me He has.

Here are the random verses that the LORD has lead me to this week and began to teach me through.

"Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God"
Psalm 90:2

I mean seriously, why do I worry about anything? Why do I fear anything? He is God - 'nough said. He gave birth to the mountains and before that the universe. I can't even fathom what "from everlasting to everlasting" means - I just know it's overwhelming my mind to try. I think it means Jesus is with us through every step, the ugly and the beautiful. That is so much easier to say, but He's so awe-inspiring when His action and truth takes place. He is God. Our problems are incredibly small to Him, but huge to us. He's faithful. God will provide for us because He always has. Rest in the fact that He's here, beside you, from everlasting to everlasting.

The past few months the LORD has been teaching me that all I need is Him. I wish I could say its been an easy and simple process. It hasn't been. However, through it He's made it clear He will provide if we follow Him and do what He commands. Its as "simple" as following His voice. He nailed me with this: "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:19. Dang that's truth. He'll provide for our needs, but we need to realize that we only need Him. Everything else He blesses us with is just that, a blessing.

"May the favor (beauty) of the Lord our God rest upon us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands"
Psalm 90:17.

When we follow the Lord and allow His hands to work in us, then through us, we find favor. We will not necessarily be blessed with riches and possessions. More like the favor (or blessing) in the act - we would receive favor in advancing Jesus' name, His Kingdom. The blessing is in someone receiving Jesus, eternity changed, or someone growing closer to Jesus - blessings being based upon the spiritual/supernatural, and not of this world. Favor in our position in life, knowing Jesus is with us, leading us, and teaching us. It's an inward change that takes place through the Holy Spirit sharpening us and shining through us.

It's a process. A process of loosing ourselves and receiving more Jesus.

The Vintage of Jesus (Fourth installment)

A good dose of Matthew chapter 10:

"Whatever town or village you enter search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting. If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves."
Matthew 10:11-16

The LORD has seriously used these few verses to smack me around and keep me focused.

Let me explain: Life is going to be full of times when people, close to us or strangers, who do not accept Jesus and Him speaking through us. Jesus instructs His disciples to travel to places and stay where the Holy Spirit leads. To find friends, brothers and sisters, who will accept and believe their message of Christ Jesus.For the Twelve not to hop from house to house, but stay with that "worthy person." Stay with the person who will accept their teachings, who befriends them, because it is there they will find comfort; a safe haven. It is also with that person that Jesus commands the disciples to leave their greeting and peace. He commands the disciples to not only sleep, eat, and drink, but to give back to the people of the household. To overflow with the good news that Jesus is the Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Jesus commands the disciples to serve the household and to be transparent so the household can see the work of Jesus in, and through them. Jesus commands that the Twelve be worth their keep and that's done by serving as Jesus served - for the Twelve that is speaking His Truth.

"If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words..." Jesus gives real talk to His disciples, of today and yesteray. There will be times when people do not receive Jesus' teachings through us. There will be times when people will ignore us and bash us for speaking what Jesus wishes us to speak. There will even be times when people hate us for speaking about Jesus.

But, He gives us advice in what to do next.

"...shake the dust off you feet when you leave that home or village." Literally, dust ourselves off. Don't focus upon the critic, the skeptic, or the one whom you've shared the news of Jesus with, but who doesn't receive. Pray for them, but do not let them deter us. Instead, go to the next town, village, or person and share Jesus with them. Jesus promises in verse 15 that it will be worse then Sodom and Gomorrah for the people who don't receive Him. Last time I checked, they all died...minus three. What's worse then fire from the sky? Eternity in the never ending consumption of a fiery Hell. We shouldn't let the naysayers get us downtrodden, but we should focus our attention on those who are lost and who are willing to be radically changed by Jesus. Ultimately we can't control who receives the gift of eternal life. Only Jesus has that power. He grants us the honor of being His living examples so others may see the life change Jesus creates, and long to be like Him.

We have no control over people's decision to receive the gift of Jesus - there inlies the beauty and frustration. It'd be easier to force feed people, but it wouldn't be genuine or real. Jesus desires our realness. This expresses the true power of the Holy Spirit and the convicting Truth of Jesus Christ. Not to mention the complete mercy and grace of God. Because seriously, if salvation were up to us we would leave people off the list. We're human. We continue to sin even though Jesus has shown us His mercy. Unfortunately that's how we roll.

The world, however, lives to different standards, which Jesus has already discussed in His instructions to the Twelve (and us.) Jesus unpacks our mission as disciples. "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves." That doesn't sound promising does it? Sheep usually get eaten by wolves, right? I don't want to be eaten. I don't want to suffer like that, but Jesus proclaims that He is our Shepherd. He will fight off the wolves and protect us. But when wolves do overpower our bodies, He will heal us, strengthen us, and reward us in Heaven, bringing glory to Himself on earth. Jesus also commands us to be "shrewd as snakes," meaning we are to show sharp powers of judgment; being able to accurately assess a situation, or person and turn it into an advantage. We are called to use discernment. Jesus also commands for us to be "as innocent as doves." We are to do right, to do what the Holy Spirit leads us to do, no matter how hard or convicting. There is no morality, just the conviction of the Holy Spirit upon our lives.

Jesus clearly explains to the Twelve that life preaching for and following Him will be uncomfortable, but worth every bit of it. Sometime people will accept us with open arms and other times people will shun us, turning their backs on us even when we do the will of the LORD. Jesus proclaims that we should shrug it off, keep our eyes on Him, His calling for our lives, and preach. The only true comfort in the world is Jesus Christ.

Through thick and thin, always preach Jesus. Don't forget, be shrewd and innocent as you go where the Spirit leads you.

"Where, O Death, is Your Victory?"

Through the past few weeks, death has been on my mind, on my heart, and in my walk with Jesus. Honestly, it's been all around me. It's hard for it not to be, seeing how I was in a hospital full of death's decay and I've attended two funerals in the past week. The LORD has taught me and stretched me during this time of loss - in ways only this time of loss could. It's not my lose that He's taught me through, but the lose that friends have experienced and how He's lead them during this time.

First, the LORD has taught me through these funerals that life is short, life is sweet, and I should glorify Him through every breath.

"Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
Remind me that my days are numbered—
how fleeting my life is.
You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
at best, each of us is but a breath."
Psalm 39:4&5

The LORD has blessed me in life. He has surrounded me with a loving family, both legitimate kin of mine & the family I serve with at NewSpring . Through this time of death, the LORD has shown me how a church should love and care for one another - celebrate, cry, grieve, and hurt - together. He has shown me how much I truly love my parents, my sister, and close friends. I, like most of you, have taken for granted the simple and constants of my daily life. The passage from Psalm is my prayer. Through it I feel the LORD will protect me from laziness, apathy, and pride.

Second, the LORD has taught me that I serve beside true disciples of Jesus. A couple I serve with, recently lost their child while only a few months pregnant. What a loss. I cannot fathom the amount of pain a mother and father would experience at such a time. My mind cannot comprehend the feelings I would harbor toward God, toward the doctors, and honestly, any person wanting to communicate with me during this time. However, though in pain, hurt, and sorrow, my friends worshiped God, giving Him every ounce of glory they could muster. They don't understand why their daughter was taken from them, but they don't need to. I went to the funeral to show them that I loved them, but God used their daughter to express His love, His power, His faithfulness, and His strength. I know that God will send them His peace and express (through time) His reasoning for taking their daughter. God has shown me through this situation that we can only rely on Him for true love and strength. All the things of this world are temporary - its time to start living like I know that truth and help build His Kingdom, the only everlasting Truth. It's time to step up, live giving Him praise through every breath I breathe, and live in awe of His glory.

Fast forward a week.

The second funeral where God rocked my small world. This funeral was for a man, Mike Hunt, whom the LORD took home after cancer overwhelmed his body; but not his spirit. Mr. Hunt's funeral was a celebration of his life. A life that he lived completely glorifying God. This disciple of Jesus, found out that he had brain cancer on a Wednesday, and the next Sunday, he was at NewSpring Church serving God. The God who most people would have been upset with because of the circumstance, but not Mike. He praised Him, served Him, and told everyone he could about how good God is. Mike was bold in his faith. Actually, he was straight up bold in life. The LORD used this man and his funeral to nail home to me that I need to be bold. I need to live as Mike did - giving all the glory to the LORD - no matter what the circumstance, hurt or joy. Again, that this world is temporary and the only Truth is Jesus. That this life can easily change, be taken away, but that I should live each day for Him.

This sums up what the LORD taught me through Mike: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

The LORD has blessed me. He has placed His disciples strategically in my life so that He may further sanctify me. With the sanctification, I have grown to know Him and love Him more. God has taught me that He always gives in time of lose. He gives us life so that we can join the rest of creation in praising Him. He sustains our life because He wants to know us and work through us so others may know Him. He concludes life so that we, His sons and daughters, may go home to Him, becoming truly alive. Also, for us to realize that we are small and He is infinite - that He will always be able to strengthen and soothe us.

Third, the LORD has taught me this:

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the Church of God -- even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ."
1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1

I feel the LORD will receive the most glory when we can say verse eleven with every word and action.

"Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
1 Corinthians 15: 55-57

And that is why all glory and honor and praise go to Him, Christ Jesus.

Thursday Night Bible Study (2): Acts 12

Acts 12

Acts 12: 1-4 - starts out the same way that chapter 11:1-3 began. Peter and the Church face persecution. There will be times in our lives that the LORD asks us to stand up, be bold, and do something that causes, both Christian brothers/sisters and the world to think critically of us. In my mind, I would think that the criticism from the church would have hurt Peter on a deeper level, then that of Herod arresting him. Why? Because Peter expects the persecution from Herod, the rest of the world, since they don't accept Jesus Christ as their King. They beat to a different drum. Herod beats to the drum of society, to the likes and dislikes of the Jews. Along the same thought process, the Holy Spirit explained to me that James died for Christ and Peter was arrested for preaching Jesus. That's bold and very uncomfortable. That's also how it could end for some of us. When we accept Jesus and begin to live like examples for Him, we aren't given an all access pass to beach front property in Malibu. We are called to go where He calls us because "Where He guides, He provides."

12:4 - Peter is arrested and placed in prison where he is watched over by 16 men. Don't miss the seriousness and the impossibility of this scenario. Check it: 16 incredibly trained soldiers guarding Peter in a prison made of stone and iron. If that wasn't bad enough, I'm sure there was a door on the prison cell and that door was locked. Now, Peter couldn't escape that prison even if he had someone deliver a cake with TNT and a saw placed in the center. What also struck me about this verse is that Peter was held over night because of the Passover, so he had time to dwell on the fact that he could be put to death the next day.

12:5 - Once the Church heard about Peter's arrest, which I bet was pretty soon after it happened, they began to pray to the LORD. This isn't one of those wimpy prayers where the Church doesn't believe that God will act, but they sat "earnestly praying!" The word earnestly is defined as showing sincere and intense conviction. This should define our prayer lives. The early Church sought after Jesus with earnest. Keep that thought on the forefront of your mind - we'll visit it again.

12:6 - Here is Peter in an extremely impossible situation where he could lose his life the next day and the playa falls asleep. He doesn't fall asleep because there is nothing else to do or because he's narcoleptic. Peter falls asleep because he trusts that the LORD will provide, whether it be freeing him or saving him in Heaven. Peter's faith in the LORD gives him the peace of the LORD so that he can sleep in a very troubling situation. Do we have that faith? Could we find His peace in that troubling of a circumstance? We could learn from Peter's faith in the LORD.

12:7-10 - Peter is miraculously rescued by an angel and the prayers of the Church are answered. This situation is incredible - God is in the business of doing the impossible. Matthew 19:26 sums up the event. God does the impossible for Peter. Again, if the LORD calls us to do something, He will provide the way. He shows that once more to Peter (and us.)

12:11 - Here is a man, Peter, who has seen truly breath taking events occur at the hands of Jesus Christ and His Father, but Peter still found it difficult (at first) to believe his own eyes. Peter truly thought that he was experiencing a vision of what, in all actuality, was his reality. The lesson I learned from this: God is beyond all I can comprehend and can do absolutely anything He wishes for those He finds favor upon. Blows my mind.

12:12 - Remember the thought you left on the forefront of your mind? Open the trunk and grab said thought. It's important to notice that the Church began praying for Peter when Herod arrested him and they did not stop until they saw an action take place from the LORD. They wouldn't stop until the LORD provided - let it be Peter's demise or his freedom. We need that prayer life. We need to stay faithful with who or what the LORD has called for us to pray. We don't always know why He commands for us to act but He knows, and more often then not, He will make it evident in His perfect timing.

12:13-15 - Peter comes to the house of Mary, the mother of John, and Rhoda (awesome name) comes to answer the door. When Rhoda hears that it's Peter at the door, she runs back to the others in such an excitement that she forgets to let Peter in. I want that excitement. The others who are praying respond with, "You're out of you mind." I want people to think that we are crazy, out of our minds with what Jesus asks us to do. I want us to be considered crazy for serving Jesus - doing what others and the world find ridiculous. It's then that the LORD has us in His palms, that we find comfort only in Him, and then that we are dangerous. We as Christians today care too much about what society thinks of us and not what Jesus thinks of us. When in reality, its only Jesus' thoughts that count and matter. I guarantee you, He will never find you crazy, but He will ask you to do the world's idea of ridiculous. But, then its a question of who we serve - the world or the Almighty God. (This passage has helped me when ppl call me crazy when it comes to what Jesus has called me to do - not with the craziness that actually is me.)

12:16 & 17 - The Church who had been praying for God's deliverance for Peter, were astonished. They had no idea how God would act. Verse 17 expresses that Peter didn't need the LORD to tell him to get out of Dodge, he just got out of Dodge. Sometimes we don't need the LORD to tell us His will for us. Sometimes it's obvious.

12:18 & 19 - Herod cross examines the guards that were holding Peter. I'm sure their interviews went like this: "Dude, I have no idea what happened. There was a light and then he was gone. The door unlocked on its own and Peter was gone..." Sound crazy, huh? Acts of God often cannot be explained and thus, sound crazy. But Herod wanted none of it, so he executed the soldiers. Herod was lost. He had miracles of God's Son all around him and never accepted Him. The story of Herod is sad, but what's even more depressing is that there are people just like him today. They're our roommates, our neighbors, our friends, and our family members. Reach them.

12:19-23 - Herod is struck dead for allowing the people to call him a god. The LORD killed not only the men holding Peter in prison, but the man who had the power to send Peter there. The LORD guided and provided for Peter; also for anyone else Herod planned on persecuting. God is a jealous God. He will not accept anyone proclaiming falsities about Him or anyone persecuting His people. If we are His, He will shepherd us. A struggle I have dealt with before and some of you may go through, is that of being a false prophet. It's a tool of Satan to use against us. Know this, the LORD doesn't take false teachings lightly. Meaning, He would deal with us if we were falsely teaching about His word and His Son, Christ Jesus.

12:24 & 25 - Herod died. All through history the people, or groups who oppose Jesus Christ have all died, or been destroyed. BUT the Truth and the Way and the Life has continued to grow and get stronger, even today! The Church, Christ's Bride, hasn't ended, hasn't died, hasn't gone anywhere, and by the Grace of God it will never cease. That's the power of Christ and the Truth He is. Enough said.

Next week will be Acts 13 & 14! Great stuff.