Chasing Freedom: 2010

Monday, September 13, 2010

Persistent Prayer 10-12-10

We are currently going through a series on our core beliefs. This weeks message was on persistent prayer. Phillip (our pastor) talked some about prayer and then we spent time praying. It was a great experience.

Some the main questions that I brought out of the message and I want to process this week are:

What causes prayer to become a box I check off on my daily to- do list?

- I think about how big God is and how little I am. As I was hiking about a month ago I saw these huge rocks. They were at least 5 times my height as I passed through them. It made me think about how small I am in comparison to these rocks and if God created all of these rocks then I am tiny in the grand scheme of things.

The next question I came out with is:

What hinders me from a desire to pray?

What is the reason I don't pray? Do I believe I can do as much as God can do and so I don't pray? No I don't really believe that but do my actions prove otherwise... if I am honest with myself then I have to say yes. God is bigger and able to do more than I can ever comprehend.

Phil 4:6 says "Don not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

The question I am left is What can God do that I haven't given to him? What are my fears? What are my hurts? What are my stumbling blocks... Can I surrender? Can I say that God you are able, and loving enough to have my best interest at heart and that I don't have to plan and make decisions without first talking to you?

Luke 18:1 talks about not giving up on prayer or the power of prayer.

So when God returns will God find the people who haven't given up on prayer? In order to make any relationship work it takes communication. If you aren't willing to communicate then will the relationship ever work out? Having a relationship with God is easy because God already knows our hurts, our fears, our hopes, our desires, and our passions... We just need to talk to him about them... We aren't hiding from him even if we think we are.

Then I find myself asking the question am I willing to go hopeless and helpless before God? Knowing that God is my strength in times of weakness and he is my refuge will I go to Him?

Prayer is about our dependency on God... What will it take for me to depend and trust God more?

Give God the glory and don't be afraid to give God every situation, every minute, every hour of everyday...

Let's focus on who God is, and be willing to confess our sins...

Thanks for reading... Be blessed and pray it out!!!

Reason for blogging...

I have had this blog for a while and I am not sure what I was going to use it for but I have decided that I want to respond to the messages that I am hearing at church. I want to use this spot as a place to process the truths that are spoken into my life. Currently Laura Beth and I are attending Clifton Christian Church in Louisville, KY. We have been attending for about two months and it has been a blessing to start getting connected to this congregation. We are excited to see how God uses us to serve and grow along side this body of believers. If you are interested you can check out the church website and messages at cliftonchristianchurch.org. Hope you enjoy my rambles...

Saturday, March 6, 2010

What is going on with me?

There is so many thoughts and so many things that I want to accomplish or be apart of. I want to do something that isn't about me. I want to serve others in a way that is humble. I don't want to be so prideful but for some reason I have ingrained in me that pride is strength and I want to be strong because weak people get taken advantage of. That is so against what scripture says because Scripture says that God gives grace to humble. How do I make a difference in my train of thought between weakness and humility? I want to live in the confidence of God's promises yet the humility of Christ who died on the cross for my sins? What does that life look like? How do I achieve it? I am sick of God, Jesus, Bible Study, scripture memorization, and everything that goes into being a Christian just something on my To- Do list. I want FREEDOM! I want to live where the bondage of this world doesn't hold me down but I am free because of my faith in Christ.

My grandfather recently passed away and I went back home for the funeral. It was a very hard time to see the man that was the glue of my family pass on. I am able to find peace though in knowing that Heaven is a much better place. I guess I realized that there is lot of past hurts and pains there for me. I have moved on in my life but going home this past time really made me realize how different I am. I am the wierdo because my belief in Christ. My convictions hold me to a different standard and when people question my convictions I get nervous. There is still apart of me that is afraid people will see my sin. That they will judge me and in return I will not be an effective witness for Christ. I long for the day that all people will know Christ. That being a follower of Christ will be normal and the people who are lost will not be. It puts a drive in my heart to be more active in outreach. To loving my neighbor as myself. To putting God's desires above my own. It brings me back to the question of how long oh Lord will you hide your face from me? How long will I have to wait to know that what I am doing is exactly what you want from me.

The other part of me that is developing is my masculine soul. I am seeking to be a man after God's own heart first. Then I want to love my wife and be a spiritual leader of our relationship. What does that look like well I am still figuring all of that out. I know that I need to be the man that fights for being like God and fights for my wife. To let her know that no matter what I am with her through thick and thin. I will love her and pursue her. She is a blessing from God sent to me.

I ask for Guidance and wisdom. What do I need to do with my life? This moment, the rest of today, tomorrow, the rest of this week, this month, this year... as long as the Lord breathes breath into my lungs.... Thank you God for all you have done. Help me to keep fighting!!!