January 30, 2010
All Things
In all things I will magnify the Lord,
For He has done great things...
For we know that all things work together for the good
of those who love the Lord and are called according to
His purposes...
I am the Lord who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the whole earth by myself...
With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible...
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the FAther will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you...
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some...
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need you will abound in every good work.
What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Jesus Christ my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.
For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
The Son is the radiance of God's glory and exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by is pweful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.
Restoration 6.23.07
Empty handed I stand
Knowing of my own sin
Aware I fell again
Do I ask forgiveness once again to recieve, only to turn around and fall again?
What is the answer? How do I stop?
I turn to you. Face to face. Eye to eye.
You are the savior. The master. The healer and friend.
They talked about you. They said you could do it. Can you actually heal me from this disease called sin? Just when I think I have it beat, like a cancer, its back again. Coming in as pride, fear, anger, bitterness, envy....a different name every week.
My diagnosis is this Lord. I am a sinner in need of a savior. Can you heal me and cleanse me from within? can you take me and make me into something beautiful again?
Face to face.
I meet your grace once again. a loving savior...redeemer and friend. He says to me, "I will make you whole again"...
Doubting Thomas. 8.25.07
John 20:19-26 Jesus Appears to Thomas
Thomas is always remembered for his doubt. His whole life and even centuries later, he's still been given this label of the one who doubts. It's the name that defines his life. "You know Thomas"..."Thomas who?" "The one who doubts..."
But Jesus doesn't condemn him for his doubt. Jesus doesn't get mad at him, or laugh, or get in his face and say, "O Thomas, stupid, why don't you believe me?" "Thomas, Thomas, always doubting...when are you just going to get over your doubt?"
No. Instead he stops what he's doing, changes his travel plans, and he stops in front of Thomas..."Put your finger here. Touch me, look, know I'm real. Believe. Don't doubt."
Jesus loved Thomas (and us) enought to acknowledge his doubt, but to do WHATEVER it took to move Thomas from DOUBT to BELIEF. For Thomas, it took touching Jesus' hands and side, knowing He was really standing alive in front of him.
Jesus says the same thing to you and me. "You don't believe? Ahh, put your hand here in my side. See my hands and feet. Reach out. Just reach out and touch me and believe. Know I'm real. I am who I say I am."
The truth about all the people in the Bible is that they were all doubters in one way or the other...Their doubts, fears, and pride lead them ALL to rebellion, adultery, murder, and abandoment of God and His righteousness. They all had their own labels. Jacob, the deciever...Moses, the studderer...David, the adulterer...Judas, the betrayer...
The reality of who Jesus is hit me so hard here. The reality is we are all losers, labeled by our own sin and mistakes. Christ is the true winner. He loved the church and His people enough not to leave them where they were at, but moved them from a pace of doubt to a place of empowered faith and true destiny.
When Jesus said to Thomas, touch here, believe, He renamed Thomas, It is as though he said "Thomas, you are not a doubter. You are a believer. You are to be my witness in Jerusalem, and Judea, and to the ends of the earth. Look where you are, look where you are going and start taking the first step outside of doubt...reach out. touch me....believe."
God's loved extends outside of circumstances and situations, out side of us and our short comings. That is the true message of the gospel...Jesus is my hero.
*added note on Thomas: He was considered the disciple who covered the most ground after Jesus ascended to heaven. He is believed to have made it as far as India and preached the gospel on his own to thousands.
Thomas is always remembered for his doubt. His whole life and even centuries later, he's still been given this label of the one who doubts. It's the name that defines his life. "You know Thomas"..."Thomas who?" "The one who doubts..."
But Jesus doesn't condemn him for his doubt. Jesus doesn't get mad at him, or laugh, or get in his face and say, "O Thomas, stupid, why don't you believe me?" "Thomas, Thomas, always doubting...when are you just going to get over your doubt?"
No. Instead he stops what he's doing, changes his travel plans, and he stops in front of Thomas..."Put your finger here. Touch me, look, know I'm real. Believe. Don't doubt."
Jesus loved Thomas (and us) enought to acknowledge his doubt, but to do WHATEVER it took to move Thomas from DOUBT to BELIEF. For Thomas, it took touching Jesus' hands and side, knowing He was really standing alive in front of him.
Jesus says the same thing to you and me. "You don't believe? Ahh, put your hand here in my side. See my hands and feet. Reach out. Just reach out and touch me and believe. Know I'm real. I am who I say I am."
The truth about all the people in the Bible is that they were all doubters in one way or the other...Their doubts, fears, and pride lead them ALL to rebellion, adultery, murder, and abandoment of God and His righteousness. They all had their own labels. Jacob, the deciever...Moses, the studderer...David, the adulterer...Judas, the betrayer...
The reality of who Jesus is hit me so hard here. The reality is we are all losers, labeled by our own sin and mistakes. Christ is the true winner. He loved the church and His people enough not to leave them where they were at, but moved them from a pace of doubt to a place of empowered faith and true destiny.
When Jesus said to Thomas, touch here, believe, He renamed Thomas, It is as though he said "Thomas, you are not a doubter. You are a believer. You are to be my witness in Jerusalem, and Judea, and to the ends of the earth. Look where you are, look where you are going and start taking the first step outside of doubt...reach out. touch me....believe."
God's loved extends outside of circumstances and situations, out side of us and our short comings. That is the true message of the gospel...Jesus is my hero.
*added note on Thomas: He was considered the disciple who covered the most ground after Jesus ascended to heaven. He is believed to have made it as far as India and preached the gospel on his own to thousands.
A Message to All.
Written October 2007 - thought I'd shared an old relevant post.
The Church
Holy Spirit, let me say this right...
It used to be that early Christians would gather to meet with Jesus. The presence of the Holy Spirit fell 40 days after the ascention of Christ into the heavens. We know the day as Pentecost.
Since that day, the functioning of the body of Christ has centered around the meeting place of the Holy Spirit. Lord, help me here, this isn't coming out right. Meetings, camp meetings, revivals, seminars, retreats...they all revolved around the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Christians didn't beg for God to show up. God didn't beg for Christians to show up either. At pentecost, God met people where they were at, because of His promise and good pleasure.
So shouldn't it be, that as we enter the house of the Lord, we don't have to beg the Lord to show up. He just does. He is a God who takes pleasure in the praise of His children. "Where two or three are gathered IN MY NAME, I am in the midst of them."
OUCH...So what do you say when you see mega churches that don't have a move of the Holy Spirit? Are we truly gathering in the NAME above all NAMES?
The Spirit of God wants to manifest Himself...He wants to walk with His children. Right now. Every chance He gets.
It's the spirit of religion that keeps Him away. God is not looking for workers, He's looking to be with His children. Our first duty as a Christian is to enjoy the presence of our Father...
Wow...maybe I'm in five different thoughts at once, but why? Why can you walk into a church service and not feel the overwhelming sweetness of the Spirit of God? You're in His house. So why isn't He home? Perhaps, we have kicked God out of the church because He isn't religous enough for us. Or maybe He didn't want things in perfect order. Maybe He wanted to mess things up and we didn't want Him to...so we kicked Him outta His own house.
To those of my friends who are headed into the ministry, be it in the Church or across the body, please don't make the mistake of thinking that God needs you to save the world, He already did that. Don't make the mistake of thinking God will manifest Himself if you just pray hard enough....It's not about you. You have a high calling on your life. You bear witness to the gospel of Jesus, the Messiah. There is no higher calling. God called you because His people need a shepherd...You mirror Christ. Don't distort His reflection. Get yourself out of the way. Shrink yourself. Let the spirit move. Let God do His thing. He'll show up. Just break the walls of religion down. Check it.
It used to be that early Christians would gather to meet with Jesus. The presence of the Holy Spirit fell 40 days after the ascention of Christ into the heavens. We know the day as Pentecost.
Since that day, the functioning of the body of Christ has centered around the meeting place of the Holy Spirit. Lord, help me here, this isn't coming out right. Meetings, camp meetings, revivals, seminars, retreats...they all revolved around the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Christians didn't beg for God to show up. God didn't beg for Christians to show up either. At pentecost, God met people where they were at, because of His promise and good pleasure.
So shouldn't it be, that as we enter the house of the Lord, we don't have to beg the Lord to show up. He just does. He is a God who takes pleasure in the praise of His children. "Where two or three are gathered IN MY NAME, I am in the midst of them."
OUCH...So what do you say when you see mega churches that don't have a move of the Holy Spirit? Are we truly gathering in the NAME above all NAMES?
The Spirit of God wants to manifest Himself...He wants to walk with His children. Right now. Every chance He gets.
It's the spirit of religion that keeps Him away. God is not looking for workers, He's looking to be with His children. Our first duty as a Christian is to enjoy the presence of our Father...
Wow...maybe I'm in five different thoughts at once, but why? Why can you walk into a church service and not feel the overwhelming sweetness of the Spirit of God? You're in His house. So why isn't He home? Perhaps, we have kicked God out of the church because He isn't religous enough for us. Or maybe He didn't want things in perfect order. Maybe He wanted to mess things up and we didn't want Him to...so we kicked Him outta His own house.
To those of my friends who are headed into the ministry, be it in the Church or across the body, please don't make the mistake of thinking that God needs you to save the world, He already did that. Don't make the mistake of thinking God will manifest Himself if you just pray hard enough....It's not about you. You have a high calling on your life. You bear witness to the gospel of Jesus, the Messiah. There is no higher calling. God called you because His people need a shepherd...You mirror Christ. Don't distort His reflection. Get yourself out of the way. Shrink yourself. Let the spirit move. Let God do His thing. He'll show up. Just break the walls of religion down. Check it.
Conversations about love.
I'm sitting at Starbucks, finished with my Vanilla Soy Latte and preparing for this week's sermon. Thoughts from the week keep running through my head, so blogging them out might just free up enough space in the noggin to continue the sermon. These are conversations that have taken place in my life in the last week. They are real encounters, priceless moments that I hope will bring you laughter.
Conversation #1 - with a friend.
When are you getting married?
That's a great question.
It's gonna happen soon.
Excuse me?
It's coming soon. Get ready.
Not funny and I'm not having this conversation.
Conversation # 2 - at a recent wedding.
I haven't met you. You must be Kelly's other half.
No. We're not together. I'm single.
Conversation #3 - babysitting 6 year olds.
Kel-Kell, are you married?
No.
Kel-Kell, do you have a boyfriend?
No.
Kel-Kell, how old are you?
I'm 22.
Kel-Kell you're too old to not have a boyfriend.
Conversation # 4 - random couple at Zaxby's.
Wife: You guys are welcome to the Pastor's conference in Feb.
Oh, and you can bring your husband.
I will when I find him, I'm single.
Husband: Just go to Walmart.
I didn't know they sold those there.
Husband: They don't, but you're purdy enough, you just have to stand outside and you could bring one home by supper time.
Thanks for the advice.
Conversation # 5 - five year old boy.
Kel-Kell - would you rather fight a dragon, swim with sharks or kiss your husband?
Is this kid legit? Seriously? I'm 22, what do you think?
All this wedding talk has me thinking and I've come to a very important conclusion this week. I found myself talking to God over and over again as these conversations happened this week. I know the timeline the Lord's given me thus far, and though others would like to push things along, I'm at the place now that I've always been striving to get to. Driving in my car this week I told the Lord "I trust You." After I said it, I wanted to cry, simply because it was true. I trust Him. Completely. I laugh when conversations such as these come up, and I know more are to come, but to trust the Lord with my whole heart, to lean on His time table is the greatest relief. This is the place where I want to stay.
Have you come to that place yet? That place where it's in God's hands and you don't want to even think about taking it out of them? I love it. I love these moments and these conversations. I cherish trusting God. There have been moments in my life where I couldn't say that fully, where I only wanted to trust Him with a piece of my life and then I'll take care of the rest of it. I trust Him with it all. Do you?
Conversation #1 - with a friend.
When are you getting married?
That's a great question.
It's gonna happen soon.
Excuse me?
It's coming soon. Get ready.
Not funny and I'm not having this conversation.
Conversation # 2 - at a recent wedding.
I haven't met you. You must be Kelly's other half.
No. We're not together. I'm single.
Conversation #3 - babysitting 6 year olds.
Kel-Kell, are you married?
No.
Kel-Kell, do you have a boyfriend?
No.
Kel-Kell, how old are you?
I'm 22.
Kel-Kell you're too old to not have a boyfriend.
Conversation # 4 - random couple at Zaxby's.
Wife: You guys are welcome to the Pastor's conference in Feb.
Oh, and you can bring your husband.
I will when I find him, I'm single.
Husband: Just go to Walmart.
I didn't know they sold those there.
Husband: They don't, but you're purdy enough, you just have to stand outside and you could bring one home by supper time.
Thanks for the advice.
Conversation # 5 - five year old boy.
Kel-Kell - would you rather fight a dragon, swim with sharks or kiss your husband?
Is this kid legit? Seriously? I'm 22, what do you think?
All this wedding talk has me thinking and I've come to a very important conclusion this week. I found myself talking to God over and over again as these conversations happened this week. I know the timeline the Lord's given me thus far, and though others would like to push things along, I'm at the place now that I've always been striving to get to. Driving in my car this week I told the Lord "I trust You." After I said it, I wanted to cry, simply because it was true. I trust Him. Completely. I laugh when conversations such as these come up, and I know more are to come, but to trust the Lord with my whole heart, to lean on His time table is the greatest relief. This is the place where I want to stay.
Have you come to that place yet? That place where it's in God's hands and you don't want to even think about taking it out of them? I love it. I love these moments and these conversations. I cherish trusting God. There have been moments in my life where I couldn't say that fully, where I only wanted to trust Him with a piece of my life and then I'll take care of the rest of it. I trust Him with it all. Do you?
January 13, 2010
Today.
I had my first real grown up interview today. The president of the company told me I was 'intelligent". Isn't that interesting? In all the things I heard him say to me, that was the one that stood out. I hope that he believes that and hires me.
At first I thought the job was going to be too much for me and I questioned my own adequacy, but every thing I've done in the past has prepared me for it. From payroll to collections, everything adds up. I hope it adds up to this! This is a great company with the ability for growth. I really enjoyed the president and his staff manager. They seem to work together like a great team. The office is well put together and gives a great first impression.
In other news, I just found out that a friend of mine's mother passed away this week. My heart breaks for her and her brother. She is a beautiful woman of God and can use all the prayer you can send heavenward.
Tonight is prayer night at the church. We believe that God is going to do great things in Dahlonega, GA and I am looking forward to spending some much needed time with my Savior and Lord. I am refreshed by God's love and continual blessing in my life. I know that He is ever present with me in this new and fascinating shift that life has taken. Tonight, I thank God for His goodness, forgiveness and mercy, and I ask for direction in the decisions to come.
God bless you tonight, wherever you may find yourself.
January 12, 2010
New Year. New Season. New Life
Ever have any great ambition that you set out to do and then find yourself exhausted at 10pm at night wishing you had accomplished it that today? Every night I think about how much I could blog and share with the world and every morning I get up and get on with life.
Today I shall push pause for a moment and update the world on my life.
For the past three and half years I've studied the books, written the papers, and strived to accomplish one goal: graduation day. I did have an incredible experiece at Southeastern where I recieved leadership training and preparation that you can't put a price tag on. But when it comes to graduation, everyone highlights it as the granduer of your college career. "Today is the day you step into adult hood...welcome to real life." At least that's what "they say". (I've always wondered who "they" are...but this time it's mom, grandma, and everyone over the age of 22.)
Little did I realize just how right "they" are. In the last month, life has begun in a new way. It's a New Year, yes, with endless possibilites for the outcome. It's a New Season, I haven't experienced a true winter in 4 years thanks to Florida's sunny weather (i miss you). But truly, it's a New Life. It's full of possibilities and opportunies to grow and influence the lives of others.
It's a new day. It's a day for the books, as "they" would say.
I'll leave you with this thought.
"He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son." Revelation 21:5-7
Welcome to Today.
Today I shall push pause for a moment and update the world on my life.
For the past three and half years I've studied the books, written the papers, and strived to accomplish one goal: graduation day. I did have an incredible experiece at Southeastern where I recieved leadership training and preparation that you can't put a price tag on. But when it comes to graduation, everyone highlights it as the granduer of your college career. "Today is the day you step into adult hood...welcome to real life." At least that's what "they say". (I've always wondered who "they" are...but this time it's mom, grandma, and everyone over the age of 22.)
Little did I realize just how right "they" are. In the last month, life has begun in a new way. It's a New Year, yes, with endless possibilites for the outcome. It's a New Season, I haven't experienced a true winter in 4 years thanks to Florida's sunny weather (i miss you). But truly, it's a New Life. It's full of possibilities and opportunies to grow and influence the lives of others.
It's a new day. It's a day for the books, as "they" would say.
I'll leave you with this thought.
"He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son." Revelation 21:5-7
Welcome to Today.
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