Galatians 6:9 English Standard Version
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
I have been praying the past few years for an ungodly establishment to be closed, and the other day I just drove past and it was closed down!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Sunday, August 19, 2012
How I Got My Bible
I was perhaps 12 years old, full of a child-like faith. My father had purchased me a "teen study Bible" when I was 10, because I was an advanced reader and old for my age. At 12, I decided I was tired of my teen Bible, and wanted a Bible that was for adults.
The problem was that I had no money to buy a new Bible. My parents had just purchased the Bible I had, so I figured they wouldn't buy me another one. At 12, there aren't that many other resources. Also, I wasn't sure which version to get. King James? NIV? One of the more modern translations? I didn't know what to do. So I went to God and prayed.
Not too long after, I went with my father to take the trash to the transfer site. We lived in an area that was too far for the city garbage pick up. The vehicle we took sat high up, so I was eye-level with the edge of the dumpsters.
While my father threw the trash out, I looked over, and eye-level to me was a purple Bible, perfectly set on the edge of the dumpster. By that time, my father had just gotten into the car and was shifting gears to drive away.
"STOP!!!" I cried.
My father nearly had a heart attack. "What is the matter?" he asked.
"MY BIBLE!" I indicated the purple Bible on the dumpster.
"What is it doing there?!" my father asked. I could tell he thought I tried to throw my Bible away, and was disappointed in my behavior.
"No, Dad, I prayed and asked God for a Bible and there it is!"
"Well you better get it then," he said.
I got out of the car and ran over and grabbed my Bible. It is the version that I read to this day, a New Revised Standard Version Bible. It has really excellent maps and commentary on difficult verses. There have been many verses that I have had questions about that the commentary gives insight to. Granted, I take time to study and come to my own conclusions, but I value the opinions of others who are wise and have studied the Word as well.
At any rate, the Bible has been very well-worn and loved. I had to use duct tape (it's an Alaskan thing) to hold it together. But it just goes to show you how God will provide the little things. He's a God of details.
The problem was that I had no money to buy a new Bible. My parents had just purchased the Bible I had, so I figured they wouldn't buy me another one. At 12, there aren't that many other resources. Also, I wasn't sure which version to get. King James? NIV? One of the more modern translations? I didn't know what to do. So I went to God and prayed.
Not too long after, I went with my father to take the trash to the transfer site. We lived in an area that was too far for the city garbage pick up. The vehicle we took sat high up, so I was eye-level with the edge of the dumpsters.
While my father threw the trash out, I looked over, and eye-level to me was a purple Bible, perfectly set on the edge of the dumpster. By that time, my father had just gotten into the car and was shifting gears to drive away.
"STOP!!!" I cried.
My father nearly had a heart attack. "What is the matter?" he asked.
"MY BIBLE!" I indicated the purple Bible on the dumpster.
"What is it doing there?!" my father asked. I could tell he thought I tried to throw my Bible away, and was disappointed in my behavior.
"No, Dad, I prayed and asked God for a Bible and there it is!"
"Well you better get it then," he said.
I got out of the car and ran over and grabbed my Bible. It is the version that I read to this day, a New Revised Standard Version Bible. It has really excellent maps and commentary on difficult verses. There have been many verses that I have had questions about that the commentary gives insight to. Granted, I take time to study and come to my own conclusions, but I value the opinions of others who are wise and have studied the Word as well.
At any rate, the Bible has been very well-worn and loved. I had to use duct tape (it's an Alaskan thing) to hold it together. But it just goes to show you how God will provide the little things. He's a God of details.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Confrontation
Matthew 18:15-17 (NASB)
If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
There was a young man at church who had an issue that was very obvious to me, but not to other people. I wasn't being judgmental. As a youth-leader, someone had approached me with a complaint in regards to this young man's behavior. Being a young woman myself, I had felt the same complaint in regards to this young man. As a leader, I knew I had to do something. But what?
I hate confrontation. The Bible talks about the proper way of confronting someone in Matthew 18:15-17. You don't go and gossip to everyone else first. You go straight to that person. You deal with them directly, one on one. There's a chance that if you talk to them, they might have a chance to repent without being dragged through the dirt... gossip only hurts, doesn't heal. Jesus knew this when he laid out the plan for confrontation.
I knew better than to gossip, but like I said, I hate confrontation. I did not want to confront this young man. So I went to God, and I prayed about what I ought to do.
Whenever confronting someone, you really ought to examine your heart. If you do not have a right heart about it, you are actually wrong in confronting them. I felt in this particular situation that my heart was right. Only...
Only, I felt like a rebuke coming from me would not be well received. I was no one in authority in this young man's life. I thought about going to the youth pastor that I worked under for help, but it didn't seem Biblical in the order of confrontation. Or was it? I wasn't sure, so I prayed. And waited.
An opportunity to confront this young man arose, but I really felt that God told me not to.
So I waited. I really hoped I was being obedient. It really felt like an issue that not only I noticed, but also God.
God totally intervened by laying it on another person's heart to confront this young man. The man that did so had so much authority and did it in such a way that the young man received every ounce of it and made a total 180 change of heart and direction. I have seen such a change in this young man's life from that point on, it is incredible!
Not every situation is the same, but there are a few things I learned:
If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
There was a young man at church who had an issue that was very obvious to me, but not to other people. I wasn't being judgmental. As a youth-leader, someone had approached me with a complaint in regards to this young man's behavior. Being a young woman myself, I had felt the same complaint in regards to this young man. As a leader, I knew I had to do something. But what?
I hate confrontation. The Bible talks about the proper way of confronting someone in Matthew 18:15-17. You don't go and gossip to everyone else first. You go straight to that person. You deal with them directly, one on one. There's a chance that if you talk to them, they might have a chance to repent without being dragged through the dirt... gossip only hurts, doesn't heal. Jesus knew this when he laid out the plan for confrontation.
I knew better than to gossip, but like I said, I hate confrontation. I did not want to confront this young man. So I went to God, and I prayed about what I ought to do.
Whenever confronting someone, you really ought to examine your heart. If you do not have a right heart about it, you are actually wrong in confronting them. I felt in this particular situation that my heart was right. Only...
Only, I felt like a rebuke coming from me would not be well received. I was no one in authority in this young man's life. I thought about going to the youth pastor that I worked under for help, but it didn't seem Biblical in the order of confrontation. Or was it? I wasn't sure, so I prayed. And waited.
An opportunity to confront this young man arose, but I really felt that God told me not to.
So I waited. I really hoped I was being obedient. It really felt like an issue that not only I noticed, but also God.
God totally intervened by laying it on another person's heart to confront this young man. The man that did so had so much authority and did it in such a way that the young man received every ounce of it and made a total 180 change of heart and direction. I have seen such a change in this young man's life from that point on, it is incredible!
Not every situation is the same, but there are a few things I learned:
- When you see something, it is your responsibility to do something about it! Chances are you noticed or were made aware of a situation because God is directing you to do something. Obey.
- Pray about it-- chances are, God will take care of them, or you if you are the problem.
- If God directs you, follow the Matthew 18:15-17 procedure
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Tehilla Worship
This is perhaps not an original word, but one I was taught by wise leaders in the worship ministry and one I have found true myself.
Tehillah! I was perhaps ten years old when I first heard the word. No, not tequila, the alcoholic beverage and song, but the Hebrew word tehillah, which means a spontaneous new song. This is a song that you make up as you go on the spot, an ad-lib song, one that's not rehearsed. If you attend a church where they use this kind of praise, it's the portion where they stop singing the words on the projector and start singing whatever comes out. Sometimes it's a variation of the words of the song or completely different.
I think some people might wonder why the worship team does that. The answer is in Psalm 22:3. I like how the King James puts it:
If you do a word study for praise, you will find out that there are seven different kinds of praise, but specifically the spontaneous song is mentioned here. Apparently, this word is also used in Psalm 34:1, 40:3, 66:2, and 2 Chronicles 20:22, but that is what I found with an internet search.
I don't know about you, but when I go to worship God, I certainly want to create an atmosphere that brings His presence. I have found over years of worshipping that one of the best ways to encounter God or to catch his notice (that's the best way I can find to put it) is to sing a spontaneous song. Play a chord or chord progression, and sing what comes to mind.
If you are new to the form of praise, you will probably feel stupid at first. But once you practice spontaneous worship (ha... sounds like an oxymoron, but you can practice by doing), you will gain confidence and not only touch God's heart but be refreshed.
Of course, this isn't a formula of "How to Bring the Presence of God". There's definitely lifestyle issues that have to be addressed, heart-issues, relationships even. But this is certainly an avenue of pursuing God's heart that I've taken, and have had many rich encounters. When I say, rich, I mean velvet-rich.
The best thing about God is that He is so big that you can experience this awesomeness yourself. Need new life, or want the presence of God? Sing a tehillah song!
Tehillah! I was perhaps ten years old when I first heard the word. No, not tequila, the alcoholic beverage and song, but the Hebrew word tehillah, which means a spontaneous new song. This is a song that you make up as you go on the spot, an ad-lib song, one that's not rehearsed. If you attend a church where they use this kind of praise, it's the portion where they stop singing the words on the projector and start singing whatever comes out. Sometimes it's a variation of the words of the song or completely different.
I think some people might wonder why the worship team does that. The answer is in Psalm 22:3. I like how the King James puts it:
Psalm 22:3But you are holy, O you that inhabit the praises of Israel.The word praise right there is the word tehillah. God inhabits, or sits enthroned on our tehillah praise. The spontaneous song.
If you do a word study for praise, you will find out that there are seven different kinds of praise, but specifically the spontaneous song is mentioned here. Apparently, this word is also used in Psalm 34:1, 40:3, 66:2, and 2 Chronicles 20:22, but that is what I found with an internet search.
I don't know about you, but when I go to worship God, I certainly want to create an atmosphere that brings His presence. I have found over years of worshipping that one of the best ways to encounter God or to catch his notice (that's the best way I can find to put it) is to sing a spontaneous song. Play a chord or chord progression, and sing what comes to mind.
If you are new to the form of praise, you will probably feel stupid at first. But once you practice spontaneous worship (ha... sounds like an oxymoron, but you can practice by doing), you will gain confidence and not only touch God's heart but be refreshed.
Of course, this isn't a formula of "How to Bring the Presence of God". There's definitely lifestyle issues that have to be addressed, heart-issues, relationships even. But this is certainly an avenue of pursuing God's heart that I've taken, and have had many rich encounters. When I say, rich, I mean velvet-rich.
The best thing about God is that He is so big that you can experience this awesomeness yourself. Need new life, or want the presence of God? Sing a tehillah song!
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