Perfect Weakness

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV)

We are all imperfect humans made perfect through God. Just as a parent loves their child, our father in heaven loves us all the more. Though life has it's seasons of both abundance and drought, God is always present. When we succed it's easy to see God at work in out lives, but during the season of drought, the season where failure is more present than anything, God is still at work. God urges is to call on Him when life is too rough to bare. What better display of His power? Our weakness as humans is the perfect opportunity to showcase the strength we achieve through Christ. Just as the lyrics go, "Sin was strong but Jesus is stronger." Our weakness is inevitable. We'll all fail eventually in our lives. But we find strength knowing that our God is right there guiding us along the path to Him. His hope is our strength. So don't be ashamed of your flaws or your imperfections. Using our struggles in life and our recovery from them is the greatest testimony to draw people closer to Chirst. Our imperfections only display the perfection of our God once he steps into our life.

Wisdom from Unlikely Sources

When most of us think about wisdom, or who we would go to for a piece of advice, it's safe to say we usually think of people with power or status. Maybe a pastor, a teacher or guidance counselor, maybe even parents. Usually we seek people with more experience and a title. But sometimes wisdom can be found in the least likely of sources. For instance yesterday I was taking photography for a wedding in Downtown Orlando. I stopped and offered a homeless man some water and then continued my journey when he began talking more. As I came back he began to thank me but then started talking about his past life. He talked about his love for photography too and all the places he had taken pictures. It was a conversation I knew he was dying to have. Not too long after he began talking about smiles. Words you can use to get people to smile for photos. And again, soon after that, he then told me about the importance of making people smile. How it's a priority for him and the lengths you have to go to see someone smile sometimes, but he assured me it's worth it. Some of the things he told me I had never heard before. And then it clicked- the reason I had never heard that wisdom before, is because I had never seeked wisdom from that source before. If we want new advice, we must change our source. Similarly so, if we are tired of the world's failing wisdom, it's evidence that we need to seek God's wisdom. God's word never fails, never lies, never destroys. His word is love and salvation. His word saves and heals and comforts. If we are tired of hearing the same answers from the world, maybe it's time we start looking for answers from God. And to my other point- God works strongly in the least of these. So why do we so often ignore them? People all have stories. Not everyone has wisdom. But when we look towards new sources, we can surprise ourselves. Even the people you'd least expect can share wisdom that you'd never hear elsewhere. So seek wisdom from different people and be open to listen, but most importantly seek wisdom from the God who loves and cares for you.

Lost Generation

Alright now, before I make the ladies upset, I will say women have a strong influence on families and relationships. Their actions are important and do make a difference, however the male influence is remarkably stronger in various instances. Yes feminists, males do have a stronger impact on most of the values and morals handed down to children. And while I applaud single parent homes for taking the responsibility of both parents, there are some cases which simply can not be replicated.

Let's go back over 100 years to 1866. A book titled "Applied Christianity" was written and quotes "The tendency has been gaining strength to withdraw education from an association with religion, to eliminate religion wholly from education..." as well as "This deprivation of morals is due in part to defects in our systems of education." Let's face it, knowledge is what controls our society. So it's safe to say any problems we face likely stem from our prior knowledge. Present day in public schools teachers must teach textbook style, not freely about their opinions or religion. They teach unbiased and leave it up to kids to decide. The lack of morals being tought at a young age, stems all the way to lack of morals in place as we grow older. Lack of morals is fatal to any healthy relationships. Studies have shown that in 1950 4% of births were to unmarried women, and in 1991 the percentage shot to 29.5%. Clearly there is a change of moral taking place. Present day we aren't taught Christian values in school, neither by media. In fact we are taught the exact opposite, leaving this generation without healthy guidance. This is where the role of the parent, specifically the father comes in. A co-parent alliance has the power to strengthen or weaken a child emotionally and physically, but the effects of a father are lasting impressions that carry down many generations. Fathers closely influence education (factors for a successful life on Earth) and religion (factors for success both on Earth and eternally). "American men used to know what it meant to be a father." BUT, due to secularization in our society, many men lack the proper role model to lead by example. Our society learns more from logic and equality, "what pleases everyone", temporary happiness, than it does from God and His word. As the rates for single-parent homes, unmarried child births, and divorce skyrocket, men are becoming less prepared to change the statistics and instead fall into a repeating cycle. As media influences children more than parents themselves, they take in information later harmful to their own relationships. If women and men become bound closer by the word of God, their relationship can prosper and teach their children by example the way to live and love. Fathers have the ultimate job in regards to their children's future. If fathers are influenced by society that will show through their children. When in hands of a good father, their knowledge is more likely to be centered around Christ. Like I said earlier, we are centered around knowledge. What we learn will be shown in our actions. What we take in, we will later teach to others. So where are we learning from? What are we influenced by? Society or our God?

Stepping Out Beyond the "Sure"

I know this is a little bit unconventional, but this has been on my heart for the past week. Instead of writing my devotional based on a set of scriptures, it’s going to be based off of a lyric. I feel like God has really put this on my heart as something I need to hear, and also something I need to share. The lyrics I want to share are from the song “You Make Me Brave” by Bethel Music. The first lyric is “You call me out beyond the shore into the waves.” and the other lyric is “So I will let you call me out beyond the shore into your grace.”

Currently in my life, I’m at the fork in the road. I’ve had every part of my future planned out, and now as I approach the fork I can see another road opening. I’ve been struggling trying to decide where God is calling me, not sure of anything, wondering where my place should be. And as I listen to “You Make Me Brave”, these previous two lyrics have really been sticking out to me. In a different way, however. When I hear them, it sounds a lot less like “shore” and a lot more like “sure”. I can hear God calling me out beyond the “sure” into the waves, the tough but beautiful future that lies ahead of me. The thing that really strikes me is that all of us, every single one of us, are being called by God. All of us are being called beyond our comfort zones. But how many of us actually answer those calls? I can guarantee you there a lot more people who choose to hang up. And it makes sense. Think about it, why risk so much? Why go through uncomfortable situations, not sure of what the next day will bring? Why ignore the knowledge we have telling us to stay sheltered? One reason: God’s grace. Just like the second lyric says, I will let God call me out beyond the sure, beyond my comfort zone, because in doing so I’m lead straight into God’s grace. God’s grace is available to everyone, just not everybody gets to experience it. Why? Because the very people who are complaining about the absence of God’s grace in their lives, are the people who also chose to hang up when God called. By rejecting God’s plan for us, we also reject the reward of grace gained from fulfilling his plan. Everybody is offered God's grace. It's just a matter of whether we decide to accept it or reject it. However, if we chose to answer God’s call, and leave the safety of the shore, every step we take will lead us deeper and deeper into His abundant grace. We leave our shore, our safety, our control, but as far as we get from all these things, the closer we are to God’s grace, God’s safety and control. God’s comfort zone. In 2 Corinthians 1:3 it says God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. All comfort stems from Him. That being said, our comfort, comfort from our friends and family, everything that keeps us “safe” in our comfort zones, that’s nothing compared to the comfort God has to offer. We have comfort, God is comfort.

Sure there are times in our lives when we’re tempted to hang up, but remember God has called each and every one of us for different purposes. If you feel God tugging your heart in a specific direction, pursue it. We’re never going to be 100% sure about anything. There’s always going to be a risk factor, knowledge we can’t obtain, or doubts about what to do. But because of faith, we can walk confidently in the direction Christ has called us. No matter what you do, God’s plan for you will be fulfilled one way or another. God calls every single one of us beyond our comfort into the rocky waves. Out of our shelter into the unknown. Grace is one path, rejection is another. Each road will have obstacles to overcome, troubles thrown at us, tough times to get through. But one path leads to grace, and the other leads to continuous troubles. Which road will you choose to travel? Will you answer when God calls? 

The World's Rejection

Reading: “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me. They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin. Anyone who hates me also hates my Father. If I hadn’t done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be guilty. But as it is, they have seen everything I did, yet they still hate me and my Father. This fulfills what is written in their Scriptures: ‘They hated me without cause.’ “But I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me. And you must also testify about me because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry." (John 15:18-27 NLT)
Anything we go through, any tough times, Jesus has already experienced. He's lost loved ones, he's been mocked and made fun of, he's been betrayed, tortured, and ultimately killed for what he believed in. Like the scripture says, the world would love us if we belonged to it, but our hearts belong to God and we've been called to greater things. Jesus performed miracle after miracle, and even in seeing with plain sight, people still chose to reject him. No matter how great our proof is, no matter how great we could ever teach or love, there will still be people who reject us and the words we speak. All of our actions, likes, and favorites will displease someone. But what are we more worried about: People of the world disapproving, or God? Billy Graham once said "Our society strives to avoid any possibility of offending anyone- except God." And that couldn't be more true. People fight for their beliefs, that everyone should have their say, and that we should accommodate everyone's needs. But what about God? We're too consumed with pleasing others, that it usually comes at the cost of pleasing God. Why are we so consumed with pleasing people of this world, if we are not of it? Sure, they will judge. But their judgement ends at our death, God's judgement is eternal. We will suffer here on Earth, just as Jesus did. Because what we believe does not conform to the world's standards, we will be the minority. However regardless of our position here, in God's kingdom we will be lifted to a place of highest honor.

Undeserved Friendship

Reading: Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. (Romans 5:1-11 NLT)

Christ saved us from our sin and delivered us from evil. He paid the ultimate sacrifice, losing his life for our gain. And if that's not impressive enough: Christ died for us while we were still sinners, and he had every reason not to. We've all had a friend hurt us at some point in life. And from experience I can confirm it's way easier to go out of your way and help and show love to someone who is kind to you. But it's 100x harder if not nearly impossible by human nature to do the same for someone who judges us, talks poorly about us, or goes against us. The crazy thing is Jesus did. He laid down his life for the very people who up until his last breath mocked and tortured him. We, as sinners, were completely undeserving of his love. But, as God's children, and because of who God is, we can experience fully his love. We can rejoice through difficult times, knowing that God is our source of comfort. Our problems will be transformed into endurance and deepen our faith in God. There's a song lyric that can relate- "Our shame was deeper than the ocean, your grace is deeper still." Our shame was deep, but God's grace still is deep. Because of Jesus's sacrifice our shame is wiped away, only a thing of the past. This also shows us a new concept: our shame has borders. Our shame only goes so far. But Gods grace has no limits. No matter how deep our shame and our sin is, God's grace is still deeper. There's no limit to the compassion God shows us and the proof is found in the cross alone. Because of the cross, we find a new friendship with Christ. By definition, the word friendship can be translated as intimacy. And what better way to describe the relationship. God knows our past, our present, and our future. He knows our deepest fears and our highest praises. Despite our sin, God continues to shower us with is love and grace. He continues to pursue us in the dark, and blesses our lives on a daily basis. He guards our hearts, and fights for our love even when we reject him. I don't know about you, but I sure want God to be my best friend.

Choose the Path of God Alone

Reading: “So fear the lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the lord alone. But if you refuse to serve the lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the lord.” The people replied, “We would never abandon the lord and serve other gods. For the lord our God is the one who rescued us and our ancestors from slavery in the land of Egypt. He performed mighty miracles before our very eyes. As we traveled through the wilderness among our enemies, he preserved us. It was the lord who drove out the Amorites and the other nations living here in the land. So we, too, will serve the lord, for he alone is our God.” Then Joshua warned the people, “You are not able to serve the lord, for he is a holy and jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. If you abandon the lord and serve other gods, he will turn against you and destroy you, even though he has been so good to you.” But the people answered Joshua, “No, we will serve the lord!” “You are a witness to your own decision,” Joshua said. “You have chosen to serve the lord.” “Yes,” they replied, “we are witnesses to what we have said.” “All right then,” Joshua said, “destroy the idols among you, and turn your hearts to the lord, the God of Israel.” The people said to Joshua, “We will serve the lord our God. We will obey him alone.” (Joshua 24:14-24 NLT)

Our God has power like no other, there's no doubt about it. But what does the Bible mean when it says to fear our loving God? Most people think of fear as terror, when you go inside a haunted house or see a huge spider making it's way towards you. But fear of God is different. Fear of God is similar to fear of a parent, not because they are scary, but because we respect them and desire to serve and to please them. Out of love they teach us lessons, good and bad, and ultimately help us choose the right path in life. God does the same except he helps us choose the path that leads to Him. Not only should we fear the Lord, but this scripture also tells us to serve wholeheartedly, with all of our love, all of our passion, all of our faith. We don't follow Christ seasonally, when times are good, or when we feel like it. We are to devote all of our heart to him all of the time. Have you ever had an extremely jealous boyfriend or girlfriend? Needing constant affection, and rejecting love you show to anyone else? Having them around, would you dare show that same love to others that you show to them? Of course not. (Unless you're asking for a good old-fashioned butt-kickin') Likewise, our God is a jealous God, jealous for us. Jealous for our hearts, our minds, our attention. He demands our complete loyalty. We have to neglect every other idol in our life, which nowadays can come disguised as our very joys and passions. For some people it's sports, others music, school, money, even the desire to fit in or be noticed. These are all positive joys in life, but when taken too seriously, can gradually cross the line between enjoying your hobby and worshiping it. Over time our very pleasures in life can add up to our own defeat. We are witnesses to our own decisions. We know exactly what our actions and thoughts are. That being said, the path we choose to travel is ultimately up to us. But by choosing the path that leads to God alone, he will shower our lives with blessings.

Live According to Love

Reading: This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them. We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him. And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us. (1 John 3:11-24 NLT)

God's sole message to us here on Earth is to love one another. Coincidentally, it also seems to be what we struggle with most on a daily basis. Cain killed Abel because he was evil and his brother was righteous. Similarly, our negative actions usually stem from jealousy or envy. Verse 13 tells us not to be surprised if the world hates us. When people see their worldly hope falling apart, it easily triggers hate towards those of faith whose hope never shatters. When we go against the world's standards, people will mock. Not because they despise, but because they do not understand. They yearn for the same unfailing hope we have found through Christ. However, despite the hate showered on us by the world, we must counter it with the same love Jesus Christ once showed us. We cannot have love in our lives if our actions show otherwise. We cannot simply say we love, but instead we must show our love. James 2:20 (NLT) says this: "How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?" How hypocritical it would be to say we follow Christ when our actions follow His enemy. Our actions should support the truth we follow and the words we preach. By living according to love, we can have confidence in facing God. God doesn't advise we love, nor suggest that we love, but rather commands us to love. It is non-negotiable. God is love. So how can we expect to have a relationship with Him in the absence of love?

Because We Believe, We Cry Out

Reading: Psalm 116:1-14 NLT

The Lord hears us, but we must first call upon his name. If we cry out to the Lord, he will hear our prayers and our pleas. He bends down to listen. God meets us where we are. No matter how low sin has dragged us down, the Lord will meet us in the midst of the darkness and lead us on. This passage also emphasizes characteristics of our God: kind, good and merciful. He shields us from the evil of this world, but we must have childlike faith. When we have childlike faith, we don't question or doubt, rather we wholeheartedly embrace the love God shows us and His truth. Our lives will bring many bumps in the road, but if only we cry out, God will keep us from stumbling off path. We do not cry out to the Lord searching and hoping for something to believe in. But because we believe in Him, we therefore cry out to Him. So what can we offer to a selfless and merciful God who sacrificed his life for our salvation? This scripture shows us 2 specific ways. One way to thank our God is by praising his name unashamedly. Different people have different preferences on how to praise. For some that could mean through prayer, studying the Bible, or worshiping through music. Praising God's name however we see fit pleases all of heaven. Another way to offer thanks is by living up to His word in the presence of all His people. This does not mean acting Christlike when surrounded by other Christians, in church, or around people you're comfortable with. This means even when it's not so easy. When people of this world test you, anger you, or mock you. God's people are the people of Earth so in the midst of whomever, you should be trying your hardest to live up to God's word and setting the proper example. By crying out to God, he will meet us where we are and relight the fire needed in us to live according to Him.

By Mercy Alone

Reading: "Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good. They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone. Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But—“When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.” This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone." (Titus 3:1-8 NLT)
As followers of Christ, we should always be ready to do what is good. We should replace our fighting with understanding and compassion. We should show mercy to others, keeping in mind that we were once in their shoes and God still showed mercy to us. The devil is deceitful. He doesn't come as a terrifying monster with a cape and horns. He instead comes disguised as everything you've ever wanted. We once fell into his trap and became labeled by our sins and our lusts. But God still showed mercy to us. The evil of this world once defined who we were, but through God our hearts were made pure. God saved us despite the bad we had done, and without thought of the good we had done- as if that actually could have been enough to impress him anyways- but by his mercy alone. Through Him we have a new life here on Earth, and more importantly the promise of a new eternal life, free from evil, harm, and darkness. Because of our faith in God and our loyalty to his word, we should devote our time to all things good, and showing others the good in Him. That way, people who are still lost can be found by God. People who are weak can be made strong through Him. And people consumed by sin can find hope in His promises.

Stepping into God's Comfort Zone

Reading: Matthew 25:14-30, The Parable of the 3 Servants

The man in the parable divided money among his servants based on ability, just as God gives us responsibilities according to our walk of faith. 2 servants multiplied their earnings and fulfilled their responsibilities, while the other stayed safe by burying the money. He chose not to use his gift to multiply but instead chose to stay in his comfort zone and avoid taking the risk. We are all given gifts, talents, and responsibilities to fulfill using those gifts. Sometimes fulfilling those responsibilities means stepping out of our comfort zones and taking chances, but the reward will be well worth it. God gives us gifts for the purpose of using them to multiply His kingdom, and praises us when we act faithfully. When we show God we can faithfully use what he has given us, he will continue to provide, however if we choose to stay safe and don't use our gifts for His glory, our gifts will be taken away. Sometimes advancing God's kindom means stepping out of our comfort zones, but by following God's desire for us, we can be sure we'll always be within His comfort zone. And after all, what greater comfort is there?

Deeply Rooted Faith

Reading: "This is what the lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the lord. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land. “But blessed are those who trust in the lord and have made the lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.” (Jeremiah 17:5-10 NLT)

First off, this passage is directly spoken by the Lord, so what can we get out of it? Humans rely on human strength. We are weak and easily swayed from our God. We are stunted and lack growth in our faith. We live in a barren salty Earth, contaminated and impure. We are unable to produce goodness by our own means. However, we should put our trust in The Lord and rely on His mighty power and unfailing love. We can find hope in His unwavering promises and find confidence in His name, that by His power alone we can do great things. Our hearts should be deeply rooted in God, as he is our source of life. Our roots should be so deep that they're not easily snapped due to turning points, when the heat increases and times get tough. During droughts, when God seems far from us or we simply push away our faith, our roots should be strong enough to stay grounded. We can continue to provide life to our roots by feeding them the Gospel and strengthening our relationship with God, so that during storms or droughts, no matter what life throws at us, we can be sure our faith is unwavering and standing firm.

Working for Christ

So after reading these devotionals for 2 days in a row now, I'm starting to see how they connect. In Romans 3:28 it says "So we are made right with God through faith, and not by obeying the law." and again in Philippians 2:12-13 it says "Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him." I think this is something so important for us to remember, especially as we go on retreats or work at camps, serving the community in general. None of these acts of kindness you may do will earn you salvation, or make God love you any more than he already does. We should do theses acts of service not to earn God's grace, but as a result of God's grace and love. Because he already HAS saved us, and because we want to share the grace he shows us with other people. That being said I'd like to encourage you all not to get too caught up in the motions, but to remember God is working in us and through us as we make an impact on the lives we serve. We don't love others to earn God's love, but because God first loved us. No matter what we do throughout the summer, as we work for God, he's also working in us. 

C.S. Lewis

Current reading from C.S. Lewis.... And a great choice if I do say so myself!

Romans 5:8

Just a little daily reminder ft. my artwork!

One macchiato please!

Hazelnut caramel macchiato from Olive Garden? Yes please! Probably the best coffee I've ever tried!