Give No Oppurtunity

Ephesians 4:27
"and give no oppurtunity ro the devil."

Do not place into Satan's hand the chance to trip you up. This verse is talking abut how to properly be angry without being destructive. Are you the type of person who keeps anger inside until you blow up? Pretending nothing is bugging you until some small annoyance flips you over the edge? I am the queen of frustrated blow-ups, of the you-don't-understand, I hate this or that, and I can't believe you's! When I am not understood or when someone doesn't nip my frustration in the bud by recognizing it, it has caused mass chaos in my life and relationships.
Something I learned recently is that I should speak up. Not rudely, or harshly, or even out of frustration but in love, with patience, and kindness. When someone angers me, I need to go to the person who is (or appears to be) responsible. It's a hard thing to do. I feel that warm rush of blood, that nervous panic, the voice that tells me that I'm being ridiculous. One thing that is vital to understand is that you are an important person (this isn't a self-esteem pep talk). God gave you a mind that thinks and a heart that feels. Your thoughts and your feelings matter becuase your life matters to the Kindgom of God. This was a hurtle that I needed (need) to overcome in order for any relationship to grow deeper. If I don't do the confronting the anger won't magically go away and Satan will take his golden opportunity to create all sorts of problems. Problems that hinder me, hurt others, and keep God from working through me.
I need to be more consistent in NOT giving the devil opportunities to cause resentment in me by dealing with things right away.

Four Days

I recently got my packing list for the two glorious months I have been waiting for. Costa Rica is FOUR days away!!!

Romans 12:9

"Let love be genuine, abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good" (ESV)
"Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good." (NKJV)

I am by no means a greek scholar. However, I've heard and read that the word "hypocrisy" comes from a greek word that means to play a part, or to act in a drama. Its interesting that we need to be instructed to let our love be without hypocrisy. I have alot of ideas about what love looks like and how it feels to love. But is my love genuine? Is it an act? Do the people around me know that when I say "I love you" or when I do something that says it, that I am sincere? To say and do one thing while thinking and feeling something different is making a theatrical production out of my life. Life isn't a play. The world I live in is full of people who need true love...old, young, wealthy, poor, famous, unknown. If I spend my days playing the part of someone who loves, I will be so worn out. I'll be waiting for the audience to go home and for the curtain to close. It doesn't work like that.
I need to wake up each day with open eyes. With sincere, honest, heart-felt, heart-breaking love inside of me. Maybe then I can touch a life. I don't want to entertain with my outward show. I want to touch the world.

United

"But they cried with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him." Acts 7:57

They stopped their ears.
They refused to know.
They refused to accept who God was and what He was doing. The scariest part of this is that they were united in hatred and darkness in the same way that the early church was united in love and light.
Anger, offence, close-mindedness, rejection, violence, ignorance, hatred.
Thats what I see in these people.
It starkly contrasts the early church which is defined by Godliness. They were united in peace, earnest seeking, love, and brotherhood.
Today at Potter's Field Ranch I am blessed. I've been changed and grafted into a body of Christ followers. My flesh is prone to the same wickedness. But here, when I lash out, when I'm hard headed, they are patient. When I apologize, they forgive. I'm glad to have a place to grow. I'm glad that we here aren't united in anger, offence, closed-mindedness, rejection, violence, ignorance, or hatred. But in love and the fruits of the Spirit.

One day soon...

"And he said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." Acts 7:56

To Stephen the heavens were opened. To the other it was closed. Stephen alone could look around him and say "O death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?" His walk of faith was over. He would soon die and it would all be gain. Beholding Christ was the prize.
I am one of those people to whom heaven is open. I need to live, unapologetically sharing the gospel, because there will be a day soon when I look up and see him. When my mouth says "Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."

Gaze into Heaven

"But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God." Acts 7:55

This scene, when Stephen stands beholding God's glory and Jesus is glorious. Especially in contrast to the horizontal situation at the time.
The council that was standing infront of him was enraged and furios. Stephen didn't cower or feel sick with fear. He was far to enveloped in the heavenly scene that was before his eyes.
I might have seen the angry faces, the people bearing their teeth like snarreling dogs. I might have seen the grotesque distorted looks and the frantic outrage.
But Stephen did not. He saw the glory that surrounded the Father, he saw Jesus who stood near the Father's throne.
When I am frantically fearful, facing the crowd that hates me, in the heat of it with the enemy, I will not be tormented. I will look up and behold him who looks at me and sees his righteous child.

"Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him" Acts 7:54

The members of this council were not fond of Stephen. They cornered him, seized him, and questioned him.

Before I knew Jesus, and before the Father was Abba to me, I was like these council members. They were instigators, prideful, quickly offended, and looking for a fight.

When Stephen was questioned he gave an overview of what God had done in Israel's history. He then pointed at them, telling them that they were like their fathers who persecuted the prophets of the LORD and that they resisted His work in their lives. He told them that when they murdered Jesus, the One who came to fulfill the law that so haughtily claimed as their own.

They responded in rage. Their pride was rubbed the wrong way and their numb consciences were irritated. These council members were fighters. They wanted to be right, and when God used a "foolish" person to confound them, they pushed away. They did not want to please God, they wanted to be right.

This has been my problem since I could talk. Usually I'm not looking to learn or to grow I'm looking to be smart and right.

I have to teach myself not to be offended. When I'm confronted I need to not show anger, even if my blood boils. I need to have a Spirit of meekness. I need to accept and look only at myself to judge if what they say is true.

In times of trouble, it is not the strongest or smartest who do well, but the most willing to learn and change.

In contrast to this council, I also need to be a peacemaker. Not someone who looks for fights, or disputes, but a person who seeks diligently opportunities to bind the people of God together.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God".

Generous-(adjective) liberal in giving or sharing

“And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts”. Acts 2:46

When I read “generous hearts” I thought of Pastor Jim and Patti. They are a couple who live and work and Potter's Field. They are the epitome of generous.

They are generous with their time, making their way up to Saturday morning breakfast even when it is 2 degrees outside. They are glad to have you linger for a warm conversation any time of day whether they are free or busy.

They are generous with their “stuff”. When you go over their house they’ll make sure you know “mi casa es su casa”, and you can tell they really mean it.

To me, I see this as such a God like characteristic because Christ chose to let us share in his inheritance. He chose to give us the Kingdom, to give us what belongs to Him. Even the earth we walk around on shows his generosity, because it belongs to Him.

If an act of open hearted generosity can bring a wounded Christian back to the warm love of Christ I will keep my eyes open for opportunities.

Taking Care of Others

“And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.” Acts 2:45

I think (and this is totally a guess) that some American Christians have really mixed feelings about this verse.

This kind of community sounds wonderful. No selfishness allowed, right? I usually think this way for about 2 minutes before my brain takes a sharp left-hand turn. I hear a list of that starts with I would have to…

Sell the stuff I’ve worked for, which means having LESS but still working the same amount.

Give to people who might not appear to work hard at all.

Possibly live less comfortably.

After counting the cost would I want to live this way? Why should I even consider it?

Simply because scripture describes true religion as taking care of widows and orphans.

Christ says “whatever you’ve done for the least of these, you’ve done for me”. I would be privileged to sell something of my own to pay for a Doctor appointment for someone who is sick and can’t afford it, or to give grocery money to a single mom.

I’m going to hold all of my earthly junk at arms length so I can depart with it if someone has a need. Recently I heard one of my pastors ask “How tight of a grip do you want to have on what is not yours to keep?” To that I say “not tight” and “Amen”.

i don't need anything but You

“And all who believe were together and had all things in common.” Acts 2:44

I just heard a song from the musical Annie “together at last, together forever, we’re tying a knot they never can sever”.

If I’m part of Christ’s body of believers, isolation should be unnatural. In the past I have occasionally found myself skipping church to stay home and “relax” after a fast-paced and stressful week (so stingy with my time).

I love being here. Potter’s Field Ranch has taught me sooo much. But more than anything it has taught me about fellowship and openness.

I wake up every day to my friend’s faces, make small talk as we’re trying to wake up, spend meals, class, bible studies, kitchen patrol, cleaning, Sunday church, times of intense physical labor, and game nights together. The interns all move like a body here. I love not being able to get away from all of these crazy awesome people.

I love hearing laughter from down the dorm hallway at any time of day. I love seeing my brothers doing lame handshakes.I love when we are cleaning around the ranch and I can hear everyone singing to the music that’s on.

These things are simple, but I recite Psalm 133:1 in my mind daily here.

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brother’s dwell together in unity.”

I now I need to develop this unwavering constant fellowship everywhere I am, whenever I am together with believers. I know the enemy of my soul would have me isolated away from the joy that I find and the fruit that is produced when I am connected heart to heart with my family.

Awe Upon Every Soul

“And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.” Acts 2:43

After they had looked for Jesus in prayer, fellowship, and scripture, they beheld him. Awe came upon them. I’ve always interpreted this word to mean a sort of reverent, infatuated, amazement, and fear. This was a result of beholding Jesus. The apostles, in the midst of this crowd, were doing signs and wonders! Miraculous and wonderful signs that acted as a neon blinking arrow pointing to Christ.

I know I’ve gone through seasons of fear and awe. When God’s call and God’s moving where so visible. When the Lord’s will is on the forefront of your mind and engulfs your heart don’t you see the wonders more easily? Granted, the wonders we have seen may not be as grandiose as the miracles of the apostles. But when I am bursting at the seems in awe of God, I have seen wonders…

A single mom raising her children in the fear of the Lord with a million pounds on her shoulders,A girl with scars on her wrist from cutting accept the Gospel of Hope and Life,A parent who a cured of a sickness and the Doctors are not sure why.

I need to live in fear and awe and observe the signs and wonders that God delights to do in and around me.

.make me devoted.

Monday 7/18/11

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers” Acts 2:42

This verse captures the first days of a group of believers newly baptized into the same family. Reading this, one thing in particular stands out. This was a group affair. They came together and sought God’s face together...praying in desperation to the Lord. Also, they devoted themselves. Devoted. To them, this wasn’t an afterthought or a routine. The Lord Jesus Christ and his revelation was everything they wanted.

Have I recently come before the Word starving for the bread of life? Have I feasted long enough to sustain me? Or am I pulled away before I’ve gotten enough to energize and nourish me? Have I come to my brothers and sisters in Christ to give and receive anything more than a whisp of passing humor? How often have we sat down in undistracted fellowship with no intention other than to see our Father’s face?

Breaking bread and remembering our Lord is first of all an act of obedience. But communion with our Father is secondly a sweet privilege. After all, it cost a huge price. How much sweeter to break bread and remember the price that was paid, often and with family, who also has been baptized into new life?

Skull Church

I'm not gonna lie. At the begining of last month, for the first time, I went to Skull Church. I thought "Oh brother, here we go again".Corny. I have had my fill of "cool" churches- churches that try so hard. I thought it was straight up weird. Colors, skulls, small town, small town people, really enthusiastic people.
I knew that it was coming up quickly this month. It seemed like all my friends here at Potter's Field loved it. And, because I know their character, I was going to "open" my mind.
We went last night for my second time. We waited outside in line for about an hour with a ton of small town kids. After we got in and got seated, the appearance didn't weird me out too much anymore. The worship, the message out of Matthew 24, and the concert following the event, were so solid. I worshipped the LORD- in SKULL church. It was sweet. It was yummy. I watched these kids from PFR- not kids, they're mostly older than me- and I kept watching them. They're not shaky, or awkward, or fragile. They are solid people, solid in the Lord. Who have their own flavors. Who have their own personalities. They are knit together and I love being among them.
I accept Skull Church. I'm over this prejudice. Actually, I'm tired of this prejudice. Why do I always automatically turn away and disagree? Jesus did no such thing.