To the Self-Reliant...

Why do I so often rely on my own strength to accomplish what I know I can't do in my own strength? I get scared when I feel more confident and sure of myself because often this moves me away from a dependency and full reliance on the power of God in my life. This quote from Oswald Chambers is a gem:

"God can achieve his purpose either through the absence of human power and resources, or the abandonment of reliance on them. All through history God has chosen and used nobodies, because their unusual dependence on him made possible the unique display of his power and grace. He chose and used somebodies only when they renounced dependence on their natural abilities and resources."

And let it be said of us as it was of the early disciples... "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13

Check Out This Amazing Passage

It's been a while... a core Scripture passage for me this past year is from Lamentations (of all places in the Bible), chapter 3. You have to read the first 20 verses to embrace more fully the depth of these words that Jeremiah writes...

"Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.' The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." Lamentations 3: 21-26

The thing that strikes me the most is how discouraged and full of despair Jeremiah is in the first 20 verses. Yet in the midst of this, he is able to "call to mind" the beautiful truths of who God is. This tells me that Jeremiah had given himself to pursuing and building a relationship with God that was strong and intimate. I want this kind of relationship with God - that no matter what situation I'm facing, I will be able to remember His unfailing love, mercy, and faithfulness.

To the Fear-Strugglers...

With the new year, I sensed God impressing on my heart the words "Do not fear." In Genesis 12 & 15, the story of Abraham has been a gift to me related to my struggle with fear. Abraham was called to leave his homeland and go to the land that God would show him. So...he had absolutely no idea where he was going when he took God at His word! Then later, God says "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward."

Those are sweet words that I need to soak in and own. God is my protection and my reward and I am commanded to live without fear. May we, as a community of fear-strugglers, know so deeply that we are safe with God and that He is the ultimate treasure worthy of our pursuit. I'm trying to live with less fear this year and more faith in our King Jesus... how about you?

Last Night's Table

We had our Table last night in the Hilldale neighborhood, and I continue to be amazed at how God shows up each time we gather. We had a great meal with conversations of our Christmas highlights, New Year's resolutions, and whatever else people wanted to share. After dinner, we shared prayer requests, and Anny prayed for the concerns mentioned. Then, we listened to Andy's life story, which was such a gift to us all and a testimony of God's unfailing love and how He literally spared Andy's life for a purpose. We all walked away encouraged and blessed, and I believe more ready to go out and be a light for Christ in the world.

Our Table last night reminds me of Hebrews 11:25:

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Faith Seeking Understanding

One of my goals this year as I read through the Bible is to ask more questions. As one theologian puts it, "As long as Christians remain pilgrims of faith, they will continue to raise questions - hard questions - for which they will not always find answers... Faith seeks understanding passionately and relentlessly, or it languishes and eventually dies" (Daniel Migliore). I think our journey to know God will only deepen as we feel the permission and freedom to ask tough questions. With faith, may we be seeking after understanding.

So I'm reading through Genesis 1 the other day and trying to break it down based on what God creates on each day.

Day 1 - Light & Darkness
Day 2 - Sky
Day 3 - Land, Seas, Plants & Trees
Day 4 - Sun, Moon, & Stars
Day 5 - Birds & Sea Creatures
Day 6 - Land Animals & Human Beings
Day 7 - Holy Day of Rest

So... human beings are the pinnacle of God's creation, made in the very image of God and yet we don't even get our own day?!? Why couldn't God have created the land animals on Day 5 and then leave Day 6 just for us? I don't have the answer, just asking the question...

Thanks be to God!

What an incredible weekend at Willow! This weekend we celebrated baptisms at all 3 services. Gene's message about counting the cost and taking seriously the call to follow Christ was powerful. At the end, we witnessed many go public with their faith in Christ through baptism. I was down in front on Saturday night talking to those who responded to Gene's invitation to walk up and be baptized right then. I wish you could have had the privilege to talk with these people like I did. Through their tears and their joy, you could see the Spirit of God stirring and actively moving in their lives. They were taking a big step to go public with their allegiance and love for Jesus Christ.

What made this weekend even more special was that two members of our neighborhood Table took the plunge and got baptized. What a joy it was to witness Carl & Kathy take another step in their journey of faith in Christ through baptism!

Thanks be to God for His work and activity in our lives, in our community, and in our church!

"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57

In this week when we celebrate Thanksgiving, may we remember and give thanks for the great victory we have in Christ...

Reflections on the Life of Moses (2)

Standing Firm Together (Exodus 13 - 15)

It's amazing when you go to church, listen to a message, and walk away feeling like the message was sent from God just for you. That's how I felt this past weekend as Bill taught from Exodus 14 on the Israelites being backed up against the wall between the Red Sea and the charging Egyptian army.

I'm just in one of those seasons where discouragement seems to come more quickly than usual. Can you relate to the feeling of being easily discouraged? As Bill taught us, amidst that discouragement, it is easy to get sarcastic and expect the worst to happen. And you begin to grumble, complain, and play the "woe is me" card.

I love how Moses steps in with courage and strength and speaks to the Israelites in their pitied state (Exodus 14:13-14):

"Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today... The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still."

Bill broke this down into 3 encouragements: fearing not, standing firm, and expecting God to work. Related to fearing not, I especially was impacted by his challenge to take captive your thoughts and filter them with the truth. Even when I do journal, I often don't evaluate what I'm feeling with what is true. Yes, I want to grow in reflecting on where I'm at, but also bringing the truth of God's Word and the truth about God's character into all of that.

So this week, I'm going to continue to soak in these words from the Scriptures in Exodus 14:13-14. I know I need them. And even now, I continue to feel God's tug on my heart to just be still and stand firm, knowing that He will fight for me and bring His deliverance.

So together, let's fear not, stand firm, and expect God to show up in power and might for the Lord is and will forever be our strength and salvation (Exodus 15:2)...