His Want. Our Greatest Need.

There are often times I happen to listen in on conversations in coffee shops or in airports or restaurants or where-ever....


I hear many conversations that are based on God. Whether it be good or bad, religion wins majority rule in the topic of conversation whether people like it or not.


One statement that I am often dumbfounded by is well isn't amazing that "God needs me."

My inner reaction is Are. You. seriously. SERIOUS?


The thought that God needs us can be compared to Oprah's distorted thought on "God is jealous of us." ( This out of context statement is what apparently made her fall away from Christianity).


I am simply amazed by little lies that people can believe as truths. What amazes me even more is the fact that thousands of people are misled by little lies everyday.


Now it is time for some absolute facts.

#1: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have always been in the PERFECT relationship with one another. Perfection is never in need of anything. Perfection needs nothing else in life because there is no void to fill. From perfection can only come want. The union of the Trinity is and will always be perfection. Nothing can come between it plain and simple.

#2: God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. God flooded the earth because of imperfection and depravity. If God truly needed humanity, why would he kill so many people?

#3: Why then? Why would God create us? Because He wanted to. God creates because of His character. He is love. He saw the creation was good. He wanted to exhibit is love to something, to someone. We were created because He wanted to create us. He wanted to love us. He wanted to display His character and His love toward us, not because He needs us by any means. How selfish and prideful have we become to think that the God of the universe needs us? Really?

#4: The ugly truth is that we are disgusting, depraved beings in need of a Saviour, and because God is perfect and His glory is beyond anything we could ever imagine He had to send Jesus. He had to send a human... to get on our level and yet still be perfect and blameless to pay the price for our disgusting and fallen nature. That is no where close to need. Perfection is not in need of us. He wants us. He chose us. He had/has a grandeur plan, and it is all about Jesus.

#6: We are so in need. We are desperate for a Saviour. We broken, distorted people are in great need for the God of this universe to make us whole. God does everything for His glory. We are made to bring glory to Him. We are made to be His yielded vessels, to be His faithful and humble servants. The word Christian can be also defined as Christ-like, or a little Christ. It is not about us. It is all about God and His Son. We are just broken, nasty, people who thankfully and humbly are able to receive the gift that God has freely given to each of us who take it. WOW.

#7: We are here not to bring glory to ourselves. Not to fulfill our own wishes and desires. We are here to lose our lives to gain life. We are here to live of a life like Jesus. We are here to rid ourselves of all worldly desires and to obtain the fullness of God through His Holy Spirit. May we know that He wants us because He chose us not because He needs us. May we know that our greatest need in life is Our heavenly Father who desires for each of us to encounter Him and His love.

don't....

I am struggling. I'm torn. I'm broken. I haven't had a decent nights rest since returning to Steamboat.


I don't understand God. His ways are wayy above our ways. I don't understand why He chooses the paths He chooses for His servants.. or why things happen the way they do.


My heart is screaming for new things.. for new depth... for a new journey.

This desert season is weighing in heavily on me, but I am hanging on and trusting that though sometimes we must go through the dark valley... we eventually climb the hill where there is Light. Or understanding... Or clarity..Something reassuring us that God is there.


I feel as though as I have been on a sickening roller coaster ride... the ones that really want to make you puke.

My heart is pulled in so many directions at this point. I'm not ready to return to school. I want to stay in Steamboat, but the other half of me wants to be in Dunn. I want to ultimately do the Father's will, but am not exactly sure what that is right now.


I know in my mind and heart that through the desert, through the times of wondering where in the world God is, He is there. And though many obstacles await, He promises to never leave us or forsake me. He promises to go before me and to fight my battles when I longer have the strength to go on.God is never one to change though my heart and mind is constantly waivering.

I know these things all too well for He has been with me through the darkest times. I have felt His peace surround me heavily in the midst of chaos. I know He is faithful even when I can't feel Him there. And when I am about to give up or when I have had enough.. He shows up because He is God and He is faithful.


Daddy,
Forgive me. I do not deserve Your love. Thank you for loving me in the midst of my uncertainty. I ask Father that You would direct my footsteps and take all of me so that I may glorify You in all that I do. Help me to understand the things I cannot change, and help me love those that I have a hard time loving. I need You. I can not run this race without You. I ask for a hedge of protection as I enter into campus of Wingate. I know You are faithful and that You will give me the strength and wisdom to endure. I ask Daddy that You would show me the ways I can serve my campus and spread the Your Love to everyone that I cross paths with.
I thank You so much for hearing my heart's cry and that You remain faithful at all times. I love You.
I ask all of these things in Your Son's most precious Name,

Amen

s t r e t c h

Since I have returned from YWAM I have been praying heavily about the next season of my life.

I have yearned to hear clearly from the Lord and I know He is listening, but I do believe this is stretch point. This is the season where I am leaning heavily on Him and trusting that the next steps I take will be in His will.


Last year was difficult and I have realized that being a true disciple of Christ is not easy. Yesterday my Steamboat pastor preached on the crowds who followed Christ and the crowds that followed Christ.

He pointed out something brilliant that I have never noticed before. When Christ would perform great miracles, large amount of people would show up and they would be rooting and wooting for Him. But when Christ would bring a heavy duty sermon like losing your life to gain life... everyone would disappear.


How many people in church hang from miracle to miracle, do to do, want to want expecting God to give all of these things to them when that isn't the point at all.

To be a true disciple of Jesus requires obedience and sacrifice. These things are the most trying and stretching requirements to be a disciple. It isn't easy. Jesus never had it easy, but to be in perfect communion with the heavenly Father made it worth it all. To know the love and peace the passes all understanding, to know that there is a Father so jealous for us... He will never relent until He has all of us.
We are so unworthy, and yet God sent Jesus, the Perfect One, to die in our place. The Father saw potential in us and He wanted to put us in right standing with Him. WOW!


So many times I am guilty. I want it easy. I don't want it to hurt. I want to run from the obstacles and take a route that is simple where I never have to face heartache or brokeness. But it is where I am in that broken, helpless state that Jesus comes in and we begin to overflow. We begin to be the living sacrifice that Jesus has called to be.

A disciple faces great hardship,persecution, heartache, and so many more battles, but there is a joy. The joy of the Lord that is our strength and our comfort. In knowing that in the midst of those times, the outcome is so worth it. That is why Paul was able to go to hell and back and still have the joy of the Lord. He knew that in order to truly identify with Christ that he would have to suffer. That is what a true Christian/disciple looks like.


We lose our lives so that we main gain life in Jesus. We suffer because Jesus suffered. We idenitfy when we choose to die to self and are willing to surrender everything that we are to Him.

I don't want to be with the crowd that were just there to see what they can get out of Jesus. I want to be a true follower of Christ willing to go to the darkest places of the world to bring His light even if it causes suffering or great hardship.


Dear Father,
Forgive me for wanting it so easy. Forgive me for wanting to go on the road often travelled. I want to be wholly surrendered to You. I want Your will not my own. You know what's best for me even when I think it is wrong. Give me strength to endure this year and to keep my eyes focused upon You, Lord. Thank you for calling me Your daugther, Your beloved. Thank You for loving me when often times I know I can be unlovable. Put in me a clean heart and break my heart for the things that break Yours. I am nothing without You. I especially want to pray for Your bride today, Lord. I pray the veil would be lifted and that the bride would see what is means to truly follow You. I pray Father that You would forgive us and that You would be merciful upon this generation. I pray Father that You would raise up Elisha's in our generation that would carry the double portion to bring people closer to You. We need You, Lord.

I love You so much and thank You for all that You are going to do!
In Your Son's most precious name,
Amen!