Today's study was about being crucified. "I have been crucified with Christ..." I am to identify with Christ in His death in order to allow Him to live through me. Trouble is, too often I am not sure how to identify with the crucified life. We covered some points today that I wanted to take note of.
1. I will be misunderstood as I pursue God.
2. I must relinquish my will, my plans and receive that which He has prepared for me.
3. This road may be lonely.
4. Alone may be exactly where God wants me.
5. I must always be prepared to give an answer.
6. I must be willing to do something different for God; get out of my box!
7. The road may be undignified.
8. I must relinquish my rights.
9. I must allow pain into my life and not try to medicate it away.
10. I must remember that I am not forsaken although I may feel that way at times.
I must be willing to identify with His crucifixion in order to identify with Him in His life!
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
16 June 2009
17 March 2007
Home Sweet Home
Fernandino invited us to visit his home in Andahuaylas. This was not his parent's home, but his own home! He had worked hard driving taxis around town and saved up his money. His father used the money to buy materials and built a two room adobe house. One room is the kitchen and the other, the bedroom.After a 15 minute mototaxi ride, we walked up the side of the mountain. As we got higher and higher the view grew only more incredible. We told Dino that people would pay a pretty penny for property like this!
The entire time we were walking, he continued to say, "I never would have dreamed you would come to my house." I even pinched his arm a few times so he knew he was not dreaming! His humble home was very inviting. There is no running water, no electricity. He cooks by firewood, uses the neighbor's water to wash dishes and I forgot to ask about the bathroom! While we visited he shared that he hopes when people see what he has and where he lives that they will understand the God does indeed bless people. All he has is from God and his passionate desire is to share the love of Jesus with people in Andahuaylas.
23 January 2007
Refreshment
This past weekend, I was praying for my friend and the conference that Refresh Life had on Saturday when the Lord reminded me of how important the word "refresh " has been in my life.
Several years ago, I was in the initial grieving period following a death in the family. I had never really faced the reality of someone dying and the tragic circumstances in this particular situation made things almost unbearable. I remember spending quite a bit of time trying to journal but really only remember writing to God "I know that you don't give me any more than I can handle, but I just want to let you know I don't think I can handle any more than this." I felt as though I was at the end of my ability to comprehend, understand and make sense of what I was facing.
Much of the time, I poured through the Psalms as it seems to be full of human emotions in difficult times as well as the acknowledgment of the greatness of God in the midst of trying moments. One evening as I sat in a large group Bible study, I had my Bible open to Psalm 84.
In my Bible, the definition listed for Baca is "weeping." So I read "passing through the valley of weeping..." and my heart leaped for joy. I was in the valley of weeping. I had already understood that although we seem to crave mountiantop experiences with our Savior, we will never know Him like we know Him in the valley. There, He draws close and tends to us individually.
Suddenly the promises jumped off the page and right into my heart. First, it did not say that I was going to remain in the valley forever. I was going to pass through the valley. What a relief! The valley is dark, it is painful and incredibly lonely. I was hoping to find the exit soon! I now had my hope on the fact that in His timing, I would pass through this very valley and make it to the other side. Second, I discovered a purpose for my journey in the valley. As I passed through the valley, I would turn it into a place of springs. To my heart, this meant that I would bring refreshment to others due to my journey through the valley of weeping.
To refresh means: to restore strength, to freshen up, to maintain by renewing one's supply, to update or renew, or to run water over. As a result of my time in the valley, I would be equipped with the ability to restore strength to others, to renew their supply and to "pour water over" them. I could not comprehend how I would do these very things, but then and there I noted in my Bible,
This was of great encouragement to me and became my verses of hope during the darkness. Be someone who refreshes others.
Several years ago, I was in the initial grieving period following a death in the family. I had never really faced the reality of someone dying and the tragic circumstances in this particular situation made things almost unbearable. I remember spending quite a bit of time trying to journal but really only remember writing to God "I know that you don't give me any more than I can handle, but I just want to let you know I don't think I can handle any more than this." I felt as though I was at the end of my ability to comprehend, understand and make sense of what I was facing.
Much of the time, I poured through the Psalms as it seems to be full of human emotions in difficult times as well as the acknowledgment of the greatness of God in the midst of trying moments. One evening as I sat in a large group Bible study, I had my Bible open to Psalm 84.
How blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee;
In whose heart are the highways to Zion!
Passing through the valley of Baca, they make it a spring,
The early rain also covers it with blessings.
Psalm 84:5-6
In my Bible, the definition listed for Baca is "weeping." So I read "passing through the valley of weeping..." and my heart leaped for joy. I was in the valley of weeping. I had already understood that although we seem to crave mountiantop experiences with our Savior, we will never know Him like we know Him in the valley. There, He draws close and tends to us individually.
Suddenly the promises jumped off the page and right into my heart. First, it did not say that I was going to remain in the valley forever. I was going to pass through the valley. What a relief! The valley is dark, it is painful and incredibly lonely. I was hoping to find the exit soon! I now had my hope on the fact that in His timing, I would pass through this very valley and make it to the other side. Second, I discovered a purpose for my journey in the valley. As I passed through the valley, I would turn it into a place of springs. To my heart, this meant that I would bring refreshment to others due to my journey through the valley of weeping.
To refresh means: to restore strength, to freshen up, to maintain by renewing one's supply, to update or renew, or to run water over. As a result of my time in the valley, I would be equipped with the ability to restore strength to others, to renew their supply and to "pour water over" them. I could not comprehend how I would do these very things, but then and there I noted in my Bible,With God's strength, I can pass through valleys of weeping and turn them into springs. The valley will be covered with blessing.
This was of great encouragement to me and became my verses of hope during the darkness. Be someone who refreshes others.
28 December 2006
Peace in the Storm
Storms can be very destructive. I have read lately about rain storms flooding the Aceh Province of Indonesia, displacing hundreds of thousands, killing more than a hundred and requiring aid for thousands. The blizzard in Denver, Colorado essentially shut down the city and they are bracing themselves for yet another snow storm this weekend. The Bay Area reported storms so fierce that electricity is out for tens of thousands and a woman became the victim to a toppled tree. Even here in Peru, some desert regions have been hit by storms causing ancient mud ruins to be saturated with water.
The disciples of Jesus were also affected by storms. After a great deal of teaching, Jesus led his disciples onto a boat with the intention of crossing the Sea of Galilee. As the fierce winds rose and water began to fill up the boat, these men likely drew on their knowledge of the stormy seas;
many of them were fishermen by trade. Once they had depleted their own resources, they called upon Jesus, who was sleeping! How did Jesus respond to the disciples' news that they were perishing at the hands of the wind and rain? Jesus simply declared peace over the storm. He rebuked the winds and told the sea to be still.
We have storms in our lives. They may not be brought on by wind and rain, but their effects can be just as destructive. What is our response to life's storms? Often times, we react just as the disciples did that evening on the Sea of Galilee. We draw upon our knowledge, our experience and our very own resources to save ourselves. Once we realize that it is not within our power, we call out to Jesus. Could we respond differently?
Jesus was able to speak peace over the wind and sea because He had peace within Him. He did not allow the storm to enter Him. In contrast, the disciples were affected inwardly by the storm around them. They cried out to Jesus in desperation, "Save us, we are perishing!" The storm entered into the disciples and they were not filled with peace in order to calm the storm.
What storms are you facing? What storms am I facing? You and I must be committed to maintaining peace within our heart. We must not allow the storms to get inside of us, but we must cultivate the peace of God within our hearts which allows us to speak peace over the storms in our life. Although the storms will bring external destruction and chaos, our hearts must be full of reassuring peace.
"Peace be still."
The disciples of Jesus were also affected by storms. After a great deal of teaching, Jesus led his disciples onto a boat with the intention of crossing the Sea of Galilee. As the fierce winds rose and water began to fill up the boat, these men likely drew on their knowledge of the stormy seas;
many of them were fishermen by trade. Once they had depleted their own resources, they called upon Jesus, who was sleeping! How did Jesus respond to the disciples' news that they were perishing at the hands of the wind and rain? Jesus simply declared peace over the storm. He rebuked the winds and told the sea to be still.We have storms in our lives. They may not be brought on by wind and rain, but their effects can be just as destructive. What is our response to life's storms? Often times, we react just as the disciples did that evening on the Sea of Galilee. We draw upon our knowledge, our experience and our very own resources to save ourselves. Once we realize that it is not within our power, we call out to Jesus. Could we respond differently?
Jesus was able to speak peace over the wind and sea because He had peace within Him. He did not allow the storm to enter Him. In contrast, the disciples were affected inwardly by the storm around them. They cried out to Jesus in desperation, "Save us, we are perishing!" The storm entered into the disciples and they were not filled with peace in order to calm the storm.
What storms are you facing? What storms am I facing? You and I must be committed to maintaining peace within our heart. We must not allow the storms to get inside of us, but we must cultivate the peace of God within our hearts which allows us to speak peace over the storms in our life. Although the storms will bring external destruction and chaos, our hearts must be full of reassuring peace.
"Peace be still."
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