Fixing My Eyes

2007-07-04T09:47:00.000-07:00

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."-James 1:2-4

It is fitting that I would be memorizing these verses while I go through a hard time at work. I like how James says "consider it pure joy," rather than "take comfort" or "you'll get through it." When God disciplines me, that is evidence that I am his child, as Hebrews 12:6 says, "... the Lord discipline those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Parents don't usually discipline other people's kids - just their own. In knowing that God is testing my faith, I can have "pure joy" because that means he loves me as his own child. Discipline is for our good, and it's purpose is to make us mature like Christ. My parents disciplined me when I was young, and I didn't like it at the time, but now I am glad that they did because it prepared me for life on my own. I want to submit to God's discipline so that I can be mature and complete, not lacking anything, and live a life that brings glory to him.

Thoughts on my Not-so-Great Job

2007-07-01T21:49:00.000-07:00

I've been having some serious frustrations with my new job. The main ones are feeling used, trapped, and minorly persecuted for I know not what reason. After many ups and downs I decided to look for another job.

However, as uncomfortable as this whole experience has been, I have to say that I've never been forced to grow so much in my walk with God as I am now. I am daily put into situations where I have two choices: to sin or surrender my rights. I don't always choose rightly, but I think it's more often than not, and I know it's more aften that it has been in the past. I am learning to hold my tongue, to be patient in affliction, to turn the other cheek, not to complain (I have complained, but I promise you it's a lot less than I've wanted to), and to love my enemies.

As I walked out to my car tonight, it struck me clearly that Starbucks is not my job - Christianity is, and sometimes the two conflict with each other. This morning at church, Pastor Mike talked about having the courage to do the right thing without fearing the consequences. I realized tonight, that my job is a ministry. Every day, someone at work asks me something about the Bible, God, church, or my faith; and every time I answer and represent Christ, I am taking a risk.

This perspective has changed the way I look at work in another way too. Sometimes the right thing isn't the best thing for the company. There is a person working there, who, from a business standpoint should be let go immediately, because they are incapable of doing their job. It's my job to make sure that the manager knows this. But this same person continually asks me questions about the Bible, and wants to read through it and talk with me about it. I'm not going to say anything to the manager just yet.

I've also had the privilege of receiving some little reward for my efforts to please God. Sometimes I wonder if I'm succeeding at all. Yesterday, I received the best compliment ever: a customer asked me if the white RAV4 was mine and I said yes. Out of curiosity, I said, "It's kind of a girly car huh?" (meaning, is that how you figured out it was mine?) But she said "No, I thought it was yours because of the Compass Bible Church sticker," and she smiled at me. She said she knows another family that goes to church there, and they invited her to come too. She hadn't gone, but I invited her too (I wish everyone could go there!). Hopefully she'll come sometime soon.

All that to say, God is teaching me to trust in him every day, and I am seeing his sovereignty at work in my circumstances. I still don't like my job and have suffered legitimate injustices, but knowing that God has a good reason for me being there makes it a lot easier to bear. I can see that he loves the lost, and I am slowly taking on some of that love. I am painfully learning to long for the salvation of people who don't love or even like me, for the sake of Christ. It helps me to understand what Paul said in Philippians 1:18-25. He was talking about the choice between laboring for Christ in unpeasant circumstances, and escape from that labor (death). He would rather go to be with Jesus, which is "better by far," but he says in verse 25, "I will remain, and I will comtinue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith..." I am not Paul, but even if God is using me in some small way to glorify his name, all of my discomfort is worth it.

A Lesson From Pilgrim's Progress

2007-05-14T16:24:00.000-07:00

After reading a short description of how suffering increased John Bunyan's faith and ministry, I went out and bought his most famous book, "The Pilgrim's Progress." Written in the 17th century, this story is not an easy read, but it is well worth filtering through the "thees," "thous" and "wherefores," in order to benefit from the wisdom hidden therein.

The main character, Christian, reads a book and becomes aware of his burden of sin and his inability to get rid of it himself. At the direction of a man named Evangelist, he sets out on a journey, leaving his family and friends behind, in order to escape the wrath he knows he deserves. He reaches the cross, where he looks to Christ, and the burden falls from his back. From that point on, he travels in search of the Celestial City, where he will see Christ, not hanging on a cross, but alive and in all his glory.

The heart of the story is his progress along that path. He meets all kinds of people along the way, who influence his attitude, desires, and ability to proceed. Each one tests the veracity of his faith.

One such encounter takes place near the beginning of his journey. Night is drawing near, and he sees a castle along the way, and turns in to ask if he can stay the night there. After being questioned by the porter, he is allowed to come in and have dinner with the three ladies that live there - Piety, Prudence, and Charity. As they wait for their dinner, the ladies question him about where he came from and what happened along the way. Then they come to the subject of his family and ask him why he didn't bring them as well. Actually, they grill him about it. And the conversation made me squirm as if it was me under the hot light. It starts on page 51:

"Christian- I have a Wife and four small Children.
Charity- And why did you not bring them along with you?
Chr. Then Christian wept, and said, Oh how willingly would I have done it, but they were all of them utterly averse to my going on Pilgrimage.
Cha. But you should have talked to them, and have endeavoured to have [shown] them the danger of being behind.
Chr. So I did, and told them also what God had [shown] to me of the destruction of our City; but I seemed to them as one that mocked, and they believed me not.
Cha. And did you pray to God that he would bless your counsel with them?
Chr. Yes, and that with much affection; for you must think that my Wife and poor Children were very dear unto me..."
"...Cha. But did you not with your vain life, damp all that you by words used by way of [persuasion] to bring them away with you?
Chr. Indeed I cannot commend my life; for I am conscious to my self of many failings therein: I know also that a man by his conversation may soon overthrow what by argument or [persuasion] he doth labour to fasten upon others for their good: Yet this I can say, I was very wary of giving them occasion, by any unseemly action, to make them averse to going on Pilgrimage. Yea, for this very thing they would tell me I was too precise, and that I denied myself of things (for their sakes) in which they saw no evil. Nay, I think I may say, that, if what they saw in me did hinder them, it was my great tenderness in sinning against God, or of doing any wrong to my Neighbor.
Cha. Indeed Cain hated his Brother, because his own works were evil, and his Brother's righteous; and if thy Wife and Children have been offended with thee for this, they thereby [show] themselves to be implacable to good; and thou hast delivered thy soul from their blood."

Several things convicted me in this small part of the story. First: am I making every effort to win people to Christ? Charity interrogates Christian to see if there is anything else he could have done to save his family. Am I telling the gospel? Am I praying that God will "bless my counsel" with them? And (equally as important) am I living what I say? I love how Christian says that a person, "by his conversation may soon overthrow what by argument or [persuasion] he doth labour to fasten upon others for their good." (page 52) In other words, our everyday conversation can immediately nullify everything we say to try to persuade someone of the gospel. We can actually make God's good plan look bad by saying we're Christians, and not living like we are. There is never a time when we can take a brake from being a follower of Christ. In dropping our guard against sin (especially in little things), we not only grieve God by disobeying him, but we may also cause someone to ignore the Gospel and miss out on salvation. If I, by my sin, am the cause of some one's rejection of the truth that would save them, is their blood then on my head? Instead, we should "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."(1 Peter 2:12)

If someone interrogated me about my life and witness like Charity did to Christian in this story, I wouldn't be able to answer as he did. But I do intend to work to make my every day conversation and actions pleasing to God, so that my life will adorn the gospel, rather than contradict it.

Romans 13:8

2006-05-31T16:38:00.000-07:00

I just moved into my grandparents' house. Monday was my first night actually sleeping there, and only now am I starting to feel like things are getting under control.

Last week, my dad helped me move all my stuff in. The only problem was that all my grandparents' stuff was still here. He brought my couch into the living room and left it standing on-end, and he dumped my bed in the bedroom in multiple pieces and left. I am so grateful that he helped me, because I could never move all that stuff by myself, but that night I looked around the house and broke down and cried. How could I possibly get it under control? Where would I ever start?

It's a three bedroom, two bath, fully furnished (with old-lady furniture) house, that has been empty since my grandpa died at the end of last year. If you've ever moved, you know how much work it is. Imagine moving into a place that is already full of stuff. It's very frustrating.

I'm not writing this to complain, but rather, to praise one of my fellow Christians who helped me more than I can ever thank her for. My roomate's grandma - Wanda Russell, a petite 70-something year-old Texan, came over bright and early the following day and said, "I'm here to help. What would you like me to do?" I had no idea what to tell her, but her years of wisdom gently helped me work my way through the mess. She suggested that we put all the old furniture in one room and close it off, then she went to work in the kitchen and cleaned and papered all the shelves and drawers (after condensing all the old dishes into one section of cabinets.) Together, we rolled up all the rugs and washed the floors, cleaned out Jen's room and my closet, and moved tons of boxes into the garage. After several days of working like this, Wanda came to me to ask what else I wanted her to do, and I couldn't think of anything. The house was transformed.

Her kindness and hard work over the last week or so has made me so thankful - not just to her, but also to God, who sent her to me. I honestly don't know what I would've done without her, or how I could ever thank her enough. God meets our needs at just the right time. In this case, He waited until I knew for certain that I couldn't do it on my own, and then sent me this incredible blessing. And the amazing thing is that Wanda feels indebted to me and my family for letting her grand daughter move in here. It reminded me of Romans 13:8 "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law."

This is how we should always treat each other, as though there is a continuing debt to love one another. It's wonderful!

Life-saving Truth

2006-03-05T13:38:00.001-08:00

My dad took me out for a high class meal at Taco Bell the other day. Just as we reached the door, a homeless man stepped up to me and asked if I could spare a dollar. Since I came with my dad, I left my money in my car back at the church, so I asked my dad if he had a dollar for the guy. Instead of giving him money, he said, "Are you hungry? Come on in, and I'll buy you lunch." The man came in with us and ordered on our tab.

My dad never ceases to amaze me. He is very rough round the edges - not the typical person you'd see ushering at church on Sunday. Sometimes he even falls asleep during the sermon. But one thing my dad has that a lot of church-goers don't is a real understanding of the truth. He knows the gospel, and he knows that those who don't will go to hell. Many times, I've seen him strike up a conversation with a stranger, and within five minutes he's told them the good news the we can be reconciled to God because of Jesus' death on the cross. People give mixed reactions, but more positive ones than you'd think. He never sugar-coats the truth. "You're a sinner," he'll say, "and so am I. But let me tell you how you can be forgiven..." He doesn't worry about offending people, he worries that he might meet someone and never tell them the truth that could save their life.

The gospel is offensive. The Bible even says it is. But it is true, and it is vital that we tell it to people (Romans 10:13-14). We should all be more like my dad. Go ahead. Offend someone with the words of life. If you love them, that's the first thing you'll do.

Submission

2006-02-14T14:34:00.001-08:00

Somehow on Wednesday, our Bible study conversation strayed from the subject of divorce, to that of submission. Submission is not a popular concept among high school girls, or anyone else for that matter. The controversy came over that painful truth in God's word, that women are to submit to their husbands. Not only that, but women are not to have authority over men in the church. (Col 3:18, Eph 5:22-33, 1Tim 2:11-14)

Numerous arguments come to mind, many of them logical. Women are not inferior to men. We are not less intelligent. We have proven just as capable in the workplace as our male counterparts, with the exception of physical limitations. Why should we submit?

Firstly, and most importantly, Christian women should submit to Christian men because God tells us to. We should take Him at His word and obey. When I was growing up my parents used to tell me, "When we tell you to do something, obey first, and once you've done it you can ask questions." Our tendency is to ask questions before we obey. God expects us to trust Him.

Having said that, there are several other reasons that I can think of for obedience in this area. God made us this way. He intended for us to be helpers to men, not their leaders. When we do things the way God intended, it's generally a lot easier and more fun than when we do them our own way. There is one guy in my dance class that wants to be a follower rather than a leader. He has a hard time finding a partner to dance with, and when he does, it doesn't appear to be a comfortable or fun experience.

God made us to fill certain roles, and things work best when we do the ones we're supposed to. As in dancing, a marriage has to have a leader and a follower. If both people are trying to lead, it just won't work. Toes get stepped on, you bump into each other, and you end up expending a lot more energy and accomplishing a lot less. If, on the other hand, the man is leading, and the woman is following, the dance can be beautiful and fun for both people. Neither of the two roles is less important, they're just different.

As girls and women, we should not think of submission as a bad thing. It's not slavery. In fact, submission is a choice. It can't be forced. There is power in submission that is lost when we try to be in charge. It's the difference between humility and humiliation, gentleness and weakness.

Some practical things for unmarried women to keep in mind are: Make up your mind now to obey God and submit to your husband. Don't wait until you're married to think about this, because then it will give you problems. Choose a husband you are willing to submit to (or don't get married). Don't put yourself in a position where obedience is next to impossible. Find a man you respect. Remember that God gives us commands like this for our own good - trust Him.

Vanity of vanities

2006-02-06T16:14:00.000-08:00

"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher; "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity"
Ecc 1:2

I'm taking advanced drawing in my last semester at SJSU. It is clear from the first few sessions that the teacher wants each of her students to have a concept. I take "concept" to mean an idea or theme that you carry through in each of your drawings. This can be anything as long as you can talk it up and make it convincing. Oh, and the teacher has to like it.

One student does only war imagery. He's also in my lithography class, and I've seen his work before - he always draws soldiers and tanks and guns. Another student always paints or draws in neutral colors. Her work is very mysterious and dingy, like something from a scary dream you might've had as a child. There's usually an open door that leads to some stairway, with the possibility of something creepy lurking on the other side. Unsettling.

I am at a definite disadvantage in this class. I don't have a solid concept. I have always enjoyed making art that looks pretty (that doesn't count in art school). I feel like God made creation beautiful, and the best thing I can do as an artist is try to imitate that in some way. I don't like abstraction, and I see no reason to make art that leaves a person uneasy or unhappy, unless that feeling leads them to make things right between them and God.

In an effort to satisfy the nebulous "concept" requirement, I have adopted symbolism as my concept, and I use symbols that remind me of what God has done and is doing in his love for us.
It's a half-hearted attempt because I would much rather be painting flowers and landscapes, or portraits of my friends and family. But those things don't seem to count as art in this class. If it looks like something, it's too illustrative. The mentality is so human centered - as though we can really make something beautiful that isn't patterned after what God has already made. Artists are always trying to come up with something new, and it inevitably leads to evil. I am not saying that all artwork is evil, or that abstraction is wrong. But often our efforts to make something new pull us out of the real world, which God has made. When we try to make things that God has not made, we are on a futile path that leads to nowhere good.

That which has been is what will be,
That which is done is what will be done,
And there is nothing new under the sun.
Is there anything of which it may be said,
"See, this is new"?
It has already been in ancient times
before us.

Ecclesiastes 1:9-10

For my last four months as an art student, I want to make art that glorifies the Great Artist - God himself, who gives all creative ability. When I think of what he has made, the poetry he has written, and the stories he has told - how can I ever add to it?

Good News at Work

2006-01-17T21:42:00.000-08:00

I had a very thought-provoking work day today. I have the privilege of working with several other Christians, and today, we actually outnumbered the non-Christians during my shift.
Normally, the atmosphere at Starbucks (at least, for the people behind the counter) is not conducive to long spiritual conversations, and today was not an exception. But somehow, Kelly and I started one with Brendon, and it continued on and off for the rest of the day.

Brendon is not a Christian, and he thought it was pretty funny that Kelly and I both went on separate retreats with the youth groups at our churches. When he said he didn't see what the big deal is about Christianity, Kelly gave him a brief synopsis of the Bible; how God made us, we sinned, and Christ died in payment for our sin. She asked him what he believes in and he said nothing. He said he thinks the Bible is fiction and we're foolish for believing it. He told me that when he dies, he'll just stop existing. No wonder he lives the way he does!

It's discouraging to talk to someone who just doesn't care. I found out though, through our patchwork conversation, that he is not as unconcerned as he originally said. He had some questions about God and the Bible that proved he's not completely convinced of his stance, and I hope he will think about it more.

I realized again that this is what I go to work for. I'm not just there to make money. Everything I do has eternal consequences. I am responsible for telling the people in my life what God has done and who he is. Brendon asked me at one point, "Isn't the Bible all about morals? I mean, isn't it just a book that tells you what you should and shouldn't do?" That's not at all what it is! The Bible is all about who God is. It's his way of communicating himself to us.

Brendon had never thought of the Bible that way, and I think it was good for me to be reminded of that again. We need to know God's Word, so we can tell others who he is. How wonderful it is that we can know God!

Count the Cost

2005-12-20T23:44:00.000-08:00

On my break today at Starbucks, I read a little passage from Luke 14. Jesus is teaching the crowds about discipleship. My Zondervan Bible Dictionary says that the word disciple "implies the acceptance in mind and life of the views and practices of the teacher." Every true Christian is a disciple of Jesus, but I wonder how many who claim that title have really considered the cost of following him.

In verses 26 and 27, Jesus makes it clear that following him is a serious endeavor. It means hating your own life, regarding Jesus above family and friends, and even taking up a cross. He says that if you don't do these things, you can't be his disciple, and he calls people to consider this cost before jumping into discipleship.

The following verses illustrate how we should take the decision to follow Christ at least as seriously as we take other major decisions in life. You don't start a building project unless you have enough money to finish it, and you don't go to war unless you have the military power to win (verses 28-32).

At first, I didn't understand how theses situations relate to discipleship. What does going to war or building a tower have to do with following Jesus? Well, I think it has more to do with making the decision to do those things than the actions themselves. You don't just wake up one morning and decide to go to war. That is an important decision with huge consequences. Following Jesus has huge consequences too. We may never be called to die for him, but we need to make the decision before we're faced with it. Beth Moore said that many Christians will fall into a pit of sin because they never made a conscious decision to avoid it. If they had, they would never have gone near it to begin with. It's the same with discipleship. We have to consider the cost (everything we have), and whether the outcome (eternal life and fellowship with Jesus) is worth it. If we're not willing to give everything we have - if we think taking up a cross is only for first century Christians, then maybe we haven't really thought through what it means to be a disciple.

Jesus doesn't want us to just say we're Christians. He wants us to be completely surrendered to him, not holding on to any sin or idol. When a challenge arises and it comes to a choice between Jesus and friends, or Jesus and family, or even Jesus and life, our decision should already be made.

The power of God

2005-11-09T22:41:00.000-08:00

Here is something I've heard a lot of in Christian settings during the last few weeks: you can't start with the Word of God when evangelizing because it's not an accepted source of truth for our scientific technological audience today. Instead people say, you have to start with what people know and work your way slowly toward God and the truths revealed in the Bible. My question is this: At what point is the Bible going to be acceptable to them? At some point, we have to make the transition from worldly wisdom to godly wisdom. That will never be very palatable to those who are perishing, but it can't come soon enough for those who are called.

Suppose you are able to convince someone by purely scientific means that there is a Creator. Does that save them from hell? No! At some point, the gospel needs to be shared. What profit is it to convince someone of something, if they never hear that message? Isn't that the goal - that they should know Christ and experience freedom from sin? I think we have fallen into a trap of Satan that makes us ashamed of the truth. We fear to proclaim the awesome message of the Word of God because it is somehow not good enough for the intelligent person of today. This is a lie! Don't believe it! 1 Corinthians 1:18 says, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." We can easily see that people around us think the message of the cross is foolishness. Let's not believe that ourselves, because it should be the power of God to us.

This avoidance of telling people the truth from Scripture is something I have noticed from many Christians, myself included. We mask it by saying we don't want to offend or push people away, but the fact is we are ignoring the power of God that is in the "foolish" message of the cross. Have we somehow been convinced that it is foolishness? I wonder if this attitude is what makes our evangelistic efforts so frustrating and discouraging. I recently had a conversation with someone where I said the words of the gospel, but without much faith in their power over this person's life, because I knew she had heard it before. If we don't believe the message of the cross is the power of God for ourselves, we will certainly not be very effective in convincing other people. And the convincing is not our job anyway, but the Holy Spirit's (John 16:8).

Paul goes on to say in verses 21-25 of 1 Corinthians:
"For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."

Many Christians say that today we can't just start with Scripture, because people today don't know anything about God. He is not an accepted fact like he was 50 years ago. Well, that's not anything different from way back when Paul wrote 1 Corinthians - "the world through wisdom did not know God." Today we could easily substitute science for the signs and wisdom that the Jews and Greeks were looking for. I think it is futile to think that we should become knowledgeable in the world's wisdom in order to show it the power of God. Worldly wisdom and God's power are not compatible.

I am not saying we shouldn't study science and know as much as we can about how the world works. I am saying that this knowledge is not going to save anyone from sin. The message of the cross, however, will. A completely uneducated person who knows this message will be the one to aid a Nobel Prize-winning scientist into the Kingdom of God; the most educated and knowledgeable Christian who never gets around to telling the truth of the gospel will not.

God is so much greater than we give him credit for in our lives. Let us start living like we believe the power of the cross!

Hebrews 1

2005-09-10T10:23:00.000-07:00

The first chapter of Hebrews describes the Son of God, through whom God has spoken to us in "these last days." Something that stuck out to me this morning was that Christ "sustains all things." Colossians 1:17 says that in him all things hold together. I too often skim over weighty statements like this, but it implies that without Christ all things would not hold together.

It made me think of what Jesus said at the end of John 8. The Jews have just accused him of being possessed by a demon because he refutes their claim of being Abraham's children. They refuse to believe that he's the Messiah and mock him for acting as though he's had a personal conversation with their patriarch. But Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am!"

Wow! Jesus is awesome! Not 'awesome' like, "that TV show was awesome," but awe inspiring. Like when you look up at the stars and really think about how old they are, and how huge and distant, yet we'll see the same stars tonight that Job saw thousands of years ago (Job 9:9). Through him all this was made, and in him it all still holds together. He is not to be taken lightly.

where my treasure is

2005-09-08T22:17:00.000-07:00

In light of the recent disaster in the South, some hidden insecurities have come to the surface in conversations that I’ve had or overheard. What will happen if gas prices keep getting higher? What if an earthquake destroys our town like hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans? What if I lost everything?

My perspective on “stuff” has changed a lot over the past few years. I used to think about being rich and having a big house and a nice car. But a couple of months ago, pastor Randy talked about possessions in church, and one of his questions was to this effect: “Can you list the things you couldn’t live without on both hands?” I can only think of a couple of things I would really mourn over. I’m not saying this to brag about how spiritual I am. I know that it is not my doing that I have this perspective, but by God’s discipline. He has taken things away very deliberately, to show me that He is enough, that He is all I really need. And I have only been gently tested in this area. I have never had to go without food for any length of time, or not had a place to sleep (for which I am very thankful), though there was a time when our family came very close to that point.

Things can become entanglements to us. The more we have, the more we have to worry about. We think we control the stuff, but often it really controls us. You don’t park the new car near anyone else for fear that it will get dented. You have trouble sleeping on your vacation because someone might break into your house and take your [fill in the blank]. I can think of some things to fill in that blank.

In Matthew 6:19-20, Jesus says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy. and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” God wants us to invest in his kingdom, not here. It’s an all or nothing investment plan. Either I will be totally invested on earth, or totally invested in God’s kingdom. To try to do both makes it difficult to belong to either place.

We are God’s children – heirs to his kingdom (Romans 8:15-17, Ephesians 1:13-14). We are citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20). I need to realize this and live like it’s true. I don't intend to sell all my possessions right now, but I want to be prepared to do it if God asks that of me. I don’t ever want to become so attached to anything that I would be devastated if I lost it. Instead, I want to delight myself in the Lord, and wait for him to give me the desires of my heart.

“I will hold on to the hand of my Savior
I will hold on with all my might
I will hold loosely to things that are fleeting
But I will hold on to Jesus for life.”
-Steven Curtis Chapman

praise

2005-08-14T18:19:00.000-07:00

In High Point today, we talked a little about praising God. In Psalm 34 David says, "...his praise shall continually be in my mouth." I was a bit convicted by the question, "Is that what people see in you?"

I think most people know I'm a Christian, but unfortunately, God's praises are not usually the first thing to come out of my mouth. I spend entirely too much time thinking about myself and complaining, when I don't have to look far to find something to praise God for instead. I think I'm generally happier when I'm praising God (even in tough circumstances), than when I'm thinking about myself (even in good circumstances).

I want to find ways to praise God not only at church, but also at work and school. It's a little scary to think of praising God before people who don't even believe there is a God, but that's what David did. And that's what I'm here for anyway -not to be comfortable, but obedient. So if I boast, may it be in God alone. And for sure, knowing Jesus is something worth boasting about. He deserves all my praise.