Enkindling

You call out to me. 

You are always there for me.

You still live in me.

Your SON makes the world a better place to be.

Your voice of truth sets me free.

You inspire me constantly.

You never depart from me.

You smile down on me.

Your Holy Spirit reigns in me.

I need you desperately.

You are the best part of me.

Have your way in me.

This past Sunday I attended my church for the 11am service. One of my favorite things about my church is the baptisms. Each person has the opportunity to tell what God has done for him or her and publically confess Jesus as their personal Lord And Savior on video before they are submersed. Everyone in attendance gets to hear what God has done.

Romans 12:2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. NLT

I believe most Christians fail to grow because they do nothing to change the way they think. I believe most Christians fail to love outside of themselves because they dare not go outside of themselves. They have no world view or world experience. I believe some Christians have a relationship with God although the scale almost always tips in their favor and not God’s. How can we ask God to transform us if we are not willing to do the same? How do we expect to hear from God unless we listen? I believe most Christians are more apt to listen to their friends and accept input for change rather than get it from God.

I believe being born again is so much more than just the sanctification of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit to keep me from my sin. I believe being born again is me saying to God that I trully want to change my life around and will take action myself to keep me from falling into the customs of the world. I believe when we are saved we not only get a new heart. We also enter into a process of renewing our minds. I believe when we combine our new heart with our renewed mind we find it easier to surrender to the will of God in our lives.

I believe each of us is responsible for finding ways to renew our minds. It is an ongoing pursuit. We must take our strengths and use them as a sword. The following are ways that I pursue the renewal of my mind:

1. Journal - Keep a record of what God has done in your life. Pass it on to others.
2. Worship - Acknowledge your dependence on God and use your talents.
3. Memorize - Sometimes a memorized verse is just what I need to hear.
4. Test - Ask the Holy Spirit to confirm before you let things seep in.
5. Study - Don’t just accept what you hear. Do your own research.
6. Pray - Talk to God and give him time to respond. A relationship works BOTH ways.

The following are pledges I have made to spur my spiritual growth:

1. I resolve to listen to others even when there is frustration present.
2. I resolve to pray blessings on those who curse me.
3. I resolve to take responsibility for my life and my choices and still remain connected to those who desire the best for me.
4. I resolve to be careful to not let others “should” on me.
5. I resolve to appreciate the differences in people so as to see their strengths in light of my own weaknesses.
6. I resolve to use my creativity to chase my dreams and bring others closer to God.
7. I resolve to tell my story of what God has done for me to all who are willing to listen without forcing it down their throat.
8. I resolve to look for the benefit of delayed gratification versus getting or demanding what I want immediately.
9. I resolve to never be fooled into thinking a princess or anyone else for that matter could ever complete me.
10. I resolve to own my feelings when dealing with others.

Your turn…

So you say you’re broken…
I want to steal your pain away.
So you say your pain wall is shatterproof…
I can bust it. Let me swing away.

So you say you’re looking out for you now…
Should I move away?
Let’s just keep this quiet…
If we’re lucky it will go away.

I guess this makes us broken…
We are promised another way.
Why don’t we give this one to God?
And stop getting in His way…

This is a letter to all those who felt frustrated yesterday. That’s right. I’m talking to you: 1) The woman who feels like her man never cares enough to do more than get a card and flowers at the last minute before heading home to celebrate. 2) The guy who thinks he deserves “some” just because its Valentine’s. Never mind the fact you were a jerk in the moments leading up to V-Day. 3) The girl sitting at home alone last night forgotten once again. 4) The guy who abandons giving a gift because it’s just too hard to pick something out at the store. Do any of these describe you? Maybe YOUR frustration with Valentine’s Day says a lot about YOU and little about the one YOU think caused YOUR frustration? Stated another way: Isn’t it true that YOUR frustration is caused because YOU did not get what YOU wanted?

The name Valentine comes from the word “valens” which means Worthy. Legend has it St. Valentine was a Roman who was killed for refusing to give up Christianity. We celebrate a holiday about a man who was crowned worthy and died for his faith. Valentine’s Day is a day to give not get. Does this put the holiday into a different perspective for you? I sincerely hope so. A popular song written by Michael W. Smith said it this way: Love isn’t love until you give it away. Next Valentine’s Day try removing your wants and do something for someone else. Just because… Maybe then you will wear the name Worthy? On second thought, why wait until then when you can start today? Happy After Valentine’s Day!

P.S.
To Annette,
Thanks for making my Valentine’s Day memorable. Because of you, I fear God more.

I just watched a show today called Monk. Apparently he is a widowed police detective. In today’s episode he finds the man who murdered his wife. The man is in the hospital on a morphine drip to take the pain away. The man apologizes profusely to him for killing his wife. Monk’s anger boils and he dis-engages the morphine drip which places the man in severe pain. Monk says to him: “This is me turning off your morphine”.  Monk waits a minute in anger to see the man suffer. He then turns it back on to relieve the man’s pain.  As he re-engages the drip, Monk says to his wife’s killer: “This is my wife Trudy turning it back on.” Monk then leaves the room as the man cries aloud. Wow! What a great illustration of forgiveness.

Countless times on my knees I have prayed for Grace.
Dancing she found me.  And I am still trembling.
 
Lord, you are her source of strength and compassion.
She joyfully proclaims your name to all.

Her lips are softer than my heart breaks.
The voice of Truth flows freely from them.

Her loving eyes penetrate my soul deep.
Encouragement and hope escape between every blink.

I am her Warrior when she is ready for me to be.
Her heart is guarded with every beat of mine.

Until that day may I keep my eyes fixed on you God.
Sculpt her into the best friend I cannot possibly deserve.

May you keep us abiding in you in every moment.
Let your presence draw us nearer as I wait…

– For Annette

Tonight I had the opportunity to spend time with other Christian singles. It was a time of socialization and mission. A friend of mine was given a vision to be the “hands” of Christ. He invites singles all over north Atlanta to spend time together on a friday night. And while we are socializing… we are making sack lunches to be handed out the next day to the homeless people living under the bridges of Atlanta. Great idea huh? We were split into two teams. One team prepared the sandwiches. The other wrote personal notes onto scripture cards to be placed into the lunch sack. We swapped half way through.

Often I find myself wondering if we really get it? I’m sure you have never thought that. It is all too easy to put together sandwiches and place yourself on a pedestal. It is a another thing to put together sandwiches and realize there but for God’s grace would I not have to eat that sandwich tomorrow. As I wrote my personal notes an overwhelming feeling of my own “neediness” settled in. Therefore, here is what I wrote on those cards:

“Every one who was involved in getting this lunch to you needs God as much as you do. As you enjoy this food please pray for us. Some of us are less aware of our own need.           — God Bless You.”

Sometimes God takes the broken, less fortunate, downtrodden people in our path to bring us closer to Him. Instead of showing the homeless people in Atlanta (or where ever you live) how much they need you; try showing them how much you need them. Which is more Holy? God needing you? Or you needing Him?