"Prayer is thinking God's thoughts after Him - thoughts that will always be heard and answered." (Thabiti)
The last chapter of Thabiti's book (What Is A Healthy Church Member?) calls a healthy church member a prayer warrior. It discusses what prayer is and what to pray for, etc... Prayer is hard. Some people will just throw out a cry for help "Pray for me!" when they didn't study or when they're on a fast ride at 6 flags (that's me). People who haven't necessarily put their faith in Christ pray when life gets hard.
I really liked the idea that prayer is thinking God's thoughts after him. God is sovereign, in control of all, and knows what we will pray about before we even think about it. And if we pray in the Spirit as we should, it's really God enabling us to pray to himself (which is awesome). But... if God knows everything, why pray?
God doesn't need your prayers to help him decide what He's gunna do in your life. However, we need God and prayer shows our dependence on God. Prayer isn't an avenue to make God change his mind or to help him make decisions. It is a privilege for God's children to have access to talk to our Father anytime!
"Christianity isn't a solo sport and prayer is not a trip through the Burger King drive-thru, where we shout into an inanimate receiver, wait and few moments, and then receive the bag of goodies we ordered to 'have it our way.'"
I think it's cool to find prayers in the Bible, particularly David's Psalms or Paul's letters. God tells us what to pray for! It's a different perspective to think of God being omniscient and instead of just knowing everything and letting us figure it out, he decided to give us an opportunity to talk to him. It's interesting that he knows what he's going to do, but he still tells us to talk to him about it. Then he answers! We can find the request and the answers in Scripture.
God knows what's going to happen, tells us to pray, tells us what to pray for, how to pray, and answers our prayers. It's all about Him really. Prayer changes us and our relationship to God.
I'm thankful God hasn't left us lost without any direction in His word or any comfort through prayer. He didn't leave us to figure out life on our own, but tells us to talk to him constantly about everything and everyone. It's comforting that He does know everything and when we're ready, He'll reveal himself.
"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving." Colossians 4:2
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Sunday, February 26, 2012
My plan and God's plan.
Something that's been on my mind, as most college students can say, is what direction my life is going. Especially in the last couple months as I've been challenged by God and others to completely give my life to God, I've realized how set I am on my goals and the plan that I see for my life in the next 5-10 years.
I have a plan to graduate college (hopefully in a year ish) and then go to grad school to get a Ed.S. in school psychology. Then pursue a job in a public school doing what I spent 6+ years of my life preparing for. Sounds logical to me and people seem to be pleased with my general plan for my life when they ask. Sure, if a husband happens to come my way somewhere in there, I'll take it!
Recently I've heard much about laying down my dreams for God's plan. I've heard a bit about missions since my church is very mission-ly minded. I've prayed about short-term missions without any clear answer. *Note: When I say I'm praying about it... that means I'm praying about when, where, and how... not whether or not I should go. That's a given.* So... giving up my dream that I've had since high school of being a counselor for adolescents... doesn't set peacefully within me. I don't see why I need to. If it's God's will, I think he'll reveal it to me, convict me, and change the desires of my heart as I seek him more, especially if I'm asking Him to do so. Maybe I have an unclear understanding of "laying your dreams down."
I believe God has a plan for me also.Today once again I am challenged to obey God. I can give you Bible, sunday-school answers about what it means to obey God, but for my life right now, as I think about the future, I'm praying about what that means. Right now, like I said, I don't think God is telling me to abandon my dreams. I think God gave me the dreams I have and that He has (very generously) provided many means to achieve them for His glory. Right now to abandon those dreams would be stupid. Drop out of school. Quit my job. For what?! What else would I do?? It doesn't make sense for God to tell me to abandon my dream without giving me a different one. If I knew clearly God wanted me to abandon my dream to pursue missions or to do a certain thing... I would be open to that. I'm not sure if I'm limiting God here or if I'm just being practical... Please offer your opinion, thoughts, advice, anything you have...
One blog I follow pretty consistently because it makes sense for me and is always relavent to my life is Ruthie's blog. This particular post "Six Common Misconceptions About God's Will" is on point. From what I read, Ruthie has devoted her life to obeying God and she has experiential advice on the topic.
Not that this song is relavent... but I like it. :) And the thought of a blog on God's Will led to this song in my mind.
I have a plan to graduate college (hopefully in a year ish) and then go to grad school to get a Ed.S. in school psychology. Then pursue a job in a public school doing what I spent 6+ years of my life preparing for. Sounds logical to me and people seem to be pleased with my general plan for my life when they ask. Sure, if a husband happens to come my way somewhere in there, I'll take it!
Recently I've heard much about laying down my dreams for God's plan. I've heard a bit about missions since my church is very mission-ly minded. I've prayed about short-term missions without any clear answer. *Note: When I say I'm praying about it... that means I'm praying about when, where, and how... not whether or not I should go. That's a given.* So... giving up my dream that I've had since high school of being a counselor for adolescents... doesn't set peacefully within me. I don't see why I need to. If it's God's will, I think he'll reveal it to me, convict me, and change the desires of my heart as I seek him more, especially if I'm asking Him to do so. Maybe I have an unclear understanding of "laying your dreams down."
I believe God has a plan for me also.Today once again I am challenged to obey God. I can give you Bible, sunday-school answers about what it means to obey God, but for my life right now, as I think about the future, I'm praying about what that means. Right now, like I said, I don't think God is telling me to abandon my dreams. I think God gave me the dreams I have and that He has (very generously) provided many means to achieve them for His glory. Right now to abandon those dreams would be stupid. Drop out of school. Quit my job. For what?! What else would I do?? It doesn't make sense for God to tell me to abandon my dream without giving me a different one. If I knew clearly God wanted me to abandon my dream to pursue missions or to do a certain thing... I would be open to that. I'm not sure if I'm limiting God here or if I'm just being practical... Please offer your opinion, thoughts, advice, anything you have...
One blog I follow pretty consistently because it makes sense for me and is always relavent to my life is Ruthie's blog. This particular post "Six Common Misconceptions About God's Will" is on point. From what I read, Ruthie has devoted her life to obeying God and she has experiential advice on the topic.
Not that this song is relavent... but I like it. :) And the thought of a blog on God's Will led to this song in my mind.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
I'm not okay, you're not okay
Self-esteem. Self-worth. Self-image.
Besides your gen psych class... what do those make you think of? Many things come to my mind.
I've posted things online before about how some people have no self-esteem and that's why they let people run over them and aren't respected as a woman or whoever else.
Just last week my friend wrote a blog about worth, saying we are all someone worth dying for (based on that song).
Self-image ties in somewhat but is really a different topic.
This is an area where I've struggled, not because I feel worthless or like I have no reason to live (like others have struggled) but I struggle with where we get this idea that we have self-esteem, that we're worthy of esteem, that we're worthy of anything. I would argue that no one person is worthy of being able to live today. I would also argue to a pregnant girl that her baby deserves to live. These can't be reconciled in my mind; I don't understand it. One of the books (clickhere) I'm reading for my psychology class (psychology of caring for your soul) deals with the revolution of character and the assigned chapter for this next week is called "A Magnificent Ruin." I don't know about anyone else, but I personally think it's kinda depressing! (true, but still depressing)
This is what the Bible says about people in general:
Psalm 14:2-3
Romans 3:10-18
“None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
(See Ephesians 4:17-19 and 2 Timothy 3:1-5 if you really wanna feel AWESOME about yourself...)
After reading this, how good can you really feel about yourself? We have absolutely nothing to brag about... so how can you say I'm worth dying for? Clearly, I'M NOT and that's what makes the gospel so beautiful.
(Let me stop now and tell you that if you're looking for this to make sense by the end of the post... just quit now. It won't.)
Our biggest problem is that we think we're God. We thrive on playing God - being in control, knowing everything. Our only hope is in Christ. Without Him, we have nothing to live for. It is in Him that we find worth and purpose for our lives. From Willard's book,
In recent years, schools have been pushing the concept of self-esteem. We must build students' self-esteem and make them believe they can succeed. They can do anything they apply themselves to. They are good enough to make it in the world. They have a reason to try, to live, etc... While I totally agree that students, especially teenagers, need motivation and people to believe in their ability to succeed, I also believe that succeeding is not the purpose for living.
The purpose for living, the purpose for Jesus dying on the cross, the purpose for the Bible being written... is not for us to succeed and have a nice life. It's for God's glory. The purpose in living is to advance the kingdom of God. Jesus didn't die because I'm worthy for him to come save me. He died because God showed mercy, grace, and love and planned this. The Bible is written, yes, for us to know how to live - in order to give God glory. In this - bringing God glory - we can find worth, only because of Christ.
I'm starting to go in circles here... but also from Willard's book, a C.S. Lewis quote:
Besides your gen psych class... what do those make you think of? Many things come to my mind.
I've posted things online before about how some people have no self-esteem and that's why they let people run over them and aren't respected as a woman or whoever else.
Just last week my friend wrote a blog about worth, saying we are all someone worth dying for (based on that song).
Self-image ties in somewhat but is really a different topic.
This is an area where I've struggled, not because I feel worthless or like I have no reason to live (like others have struggled) but I struggle with where we get this idea that we have self-esteem, that we're worthy of esteem, that we're worthy of anything. I would argue that no one person is worthy of being able to live today. I would also argue to a pregnant girl that her baby deserves to live. These can't be reconciled in my mind; I don't understand it. One of the books (clickhere) I'm reading for my psychology class (psychology of caring for your soul) deals with the revolution of character and the assigned chapter for this next week is called "A Magnificent Ruin." I don't know about anyone else, but I personally think it's kinda depressing! (true, but still depressing)
This is what the Bible says about people in general:
Psalm 14:2-3
The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.
Romans 3:10-18
“None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
(See Ephesians 4:17-19 and 2 Timothy 3:1-5 if you really wanna feel AWESOME about yourself...)
After reading this, how good can you really feel about yourself? We have absolutely nothing to brag about... so how can you say I'm worth dying for? Clearly, I'M NOT and that's what makes the gospel so beautiful.
(Let me stop now and tell you that if you're looking for this to make sense by the end of the post... just quit now. It won't.)
Our biggest problem is that we think we're God. We thrive on playing God - being in control, knowing everything. Our only hope is in Christ. Without Him, we have nothing to live for. It is in Him that we find worth and purpose for our lives. From Willard's book,
"Only with this confession [Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is more deceitful than all else] is a foundation laid for formation into Christlikeness." We can't begin to look like Christ thinking we're anything good. It starts with humbly admitting you're screwed up. "Our inital move toward Christlikeness cannot be toward self-esteem. Realistically, I'm not okay, and you're not okay. We're all in serious trouble. That must be our starting point. Self-esteem in our situation will only breed self-deception and frustration. Regardless of what we may say to 'pump ourselves up' or what others might tell us, we are better off not concealing or denying who we really are."
The purpose for living, the purpose for Jesus dying on the cross, the purpose for the Bible being written... is not for us to succeed and have a nice life. It's for God's glory. The purpose in living is to advance the kingdom of God. Jesus didn't die because I'm worthy for him to come save me. He died because God showed mercy, grace, and love and planned this. The Bible is written, yes, for us to know how to live - in order to give God glory. In this - bringing God glory - we can find worth, only because of Christ.
I'm starting to go in circles here... but also from Willard's book, a C.S. Lewis quote:
The dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you said it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare . . . . There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, culture, arts, civilizations - these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.
This is something I almost hate to discuss because I'm not comfortable with the end result (not understanding it). But I also love to explore it for the very same reason. I just don't get it... I'd love your opinion/thoughts/arguments/anything you have to say ...
Friday, February 3, 2012
Things I don't like
I'm learning there are things in life I just can't control. I know that about the big things such as the stock market or ... idk, other irrelevant things, but when it comes to little things, I think I should be able to manipulate them.
Things that get on my nerves:
people complaining every morning about their 8:00 class
people complaining at all about their 9:00 or 9:30 class
people who don't put things back the way they found it
(as a kid I used to look through my parents stuff for things and made sure it looked the same when I was done so they wouldn't know I messed with it... I still feel the need to clean and make sure no one can tell I was there)
people who don't plan ahead at least a little bit
people who plan ahead too much
people who aren't as mature as I think they should be
the fact that I can't make them be as mature as I think they should be
people who just keep on talking and I feel like I can never get a word in
especially when those people interrupt me
(I could start here about driving habits that REALLY get on my nerves, but I'll spare you.)
So I'm not sure what the point of all this is, but I'm learning to let things go. I'm learning to accept that people aren't like me. They just don't care if things go back in the cabinent the way they did before. They aren't gunna grow up until ... well maybe never. I can't make people shut up when I want or listen when I want them to. And no one can make college students quit complaining about anything before noon.
Touche. Such is life.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
what God said
Around Saturday afternoon I always start to wonder what I should blog about and think... ugh do I have to do it again? But, it's more exciting than the homework I'm procrastinating not to mention this is something I want to remember a year from now... It's my blog so I can write about pretty much anything. I'm not sure why I get anxious about the topic of my blog...
3 weeks ago I wrote my spiritual goals for the year down and marked on my calendar every other Sunday to review my goals. So last week I reviewed them and the one that didn't measure up or really show any progress was the goal to pray more intimately. I asked my discipleship group to pray for me in that area and ... touche... the sermon this week is on prayer. Not to be depressing, but I feel like everytime someone talks about prayer in church, they say the same thing. It always comes around to praying for every single person you know or have ever heard of which just seems impossible to me. The one thing I liked most from the sermon today though was this: You can't really learn to pray by reading books (I've tried), or talking about it in a classroom. You learn by doing it, by practicing.
With that, I'll share some recent answers to prayers. If I talk to you regularly, you probably have already heard this. :P
I mentioned my discipleship group is praying with me... The fact that I have a set of friends I refer to as my discipleship group is an answer to prayer. About 4 weeks before we met together for the first time, I started praying for a group. I didn't know where to find one or who I wanted to be with. My schedule with school and work and church from 8am Monday til 5pm Friday is way too crazy for my taste... but somehow among all that, the 4 of us have the same empty spaces in our schedules. We've only met twice so I don't really know them that well but I am so blessed to have a group for this purpose, to help me grow spiritually and stay accountable, and to have a new set of friends - people I probably wouldn't have chosen to hang out with if God hadn't brought us together.
Before the new year I was asked to be a nanny over the summer for one of my girls at school and her sister. I started praying about it and 2 weeks later met with the mom. I had my expectations coming into the "meeting" and she had hers for their family. So over coffee she told me what she was willing to offer and I wasn't really sure so I didn't give her a definite answer. The week before I was also asked to work at a summer camp. (It is against my nature to think about summer plans in JANUARY but... such is life.) When it came down to the details of which job I wanted (5 months ahead of time), summer camp is less work for about the same money. Being a nanny and investing in 2 little lives for 3 months to me sounds priceless. When I wrote out the pro's and con's of each... the only thing stopping me from saying yes to the mom of those girls was money.
As I've been reading through Proverbs this month, over and over again God has showed me how unimportant money is. Taking this job as a nanny will pay my bills plus some... that's more than I need regardless of how it compares to other jobs. Here's what God said... (The mom and I met on January 16th... and this is from Proverbs 16... not an accident)
Proverbs 16:3 - Commit your work to the LORD and your plans will be established.
Proverbs 16:16 - How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
Proverbs 16:20 - Whoever gives thought to the word (or to a matter) will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.
I felt peace in making this decision and after talking to a few people about what they think I should do, my
decision was made. These verses confirmed for me what I was specifically praying to God about.
What really gets under my skin are those people who will say "yeah pray about it. God will tell you what to do. You just listen to him." Then... when I make my decision based on God's guidance, if it's not the choice that falls in their favor they have a bad attitude towards me. They hold a grudge against me for doing the very thing they told me to do... Can't it be enough that I'm doing this because God told me to?
I was going to add more about what God's been speaking to me about but... I think this is long enough. :) Please share with me what God's been saying to you. It excites me to hear about what He's doing other places too. :)
3 weeks ago I wrote my spiritual goals for the year down and marked on my calendar every other Sunday to review my goals. So last week I reviewed them and the one that didn't measure up or really show any progress was the goal to pray more intimately. I asked my discipleship group to pray for me in that area and ... touche... the sermon this week is on prayer. Not to be depressing, but I feel like everytime someone talks about prayer in church, they say the same thing. It always comes around to praying for every single person you know or have ever heard of which just seems impossible to me. The one thing I liked most from the sermon today though was this: You can't really learn to pray by reading books (I've tried), or talking about it in a classroom. You learn by doing it, by practicing.
With that, I'll share some recent answers to prayers. If I talk to you regularly, you probably have already heard this. :P
I mentioned my discipleship group is praying with me... The fact that I have a set of friends I refer to as my discipleship group is an answer to prayer. About 4 weeks before we met together for the first time, I started praying for a group. I didn't know where to find one or who I wanted to be with. My schedule with school and work and church from 8am Monday til 5pm Friday is way too crazy for my taste... but somehow among all that, the 4 of us have the same empty spaces in our schedules. We've only met twice so I don't really know them that well but I am so blessed to have a group for this purpose, to help me grow spiritually and stay accountable, and to have a new set of friends - people I probably wouldn't have chosen to hang out with if God hadn't brought us together.
Before the new year I was asked to be a nanny over the summer for one of my girls at school and her sister. I started praying about it and 2 weeks later met with the mom. I had my expectations coming into the "meeting" and she had hers for their family. So over coffee she told me what she was willing to offer and I wasn't really sure so I didn't give her a definite answer. The week before I was also asked to work at a summer camp. (It is against my nature to think about summer plans in JANUARY but... such is life.) When it came down to the details of which job I wanted (5 months ahead of time), summer camp is less work for about the same money. Being a nanny and investing in 2 little lives for 3 months to me sounds priceless. When I wrote out the pro's and con's of each... the only thing stopping me from saying yes to the mom of those girls was money.
As I've been reading through Proverbs this month, over and over again God has showed me how unimportant money is. Taking this job as a nanny will pay my bills plus some... that's more than I need regardless of how it compares to other jobs. Here's what God said... (The mom and I met on January 16th... and this is from Proverbs 16... not an accident)
Proverbs 16:3 - Commit your work to the LORD and your plans will be established.
Proverbs 16:16 - How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
Proverbs 16:20 - Whoever gives thought to the word (or to a matter) will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.
I felt peace in making this decision and after talking to a few people about what they think I should do, my
decision was made. These verses confirmed for me what I was specifically praying to God about.
What really gets under my skin are those people who will say "yeah pray about it. God will tell you what to do. You just listen to him." Then... when I make my decision based on God's guidance, if it's not the choice that falls in their favor they have a bad attitude towards me. They hold a grudge against me for doing the very thing they told me to do... Can't it be enough that I'm doing this because God told me to?
I was going to add more about what God's been speaking to me about but... I think this is long enough. :) Please share with me what God's been saying to you. It excites me to hear about what He's doing other places too. :)
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