I have spent the entire summer in Etna California working at a nonprofit adventure ministry. I was looking thru my phone and saw this note that I made to myself while flying to California. I want to share with you the revelation the Lord gave me while on an airplane.
May 16, 2011
Flying to Sacramento has made me think a lot about the spiritual realm. There is something about being 36004 ft above the ground that puts the spiritual realm into perspective for me. I looked down over Alabama and saw a tremendous stretch of storms. Underneath the clouds all I would have seen were dark clouds and all I would have heard were unpromising forecasts and thunder. Standing on the soil, common place for people to stand, my attention would have been on something that was uncertain. This morning I was above the clouds though, it's funny that when looking up at a storm you never think about how beautiful and blue the sky is beyond the layer of clouds, this morning I was in the middle of a beautiful blue sky.
Living in the spiritual realm means only satisfying your spirit-man. Living above circumstances, above disaster, above storms. This is difficult because we as faulty humans have become entangled in a mindset that only wants to satisfy our bodies and minds. What does it even look like to only strengthen your spirit though? I'm convinced that it looks lot like flying 36000 feet above the earth. I know that under the layer of clouds there was fear, and uncertainty, but just above that was Beaty and blue. When flying in the heights, you can see the beginning of a desert and you can see the end of the desert. The most beautiful thing that I have received from being this high in the air, is that, even the most awe inspiring and beautiful things on earth look small and unimportant. I just flew over the rocky mountains, they looked beautiful, but there was something different about them. They were small. God is big and from up here He only seems bigger. We put so much emphasis on what looks huge from an earthly perspective. Looking at the Rocky Mountain range from the ground would have made them look unbelievably gigantic, horrifying, awesome, and beautiful at the same time. Maybe you are at the foot of a huge mountain, maybe you are underneath storm clouds that stretch for miles. Get higher than the peaks and the storm and see it from above. Strengthen the only thing we were given that will last forever, our spirits.
I feel like recognizing the spiritual realm is a lot like writing a movie. You could put your character thru the most excruciating situations and you could see his rise and his fall, all knowing that at the end of your movie, the theme would resolve and your character would be fine in the end as if the themes and situations your character faced throughout the entire story were put in his path to stretch and to shape him. It's almost funny to me that we relate and understand this example so well but something seems off. We know God and we know His promises yet, when we experience deserts and difficult themes we act as if the end of our story would leave people believing that they deserved their money back? Living in the spiritual realm means that the only thing our eyes our fixed on, is the end of our story. The day we see Jesus' face and our joy is complete.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Monday, July 19, 2010
The Book of Mark, ch 5-6
I decided to study the book of Mark in the bible, I will blog my thoughts in a chapter by chapter day by day blogpost on the gospel. If anyone reading wants to study thru the book with me please feel free to do so and submit your thoughts! Jake
Ch. 5 has one of the most descriptive and quite horrifying explanations of a demon, in all of the bible. I think the content of the first 13 verses is very important, as horrifying as it may be, it shows us that these demons are absolutely terrified of the power that Jesus has over them. (keep in mind that in Jesus' death you now hold the power that these demons ran from) The man that was freed from the demons was sitting calm and silent when the crowds began to show, there's always a crowd. The people of the town were frightened by Jesus and begged Jesus to go and leave them be. I love that Jesus told the man that he healed to stay in the town and tell of the good things the Lord has done. This is so important because then the only idea they had of Jesus was one that they were afraid of. He needed this man not only to go out share the good news, he needed him to stay in his town and me a testament to the Lord's strength and grace.
We also read of a beautiful examples of how when you touch Jesus your life is forever changed, and how Jesus can restore a dead life!
Ch 6. I also took some time to meditate on this chapter, I felt like there were many lessons to be learned in this chapter. Jesus was rejected in his hometown. Why is this? You can never escape a small town can you. They had no faith and knew nothing of His power because they had seen everything Jesus had ever done sense he was a kid, keep in mind Jesus only taught for about 3 1/2 years. He was baptized shortly after he was 30 and was executed when he was 33. So for thirty years they saw Jesus as a regular working man. the Word tells us that in his hometown he only healed a few people. "5And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief." ~ Wherever you are right now; home, office, library I want you to stop and join in prayer with me. Pray for an unshakable faith and not only an unshakable faith but for a faith that sees miracles, a faith that gets people healed, a faith that moves mountains, a faith that rebukes demons in Jesus name.~ You want to see biblical miracles, miracles we were promised? believe.
Pride is a dangerous thing, king Herod's pride cost John the baptist his head. We read verses later that Jesus and his disciples decided to take a break and reflect on everything that had been taught. While on the way to their break place "33 But many people recognized them and saw them leaving, and people from many towns ran ahead along the shore and got there ahead of them. 34 Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things." In his own down time, he saw these sheep and taught them many things! He put himself aside, no matter how tired he was, and taught them! The lost were more important than what he was doing so he abandoned plans and shared the Good News. There are many wandering sheep in our world. How many plans do we need to abandon in our everyday lives?
Ch. 5 has one of the most descriptive and quite horrifying explanations of a demon, in all of the bible. I think the content of the first 13 verses is very important, as horrifying as it may be, it shows us that these demons are absolutely terrified of the power that Jesus has over them. (keep in mind that in Jesus' death you now hold the power that these demons ran from) The man that was freed from the demons was sitting calm and silent when the crowds began to show, there's always a crowd. The people of the town were frightened by Jesus and begged Jesus to go and leave them be. I love that Jesus told the man that he healed to stay in the town and tell of the good things the Lord has done. This is so important because then the only idea they had of Jesus was one that they were afraid of. He needed this man not only to go out share the good news, he needed him to stay in his town and me a testament to the Lord's strength and grace.
We also read of a beautiful examples of how when you touch Jesus your life is forever changed, and how Jesus can restore a dead life!
Ch 6. I also took some time to meditate on this chapter, I felt like there were many lessons to be learned in this chapter. Jesus was rejected in his hometown. Why is this? You can never escape a small town can you. They had no faith and knew nothing of His power because they had seen everything Jesus had ever done sense he was a kid, keep in mind Jesus only taught for about 3 1/2 years. He was baptized shortly after he was 30 and was executed when he was 33. So for thirty years they saw Jesus as a regular working man. the Word tells us that in his hometown he only healed a few people. "5And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief." ~ Wherever you are right now; home, office, library I want you to stop and join in prayer with me. Pray for an unshakable faith and not only an unshakable faith but for a faith that sees miracles, a faith that gets people healed, a faith that moves mountains, a faith that rebukes demons in Jesus name.~ You want to see biblical miracles, miracles we were promised? believe.
Pride is a dangerous thing, king Herod's pride cost John the baptist his head. We read verses later that Jesus and his disciples decided to take a break and reflect on everything that had been taught. While on the way to their break place "33 But many people recognized them and saw them leaving, and people from many towns ran ahead along the shore and got there ahead of them. 34 Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things." In his own down time, he saw these sheep and taught them many things! He put himself aside, no matter how tired he was, and taught them! The lost were more important than what he was doing so he abandoned plans and shared the Good News. There are many wandering sheep in our world. How many plans do we need to abandon in our everyday lives?
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
The Book of Mark, ch 3-4
I decided to study the book of Mark in the bible, I will blog my thoughts in a chapter by chapter day by day blogpost on the gospel. If anyone reading wants to study thru the book with me please feel free to do so and submit your thoughts! Jake
I meditated a lot on ch3, there is a lot to this chapter and many lessons to be learned. Jesus heals a man's crippled hand even though it was the day on the Sabbath. This was obviously a questionable act to do on a day of rest, we know this because Jesus addresses the issue. Since it is the Sabbath, does that relieve us of our duties as humans to help those in need? We see Jesus get angry at the Pharisees and their lack of concern for the man. Due to the sinning in the garden, man is cursed and is told he will scratch at the land to produce his living (Genesis 3:17-19). So a man has to produce his living and provide by using his hands, therefore a man with lame hands cannot do either of the two. He is told to put his hand out and in doing this his hand was completely healed. This gives the man a future to work and provide and to help himself. Its a reoccurring theme for Jesus to help those less fortunate and help those who cannot help themselves, this is a great example and instruction on how to be more Christ-like. Reach for Christ!
Jesus later calls on his twelve disciples, he meets with them and immediately upon naming the twelve, gives them the power to heal, and to cast out demons, upon following Christ they were given authority over the enemy! We see, verses later, a way to cut off the power of the Holy Spirit inside of us, DON'T BLASPHEME THE HOLY SPIRIT, we need all of him that we can get! I love the very end of ch3, Jesus proclaims that the people that follow and love him, are closer to his heart than his earthly family. Our family is huge and so powerful once we band together, tear down some walls, and pursue Him together.
Ch4, I remember the first time I heard the story of the different kinds of soil, I was a sophomore in high school and sitting in a house church that met on Tuesday nights. Lee Fruh began a message based around these four soils and it spoke a great deal to me. I could relate to every type of soil mentioned in the chapter, not exactly something to brag about, but it was the first time I felt like the Holy Bible was relevant in my life as a 15 year-old. The thorny soil is something that really spoke to me. The soil in which a seed is planted in very fertile soil but before it reaches its potential it is killed by thorny plants that grow right along-side of it. This has happened to me plenty of times, something great sparked a flame, but it was immediately extinguished. The enemy is so afraid of the power we are given upon accepting Christ. So afraid that he sends his strong forces to attack us, many times putting us out of the fight for a while. Our enemy knows when something huge is happening in our hearts and just like Jesus was tempted upon being baptized (born again) we will be too. Good news though, He is stronger than any force that has ever stepped foot on the battlefield. I was meeting with a really great guy and a huge inspiration to me, and he was telling me of a conversation he had with a Brazilian man who was describing the country of Brazil, the man said ,"We are a very fertile people in the sense of; if something bad is planted much bad will grow, but just as easily if something great is planted, so much good will grow". I feel like that so well describes our generation. So lets have our roots deep in Him and lets reap our harvest!
PS: v.39-41 The forces of nature obey the Lord, when He says, "Quiet down" they quiet down. C'mon lets have a little faith here.
I meditated a lot on ch3, there is a lot to this chapter and many lessons to be learned. Jesus heals a man's crippled hand even though it was the day on the Sabbath. This was obviously a questionable act to do on a day of rest, we know this because Jesus addresses the issue. Since it is the Sabbath, does that relieve us of our duties as humans to help those in need? We see Jesus get angry at the Pharisees and their lack of concern for the man. Due to the sinning in the garden, man is cursed and is told he will scratch at the land to produce his living (Genesis 3:17-19). So a man has to produce his living and provide by using his hands, therefore a man with lame hands cannot do either of the two. He is told to put his hand out and in doing this his hand was completely healed. This gives the man a future to work and provide and to help himself. Its a reoccurring theme for Jesus to help those less fortunate and help those who cannot help themselves, this is a great example and instruction on how to be more Christ-like. Reach for Christ!
Jesus later calls on his twelve disciples, he meets with them and immediately upon naming the twelve, gives them the power to heal, and to cast out demons, upon following Christ they were given authority over the enemy! We see, verses later, a way to cut off the power of the Holy Spirit inside of us, DON'T BLASPHEME THE HOLY SPIRIT, we need all of him that we can get! I love the very end of ch3, Jesus proclaims that the people that follow and love him, are closer to his heart than his earthly family. Our family is huge and so powerful once we band together, tear down some walls, and pursue Him together.
Ch4, I remember the first time I heard the story of the different kinds of soil, I was a sophomore in high school and sitting in a house church that met on Tuesday nights. Lee Fruh began a message based around these four soils and it spoke a great deal to me. I could relate to every type of soil mentioned in the chapter, not exactly something to brag about, but it was the first time I felt like the Holy Bible was relevant in my life as a 15 year-old. The thorny soil is something that really spoke to me. The soil in which a seed is planted in very fertile soil but before it reaches its potential it is killed by thorny plants that grow right along-side of it. This has happened to me plenty of times, something great sparked a flame, but it was immediately extinguished. The enemy is so afraid of the power we are given upon accepting Christ. So afraid that he sends his strong forces to attack us, many times putting us out of the fight for a while. Our enemy knows when something huge is happening in our hearts and just like Jesus was tempted upon being baptized (born again) we will be too. Good news though, He is stronger than any force that has ever stepped foot on the battlefield. I was meeting with a really great guy and a huge inspiration to me, and he was telling me of a conversation he had with a Brazilian man who was describing the country of Brazil, the man said ,"We are a very fertile people in the sense of; if something bad is planted much bad will grow, but just as easily if something great is planted, so much good will grow". I feel like that so well describes our generation. So lets have our roots deep in Him and lets reap our harvest!
PS: v.39-41 The forces of nature obey the Lord, when He says, "Quiet down" they quiet down. C'mon lets have a little faith here.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
The Book of Mark, ch 2
I decided to study the book of Mark in the bible, I will blog my thoughts in a chapter by chapter day by day blogpost on the gospel. If anyone reading wants to study thru the book with me please feel free to do so and submit your thoughts! Jake
So in chapter 1 Jesus is baptized and received the Holy Spirit. After spending 40 days in the wild being temped by Satan, he met his first disciples; Simon, Andrew, James, and John. With his crew he went into the town of Capernaum where he healed a few folks and gave some good news. At the end of the chapter Jesus leaves the town. A few days later Jesus comes back to the town of Capernaum and so chapter 2 begins with his re-entry to the town. The news of his arrival spread and the house he was staying in became so crowded that there was no room for anyone, inside and outside. So he taught the crowd and a crippled man was lowered, by his friends, into the room from a hole in the ceiling, and Jesus saw their faith and healed the man. Jesus then went to the lake shore to teach, while there he finds Levi (later given the Greek name Matthew), his next disciple, collecting taxes.
Matthew's story really spoke to me and really inspired me. Matthew was a tax collector, possibly the worst job one could have, the scum of the earth basically. Jesus saw him and said, "Come be my disciple" he got up and left his job and followed Jesus. What I love about this story is how immediate Matthew is, not only did he drop EVERYTHING and follow his Lord, he held a dinner that night and immediately began introducing his fellow tax collector friends to Jesus. He wasn't trained, he wasn't studied, he had not practiced, he just followed the Lord and started telling people about Christ.
If we wait for timing to be perfect and for us to be trained enough with enough wisdom and practice, before we start telling of our Lord and Savior, will we ever reach the people that God so desperately loves? Levi had a goal and that was to follow Jesus. If we truly follow Jesus how could we ever keep from sharing his glory?
Be used...
So in chapter 1 Jesus is baptized and received the Holy Spirit. After spending 40 days in the wild being temped by Satan, he met his first disciples; Simon, Andrew, James, and John. With his crew he went into the town of Capernaum where he healed a few folks and gave some good news. At the end of the chapter Jesus leaves the town. A few days later Jesus comes back to the town of Capernaum and so chapter 2 begins with his re-entry to the town. The news of his arrival spread and the house he was staying in became so crowded that there was no room for anyone, inside and outside. So he taught the crowd and a crippled man was lowered, by his friends, into the room from a hole in the ceiling, and Jesus saw their faith and healed the man. Jesus then went to the lake shore to teach, while there he finds Levi (later given the Greek name Matthew), his next disciple, collecting taxes.
Matthew's story really spoke to me and really inspired me. Matthew was a tax collector, possibly the worst job one could have, the scum of the earth basically. Jesus saw him and said, "Come be my disciple" he got up and left his job and followed Jesus. What I love about this story is how immediate Matthew is, not only did he drop EVERYTHING and follow his Lord, he held a dinner that night and immediately began introducing his fellow tax collector friends to Jesus. He wasn't trained, he wasn't studied, he had not practiced, he just followed the Lord and started telling people about Christ.
If we wait for timing to be perfect and for us to be trained enough with enough wisdom and practice, before we start telling of our Lord and Savior, will we ever reach the people that God so desperately loves? Levi had a goal and that was to follow Jesus. If we truly follow Jesus how could we ever keep from sharing his glory?
Be used...
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
The Book of Mark, ch 1
I decided to study the book of Mark in the bible, I will blog my thoughts in a chapter by chapter day by day blogpost on the gospel. If anyone reading wants to study thru the book with me please feel free to do so and submit your thoughts! Jake
here are some of my thoughts on Mark 1...
v.21-21- the religious people in Capernaum were "amazed" (NLT) by Jesus' teachings, they were amazed because he was different. He spoke with authority. There was something about Jesus and his teaching that was much different than the teachers of the law, and the people responded greatly. speak truth.
v.44- After Jesus had healed the lame man, he told him to go into the town and show that he had been healed. He was told not to talk about it. This made me think of the effect it has when you recognize the change in someones life as opposed to when you hear that person talk about it.
People will notice that you are different if you are living in the Spirit. They only hear you have changed if you only talk about it, but they will be amazed when your life reflects a change. Becoming a christian WILL undoubtedly change you, but to reach people, lead by example and make that change appealing.
here are some of my thoughts on Mark 1...
v.21-21- the religious people in Capernaum were "amazed" (NLT) by Jesus' teachings, they were amazed because he was different. He spoke with authority. There was something about Jesus and his teaching that was much different than the teachers of the law, and the people responded greatly. speak truth.
v.44- After Jesus had healed the lame man, he told him to go into the town and show that he had been healed. He was told not to talk about it. This made me think of the effect it has when you recognize the change in someones life as opposed to when you hear that person talk about it.
People will notice that you are different if you are living in the Spirit. They only hear you have changed if you only talk about it, but they will be amazed when your life reflects a change. Becoming a christian WILL undoubtedly change you, but to reach people, lead by example and make that change appealing.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Dad
I was at the pool with some friends after church this past Sunday and while throwing the ball with my brother and Jeff I saw this really beautiful picture of a fathers love.
We were hanging out and this family walked up to the pool area, set their stuff down, then covered their little son with sunscreen. He could not have been over the age of 3. His dad brought him into the water and the kid immediately got scared. It took a little bit of time for him to become comfortable with the water. The dad would have never let his son be in harms way but the kid was still very scared. A little bit of time went by and the dad stood his son up on the edge and wanted him to jump into his arms. The boy looked like he would take the leap but as soon as he lost his fathers grip he was afraid again. The boy eventually jumped, but would he have known that his father would keep him safe and never let anything happen to him had he not have jumped?
This, to me, was such an amazing portrait of our relationship with the Lord. We are so afraid when we are not the one in control. Your Father has you. He is not going to let you drown... so jump.
"I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty" 2 Corinthians 6:18
We were hanging out and this family walked up to the pool area, set their stuff down, then covered their little son with sunscreen. He could not have been over the age of 3. His dad brought him into the water and the kid immediately got scared. It took a little bit of time for him to become comfortable with the water. The dad would have never let his son be in harms way but the kid was still very scared. A little bit of time went by and the dad stood his son up on the edge and wanted him to jump into his arms. The boy looked like he would take the leap but as soon as he lost his fathers grip he was afraid again. The boy eventually jumped, but would he have known that his father would keep him safe and never let anything happen to him had he not have jumped?
This, to me, was such an amazing portrait of our relationship with the Lord. We are so afraid when we are not the one in control. Your Father has you. He is not going to let you drown... so jump.
"I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty" 2 Corinthians 6:18
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