In case some of you were wondering, I have not fallen of the edge off the earth; after all the earth is round! Seriously though, I have been busy, but I hope to get more posts up soon!
Now some of you might be looking at the title and are wondering what guinea pigs and lawns have anything to do with what is on here. Allow me to give some more information and then I'll explain.
At my house lives a very lovable guinea pig (note: The pronunciation emphasis is on the "pig"!) named Squeakers. Now, it is a well known fact in our household that whenever you set Squeakers on a patch of the lawn, it will be completely devoured. I have been known to take advantage of her ferocious appetite to take care of areas in the lawn I can't reach with a lawn mower. She is like a miniature cow, and is colored like one! She doesn't just gulp down the grass, but she spends a long time chewing.
Now you are all wondering where I am going with this. What does my dear guinea pig have to do with being a warrior poet? Well, because I think we can learn something from Squeakers. It goes without saying that her main focus is food and she goes crazy over it and just digs into it and always is desiring more. We need that same focus and desire and eagerness. Not for food, but for the very words of God, the Bible.
In Jeremiah 15:16, it says "your words came and I ate them; they were my joy and my desire" (roughly quoted from NIV) We need the same attitude as my guinea pig, digging deep into the scriptures, having an intense love and longing for them, taking delight and joy in them.
That is something I think our modern church underplays or even forgets or ignores. God's Word is soooo rich and moving and powerful. Take a look at Psalms 119:9-16. Look especially at verse 16: "I delight in your decrees, I will not neglect your word." (NIV)
Now I have spoken already on the importance of God's word, but I think it is worth looking into more, and repeating! God's word is so good and so indescribable. Oh, how I desire to say as the psalmist said in Psalm 119:20: "My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times." (NIV) It can be said that Squeakers is consumed with eating and that it is her joy and delight. Oh, how I deeply desire to have that same mindset toward God's word.
These past few weeks have found me me spending more and more time in His word, and I am so hungry and thirsty for more! It is so filling and challenging. We as Christians need to realize the importance of knowing His word.
In the letters to Timothy, Paul warns him to watch out for false teachings. I would suggest that in order to recognize false teachings, we need a deep understanding of the scripture, the Very Words of God!
I deeply desire more and more of His Word, and I know that it is so changing, so convicting and so.....indescribable. Those who know me know that I can express myself very well in writing, but my desire and joy in the Word can not be fully put into writing! Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! His Word endures forever!
I challenge you to dig into His Word. I guarantee that you will not be the same! Will you have the same hunger?
For Christ's Glory!
Thoughts and musings on following Christ, becoming a Warrior Poet, and living as a Disciple.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
He must increase, and I must decrease...
Many of us know of John the Baptist. He was a great man of God, and prepared the way for Jesus and His earthly ministry. With that said, I believe there something we all can learn from John the Baptist...
In John 3:30, John( the baptist, not the author) says this about Jesus: "He must become greater, and I must become less important." Now some of you are no doubt wondering why I am bringing this up. I believe we can all learn a thing or two from John the Baptist.
How many of us get so caught up in what WE are doing for Jesus? How many of us focus on our own efforts and our own attempts to do what is right, and strive to do things on our own strength? I know I have sometimes, and I'm sure several of you have as well. It is easy to fall into the trap of focusing on our efforts when we are "serving" God.
However, I suggest that instead of putting the focus on ourselves, we should focus on the One we are serving. It is only through Him that we can truly serve Him and do great things for Him. Even then, we must make sure to not to take the credit for what He does through us, but rather, give Him all the glory. We, as John did, should be able to let Him become greater and our own percieved importance become less.
It is important to remember that it is not about us, it is about God. We can do nothing on our own; it is through Christ alon that we can do anything, as Paul says in Phil 4:13. With this in mind, let us strive toward puting our King first, and focus on Him; yielding our lives to His power and relying fully on Him!
For Christ's Glory!
In John 3:30, John( the baptist, not the author) says this about Jesus: "He must become greater, and I must become less important." Now some of you are no doubt wondering why I am bringing this up. I believe we can all learn a thing or two from John the Baptist.
How many of us get so caught up in what WE are doing for Jesus? How many of us focus on our own efforts and our own attempts to do what is right, and strive to do things on our own strength? I know I have sometimes, and I'm sure several of you have as well. It is easy to fall into the trap of focusing on our efforts when we are "serving" God.
However, I suggest that instead of putting the focus on ourselves, we should focus on the One we are serving. It is only through Him that we can truly serve Him and do great things for Him. Even then, we must make sure to not to take the credit for what He does through us, but rather, give Him all the glory. We, as John did, should be able to let Him become greater and our own percieved importance become less.
It is important to remember that it is not about us, it is about God. We can do nothing on our own; it is through Christ alon that we can do anything, as Paul says in Phil 4:13. With this in mind, let us strive toward puting our King first, and focus on Him; yielding our lives to His power and relying fully on Him!
For Christ's Glory!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Did God really say...
Many of us are familiar with how Satan deceived Eve back in the Garden of Eden. He deceived her by making her doubt the truth, and since then, we have lived in a fallen world. How many of us, though, are aware that Satan is still at work, trying to get us to doubt God's Word. This time, he assumes the disguise of a scholar, or professor, or an individual in the know.
Satan has sneaked into our churches and our discussions. We see verses like Matthew 5:42, ("Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." NIV), and Matthew 5:48, ("Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." NIV), and Satan is right there, saying "did God really say...". This time however, his words are a little different, and backed with deep, theological arguments. "Well, you have to take those verses in the context, in which Jesus was only talking to the Jews at the time,", or "Some scripture isn't meant to be taken literally, it is more like an illustration of some concept," or, "Jesus knows that we can't live up to those commands; we are never going to be perfect, but He loves us anyway; why not just ignore them...ignorance is bliss." Satan is trying to get us to doubt God's Word, and many of us are falling for it.
Have we forgotten 2 Timothy 3:16? "All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness." Now notice that it doesn't say "some scripture is God-breathed, and useful...", instead it says "ALL scripture is GOD-BREATHED, and USEFUL....".
I firmly believe that God's word is absolute Truth, and is infallible, and lives up to what it claims to do and more. "I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for everyone who believes..." (Romans 1:16, NIV) His word is powerful, and will change lives. "God's word is not chained."
It is truth, and we need to take it as such. As I quoted earlier, "it is the power of God, for everyone who believes", and Satan wants to sabotage it. We need to be on our guard.
His Word is life-changing....if we don't water it down, and try and re-word it, or "interpret" it. Not only must we respect it, but we must, as Eric Ludy says in Bravehearted Gospel, (A very good book, by the way. i encourage everyone to read it!) "...believe that every nook and cranny of His Word to be completely true - and that it is true for today." (Bravehearted Gospel, Page 167)
God's Word is "living and active, sharper than any double - edged sword, it penetrates to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12, NIV) His Word is sooooo amazing and good, and powerful, and perfect. It needs to be shown the utmost reverence and protected, defended, and used everywhere. It is the sword of the spirit, and is sharper than any other sword. I challenge you to dig into it! It is life changing!
As warriorpoets, we must know how to use our sword, so we can know how to fight. We must know what to do, so we follow the handbook from our King. Being grounded in the word is a key part of becoming a warrior poet.
So, how are your sword skills? I challenge you to dig into His word, and be prepared to be transformed!
For Christ's Glory!
Satan has sneaked into our churches and our discussions. We see verses like Matthew 5:42, ("Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." NIV), and Matthew 5:48, ("Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." NIV), and Satan is right there, saying "did God really say...". This time however, his words are a little different, and backed with deep, theological arguments. "Well, you have to take those verses in the context, in which Jesus was only talking to the Jews at the time,", or "Some scripture isn't meant to be taken literally, it is more like an illustration of some concept," or, "Jesus knows that we can't live up to those commands; we are never going to be perfect, but He loves us anyway; why not just ignore them...ignorance is bliss." Satan is trying to get us to doubt God's Word, and many of us are falling for it.
Have we forgotten 2 Timothy 3:16? "All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness." Now notice that it doesn't say "some scripture is God-breathed, and useful...", instead it says "ALL scripture is GOD-BREATHED, and USEFUL....".
I firmly believe that God's word is absolute Truth, and is infallible, and lives up to what it claims to do and more. "I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for everyone who believes..." (Romans 1:16, NIV) His word is powerful, and will change lives. "God's word is not chained."
It is truth, and we need to take it as such. As I quoted earlier, "it is the power of God, for everyone who believes", and Satan wants to sabotage it. We need to be on our guard.
His Word is life-changing....if we don't water it down, and try and re-word it, or "interpret" it. Not only must we respect it, but we must, as Eric Ludy says in Bravehearted Gospel, (A very good book, by the way. i encourage everyone to read it!) "...believe that every nook and cranny of His Word to be completely true - and that it is true for today." (Bravehearted Gospel, Page 167)
God's Word is "living and active, sharper than any double - edged sword, it penetrates to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12, NIV) His Word is sooooo amazing and good, and powerful, and perfect. It needs to be shown the utmost reverence and protected, defended, and used everywhere. It is the sword of the spirit, and is sharper than any other sword. I challenge you to dig into it! It is life changing!
As warriorpoets, we must know how to use our sword, so we can know how to fight. We must know what to do, so we follow the handbook from our King. Being grounded in the word is a key part of becoming a warrior poet.
So, how are your sword skills? I challenge you to dig into His word, and be prepared to be transformed!
For Christ's Glory!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Garbage Everywhere
Take a good look around. Our culture is fixated on stuff. Even Christians get pretty hyped up about stuff, myself sometimes included. We can spend so much energy on stuff and activities. We go crazy over football teams and buy all sorts of memorabilia. We are surrounded by stuff everywhere; and a lot of it isn't what we'd call bad stuff.
However, I would like to suggest an alternative mindset. I can't claim to have come up with this idea, I'm merely passing on an idea set forth by the apostle Paul, and it still rings true today.
In Philippians 3, Paul gives a list of all his achievements, and things that are important to him and then goes on to say "But what things were gain to me, those I have counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I might know Him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made comfortable unto his death." (Philippians 3:7-10, KJV)
In the New Century Version, it says in verse 8, "not only those things, but I think all things are worth nothing compared with the greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him, I have lost all those things, and now I know they are worthless trash. This allows me to have Christ.."
How many of us can say that we consider all things trash, or dung, or in another translation, rubbish, in light of knowing Christ more and more? In our stuff-crazed society, and even in most Christian circles, this mindset seems crazy and unnecessary. However, as I have been learning, we need to be willing to give up all things for Christ, counting them all rubbish.
Instead of getting more stuff, or getting excited about things of this world, which aren't considered bad, but are distracting, we should be able to give it all up for God. We cannot, to paraphrase Luke 15:13, serve both God and stuff.
I would propose that we need to pursue Christ more, counting all things else rubbish. This mindset turns those focus from "me" to God. This is a radical shift in thinking. Most of us think that we can be "good" Christians, and still have plenty of stuff, and it is not wrong to spend energy chasing after stuff. We need more people to throw away all things, counting it all as worthless garbage, and pursue Christ with all of our energy.
To be a warrior poet means to throw away all hindrances and concerns, and wholeheartedly pursue his King. In 2 Timothy 2:4, it says "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chose him to be a soldier. " (KJV) In other words, no warrior poet who wants to serve his King gets caught up in the affairs of this life. As it is said in Hebrews 12:1, "...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race set before us."
It becomes clear that in order to fully know Christ, and continually know Him better, there should be no distractions. I want to know Him more, and I am willing to consider everything as garbage compared to the incomparable greatness of knowing Him all the more. What about you? What will you choose. It is a difficult step, but one with unmatchable rewards!
For Christ's Glory!
However, I would like to suggest an alternative mindset. I can't claim to have come up with this idea, I'm merely passing on an idea set forth by the apostle Paul, and it still rings true today.
In Philippians 3, Paul gives a list of all his achievements, and things that are important to him and then goes on to say "But what things were gain to me, those I have counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I might know Him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made comfortable unto his death." (Philippians 3:7-10, KJV)
In the New Century Version, it says in verse 8, "not only those things, but I think all things are worth nothing compared with the greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him, I have lost all those things, and now I know they are worthless trash. This allows me to have Christ.."
How many of us can say that we consider all things trash, or dung, or in another translation, rubbish, in light of knowing Christ more and more? In our stuff-crazed society, and even in most Christian circles, this mindset seems crazy and unnecessary. However, as I have been learning, we need to be willing to give up all things for Christ, counting them all rubbish.
Instead of getting more stuff, or getting excited about things of this world, which aren't considered bad, but are distracting, we should be able to give it all up for God. We cannot, to paraphrase Luke 15:13, serve both God and stuff.
I would propose that we need to pursue Christ more, counting all things else rubbish. This mindset turns those focus from "me" to God. This is a radical shift in thinking. Most of us think that we can be "good" Christians, and still have plenty of stuff, and it is not wrong to spend energy chasing after stuff. We need more people to throw away all things, counting it all as worthless garbage, and pursue Christ with all of our energy.
To be a warrior poet means to throw away all hindrances and concerns, and wholeheartedly pursue his King. In 2 Timothy 2:4, it says "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chose him to be a soldier. " (KJV) In other words, no warrior poet who wants to serve his King gets caught up in the affairs of this life. As it is said in Hebrews 12:1, "...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race set before us."
It becomes clear that in order to fully know Christ, and continually know Him better, there should be no distractions. I want to know Him more, and I am willing to consider everything as garbage compared to the incomparable greatness of knowing Him all the more. What about you? What will you choose. It is a difficult step, but one with unmatchable rewards!
For Christ's Glory!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Some more thoughts on "Greater Expectations", Part2
Now, I am turning my attention to marriage. As I have said before, I can't claim to be an authority on marriage, having no experience...but I feel led to share what God has put on my heart and has been teaching me, as I've been reading many book on marriage, and on what God desires.
I believe that marriage is an extremely precious gift from God, and is a great, living illustration of Christ's love for us, His church, and bride. Ephesians 5:21-33 is a great passage on marriage. I pray every day that I can love like Christ loves, even as woefully inadequate as I am. I have faith that He can and will.
As I had said earlier, I believe that God's intentions for marriage are far more noble and exciting then the world's expectations. Not only is it a unique and very special way of glorifying God, which is our chief end in life, but it is also a means in which He makes us more like Himself.
We are all aware that marriage has many blessings, but I think that most of us don't expect to be precious and special all the time. Even many of the Christian book on the subject seem to expect that all marriages will have some serious problems, that it is unavoidable that you will have many troubles mixed in with the blessings.
I believe that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13, NIV). Call it youthful idealism, but I believe that marriage can be much better than most of us expect, that when we place our unwavering faith in God and put everything in His control, placing Him in the center, marriage can be so much better than what we can imagine.
I had mentioned earlier about how unconditional love is very important in marriage (And in life!) Putting your other first, serving and loving him or her as Christ loves us is a great challenge, but one that we can do through His strength. One verse that I like a lot is John 15:13: "No greater love has no man than this, that he lays down his life for his friends." (NIV) Not only is that how Christ loves us, but that is how I desire to love my future wife, as also laid out in Ephesians 5:25-29.
Where am I going with this? Simply that marriage can be so much better than we imagine if we put Christ first, and our (future) spouse second. I believe that marriage can be better than what we see. I have faith that God will be glorified in my future relationship, and that it will be greater than I can even imagine, as long as I continue to put Christ first, and love my future life as Christ loves us. I pray that I will be able to do that, to be a real man. This is a big part of being a warrior poet, particularly the poet part. We need to love others unconditionally.
With all this said, I challenge you to have greater expectations in your faith and in your (future) marriage. I pray that God will do some great things in us!
For Christ's Glory!
I believe that marriage is an extremely precious gift from God, and is a great, living illustration of Christ's love for us, His church, and bride. Ephesians 5:21-33 is a great passage on marriage. I pray every day that I can love like Christ loves, even as woefully inadequate as I am. I have faith that He can and will.
As I had said earlier, I believe that God's intentions for marriage are far more noble and exciting then the world's expectations. Not only is it a unique and very special way of glorifying God, which is our chief end in life, but it is also a means in which He makes us more like Himself.
We are all aware that marriage has many blessings, but I think that most of us don't expect to be precious and special all the time. Even many of the Christian book on the subject seem to expect that all marriages will have some serious problems, that it is unavoidable that you will have many troubles mixed in with the blessings.
I believe that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13, NIV). Call it youthful idealism, but I believe that marriage can be much better than most of us expect, that when we place our unwavering faith in God and put everything in His control, placing Him in the center, marriage can be so much better than what we can imagine.
I had mentioned earlier about how unconditional love is very important in marriage (And in life!) Putting your other first, serving and loving him or her as Christ loves us is a great challenge, but one that we can do through His strength. One verse that I like a lot is John 15:13: "No greater love has no man than this, that he lays down his life for his friends." (NIV) Not only is that how Christ loves us, but that is how I desire to love my future wife, as also laid out in Ephesians 5:25-29.
Where am I going with this? Simply that marriage can be so much better than we imagine if we put Christ first, and our (future) spouse second. I believe that marriage can be better than what we see. I have faith that God will be glorified in my future relationship, and that it will be greater than I can even imagine, as long as I continue to put Christ first, and love my future life as Christ loves us. I pray that I will be able to do that, to be a real man. This is a big part of being a warrior poet, particularly the poet part. We need to love others unconditionally.
With all this said, I challenge you to have greater expectations in your faith and in your (future) marriage. I pray that God will do some great things in us!
For Christ's Glory!
Some more thoughts on "Greater Expectations", Part1
After I had published my last post late last night, I realized that I didn't go deeper into what I was talking about as well as I wanted. So, I will finish up from yesterday and go a little deeper.
Let's dig a little deeper into faith. Sometimes it can be hard to have faith in God, to trust Him, and to give Him everything. However, we should not let our circumstances dictate our faith. Faith should never fail, for when you put your total faith in Christ, you will not be ashamed. We need to remember to "...don't worry about the food or drink you need to live or about the clothes you need for your body. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes...Seek first God's kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well. So don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:25, 33-34 NCV)
No matter what, we should and need to place our unwavering faith in God, His promises. I can attest that God has great things in store for those who love Him!
For Christ's Glory!
Let's dig a little deeper into faith. Sometimes it can be hard to have faith in God, to trust Him, and to give Him everything. However, we should not let our circumstances dictate our faith. Faith should never fail, for when you put your total faith in Christ, you will not be ashamed. We need to remember to "...don't worry about the food or drink you need to live or about the clothes you need for your body. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes...Seek first God's kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well. So don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:25, 33-34 NCV)
No matter what, we should and need to place our unwavering faith in God, His promises. I can attest that God has great things in store for those who love Him!
For Christ's Glory!
Friday, April 17, 2009
Greater Expectations
The more I look at our culture and compare it to what I see in the Bible, I am amazed to see how low our expectations have fallen. Let me explain: All too often, we settle for a weak Christianity. We underestimate God's power and His plans. We take it for granted. We forget verses like 2 Corinthians 2:9, "But as it is written in the Scriptures: 'No one has ever seen this, and no one has ever heard about it. No one has ever imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." (NCV)
Why do we settle for less in our relationship with God. We read of men of the faith like Paul, and Timothy, and Peter, and we assume that we could never be like them, that we could never have faith like them. We have been deceived.
God desires so much more for us, as I have begun to discover. He is in control, and if we give Him everything, He can do so much more in our lives than we can imagine. The problem is , our expectations are too low; we don't have faith.
One of my favorite chapters in the Bible is Hebrews 11. In it we find great examples of people of faith, and how God used them in ways they could not imagine. I encourage you to read it some time. Every time I read it, I am amazed by the faith of the people described in it. And, in Hebrews 11:6, we find a challenge to faith: "And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists, and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." (NIV) All these people dared to seek Him wholeheartedly, to pursue Him, please Him. And they are remembered for their faith. How many of us can claim that?
It is by faith that we can be able to please God. However, we must remember that "Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." (James 2:17 , NIV). Those are some pretty strong words! We must live out our Faith daily. What is Faith? The start of Hebrews 11 nails it pretty good! "Faith means being sure of what we hope for and knowing that something is real, even if we do not see it." (NCV)
So what does this have to do with my title, "Greater Expectations"? Simply, that we would dare to grow in our Faith; giving everything to God, and trusting Him in everything. He says, "For I know the plans I have for you...plans to give you a hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV) I believe that we can experience life and what God has for us on an incredible level.
I love the stories of men of Faith, like George Mueller. He had an incredible faith in God, and God provided his every need for the orphanage he ran. And it doesn't need to stop just with needs. Take marriage, for instance. It seems to be a given that every marriage will have problems and both partners will fall in and out of love with each other. We assume that marriage, while nice, can never be anywhere perfect. Even though we all have dreams of a "perfect" marriage and "happily ever after", we all all assume that none of us can ever touch it.
While I agree that it is true that no marriage is prefect, just as every person is not perfect, I believe that marriage could be better than what any of us expect or imagine. Call me an unrealistic idealist, but I think that we don't give God enough credit. If He can transform us through Christ, make us new creations, can He not make it possible to have a better marriage?
I know I can't claim to have any authority to teach on marriage, but I believe that marriage can be better. How? Agape love, and a firm foundation in Christ. No, not " a grape" love, but "agape"; which is Greek for "unconditional love." I have faith that through Christ, I can unconditionally love my future wife, and that with Christ in the center always, that my future marriage will continue to grow, and be a thing of beauty. Call me crazy, but I think that only through Christ, can this happen, and I have unwavering faith that it will happen.
It doesn't have to just be marriage. We need to submit everything to God; have unwavering faith in Him. This part of being a warrior poet; faith that God will use you as he sees fit and that He knows what is best for you. I dare you to take a step of faith and dare to have greater expectations in your walk with Christ, and in everything.
For Christ's Glory!
Why do we settle for less in our relationship with God. We read of men of the faith like Paul, and Timothy, and Peter, and we assume that we could never be like them, that we could never have faith like them. We have been deceived.
God desires so much more for us, as I have begun to discover. He is in control, and if we give Him everything, He can do so much more in our lives than we can imagine. The problem is , our expectations are too low; we don't have faith.
One of my favorite chapters in the Bible is Hebrews 11. In it we find great examples of people of faith, and how God used them in ways they could not imagine. I encourage you to read it some time. Every time I read it, I am amazed by the faith of the people described in it. And, in Hebrews 11:6, we find a challenge to faith: "And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists, and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." (NIV) All these people dared to seek Him wholeheartedly, to pursue Him, please Him. And they are remembered for their faith. How many of us can claim that?
It is by faith that we can be able to please God. However, we must remember that "Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." (James 2:17 , NIV). Those are some pretty strong words! We must live out our Faith daily. What is Faith? The start of Hebrews 11 nails it pretty good! "Faith means being sure of what we hope for and knowing that something is real, even if we do not see it." (NCV)
So what does this have to do with my title, "Greater Expectations"? Simply, that we would dare to grow in our Faith; giving everything to God, and trusting Him in everything. He says, "For I know the plans I have for you...plans to give you a hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV) I believe that we can experience life and what God has for us on an incredible level.
I love the stories of men of Faith, like George Mueller. He had an incredible faith in God, and God provided his every need for the orphanage he ran. And it doesn't need to stop just with needs. Take marriage, for instance. It seems to be a given that every marriage will have problems and both partners will fall in and out of love with each other. We assume that marriage, while nice, can never be anywhere perfect. Even though we all have dreams of a "perfect" marriage and "happily ever after", we all all assume that none of us can ever touch it.
While I agree that it is true that no marriage is prefect, just as every person is not perfect, I believe that marriage could be better than what any of us expect or imagine. Call me an unrealistic idealist, but I think that we don't give God enough credit. If He can transform us through Christ, make us new creations, can He not make it possible to have a better marriage?
I know I can't claim to have any authority to teach on marriage, but I believe that marriage can be better. How? Agape love, and a firm foundation in Christ. No, not " a grape" love, but "agape"; which is Greek for "unconditional love." I have faith that through Christ, I can unconditionally love my future wife, and that with Christ in the center always, that my future marriage will continue to grow, and be a thing of beauty. Call me crazy, but I think that only through Christ, can this happen, and I have unwavering faith that it will happen.
It doesn't have to just be marriage. We need to submit everything to God; have unwavering faith in Him. This part of being a warrior poet; faith that God will use you as he sees fit and that He knows what is best for you. I dare you to take a step of faith and dare to have greater expectations in your walk with Christ, and in everything.
For Christ's Glory!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Be Holy...
It amazes me sometimes how we as Christians sometimes tend to ignore or avoid certain parts of Scripture, whether unconsciously, or consciously. We focus on the fact that we are saved by grace, or that we have freedom through Christ sacrifice. However, we sometimes skip over the call God has on our lives as Christians. His standards for our lives haven't changed.
Now, I am not trying to downplay the significance of God's grace or Christ's sacrifice. I am merely suggesting that we don't have the whole picture of what is means to be a Christian. In 1 Peter 1:15-16, it says, "But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."(KJV) How many of you are familiar with those verses?
To be holy means to be set apart, without blemish. Romans 12:1 tells us to not "be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world..." (NIV) We are not called to be popular or to fit in, but to be set apart for Christ. Too often we think that we can be a Christian, and still be apart of the world, conveniently forgetting that we are "to be in the world, but not of it".
So what does this look like? What does it mean to be set apart, and a disciple of Christ? In Colossi ans 3:1-2, it says, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on earth." (KJV) To be holy is a process, not a one time deal. We need to continually be setting ourselves apart, fixing our eyes on Jesus, spending time on things above, not earthly things.
I would venture that one of the first parts of being setting apart is digging into God's Word; using it as your standard for everything you do. I had shared earlier about how we need to take God's Word seriously and literally. But, as James says in Chapter 1, verse 22, "do what God's teaching says; when you only listen and do nothing, you are fooling yourselves." (NCV)
We need more people who are willing to step out and follow Christ, setting themselves apart for Him, being pure and holy for him. This is an important concept that we all need to grasp. Being a warrior means more than just fighting your King's battles; you must be wholly devoted and set apart for Him!
For Christ's Glory!
Now, I am not trying to downplay the significance of God's grace or Christ's sacrifice. I am merely suggesting that we don't have the whole picture of what is means to be a Christian. In 1 Peter 1:15-16, it says, "But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."(KJV) How many of you are familiar with those verses?
To be holy means to be set apart, without blemish. Romans 12:1 tells us to not "be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world..." (NIV) We are not called to be popular or to fit in, but to be set apart for Christ. Too often we think that we can be a Christian, and still be apart of the world, conveniently forgetting that we are "to be in the world, but not of it".
So what does this look like? What does it mean to be set apart, and a disciple of Christ? In Colossi ans 3:1-2, it says, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on earth." (KJV) To be holy is a process, not a one time deal. We need to continually be setting ourselves apart, fixing our eyes on Jesus, spending time on things above, not earthly things.
I would venture that one of the first parts of being setting apart is digging into God's Word; using it as your standard for everything you do. I had shared earlier about how we need to take God's Word seriously and literally. But, as James says in Chapter 1, verse 22, "do what God's teaching says; when you only listen and do nothing, you are fooling yourselves." (NCV)
We need more people who are willing to step out and follow Christ, setting themselves apart for Him, being pure and holy for him. This is an important concept that we all need to grasp. Being a warrior means more than just fighting your King's battles; you must be wholly devoted and set apart for Him!
For Christ's Glory!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Some things of interest...
In case some of you haven't noticed, I have added some things to my blog to make it more interactive. One thing is the Purity Poll. Be sure to add your vote! The poll closes at the end of May.
Also, you may have noticed the little comment buttons at the end of each post. I have added them to get a feel for how my writing has impacted you. Even if you don't want to leave a comment, you can select your response so I can get a feel for what you think. But, I would love it if you leave comments; I love a good conversation.
Be sure to check out the blog as often as possible! I plan to write every day, or at least every other, and I am always changing things around.
It is my prayer that what is said here will encourage and challenge you. These words I write aren't from me; they are from God. I hope that your heart is open to what He wants to say to you!
For Christ's Glory!
Also, you may have noticed the little comment buttons at the end of each post. I have added them to get a feel for how my writing has impacted you. Even if you don't want to leave a comment, you can select your response so I can get a feel for what you think. But, I would love it if you leave comments; I love a good conversation.
Be sure to check out the blog as often as possible! I plan to write every day, or at least every other, and I am always changing things around.
It is my prayer that what is said here will encourage and challenge you. These words I write aren't from me; they are from God. I hope that your heart is open to what He wants to say to you!
For Christ's Glory!
Whatever....
I would guess that many of you are familiar with Philippians 4:8: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things". It is a good verse and is pretty challenging, but I would wager that most of us don't take it completely seriously. I remember a year or two ago in my small group that I'm apart of, we were discussing a certain movie(s). Most of the guys thought that the movie in question was okay. I disagreed and used Phil 4:8 as my reference. I had heard a bit about the movie, and it appeared not to line up with the guidelines set in the verse, and I said as much. I got shot down however, and was told that we really didn't need to take that verse completely literally. After all, no movie is perfect, and as long as it mostly good, and very little bad, it should be fine.
I regret to say that I didn't say anything else and was sort of taken in by their reasoning. I figured as long as what I watched was for the most part okay, and maybe had very little things wrong with it, it would be an okay movie. That has been my reasoning up until a couple of weeks ago. Phil 4:8 didn't need to be taken completely literal. After all, Paul himself said that "everything is permissible..." and I had heard several arguments that since we are free in Christ, we can do a lot of things that are just okay, even if they aren't the greatest, because of our freedom. As long as it wasn't obviously sinful, it was okay.
However, Paul didn't leave that one verse with "Everything is permissible..."He finishes it by saying, "but not everything is beneficial". I've been learning more and more that as a Christian, I need to be set apart. I had previously assumed that Phil 4:8 didn't need to be taken literally, just like there are sections of the Old Testament that don't need to be taken literally. (Like not shaving your beard) I figured that I can do whatever I want, as long as it wasn't wrong, because I had freedom in Christ.
I've been learning, however, that we are called to be set apart and holy for God. (I'll be blogging more on that later on!) Phil 4:8 is meant to be taken literally, contrary to what I previously thought. That is an attitude that I am working on cultivating. Will it make me look strange to others? Absolutely. My brother was reading my post from yesterday and exclaimed "What do you mean "Get Smart" isn't the greatest TV show!? I thought you liked it?!" To his response, I explained that there are some things in the show that weren't the greatest. (They certainly didn't line up with Phil 4:8 in some areas.)
I have been increasingly more critical of what I see or hear and have been comparing it to Phil 4:8. I've been finding that a lot of things I thought were okay really aren't the greatest to spend my time on. There is not a lot of good, decent things out there that line up to that verse. Abstaining from those things that don't line up with God's word seems to be a radical and unnecessary move, at least, in the eyes of most. I admit that I am hesitant to take this plunge, and have been letting go of things that aren't the greatest a little bit at a time. It is extremely hard and uncomfortable to let go of things that while they aren't the greatest, I enjoy. However, God does not call us to be comfortable.
Therefore, though it will be hard, and most people will think me crazy, I am going to abstain from anything that doesn't line up with this verse. Why? Because I am called to be set apart for my King, letting go of anything that doesn't bring honor to Him. This is part of being a warrior poet, being willing to let go of everything for His King!
For Christ's Glory
I regret to say that I didn't say anything else and was sort of taken in by their reasoning. I figured as long as what I watched was for the most part okay, and maybe had very little things wrong with it, it would be an okay movie. That has been my reasoning up until a couple of weeks ago. Phil 4:8 didn't need to be taken completely literal. After all, Paul himself said that "everything is permissible..." and I had heard several arguments that since we are free in Christ, we can do a lot of things that are just okay, even if they aren't the greatest, because of our freedom. As long as it wasn't obviously sinful, it was okay.
However, Paul didn't leave that one verse with "Everything is permissible..."He finishes it by saying, "but not everything is beneficial". I've been learning more and more that as a Christian, I need to be set apart. I had previously assumed that Phil 4:8 didn't need to be taken literally, just like there are sections of the Old Testament that don't need to be taken literally. (Like not shaving your beard) I figured that I can do whatever I want, as long as it wasn't wrong, because I had freedom in Christ.
I've been learning, however, that we are called to be set apart and holy for God. (I'll be blogging more on that later on!) Phil 4:8 is meant to be taken literally, contrary to what I previously thought. That is an attitude that I am working on cultivating. Will it make me look strange to others? Absolutely. My brother was reading my post from yesterday and exclaimed "What do you mean "Get Smart" isn't the greatest TV show!? I thought you liked it?!" To his response, I explained that there are some things in the show that weren't the greatest. (They certainly didn't line up with Phil 4:8 in some areas.)
I have been increasingly more critical of what I see or hear and have been comparing it to Phil 4:8. I've been finding that a lot of things I thought were okay really aren't the greatest to spend my time on. There is not a lot of good, decent things out there that line up to that verse. Abstaining from those things that don't line up with God's word seems to be a radical and unnecessary move, at least, in the eyes of most. I admit that I am hesitant to take this plunge, and have been letting go of things that aren't the greatest a little bit at a time. It is extremely hard and uncomfortable to let go of things that while they aren't the greatest, I enjoy. However, God does not call us to be comfortable.
Therefore, though it will be hard, and most people will think me crazy, I am going to abstain from anything that doesn't line up with this verse. Why? Because I am called to be set apart for my King, letting go of anything that doesn't bring honor to Him. This is part of being a warrior poet, being willing to let go of everything for His King!
For Christ's Glory
Monday, April 13, 2009
And...loving it!
One of my favorite TV shows is the old Get Smart series that aired in the 1960's. (Not to be confused with a recent movie that is not real good at all that was inspired by the series.) In it, the main character, Maxwell Smart, is sent on a near-impossible mission with a good possibility of death. His response when told that he would be facing incredible danger? "And...loving it!" His response shows his positive outlook, and willingness to make the best of any situation. Granted this is a cheesy spy comedy fiction, and the TV series isn't the greatest of the shows. (Sorry about that Chief!) Would you believe....that there is some good to be gleaned here?
All "Smart isms" aside, there is something we can learn from Maxwell Smart. His response to what ever dangerous situation is: "And... Loving it!" I would wager we all can benefit from that type of attitude. Whatever life throws our way, no matter how dire our situation, can we say "And...loving it!"? This is more than a cheesy phrase from an old TV show; it is a mentality. Like in the words of that old hymn, "whatever my lot, God has taught me to say, it is well with my soul."
Paul had it right when he said in 2 Corinthians 9A; "But He (God) said to me, 'my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'" We are weak, and sometimes we may feel overwhelmed by our circumstances, but no matter what, God lifts us up and fill us with His grace. That is why Paul says later in Philippians 4:11-13, "...I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Him who gives me strength." This is an important point. We need to rely on Christ and his strength to get through our troubles so we too can say when hard situations come our way, "And...loving it!"
This is not to say that hard time will be easy or without pain. We live in a fallen world, and pain and hurt and hard times are a part of life. However, when we lean on Christ, we can make it through. One thing I have learned and am continually learning is that we experience those hard times for a reason. Through it all, God uses the hard times to grow us. This past fall, I went through a physically hard time. I missed out on some things I had set my heart on doing thanks to some injuries. It was a rough time, and there was a lot I could not do. But, looking back, I can see how much God used that time to grow me, and do some wonderful works in my life.
So what does this have to do with being a warrior poet? Simply this. A true warrior poet submits to his King, therefore, whatever happens, he stands strongest by relying on his King. No matter what comes his way, he is not shaken, nor moved, because his King is his fortress and Rock. No matter what happens, he has complete confidence in his King, and knows that through the hard times, he is strengthened and grown. Just like the knights of old practiced all the time for their duty, and no doubt received more than their shares of pain in training, a true warrior poet realizes that the hard times help prepare and grow him for the purpose God has for him. He faces the hard time with confidence and....loving it!
For Christ's Glory!
All "Smart isms" aside, there is something we can learn from Maxwell Smart. His response to what ever dangerous situation is: "And... Loving it!" I would wager we all can benefit from that type of attitude. Whatever life throws our way, no matter how dire our situation, can we say "And...loving it!"? This is more than a cheesy phrase from an old TV show; it is a mentality. Like in the words of that old hymn, "whatever my lot, God has taught me to say, it is well with my soul."
Paul had it right when he said in 2 Corinthians 9A; "But He (God) said to me, 'my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'" We are weak, and sometimes we may feel overwhelmed by our circumstances, but no matter what, God lifts us up and fill us with His grace. That is why Paul says later in Philippians 4:11-13, "...I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Him who gives me strength." This is an important point. We need to rely on Christ and his strength to get through our troubles so we too can say when hard situations come our way, "And...loving it!"
This is not to say that hard time will be easy or without pain. We live in a fallen world, and pain and hurt and hard times are a part of life. However, when we lean on Christ, we can make it through. One thing I have learned and am continually learning is that we experience those hard times for a reason. Through it all, God uses the hard times to grow us. This past fall, I went through a physically hard time. I missed out on some things I had set my heart on doing thanks to some injuries. It was a rough time, and there was a lot I could not do. But, looking back, I can see how much God used that time to grow me, and do some wonderful works in my life.
So what does this have to do with being a warrior poet? Simply this. A true warrior poet submits to his King, therefore, whatever happens, he stands strongest by relying on his King. No matter what comes his way, he is not shaken, nor moved, because his King is his fortress and Rock. No matter what happens, he has complete confidence in his King, and knows that through the hard times, he is strengthened and grown. Just like the knights of old practiced all the time for their duty, and no doubt received more than their shares of pain in training, a true warrior poet realizes that the hard times help prepare and grow him for the purpose God has for him. He faces the hard time with confidence and....loving it!
For Christ's Glory!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Protecting Purity
Yesterday, I spoke a little on being a warrior poet. Let's dig a little deeper into one aspect of being a warrior poet: Purity. By this, I mean cultivating and protecting Purity in your own life as well as in others lives.
There are several aspects of Purity. One that gets a fair amount of attention is the physical aspect of Purity. Many of you probably have heard of the phrase "True love waits". This phrase is true! In our cheap, polluted, sensual, sex-crazed culture, physical purity is regarded as something of an old fashioned, ultra-conservative rule that spoils your fun, and no one really wants to follow it, though some do out of duty. This could not be further from the truth.
I believe that the Bible is infallible, and is applicable to my life and yours. In Galatians 5:19, it says that "the wrong things the sinful self does is clear: being sexually unfaithful, not being pure, taking part in sexual sins." Also in Ephesians 5:3, it says "...there must be no sexual sin among you, or any kind of greed. Those things are not right for God's holy people." I could go on and quote several other references, such as Colossians 3:5, and so on. It is transparently clear on where God stands on purity, and I would wager that most of you knew and agreed with this already. However, many see this command as an obligation; something that you have to do, even though you don't want to. We look around and we see our friends or the people on TV being blatantly sexually impure in their actions, and it looks a lot more fun than the doctrine of purity.
However, I see purity not so much as an obligation, though we are commanded to do it, but more of a protecting wall that brings us much more joy and blessing. Take a good, hard look at those people who are wholly sexually impure in the way they act. While it looks fun on the outside, it does not fill and does not truly bring happiness. While it may bring some pleasure, it does not satisfy. Think for a moment. If the God of the universe, who loves you very much, and wants the best for you, makes a rule, don't you think it is for your benefit? If there was no sexual impurity, there would be no AIDS, no STD's, less broken marriages, no rape, less abortions, etc.
Now some of you might be thinking "Well, I understand that purity is all well and good and it is for my protection, but it still is no fun. Aside from protecting myself from things I don't want, I really don't like the idea of purity." Let me say this. Your purity, especially your physical purity, is one of the best gifts you can give your (future) spouse. Let me dig a little deeper, to the best of my ability. While I am not yet married, and can't share completely how waiting is worth it for lack of experience, I can tell a little, based on what I've learned from others.
Your Purity not only honors your future spouse, but honors God as well. When you wait, and protect your purity at all costs, it makes your relationship with your future spouse that much more special. The way I see it, all of my affections and expressions of my love belong only to my future wife. That means abstaining from any form of those affections until I am married because those actions are specifically for her. I am very careful in how I act among girls, guarding my actions and my heart, making sure I don't give away any thing that belongs to my future wife.
This is why the physical aspect of Purity is important. It is not the only part of purity, though, especially in the whole aspect of "true love waits". Mental purity is just as important. In Matthew 5: 28, Jesus tells us that "...if anyone looks at a woman and wants to sin sexually with her (lust), in his mind he has already done that sin with the woman." In Job 31:1, Job says that "I have made a covenant with my eyes, not to look lustfully at a girl." True purity is not just physical, it is mental as well.
Purity must be cultivated by having the correct mindset. "Since you were raised with Christ, aim at what is in heaven, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Think only of the things of heaven, not the things of the earth. Your old sinful self has died and your new life is kept with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:1-3) We must cultivate a mindset of purity by setting our minds on thing above, setting our focus on Christ.
Not only must it be cultivated, but Purity must be protected and guarded at all costs. It is a precious jewel. By protecting your purity, I mean to actively be on your guard against temptation and resist it. Sometimes it means fleeing or avoiding. I make it a practice to look away as soon as I see something impure. If need be, I try to stay away from where the temptation lies. I want to protect my Purity at all costs; both for my future wife, and also to bring honor to God. Purity of mind and body is very important and is very rewarding.
With all that said, I encourage you to pursue Purity. Cultivate and protect it. It is a precious jewel that needs to be protected and nourished, so when the time comes, you have a beautiful jewel for your spouse and, most importantly, bring glory to God!
There are several aspects of Purity. One that gets a fair amount of attention is the physical aspect of Purity. Many of you probably have heard of the phrase "True love waits". This phrase is true! In our cheap, polluted, sensual, sex-crazed culture, physical purity is regarded as something of an old fashioned, ultra-conservative rule that spoils your fun, and no one really wants to follow it, though some do out of duty. This could not be further from the truth.
I believe that the Bible is infallible, and is applicable to my life and yours. In Galatians 5:19, it says that "the wrong things the sinful self does is clear: being sexually unfaithful, not being pure, taking part in sexual sins." Also in Ephesians 5:3, it says "...there must be no sexual sin among you, or any kind of greed. Those things are not right for God's holy people." I could go on and quote several other references, such as Colossians 3:5, and so on. It is transparently clear on where God stands on purity, and I would wager that most of you knew and agreed with this already. However, many see this command as an obligation; something that you have to do, even though you don't want to. We look around and we see our friends or the people on TV being blatantly sexually impure in their actions, and it looks a lot more fun than the doctrine of purity.
However, I see purity not so much as an obligation, though we are commanded to do it, but more of a protecting wall that brings us much more joy and blessing. Take a good, hard look at those people who are wholly sexually impure in the way they act. While it looks fun on the outside, it does not fill and does not truly bring happiness. While it may bring some pleasure, it does not satisfy. Think for a moment. If the God of the universe, who loves you very much, and wants the best for you, makes a rule, don't you think it is for your benefit? If there was no sexual impurity, there would be no AIDS, no STD's, less broken marriages, no rape, less abortions, etc.
Now some of you might be thinking "Well, I understand that purity is all well and good and it is for my protection, but it still is no fun. Aside from protecting myself from things I don't want, I really don't like the idea of purity." Let me say this. Your purity, especially your physical purity, is one of the best gifts you can give your (future) spouse. Let me dig a little deeper, to the best of my ability. While I am not yet married, and can't share completely how waiting is worth it for lack of experience, I can tell a little, based on what I've learned from others.
Your Purity not only honors your future spouse, but honors God as well. When you wait, and protect your purity at all costs, it makes your relationship with your future spouse that much more special. The way I see it, all of my affections and expressions of my love belong only to my future wife. That means abstaining from any form of those affections until I am married because those actions are specifically for her. I am very careful in how I act among girls, guarding my actions and my heart, making sure I don't give away any thing that belongs to my future wife.
This is why the physical aspect of Purity is important. It is not the only part of purity, though, especially in the whole aspect of "true love waits". Mental purity is just as important. In Matthew 5: 28, Jesus tells us that "...if anyone looks at a woman and wants to sin sexually with her (lust), in his mind he has already done that sin with the woman." In Job 31:1, Job says that "I have made a covenant with my eyes, not to look lustfully at a girl." True purity is not just physical, it is mental as well.
Purity must be cultivated by having the correct mindset. "Since you were raised with Christ, aim at what is in heaven, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Think only of the things of heaven, not the things of the earth. Your old sinful self has died and your new life is kept with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:1-3) We must cultivate a mindset of purity by setting our minds on thing above, setting our focus on Christ.
Not only must it be cultivated, but Purity must be protected and guarded at all costs. It is a precious jewel. By protecting your purity, I mean to actively be on your guard against temptation and resist it. Sometimes it means fleeing or avoiding. I make it a practice to look away as soon as I see something impure. If need be, I try to stay away from where the temptation lies. I want to protect my Purity at all costs; both for my future wife, and also to bring honor to God. Purity of mind and body is very important and is very rewarding.
With all that said, I encourage you to pursue Purity. Cultivate and protect it. It is a precious jewel that needs to be protected and nourished, so when the time comes, you have a beautiful jewel for your spouse and, most importantly, bring glory to God!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Becoming a "warrior"
To start off with, I thought it appropriate to discuss the full meaning of the phrase "warrior poet". I can't claim ownership to that title; it was "invented" by Eric Ludy in his book, "God's Gift to Women". (It is a great book, by the way!) However, I chose it for my blog and as my theme, because it encompasses not only becoming a man of God, but also a mindset that all of us can benefit from, and not just us guys.
Let's take a look at the warrior. When ever I hear "warrior", I envision a knight, or an honorable character like Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings, or like William Wallace, who fought for his country. For me, being a warrior, is more than a cool sword, or strength in battle. It's a mindset.
So what does the mindset of warrior look like? How do we apply that to our lives?
First off all, and most important, is serving your King. As Christians, we are called to serve God, our King. How do we serve Him? By following His commands, and by loving Him, and loving others. Jesus said that whoever wants to be greatest among you must be the servant. A warrior serves his king by doing whatever his king calls him to do. The warrior should adopt the mindset of giving everything that he is in service to his king, for his king to use him where the king sees fit. This is the most important part of being a warrior: Being willing to lay down everything in service to your King, and letting Him lead you and use
you where He wants you.
Secondly, being a warrior means to take a stand for your King and fight. In Ephesians 6:10-12, it says "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." As warriors in service to our King, we must "stand firm" and fight against Satan's schemes. Not only does this mean to stand against Satan's attack on us personally, and resist temptation, but to take a stand on issues that matter. Earlier in Ephesians, chapter 5, verse 11, we are told to "Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them." Instead of ignoring the wrong around us, we need to take a stand against it!
Thirdly, we need to make sure that we have everything submitted under Christ's control. Our selfishness can destroy our efforts to be a committed disciple for God. Selfishness of any form can be one of Satan's greatest attacks against us. Only through Christ can we resist.
Obviously, this isn't the full picture of being a Warrior, or even a warriorpoet. This is just the start.
Let's take a look at the warrior. When ever I hear "warrior", I envision a knight, or an honorable character like Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings, or like William Wallace, who fought for his country. For me, being a warrior, is more than a cool sword, or strength in battle. It's a mindset.
So what does the mindset of warrior look like? How do we apply that to our lives?
First off all, and most important, is serving your King. As Christians, we are called to serve God, our King. How do we serve Him? By following His commands, and by loving Him, and loving others. Jesus said that whoever wants to be greatest among you must be the servant. A warrior serves his king by doing whatever his king calls him to do. The warrior should adopt the mindset of giving everything that he is in service to his king, for his king to use him where the king sees fit. This is the most important part of being a warrior: Being willing to lay down everything in service to your King, and letting Him lead you and use
you where He wants you.
Secondly, being a warrior means to take a stand for your King and fight. In Ephesians 6:10-12, it says "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." As warriors in service to our King, we must "stand firm" and fight against Satan's schemes. Not only does this mean to stand against Satan's attack on us personally, and resist temptation, but to take a stand on issues that matter. Earlier in Ephesians, chapter 5, verse 11, we are told to "Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them." Instead of ignoring the wrong around us, we need to take a stand against it!
Thirdly, we need to make sure that we have everything submitted under Christ's control. Our selfishness can destroy our efforts to be a committed disciple for God. Selfishness of any form can be one of Satan's greatest attacks against us. Only through Christ can we resist.
Obviously, this isn't the full picture of being a Warrior, or even a warriorpoet. This is just the start.
FYI- Some Guidelines for posting comments
I feel it would be important to lay out some guidelines for discussions on this blog. Since I have it set up that anyone can post, I will be moderating every thing that goes up.
So, Here's what I expect:
>Keep your responses polite and respectful. It is fine to disagree with what I may say or what someone else may say; just be cordial in the way you reply.
>No foul language or images whatsoever. I don't want to see it and I don't want it on my blog.
>Please stay on topic in your responses.
>No advertising
>Also, if you decide to leave comments anonymously, please identify yourself in some way...
Please understand that while I moderate posts, if your post disagrees with anything I say, as long as you follow the above guidelines, I will post it!
Thanks!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Welcome!
Welcome to my Blog! It is my prayer that through this blog, I am able to encourage you grow in your faith as I share what God has put on my heart. Being a full-hearted Warrior Poet for Christ is what I desire in my life, and I desire to see it happen in others.
To that end, I want to make this as interactive as possible. Please leave comments. I enjoy a good conversation and I hope to have some good discussions on here.
I hope you enjoy this blog, and it challenges and encourages you!
To that end, I want to make this as interactive as possible. Please leave comments. I enjoy a good conversation and I hope to have some good discussions on here.
I hope you enjoy this blog, and it challenges and encourages you!
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