Conviction

I think this blogging thing really helps me in some ways...It challenges me to reflect on things I've learned and be able to communicate them to others, which is a good thing I think!

My friend Krystal wrote an email today to send to her friends as an encouragement, and not only was it encouraging, but also convicting for me. As she shared about how God had been showing her some sin in her life, He also revealed some in mine. I am such a selfish person. I thought I had somewhat learned this lesson before, but I think the battle against my selfish nature is going to be a lifelong fight. So much of what I do is motivated by what I can gain...instead of how I can bring glory to my Savior. This sin of selfishness seems to be the hub for other sins as well. My purpose is not to bring glory to myself, but to my God.

This, I think, is such a hard concept not only in today's society, but also in the fallen world we live in. We are taught to glorify ourselves, and we also must fight against the sin nature that we have from birth. Nearly everything is pulling us in the direction of self-glorification, but we must fight against it with the Word. How humbling it is to learn that "it's not about us" and to begin to understand the depth to which the sin of selfishness has penetrated our hearts. May my desire, and may the desire of all, be to bring glory to our God...may Satan not be successful in blocking from us the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ! May our Father gives us eyes to see the truth of His Word, and in through this gift of seeing, may the things of this world be so unattractive in comparison to the magnificent glory of Christ!

Deceitful Desires and Taking Them Captive

So I had a little bit of time to myself today while driving (not too long though), but it was a good time for me to spend in prayer and thinking. Going back two posts ago, I was thinking again about those "deceitful desires" that so often distract and pull us away from the only One who can give us true joy. I think more and more I am finding how important it is to take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ in the fight against sin. I suppose the main reason that I get so caught up in the things of this world sometimes is that I temporarily fall into the trap of believing they can bring me more joy than spending time with my Father. However, when these deceptive thoughts come up, it would be a good time for me to quote Scripture. For example, part of Psalm 19 says "In your presence there is fullness of joy." Focusing my attention on God's Word, it's easier (not easy) to fight the battle of what the world considers to bring joy to us.

Just because I quote Scripture, though, does not mean that I automatically loose the grip these desires have on my mind and even my heart. It's a fight against sin, not a one time shot to the head. The battle is ongoing and continuous, but in Christ, we know our victory has already been won. Therefore, we must persevere until the end! Sometimes I quote Scripture, and I still doubt it or fail to trust in God's Word. How ignorant of me to doubt our faithful Father! But that is when I need Scripture...I need to pray it so that my heart will be transformed by it, not in my own power but through the grace of God. If His Word says there is fullness of joy in His presence and I still do not trust it, then I must pray it until I believe it. God's Word is the truth, and that is what will set us free in the fight against sin....not our own willpower and human effort, but the truth of God's Word.

Just for Fun

Unfortunately, I don't have any good reflections or thoughts right now to post. I would like to challenge myself to be able to do that each day. I think everyday should be more than just going through the motions, but yeah it's easy to get caught up in going with the flow...Guess that was my thought of the day actually.

So, today I went to graduation to see good old Rachel get her diploma. That was a long ceremony, and although it seemed like a waste of time at some point, I think it was worthwhile to see her graduate...She means a lot to me, and I wouldn't want to miss it! We ate at Romano's afterwards and the Lobster bisque was sooo good!!!

Anyway, I think as I am typing this Rachel is working on a really embarrassing email about me to send out to the Bluffton group this summer! Despite this, I really appreciate her friendship and getting to know her heart over the past couple of years or so. I'm also really grateful for Krystal's friendship and her dedication to this blog because as far as I know, she is the only one that reads it! haha I love you Krystal! lol So i guess that's enough silliness for tonight. That was my day, and hopefully I'll have a more interesting post soon!

Numero Uno

I'm not really sure where this blog will go, so here goes...

So I read a little more of the book "When I Don't Desire God" tonight by John Piper. His thoughts are so profound sometimes that I only feel like I can retain a portion of them at a time. I suppose it should be stated that the reason for there profundity does not lie in the fact in Piper's own brilliance but in the gracious understanding given to Him through the Word of God.

The chapter I am on is focusing on the role that the Word plays in the fight for joy. One of the main things I read tonight addressed the fact that the Word helps make the "deceitful desires" of the flesh undesirable to the one who belongs to Christ. This is a way that "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32). By reading the Word and through the Spirit of God, we are able to put to death these deceitful desires in us to fight for a greater prize in Christ Himself. Piper emphasizes that Christianity is a fight...it is a war against sin, and only through the Word can we be victorious. Through the truth of the Word only, we are able to put out the desires of lust, money, power, illusions of earthly pleasures, and ultimately the adulterous dissatisfaction in our good God. This is much easier to say than to put to practice and has given me a challenge in my own life.

I have really enjoyed the spiritual conversations I have had with my friends and brothers/sisters the last few days. From Calvinisim, to relationships, to Revelation, the fellowship was good. I am thankful for these people in my life.