Piss Poor Attitude
Recently I’ve begun to experience the end of an era – a giant in my life has started to slow down; and it’s scary. Really scary.
My Grandad (Gdiddles) has started to begin being old. He’s always been spry as a jackrabbit and full of more puns than Jerry Seinfeld, and most importantly – He introduced me to the idea of Jesus. Less the idea and more the person of Jesus.
God Speaks
It’s always been taught and told to me that God speaks through His Word (The Bible). And I had always believed it, but sometimes didn’t experience it. I had learned a lot from it, and have been able to articulate great things to many people, that brought life change, because of it.
However, now that I was relying and yearning from a Word that would direct me, is when I REALLY experienced it.
Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop
Recently, I had the opportunity to sleep in a truck in the middle of a highway. I wouldn’t suggest it.
First, I’ll give you a little background on the situation and myself. I work with a women’s ministry called The Blush Network. We travel and put on conferences in various states and cities around the country. We aim to hit every major city at some point.
A few of our team members fly out, and others drive. I got the privilege to drive from Dallas, Texas in a truck with a couple other team members. Our destination was Lynchburg, VA. We had a conference on campus at Liberty University.
Fast forward, conference goes well, great attendance and speakers. The Gospel of Jesus was presented and many souls were captured by Him. Fast forward again, we’re hitting Arkansas on the trip back. BOOM, rain hits. I think, no big deal. Then the rain turns slushy, and the temperature drops. Uh oh.
Suddenly, the roads turn icy. Like solid sheet of ice, and we’re towing a trailer. Turns out, we drive around 200 miles on solid ice, all in all. Scariest trip of my life.
This is where my appreciation for 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 comes into play. Specifically the part in verse 17; PRAY WITHOUT CEASING.
This passage is talking about our conduct as Christians. With each other, and apart from each other, our conduct is important. I have a completely renewed perspective on this passage. During this 200 mile ordeal, I think I prayed more nonstop than I ever have.
We were losing traction if we hit any incline, bridge, or overpass; it was terrifying. We petitioned the name of Jesus the entire trip.
Suddenly, traffic stops all around us. I mean DEAD STOP. We sit for what seems like an eternity. Two hours goes by and I sleep a little. I wake up and finally we’re moving again, but the roads are even icier. It’s had time to refreeze.
We’re moving at about 12 mph and still have 100 miles to go to get to our destination. We’re calling hotels in the surrounding areas looking to just take refuge for the night. None have vacancy.
We end up sleeping for a couple hours in the parking lot of a hotel in 12 degree weather. It was invigorating.* (*awful)
So all in all, our normally 18-hour trip turned into about 27 or so hours, I’m just glad I didn’t have to cut my arm off like in 127 Hours.
Scripture is important, and what it says are not suggestions. When Scripture says to pray without ceasing, or to quit sinning, or help the weak, it’s a command.
I have a newfound appreciation for this concept, because God saw us through a potentially life ending ordeal.
Our petitions to Him do not fall on deaf ears. However, keep in mind, that Scripture also says to do nothing out of selfish ambition. So, our prayer life should be from a place of humility.
Also, look for me on the next episode of Ice Road Truckers: Dallas Edition. Just kidding.
Do you pray without ceasing? I look forward to your thoughts.
Bigger, Better…Best.
So I recently have had a “career change.” Sparing the details, I’m now searching for a new place to work, and make a living. I know my skill set, and have people helping me out, putting their necks out and a good word in for me. I love the people who surround me.
So many times, when people are in similar situations, they hear things like: “God’s got something so much better for you,” or “You’re gonna be moving on to bigger and better things, I just know it.” These statements are so dangerous. Let me explain why.
First let us establish that God says, “I am enough for you,” and Scripture also shows up that God works out things for the “good of those who love Him,” in Romans 8.
This being said, the danger of the previous statements is that so often, we look at things from our perspective. So following that thought, I imagine that “bigger and better” looks like more responsibility and more money. Affording more luxury to life, and extra income to work with.
CAREFUL.
God says what he has for you is plenty and more than enough. Better, in the eyes of God, doesn’t necessarily mean better in the eyes of man.
Our God doesn’t play by our rules. He has His own agenda and has a specific plan in place for the world, and our path is determined before we’re even placed on earth.
So when we approach “bigger and better”, please don’t set yourself up for disappointment when things aren’t exactly what you envisioned. Don’t feel like God hasn’t given you what is better, because when it’s from Him, it is the best.
I’m not saying these things from a place of–do this–like I am an expert, I’m saying this coming from a place where I have to continually remind myself of these things. The human condition is to be easily deceived by fleeting thoughts and empty promises; don’t succumb to it. Rather, submit wholly to God.
God is wholly good, and more than sufficient. Praise God for that, because I’ll never carry myself to the places He wants to take me.
You’re moving on to exactly what God has, bigger and better…best.
-Jarin
Why Intuition Is A Liar
In previous blogs I’ve written, I’ve touched on 2 Timothy, and its description of what Scripture is and how it is used. I’ve really been looking hard at this passage. Specifically the part where it talks about “training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16)
Training. Training. Training.
We have to learn righteousness. It’s not an immediate thing. We have to be taught, rebuked and subjected to the correction of the Holy Spirit.
This is why intuition is a liar.
So often I’ve heard, even in the last year, “Follow your intuition,” (“Trust your instincts,” “Follow your heart”—they’re all the same.)
My heart is not filled with righteousness, nor a real desire for The Lord. Well, over time it has become that way, but hasn’t always been.
This is no fault of mine, because as scripture explains, I’m born a sinner. Full of faults, and failures. I miss the mark.
It’s because I am a sinner that I cannot trust MY intuition. I can’t. It’ll fail me every time.
This is where the intervening nature of the Holy Spirit and the correct use of Scripture comes into play.
A lesson learned. A guiding correction. A convicting sermon/passage of Scripture. It’s all designed to train in righteousness.
“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11
(If you’re a vine user and are familiar with Cousin Terio, insert the “Oooh, Oooh” here.)
It’s with a little pain and discipline that we become righteous. We become more prone to reactions based in love, truth, and understanding.
It’s with training that we become who Christ wants us to be, and we establish the place in His Kingdom that He desires for us.
Quoting from the English Standard Version, Proverbs 12:1 says: “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.”
-Jarin
Kingship and You.
Think for a moment if you will, about your life. Think about what happens when things don’t go according to plan, or when coming up with a plan is difficult. Think about when someone else had an agenda for you and your life. All these situations are not fun, and can result in having an idol, in our lives.
For me, I desire to lead, to exert leadership. Control. Leadership is my control idol. I have a natural tendency to be a leader. Whether good or bad, I tend to have the ability to be the leader. When I don’t get the opportunity to lead, I get frustrated pretty easily, because I have an insight that would make the situation better, at least in my mind. Leadership can become an idol pretty quickly in my life, if I don’t keep my heart in check, and the Lord on the forefront of my mind.
Looking back at “according to plan,” what’s this say to you? I think you’ve got something in mind. It doesn’t have to be what I deal with. Maybe in control looks like making sure your body looks the right way, and you control it with the way you eat (or don’t eat.)
Maybe you deal with lack of control, and hurt yourself. Maybe it is control over other people, and playing mind games with them. Whatever it is, you know your version of control, and what dangers lurk within. You know the control that these items have over you.
In the book of Joshua, God tells us to be strong and courageous, because He is with is. While this passage is talking about the calling God had over the life of Joshua, I think we can pull some important items from it, describing the character of God.
Scripture tells us that God is the same always. Specifically it says, “He’s the same Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow.” So we know that His presence in our lives is unchanging, and that He constantly seeks to have communion with us.
It’s at this point that I think we should establish that idols don’t necessarily have to be something we like. An idol is anything that we either submit to, or allow to have control over our lives. We can enjoy it, but sometimes we don’t like it at all.
It’s because God desires to have communion with us that He also deserves to have the place in our lives that we submit completely to him. Let’s interchange the words idol and control with kingship; because Christ is king. Psalm 22:28 states “For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.”
Not only does God desire that kingship over our lives, it’s already His!
Finally, 1 Peter 5:6 gives us the best course of action for our lives, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.”
Submit to the kingship of the Lord, because He’s worthy of it, and because making Him an idol in your life, won’t let you down. Let His control and direction be what you submit to, what you let control you, because in the end, it’ll allow you to be used of God, and exalt you to better make Him known.
– Jarin