Today I heard a sermon about being a slave of all.
"and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all." Mark 10:44
What does that mean? Slave? It means putting yourself below everyone else. How can I do that? I mean, I love being noticed, isn't that what life is for? I love having people tell me what a great job I am doing. Or...having them come to me and say, wow your eyes are so beautiful.
Really though none of this has to do with being like Jesus. The truth is that Jesus came to be a slave. He gave up his life to serve. That is exactly what He asks me to do. Yet my days are filled with moments of slavery and then hours of thinking only of my own needs and wants. His life "as a ransom for many." 10:45
Applying this to my life, well I think that is going to take awhile. I am not sure that I have the ability to be a slave. But I know who does. To be a slave for my students, to be a slave in order to lead others to Christ. This is what He asks of me. I think that means to exhibit the Fruit of the Spirit. In my words, deeds and actions. Not for my own benefit, but for the benefit of those around me.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Thursday, December 31, 2009
James....Chapter 1
James chapter 1 talks about trials and the testing of faith.
I feel like this year I have had my fair share of trials and testing of faith. So lets take a look.
Verse 3 "The testing of your faith produces steadfastness. What is steadfastness?" When I think of being steadfast, I think about something that is strong and directed. That there is going to be nothing that shakes whatever it is. So if my faith is tested then I am going to be strong and directed. Towards? God and my faith in Him. See the testing of my faith produces more faith. The more faith I have, well the more testing I feel like there is.
Verse 4 "Lacking nothing" Wow! To be lacking nothing, is pretty amazing. I guess that in reality I will always be lacking something if I try and do things on my own, but the truth is that if I am living out my life in Christ, then I will be lacking nothing. If I have faith that God is real and true, that He is out there on my side, then I am complete. Not complete on my own, but complete in Him.
Verse 12 "the rich man will fall away in his pursuits." What does that mean? What am I pursuing like a rich man? Things that I should not be going after because in all reality it is just me trying to be more popular, or trying to make myself look better, instead of completely relying on God. Maybe one of those could be my job, I want to be known, I want parents to talk about me and how great I am of a teacher. When that become my pursuit, well it is just like a rich man going after money. There is nothing of God in that, and all of me in that.
Verse 14 "each person is tempted when he is lured by his own desires." That is for sure, me. I can claim all I want to that other people make my actions those that are not pleasing to God but what it boils down to is that it is myself. I am the one that has the desire, I am the one that follows through with the desire that is not pleasing to God. Whether it is judgment of someone else, an unkind word, or a thought that really isn't at all pure. These are caused by my own selfishness and my own wants. God gives me a way out, most of the time though I am too stubborn and caught up in my own self to even realize that God is screaming for me to turn around and run to Him.
Verse 19 "quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger." Quick to hear, so many times I can't wait to get out my words when in a conversation. Or to say...oh that reminds me of the time... you can probably fill in what would come next. But right here James, inspired by God tells us be quick to hear, listen to what others are saying. Some people just need to know that they are heard. I need to apply this to life with my students also. So many times I am on the defensive when they enter my classroom...I am so quick to say what comes in my head and don't even really hear what they are asking me. It is time to be a little bit slower to speak and slower to get angry.
Verse 26 "and does not bridle his tongue and deceives his heart." I think my tongue has gotten me into trouble. I think that there are too many times when God is just telling me to be quiet and I am trying to tell God, that I know better, that I need the opportunity to just tell this person something or blah blah blah....Well right now I think that my heart has been deceived many times by my own inability to just let God handle things.
As I look at this first chapter of James...how does one keep unstained from the world? As I look out at the world and step into it I am bombarded by every single minute of it. I am at a loss for what I should do or who I should be. As I think about truth...well the truth is that there are hard times, and in all reality there are going to be even more hard times. But that is what is turning me into this person that God wants me to be, that is what empties me out of the selfishness and the desires that want to consume me. It is going to take a lifetime, but at least I am not wasting it living for something that will get me nothing.
I feel like this year I have had my fair share of trials and testing of faith. So lets take a look.
Verse 3 "The testing of your faith produces steadfastness. What is steadfastness?" When I think of being steadfast, I think about something that is strong and directed. That there is going to be nothing that shakes whatever it is. So if my faith is tested then I am going to be strong and directed. Towards? God and my faith in Him. See the testing of my faith produces more faith. The more faith I have, well the more testing I feel like there is.
Verse 4 "Lacking nothing" Wow! To be lacking nothing, is pretty amazing. I guess that in reality I will always be lacking something if I try and do things on my own, but the truth is that if I am living out my life in Christ, then I will be lacking nothing. If I have faith that God is real and true, that He is out there on my side, then I am complete. Not complete on my own, but complete in Him.
Verse 12 "the rich man will fall away in his pursuits." What does that mean? What am I pursuing like a rich man? Things that I should not be going after because in all reality it is just me trying to be more popular, or trying to make myself look better, instead of completely relying on God. Maybe one of those could be my job, I want to be known, I want parents to talk about me and how great I am of a teacher. When that become my pursuit, well it is just like a rich man going after money. There is nothing of God in that, and all of me in that.
Verse 14 "each person is tempted when he is lured by his own desires." That is for sure, me. I can claim all I want to that other people make my actions those that are not pleasing to God but what it boils down to is that it is myself. I am the one that has the desire, I am the one that follows through with the desire that is not pleasing to God. Whether it is judgment of someone else, an unkind word, or a thought that really isn't at all pure. These are caused by my own selfishness and my own wants. God gives me a way out, most of the time though I am too stubborn and caught up in my own self to even realize that God is screaming for me to turn around and run to Him.
Verse 19 "quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger." Quick to hear, so many times I can't wait to get out my words when in a conversation. Or to say...oh that reminds me of the time... you can probably fill in what would come next. But right here James, inspired by God tells us be quick to hear, listen to what others are saying. Some people just need to know that they are heard. I need to apply this to life with my students also. So many times I am on the defensive when they enter my classroom...I am so quick to say what comes in my head and don't even really hear what they are asking me. It is time to be a little bit slower to speak and slower to get angry.
Verse 26 "and does not bridle his tongue and deceives his heart." I think my tongue has gotten me into trouble. I think that there are too many times when God is just telling me to be quiet and I am trying to tell God, that I know better, that I need the opportunity to just tell this person something or blah blah blah....Well right now I think that my heart has been deceived many times by my own inability to just let God handle things.
As I look at this first chapter of James...how does one keep unstained from the world? As I look out at the world and step into it I am bombarded by every single minute of it. I am at a loss for what I should do or who I should be. As I think about truth...well the truth is that there are hard times, and in all reality there are going to be even more hard times. But that is what is turning me into this person that God wants me to be, that is what empties me out of the selfishness and the desires that want to consume me. It is going to take a lifetime, but at least I am not wasting it living for something that will get me nothing.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
John 10:4
"When He has brought out all His own, He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice."
A few months ago I was having a hard time with discerning God's voice. I had someone explain it to me very simply. How do we recognize our parent's voices? By spending time with them. We know our friends when they call because we have heard their voice and gotten used to it. The same goes for God's voice. I will follow the voice that I know. In the rest of John 10 it talks about false prophets or leaders, who want to take us away from God. Away from the truth of who He is and what He wants to do for us. It amazes me how close I get to giving up on God. I think the trial that I am going through is just too hard, that He wouldn't understand. When in reality, all I have to do is listen and I will be able to hear His voice. I must spend time with Him though and be ready to flee from those that are trying to lead me astray. So it is that today I plan on listening to His voice. I plan on following Him with my whole heart. Not allowing any things or people to tempt me into another direction. I want His voice to be the Only One that I hear!!!!!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Romans 10:1
"Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved."
Today was a youth service and in it the pastor was talking about the need to preach the gospel not just do "activities" that make everyone so busy. I mean when did church become a place just to become more and more busy. I know some people working here that are too busy to even have conversations with friends let alone probably how much time they actually get to reflect on the Word of God for themselves.
This verse though it is talking about having a heart's desire and prayer for them to be saved. In this I long for my students to be saved. I don't think I pray for that enough sometimes and when I am in class with them I do not always long for their salvation. Sometimes I get caught up in the discipline or in the teaching and I forget to see them as lost, as people living deep in sin.
I need to really see them as Jesus does. This verse reminds me what my heart's desire should be everytime I walk into that classroom...to give the gospel message....for them to be saved!
Today was a youth service and in it the pastor was talking about the need to preach the gospel not just do "activities" that make everyone so busy. I mean when did church become a place just to become more and more busy. I know some people working here that are too busy to even have conversations with friends let alone probably how much time they actually get to reflect on the Word of God for themselves.
This verse though it is talking about having a heart's desire and prayer for them to be saved. In this I long for my students to be saved. I don't think I pray for that enough sometimes and when I am in class with them I do not always long for their salvation. Sometimes I get caught up in the discipline or in the teaching and I forget to see them as lost, as people living deep in sin.
I need to really see them as Jesus does. This verse reminds me what my heart's desire should be everytime I walk into that classroom...to give the gospel message....for them to be saved!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
2 Corinthians 11:14
"And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." 2 Corinthians 11:14
When I think about deception, it makes me really scared and intrigued. That is a weird combination. I have to wonder what things I have deceived myself into believing that they are true, when in fact they were just myself deceiving my own mind and heart. For instance a couple of years ago I thought that I was in being pursued by someone only to find out that it was in fact not true at all. So...had I deceived myself into believing the feelings were from God? Were they in fact from God? What is it that makes one thing from God and one thing not from Him?
When I think about present situations in my life it kind of scares me to think that Satan can disguise himself. If he can disguise himself then people all around me are also in a place of disguise. I think it is also true that on a day to day basis we all in some form disguise what we are truly thinking. When looking at it deeply I can see that my thoughts are not always God's thoughts, this means that there are things that I do and think throughout the day that I would be embarrassed for people to know about. This means that I give in to sin.
Now I believe that there are people walking around like they have no sin at all. I am one of those people sometimes. I like to look at myself as this Spiritual person, who takes the Bible for what it says and follows it. Looking down on those around me that feel like God made the Bible to be cultural or to be made to "fit this age." Although I do not believe that this is true, it is not for me to look down on those that do. It is a hard balance, but to be able to see when someone is trying to deceive me that is what I am going for here.
I want to shout it to my students to not listen to commercials or people that are trying to get them to think and believe only One way. I want to shout at them to seek the truth, and then God will reveal it. If they are truly seeking HIm and wanting to know Him, then they will find Him. Actually He will find them.
He is a God of truth, not lies and deception. So as I ponder what it means to be deceived maybe this will cause me to think more about what I read and what people say. For every person that claims to be speaking of God, may not exactly be doing it.
When I think about deception, it makes me really scared and intrigued. That is a weird combination. I have to wonder what things I have deceived myself into believing that they are true, when in fact they were just myself deceiving my own mind and heart. For instance a couple of years ago I thought that I was in being pursued by someone only to find out that it was in fact not true at all. So...had I deceived myself into believing the feelings were from God? Were they in fact from God? What is it that makes one thing from God and one thing not from Him?
When I think about present situations in my life it kind of scares me to think that Satan can disguise himself. If he can disguise himself then people all around me are also in a place of disguise. I think it is also true that on a day to day basis we all in some form disguise what we are truly thinking. When looking at it deeply I can see that my thoughts are not always God's thoughts, this means that there are things that I do and think throughout the day that I would be embarrassed for people to know about. This means that I give in to sin.
Now I believe that there are people walking around like they have no sin at all. I am one of those people sometimes. I like to look at myself as this Spiritual person, who takes the Bible for what it says and follows it. Looking down on those around me that feel like God made the Bible to be cultural or to be made to "fit this age." Although I do not believe that this is true, it is not for me to look down on those that do. It is a hard balance, but to be able to see when someone is trying to deceive me that is what I am going for here.
I want to shout it to my students to not listen to commercials or people that are trying to get them to think and believe only One way. I want to shout at them to seek the truth, and then God will reveal it. If they are truly seeking HIm and wanting to know Him, then they will find Him. Actually He will find them.
He is a God of truth, not lies and deception. So as I ponder what it means to be deceived maybe this will cause me to think more about what I read and what people say. For every person that claims to be speaking of God, may not exactly be doing it.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
His Name
As I reflect on my day to day, I am reminded that I do not think upon God all that often. Yes, in the morning when I first get to school He is in my thoughts, but throughout the day in those times when life seems so crazy...well He is not there. I need to make it a point to think upon Him more.
Today I looked at Philippians 2:9-11. It seems to me that Jesus being the name above all names, means that He should be my thoughts. He should be the one that I am running to in my head. Instead of replaying what happened last weekend or thinking about upcoming adventures. I should be completely focusing on Him. For one day every knee will bow. What will I be doing then? I want to be bowing, but I must really concentrate on that in the day to day, second to second.
Isaiah 43:1 talks about Him calling us by His name. We are His. I am His and yet there are so many times that I let that simplicity pass me by. If I truly were His wouldn't I be longing to spend days with Him instead of checking my latest message on facebook, or experiencing checking my email for the thousandth time during the day. I need to spend those extra minutes in His Word. Opening my mind and just truly resting in Him.
Today I know that there may be distractions actually not may but will be. I want to make an efffort to think about Him, to make my being so in tune with God that I do not go today without truly living my life for Him. How amazing would that be?
Today I looked at Philippians 2:9-11. It seems to me that Jesus being the name above all names, means that He should be my thoughts. He should be the one that I am running to in my head. Instead of replaying what happened last weekend or thinking about upcoming adventures. I should be completely focusing on Him. For one day every knee will bow. What will I be doing then? I want to be bowing, but I must really concentrate on that in the day to day, second to second.
Isaiah 43:1 talks about Him calling us by His name. We are His. I am His and yet there are so many times that I let that simplicity pass me by. If I truly were His wouldn't I be longing to spend days with Him instead of checking my latest message on facebook, or experiencing checking my email for the thousandth time during the day. I need to spend those extra minutes in His Word. Opening my mind and just truly resting in Him.
Today I know that there may be distractions actually not may but will be. I want to make an efffort to think about Him, to make my being so in tune with God that I do not go today without truly living my life for Him. How amazing would that be?
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Psalm 21:6
As I look at this verse here is what thoughts come to mind. First of all who is the him being referred to here? I think the King. But the King of Israel. So whoever it is they make him glad just by being present.
This makes me wonder if my presence makes God glad. I think a lot of times he probably wonders, "Oh that tawnya, why did I form her?" She doesn't get it again. I mean how many times has he had to teach me patience? How many times has he had to take away friendships so that I will realize to lean on Him alone. Again and again I must learn to just trust Him. So as I look at this verse to me it just makes me want to please Him(being God) that much more. I want Him to be glad that He created me and happy that He can call me His daughter.
This makes me wonder if my presence makes God glad. I think a lot of times he probably wonders, "Oh that tawnya, why did I form her?" She doesn't get it again. I mean how many times has he had to teach me patience? How many times has he had to take away friendships so that I will realize to lean on Him alone. Again and again I must learn to just trust Him. So as I look at this verse to me it just makes me want to please Him(being God) that much more. I want Him to be glad that He created me and happy that He can call me His daughter.
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