City Walls…

I read this in my devotion this morning and it struck me because we talked about self-control in my life group a couple weeks ago and I thought David Jeremiah had some good points:

“Proverbs 25:28 likens self-control to the wall around a city. Self-control is a defense against enemies like temptation and impulse. If the wall of self-control has never been established or has not been maintained, our life is a prize waiting to be claimed by our spiritual enemies. But self-control for the Christian is not a matter of grit and determination. Yes, it takes resolve and commitment, but that is another way of saying “submission to the Holy Spirit.” For the Christian, self-control is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is His life within that gives the power to say “No” and “Yes” when self-control is called for.

 To the degree that you are “out of control,” consider whether that is the degree to which the Spirit is not filling your heart and mind with His presence.

The final quote I thought was great as well…

 The fruit of the Spirit is not excitement or orthodoxy; it is character. 
G. B. Duncan

Baby Moose and Mother Moose on You Tube

A cute video that I saw today…

thought for the day

True faith is active not passive and if we aren’t moving forward then how real is our faith.  The hardest part of faith for me is active waiting and discerning what God desires for me…

Great Quote

Rick Warren in his weekly e-mail:

“You need to get a spiritual coach. Call them a friend, a partner, a mentor, a discipler, a Timothy or Paul – or whatever. It doesn’t matter what you call them. Just get a friend who says, ‘I’m going to hold you accountable, you’re going to hold me accountable, and we’re going to help each other grow.’” – Rick Warren

That’s true!  I love that he said this…

Good Stuff…

My life group is doing a quick three week study on Titus – We were on Chapter 2 this past Monday night and the group talked about why Paul instructed women to not get drunk on wine, any ideas why men weren’t commanded to do the same????

Anyway, these verses stood out to me – “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

I just thought these verses stood out.  Saying “NO” to ungodliness – impatience, selfish anger, unforgiveness..  God tells us to say no to ungodliness….

pretty funny

I was watching the beginning of the news tonight and the severe weather in Linn county and near LaCygne – it’s right by a camp that I worked at a long time ago and actually the severe weather hit the other camp which caused us to have to take shelter in the bathrooms. It is funny because it just seems it hits every summer but at the same time makes me concerned because of what happened at the Boy Scout camp in Iowa this summer.  We should not only pray for spiritual protection but physical protection when we know people going to camp.

What if…

Ah, the what if’s are coming back..

• what if the church takes the great commission seriously – making disciples (not just adding numbers to the church)
• What if the church befriended and cared for the broken individuals and were their friend instead of casting them aside
• what if the church dreamed of mutiplying instead of adding numbers?

God is stirring in me and I am really serious about this mentoring idea.  God has been speaking to me and I have to obey.  I dream of the day where women who are young and want to have a mentor – know where to go.  I think of the women I know who are hungry for the word and they have a desire for a life group but  they also want a mentor or someone they can talk to about scriptures that they are reading during the week. I am convinced sometimes peer groups aren’t the best group for people but a group of different ages that way young women can get to know older women (in the faith not chronologically speaking), because I think the best mentors are friendships that are naturally developing not just made by the church. 

I am excited for the life group I am in.  We are taking disciple making seriously and some of the ideas stated here are being implemented.  I thank God for the vision God has placed in my heart and the new dream he has placed inside of me.  I used to think leading a life group was the only way to  disciple but leading a group is not where I am strong – my strength lies with one on one contact and because of this I pray for an opportunity to invest in someone else’s life long term.  I am also in a transition and am looking for a Paul to come along side me once again since Life change happens and it is causing my current mentor to move.

Whatever it takes…

Whatever it takes…is that the attitude that people have toward making disciples – not church goers but people who make Jesus Lord or Master of their life and allow him to take control of their life.  I think some people think just because they go to a group or a church they are getting discipled and to a certain level they are, but I also have come through three years of being discipled or mentored by a Godly women (A WOG) and there is a BIG difference.  This was meeting every other week or sometimes we had to meet once a ou month due to  our schedules.  We talked about how to go about disciple-making and we looked deeply at what love means and and how it is flushed out in our lives (and what a study it was!). While my Life Group is amazing, the majority of growth happened in the times I spent with this woman. 

I really have seen the value of a mentor.  It is said you should have a Paul (mentor), a Timothy (a person who you are discipling) and then a Barnabas (an encourager) – I agree.   Does the church as a whole value mentorship? Or is it something that an individual needs to seek out?  I think the church should lift up mentorship and I also think that it is the responsibility of the person who wants to develop their relationship with Jesus.

Hard stuff…

Okay, continuing my book of Phillipians – the two verses have been on my heart alot lately is 2:3-4.  “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of us should not only look to your own interest but to the interest of others.”

This is challenging – does this mean that sometimes what is in the best interest of others is tough love.  I think so, and telling someone that they are harboring resentment.  Does it mean that we don’t make a big deal about something in our own life so we can celebrate something someone else has done? I think so.  I have to admit this is challenging me everyday lately.  God is good and life stinks sometimes but it doesn’t take away from his love, power, him being all powerful, him being all knowing, his unchanging nature, and the fact that God wants to take the broken places in my life and use them for his kingdom.

Yes, I will be back with more out of Phillipians…just my journey as I go through this book…

thankful

Back to the book of Phillipians – if you can’t tell this is my favorite book of the Bible and has so much to say about joy…I think about the first chapter (one of my goals in the next month is to memorize the book).  It says “I thank my God every time I remember you, in all my prayers for all of you I pray with joy, because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this that he who began a good work in  you will carry it unto completion until the day of Christ Jesus. “

I love this verse and it reminds me of so many people in my life – a church college group, a guy who had a vision to not let college students drift away from God, a lady who has been walking beside me for four years and been able to share my heart and absorb her wisdom, another mentor who has showed me how to trust God in most trying of circumstances, a life group who I love and am looking forward to see what God does next in our midst.  I thank God for them every time I remember them…I smile when I think of them – joy!  Why? because of the partnership in the work of God. 

I am looking forward to a new chapter in my life but I will also take this day and live it to the full.  Jesus said, “the thief comes to steal, kill and destoy I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.  God is writing a new chapter in my church’s life, in my life group’s life, and my own life.