What sustains you?

This morning, I read a verse that always causes me to stop and simply meditate upon the rich words contained therein.

“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.” Isaiah 26: 3-4

The word “stayed” literally means to lean upon, support, trust in, sustain. In this frazzled world where I feel, at times, that I’m running around like a crazy person throughout the day, God gives a promise for perfect peace. Most people would tell you this is impossible, that no person can actually have perfect peace throughout the day.

I would tell you that it depends on what your focus is, who/what your support is, and where you’re putting your trust in.

We’ve been trained in our culture to turn to media and other people when we are stressed out and just need a break. I find this to be a temptation in my own life. When I have been completely stressed about homework, the pile of assignments that need to be turned in, or a long day at work, it is a temptation to go home and just veg out in front of a movie. However, this does not provide true refreshment. Real peace is available.

1 Corinthians 15:58 commands us to be immovable. It doesn’t say, “Be immovable, except when… (you’re stressed out because of school, work, etc). It simply says to be immovable. And if God commands us to do something, it means that He provides what we need to do it. So, what if we chose instead to focus our minds upon Jesus, to lean upon Him for our support? What if we chose to let Jesus sustain us instead of turning to other things?

A week or two ago God revealed something incredible to me. I had been feeling overwhelmed because of the homework and assignment load that this semester required of me. It did not seem as though I would have the time to get it all done. However, He showed me that since this is what He has called me to for this season, He literally must provide all that I need.

Therefore, I choose to simply rest in His promise. I choose to fix my mind upon Jesus. He has my life under control, and I trust Him. 

My Summer Captured

Testimony is a powerful tool. The Word of God declares “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the Word of their testimony.” The word for “testimony” in the Greek is the same word we get “martyr.” Therefore, in order to have a testimony, one must be a living martyr, dying to self daily, in order for Christ to be evidenced to the world.

Each season of my life I can look back and stand in awe of the Lord’s faithfulness and provision. This summer is no different. He continues to amaze me and leave me breathless by His majesty. I have fallen more in love with Him this summer and seen Him prove faithful time and time again. Here is a glimpse of my summer in pictures: 

It included time with my family and getting to be crazy with my cousins. 

My little sister graduated from high school, and it was a privilege to be at her graduation and her graduation party. 

It also included getting to pour into some precious kiddos that I love dearly and that the Lord has burdened my heart for. 

I also had the privilege of spending time with friends that have basically become my family.

I got to reunite with old friends that mean so much to me. 

I celebrated my 21st birthday. 

We ate ice cream. Kinda a lot (as in every day). 

And, of course, went on many adventures.

I'm excited and expectant for what Jesus has planned for this next season, as the next semester of college starts Monday. 

Seek Him

Lately I’ve been pondering the fact that many of us don’t see the need near as intensely as we should to actually seek Jesus. We think it sufficient to go to church once a week and maybe have a 5 minute devotional time every once in a while. We think we need to “put in our time” for Jesus. Often, we are too fascinated by the things of this world to actually set apart time to seek Jesus with our whole hearts. What’s the result? Well, we aren’t finding Him. Instead, we are living miserable, mediocre, defeated lives. However, I’ve discovered that the Bible presents a whole different pattern.

“And he did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the Lord.” 2 Chronicles 12: 14

What’s the reason he did evil? Because he hung out with the wrong crowd? Because he read the wrong books? Listened to the wrong music? Watched the wrong movies? Though all those things shouldn’t be done, the real reason and thrust behind them was that he did not seek God. You see, when we aren’t spending daily time in the Presence of Jesus, we are not equipped to stand against evil. We don’t know what His voice sounds like because we don’t take time to listen. We don’t quiet our hearts before Him to actually know His will for our lives. We may pray every once in a while when we have big decisions to make, but why should we expect to know what He wants for us or what His voice sounds like when we only “seek” Him when we need answers (and praying for 2 minutes for a few days about a particular situation doesn’t count as actually “seeking” His will.)?

“And you shall seek Me and find Me when you shall search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29: 13

Are we seeking Him with all our hearts? Or are we doing our daily “duty?” What if He became our greatest Desire? What if our hearts were consumed with Him alone? What if we set our faces to seek Him and not to rise until we truly know Him?!

What does it look like to truly seek Jesus?

“Oh God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee” Psalm 63

“Those that seek Me early will find Me.” Proverbs 8:17

“If our spiritual life is a joke, if prayer is nonexistent, and if Christ is squeezed into random corners of our day, then we are susceptible to every pestering problem the enemy could throw our way – marriage and family disintegration, relational conflicts, financial frustration, depression, sickness, discouragement, and so forth. But when our spiritual lives are thriving, when prayer is the foundation of our existence, every other area of our lives begins to thrive as a result.” Leslie Ludy

It means denying our fleshly, lazy existence and making time to seek Jesus. It means denying the desire for extra sleep or to veg out in front of the TV or to mindlessly hang out with friends. It means to shut the door and seek the face of the Lord.

I for one am tired of listening to Christians complain about defeat, depression, or lack of fruit in ministry when they aren’t setting aside time to pray and seek Jesus. He desires for us to live victorious, triumphant lives. However, we aren’t because His life isn’t our life. We’re consumed with the things of the world and aren’t setting aside time to spend in His Presence and let Him change us.

“Seek and you will find.” Matthew 7: 7

It’s a promise.

Mission Trip Adventures

   

     About a week ago I got back from a mission trip to Grand Isle, LA. The Lord’s faithfulness was so clearly demonstrated and proven many times during this trip, and I would just like to recount and share a few of them.

     We left Kentucky on Tuesday, the 17^th at around 6:00 pm. My roommate and I had decided that she would drive the first half, and I would drive the last half (we had gotten certified to drive the school’s 15 passenger vans). I had never stayed up all night before, much less drove through the night. There were a couple times during the night where I was fighting sleep hard, but during those times I would call upon the Almighty grace of my God, and He always came through. Through this, He taught me to depend upon Him, that He is sufficient for every single need, and that He cares about every detail and wishes that we bring Him glory in EVERY area of our lives, even when we are driving through the night. We arrived safely in Grand Isle at around 8:00 that morning.

We just survived 14 hours of driving! 

     On Wednesday and Thursday evenings, we held youth services for the kids and teenagers that were a part of the church we were working with. Katlin and I taught a lesson on Thursday night. While we were driving down on Tuesday, we had gotten into a discussion about surrender and what the Lord has worked in us and is working in us. We both felt led to teach on us this Thursday evening, and it built upon what was taught Wednesday night well. The whole service fit well with the theme, and after the service, Katlin and I had the opportunity to talk with a girl about what surrender and faith look like practically.

Preparing for the lesson

      On Friday, a truck from the food pantry was supposed to come to deliver food to around 100 families. People started getting to the church about 2 hours before the truck was supposed to arrive. They sat in chairs that were set up, just waiting for the truck and food to be delivered. We (the volunteers) did not really have anything we needed to do until the food truck arrived, so I knew I had a choice. By this point in the week, we were all pretty tired and had not gotten much sleep, so just zoning out for a while or mindlessly hanging out with friends sounded like a good option. However, Jesus impressed upon me the need to be intentional and engage, denying my own feelings because this was all about HIS glory. I ended up having really good conversations with 3 women and getting to point them to Jesus. Every moment is an opportunity for the Gospel if we will just engage with an open heart and eyes.

     That evening we visited New Orleans. There is such need for Truth and Jesus in that city! There are booths and booths set up of fortune-telling and Voodoo. We went out to eat at an authentic seafood café, got beignets, then were waiting for the rest of our group on the steps in front of a cathedral. A girl was hula-hooping for money in front of us, and a guy around her age was sitting to the side. Veronica and I were burdened for the girl at the same time, so Veronica, Katlin, and I all prayed together about it and how to reach out to her. After we prayed, Blake got up and went to talk to the guy that was with her. We figured this gave us the opportunity to talk to the girl, so Veronica went over to get her, and we were able to share the Gospel with her (it turns out the guy who was with her is a Christian, so Blake was able to pour into him for a bit). I had no idea what to say to her or how to lead into the Gospel, but as I began to pray about it, God opened up the conversation and made a way.

(sorry for the fuzziness!)

      On Sunday, we went to two church services (one at the church plant the church we were staying at has). Saturday and Sunday both consisted of having a “lock-in” for the youth, so this time the Lord used to continue to teach me what it looks like to be constant and pour out and engage, no matter what my body may feel or want to do.

     I cannot proclaim enough how good our God is and how faithful He is when we will just simply depend  upon Him and let Him be God in our lives! Truly, He is worthy of ALL we are, and when we yield to Him, His grace goes to work, and His strength is proven in our weakness! 

Garrisoned by His Power

“Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1: 5

     The word “kept” is an easy word to pass over. It doesn't really look like it means much. When we think of this word, we typically think of holding onto something or just retaining something. However, the Greek word for this is incredible.

Kept- to guard, protect by a military guard, either to prevent hostile invasion, or to keep the inhabitants of a besieged city from flight; garrisoned

A garrison is a body of troops in a fortified town.

     This is what the Lord promises to do for believers. When God begins a good work, He brings it to completion (Philippians 1:6). If we are in Christ, no fiery dart of the enemy can touch us.

“If it can get through Jesus, it can get through you. Name one thing that can get through Jesus.” Eric Ludy

     Jesus doesn't just save us, and then leave us as prey for the wolves, expecting us to fight them off in our own strength. No, if we will call upon Him and let Him, He will garrison us in Himself. The enemy doesn't have to have any control or access to our lives. We are not intended to live under his thumb.

     So often I hear Christians talk about their “struggles with sin” or the “big” things they typically struggle with or have a weakness toward. Though it may be glossed over with nice-sounding “Christianese,” these things are really just enemy strongholds that we have not claimed victory over and have not let Jesus eradicate from our lives. Nothing of the enemy can touch us if we are in Christ Jesus. These “sinful strongholds” are not to be a part of our lives.

We are garrisoned, protected, fortified, and guarded by the Almighty power of God.

     The word for “power” in this verse is the word we get dynamite from.  Dynamite is one of the world’s most powerful explosives. It comes from the chemical Nitroglycerin, which is also used to treat heart conditions. Therefore, we have this dynamite power of God surrounding us, guarding us, protecting us, and fortifying us. Our hearts are garrisoned by Jesus Himself, so we should we ever give into fear, worry, anxiety, or any other sin when we are offered this dynamite level protection of God?

     Nitroglycerin can be desensitized to the point of being “safe” or no longer explosive. This is done by adding other mixtures to it or cooling it significantly. The same applies spiritually. If we allow the enemy access to our lives, other “mixtures” are brought in. If we compromise with worldly things, we are desensitizing the power of God within our lives. If we let our passion for His Word and prayer cool, then the power of God will not be as pervasive in us (in fact, prayer is the secret to maintaining this power). We then become “safe” Christians, the ones who go to church on Sunday and live upright, moral lives but have no impact on the world around them.

     About a year ago, a thought occurred to me. If we have the dynamite power of God within our souls, should we not also have the effect that dynamite would have in our environments?

     The early church knew this power. They turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6). Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:6). He does not change. So, if He is garrisoning us with this same Almighty power, the world around us cannot remain the same. It’s time for Christians actually to start living in this dynamite explosive power and thus turn the world upside down once again.