Same Blog, Different Place

This post is just to say that I've moved my blog.
Check out http://itsbeautifulbelle.tumblr.com/ for my new blog!

Quick Update

I know it’s been a while since I last posted. These last two weeks have been busy. Our homework hasn’t been that hard, but it’s taken a lot of preparation. We learned a method of teaching called “storying.” This consists of memorizing a Bible story, finding 3-5 background facts that are relevant to the story, and thinking about what sort of timeless truths that can be pulled from it. Then you gather an audience, tell the background facts, tell the story and lead the audience in observing who is in the story, and what happened. This makes sure that they heard what you said. Then you lead them in interpreting what happened in the story for the people that were in the story. These interpretations should lead to a timeless truth or two that your audience can apply to themselves. It’s a great way to teach people who can’t read or write the Bible. Then we learned how to teach the inductive method of Bible study, which is what CSBS is. We all had the opportunity to teach it, but we had to prepare our own lesson plan for it, but then we were put into groups. We all have different teaching styles, so it was hard to put everything together. But by the grace of God, we pulled it off.

This week, the founder of the School of Biblical Studies (SBS), Ron Smith is speaking on both the books for this week (2 Timothy and Hebrews). We’re all really looking forward to it. It should be a great week. There is a great quote from him that I learned last week: “If I miss dinner, I do not feel guilty, I feel hungry!  And that is how we should see our devotional time with the Lord… If we miss our daily time with the Lord, we should feel spiritually hungry, not condemned.”  This is one of the best quotes I’ve heard. It’s great, because there are so many times that I’m not intentional about spending time with God, especially during this school. I’m already spending so much time in the Bible that I don’t really want to do it during my free time. But God’s like my best friend, and I’m not spending much time with him. I’ve been feeling something that I couldn’t really describe. I thought it was guilt, but after hearing this quote, I realize that what I’ve been feeling is hunger that can only be satisfied by God. Something to think about…

I realize that many of you might be wondering what’s happening with my school fees. I still haven’t gotten anything in, so I still need around $2700 before 22 June. That date is when we graduate. I would like to have it all paid off before CSBS is over. If you feel led to support me in this, you can donate online at this website: https://ywamla.org/donatepay/, or you can call the campus: +1 818 896 2755. You can use regular mail: 11141 Osborne St. Lake View Terrace, CA 91342. Just clarify that it is for “Madeline Hendley,” so that there is no confusion.

If you just want to know more about what YWAM or CSBS is you can go straight to the YWAM LA website: http://ywamla.org/

If you want to know more about me, or what I am doing, you can email me at BelleHendley@hotmail.com or you can call me: +1 818 371 4140. Calling me won’t really have the best results, because I tend not to answer my phone because I’m either in class or doing homework, but you can text (this is my cell phone), and I’ll respond. 

Face the Enemy When Everyone Else Runs

I know I haven't really blogged for a couple of weeks. Sorry about that. I've been having a hard time with life. I might be doing a Bible School, but I am far from being "perfect Christian." I feel like I've had so much rage built up inside of me. It definitely came out in the last two weeks. I tried not to snap at people, but I'm not sure how well I've done. It's all been kind of a blur, really. I'm a little stressed out, to be completely honest. I know that when CSBS is over, I am supposed to immediately move to Burbank. Immediately meaning not even go back to Texas for a little bit. So before 22 June, I have to have a place to live line up and preferably also a job. But it's so hard to do that, since I don't have a car and can't drive. But since this is what God has called me to do, I have to trust that he has a plan for this.

This week in CSBS, we studied Paul's letter to the Ephesians. It really rocked my world. An overwhelming theme is standing when all others fall. First, I wrote about what it means for the original reader (the Ephesian Christians):

This theme of sit, walk, stand shows the Christians of Ephesus that sitting in Christ is the first step to walking in Christ, which is the first step to standing firm when the storm comes.

Salvation comes through grace by faith. It is not the doing of any person. It is only the doing of Jesus. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus, the Christians (both Jews and Gentiles) are of the same body in unity and equality. They should see that as a church, all power and authority is given to them because they are seated with Christ. Jesus’ sacrifice protects them while they are learning to walk in him; protects them from the spiritual attacks that the enemy throws at them to tear them down. While they are sitting in Christ, they are weak, like babies. They cannot protect themselves from the attacks that come at them without Christ’s protection. If they are unprotected, then they will fall when they try to walk, since they will be trying to walk without help.

To walk in Christ is to serve and behave as Christ served and behaved when he was on earth. He served willingly, without question. Walking means that the Ephesian Christians have now moved from being babies, to being children who are growing up. Walking means that they are growing strong in their faith. Since they learned how to walk with Christ’s help, they will be that much stronger when the storm comes and they will stand firm. But if they choose to reject Christ’s power and help, they will fall. If, as a church, they are unified, then when one of them trips, they will not stay down. They will help each other. They will still be under the umbrella of Christ’s protection, so even if it start storming, they will be able to continue walking without failing.

If they have learned to walk in Christ, and they have walked under Christ, then when the storm comes, they will stand firm. They will not be blown over by the fierce winds; they will not be beaten down by the hard rain. If they stand in unity, they will be stronger than if they stand alone. They will be able to protect each other. This does not mean that they are abandoned by Christ, now that they can stand. It means that they have been trained for battle against the enemy’s attacks and they are prepared to take what comes at them, without running from it. Standing firm will strike fear into the enemy. He will see that they are strong. But he will not stop trying to tear them down; to destroy them. They must stay strong. The must look to Christ for their strength, so that they can stand tall, when all others fall.

Then I wrote what it means for Christians in today's world, and what it means for myself:

What are you going to do when everyone else falls down or runs away? The enemy isn’t going to give up. If we run, then he will advance and destroy. So much of the world has been abandoned by people who are strong enough to take a stand. We have left the battleground because we are scared. But do we have a reason to be scared? If we have Christ, and we have learned to walk in him, then we should be able to stand firm. We should be able to dodge the bullets that are shot at us; deflect the punched that are thrown. When people fall, it is because they were not walking in Christ. You cannot stand without walking in Christ. Believe it or not, walking is the first step to standing. You might think it’s the other way around. I mean, when you learned how to take your first steps, you had to stand first. But this is a different kind of standing. To stand like this is to be strong and courageous. If you have the Holy Spirit in you, you have this strength and courage (if you are a Christian, you have the Spirit).

So when everyone falls, you stand tall. When everyone runs from the battle, you face the enemy. Do not run, do not fall. Rely on Christ’s strength for your own strength, and you will stand.

There are so many times when I think I can do it on my own. But I can’t. How can I? I am pathetically weak. There is only way that I can stand firm in this constant battle. I have to walk in Christ. It’s not always easy to do. I admit it. I always find myself tripping. But I have friends who are stronger than me who are right by my side, helping my back up. I want to be the same for them, but I’m not strong enough. I need to strengthen my armor; sharpen my sword (because guns are too mainstream). I’m glad that I’m doing CSBS right now. This is the armory. I’m getting new armor. My sword is being re-forged; my bow restrung, my arrows replaced. This is where I become stronger. This is where I leave for battle.

Timeless Truth of the Week:

Only with God help can we have victory over the enemy.

James Week

Last week was a good week. We went up to Bishop, CA to a resort in the mountains called Cardinal Village resort. We weren’t there for a vacation. We were there to work. We had class on Monday morning and had Monday afternoon to do homework, and then on Wednesday morning we loaded up in the vans and headed out for Bishop. It was good to get out and not be inside all the time for homework. The cabins we stayed in were pretty cute, too.

This is the cabin called "Golden Trout," where all the single ladies stayed. Sorry, no pics of the inside.

We were split into teams for working around the place. Some worked outside, digging a ditch, some cleaned the cabins, getting them ready for the summer season, when the resort is open. My team was in the store and café, cleaning, cooking, shelving things. It was actually fun. We worked form 9 am to 4 pm. Both days (we came back on Saturday, so we were only there two full days) we some of us went on hikes. The first day, we went to this beautiful waterfall and then to an old gold mine. The second day, we went up to Lake Sabrina, but I didn't make it all the way (Migraines, and high altitudes don’t mix well). Several people got excited about iron pyrite (fool’s gold), but were disappointed to find out that it wasn't actually gold.

The waterfall

Really, really cold water

The abandoned mine shaft

James was a good book. Often times, people misuse James 2:26.  It is used as a way to guilt trip people into going on mission trips, or giving to charity. But this is looking at it from the pagan mindset that we must perform in order for God to love us. This is not what God wants us to think. I wrote about it for my homework:

We don’t see it. If we have faith, then we have it right. But that’s not it. We often hear people say “Faith without works is dead,” but we never really understand what it means. We think that to have salvation, we have to be good people. It is because we take James 2:26 out of context. James wasn’t saying that salvation comes from works. He was saying that to keep our faith alive, we have to feed it. It’s like a fire. There cannot be fire if there is not something to burn. If you light wood, it burns, but after a while the fire starts to die, if you don’t add more wood to it. So faith is fire and works is wood. Without one there cannot be the other, because one has to be kept alive.

Fuel the fire. Keep your faith alive. Let it burn hot and bright. Let it be seen forever by everyone.

I’ve never really struggled with my faith dying since I gave my life of God, but I’ve also never known that if I don’t feed my faith, it will die. James has given me a new perspective on faith and works. I used to get frustrated with the whole “faith without works” thing. I used to think that it was just people trying to force me to do what they wanted, using it as a guilt trip for not helping people who were in need. But now I see it as a challenge. I’m being challenge to keep my faith alive.

I’m taking up the challenge to fuel the fire.

This week, we are back on the YWAM base, and we will be studying Galatians, and 1 & 2 Thessalonians. I’m excited to see what God’s going to blow my mind with. I’m always surprised by what he reveals to me, either about his character, or, now that we’re in the New Testament, about Jesus, and what it is to be a follower of Christ.

As I said in my last post, I still need this quarter’s tuition, which is $2700. I’m praying, and I ask that you would join me in praying. If you feel led to give even a small amount, you can call the base, or you can go straight to the website and give. Phone number and link are at the bottom.

If you want to contact me directly, my email address is also at the bottom.

Timeless Truth of the Week:

Whatever is in your heart usually come out of your mouth.

Where is your heart?

Where is your mouth?

Watch what you say.

Because not only sticks and stone hurt.

Words hurt just as much.

Maybe you think you don’t mean it,

But it still might hurt.

Words cut deep.

Words sting.

Even if you think that you don’t mean it,

You do.

If it came out of your mouth,

It came out of your heart.

So don’t just watch what you say,

Don’t just watch what you think,

Watch what is in your heart.

http://www.cardinalvillageresort.com/

https://ywamla.org/donatepay/

+1 818 896 2755

MadelineBHendley@gmail.com

This Week...

This week was good. Our homework was Luke and Acts. We had to do a timeline of the New Testament, a map of Paul’ missionary journeys, and an essay about the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts. It was easier for me to do that than I thought it would be. I’ve never really understood the Holy Spirit before this week. He never made sense to me. I would always get frustrated when people would talk about him. But now I see what he is. He’s a comforter, a counselor, a companion. It makes more sense now.

The Holy Spirit is the one who carries out the commission that Jesus gives his disciples before he went up to heaven. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit so that the believers would have the boldness that it would take to proclaim the good news. The power and the presence of the Holy Spirit is obvious throughout this book.  The “acts of the apostles” should be called the “acts of the Holy Spirit,” because everything the apostles did was through his influences and empowerment.

The Holy Spirit was Jesus’ promise to be the disciples “companion” and “counselor” after he [Jesus] returned to heaven. The Holy Spirit would continue the ministry that Jesus had begun. The day of Pentecost, Jesus’ physical presence was exchanged for his omnipresence in the person of the Holy Spirit. It was the advent of the Spirit’s presence in the lives of the believers which started God’s missionary work among the peoples of the world. It is the Holy Spirit who inspired the consuming passion behind the missionary task given to the believers. After all, the promise had been given that when the Spirit came upon his disciples, they would be witnesses of Christ to the very ends of the earth (1:8).

Without the Holy Spirit, what the apostles did would have been merely good works and good tales. The Holy Spirit goes beyond the human activity to a divine source. He is the main character in this story and the apostles are the instruments that he uses to achieve God’s purpose.

On that day, the lives of the apostles were changed forever. They would never have “normal” lives again. Who can, after being filled with the Holy Spirit? He was the one who came along side of them, and the one who enabled and equipped them to carry out the mission. As the challenge of the mission began to register in their minds, the apostles probably felt their lack of power. After all, the mission was to proclaim the good news to even the very ends of the earth. They didn’t know the languages of the world. They were fishermen, farmers, and Roman citizens. How were they supposed to do this? In contrast to Babel, where God confused mankind, separating them through language, the Holy Spirit united mankind through language. Through him, the apostles received the ability to communicate the good news freely, clearly, boldly and powerfully. Many languages became one language in the ears of the speaker and the hearer. Because of this, the good news penetrated the known world.

The filing of the Holy Spirit was not an experience confined to only on the day of Pentecost. Peter experiences many fillings, as did others. This fullness shows the dependence on the Holy Spirit that these missionaries has. Being filled with the Sprit did not mean that they were passive receptacles to be filled; they were to be under the control of the Spirit of God. To be filled with the Spirit is to allow one’s personality to be brought under the lordship of Christ, therefore being gripped by his passion.

The Holy Spirit exercises authority and power over the powers of darkness. At times, he empowers he apostles against satanic opposition. He imparted them with spiritual insight to discern the source and spiritual authority to deal with it. 

The role of the Sprit in the missionary enterprise is in the calling of the missionary. It’s not surprising that in the call, the initiative is with the Holy Spirit, not with the volunteer, or the church. Before any activity of the church or the missionary is the call. The church’s responsibility was to recognize this and act upon it. The role of the church leaders is to confirm the Spirit’s selection by begin sensitive to his leading and obedient to his command.  He provided guidance (i.e. the missionary journeys of Paul).  The expansion of the church to unexpected areas was dues to such guidance. The leaders did not follow their own wants, but what the Holy Spirit lead.

The role of the Holy Spirit in the lives of these early missionaries was huge. It was his calling, authority, guidance, and passion that made it all possible.

That’s the essay that I wrote about the Holy Spirit in the lives of the apostles in Acts. Then I had to write a paragraph about how the church views the Holy Spirit today:

What is the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives today? It was just in the Bible. It’s an old-fashioned thing. This is what I hear. People don’t understand the Holy Spirit, so they disregard him. They don’t want to be bothered with him, either. But of all the gifts given to mankind by God, there is none greater than they Holy Spirit. Through him, amazing thing happen. Things that could never happen through only human efforts. The Spirit applies the truths of God to the minds of men.

Most people today refuse to see the Holy Spirit because they can’t handle the idea that Jesus left him to give us the boldness to proclaim the good news. Why can’t we be like the apostles and accept the mission gladly and go out, proclaim the good news boldly, with nothing to fear?

The last question. It applied to my life so well before now. I was always afraid to proclaim the good news, even my faith. The idea scared me. What would people think of me? I didn’t see how I had the Holy Spirit. I don’t speak in tongues, I have never spoken a different language to someone who needed it, I’ve never healed anyone. Did that mean that I didn’t have the Holy Spirit?

Now I see that the Holy Spirit gives different gifts to people, depending on what they already have a talent for. This might not be everyone’s opinion, but it’s mine. I’ve seen many people with different gifts. No one person has the same gift. It’s ok that I don’t speak in tongues, or heal people.

Someone told me once that when I speak, they hear the very words of God. So I guess that’s the Holy Spirit in me.

So naturally, I wrote more than one. I get like that.

I need the last of my CSBS tuition paid off soon. It’s about $2700, so if you could be praying for that, it would be great.

I’ve been praying about what God wants me to do when I’m done with CSBS.I want to go to culinary school, but culinary school is expensive, but I’m learning to trust God with my finances, so it’s not a problem. The only solid thing that I know right now is that I’m supposed to move out to the Los Angeles area (I’ll most likely be living in Burbank), and work with the homeless. I’ll probably get an apartment and a job and work for about a year before I do anything else. Right now, something I need is prayer. Pray for guidance, so I know what to do and how to do it.

I also feel a very strong pull to staff a CSBS in the near future, but I don’t know if that’s my own wants, or something that God wants me to do.

On Monday, we start the book of James, and we go to a resort in Bishop, CA. Since James is about faith and works, we will be working at the resort, doing small maintenance jobs. But it is also a time of relaxation, so that we can enjoy the beauty of what God created.

Thanks to all for reading!

http://ywamla.org/training/chronological-school-of-biblical-studies/

https://ywamla.org/donatepay/

MadelineBHendley@gmail.com

Good Friday

I've always wondered why we call this day “Good Friday.” It never made sense to me. Why would we call a day that the greatest person to ever walk this earth was killed for the crimes of others “good.” In my book, that’s pretty bad. But as I’m doing my homework for this week (Matthew week), it hit me. We call it Good Friday because something good came out of this bad. Yes, Jesus died. But he was willing to die. There could have been another way, but he knew that this was the way that it had to be. He knew what was going to happen to him. He knew that he was doing to be rejected, mocked, tortured, killed for crimes that he did not commit. But he came to earth anyway.

He didn't come to take away the law that says we have to die for our sins. He came to take our sins away, because he wants us to be with him forever. The only way that was possible was for there to be an ultimate sacrifice. The reason he wanted us to be with him forever was love. The very same love that God created the universe with. The same love that he had when he freed the Israelites from Egypt, when he allowed them to be sent out of exile in Babylon. They very same love that he offers us today.

Jesus knew that people would reject him, that they would reject what he did, what he taught, even his sacrifice. But he did it anyway. He did it because his love outweighs what he knew. He knew that the people who accepted him would want those who rejected him to see that what he did was good, and that there was no reason to reject him. Sure, he got under people’s skin. He still does, but isn't that how every revolutionary person is. They get under people’s skin. Some people choose to listen and follow what they see as the truth, while others choose to reject it and hate it.

Good Friday. It’s good because Jesus knew, and he still chose to do it. He willingly went to the cross. He did it because he wants you. He did it because he loves you.  It’s good because he cared so much that he worry about all the pain he was going to go through, because he knew that it was worth it.

Jesus and Poverty

Walking down the street

Homeless guy

Sitting on the street

Only wants a meal

Someone to talk to

But we ignore him

We walk faster past him

We keep our eyes averted away from him.

A different street

A different day

A different person

Same situation

They’re sitting on the street

We ignore them

We don’t have the time

We don’t know what they’re situation is

“What would they do with my money?”

Is what we think

They’re there

We can’t ignore them

The homeless are people too

Maybe they once had a job

And a home

A family who cared

You don’t know their story

Maybe we should take the time to listen

There are plenty of times that

We have nothing to do

Go out

Show the same kindness that

Jesus showed

Listen

Give hope.

When you listen

You give hope

When you give hope

You are fighting

The injustice of poverty

I wrote this in class this morning. Our speaker, Barry, was talking about Jesus and poverty. It occurred to me that we have it all wrong. We don’t always have to do great things to fight poverty. People who have fallen into poverty just need someone to give them a hand. That hand is hope. If we have Jesus, then we have an abundance of hope. Why not share it with someone?

We always want to be more like Jesus, so we try to be “good people.” We avoid certain types of people, but if we look at the life of Jesus, he was hanging out with the exact same people that we try to avoid. So if we want to be more like Jesus, hang out with the “bad crowd,” with the homeless, with the people that have a not-so-good reputation.

The Man in the Alley

A pastor

A wealthy businesswoman, donating to charity

A junkie

Walking down the same street

Passing an alley

A homeless man

Laying in the shadows

Injured, maybe dying

The pastor hears the moaning

Quickly strides past

“I’m busy.”

He thinks to justify not helping

The businesswoman hears

She quickens her pace

Her heels clicking rapidly on the pavement

“I give to charity

He should go to a shelter”

Cold, hard, but justified she thinks.

Hours pass

Night falls

The man in the alley

Falls unconscious

A young man

Addicted to drugs

Wanders past

Thinking only of his next fix

The money in his pocket heavy

A street light flickers on

Something in the corner of his eye catches his attention.

He stops

Looking closer he sees

The man in the alley

He knows that he’s not a good person

He’s done some things that he’s not proud of

But his mother raised him right

 Help those who need help

He looks at the wad of cash in his hand.

Enough for his next fix

Enough for a hospital

He wants his next fix so bad

But something makes him go into the alley

Into the shadows

He pulls the homeless man out of the shadows

His phone was dead

But his car was down the road

He hoisted the man

Over his shoulder

In the hospital

Nurses and orderlies shocked

This young junkie

Bringing a homeless man

Who was going to die

Into this place for help

Willingly using money

That was going to go to keeping

Him comfortable

Why would such a thing cross his mind?

Even leaving extra money

So that the man could buy himself a meal

He knew that even though didn’t want to

His selfishness wanting to take over

That he did the right thing

By helping the man in the alley.

God Wants Us

We have it all wrong. We think that God is just some mysterious being in the sky who laughs at us. But he's not. He wants relationship with us. He doesn't care about our messiness, our screw ups. As long as we have our hearts in following him and loving him back, we have relationship. The only thing that separates us is our sin and guilt. That shouldn’t keep us from accepting God's forgiveness and love, but it does. We get so worries about 'getting it right' that we forget that there is no way that we can always get it right. We are human. We are not perfect. He sent his son, Jesus to free us from our sin, and he forgives us so that we don't have guilt. 

He doesn't want what we can do. He just wants us. It's as simple as this: He loves us and wants us. No hidden charges, no catches, no tricks. Only pure and simple love.

God is Waiting for You

God is waiting. We all see it coming, but we get scared of something so amazing. After all, we are so horrible, right? Why should we deserve something so great as God's love. But he doesn't care about that. He gives us his love freely. Without question. He knows that you might throw it back in his face, reject it. But that's ok. Everyone does it at some point. God knows that whenever that happens, it means that you wanted it, but you were to afraid. You didn't know how to handle it. You thought that if you took his love you would explode, or get hurt. You can't risk getting hurt again. So you run away. You hide. Or so you think. God knows where you are, what you're doing. But he doesn't judge you. He doesn't reject you. He's waiting for you to return with open arms. He pursues you with open arms. He doesn't want you to feel like you don't deserve his love. He wants you to accept it.

Is It Worth It?

Pride over Relationship, or Relationship over Pride?

It's a problem that we all have. None of us like of admit it, because our pride keeps us from admitting that we have a problem with pride. Pride is like an addiction. Once we get a taste of it, we want more and more, even if it means that we cut off the people that love us and it kills us. It's hard for most people to choose between their pride and their relationships, because their pride makes them feel like they have something, but really they are holding on to something that they don't have. Now you're thinking, "Wait a minute! I need to have my pride." No, the word you're looking for here is dignity  There is a difference to the two. You can have dignity without being prideful. Because, really all dignity is, is identity. We find our identity in what makes us important. And when we are labeled as dignified, we put our identity in that. But pride, pride cuts us off from people. it makes us think that we are better than everyone else, and so we put our identity in that and that it what makes people start hating us. Do you really think that people like it when you won't ask for help when you have a problem, or when someone else needs help and you refuse to help them because it is 'beneath you?' Really, pride makes you the lowest of the low. No one wants to be around you, because you cover yourself up with this shroud of pride, too thick for anyone to get under, too heavy for anyone to remove. So the most lonely people are usually the people to hold onto that shroud as if it is a lifeline. They sacrifice relationship, so that they can feel comforted by the lies that they have surrounded themselves by.

So, the question to think about is: Do you cover yourself in the shroud of pride, or do you value relationship?

Stay Faithful, Even When They Don't--Following God When No One Else Does

Yes, it's hard. It has always been hard. No one talks about how fun it is to be different from all their friends and family. But it's always worth it in the end. Whe people see how different you are, they notice that it's a good different, not a bad different. You aren't angry all the time, you aren't going out and getting high, or drunk. If you are, then you desperately need God. God saves people from the pit that they've dug for themselves. But he can't do it without their consent. I've noticed that some people, who have been Christians their entire lives, who grew up in a good home with Christian parents, and went to church all their lives tend to stop following God, because it's all fake to them. But those who have had a harder life, who were on a never-ending downward spiral to nowhere, when they hit rock bottom and have a serious God encounter, tend to still follow, even when things get hard. This is not everyone. This is just people that I've experienced and met, so don't get upset.

So, if you've been a Christian your whole life, but you're tired of it, I suggest you pray and you pray hard, because life without God is dark. It's so dark, it's depressing. If no one else around you follows God, they I suggest you pray. Because they are in that darkness. They need someone to be the tiny spark that gives them hope, that will lead them to the greatest hope of all.

I guess what I'm trying to say is: when you follow God when no one else does, you are being used by God to bring people into his light.

Heart Issue-Heart Disease and Its Cure

There is a theme running through the book of Jeremiah about the heart. Most of it talks about making the heart clean, repenting, in order to be closer to God. This not only applied to the people during the time of Jeremiah, but to people now. God has no love of sin, and when there is sin in our hearts it pushes him our. God is not going to force us to get rid of it, but he doesn't want it to stay. God gave us free will, so we have the ability to make the conscious choice to get rid of the sin, or keep it in our lives. By keeping it in our lives, we slowly push God out of our lives. It might not even be what we consider a 'huge sin' like murdering someone. It could be just lying about small things, to keep yourself out of trouble, or sleeping with your partner before you're married. In today's culture, these things aren't considered wrong. But in God's eyes they are detestable. But because he loves us deeply, he's not going to condemn us. He might place conviction in our hearts, so that we realize that we are committing sin, separating us from him. His conviction is not to make us feel guilty, but just to show us where we went astray. God never wants us to feel guilty. He sent his son to free us from our guilt. Our guilt, even after repenting, is another thing that keeps us separated from him. Guilt builds a wall around our hearts that God has to pull apart, brick by brick. It's a long process and it often hurts, but through the pain comes healing. Its like Eustace from The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis. He was turned into a dragon because he was greedy and wanted curse gold, which he didn't know was cursed at the time. I think that this story is a good analogy for our sin and the way that God frees us from it:

"The water was a clear as anything and I thought that it I could get in there and bathe, it would ease the pain in my leg. But the lion told me I must undress first. Mind you, I don't know if he said any words out lous or not. I was just going to say that I couldn't undress becasue I hadn't any clothes on when I suddenly though that dragons are snaky sort of things and snakes can cast their skins. Oh, of course, though I, that's what the lion means. So I started scratching myself and my scales began coming off all over the place. And then I scratched a little deeper and, instead of scales coming off here and there, my whole skin started peelin off beautifully, like it does after an illness, or as if I was a banana. In a minute or two I just stepped out of if. I could see it lying there beside me, looking rather nasty. It was a most lovely feeing. So I started to go down into the well for my bath. But just as I put my feet into the water I looked down and saw that they were all hard and rough an wrinkled and scaley just as they had been before. Oh, that's all right, said I, it only means that I had another small suit on underneath the first one, and I'll have to get out of it too. So I scratched and tore agains and this underskin peeled off beautifully and out I stepped and left it lying beside the other one and went down to the well for my bath. Well, exactly the same thing happened again. And I though to mysled, oh dear, how ever many skins have I got to take off? For I was longing to bathe my leg. So I scratched away for the third time, just like the two others, and stepped out of it. But as soon as I lloked at my self in the water, I knew it had been no good. Then the lion said- but I don't know if it spoke- "You will have to let me undress you." I was afraid of his claws, I can tell you, but I was pretty desperate now. So I just lay flat down on my back to let him do it. The very first tear he made was so deep that I thougt if had gone right into my heart. And when he began pulling the skin off, ot furn worse than anything I've ever felt. The only thing that made me able to bear it was just the pleasure of feeling the stuff peel off. You know- if you've ever pick the scab of a sore place. If hurts like billy-oh, but it is such fun to see it coming away. Well, he peeled the beastly stuff right off- just as I thought I'd done it myself, the other three times, only they hadn't hurt- and there it was lying on the grass: only ever so much thicker, and darker, and more knobbly-looking than the others had been. And there I was, smooth and soft as a peeled switch and small than I had been. Then he caught hold of me- I didn't like that much, for I was very tender underneath now that I'd no skin on- and threw me into the water. It smarted like anything but only for a moment. After that it became perfectly delicious and as soon as I started swimming and splashing I found that all the pain had gone from my arm. And then I saw why. I'd turned into a boy again."

In very much the same way that Aslan, the lion, tore away Eustace's scaly dragon skin, God tears away the hardened skin of our hearts, when we let him, and it hurts. Oh, it hurts so bad, but then he covers us with his love, and it stops hurting, and we realize that we are how he made us to be. We are clean, new, and beautiful and the stuff that was covering our hearts, is lying beside us, gross and ugly, and we are free to walk away from it.

So we all have heart disease, and there is only one cure for it. God. Make the choice to lay down and let God rip away the tough, ugly skin around your hearts, and become a child again.

The Day of the Lord--Punishment or Blessing?

The Day of the Lord, most people now see as the Final Judgment. The End of the World. The Apocalypse. However you want to say it. The final judgment is something to worry about. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your savior, then you don't have to worry about whether you will be punished for what you have done in your life. Jesus steps in for you. He took the blame when he died on the cross. But what you do have to worry about is whether your friends or family will be in the same boat as you, or in the boat that has holes in the hull. Sinking. If you have friends and family that do not know Jesus as their savior, best friend, prince of peace, then you need to pray for them. You need to pray hard. They need to know. Then there's all those people who do don't really know; co-workers, bosses, teachers, classmates, neighbors.

So what are you going to do about it?

A For Real God

God is so different from our puny gods and idols. He is capable of loving and giving, not just demanding and receiving. 

C.S. Lewis said, "God doesn't want something from us. He simply wants us." This is so true. When you really start thinking deep, you realize that all your life, God has been looking out for you, keeping you safe and provided for. Maybe not in the way that you wanted it to happen, but that's what he's been doing. He doesn't just sit back and wait to see what happens. He loves you with a sweet, fiery passion that can't be snuffed out.

What Makes Yahweh So Great, Anyway?

Throughout the history of Judah, God has shown himself to be great. There is no denying it. Who else could create an entire universe with one word? Who else could cause the springs and the water tables to erupt out of the earth, covering it with water? Who else could cause ten plagues and stop them with a thought? Who else could split and entire sea so that his people could walk across to the other side, without even getting one toe wet? Who else could cause the walls of a great city to break apart and fall to the ground? Who else could use a small stone from a riverbed to knock down a giant? During all this, God was carrying one group of people through everything. He made Adam and Eve. He kept them even when they disobeyed him and ate the fruit that he specifically told them not to. He kept Noah and his family safe through a 40 day, 40 night deluge and then kept them fed while the water sat still upon the earth. He kept his people from being harmed by the plagues that he sent on Egypt. He destroyed Jericho. He killed Goliath. But he used somewhat small and insignificant people to do this, not because he needed to, but because he wanted his people to see his glory. Moses was a murderer and a shepherd with a temper and a stutter. Joshua was a simple warrior. David was a shepherd who became a king. All because they were obedient to what God had said.

The whole reason God has done these things is because of his great love for his people. That's what makes him so great. Sure, his power is amazing, but the other gods of the pagan nations surrounding Judah have power too. So what is it that makes Yahweh so mush greater than Baal, or Nisroch? It is is unfailing love. It is out of his love that comes his mercy, his compassion, his fair judgment. He is not a god that has to be appeased; he is not a god that can be manipulated. All he desires is simple obedience.

Hold On to Me

This song is like a prayer that I pray so much. I feel like I'm being spread really thin. There's no way that I can do life without God holding on to me. I don't really have that much to say, because this song says it all.

Love to be Passionate About

This week is the week for Isaiah, and a bit of last week. It's really amazing. The entire book of Isiah shows God's heart for his people, like most of the prophets. He loves his people so much, it' almost crazy.

God has been teaching me so much in the last week, especially from Hosea. God has been trying to teach me how to love. And not the simple, fleeting human love, but rather a love like the love he has. A passionate love. And when I say passionate, I mean a love that is so strong that I will lay my life down for it. Because being passionate about something is caring and being so deep into it, that if it came down to it, you would die for whatever you are passionate about. It's an intense thing.
I've been praying for God to show me how to love like this. This morning we sang a song in worship that sums up what I've been praying for the last couple of weeks:

Heal my heart and make it clean,

Open up my eyes to the things unseen

Show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart for what breaks yours

Everything I am for your kingdom's cause

As I walk from earth into eternity

Here's the rest of the song. It's a great song. 3.43 is where that lovely refrain begins.





God is so awesome, so I know that he will give me this great passionate love. The whole reason we exist is because he has this love. So why can't I love like that?

The Hosea Love Story

What's the first thing you think of when you hear about Hosea? I think God's steadfast love. The theme I see is God's steadfast love. No matter how many times we reject God and run away from him, he's still there. Still loving us, still waiting for us to run back. He's not going to force us to stay with him, and he's not going to reject us.
In class today, we watched a modern retelling of Hosea. It's a six-part video series on YouTube called The Hosea Love Story. It was so moving and beautiful. It perfectly captures the heart of the book of Hosea. If you have the time, watch all six videos, maybe even share your thoughts in the comments.

HEY!!!!

Hey guys, I know it's been a long time. Sorry about that. For a while I was busy with pre-Christmas break school stuff, then I was on break and relaxing. Now, I'm back in school and have a set schedule again, so it should be easier to update you all.
We're in Hosea right now. Hosea is one of my favorite books right now. I don't really have a lot to say about  it, though. I have dug into it yet.
People are slowly recovering from the break. There are still two more people to get back, and I believe that they both arrive on Wednesday. Then everything will be normal again.

I know that I haven't said a lot  but there's not really much to say, but at least you now know that I am still alive. :)