All-You-Can-Eat Seafood

In Luke 9, we see Jesus perform one of his many miracles.  It is a story familiar to us all.   It is when Jesus feeds a crowd of 5,000 (not including women and children) that gathered to see Jesus with just 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish.

This is one of my favorite Bible stories as it is filled with so much Biblical truth.  I want to unpack some of it right here:

Focus: The disciples have just returned from a journey where they took nothing- no extra clothes, food, or money- and were given the authority and power by Jesus to go out and heal the sick, cure diseases, and drive out demons. Yet, the disciples return and they are in a frenzy about dinner.  How short their memory must have been as they had forgotten what the Lord had just done. In the same way we can’t lose focus of the things Christ has done in our lives. His character remains the same, and as he has been faithful to us before, so He will be again. Focus on Jesus. Don’t lose sight of who He is, His character, and what He has done for you before.

Provision: Simply put, the people had a need, and Jesus provided. They were hungry and Jesus fed them. Once again, Jesus’ character always remains the same. He will always provide for us, no matter what circumstances we seem to be in. In His time, He will provide.

Supernatural: Christ is not limited by circumstance. He is not bound by the natural. We see this as He fed thousands with an amount of food that would barely feed a small family. Jesus’ provision and faithfulness knows no boundaries and is not confined by our perceived realities. He is above it. He is the almighty, the all-powerful. The supernatural is His natural.

Satisfaction: Jesus is more than enough. The crowd ate and the Bible says they were “satisfied”.  In fact, after the meal, the disciples picked up 12 basketfuls of left-overs.  Jesus went above and beyond.  The disciples were worried they would not have enough, yet Jesus provided for them even more than they needed. Ephesians 3:20 tells us that Christ is able to do “immeasurably more than we can even ask or imagine”.  God knows our needs, and not only will He meet them…He will exceed them!

This isn’t some story that happened a thousand years ago. This is who Jesus is and it applies today.  His faithfulness and provision remains the same.  Don’t lose sight of who Jesus is and what He can do for you.  Of all the things the Lord cares about, your circumstances are at the bottom of His lists of concerns. He has power over them, and He WILL come through!

Jesus fed thousands with a couple of fish. How do you need Him to provide for you?

In Season Every Season

Clemson has a motto that states “In Season Every Season”.  This is true because no matter what time of the year, no matter what season, Clemson is absolutely beautiful.  From the evening sunsets on Lake Hartwell in the Summer time, to the orange that covers trees and fans during football season and Fall, to Bowman field covered by snow in the winter. Clemson is just as beautiful in one season as the next.

In the Bible, the Lord tells us that there is a time and season for everything.  Sometimes, however, we do not necessarily find ourselves in the particular season we want to be in.  You might be single, and longing for that significant other.  You might be waiting for the next step in your life. Or maybe you just don’t like where you are at right now. However, where you are right now, at this moment, is where God has placed you, and given you a specific purpose.

As Christians, we are never really out of season.  We are either going through preparation, transformation, or affirmation.  God is preparing us, transforming us, or affirming us as we carry out His specific plan.  In the world of sports, the “off season” is just as important, if not more, than the actual season itself.  This is the time where athletes prepare for what lies ahead.  This is no different in our daily lives as Christians and our walks with Christ.

Embrace where you are right now. Rejoice in, no matter the circumstance, where God has you right now. Anticipate all the things He has in store for you.  The season you are in right now is critical to the next in your life.  Don’t look ahead, see the beauty in where you are now. Allow God to prepare you now for what comes next.

“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven”
-Ecclesiastes 3:1

Servants or Sidelines?

In John 2:11 we see Jesus perform his first miracle.  The wedding banquet he was attending quickly became a dry wedding as all the wine had been consumed.  Jesus then called over some servants to go over to some water jars, draw out some water, and take them to the master of the banquet.  The master of the banquet tasted the liquid from the jar and commented on how it was the best wine he had ever tasted.  The Bible says that the master did not know where it came from, but the servants did.

See, what happened here is, everybody at the wedding got to experience the product of this miracle, however, they did not understand nor fully grasp the supernatural that had just occurred.  However, the servants, got to be involved in, and experience first hand the miracle that had just occurred.

How about in our lives? Are we the party or the servants?  Are we spectators or are we involved?  We can go to FCA, RUF, Campus Crusade or many other things, and even see Jesus moving in awesome ways.  BUT. Are you just seeing the product?  Or are you experiencing it first hand?

Get off the sidelines and into the game!  You are too valuable to not be involved.  However, the game is more dangerous and uncomfortable than observing from the sidelines, but EXPERIENCING FIRTST HAND the awesomeness of the King of the Universe is worth every second of it.  BE A SERVANT!

P.S. As servants, we have to check our motives and intentions.  Who are we serving?  Why are we serving?  Whose approval are we seeking?  Check out this post by my friend Matt.

David Series: The Cost of Sacrifice

I was reading in 2 Samuel last night, and I came across a verse that rocked me pretty hard.  David was commanded to go to buy land from this man in order to make an altar before God.  However, the man wanted to just give the land to David free of charge.  It was how David responded to this that rocked my world.  In 2 Samuel 24:24 David says “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”

This response to the Lord is something I really want to continually strive for.  Sacrifice, without cost, is not really sacrifice.  It has to cost us something.  It is our way of telling God that He is more important to us than something else.  God is not interested in our gifts; God is interested in our sacrifice.  To God, it is all or nothing.  If I give him 90% of my life, but hold back that 10%, I am being disobedient. It is not ok to give God almost everything.  Our God is not a God of almosts.  Nobody ever said sacrifice is easy, but it is necessary.

Sacrifice will not go unnoticed or unblessed by God.  In Matthew 26, we see a woman pour expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet and wipe them with her hair.  The perfume was worth about $30,000, and she poured it on His FEET.  But she was fine with that.  The money, the worth, the purpose, and everything else did not matter to her because all she cared about was honoring her Lord.  This outpour of love did not go unnoticed, either, to Jesus. Jesus says in verse 13, “I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” That is a pretty big deal, because it showed a great amount of love.

What are you sacrificing to God?  What about, what are you holding back?  Are you holding back time, money, or maybe some important decisions?  Whatever it might be, GIVE IT UP!  There is no better way to show love than to sacrifice.  Sacrifice is putting another before yourself.  It is selfless.  It is love.  And it will cost you something. But it is the least we can do for Jesus considering He sacrificed His life for us.

David Series: Inquiring of the Lord

he (David) inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?”
The LORD answered him, “Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” 1 Samuel 23:2

and David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?” “Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue 1 Samuel 30:8

so David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”
The LORD answered him, “Go, for I will surely hand the Philistines over to you.” 2 Samuel 5:19

so David inquired of the LORD, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. 2 Samuel 5:23

God does not desire surrender in part.  God wants us to humble ourselves, and live lives of complete abandonment to Him. He wants complete, total, and utter surrender.  He wants it in every aspect of our lives.  Every step, every decision, and every moment laid before Him.  That’s what it means to surrender and humble ourselves before the Lord.   In James 4:10 it tells us to “humble ourselves before the Lord, and he will lift us up”.  This was evident in the life of David.

David lived a life of complete surrender to God.  And God was there for him.  The Bible says that the Lord was with David.  And the Lord gave David victory in every aspect of his life.  This was a direct result from David giving every detail of his life up to the Lord.  We see this all throughout his life as he inquired of the Lord.  Everything David did was in complete surrender to God.

What about you? Doing things our own way is a dangerous trap a lot of us fall into.  Is there something you are still holding onto?  Failure to give something up completely to God is telling him that you do not trust him with that particular thing.  It is telling God that you can handle it better yourself.  Are you rushing into something without first inquiring of the Lord?  You might want to check with Him first.  After all He does know best, and it is better to be humble then to be humbled.

Inquire of the Lord.  Humble yourself before Him.  There is nothing to big or small, or too mundane or important to bring before the Lord.  God promises to lift us up in victory.  But first we must surrender!

David Series: Wait for the Lord

As a young man, David was anointed to one day become King.  It was God’s promise to David that he would rule over all of Israel.  After this anointing, however, David went back to being a shepherd. Because it was not God’s timing for David to be King yet.  Then David defeated Goliath.  He also led men into battle and defeated over 10,000 men who were enemies of Israel.  David’s name was famous throughout all the land, and everybody found great favor with David. But it was still not God’s timing yet.

King Saul then became very jealous of David and tried to kill him.  David had to flee the kingdom.  He had to leave the place that was promised to him.  He fled out into the desert, and had to hide in caves.  He had to deceive people in order to survive and even act like a crazy person (1 Samuel 21:13).  He even joined sides with the enemy, the Philistines, so that Saul would not kill him.  He befriended the very enemy of the nation that he was promised to rule over, just so he could live.  Why did he have to go through all of this? Because it was still not God’s timing.

David cried out to God in hurt and desperation, thinking that God had turned a deaf ear on Him, but he still trusted in God’s faithfulness. And in God’s timing, David did indeed take the throne as King of Israel.  It just happened according to God’s plan and God’s timing.

If David, the Lord’s anointed and the man after God’s own heart was not exempt from sorrow and trials, then neither will we be.  But we can have hope, and trust in God’s faithfulness.  He will deliver his promise to us, but in HIS TIMING.  Psalm 18:30 says “As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him.”  God is our shield, our comfort, and in that we can have peace.

God’s way, God’s plan, and God’s timing are perfect.  His promise to you will be delivered right on time, not one second early or one second late.  God has never made a promise He hasn’t delivered on. Maybe right now you feel like you are alone in the desert like David was, with the weight of the world crashing down on you. God is with you. He will guide you. He will protect you. He is your shield. Rest in that. God will come through.

Meanwhile, what is God teaching you right now? How is he preparing you? God doesn’t call the prepared, He prepares the called.  David had to go through the  lions and bears, giants and kings, and deserts and caves, but he finally did reach the throne. In God’s timing. Fully equipped. Fully prepared to do what the Lord had called him to do. However, he had to wait for the Lord, but it was well worth it in the end.

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

David Series: Life Change Breeds Life Change

“When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines”    1 Samuel 17:51-52

“Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.”

Life change breeds life change.  All it takes is for one person to be the spark that ignites a generation on fire for the name of Jesus.  All it takes is for ONE person to be passionately in love with Jesus, faithfully walking in obedience after Him, and boldly proclaiming His name, for a generation of people to be inspired to do the same.

We see in 1 Samuel 17 that the whole nation of Israel was scared to fight Goliath.  But David was not going to sit around and listen to this man mocking and defying his God.  David, a boy, told King Saul that he would go and fight Goliath.  So David went, killed Goliath, and cut off his head.  All of the Israelites and Philistines saw this, and were shocked.  But two things happened here as a result of David’s faith, obedience, and boldness: The enemy retreated and the “good guys” surged forward.

This is true in our lives as well.  When we lift Jesus up, He draws people not to us, but to Him that is in us.  When we are passionately living for Jesus, He overflows out of us into our daily lives.  When we are truly running after Him, it will be evident by the fruit that we produce.  This fruit, and this overflow, is what will inspire others to start running after Jesus as well.  It is the spark that ignites the flame.  The flame of God’s all consuming fire that is ready to do work on the hearts of so many.  This is when Satan will head for the hills.  The Bible says resist the devil and he will flee from you.  When our lives are lives of and pursuing God and resisting Satan, he will run from us.  This is because we already have victory over Satan.  Jesus already conquered death.  That same power lives inside me and you.

Are you willing to be the one to step forward. Are you willing to move when God says move? Are you willing to go where God says go? Are you willing to obey regardless of the consequences?

Do you want to be the one that causes a whole nation to surge forward?  Life change breeds life change. All it takes is one.  It starts with you.  Now GO!

David Series: Lions and Giants and Bears, Oh My!

David was a shepherd.  The lowest of occupations back in the day.  Yet he took great pride in his work, his very humbling work.  Shepherds took very good care of their sheep.  The duties of a shepherd required guarding the sheep from predators as they moved from pasture to pasture.

In 1 Samuel 17, David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear.”

I am sure when these events took place, David was slightly perturbed.  I can imagine him complaining to God how he was humbly and obediently doing God’s will as he did this crappy job, yet still had to put up with stuff like that.  However, despite what it seemed at the time, these trials prepared him for a “giant” (pun very intended) task later on down the road.  At the time it might not have made sense to him, but God’s reason was very clear to David when the time came.  After David spoke to Saul about killing the lions and bears that were after his sheep he said to Saul, “this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

David realized that his previous trials were God’s way of preparing him for this situation he was now in.  If he had not had the opportunity to ward off those lions and bears in the past, then the outcome against Goliath might not have been the same.

In James 1:2-4, it says “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” I want to encourage you to consider it pure joy next time you seem to be facing some type of trial.  God is with you.  He has a reason.  He is preparing you for something greater down the road.  David’s victory over Goliath slingshotted him down his path to the throne of Israel, but he had to deal with some lions and bears first.  In the same way, the reason behind your momentary troubles will eventually be evident to you.

Trust in God.  Trust in his purpose for you.  He is with you every step of the way. Rejoice in suffering. Rejoice when you are battling the lions and bears of trial in your life because it is preparation for something God has in store for you in the future.  Preparation for something great, but it will be revealed in God’s timing.

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”  2 Corinthians 4:17

Now What?

I have heard so many stories of how God has rocked people’s worlds this school year.  It didn’t matter if it was freshmen, sophomores, juniors, or even seniors.  God has set many hearts on fire.  He has revived many relationships between Himself and others.  He has poured out countless blessings through friendships, opportunities, and various other things.  God has poured out his faithfulness, love, and favor on so many.  How awesome is that? Praise God!

But now what?

Many of us are leaving our friends for the summer that encouraged us so much in our walks with Christ.  We are leaving the place where it is so easy to follow whole-heartedly after God.  We are leaving the place where we have called home for the last 9 months.

We are heading back to the place where it might not be so easy to grow in our relationships with Jesus.  We will be encountering friends again that might not spur us on in our walks with Christ; in fact, they might do the complete opposite.  We lose the comfort of the “spiritual bubble” that we can find ourselves in, in the midst of the FCA’s, Bible studies, and relationships we have here at school, and we are heading to a place where it is not necessarily easy to run after God the same way we have been.

However, don’t lose heart.  Keep seeking after God.  Crave time with the Lord like you hunger for food.  Don’t forget where God has taken you this year.  Apply what he has been teaching you to your life right now where you are.  It might not necessarily be easy, but God has been preparing you.  Let Him stretch you. Let Him challenge you. But most importantly, we must continue to seek Him, crave Him, and desire Him.

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.”      James 1:22-25

Don’t forget what God has done for you, through you, and in you this past year.  Don’t walk away this summer forgetting all of this.  Continue living in God, and seeking after Him, and be blessed!

God’s Timing

Why Jesus? totally blew my mind last Wednesday night. I could write a novel on the favor, faithfulness, and pure awesomeness of God throughout the whole process. But tonight, at least, I want to focus on one huge thing God taught me through the whole Why Jesus? process. God’s timing.

Last Wednesday night, during Why Jesus?, Jason was speaking about the leper in Mark that came to Jesus to be healed. “Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “BE CLEAN!” When Jason was reading this verse, at the very moment that he said “Be Clean!”, a shooting star sprinted across the sky above Martin Hall in the Amphitheater. The many who saw this described it as the closest and longest shooting star they have ever seen. When I heard this story for the first time, I was just in awe of how awesome that was, and how awesome God is.

But later on, I started thinking about this a little more.

Lets talk a little science, astrology if you will. We are so small in the midst of this world we live in. However, the earth is nothing in comparison to the sun. It would take 960,000 earths to fill up the sun. But wait! Lets compare the Sun to an average star. An average star is twice the size, not of the Sun, but of the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. If the Earth were the size of a golf ball, a star would stand the height of six Empire State Buildings on top of each other. Take a second to fully grasp that. That is huge!

So that got me thinking. God decided to put that HUGE star into motion at the very, and exact moment that Jason read “Be Clean!”. How awesome is God!? How awesome is his timing!? He controlled that humongous star, and put it into motion at the very time this small voice was reading scripture in a very small Amphitheater. Do you understand just how cool and awesome that is!? So if God can do something like that, can’t we trust in His timing with other things? If He can do something that huge in another galaxy somewhere out there, don’t you think He can handle something small in, not just this galaxy, but this solar system, planet, or better yet, your life??

God’s timing is perfect. Everything was very well choreographed before one human being set foot on this planet. Everything happens according to HIS timing and HIS plan. We can walk in, and trust in that. Nothing happens outside these conditions. Carry on in this faith; boldly walk in the fact that God has everything planned out for you. Psalm 119:105 says “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Seeks God direction, and saunter in it. It doesn’t say His word is a spotlight down my path. We have to trust in His faithfulness and love for us, one step at a time. God knows what He is doing, and it is for YOUR good. Isaiah 22:22 tells us that doors God opens, no one can shut, and doors God shuts no one can open. Trust in Him, as he leads you from one door to the next, from one season of your life into the next. Don’t keep banging on shut doors, and follow God into the door of the next step in your life.

Everything happens for a reason, and it happens when God wants it to. When we can fully grasp this, what depths of peace we will experience. Trust in God’s timing. Live in it. Walk in it. Rejoice in it!

With all creation I sing praise to the King of kings
                                                                                  You are my everything, and I will adore You