So it is the day of my departure, and I am more excited than a new puppy on its first day home from the pet store, aside the excessive peeing on the floor. In anticipation of what I believe will be a trip that is packed full with awesomeness, here is where the blog begins to look a bit different. I assume that every blog, from here on out, will begin to look more like a description of my day rather than some message in religious fervour. For that reason I have decided to begin this process, by highlighting what might have been one of the most fun, inspiring and eventful days of my summer thus far - My University's annual celebrity golf tournament, which was held yesterday.
I must admit, initially, I was not impressed by the whole idea of having to wake up at 6am to be at a golf resort at 7am. Upon arriving at the site, I was so tired and hungry from not having breakfast that I could hardly associate with the rest of the athletes. I found myself sitting on the 17th hole for about two hours with just one other teammate, waiting for the rest of our group to show up. It was freezing! To the left of our hole was some backwoods, and the sun was just over the horizon of the trees. The morning was quiet and damp; and aside the birds chirping, my teammate and I were sad and apathetic.
Then, suddenly, the sun appeared at around 9:30 and the day took a glorious turn. About 25 golf carts began to come around the bend of the cart path - a sign that the tournament was going to begin. Our other group members arrived as escorts for the four-time Stanely Cup winner, and one-time MVP, Claude Lemieux. He spent the day at our hole signing golf balls and chatting with the other golfers; likewise, he was constantly encouraging and relating with us athletes, as he talked about his countless war stories about his time spent playing in the NHL. There were also three other Canadian Olympic gold medalists, and countless other wealthy business executives all looking to make investments into our futures, as athletes at Trinity Western.
The entire experience was amazing! I have never been at a place where I felt more welcome, or more significant, or more prized by so many important people. I had some of the most motivating and gratifying conversations with men and women that I would, normally, be too nervous to find the words and speak to. We were at the resort from about 7am until 11:30pm, and there was never a dull moment in the day (well, actually, cleaning up at the end was pretty brutal). The entire experience was breathtaking, and something that I will cherish and never forget. As athletes, we were on stage the entire day; and to show how much we were, simply, adored and appreciated, we raised over $500,000 at the tournament which will go towards scholarships for athletes within the TWU program.
As an athlete receiving scholarship money, I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I was to be a part of such a wonderful school, where people are so passionate and enthused about contributing to the lives of students. I felt important. Standing in front of about 100 or so people, clapping their hands and cheering at the accomplishment of such a large number in donations, I felt like God was affirming me of my place within the university. I felt like I belong, and I am in the right place.
All praise goes to Jesus Christ, as my Lord and Saviour. Only God knows how he has saved and redeemed me. I almost dropped a tear at the banquet dinner - to think that only four years ago, I was struggling to admit belief in an existing God. I thank God for reviving me! And, I accept His calling upon my life to lead and truly make a difference for His kingdom, in His name. Furthermore, I cannot wait to arrive in Cape Town so that I may inspire and incorporate people with the Love of Christ. I just pray that at least one person is able to feel the same amount of love and spiritual harmony that I felt at yesterday’s event. I praise and love God for how amazing He is! He is Truly Amazing! He is! I appreciate all your prayers as I travel today. And, I look forward to telling all of my stories. God Bless!
~Tristan
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Day 7 - The Shape Up
What is the one place where every man, at some point, has gone to hear stories which help shape and develop the person they ought to become? The answer is, "The Barber Shop."
For women it's the beauty salon; however, I have never been there; so sorry women,but I cannot speak for you today. The barber shop is the one place where old and new generations can come together and share stories that keep everyone up to date - the culture factory.
I still remember my first time going to the barber shop. I balled my eyes out all the way until I sat in the chair and my barber said to me, "Boy, you better shut up!"...And, I did. Through countless phases and hairstyle experiments (the afro with the line up, the designs, and the S-curl); through the break-ups and make-ups, puppy loves and engagements, the barber shop is no stranger to the depths of who we are. If you are at all like me, many of the stories and conversations that I encounter at the barber shop are what have shaped how I've responded in countless situations throughout my life.
A trip to the barber shop has more to offer than just a nice haircut to keep you looking good - especially in the black community. For, anyone who has been going to the same barber shop for their entire life might agree that once you leave the barbor shop, its like an instant renewal of the upmost swagger. Thus, you feel like you can pretty much conquer anything.
I'm saying all this because I woke up today inspired by a new idea for S. Africa. I'm assuming that there aren't very many barber shops where we are going, and if there are; they don't cut for free. God has blessed me with my own set of clippers, and the ability to cut hair; thus, He has placed it on my heart to bless as many kids as I possibly can with haircuts. And, in the process,I will be spreading the Love of Christ and might, even, get the chance to minister to a few kids.
What an awesome idea! I praise God for this opportunity. Have a blessed day you all! But I have to go!
~Tristan
For women it's the beauty salon; however, I have never been there; so sorry women,but I cannot speak for you today. The barber shop is the one place where old and new generations can come together and share stories that keep everyone up to date - the culture factory.
I still remember my first time going to the barber shop. I balled my eyes out all the way until I sat in the chair and my barber said to me, "Boy, you better shut up!"...And, I did. Through countless phases and hairstyle experiments (the afro with the line up, the designs, and the S-curl); through the break-ups and make-ups, puppy loves and engagements, the barber shop is no stranger to the depths of who we are. If you are at all like me, many of the stories and conversations that I encounter at the barber shop are what have shaped how I've responded in countless situations throughout my life.
A trip to the barber shop has more to offer than just a nice haircut to keep you looking good - especially in the black community. For, anyone who has been going to the same barber shop for their entire life might agree that once you leave the barbor shop, its like an instant renewal of the upmost swagger. Thus, you feel like you can pretty much conquer anything.
I'm saying all this because I woke up today inspired by a new idea for S. Africa. I'm assuming that there aren't very many barber shops where we are going, and if there are; they don't cut for free. God has blessed me with my own set of clippers, and the ability to cut hair; thus, He has placed it on my heart to bless as many kids as I possibly can with haircuts. And, in the process,I will be spreading the Love of Christ and might, even, get the chance to minister to a few kids.
What an awesome idea! I praise God for this opportunity. Have a blessed day you all! But I have to go!
~Tristan
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Day 6 - Walking With God
Up to this point, I have had nothing significant on my heart that I wished to talk about in today’s blog. Thus, I decided to use today as a time for meditation. It’s a beautiful day in Langley, B.C. There are only a few clouds in the sky, and the air is cleaner than ever. I decided to take a walk in my shorts and T-shirt just to get out of the house. I would have gone golfing with my buddies, but they had plans to go with other people already and we decided that it might have been a bit awkward if I decided to tag along. However, my walk was equally as nice.
Have you ever just walked with your eyes closed down the middle of a street? I tried it today. I could hardly get about ten steps before I felt the need to open my eyes, and check to see if there were any cars approaching, or, better yet, if I was about to run into an unsuspecting inanimate object. Eventually, it became like a game, to see just how long that I could walk before I just had to open my eyes and look to see where I was going. I think my highest amount of steps was thirteen.
I reached a park bench where I decided to just sit and think for a bit. I thought around in circles, until finally I discovered that this silly game that I was playing was much like the spiritual walk of most contemporary Christians. For a brief moment, we are able to close or eyes and fully trust in the Lord; however, once we start hearing that little voice in question, we begin to worry about what it is the Lord is doing. And, instead of just putting one foot in front of the other, and continuing are walk with God one step at a time, we open our eyes and become faithless. Thus, we constantly retreat back to step one.
I realize that I may have previously written a blog about this very topic; however, with nothing else on my heart, I felt compelled to share this story with you. I thank the Lord for such a beautiful day; for my ability to walk, for the lungs to be able to breathe and appreciate such clean air; for the mental capacity to be able to articulate this experience to you; for His words which breathed life into this magnificent Creation that we regrettably take for granted every day; I praise God! And, I pray that every day that I am able to continue adding steps, in which I have placed all my trust in Him, and that I may inspire others around me to just close their eyes and do the same.
~Tristan
Have you ever just walked with your eyes closed down the middle of a street? I tried it today. I could hardly get about ten steps before I felt the need to open my eyes, and check to see if there were any cars approaching, or, better yet, if I was about to run into an unsuspecting inanimate object. Eventually, it became like a game, to see just how long that I could walk before I just had to open my eyes and look to see where I was going. I think my highest amount of steps was thirteen.
I reached a park bench where I decided to just sit and think for a bit. I thought around in circles, until finally I discovered that this silly game that I was playing was much like the spiritual walk of most contemporary Christians. For a brief moment, we are able to close or eyes and fully trust in the Lord; however, once we start hearing that little voice in question, we begin to worry about what it is the Lord is doing. And, instead of just putting one foot in front of the other, and continuing are walk with God one step at a time, we open our eyes and become faithless. Thus, we constantly retreat back to step one.
I realize that I may have previously written a blog about this very topic; however, with nothing else on my heart, I felt compelled to share this story with you. I thank the Lord for such a beautiful day; for my ability to walk, for the lungs to be able to breathe and appreciate such clean air; for the mental capacity to be able to articulate this experience to you; for His words which breathed life into this magnificent Creation that we regrettably take for granted every day; I praise God! And, I pray that every day that I am able to continue adding steps, in which I have placed all my trust in Him, and that I may inspire others around me to just close their eyes and do the same.
~Tristan
Monday, May 10, 2010
Day 5 - Bloom Where You're Planted (Revisited)
For those people reading this who are unaware, I have kept several blogs over the past few summers as a way to help me further comprehend different messages that I encounter along my spiritual walk with God. One of the ways that this helps me is that it allows me to look back on situations, and address them at different stages of my spirituality; thus, I am able to see just how much I have grown in Christ, or in some cases how much I have changed, or been led astray.
For today's blog post I'd like to reintroduce a blog that I posted last summer called, Bloom Where You Are Planted. I hope that you enjoy this post, and that my words might speak truth and bless your hearts in a new and profound way:
"Have you ever been in a position where you began to feel lost, or out of place? Whether at a particular school, or a specific place of employment, did you ever stop and ask God if your current position was the one that He chose for you, if where you were is where He wanted you to be? Or, did you just give it up because it was too hard, or unfair based on your terms?
Far too often, we fall victim to our worldly instincts, with foolish certainty that we are serving God's purpose. An individual must realize that when God has appointed you to a position, He has not called you to that position to use it as a "stepping stone." As spiritual infants, we humans, often become misguided by the presumption that God has only appointed you to a position, so that something bigger and better may come along.
We must begin to show a greater sense of loyalty, as we must prove ourselves faithful wherever God has planted us. The Bible tells us, "Humble yourself before God, and He will exalt you." (1Pet 5:6.)
In many cases, we humans take up a position with expectations for something greater; thus, we often times become frustrated and impatient when things are not going "as planned". Sure, there may come a time where God will seperate you from your current positon; however, it is not until that time comes that you should be preparing for change. We have got to start seeing our position as God's will; thus, we must remain faithful to those positions, refraining from leaping at every opportunity that may seem more convenient, or more lucrative.
In this season, for instance, I hear a lot of people talking about marriage on a daily bases; women especially. "I want to find that strong man of God that I've been praying for, and start a family". Then, a man comes along who seems fit and upstanding, and these same women are so quick to experiment with the first guy that shows up without taking the situation to God first. Women, you have the right idea. Keep praying for what you want, but never let your desires seperate you from what God has in store for you in your current position.
We want what we want on our time and on your terms so badly that when situations become hard, or don't work out the way we planned we lose faith and blame God for our bad circumstances. All the while, God is simply asking us to remain patient, trusting and cherishing our relationship with Him. We stand where God places us just so long as the situation does not begin to become hard, or seem impossible to bear; and when it does, we succomb to our emotions and distrust that God has power over our situations in, even, the worst of circumstances. Just remember that Jesus stood and died for the fulfillment of His Father's desire, rather than His own; thus, He is not asking anything of us that He has not already done Himself.
Stay in your Word. Remain faithful to God, and rejoice at what you have been blessed with. We all have dreams and aspirations for our lives. Continue to send them to God, and have faith in God's plan for you to attain those wishes. Through your faith, God will meet and exceed all of your dreams in due time.
"A piano makes beautiful music only when someone sits down to play it."
We must become good stewards in all that we do. Let us maintain all sense of joy and humility in the Lord's name, taking the upmost pride in all of our daily tasks. Never lose faith that God is moving within your life, and I can assure you that just at the right moment, God's blessings upon your life will begin to overflow.
For today's blog post I'd like to reintroduce a blog that I posted last summer called, Bloom Where You Are Planted. I hope that you enjoy this post, and that my words might speak truth and bless your hearts in a new and profound way:
"Have you ever been in a position where you began to feel lost, or out of place? Whether at a particular school, or a specific place of employment, did you ever stop and ask God if your current position was the one that He chose for you, if where you were is where He wanted you to be? Or, did you just give it up because it was too hard, or unfair based on your terms?
Far too often, we fall victim to our worldly instincts, with foolish certainty that we are serving God's purpose. An individual must realize that when God has appointed you to a position, He has not called you to that position to use it as a "stepping stone." As spiritual infants, we humans, often become misguided by the presumption that God has only appointed you to a position, so that something bigger and better may come along.
We must begin to show a greater sense of loyalty, as we must prove ourselves faithful wherever God has planted us. The Bible tells us, "Humble yourself before God, and He will exalt you." (1Pet 5:6.)
In many cases, we humans take up a position with expectations for something greater; thus, we often times become frustrated and impatient when things are not going "as planned". Sure, there may come a time where God will seperate you from your current positon; however, it is not until that time comes that you should be preparing for change. We have got to start seeing our position as God's will; thus, we must remain faithful to those positions, refraining from leaping at every opportunity that may seem more convenient, or more lucrative.
In this season, for instance, I hear a lot of people talking about marriage on a daily bases; women especially. "I want to find that strong man of God that I've been praying for, and start a family". Then, a man comes along who seems fit and upstanding, and these same women are so quick to experiment with the first guy that shows up without taking the situation to God first. Women, you have the right idea. Keep praying for what you want, but never let your desires seperate you from what God has in store for you in your current position.
We want what we want on our time and on your terms so badly that when situations become hard, or don't work out the way we planned we lose faith and blame God for our bad circumstances. All the while, God is simply asking us to remain patient, trusting and cherishing our relationship with Him. We stand where God places us just so long as the situation does not begin to become hard, or seem impossible to bear; and when it does, we succomb to our emotions and distrust that God has power over our situations in, even, the worst of circumstances. Just remember that Jesus stood and died for the fulfillment of His Father's desire, rather than His own; thus, He is not asking anything of us that He has not already done Himself.
Stay in your Word. Remain faithful to God, and rejoice at what you have been blessed with. We all have dreams and aspirations for our lives. Continue to send them to God, and have faith in God's plan for you to attain those wishes. Through your faith, God will meet and exceed all of your dreams in due time.
"A piano makes beautiful music only when someone sits down to play it."
We must become good stewards in all that we do. Let us maintain all sense of joy and humility in the Lord's name, taking the upmost pride in all of our daily tasks. Never lose faith that God is moving within your life, and I can assure you that just at the right moment, God's blessings upon your life will begin to overflow.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Day 4 - My List of Five
I had a very nice conversation with a close friend yesterday, and I asked her what she thought should be my next blog topic. I ask her questions like this all of the time, whenever I need great ideas for something because she is never afraid to just through out the first thing that comes to mind. I call her my muse because, although she would probably deny any arguements about her being, in the least bit, creative, she never fails to inspire great ideas.
She suggested, for this blog, that I write about the Top 5 things that I wish to acomplish during this trip; and, based on the fact that I have several great ideas already planned, I thought I'd do just that.
1) Every day at 3:33pm (Holy Trinity) I plan to take the clothes off of my back and hand them out to the first person in need. I am bringing an extra bag full of old clothes and shoes with me on the trip. Over the course of the trip, I hope to hand out enough clothes to enough people that I come home with only one bag.
2) I hope to sit down with at least one person per day, who does not believe, or have a relationship with God. I want to minister to that person and find out one thing that he or she might be struggling with. Then, I’d like to ask him or her to pretend, for one second, that God does exist and get them to follow me through this verbal process:
A) I admit that I am struggling with _______.
B) I relinquish the power these negative emotions over me.
C) If there is a God, I ask Him to reveal His truth about the situation.
3) After I go through this three step process, I want to read a piece of scripture, pray with this person, and ask for a way to keep in contact. By the end of the trip I hope to have had a significant impact on at least 3 people who desire to keep in contact long after I leave Africa, by which I will be able to continually work to plant the seeds and enhance their relationship with Christ. Thus, my third accomplishment is to acquire at least 3 email accounts by the time I leave Africa.
4) Through my actions, I hope to inspire each of my teammates, at some point, to commit to jumping on board and traveling with me, during the times that I minister and witness to people. Likewise, I hope to inspire several teammates to join in donating the clothes off of their backs; thus, highlighting their respect for my influence as a leader, as well as their openness to God’s will.
5) Lastly, I want to take as many pictures as my camera can hold; so that I can not only cherish each moment during this experience, but also so that I will have something tangible that people back home might accept and relate to more easily whenever I refer to stories illustrating such a life-altering experience.
These are five really basic ideas of things that I hope to get out of this trip. I am sure that once I arrive to S. Africa I will have an enhanced perspective on things, and I might even add to this list. However, I just pray that God uses me in every way that He possibly can to act in the character of Christ, and prove to Him my love desire to fight for Him in my life, and the lives of others.
~Tristan
She suggested, for this blog, that I write about the Top 5 things that I wish to acomplish during this trip; and, based on the fact that I have several great ideas already planned, I thought I'd do just that.
1) Every day at 3:33pm (Holy Trinity) I plan to take the clothes off of my back and hand them out to the first person in need. I am bringing an extra bag full of old clothes and shoes with me on the trip. Over the course of the trip, I hope to hand out enough clothes to enough people that I come home with only one bag.
2) I hope to sit down with at least one person per day, who does not believe, or have a relationship with God. I want to minister to that person and find out one thing that he or she might be struggling with. Then, I’d like to ask him or her to pretend, for one second, that God does exist and get them to follow me through this verbal process:
A) I admit that I am struggling with _______.
B) I relinquish the power these negative emotions over me.
C) If there is a God, I ask Him to reveal His truth about the situation.
3) After I go through this three step process, I want to read a piece of scripture, pray with this person, and ask for a way to keep in contact. By the end of the trip I hope to have had a significant impact on at least 3 people who desire to keep in contact long after I leave Africa, by which I will be able to continually work to plant the seeds and enhance their relationship with Christ. Thus, my third accomplishment is to acquire at least 3 email accounts by the time I leave Africa.
4) Through my actions, I hope to inspire each of my teammates, at some point, to commit to jumping on board and traveling with me, during the times that I minister and witness to people. Likewise, I hope to inspire several teammates to join in donating the clothes off of their backs; thus, highlighting their respect for my influence as a leader, as well as their openness to God’s will.
5) Lastly, I want to take as many pictures as my camera can hold; so that I can not only cherish each moment during this experience, but also so that I will have something tangible that people back home might accept and relate to more easily whenever I refer to stories illustrating such a life-altering experience.
These are five really basic ideas of things that I hope to get out of this trip. I am sure that once I arrive to S. Africa I will have an enhanced perspective on things, and I might even add to this list. However, I just pray that God uses me in every way that He possibly can to act in the character of Christ, and prove to Him my love desire to fight for Him in my life, and the lives of others.
~Tristan
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Day 3 - Involving Christ
One of my closest friends on my university basketball team graduated, and will not be around next year. For his sake, I will not mention his name; however, he was an amazing shooter and even more amazing person off of the court. What is more, he had a profound influence on my spiritual development over the course of this past year. After a heart-wrenching season where we did not end up making playoffs, I decided to have a conversation with my friend to see what he felt was the cause of our lack of success this year. My friend raised a great point and said, "We had everything that we needed to be contenders to win a national championship this year, and we didn't even make playoffs. Individually, we can point fingers at this reason, or that reason, or this player or that coach; but the bottom line is that God was not on this year's team."
It is understandable for most people to assume that because we are representing a Christian university, each member of the team should uphold some degree of faith; however that is not the case. While most guys on the team would probably agree that religion is important, there are individuals whose spiritual development is very minimal. Before every game, we would pray and Thank God for blessing each of us with the talent and ability to play the game we all love; however, outside of our prayers before the game, there was no real evidence that any of our players or coaches had a true relationship with God that they were willing to share and motivate the team with. We had all this talent and potential and we would constantly claim God, but very seldom would we come together in Christ's name.
I’m not saying that this is the utter reason why our season was so unsuccessful; however, I do believe that had we come together in Christ’s name, we would have been able to relate better with each other and use our spirituality to determine who was best fit to lead such a large group of men. This year, our team had 22 players on its roster, which is a lot of players for a basketball team. Likewise, our coach is pretty stern, which makes trying to gel together so many different personalities a bit nerve-racking. I look at all of the talent and potential that we had on the team this past year, and I am baffled by how the season transpired. However I think God used this year as a way to teach us a valuable lesson in humility. What is more, I believe that given the fact that we didn’t even make playoffs I was able to acquire a deeper understanding of how, without God, nothing is possible.
I was not able to play this year, and, in all honesty, I am glad. God taught me so much about how to be a leader by requiring me to be a positive influence from the bench, while having to watch my teammates endure such a rough season. However, for this next year, I want to strive to include God as much as possible; and, it starts now. I am sure that at some point during this Africa trip my teammates are going to want to go out, have drinks, and make this trip as exciting as possible. By no means, do I want to discourage my teammates from having fun, however, I feel like God is calling me to hold myself to higher standards. I ask you guys to please pray for me that I am able to sustain a keen sense of morality, and keep God close at all time during this trip in the midst of peer pressure. By the start of season, I want my teammates to respect me as the man of God that I know that I am, and feel comfortable and honoured in following my lead. What is more, through my example, I intend to spark a revival of this team’s spirit; so that we might, truly, come together as a cohesive unit and pursue our goal of winning a national championship with Christ-like determination.
~Tristan
It is understandable for most people to assume that because we are representing a Christian university, each member of the team should uphold some degree of faith; however that is not the case. While most guys on the team would probably agree that religion is important, there are individuals whose spiritual development is very minimal. Before every game, we would pray and Thank God for blessing each of us with the talent and ability to play the game we all love; however, outside of our prayers before the game, there was no real evidence that any of our players or coaches had a true relationship with God that they were willing to share and motivate the team with. We had all this talent and potential and we would constantly claim God, but very seldom would we come together in Christ's name.
I’m not saying that this is the utter reason why our season was so unsuccessful; however, I do believe that had we come together in Christ’s name, we would have been able to relate better with each other and use our spirituality to determine who was best fit to lead such a large group of men. This year, our team had 22 players on its roster, which is a lot of players for a basketball team. Likewise, our coach is pretty stern, which makes trying to gel together so many different personalities a bit nerve-racking. I look at all of the talent and potential that we had on the team this past year, and I am baffled by how the season transpired. However I think God used this year as a way to teach us a valuable lesson in humility. What is more, I believe that given the fact that we didn’t even make playoffs I was able to acquire a deeper understanding of how, without God, nothing is possible.
I was not able to play this year, and, in all honesty, I am glad. God taught me so much about how to be a leader by requiring me to be a positive influence from the bench, while having to watch my teammates endure such a rough season. However, for this next year, I want to strive to include God as much as possible; and, it starts now. I am sure that at some point during this Africa trip my teammates are going to want to go out, have drinks, and make this trip as exciting as possible. By no means, do I want to discourage my teammates from having fun, however, I feel like God is calling me to hold myself to higher standards. I ask you guys to please pray for me that I am able to sustain a keen sense of morality, and keep God close at all time during this trip in the midst of peer pressure. By the start of season, I want my teammates to respect me as the man of God that I know that I am, and feel comfortable and honoured in following my lead. What is more, through my example, I intend to spark a revival of this team’s spirit; so that we might, truly, come together as a cohesive unit and pursue our goal of winning a national championship with Christ-like determination.
~Tristan
Friday, May 7, 2010
Day 2 - Stand For God
A dear friend of mine sends me daily devotions directly to my cell phone, and everyday I wake up, I am amazed at how relevant God's Word is to what I actually encounter within a given day. For example, I sprained my ankle during yesterday's practice and I immediately reacted in frustration, declaring that my injury was a testament to why I should not have been required to return to Canada a week prior to my Africa trip, just to attend practice during my summer vacation. I was livid; moreover, it showed on my face and in my speech.
Many of you reading this might understand my frustration; however, consider this. Later in the evenning, a friend called my phone extremely upset because her girlfriends had asked her to drive an hour to hang out with them at the beach, and didn't end up going. What is worse, they did not call her to inform her that they had changed their minds; so she ended up making the drive for no reason. All the while, her girlfriends were seemingly indifferent to the trouble they had caused her. I listened in on my friends frustration for about two minutes before I began asking her to think of Jesus on the cross: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."(Luke 23:34) I asked her to consider herself distracted and having fun with several of her friends, and to not let what was most likely an accident rob her of her peace. I said this, and after about a minute of consideration I began to feel really convicted for how I responded to getting injured.
I woke up this morning and the devotion read something like, "If you learn to trust Me with your whole being, then nothing can seperate you from My peace. Everything you endure can be put to good use by allowing it to train you in trusting Me." Genesis 50: 20-21 says it like this:
As for you, you meant evil against me,
but God meant it for good, to bring it
about that many people should be kept alive,
as they are today. So do not fear;
I will provide for you and your little ones.
Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
Many of us Christians claim to love and trust in the Lord with all of our hearts, but in the midst of our most frustrating circumstances we allow the enemy to take control our thoughts and influence our speech in a negative manner. Though, often times, we are familiar with what scripture says about how to handle such situations, we allow our frustrations to open doors for the enemy to infiltrate and cause us to act against God's will. Moreover, it is mainly through our words that the enemy tries to provoke us to such behavior.
Throughout the Bible, God places a huge emphasis on the importance of words, communication and relationships. In the book of Genesis He breaths life into Adam, and articulates the world into existence. The book of Revelations illustrates how God will one day return to defeat satin with "the sword that comes from His mouth." Likewise, the Bible interprets how the Power of God rests within the complete understanding of God as a Trinity (a relationship between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit). Thus, if we are all truly made in His image, than how important are the words that we speak? Accordingly, how important is how we relate with each other?
In James 4:7 God says to "Resist the devil." However, I believe that many Christians today make the honest mistake of replacing the word, "resist" with the word, "avoid." What I mean is that we will pay close attention to where the Bible tells us not to eat at the same table as the enemy; however, we ignore when scripture states that if the enemy asks for food or water that we should not deny him of it. The contrast of these two depictions help reveal the implications of God's use of the word resist.
Another word for "resist" is to "oppose", or to "withstand", or to "endure." As contemporary Christians, I believe that many of us fall to deeply in love with the idea of Jesus as the Loving Saviour and Provider of blessings. Moreover, we hold on to the goodness of Christ without ever acknowledging the degree to which He had to suffer; thus, we push away relationships with ungodly people and things as a way of resisting satin. However, Jesus calls us to stand in our faith, and trust in the Lord that He has even satin under control.
As I prepare myself for Africa, I pray that God will continue to assist me in developing my ability to stand firm, and trust in the Wisdom of His Word. Likewise, I pray that all who read this will strive to Trust harder in the Lord. Satin is weak in that he can only manipulate God's truth, in order to keep people from true spiritual growth. By us continuously resorting to negativity, and speaking out of anger, frustration, depression, regret, etc. the devil is able to use these words against us, proving to God that we are unfit to defend His kingdom at the highest levels. I thank God for what He has revealed to me over the last day. And, I pray for Wisdom that we all may begin to stand and resist the devil without fear that God is in control.
"And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see
the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today."
(Exodus 14:13)
Many of you reading this might understand my frustration; however, consider this. Later in the evenning, a friend called my phone extremely upset because her girlfriends had asked her to drive an hour to hang out with them at the beach, and didn't end up going. What is worse, they did not call her to inform her that they had changed their minds; so she ended up making the drive for no reason. All the while, her girlfriends were seemingly indifferent to the trouble they had caused her. I listened in on my friends frustration for about two minutes before I began asking her to think of Jesus on the cross: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."(Luke 23:34) I asked her to consider herself distracted and having fun with several of her friends, and to not let what was most likely an accident rob her of her peace. I said this, and after about a minute of consideration I began to feel really convicted for how I responded to getting injured.
I woke up this morning and the devotion read something like, "If you learn to trust Me with your whole being, then nothing can seperate you from My peace. Everything you endure can be put to good use by allowing it to train you in trusting Me." Genesis 50: 20-21 says it like this:
As for you, you meant evil against me,
but God meant it for good, to bring it
about that many people should be kept alive,
as they are today. So do not fear;
I will provide for you and your little ones.
Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
Many of us Christians claim to love and trust in the Lord with all of our hearts, but in the midst of our most frustrating circumstances we allow the enemy to take control our thoughts and influence our speech in a negative manner. Though, often times, we are familiar with what scripture says about how to handle such situations, we allow our frustrations to open doors for the enemy to infiltrate and cause us to act against God's will. Moreover, it is mainly through our words that the enemy tries to provoke us to such behavior.
Throughout the Bible, God places a huge emphasis on the importance of words, communication and relationships. In the book of Genesis He breaths life into Adam, and articulates the world into existence. The book of Revelations illustrates how God will one day return to defeat satin with "the sword that comes from His mouth." Likewise, the Bible interprets how the Power of God rests within the complete understanding of God as a Trinity (a relationship between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit). Thus, if we are all truly made in His image, than how important are the words that we speak? Accordingly, how important is how we relate with each other?
In James 4:7 God says to "Resist the devil." However, I believe that many Christians today make the honest mistake of replacing the word, "resist" with the word, "avoid." What I mean is that we will pay close attention to where the Bible tells us not to eat at the same table as the enemy; however, we ignore when scripture states that if the enemy asks for food or water that we should not deny him of it. The contrast of these two depictions help reveal the implications of God's use of the word resist.
Another word for "resist" is to "oppose", or to "withstand", or to "endure." As contemporary Christians, I believe that many of us fall to deeply in love with the idea of Jesus as the Loving Saviour and Provider of blessings. Moreover, we hold on to the goodness of Christ without ever acknowledging the degree to which He had to suffer; thus, we push away relationships with ungodly people and things as a way of resisting satin. However, Jesus calls us to stand in our faith, and trust in the Lord that He has even satin under control.
As I prepare myself for Africa, I pray that God will continue to assist me in developing my ability to stand firm, and trust in the Wisdom of His Word. Likewise, I pray that all who read this will strive to Trust harder in the Lord. Satin is weak in that he can only manipulate God's truth, in order to keep people from true spiritual growth. By us continuously resorting to negativity, and speaking out of anger, frustration, depression, regret, etc. the devil is able to use these words against us, proving to God that we are unfit to defend His kingdom at the highest levels. I thank God for what He has revealed to me over the last day. And, I pray for Wisdom that we all may begin to stand and resist the devil without fear that God is in control.
"And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see
the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today."
(Exodus 14:13)
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