Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire: From Multiply

“The apostles weren’t trying to finesse people. Their communication was not supposed to be ‘cool’ or soothing. They aimed for a piercing of the heart, for conviction of sin. They had not the faintest intention of asking, ‘What do people want to hear? How can we draw more people to church on Sunday?’ That was the last thing in their minds. Such an approach would have been foreign to the whole New Testament.

Instead of trying to bring men and women to Christ in the biblical way, we are consumed with the unbiblical concept of ‘church growth.’ The Bible does not say we should aim at numbers but rather urges us faithfully to proclaim God’s message in the boldness of the Holy Spirit. This will build God’s church God’s way.

Unfortunately, some churches now continually monitor how pleased people are with the services and ask what else they would like…

We have no permission whatsoever to adjust the message of the gospel. Whether it seems popular or not, whether it is ‘hip’ to the times, we must faithfully and boldly proclaim that sin is real but Jesus forgives those who confess.

God nowhere asks anyone to have a large church. He only calls us to do his work, proclaiming his Word to people he loves under the anointing and power of the Holy Spirit to produce results that only he can bring about. The glory then goes to him alone—not to any denomination, local church, local pastor, or church-growth consultant. That is God’s only plan, and anything else is a deviation from the teaching of the New Testament.”

– Jim Cymbala, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, 124-125

The back-story to my dad’s death five years ago is told, in part, here.  A quote that had made a profound impact on my dad was this:

“Believers may not often realize it, but even as believers we are either centered on man or centered on God.  There is no alternative.  Either God is the center of our universe and we have become rightly adjusted to him, or we have made ourselves the center and are attempting to make all else orbit around us and for us.”

Dad gladly kept Christ as his personal center, moment by moment.  Even my dad’s dying and death were, to him, acts of worship.  I did not see him cross a line at any point and start thinking, “This is becoming too difficult.  It’s about me now.”  He faithfully lived and died adjusting to the Lord as his personal center.

In a way, that humble revering of Christ seems simple.  What is Christianity, if not that?  But moment-by-moment adjusting to Christ is humble, radically humble, and very costly to our natural sense of how our lives are supposed to go.

The moment of death is not the best time to choose the path of humility before the living Christ.  We do not easily find our way to that deep place.  The time to start is now.  Even this instant.

How to die well

is a post from: Ray Ortlund

Struggling with being in a relationship.

Though I'm not married, I can already feel the hurt and the pain that may come in a marriage. For sanctification sake, it tastes like to death to love someone that's difficult to love, especially when you see some of the things that you despise and hate, only to realize that you're just as repugnant. Only Jesus can break that taste into sweet serenity when one tastes the breadth, length, height and depth of His love. The grace and mercy that He has upon our weary and broken soul is beyond my absolute comprehension.

Marriage is not for the faint of heart. And I can see a glimpse of why marriage has to be an abiding journey with the Divine Maker. Man cannot handle marriage (hardcore sanctification) without the Creator, Himself. 

Though there is joy in marriage, there is also pain. 

I'm going to be honest: Today is one of those days that I wish I wasn't dating.

Jesus, open my eyes and expand my heart to receive Your refining fire for my sin-ridden heart. Make me new, bright, and fiery, that burns with Your Presence upon my failing soul. Create in me a new heart, for my heart is hard as stone. 

"Don't take God's blessings to motivate you to passivity, use them to catapult you into wholehearted pursuit."

"God, I pray thee, light these idle sticks of my life and may I burn for Thee. Consume my life, my God, for it is Thine. I seek not a long life, but a full one, like you, Lord Jesus."

- Jim Elliot

An Excerpt about my Possible Future Spouse and Jesus

A man cannot complete me. Only God can do that. And this same God that said, “it’s not good for man to be alone” prepares our souls to complement each other instead.

Do you know the feeling of being so in tune with someone a sideways glance speaks volumes, or you can have the same weird thought and burst into laughter? I do, with a precious few, and that is what I now know love to be. The proverbial “One” is someone who will help me be holier and more human than I am on my own. Not a white knight to rescue me, but a broken, lonely wanderer to come alongside and teach my pride to die.

Someone not to mold me in his image or make me feel good, but who will love me enough to let me be myself and challenge me to be more than I am.

We are not called to complete each other, because only God can do that. We are not called to rescue each other, or be someone’s personal Jesus.

Instead, we are privileged to carry each other’s burdens on this journey, our ships steering by the same bright star.

Before, I wanted to be rescued, and I wanted to be a savior. I couldn’t then. I can’t now. I’m not enough for that.

goodwomenproject.com

My Refuge and My Fortress

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked.
Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge—
no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the adder;
the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
Psalm 91