I hate it. I really hate it. It just never seems to be right. I try so hard and yet here I am...back where I started. Haven't I spent the last seven months of my life climbing out of this hole? Have I not been learning, growing, and strengthening. Then why am I here.
I hate the things that I do. I understand the paradox of success by failure, growth by fire, shining by darkness, etc. I get it. I have had enough experiences in my life to get it. I AM NOT IN CONTROL. I do understand. Then why does THIS hurt SOOOOOO much?
Why does my stomach feel like I am going to throw up? Why does my body feel weak and shaky? WHY DO I FEEL SO BAD? SO WORTHLESS?
If I know that God uses every bad situation to His glory has "a plan to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future." (Jer. 29:11), then why am I wallowing in misery?
Does this mean that I have no faith?
Am I a bad Christian?
Do I not care about my life or how I affect others?
Have I strayed?
Is my prayer life not strong enough?
Do I need to up my morning devotionals to an hour a morning to compensate?
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?!? WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE SOMEONE JUST HIT ME IN THE STOMACH WITH A 2X4?!!?!
where are you God?
I may never know the purpose of this time of life or the countless more I am sure will come....but there is hope.
We can continue to live.......because my God is strong, and I am weak......because I am man, and He is God.......because I am finite, and He is infinite........because He is the Father, and I am the child.......because He loves us.
I pray that God may give you the strength to carry you through whatever (insert title of time that fits the above description) moment for the dawn comes with the morning. There is always an end to the endless storm. There is a light at the end of the unlit tunnel. There is relief for the continuous pain.
because....................................................there is a God.
"yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me" John 16:32
Monday, December 24, 2012
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Dayenu
"Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me - to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong." - Paul 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NASB)
Paul thanks God for a thorn in his side. He PRAISES and THANKS God for giving him this illness/temptation/learning disability/injury/anger/poverty/etc so that it might be HE that is great, and not Paul. He is grateful for that constant reminder to be humble, to not exalt his OWN accomplishments and successes.
Paul asks God to take away the thorn in his side. Thorns hurt and are not comfortable...nobody really enjoys thorns and pain. Paul asks three times for the thorn to be removed. God answers, "My grace is SUFFICIENT for you..." Paul needs nothing else for he has God's SUFFICIENT grace.
Paul boasts in his weakness for that is when he is the strongest. When Paul is weak, there is God. When Paul is hungry, he must feed on God. When Paul is dumb, he must learn from God. When Paul is poor, he must bank on God. When Paul is hurt and tired, he must rest in God. When Paul is strong, there is less room for God. When we have holes and troubles, we allow there to be MORE room for God to do the work. We can no longer depend on ourselves. Paul will be weak so God can be strong.
Paul is CONTENT. This is a forgotten word. Content equals satisfied. We talk about being content (satisfied) with our jobs, paycheck, spouse, family, house, etc...finding joy in the small things. Paul is CONTENT with WEAKNESS, INSULTS, DISTRESS, PERSECUTION, AND DIFFICULTIES. Paul is SATISFIED with the worst of this world. Paul is CONTENT with suffering. "for when I am weak, then I am strong." Paul understands where his strength comes from.
Are we content with weakness? Too short, too slow, too dumb, too insignificant. Are we content with insults? Loser, washed-up, late, inadequate, weak, useless, waste of space. Are we content with distress and difficulties? Broken washer, special needs child, unemployment, divorce, death, drugs, alcohol, pornography, stress at work, bad boss, little money, sickness, disability. Are we content with persecution? Rejection, litigation, rumors, threats, physical/emotional/spiritual attacks, rebelling children.
"In the Jewish Passover there is a response by the family proclaiming their gratitude to God. They say 'If the Lord had merely rescued us, but had not judged the Egyptians', dayenu! 'If He had only destroyed their gods, but had not parted the Red Sea,' dayenu! 'If He had only drowned our enemies, but had not fed us with manna,' dayenu! 'If He had only led us thorugh the desert, but had not given us the Sabbath,' dayenu 'If He had only given us the Torah, but not the land of Israel,' dayenu What does dayenu mean? It means, 'It would have been sufficient.' To be grateful for what God gives us and expect no more (or less) is a blessed perspective. Be thankful for what you have. If God has given it to you, DAYENU!"
- Stuart Pederson
If God has given it to you...whether good or bad...easy or hard...painful or comforting...DAYENU.
Paul thanks God for a thorn in his side. He PRAISES and THANKS God for giving him this illness/temptation/learning disability/injury/anger/poverty/etc so that it might be HE that is great, and not Paul. He is grateful for that constant reminder to be humble, to not exalt his OWN accomplishments and successes.
Paul asks God to take away the thorn in his side. Thorns hurt and are not comfortable...nobody really enjoys thorns and pain. Paul asks three times for the thorn to be removed. God answers, "My grace is SUFFICIENT for you..." Paul needs nothing else for he has God's SUFFICIENT grace.
Paul boasts in his weakness for that is when he is the strongest. When Paul is weak, there is God. When Paul is hungry, he must feed on God. When Paul is dumb, he must learn from God. When Paul is poor, he must bank on God. When Paul is hurt and tired, he must rest in God. When Paul is strong, there is less room for God. When we have holes and troubles, we allow there to be MORE room for God to do the work. We can no longer depend on ourselves. Paul will be weak so God can be strong.
Paul is CONTENT. This is a forgotten word. Content equals satisfied. We talk about being content (satisfied) with our jobs, paycheck, spouse, family, house, etc...finding joy in the small things. Paul is CONTENT with WEAKNESS, INSULTS, DISTRESS, PERSECUTION, AND DIFFICULTIES. Paul is SATISFIED with the worst of this world. Paul is CONTENT with suffering. "for when I am weak, then I am strong." Paul understands where his strength comes from.
Are we content with weakness? Too short, too slow, too dumb, too insignificant. Are we content with insults? Loser, washed-up, late, inadequate, weak, useless, waste of space. Are we content with distress and difficulties? Broken washer, special needs child, unemployment, divorce, death, drugs, alcohol, pornography, stress at work, bad boss, little money, sickness, disability. Are we content with persecution? Rejection, litigation, rumors, threats, physical/emotional/spiritual attacks, rebelling children.
"In the Jewish Passover there is a response by the family proclaiming their gratitude to God. They say 'If the Lord had merely rescued us, but had not judged the Egyptians', dayenu! 'If He had only destroyed their gods, but had not parted the Red Sea,' dayenu! 'If He had only drowned our enemies, but had not fed us with manna,' dayenu! 'If He had only led us thorugh the desert, but had not given us the Sabbath,' dayenu 'If He had only given us the Torah, but not the land of Israel,' dayenu What does dayenu mean? It means, 'It would have been sufficient.' To be grateful for what God gives us and expect no more (or less) is a blessed perspective. Be thankful for what you have. If God has given it to you, DAYENU!"
- Stuart Pederson
If God has given it to you...whether good or bad...easy or hard...painful or comforting...DAYENU.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
I love my Dad
I love my dad.
This seems like a basic, ordinary statement that a good son
should say about their father. The whole
“I love my dad” phrase is so worn out these days, so it is difficult for me to
explain to you that I LOVE MY DAD.
My dad is Stuart Pederson.
To some that means nothing, but to many that has power. The name of Stuart Pederson carries this
whole ideology with it. If you think
“Stuart Pederson”, several things may come to mind: generosity, compassion,
kindness, servant, prayer warrior, optimist, man of God, encourager,
passionate, morally uncompromising, loving, friendly, a rock, mentor, pastor,
handy-man, etc. You get the point. My dad has affected this world, mine and
others, in a way that few men in history have.
This little article comes from two places: 1. I work in a
Group Home and see the results of poor fathers 2. I live in Henderson, NE
(where my family lived and my dad was a pastor from 1996-1999). As I try to teach teenage boys discipline,
pride, courage, resiliency, humility, and everything else it takes to be a man,
I cannot help but look back on what my father did for me.
He would not let me watch Scooby-Doo or SpongeBob because
they were bad influences. I was required
to go to church every Sunday and give half or all of my $1 allowance to the
offering. I was not allowed to watch
R-rated movies and had to look at him anytime anything less modest than a
one-piece swimsuit appeared. We had to
recite “Look them in the eye, talk loudly, and pleases and thank-yous” EVERY
time that we visited friends or relatives.
I did not have a gaming system or cell phone until I was 16. I had to do chores without reimbursement. We ate out at a restaurant maybe once or
twice a month, if we were lucky.
Saturdays were “Forced Family Fun”, aka chores and work. I was spanked when I was disobedient. I wore hand-me-downs, thrift store, and
Wal-Mart for my entire childhood. My
Christmas presents were never more than $40 in value. I was required to eat every meal at home with
the family. I could not brag. I could not be rude. I would get pulled out of athletics if I did
not share the ball.
My dad (and mom) did these horrible things to me…I am going
to do the same to my kids.
I was walking through church on Sunday and ran into the
mayor of Henderson, and I asked him how he was doing and he responded, “Better
than I deserve.” I said, “That is
funny. My dad says the same thing to
that question.” He said, “That is where
I got it from.”
My family moved from Henderson 12 years ago. This is the power and weight that comes with
the name of Stuart Pederson. The
outright life-altering changes that come from even incidental contact. Growing up, I was known as “Stuart’s
son”. It used to annoy me at first, then
it just became a joke. Of the four
children, I am the most like my dad: in looks, speech, personality, quirks,
awkwardness, etc. I used to always say
that I was basically my dad as a joke.
Now that is my biggest honor in life.
My heart bursts with Joy when people tell me that I talk, pray, even
read the Bible like him. I am not my
dad. I am my own unique individual for
whom God has his own plans and course completely different from that of my
father. Yet, I want nothing more in life
than to live as he has. For if I can do
that, I will glorify God in all, love my wife completely, raise Christ-like
children, and shine the love of God to all.
I love my dad and he is not perfect. But
how great is it that we all have a Father who does not sin, does not make
mistakes, will not die or lie? I love my
dad, but he is only a weak, insignificant reflection of our Heavenly
Father. John 3:16. "For God so loved the world that He sent His Son into the world that whoever might believe in him will not perish but have everlasting life." There is no greater honor than
being a child of God and hearing you talk, walk, and live like you Father. This should be our greatest joy in life and
our sole purpose.
Father,
Thank you for everything.
I have not always responded the best to Your love or adoration or
discipline or guidance. Sometimes I got
so focused and stuck I could not realize that You only wanted what was best for
me even though it hurt for a time. You
have always loved me. For my entire life
You have been there to protect and advise me.
You sacrificed so much pleasure, freedom, and personal gain so that I
might live better. So many times I
ignored You at the least and rejected You at the most. I was never worthy of Your gifts and
patience. Through the dark and the light
times, You were there…waiting for me to come home to your arms. I love You.
Your
Child,
Stephen
(I love you Stuart Pederson)
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Bankruptcy
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1e9e28retxrubwb/Chp%20XII%20Bankruptcy.wav
Time to file spiritual bankruptcy.
Time to file spiritual bankruptcy.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
We are Jeremiah
Hello, I figured that I would try something a little different this week. Below is a link to a audio file I created.
Enjoy
Stephen
Monday, September 17, 2012
Worship
Worship - the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a divine power or supernatural power (Webster's Dictionary)
There is something missing from this definition...does anyone spot it? Let's see if you can pick it up as we go along.
Here are some expressions of worship that I have been apart of:
1. The singing of contemporary Christian praise songs from a power point with full guitar and drum accompaniment
2. Singing contemporary songs from a power point with people dancing and fainting in the aisles
3. Singing hymns from the hymnal with an organ
4. Singing hymns from a power point screen with a piano
5. Singing hymns from memory with and without musical accompaniment
6. Singing contemporary songs with clapping and raised hands
7. Singing hymns without moving any part of the body other than your mouth
8. You get the picture
Depending on where you are demographically, economically, and culturally, you and your church will have different definitions of what worship is. Each church or group worships through methods 1-7 and beyond because they believe that that is the best way to express their adoration. Some reference Scripture and others tradition to support their preference. Long story short, there are a lot of ways that Christians express the reverence for God. In fact, churches have split over things such as the style of worship which is silly but that is for another time.
Look at the above list. Any similarities? If you figure out the similarity (which connects all generally accepted manners of worship), compare it with the previous Webster definition of "worship". Figure out what is missing yet? To late, here it comes:
The similarity with all the variations of worship that I listed above (again, these were gathered from visiting several different churches and their description of their worship time) is "singing". Almost every good Christian will say that worship time HAS to include singing. That is the best and only way to show God how much you adore Him. Right? The missing thing from the definition (the secular definition) is "singing". No where in the definition of worship does it say "Thou must sing". So what does this mean? It means that we are going to ignore the correct amount of bodily movement and instruments that should be allowed during church services (David danced naked to the blare of trumpets...just saying 2 Sam 6:14-15), and focus on how to worship.
Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.
2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Our spiritual act of worship is to offer our bodies as living sacrifices. I am not saying that we are not to praise God with our words and songs, Scripture repeatedly calls for it. What I am saying is that we get out of focus. Us living...is worship. Us using our blessings (intelligence, breath, health, money, property, skills) while giving Him credit...is worship. Us obeying His commands...is worship. Us loving our enemies...is worship. Us not getting upset when we get cut off in traffic...is worship. Us respecting our bosses and professors no matter the jerkiness...is worship.
1 Corinthians 5:7 (NIV)
7 Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast--as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
Jesus lived to die. He was a living sacrifice. His power came not from His singing or instrumental skill or hand raising but His death. The offering of His life was His worship to His Father. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice because He was perfect, without blemish. Cleanse yourself and become clean so that your life can also be accepted as a living sacrifice to God.
He demands your all. He wants more that just singing from your mouth. He desires to hear the beautiful noise coming from your obedient hands and reverent heart.
Live to die as a sacrifice to God. Live to die in your worship. Live to die. Live worship.
There is something missing from this definition...does anyone spot it? Let's see if you can pick it up as we go along.
Here are some expressions of worship that I have been apart of:
1. The singing of contemporary Christian praise songs from a power point with full guitar and drum accompaniment
2. Singing contemporary songs from a power point with people dancing and fainting in the aisles
3. Singing hymns from the hymnal with an organ
4. Singing hymns from a power point screen with a piano
5. Singing hymns from memory with and without musical accompaniment
6. Singing contemporary songs with clapping and raised hands
7. Singing hymns without moving any part of the body other than your mouth
8. You get the picture
Depending on where you are demographically, economically, and culturally, you and your church will have different definitions of what worship is. Each church or group worships through methods 1-7 and beyond because they believe that that is the best way to express their adoration. Some reference Scripture and others tradition to support their preference. Long story short, there are a lot of ways that Christians express the reverence for God. In fact, churches have split over things such as the style of worship which is silly but that is for another time.
Look at the above list. Any similarities? If you figure out the similarity (which connects all generally accepted manners of worship), compare it with the previous Webster definition of "worship". Figure out what is missing yet? To late, here it comes:
The similarity with all the variations of worship that I listed above (again, these were gathered from visiting several different churches and their description of their worship time) is "singing". Almost every good Christian will say that worship time HAS to include singing. That is the best and only way to show God how much you adore Him. Right? The missing thing from the definition (the secular definition) is "singing". No where in the definition of worship does it say "Thou must sing". So what does this mean? It means that we are going to ignore the correct amount of bodily movement and instruments that should be allowed during church services (David danced naked to the blare of trumpets...just saying 2 Sam 6:14-15), and focus on how to worship.
Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.
2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Our spiritual act of worship is to offer our bodies as living sacrifices. I am not saying that we are not to praise God with our words and songs, Scripture repeatedly calls for it. What I am saying is that we get out of focus. Us living...is worship. Us using our blessings (intelligence, breath, health, money, property, skills) while giving Him credit...is worship. Us obeying His commands...is worship. Us loving our enemies...is worship. Us not getting upset when we get cut off in traffic...is worship. Us respecting our bosses and professors no matter the jerkiness...is worship.
1 Corinthians 5:7 (NIV)
7 Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast--as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
Jesus lived to die. He was a living sacrifice. His power came not from His singing or instrumental skill or hand raising but His death. The offering of His life was His worship to His Father. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice because He was perfect, without blemish. Cleanse yourself and become clean so that your life can also be accepted as a living sacrifice to God.
He demands your all. He wants more that just singing from your mouth. He desires to hear the beautiful noise coming from your obedient hands and reverent heart.
Live to die as a sacrifice to God. Live to die in your worship. Live to die. Live worship.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Avoid the Lion
I am a male.
As a male I am wired to be sexually triggered by visual and auditory stimulants. These stimulants often go by the name of pornography. My gender has built into us a seemingly never ceasing drive to satisfy the desires created by those stimulants.
I am a male living in the internet age of unlimited access to untraceable pornographic access.
This last week has been a bad week for me. I grew up with a strong father figure and very strict boundaries about what I take into my mind, and I know what is wrong and right...but there is this game that I like to play. I like to find likes on the Internet...simple links like a book store or the news and see how close I can get to porn without actually looking at porn. Because obviously that would be a sin. I caught myself playing that game a couple times this week, including this morning. It is wrong. It is shameful to admit. It is a sin.
But I do not struggle with it as bad as some people...I am not addicted and my main struggles are when I am bored and by myself. It is not like I am some sexually possessed monster. It is just occasionally and the images are not even that bad...
...I am not as bad as some people...
...it is not that bad... ...I have it under control...
I do not struggle with pornography as much as others. I also do not struggle with drug addictions as much as others. I do not struggle with violent anger as much as others. I do not struggle with alcohol, pride, liiing, homosexuality, depression, (fill in the blank) as much as others.
We may not struggle as much as others but we still struggle.
Life is full of struggles. Life is a war.
1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)
8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Despite my solid upbringing and the boundaries that I set for myself on movies, shows, and books, I still struggle. I will struggle for the rest of my life. The roaring lion will always be there waiting for me to slip. He is waiting for you too. Waiting for that one time that you lose focus and give in...a moment of human weakness and the devil will pounce. And I can guarantee from experience that he does more than just roar when he gets a piece of you...but there is hope. Here is the full text:
1 Peter 5:6-12 (NIV)
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
12 With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.
There is a battle plan for this war:
1. Vs 6-7 - Humble yourself to God. You will not win this fight by yourself. Do not carry this burden but cast it upon the Lord's immeasurable strength. Pray and read scripture. Remember...you are loved.
2. Vs 9 - You are NOT alone in this fight. "you know that your brethren THROUGHOUT THE WORLD are undergoing the SAME kind of sufferings." Find someone that you can be accountable to. Someone that you can have as a partner in this fight so that can keep you in check.
3. Vs 10 - God makes you strong. He lifts you up gives your heart the strength that it needs to stand fast and firm in the face of any enemy. It is NOT your strength but the strength that comes from God. There will be suffering, you already know that but "the Joy comes with the morning".
4. Vs 11-12 - He is the Truth. He is Eternal. Thus you can stand fast.
Psalm 56:4 (NIV)
4 In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?
As a male I am wired to be sexually triggered by visual and auditory stimulants. These stimulants often go by the name of pornography. My gender has built into us a seemingly never ceasing drive to satisfy the desires created by those stimulants.
I am a male living in the internet age of unlimited access to untraceable pornographic access.
This last week has been a bad week for me. I grew up with a strong father figure and very strict boundaries about what I take into my mind, and I know what is wrong and right...but there is this game that I like to play. I like to find likes on the Internet...simple links like a book store or the news and see how close I can get to porn without actually looking at porn. Because obviously that would be a sin. I caught myself playing that game a couple times this week, including this morning. It is wrong. It is shameful to admit. It is a sin.
But I do not struggle with it as bad as some people...I am not addicted and my main struggles are when I am bored and by myself. It is not like I am some sexually possessed monster. It is just occasionally and the images are not even that bad...
...I am not as bad as some people...
...it is not that bad... ...I have it under control...
I do not struggle with pornography as much as others. I also do not struggle with drug addictions as much as others. I do not struggle with violent anger as much as others. I do not struggle with alcohol, pride, liiing, homosexuality, depression, (fill in the blank) as much as others.
We may not struggle as much as others but we still struggle.
Life is full of struggles. Life is a war.
1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)
8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Despite my solid upbringing and the boundaries that I set for myself on movies, shows, and books, I still struggle. I will struggle for the rest of my life. The roaring lion will always be there waiting for me to slip. He is waiting for you too. Waiting for that one time that you lose focus and give in...a moment of human weakness and the devil will pounce. And I can guarantee from experience that he does more than just roar when he gets a piece of you...but there is hope. Here is the full text:
1 Peter 5:6-12 (NIV)
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
12 With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.
There is a battle plan for this war:
1. Vs 6-7 - Humble yourself to God. You will not win this fight by yourself. Do not carry this burden but cast it upon the Lord's immeasurable strength. Pray and read scripture. Remember...you are loved.
2. Vs 9 - You are NOT alone in this fight. "you know that your brethren THROUGHOUT THE WORLD are undergoing the SAME kind of sufferings." Find someone that you can be accountable to. Someone that you can have as a partner in this fight so that can keep you in check.
3. Vs 10 - God makes you strong. He lifts you up gives your heart the strength that it needs to stand fast and firm in the face of any enemy. It is NOT your strength but the strength that comes from God. There will be suffering, you already know that but "the Joy comes with the morning".
4. Vs 11-12 - He is the Truth. He is Eternal. Thus you can stand fast.
Psalm 56:4 (NIV)
4 In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?
This world has nothing against you. You are strong. You are firm on His rock. Do not fear man for what can they do?
I write this letter as a confession of my own weakness and struggles but hopefully also as an encouragement in whatever sort of battle, whether physical, spiritual, or emotional, you might find yourself in.
I once heard the following saying: "A true warrior can always put one foot in front of the other"
"A true believer, by God's Grace, can always put one foot in front of the other."
God Bless.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Burned Alive
I have always been one that has been intrigued by the imagery of fire and light living as a Child of God. The imagery ranges from "we are the lighthouse standing strong in the storm to guide and direct others" to "in order to start a burning in someone's soul with the Gospel, you must first be lit" and more. I have just always been inspired by the power of these ideas and how effectively they convey the overwhelming impact God has upon our lives and how we live it.
Well, life led me to meet a person with a Jeremiah 20:9 tattoo with a flame around it, so obviously I had to check it out.
Jeremiah 20:9 (NIV)
9 But if I say, "I will not mention him or speak any more in his name," his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.
When I initially read this it gave me the shivers. For a moment, I want you to close your eyes and picture a roaring camp fire, popping and cracking heat through the night. Now imagine what it would be like if that was inside your bones. Crazy right? When Jeremiah says these words, he is saying (it seems) that God's Word is so powerful and contagious that when he tries not to speak the Gospel, the Gospel just burns inside of him like a fire. Now the message from this section is two-fold.
Firstly, the obvious: speak the Gospel. When we chose to let Christ become the Lord of our souls, we also chose to let His entire presence inside of us (the fire). If you turn on the oven and keep the door closed, it will just keep getting hotter and hotter. Jeremiah is "weary of holding it in". Well...the short answer is this...don't. If the obstruction of the salvation of mankind is causing you pain, then stop obstructing. Let it loose. Go find the highest point in your area and shout to the world what the name Jesus Christ means. You say you do not have that fire...yes you do...you probably have not been tending to it. When the power and presence of the Lord is upon you, it takes your best to not just unleash everything. Point One: kiddle the fire and let it loose to start a forest fire.
Secondly, the less obvious: God will get you. While vs 9 may be a very popular verse, the previous two are probably not so much.
Jeremiah 20:7-8 (NIV)
7 O LORD, you deceived me, and I was deceived; you overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me.
8 Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the LORD has brought me insult and reproach all day long.
Jeremiah the prophet is complaining to God about his life situation. He was "deceived..and...overpowered". He is "ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me". He is referring to the fact that when God called him to be a prophet, he did not feel like he had a choice. Jeremiah's situation is so bad that even when he tries to share what the Lord has given him (which is usually violence and destruction...not a good way to become well liked), he has to cry out. He cannot even calmly share like a sane man...no, he has to "cry out" like a mad man. The prophet feels like God forcibly put him in a very un-ideal position. "So the word of the LORD has brought me insult and reproach all day long." Point Two: if God wants you to do something, you will do. Point Two (again): what He calls you to do will often mean terrible things for your emotional, physical, and societal health.
This is God's world, and we are just living in it. People who spew fire so that they may be lit and burning are called arsonists and criminals. Being a christian and a prophet, the actions and the results are no different. You are called to be a spiritual arsonist. You will be treated like a mad man crying out and (in many places now and everywhere soon) a criminal. You are filled with the fire of life...the fire of love...the fire of everlasting peace. Time to share.
Well, life led me to meet a person with a Jeremiah 20:9 tattoo with a flame around it, so obviously I had to check it out.
Jeremiah 20:9 (NIV)
9 But if I say, "I will not mention him or speak any more in his name," his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.
When I initially read this it gave me the shivers. For a moment, I want you to close your eyes and picture a roaring camp fire, popping and cracking heat through the night. Now imagine what it would be like if that was inside your bones. Crazy right? When Jeremiah says these words, he is saying (it seems) that God's Word is so powerful and contagious that when he tries not to speak the Gospel, the Gospel just burns inside of him like a fire. Now the message from this section is two-fold.
Firstly, the obvious: speak the Gospel. When we chose to let Christ become the Lord of our souls, we also chose to let His entire presence inside of us (the fire). If you turn on the oven and keep the door closed, it will just keep getting hotter and hotter. Jeremiah is "weary of holding it in". Well...the short answer is this...don't. If the obstruction of the salvation of mankind is causing you pain, then stop obstructing. Let it loose. Go find the highest point in your area and shout to the world what the name Jesus Christ means. You say you do not have that fire...yes you do...you probably have not been tending to it. When the power and presence of the Lord is upon you, it takes your best to not just unleash everything. Point One: kiddle the fire and let it loose to start a forest fire.
Jeremiah 20:7-8 (NIV)
7 O LORD, you deceived me, and I was deceived; you overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me.
8 Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the LORD has brought me insult and reproach all day long.
Jeremiah the prophet is complaining to God about his life situation. He was "deceived..and...overpowered". He is "ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me". He is referring to the fact that when God called him to be a prophet, he did not feel like he had a choice. Jeremiah's situation is so bad that even when he tries to share what the Lord has given him (which is usually violence and destruction...not a good way to become well liked), he has to cry out. He cannot even calmly share like a sane man...no, he has to "cry out" like a mad man. The prophet feels like God forcibly put him in a very un-ideal position. "So the word of the LORD has brought me insult and reproach all day long." Point Two: if God wants you to do something, you will do. Point Two (again): what He calls you to do will often mean terrible things for your emotional, physical, and societal health.
This is God's world, and we are just living in it. People who spew fire so that they may be lit and burning are called arsonists and criminals. Being a christian and a prophet, the actions and the results are no different. You are called to be a spiritual arsonist. You will be treated like a mad man crying out and (in many places now and everywhere soon) a criminal. You are filled with the fire of life...the fire of love...the fire of everlasting peace. Time to share.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Just Boring Old Life
Life is…life.
Sometimes we as humans expect life to be jammed packed with
these incredible, pulse-pounding moments, worthy of stories that can be told
generations from now and still be funny, entertaining or inspiring. Truth is your pulse is pounding all the time
and thus every moment of your life is worth a story. It just depends how you choose to look at it.
In the beginning of Mark 9, we see one of those “epic” life
moments. Jesus took Peter, James, and
John up with him to the high mountain and he, get this, reveals himself to
him. Now we now that Jesus is God but
for the last 33 years he has been residing in the very boring and dull form of
a homosapien (If you think about, humans have to one of the blandest, least
visually stimulating beasts in all of creation) but here in verse 2 and 3, he
transfigures. “…His garments became
radiant and exceedingly white”. The dude
was shining like the sun that He helped create, and the Three Stooges are
standing there in person to witness it.
And it gets better. Vs. 4 says
that Elijah and Moses appear before them and start chatting with Jesus. These are probably the two most influential
men in Israel’s history and they appear (probably also shining some) next to
brilliant Son already radiating in glory.
Now skip ahead to vs. 7, “Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a
voice came out of the cloud, ‘This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!’”
God! God himself showed up! These three mere men were privy to probably
one of the most indescribably fantastic awe-inspiring moments in the history of
ever. Elijah, Moses, radiating Jesus,
and speaking God…this is epic and awesome and note worthy and every other
poorly understated human description of the situation. This is definitely one of those moments that
you tell people later on.
But what do these disciples do in the moment with all this
glory being unveiled before them? They
ask to build Jesus, Elijah, and Moses tents.
Peter says, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here.” No duh.
But even if we look beyond this moment of wisdom and basic brain
operation, after all seeing dead people and a glowing man and a talking cloud
can be pretty overwhelming, we need to see how they handled themselves later
on. In vs 31, Jesus tells them that He
will be killed and then raise three days later.
Cool. The disciple’s reaction: “But
they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him”. Not all were there for the transfiguration
but even the three that were did not get the point. They SAW the Son of God and they missed the
point. I mean Peter later denies that He
even knows Jesus. He saw Jesus light up
like a light bulb, talk to (the long since dead) Elijah and Moses, and be
engulfed by the presence of God (beyond all the other miracles that he saw) and
yet he still did not get. These men had
probably one of the greatest dinner party stories to tell ever, and they
squandered it.
We in life get so caught up in that next great moment or
story. We want that next spiritual surge
of guiding a friend to Christ or feeling some godly buzz at a worship
service. We are hooked on the big
time. Well Peter, James, and John got
the big time and it did not seem to affect them much.
Here is a secret...everyday of your life is the big time. It may not be spectacular or adrenaline
inducing but you are living with the presence of God inside of you and all
around you every moment. You get to walk
out that door and go to work and radiate like the sun because the Son is in
you. I have had conversations with my
family about where we are in a walks with Christ and several times the words “Nothing
too crazy is going on” or “I am just living life” are used. First, God (you know the dude that created
the ENTIRE UNIVERSE…that dude) lives inside you. Second, life is God. In Genesis, He breathed life into us, us the
ones He made in His own image. Those
salvation stories are great and the spiritual highs are stimulating but so is
life.
Enjoy life because life is the breath of God, and He lives
in you. That is about as epic as it
gets. It would be incredible to see what
those three disciples saw but we are already seeing pretty cool things…just
open your eyes. Realize the intricacies
of your body and Creation as a whole.
Realize the magnitude of the calling to save the lost sheep. Realize how epic your life is.
So may your life be…life.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
A Pile of Crap
There is a rather popular contemporary Christian song, for which I cannot remember the name, that contains the lyrics "let me reach the unreachable, teach the unteachable, and love the unlovable". I think I get what the artist is trying to say. He wants God to give him the strength and courage to reach out to the people for which it is difficult to reach out to. He wants God to provide the ability to love those that society say should not be loved or the parts of society that do not want to be loved. It is overall a great idea for us all to go beyond our own personal boundaries to witness to and be the love of Christ the world.
But then this nasty little thought popped into my head the last time I heard this song on the radio, "This is a bunch of crap." I understand that the song is coming from the humanistic view of love and how and to who we show that love but the whole concept that we, as Christians, could ever say that there is anyone that is unlovable is a bunch of crap. I may just being getting overly technical with the wording of this song but come on...we can do better.
So what if a co-worker ignores you or thinks that you are a little strange. So what if your classmates find you awkward. 2 Timothy 3:12 states, "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted". If you want to live as Christ you will be persecuted. Loving on mean people is almost a prerequisite for being a true follower of Christ. It is a must...not an option. Calling someone unlovable is like an Olympic hopeful saying training is impossible. They want to get there but have put up a giant immovable wall with their mentality. John 3:16 does not say, "For God so loved the lovable that He sent His one and only Son...". NO..."For God so loved the world that He sent His one and only Son (to die a miserable death and be PERSECUTED to an extreme degree) so that ALL (every person to live ever including the really stupid and jerkish ones that do not deserve the air to live) that might believe in Him shall not perish (spiritually) but have everlasting life (spiritually)."
People may think that I cannot say, "God loved everyone so we have to love everyone," because that would be comparing us to God. You are right. And one of my favorite verses is the biggest slap in the face in history: Matthew 5:48 - "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Unlovable is not a word allowed in the Christian conversation. Unlovable = Persecution = Blessings.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV)
9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Time to change your vocabulary and get rid of that pile of crap called "The Unlovable" that is keeping you from running your race for God. Embrace the persecution. Embrace the pain. Embrace the Rage.
But then this nasty little thought popped into my head the last time I heard this song on the radio, "This is a bunch of crap." I understand that the song is coming from the humanistic view of love and how and to who we show that love but the whole concept that we, as Christians, could ever say that there is anyone that is unlovable is a bunch of crap. I may just being getting overly technical with the wording of this song but come on...we can do better.
So what if a co-worker ignores you or thinks that you are a little strange. So what if your classmates find you awkward. 2 Timothy 3:12 states, "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted". If you want to live as Christ you will be persecuted. Loving on mean people is almost a prerequisite for being a true follower of Christ. It is a must...not an option. Calling someone unlovable is like an Olympic hopeful saying training is impossible. They want to get there but have put up a giant immovable wall with their mentality. John 3:16 does not say, "For God so loved the lovable that He sent His one and only Son...". NO..."For God so loved the world that He sent His one and only Son (to die a miserable death and be PERSECUTED to an extreme degree) so that ALL (every person to live ever including the really stupid and jerkish ones that do not deserve the air to live) that might believe in Him shall not perish (spiritually) but have everlasting life (spiritually)."
People may think that I cannot say, "God loved everyone so we have to love everyone," because that would be comparing us to God. You are right. And one of my favorite verses is the biggest slap in the face in history: Matthew 5:48 - "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Unlovable is not a word allowed in the Christian conversation. Unlovable = Persecution = Blessings.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV)
9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Time to change your vocabulary and get rid of that pile of crap called "The Unlovable" that is keeping you from running your race for God. Embrace the persecution. Embrace the pain. Embrace the Rage.
No more crap.
Friday, July 6, 2012
Loved
Love.
We do not understand this word. Proverbs 5:18-20 is a very interesting
section scripture. It is very sexual in
its nature. It tells men to take delight
in their wife and rejoice in her love and exhilarated by her breasts. Again, to some this may see a rather crude
and unnecessary passage, especially to talk about with friends and
strangers. Vs 20 asks the reason for the
sons of man the logic behind feeling up a stranger when you have such a joy at
home waiting for. Vs 19 says “As a
loving hind (deer) and a graceful doe, Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
Be exhilarated always with her love.”
Being the 22 year old male that I am, the first thing that comes to my
mind is sex…God is telling us to take physical pleasure in our wives and to
take pure carnal satisfaction in her body and person. God created sex to be beautiful and he is
telling us here to keep our joy within our wife and our wife only.
I have read this scripture before and naturally only noticed
it because of its obvious sexual nature.
Well this week when I re-read it, I got something more.
First, I saw the passage beyond the physical nature of the
images. This is God talking about the
beauty of the relationship between a man and women. The complete fullness of the love that is
unwritten in these verses struck me. God
made man as relational creatures. He
made us to be together. In Genesis 2:22,
God created women of man and thus they will leave the families to become one in
flesh (sex). But a funny thing happens
when you are connected in flesh (so I have been told), you become connected
emotionally and mentally as well. Vs 25
says Adam and Eve were naked and were not ashamed. In the book “Looking for God Knows What”, the
author explained things like this: The
were unashamed because they were loved.
Why do you think people love to be loved? If someone loves them, then they feel they
can be justified in themselves. And guess
why they need that confirmation?
Beyond my desire for my own earthly relationship, I got an insight
into the relationship that matters. Man
was unashamed of their nakedness because God loved them. Think of the grandest scale of a boy telling
a girl that she is pretty. For that
girl, nothing else matters because her lover says she is okay. She feels free to do whatever and live
without inhibitions because there is only one opinion that matters. Now put yourself in Adam and Eve’s shoes. If the creator of the Universe said “You are
perfect and loved”…are you going to have any insecurities? NO.
The reason people play games, dunk, have awards is so others can tell
them how good they are. When we sinned
we lost that perfect love and we have thus been trying to fill that whole with
the insignificant approval of men.
God refers to himself as the bride groom and the Church (us)
as the bride. The earthly marriages that
we are in are made to model this bigger relationship. In the same way that we are to only find
satisfaction with our wife’s breast, we are only to find confirmation and value
in our Heavenly lover.
Men…love your God and love your wife in the same
manner. Rejoice in your wife alone…physically,
emotionally, mentally. Rejoice in your
Loving Redeemer alone…soully…that means everything in your being.
You are loved.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
The Bible is Funny
The Bible is funny.
I
am serious…read it sometime. I recently
started a plan to read the Bible in a year and it has me starting in Genesis. The boring part about Genesis is that
Creation, Adam and Eve, Noah, Tower of Babel, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Lot,
etc, are the stories that we have grown up with since we were two…been there
heard that.
The interesting part is that we have heard and not
read. I have only within the last month
started a regular devotional and Scripture reading habit and I am the
twenty-two year old son of a pastor that went to a Christian college. I have heard the stories my entire life but
never read them for myself. Here are
some examples:
What I
heard: God made His covenant with
Abraham by having all the males circumcised.
What I read: How do
you explain to all your adult sons and slaves that they have to take a sharp
rock to their unmentionables? You want
me to do what to my what? Ch 17
What I
heard: Sodom was a bad place.
What I read: The men
of the city wanted Lot bring out his two male guests, who happened to be
angels, so they could rape them…what happens if you try to rape an angel? (Ch
19)
What I
heard: Lot was an idiot.
What I read: Lot and
his two daughters were hiding out in a cave…just the three of them…in the
middle of nowhere…no one else around, and yet he gets drunk enough that he
sleeps with both of them on separate occasions (Ch 19).
In Chapter 22 verse 2, God tells Abraham to take and sacrifice
his son, Isaac, to Him. Verse 3 goes
like this, “So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey,”. No questions…he just does it. The list of incredible things in just the
first part of Genesis is incredible. Here
is one for you…Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are the patriarchs of Israel, God’s
Chosen People. A people that were
described five times from Chapters 14-30 as either as numerous as the stars or
the sand on the beach, not including other forms. This was the bloodline through which God was
going to change the world by sending His son.
The three main wives of these great men, Sarah, Rebecca, and Rachel,
were ALL BARREN. God built and saved His
people through three barren women.
Granted there were other wives, concubines, and maids but three barren
women. I knew about Sarah but Rebecca
and Rachel were also unable to have children until God opened the wombs. God can do whatever He wants to accomplish
whatever He wants. There is no such
thing as the unusables.
This is the novice insights of an uneducated young adult on
a fraction of one book of the Bible. How
much are we missing out on in life, in love, in God…because we have already
HEARD IT. If the Bible was meant to be
purely heard, it would be not have been written down. READ IT.
It is the LIVING WORD of the ALMIGHTY MASTER of the UNIVERSE. Do not settle for what you have HEARD. There is so much more waiting for you. As a new reader, I challenge you to find a
time (5 minutes), a place (your bathroom), a section (a chapter a day), and
start living for yourself rather than getting it second hand from someone
else. I am not saying that preachers are
not important (what do you think I am doing?) but the comparison is equivalent
to riding a roller coaster and having the experience described to you.
Strap yourself in.
READ.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Everyone has Armor of Light
Romans 13:11-12 (NASB)
11 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.
12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
11 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.
12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
I found this verse while I was at camp. Its power struck me. The first part is instructing us to do "this", to love. "Knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep;" It is time to wake up and love. The time of God's coming is sooner than we know and we must be ready. Why sleep through the night and ignore those that God has placed in our lives. The day is coming...the light is coming...the time of action is now. We are to no longer to live shrouded in the darkness of the world and its mediocrity put to "put on the armor of light". That is so cool. My boys at camp were given football pads to wear as muscles...they wore their armor everyday because it was the coolest thing ever. Now, no matter how cool armor is, armor of light is bloody fantastic. I have seen Tron and and left really wanting a light suit.
Paul is calling us to stop napping in our lives and start putting on our armor...of light. This not a covert sneak around battle that we are engaged in but a "Hey, Devil, I am over here...come get some!"
So here is your to-do list:
1. Wake the heck up from your slumber. Start living life rather than letting life happen to you.
2. Put aside the darkness and its deeds. Live up to the potential that God has embedded into your life.
3. Put on your armor of light. PUT IT ON. It is game time. It is time to start chugging those spiritual energy drinks (the Bible and Holy Spirit) and gear up for war.
Have a nice day.
It is Finished
It is finished.
I am not trying to make a Jesus reference here but camp is
finished. After 126 hours with and
preparing for the kids, I am back home (which it is weird to answer with the
fact that I am from Henderson and not Gretna…I AM AN ADULT).
I got both my boys back that I have had the last two
years. E (I cannot use their real names
because of confidentiality) was pretty much the same but J got some meds
switched or something and decided to revert back to his behavior from two years
ago which means lots of running and punching.
The theme for the camp was Royal Olympics so we had muscle day, sports
hero day, and lots of Olympic themed activities.
Oh, for those that do not know what Royal Family Kid’s Camp
is it is a camp for children between the ages of 5 and 11 that have been
physically and/or sexually abused. The
goal is to pour as much love and life into these kids as possible. We want to show them how to play, how to be
loved, and how to heal and make up for the years lost to abuse.
So camp is a fantastic event. Beyond the opportunity to pour love into kids
that desperately need it, during lots of crazy things: go-karts with attached
water cannons, chasing pigs, water fights, swimming, giant slip and slides,
water bottle rockets, fishing, archery, obstacle courses, dressing like muscle
men, superheroes, gentlemen, hippies, and sports heroes, eating every hour and
a half (not a joke), piñatas, etc., and the constant movement and singing, camp
is a paradise. It is about 100 adults
living together selflessly without regard to self-promotion and with 100%
dedication and submission to God’s Will.
For a week, there is no politics or bills or wars, there is only God,
Satan, the kids, and you. It is
difficult to put the entire week into writing but here are some samples.
Scene: Little boy fishing on the edge of a pond catches a
fish and his counselor is trying to get it off the hook. Boy – Hey, it’s a female! Me-How do you know it is a female? Boy – I
can see its uterus. And look…there is
its pee-hole.
Scene: My boy, who has a bad habit of pinching, punching, or
grabbing anything that he walks by, sees the last water balloon of the water
balloon fight in the arms of an elderly gentlemen talking to his
Parents-in-law. Problem: Boy grabs water
balloon…water balloon pops, drenching the man…the man happens to be the husband
to the director of the camp. The boy
laughed about what he did until I revealed the man’s identity. The boy knew the fear of God that day.
Scene: Young boy,
about 6, has been so badly sexually abused that he cannot control his bowel
movements (This is one of several at the camp) is having a long day having
pooped his pants four times. Clean up
and time spent walking back and forth kept him out of most of the activities
but they got back in time to chase pigs.
He was too scared to get them himself (they were bigger than himself) so
he comforted the piglet as I carried it to the bucket. He excitedly runs out of the pen to counselor
and says, “I had so much fun because I wasn’t pooping!”
Scene: Young autistic
boy smells bad after playing with pigs and counselor is trying to get him take
a shower and makes the mistake of telling the newly adopted boy, “You smell so
bad that your parents might kick you out of the house.” Boy – (panicked) Do you think that they would
do that? Counselor – (recovering) No, no they would never do that, I was just
joking. Boy- Would they really do
that? Counselor- No, they love and would
never do that (still trying to get his foot out of his mouth). Boy – Well, if they did, would you take me
in?
I have many more funny, sweet, and sad stories from camp but
an outsider cannot understand them. This
week of camp is the definition of “Standing in the Gap”. These kids have been claimed by Satan and he
does not easily let go. Our job is to
take back that ground and to do that we must stand in the gap between the Devil
and these kids. The funny thing about
gaps is that they are the only opening and everything, if it wants to get
through, must go through the gap. So…if
Satan wants to get to E and J, he must go through the gap, me and God. It is a difficult week. Camp was almost cancelled because of a broken
well; an already short staff was whittled away by sickness and injury, kids
cancelled attendance, and on and on.
Standing in the Gap is not easy but it is necessary.
YOU need to come to camp.
I do not care who you are, what you do, or if you like kids. YOU HAVE to come to camp. If you want to physically the healing power
of God’s love, come to camp. If you want
know what unconditional love is like, come to camp. If you want punch the Devil in the face, come
to camp. If you want to have the most
fun you have ever experienced, come to camp.
If you want to be broken so that all selfishness and pride are stripped
so that all is left is the will and strength of God, come to camp.
Stand in the Gap.
If you would like more information about being involved with Royal Family Kids Camp in donations (monetary or supplies or time) or as a staff, please contact me.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
The Stand
A large unstoppable army of evil was moving across an
enormous plain. This force was deeper
and longer than the eye could see. The
front line was an impervious wall of shields marching forward. The entire mass was stepping in unison so
that the ground shook with every step…Boom…Boom…Boom. The rattle of armor and weapons was a melody
that chilled the bones. The wall moved
across the land without slowing, without regard to what it might destroy. It simply marched to take over everything.
Then a single man appeared on the plain. As the wall of shields and mass of marching
death moved closer, he remained where he was.
He squared his shoulders and planted his feet, preparing for the
wall. When it came, he braced himself
against…digging his feet into the earth.
He strained with all his might to stop the moving force of evil, but the
force kept moving…pushing the solitary man in front of it…still straining with
sliding feet. The man continued to push
against the wall despite the obvious futility of it. There was no hope for him to stop this
force. However, three more men appeared
next to him and also began to push against the shields. He was not sure where they came from but the
reinforcements gave him a new burst of energy and together they pushed against
that wall with the strength of ten men…but they continued to slide.
A short while later eight more showed up to help push, then
nineteen, then thirty, before long the numbers of those pushing were in the
hundreds and then the thousands…all straining with every ounce of their being
to stop this force…to stop this wall.
Yet they slid. Thousands were so finite
and insignificant against this seemingly infinite force. Occasionally, one or two would lose the
footing completely and disappear behind the shields and under the pounding
feet. However, the resistors grew into
the tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands and eventually the millions…millions
of people are passionately desiring for this wall to stop…for its movement of
terror and despair to stop. They shouted
and sang to encourage each other. They
were one unified force pushing…and yet they slid. Even as their numbers had grown, the wall had
not slowed. Even as they grew, it seemed
that more and more people were slipping and being swallowed by the ever
marching mass. Bodies began to shake
with exhaustion and spirits began to weaken.
Could they stop this force? Even with
these great numbers, is there no hope?
Why do we continue to slide backwards?
Why is this evil continuing to march?
People wondered why this was happening.
Then the wall stopped.
With a jerk that caused almost everyone to fall…the wall
stopped moving. People got off the
ground not knowing what was going on, not sure if to trust this event. The wall had stopped moving. They quickly looked around for an answer and
soon saw a single figure standing about 100 feet behind them. He was dressed in all white and radiating
light. His appearance was so contrasting
to the barren plain that people had to shield their eyes to look at Him. There was nothing special about Him in statue
or facial appearance but He shown…oh, He shown.
It seemed like He was whispering.
Nobody could make out what He was saying but they could feel the
power. The wall behind them starts to
shake…increasingly more and more as The Man spoke. Then when He lifted His hand, the force
shattered, as if the entire mass had been made of glass and stuck with a
hammer. The once unstoppable force was
suddenly an immense cloud of dust that was quickly being blown away by the
wind. The crowd could not believe what happened. After what seemed like an eternity of
struggle, strain, and failure by so many, this Man comes and stops and destroys
the force with a few words and the motion of His hand. They did not know what had happened, but they
knew that the fight was over and this Man was their Savior.
We live in a world of a marching
force of evil. Whether you want to
choose politics, the media, the education system, family dynamics, or any other
aspect of life, Christians and the name of Jesus Christ seem to be losing. Most Christians are simply afraid to even try
to make a stand…it always seems like the wicked do what they want.
Psalm 10:1-11 (NASB)
1 Why do You stand afar off, O LORD? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?
2 In pride the wicked hotly pursue the afflicted; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.
3 For the wicked boasts of his heart's desire, And the greedy man curses and spurns the LORD.
4 The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him. All his thoughts are, "There is no God."
5 His ways prosper at all times; Your judgments are on high, out of his sight; As for all his adversaries, he snorts at them.
6 He says to himself, "I will not be moved; Throughout all generations I will not be in adversity."
7 His mouth is full of curses and deceit and oppression; Under his tongue is mischief and wickedness.
8 He sits in the lurking places of the villages; In the hiding places he kills the innocent; His eyes stealthily watch for the unfortunate.
9 He lurks in a hiding place as a lion in his lair; He lurks to catch the afflicted; He catches the afflicted when he draws him into his net.
10 He crouches, he bows down, And the unfortunate fall by his mighty ones.
11 He says to himself, "God has forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see it."
1 Why do You stand afar off, O LORD? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?
2 In pride the wicked hotly pursue the afflicted; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.
3 For the wicked boasts of his heart's desire, And the greedy man curses and spurns the LORD.
4 The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him. All his thoughts are, "There is no God."
5 His ways prosper at all times; Your judgments are on high, out of his sight; As for all his adversaries, he snorts at them.
6 He says to himself, "I will not be moved; Throughout all generations I will not be in adversity."
7 His mouth is full of curses and deceit and oppression; Under his tongue is mischief and wickedness.
8 He sits in the lurking places of the villages; In the hiding places he kills the innocent; His eyes stealthily watch for the unfortunate.
9 He lurks in a hiding place as a lion in his lair; He lurks to catch the afflicted; He catches the afflicted when he draws him into his net.
10 He crouches, he bows down, And the unfortunate fall by his mighty ones.
11 He says to himself, "God has forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see it."
What is the point? What can I do to stop it? What can one person do? It is just easier if I accept the world
around me and just try to survive.
One person can stand. One person can resist the force. We have a promise that God will take care of
us.
Psalm 2:1-9 (NASB)
1 Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,
3 "Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!"
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 "But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain."
7 "I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.
8 'Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
9 'You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.'"
1 Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,
3 "Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!"
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 "But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain."
7 "I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.
8 'Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
9 'You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.'"
When the world rises against, God will knock them down.
Psalm 3:7 (NASB)
7 Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God! For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked.
7 Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God! For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked.
But then why is there so much pain in the world? Why are there wars, corruption, and
sexualized media? Because there is
sin. God tells us that He will save us
and all we have to do is stand. It will
be hard and it will seem like there is never hope…the wall is just too
big. If the Lord is before us, we cannot
be shaken.
Psalm 16:8-9 (NASB)
8 I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely.
8 I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely.
We will slide and even slip and be trampled, but the voice of
the Lord is behind us and that never fails.
Psalm 29:3-9 (NASB)
3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters; The God of glory thunders, The LORD is over many waters.
4 The voice of the LORD is powerful, The voice of the LORD is majestic.
5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; Yes, the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, And Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the LORD hews out flames of fire.
8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; The LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the LORD makes the deer to calve And strips the forests bare; And in His temple everything says, "Glory!"
3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters; The God of glory thunders, The LORD is over many waters.
4 The voice of the LORD is powerful, The voice of the LORD is majestic.
5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; Yes, the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, And Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the LORD hews out flames of fire.
8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; The LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the LORD makes the deer to calve And strips the forests bare; And in His temple everything says, "Glory!"
So stand…stand when no one else will. Be encouraged when you find yourself among
brothers and sisters. Be encouraged to
know that it is God and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ that will win this fight. Be encouraged that the Ruler of the Universe
is Here and He will never leave. Be
encouraged to stand for God is your solid ground.
Stand.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
This Is My Life
Hey everyone, it has been awhile since I put anything up here. I guess I am trying to figure out life and this whole blogging thing.
I work at a Children's Home and get to act as a parent to kids with behavior problems. Many would consider this a poor life choice: socially, physically, emotionally, and especially financially. There are times that I do find it difficult to continually fight against everything that is thrown at me be the behavior of the kids and the general rigors of 6 days of continuous awareness. In addition to that, I recently returned from a 10 day trip to Haiti to work at an orphanage and leave in 3 days to work at a camp for abused kids. Due to these side trips, I do not get my full time off and thus am getting tired. I mean, I decided to spend the next indeterminate time in my life completely abandoning all of my desires just so some kids can learn to be better people. What about me? What about my wants? I am a healthy 22 year old male with a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering and I am basically wiping the boogers of behaviorally challenged kids. I am wasting the best years of my life...right? I should be out finding my soulmate or building my portfolio or traveling the world...right? Isn't that what I deserve?
How about this...how about the fact that I get to wake up every morning and give every ounce of my energy to glorify my Heavenly Father and use my creativity, my health, my financial security, my education, and my passion to show neglected kids how to live to their full potential. How about the fact that God, the Creator of the Universe...THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE...has chosen to use me...ME, A HUMAN WHO'S SHORT LIFE CAN END IN THE MOST INSIGNIFICANT OF WAYS...to change the world. I get give everything that I own and possess to make sure that kids in Haiti, the children's home, and the camp can live life knowing that there is something more for them in life beyond the pain, the harsh words, the mistakes, the loneliness. There is a God that has planned out an incredible life here on Earth but also an eternal existence with Him in Paradise.
HOW LUCKY AM I? I get to have an impact with eternal significance everyday. How long is your significance going to last? What is that work bonus going to affect? How about the string of one-night stands? Is the rev of your sport's cars engine going to change anything besides the noise pollution in the immediate vicinity? I am sure that they promotion and "Getting Mine" will make life much fuller and meaningful.
How luck are we that the Almighty Ruler of the Universe cares for us to look down upon us and call us His Children...HIS CHILDREN. We do not deserve that yet we got it yet we choose to act like it did not happen. Stupid humans. I want to challenge you to look at your life with a new perspective: "Is what I am doing going to make an eternal difference? Does this really matter?" God has so much to offer if we just answer...pick up the phone.
EMBRACE THE RAGE.
I work at a Children's Home and get to act as a parent to kids with behavior problems. Many would consider this a poor life choice: socially, physically, emotionally, and especially financially. There are times that I do find it difficult to continually fight against everything that is thrown at me be the behavior of the kids and the general rigors of 6 days of continuous awareness. In addition to that, I recently returned from a 10 day trip to Haiti to work at an orphanage and leave in 3 days to work at a camp for abused kids. Due to these side trips, I do not get my full time off and thus am getting tired. I mean, I decided to spend the next indeterminate time in my life completely abandoning all of my desires just so some kids can learn to be better people. What about me? What about my wants? I am a healthy 22 year old male with a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering and I am basically wiping the boogers of behaviorally challenged kids. I am wasting the best years of my life...right? I should be out finding my soulmate or building my portfolio or traveling the world...right? Isn't that what I deserve?
How about this...how about the fact that I get to wake up every morning and give every ounce of my energy to glorify my Heavenly Father and use my creativity, my health, my financial security, my education, and my passion to show neglected kids how to live to their full potential. How about the fact that God, the Creator of the Universe...THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE...has chosen to use me...ME, A HUMAN WHO'S SHORT LIFE CAN END IN THE MOST INSIGNIFICANT OF WAYS...to change the world. I get give everything that I own and possess to make sure that kids in Haiti, the children's home, and the camp can live life knowing that there is something more for them in life beyond the pain, the harsh words, the mistakes, the loneliness. There is a God that has planned out an incredible life here on Earth but also an eternal existence with Him in Paradise.
HOW LUCKY AM I? I get to have an impact with eternal significance everyday. How long is your significance going to last? What is that work bonus going to affect? How about the string of one-night stands? Is the rev of your sport's cars engine going to change anything besides the noise pollution in the immediate vicinity? I am sure that they promotion and "Getting Mine" will make life much fuller and meaningful.
How luck are we that the Almighty Ruler of the Universe cares for us to look down upon us and call us His Children...HIS CHILDREN. We do not deserve that yet we got it yet we choose to act like it did not happen. Stupid humans. I want to challenge you to look at your life with a new perspective: "Is what I am doing going to make an eternal difference? Does this really matter?" God has so much to offer if we just answer...pick up the phone.
EMBRACE THE RAGE.
Friday, May 18, 2012
A New Era
My name is Stephen Pederson. I am a 22 year old caucasion male currently working as a full-time staff at Grace Children's Home, a childcare facility. I choose to rage. I choose to live with an intensity at that is worthy of the privileged position of being a Child of God. Life is too short to not give every ounce of your being to the service of the One that gave you breath, that gave you life, that gave you existence. If God is all that and more, why are we so scared to live our lives solely for His glory?
I will be relating life experiences as updates for friends and families through blogs but also sharing insights that God has laid upon my heart. A couple videoed messages may be included if that is possible.
God Bless
Raging Chipmunk
I will be relating life experiences as updates for friends and families through blogs but also sharing insights that God has laid upon my heart. A couple videoed messages may be included if that is possible.
God Bless
Raging Chipmunk
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