Eagles

Our Heavenly Father:

Takes You

Breaks You

Blesses You

Rebuilds You 

Uses You

This is a cyclical Process And, it is a never ending process for faithful believers.

The ironic thing is, we cannot even begin to control the prompt beginning of this cyle or its immediate end in our lives. We must function and rely on God's time, which is so far different than any human construct of time.

When we commit our lives to God we have been "taken", and we have been told back to our Creator. We have given our lives to an authority. We are no longer our own. We have free will, yet we understand that our freedom of decision pales in comparison to the life that our God has already planned for us. And this makes sense, as the God of all things would construct a more meaningful life for His children than our own simple and sheltered plans, wouldn't He?

But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. Luke 22:26

God then proceeds to break us. He breaks us from bondage to sin. And, He breaks us down to nothingness-but our soul.  It is beautiful. Pride has no room in the Kingdom. Arrogance does not coincide with His will. Anger cannot live next to Prince of Peace. We are broken from earthly emotion and taken away by our Redeemer. Yet, we will still live surrounded by sin and temptation. We are human beings created by the Eternal God but through the flesh of the Earth. We will face sin each and every day, yet the "pre-existing condition" we come to the cross with will be broken away so that you can be more fully and wonderfully redeemed. You will be broken. You may face physical ailments, emotional heartbreak, or bewilderment. But, we would never understand the inherent failing of the flesh if it was never broken. Through brokenness we stand in blatant contrast to the glory of God. We become weaker, and he shall be lifted higher. We are made less, so that He can be praised more.

 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.  Psalm 34:18

Brokenness allows us to empathize. Brokenness allows us to proclaim the goodness of God which only becomes greater when we are in the lowest points in our lives. "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God." To be used by God you must submit to God. When you submit to God you will be broken by God. After you are broken by God you will be blessed by God. In a world of uncertainty, that is a great and steadfast promise. 

My favorite verse in the Bible is Is Isaiah 40:31. It reveals something fascinating about the Christian walk...

"..but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength. 
They will soar on wings like eagles; 
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint." 

I heard an eye-opening sermon on this verse a few months ago. This verse does not state that we will slowly walk proclaiming the Gospel, become empowered enough to run, and then soar on wings like Eagles as saints closer to Heaven. Maybe, we will find our God and be filled with the Holy Spirit to the point of joyous exaltation, rising on wings like eagles, longing for every opportunity to spread the Good News. As we grow and mature in our faith though, God will break us. We will face trials and temptation. We will be persecuted. We will have times of running, and we will certainly have times of walking. We may even have times where we feel that we are crawling, just trying to make it to the "finish line". We are not all Billy Grahams. And thank God for that. We will be used once we have been broken..over and over again. God desires humble leaders. We will not all become momentous leaders in our faith as we grow older resulting in increasing endurance and vigor. We may become confused, torn apart, and lost. But we must always remember that whether we are walking, running, or rising on wings like eagles, we are being utilized by a great and mighty God to bring peace, and proclaim the Gospel. 


We are rebuilt in the Word. We are restored in the Word. We are taken by our Father, broken for His purposes, rebuilt for Kingdom use, and used for walking, running and rising. Let us not lose hope! 

Spark

2 Corinthians 4:1

"Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart". 

Did you catch it? So often we forget about the fact that the perfection, revelation, and spreading of the Gospel is our Lord's ministry-not ours. We have been called through grace to partake in the ministry that our Heavenly Father has already paved for us on this Earth. He has paid the price on the cross. He created the ground on which we walk. He IS the Word. He does not need us, yet He desires us. His creation was formed for praise. This is why we serve-to bring Him glory. I pray I never let myself feel "empowered to spread the Gospel" instead of feeling humbled by the centrality of the Cross in my life. 

Recently, I had the opportunity to serve on a mission to Cambodia.  One evening, a fellow missioner prayed that we never lose sight of "God's mission for this country". He reminded us that it was the Lord's ministry in Cambodia. It was not our "duty" or "responsibility" to bring the Gospel to Cambodia. Instead, we have been called into the work that Christ is already performing in the lives of His children and regions all over the world. Our spiritual gifts, given by God, are what we must utilize. We are called to bring Light the world. You see, the spark is already engrained in our being. The spark of our Heavenly Father is in every single one of us. Our Spiritual Gifts are tools our God can use to help light the spark in others. This is why we must never waste the Spiritual Gifts He so graciously gave us. They are not for us. They are for Him. They are used to light the ministry that is already in action. And, they were given to us intentionally. They were placed in our souls to be utilized in His grand plan that has already been masterfully designed. 

So what is our responsibility if God's plan will be performed regardless of our contribution? We are asked to be aware of His plan, available for His call, and acknowledge the Holiness of our Savior. Let God be God, and let us be His servants. 

Something has been pressing on my heart so much recently. I wrote a blog called "The Call" a year ago, and much has changed since that time. 

I am beginning to see that the Call or the desire God has for our lives is a combination of multiple factors: 

The call of your life may not simply be spoken onto your lips by God. It may be a blend of innate passions, your divinely given spiritual gifts, the circumstances in which you have been creatively placed, the hopes you have always entertained, and the place where you see the most fruit being produced. 

God will use you just where you are and exactly how He created you. Of course He will, That is WHY He created you anyway! Our God is a God of consistency and omnipotence, yet He is also a God of action. We must be aware of, available for, and stand in acknowledgement of His work. 

I don't know about you, but I have wasted too much time searching and looking toward the future for where God wants me. I will tell you where He wants you. He wants you right now. Right Now. As you are reading this He wants you to praise Him and revere Him.  By searching for a place to bring our own ministry, we overlook God's ministry that is happening at this instant. We are missing the ministry that has began before time itself was created, and the ministry that will never end. 

Any ministry we create will crumble. It is not built on the plan that has literally shaped EVERYTHING.

Instead of searching, let us partake. Let us make ourselves available. Let us make ourselves aware of His plan and ministry. And let us acknowledge our Holy God in all aspects of our life. 

Hebrews 8:6 "But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old, as the covenant he meditates is better, since it is enacted on better promises."  

Koinonia

1 John 1:7  "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all our sin."

It is easy to list the important components of Christian Growth. First you have the Text. We must learn, rehearse, pray over, use, and remember the Text. Then you have prayer, the eternal conversation with your Savior.  What should follow in line after core personal development?
The Bible speaks of one term 19 times in the New Testament. Translated to mean "fellowship", "service", or "sharing, the Greek word Koinonia encompasses the act of true ministry within the Christian Faith.
In addition, Koinonia is frequently mentioned alongside the Father, Son or Holy Spirit. Koinonia can only exist in the presence of the the Trinity.
Two weeks ago I had the incredible opportunity of Koinonia in the beautiful country of Honduras. My two previous years in Honduras were centered about Vacation Bible School, teaching, and constructions efforts and progress. This year was much different. I saw the incredible bond of my fellow team members and the relationship they had built over the years with one another. They had been members to a home church for many years and understood the importance of having Christian brothers and sisters. I desire this so much. With the moving and transitional life I have had my entire life, I so long for a home church where I grow in the joy and love of many generations and many years. The week in Honduras also taught me that true fellowship must be centered in truth.
There is nothing as devastating as wasted time.  We have SUCH a short time on this earth to build relationships with a foundation in and of the Spirit.
Maybe, the Holy Spirit IS fellowship. It's peaceful presence in our life, and it's fulfilling presence in times of loneliness is our Koinonia. When we have no one, the Holy Spirit is our fellowship. The Holy Spirit is our authority and our guide. And, the Holy Spirit is our comforter in times of distress. The words of God advise us to never feel lonely, as fellowship and Koinonia with the Holy Spirit satisfies our human desire for relationship, and our eternal longing for a Savior.
Paul encourages the church and people of Corinth with these words, "the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all".  (2 Corinthians 13:14)
I never thought of fellowship as an internal relationship and an external ministry. But then again, how would we have ever known how to serve others in Christ if Christ had not first served us through the Spirit? The Holy Spirit is the perfect demonstration of fellowship. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit is grieved for us. The Holy Spirit teaches us. The qualities of empathy and learned doctrine are important not only in our internal growth but external service.
Finally we must look at Koinonia as a noun to fully understand the verb. Koinonia fils our hearts so we understand how to serve the Kingdom. Something I have found so mind-blowing is the fact that no matter the language, no matter the background, and no matter the future, Koinonia overshadows things of the Earth. Here is what I mean, As a Christian, how easy is it to identify fruit of the Spirit in your brothers and Sisters in Christ? When God is present, He does not hide Himself. It is easy to identify goodness. Koinonia does not stay silent or hidden either. When we allow the Holy Spirit to fill our lives, we can easily fellowship with others who partake in Koinonia.
Just as the Holy Spirit crosses Earthly barriers, so does fellowship, and so does ministry. There is a reason why the bible has translated Koinonia to mean both fellowship and sharing. Fellowship is meant to be understood through self experience with the Spirit, and then shared with all.
Let us listen to the Spirit, and take the qualities of the Spirit and bring them to the table. Let us bring them to our friends, to our family, and to those who refuse to believe in Jesus Christ's healing power. Let us never underestimate the power of fellowship rooted in the giver of life and the founder of all that we can comprehend.

Koinonia is Fellowship. Koinonia is Sharing. Koinonia is Service. Let us remember this order, this progression, and this call from our God.

"God is FAITHFUL, by whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord"
1 Corinthians 1:9.

Cross Roads

She is wearing a Belmont tee shirt, fun hipster glasses, has her iphone right beside her, and is intently staring at her computer screen. She has a biology text book sitting across the table that she occasionally glances at after refreshing her Facebook pages and Twitter news feed. She looks like a typical college aged woman checking the social media and academic tasks off of her agenda for the day. 

By now the girl probably thinks I am the creepiest human being that has ever walked into her local Starbucks. First, I do not look I am a permanent resident of Louisiana like she is. Second, I continue to notice the intensity at which she has tuned out the world around her. She has so masterfully done this due to the fact that she is wearing earplugs. Not headphones, but full on earplugs. Now that is taking studious computer work to a whole new level. But I cannot help but wonder why she is here. If she wanted peace and quiet, she would have stayed at home to study biology and pine away on Facebook. If she wanted her daily dose of caffeine, she would go through the handy drive through. 

She wants to be in the presence of people but does not want to really listen to them. Or, maybe she doesn't want to hear them. The thing is, we are here for a reason. Often we do not want to hear people's chatter, people's sob story, or people's viewpoints that differentiate from ours. Maybe, we are these "people" to someone else. Maybe, Ani (she looks like an Ani to me), was dreading my approach from the second I got out of my car. 

Let us Position Ourselves at the Crossroads

As Christians we must always position ourselves at the crossroads. We must position ourselves on the road frequently traveled. Sometimes the road most frequently traveled is not the right one. And that is exactly why we must be roadblocks and speed bumps on that road. We must be the direction givers when one becomes lost. 

Israel is miraculously positioned on the crossroads. The central location between three of the world's most influential religions was not by accident. God desired for Israel to be as much a destination religious mecca as it is a pitstop of learning within the journey. The crossroads is where we learn more than the destination anyway, isn't it?

 Christian brothers and sisters, we cannot wear ear plugs at the crossroads. We need to hear the dirt of the world to be able to empathize with the broken. We cannot "tune out". We cannot flock to one singular school to escape the reality of the world. We cannot plant our home in the middle of the countryside to escape "sinful city life". We must bring the gospel on the subways. We must bring the gospel to the homeless. We must bring the gospel to the gated neighborhoods within our region. 

I am not worried about our technological generation from the sense of losing communication skills. I am worried that we might miss something. That we might miss an opportunity to meet people at the crossroads of their spiritual journey. 

Earth is the Crossroad

Yesterday I received a message that changed everything for me and prompted me to write this blog. A dear friend of mine was diagnosed with Lymphoma. This disease has halted her life. She is scared and she is looking for answers. In our lives, we will frequently face the brokenness of earth. The brokenness of earth only becomes clearer when contrasted with the perfect nature of God.  As people at the crossroads we are not expected to answer the question of "why" circumstances arise in people's lives. But, we are called to declare the truth that this world is not forever. This world is not a death sentence. This world is the crossroad between a life of existing and living.  It is under our free will to accept the road Christ made for us, or choose to live of and for the world. 

Cross-Road

The roads we travel must be OF the cross. The roads we travel and situate ourselves on must bleed the blood of Christ. Isolating ourselves from the "noise" would have never allowed us to see Jesus carrying the cross for us. Jesus drew a crowd. Let us draw a crowd. Let us stand at the Crossroads, waiting for the lost, confused and hurt to walk down the road and into our lives. They will come..they are already searching. 

We must remove earplugs and truly listen to the hurts of our community, and become mission minded individuals willing to aid the pain of this world. Earth is a short, yet crucial crossroad. There is something better awaiting us. Now, let us commit to being the best givers of directions. We cannot sacrifice clarity for temporal comfort. We cannot "tune out" the lost. We must direct them past their crossroads to roads of the cross. 

"I will seek the lost and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak..."

Ezekiel 34:16

The Slide

Usually I try and write blogs in the middle of bustling coffee shops, or at least in the presence of "the ordinary life". I love seeing people in their natural habitat, and people watching has always been my favorite hobby. So much so, that one of my greatest friends bought me a poster to hang in my room stating, "the world fascinates me".
So, I decided to do this same thing today. Enter into the most "normal" of environments. A place where human beings have no front or illusion as to who they are.  I find myself at the home of the supersize...Mickey D's. I walked in the door and immediately smelled Egg McMuffins and the sound of hash browns grilling in the background. Yep, I had arrived.
I searched for a table, and there were none to be found. I guess this really is the most happening place in all of Monroe, Louisiana. I decided to go into the play place section of the restaurant as no kids were playing at 8 am this morning.
Before the lunch time rush that I now hear all around me,  I  heard a woman speak some of the wisest words ever spoken. This mother patiently said to her son, "Honey be careful...that slide is so steep.  I want to make sure I can see you as you slide down.  I want to keep you safe."
She did not even know I was in the room, as I was purposely situated behind the play pen to avoid distraction. This woman anticipated danger, sought a solution, informed her son, and kept her eyes on him the entire way down the slide.
Isn't our heavenly father just like this? The instinctual emotions we have as humans for our children or siblings to keep them safe comes from our Father in heaven. And, if we believe we were made in the image of God, our Lord has these emotions when He looks at His children..you and me.
The moment we decide to become reckless, engage in activities that do not please Him, or endanger our bodies, He promises to watch us as we slide down. He promises to be standing at the bottom of the slide to pick us up. And, He promises to always keep us safe.
We enter on to steep slides all the time.
We cannot abuse the love of our Father. Just as we hope to not worry our mother and father with our well being, let us always remember that our actions on earth worry our Eternal Father in the same way.
The mother and son just came down and sat right next to me at the aluminum looking McDonald's table. They are bringing me warmth and peace in such a stark environment. Real, authentic love seems to have a way of warming a cold soul, a cold environment, and a cold world. I just heard her remark to her sister (the boy's aunt) "He will tire himself out..don't worry...He will come down and rest soon".
God is a serious God. Yet once again, if we believe we were made in His own image, our God is also a God of pure humor and comedy. I can imagine our God looking down on our actions, shaking His head and remarking, "Ahhh Alexa, she will tire herself out eventually. Sometime soon she will find rest in me." The pace of our lives on Earth only bring us to collapse at the feet of our Savior.

Let us learn to avoid slides as to not worry our Father in heaven. Yet, we must always remember that at the bottom of the slide our God has His arms open wide to catch all of us. He watches us knowing that at some point soon...we wil get tired of the play pen. We will mature...But we will always need his consistent authority, and compassionate eye.

"Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children ² and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." 

Ephesians 5:1-3

Selah

<sup>Luke 1:19-23


19</sup> And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.²⁰ And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” ²¹ And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. ²² And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. ²³ And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.




Wouldn't it be amazing if we learned how to be silent after hearing from a messenger of the Lord? Often, our earthly bodies cannot encompass the fullness and richness of heaven-sent words. By silence, we intrigue others to search for the root of the news instead of spewing our own interpretations on and "feelings" of God's words. We eliminate our filter on God's will and let it not only marinate in our own souls, but also touch those in our community. 
This muteness was such a change in character for Zechariah, that others knew that God had touched him, simply by his new demeanor. Will we let God's will penetrate our souls so deeply that our friends notice an outward change in our appearance? Will we stand with "unveiled faces beholding the glory of the Lord", or allow the earth to form its own facade? (2 Corinthians 3:18)   
The bible speaks of this "waiting period". The moments between the Holy Spirit's declaration of truth and fulfillment of God's promises can wear us down and allow regression into things of the world. Let us look at what the Lord says in regards to this time that requires endurance.


a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;  Ecclesiastes 3:7 


Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise;
    when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.  Proverbs 17:28


Sometimes, we just need to learn how to shut our mouths and let God be God. Maybe, the Holy Spirit can work without human intervention...maybe..just maybe. Silence speaks louder than words, especially in a culture where noise is the norm and silence can be scary. 


There is a reason men and women in monasteries have chosen to be silent during times of fellowship.  They have allowed the Holy Spirit to become so engrained in their daily thoughts and tasks, there is no room for discussion of the temporal. 

Zechariah continued to make signs to His friends-He used action.  He did not need words. Fellowship with believers is encouraged, but the Lord will fulfill His promises no matter what. Instead of filling the waiting period with discussion of the "here and now", silence keeps us focused on the intangible promise God has promised us. Intangible action on our part allows for the Holy Spirit's intangible actions to become tangible. 


Let us allow the Lord to direct us. And, let us allow the Holy Spirit to take over our words so that we can simply meditate upon the Gospel. 


Let us be an intelligent generation of Christ Followers. The ones that speak less, listen more, use signs instead of useless noise, and await the fulfillment of His promises. 

Empty Nester

College is such a weird time. For many, it includes moving away from your parents and away from the comfortable.  It means moving away from the normal and into the unknown. And, for our parents, the consistent routine of making breakfast, packing lunches, and waiting up for us late into the evening for curfew. 

As we grow up we often hear the saying, “Life moves so quickly..enjoy every moment..” For the Christian Faith there are two distinct “moments” that we must embrace, understand, and cherish. First, we have our time on this side of heaven. Second, we have our eternal time with our Father in Heaven.   
But did you catch what was just said? God has never stopped being our father, and our authority. I am beginning to see that as Christians, we often forget that our Father is our father now, will be our father forever in Heaven, and has long been our father for eternity. If time is not attached to the Lord, and He really is the omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God that we fear and love, we have always been His children and always will be His. He is our father before we were conceived. He is our father while we fall into sin on this earth, and He is our father when we meet him face to face and become “like Him for we shall see Him as He is”.  (1 John 3:2) We will never be perfect in the flesh as Jesus Christ lived and breathed. But we will be “like” our father again one day, without weakness or imperfection. And for once, we can see our Father as He really is for everlasting life. These glorified bodies will be without sin and error: we will never grow sick or die. 

Let us keep in mind that as Christians, we know the end of the story. Let us also keep in mind that God knows the end of the beautiful story He has created. This being said, God has allowed his created children to step into a world with uncertainty. Just as our parents let us step into a new college environment, or move to a new state, Jesus allowed his perfect children to enter into a world of sin.
I do not believe that the earthly sadness of parting ways with my parents at my college orientation can compare to the strength it takes for our God to witness His creation facing temptation daily on Earth. God did not have to do this though...God does not have to do anything. Instead, we are placed on this earth with one great decision: with our free will, will we choose to return to our father in Heaven and listen to his commandments for his children. 

The family unit we have been blessed with on Earth is just as much for our growth and enjoyment as it is a clear analogy of our Father’s love for us.  The love of our earthly mother and father is something we can appreciate and comprehend. Our eternal father though has even more interest in our well being and our pursuance of Himself than our mother and father. For me that is often hard to imagine, but it certainly adds gravity to the concept of “free will”.
Just as God allowed his sons and daughters to walk on an earth that would later be tainted by sin, we are allowed to choose if we return to the place He has created for us. God has a lot on the line for us, doesn’t He? 

God has taken on the role of “empty nesting” so that we can grow, learn, trust, and grow in FAITH. Without leaving the Lord, we would never be able to learn about what it means to have a family, grow in a marriage that is the representation of Christ’s love for the church, or have our own children and let us feel parental responsibility. 

In fact, God gave us the right to become children of God. The Lord let us be lights in a dark world, even though we face and fall to things of darkness. “He gave the right to become children of God, who were born not of blood nor the will of the flesh nor the will of man, but of God”. (John 1:12-13. We were born of God, and love in a world that is now not of God. Yet, he allows it.  He allows it for our learning and for our free will. He blesses us with an option to return to Him once more. And, he blessed us with Fatherly wisdom through faith. And, he blesses us with a safe home where we can return: and he is always waiting up long into the evening for us.

“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him”.  (Psalm 103:13)