Does Satan Exist?

I found this really intriguing and was wondering what some of my "followers" or "readers" thought... take a peak at the link below and watch the clips consecutively. I'd say it probably takes 30-45 min to watch them all. I think this is a topic that doesn't get discussed very often and I found it gut-wrenching and eye-opening all at once. I will say, however, that I praise God for those he's created... no matter what their views or opinions are. In each of them, I see God revealed and I am thankful for that.

DOES SATAN EXIST?

What Do I Know of Holy?

what do i know of you father? on earth and heaven above, what do i know of your love? sometimes, i feel so far from you... even when searching and seeking your face. as i continue to seek you, i thank you for the days i get to experience your overwhelming holiness. i pray that you continue to use me in reconciling those lost back to you. i pray that i see your sovereign character and your holiness in every year that i live, every day of every week, every minute of every day... in every person, in every season of life, in every struggle, in every mission- big or small, and in every breath i take. 

you are the great reconciler. you make me strive for holiness. i will give you praise father... even when i fail over and over again at being holy.

'but just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written, "be holy, because i am holy".'

1 peter 1:15-16

'for you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. he was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.'

1 peter 1:18-20

thank you for moments like these in my life. you never cease to amaze me. i'm going to keep chasing you...

Known By Our Love

yesterday, as i was mingling right inside the doors of oak hills (church) i was humbled by the tiniest act of authentic love. this couple, who had recently welcomed their new baby into the world just days before, had brought their new addition to show her off to everyone. as people gathered around to sneak a peak and chat with the new parents, a few grocery bags of homemade food were dropped off around their feet and next to the car seat. being a friend of the couple, i walked with them out to their car to help load up the food. as we were loading it up and saying our goodbyes, i couldn't help but feeling blessed by this simple, yet beautiful act of authentic love shown to these people by members of our body who just wanted to love on them.

lately, i've had conversations with various friends about how the typical american church is known by anything and everything except authentic love. we put on these massive performances at Christmas time with flashy lights and spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to pull these insane operations off. we look at our leaders, pastors, and ministers sitting up high on their pedestals because we've placed them there and they either don't realize it or don't feel the need to come down. we build these fancy buildings with expensive novelties to attract "un-churched people" so that they might feel like they're not really stepping foot in a church; to make them feel comfortable... we spend so much time in our fast powered boats trying to camouflage ourselves so that we can "get the numbers" by a sneak attack here or a hurried service there. 

the biggest characteristic of a Christ-centered church is that the body is knitted together in love. our individual walks with God ought to be community projects. we can't do it by ourselves. how will people know we are followers of Christ? they need to see how we love. that's when the community around us will notice the church. when its members are actively and passionately loving each other... the people sitting next to us on Sunday mornings or Wednesday nights. 

"love your neighbor as yourself" the bible says. 1 thessalonians 4:9 talks about how we are directly taught by God to love. "now about brotherly love we do not need to write you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other." you already love yourself so figure out how to love your neighbor- say "God, teach me how to love...". Christian brotherhood is not an ideal which we must realize, it is already a reality created by God in Christ in which we participate.  

the church needs to be like-minded in this. if we can do this; be like-minded and gushing with authentic love to each other, the "outsiders" looking in will know us for that. not by our fancy buildings and signs or expensive retreats. we'll be known by our love. 

after all, Jesus founded His empire on love. want to be like Jesus? wash the feet of your neighbor. bring a meal for a family who might be overwhelmed. pray about being aware of the divine appointments God has set up for you throughout your day. let's not zoom through the busyness of each day like we all do and let's just sail along with the wind of God's voice in our sail, directing us to those who need to be shown true, authentic love. 

help me not to be okay just because everything is okay with me. i want to feel the pain that someone else feels... i want to rejoice when others have something to rejoice about... i want to ask, "how can i love you today?" and then i want to actually do it... joyfully.  

Suffering

i was talking with a friend just yesterday about suffering. as i was asking about her specific struggle, it got me thinking about the role God plays in our suffering. why would a God of love appoint us to suffer, ever? the struggles, the illnesses, the loss of a loved one or job, the trying times in our lives... if God is a God of love and compassion then why is there suffering for his people?

to that, i answered myself this... God never asked us to do anything we can do; He asked us to live a life we can never live, to do a work we can never do. it is by His grace that we are living and doing it. it is by His Spirit that we are living it out. and through it all, there will be struggling and persecution. it says so in the Word. (2 timothy 3:12)

when the apostle paul was locked up in a roman jail cell, he was suffering. it was then when he wrote about suffering and what God intends it to look like through the story of Epaphroditus (who risked his life to share the love that the philippians had for him). 

"now i rejoice in what was suffered for you, and i fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. i have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in it's fullness-" colossians 1:24-26

paul is filling up the afflictions of Jesus. meaning; what's missing from those afflictions is the presentation of our suffering savior. since we couldn't see Jesus' death, He sends ambassadors of his suffering to suffer in our midst. He calls you to suffer for him to bring his love and his afflictions to bear on you. Christ could no longer make the personal presentation to all the nations... he's in Heaven. we, however, are called the body of Christ. thus, God intends for the afflictions of Christ to be presented to the world through the afflictions of His people. 

paul is like epaphraditus. he's taking the love offering of the sufferings of Christ and offering to those who didn't have a personal relationship with Jesus. his sufferings are an extension to others so they might not only hear about how Christ suffered for them, but see in him, His body and His sufferings for them. 

our suffering advances the gospel. i'm perfectly okay with that. if i am to suffer for the sake of the spreading of the gospel then lay it on me. and here's the kicker. i will pray that i rejoice in it too! we can rejoice because Jesus will carry us through it. like that cheesy poem, the "footprints" one. "...when you saw only one set of footprints in the sand, it was then that i carried you". haha but this is true. life is going to be a roller coaster of trials and tribulations and times of suffering. it should also be about continuous praise and glory given to our Father through it all. therefore, "...because the Lord's steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise Him." psalm 63:3

finally; through your suffering, are you making it known that the hope of Christ lives in you? it is said, "...the God of all peace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." 1 peter 5:10

is this length good mr. kelly? ;)

   

Seeds

this, i found interesting... i was as intrigued as skeptical to see what the inevitable spin would be. come to find out, Matthew Parris, the author, was born in africa and raised throughout the country, and was personally familiar with christian missionaries who often lived and worked in villages close to his own. link here

as a frequent contributor to The Times, he was asked to go to malawi to see the charity that the paper supports. in his first few paragraphs, Parris comments that: “. . . traveling in malawi refreshed another belief, too:  one i’ve been trying to banish all my life, but an observation i’ve been unable to avoid since my african childhood. it confounds my ideological beliefs, stubbornly refuses to fit my world view, and has embarrassed my growing belief that there is no God.

“now a confirmed atheist, i’ve become convinced of the enormous contribution that christian evangelism makes in africa:  sharply distinct from the work of secular NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts. these alone will not do. education and training alone will not do. in africa christianity changes people’s hearts. it brings a spiritual transformation. the rebirth is real. the change is good.”

reading that ignited myriad thoughts and questions, and for a brief moment, i sat in simple silence as i basked in God’s love for this man. can you just imagine?! the seeds that are being planted by these missionaries, obedient servants, and the authentic loving followers of Christ will most likely be unknown to them. what's so propitious is that God is using this man, who chooses not to believe, to ignite someone like little old me, to be encouraged. i am encouraged to love authentically and not only that but to pray that i am able to show authentic love to those standing in line at the grocery store, neighbors i meet in the elevator in my apartment, and the people of this city. “an observation i have been unable to avoid since my childhood” is nothing short of the gracious, patient and relentless love of a real God gently knocking on the door of his heart waiting to be invited in. the “spiritual transformations” he has witnessed and has humbly admitted to, despite his own personal belief to not believe, must be speaking louder in the halls of his heart than he realizes. he goes on to say that the change and impact that christianity has brought to so many people, tribes and nations throughout africa is undeniable and is worthy of recognition. he remarks that “only the severest kind of secularist could see a mission hospital or school and say the world would be better without it.” i am encouraged by this because God is still seen and reflected in and through the lives of all His children.

despite the turbulent circumstances that plague our world, the love and light of Christ is recognized. i am encouraged to see that the Word is in fact living, active and true.