A big goal that I have for this year is to read the Bible through. I think I am doing fairly well. :) I have progressed nicely through the Old Testament and am almost to the end of Numbers. The one thing that I have really noticed is that there were a lot of laws and rules about how to worship God and how to present offering and atone for our sins. Quite honestly, I'm not sure I would have remembered all of the laws and the way to present offerings. I'm sure my day would have went something like...
"Do I take 4 goats or 5 goats for this offering? Shoot... I only have a cup of flour instead of a quarter for this offering. And did I just touch something that was considered unclean? I don't remember if I'm suppose to leave camp for 3 days or 5 days until I'm considered clean again. And do I take my offerings into the Tent of Meeting or leave them outside? {sigh}"
I am so grateful that we no longer have to follow the laws that were presented to the early tribe of Israel. I am certain that the laws and rituals would have gotten in the way of my relationship with God. And, I am so grateful that Jesus came to fulfill the law.
Last night I found out that the father of a high school friend passed away. There is no doubt that this man is now in heaven. I was thinking about that this morning when it occurred to me that this man is now standing face to face with Jesus. He is now in the presence of the One who fulfilled the law. He is getting to walk and talk with the Man who became the ultimate sacrifice for our sins so that we no longer have to present multiple offerings and so that we don't have to pay the price for our sins. He is with the Son who loves all of us so much that He agreed to go to the cross so that we could live in an intimate relationship with our Father.
To me this is amazing and beautiful. I look forward to the day when I get to be face-to-face with Jesus... the One who sacrificed His life so that I could live in a relationship with my Father and not be bound by rules, laws and rituals.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
... one-hit wonder...
It has occurred to me that one-hit wonders are among the best songs ever done. Some of the most popular include "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinead O'Conner, "Achy Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus, and "Mickey" by Toni Basil. I'm sure you can list a lot more. There are some one-hit wonders that I have come across that I didn't even realize were one-hit wonders... the songs were just that good. A reason why one-hit wonders are so great is because the artists invested a lot of time and all of their creative energy into that one song. They poured everything they had into that one song making it to the charts.
God also recently showed me that I spent a lot of my life afraid that I would be a one-hit wonder. I remember even asking the question internally, "Will I be remembered if I am not selected as a senior superalative?" when I was a senior in high school. The main objective of earning excellent grades in school was to achieve awards... to advance... to be made known. I worked hard. I spent a lot of time earning good grades, completing applications, and becoming a leader in clubs and associations. And... I was tired. I was worn out. But I was really afraid that no one would know me or remember me when my time passed.
Was it worth it? Not really. I was working so hard to impress people. I was trying to live up to standards and expectations that were unrealistic and truly never met. What I was missing out on all that time was doing the work that God had before me. That is really all that matters. I wish that all of my hard work had resulted in at least one life that was changed. To know that I had an influence on one life would have made a difference, even if that person never remembers who I am. I have changed over the years and I now pay more attention to the work that God has before me. I believe that by doing so I have had influence in someone's life, even helping them cross over from death to life. And, I know that in God's book, I am more than a one-hit wonder.
Hearing God's Voice
There were a few times in my life when I certainly heard God's voice...
When I was 18, during vespers at a church camp, I heard God's calling on my life. I am to serve Him and His Church. During my college years I could feel His presence as if He was giving me a hug or just a peaceful reassurance. On September 8, 2006 I became a whole-hearted follower of Jesus. Since then, God has spoken to me in ways that I never imagined possible. He has revealed Himself in scripture, in journaling, through nature, and audibly.
I heard God speak a number of times since 9/8/06. So many times and so clearly that I asked Kevin if I was going crazy. In November 2007 I heard Jesus ask, "So, you want to walk with me?" I know that this was not a statement that I formed on my own in my head. My thoughts before this statement were anything but this. The question was clear. Was I going crazy?
In his book The Barbarian Way, Erwin McManus statest that hearing the voice of God is not something that happens audibly, but it is an experience from within. The times that I heard God speak, it was such an impression on my heart that I heard His words in my head. It is a beautiful and amazing experience. An experience that you want to remember and preserve.
And, when God speaks, you really want to respond. Follow His voice. Obey His commands. Answer His question. Jeremiah 29:11 states that God has huge plans for us. Plans that were made long before we were born. God reveals His plans when He speaks to us. Trust me. You want to listen.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Sweet and Nice
Have you ever been in a situation when you knew God wanted you to say something or do something? And if you said or did this thing that God told you, the circumstances that you were in would not go well at all? Yeah, I've been there too and boy is it hard.
I've been known to have little arguments with God. While talking with someone I have clearly heard God tell me to ask a certain question or make a specific statement. The arguement would then go like this...
Alesha -- "But if I say that, it will not go well at all."
God -- "I know."
Alesha -- "But do you know how this person will react?"
God -- "Yes, I do. But I want you to say it anyway."
Alesha -- "Well.... ok...."
Sometimes I will proceed as God directed. In the end, the reaction was always so much better than I anticipated and I was able to either lead that person into a relationship with Jesus or onto a path of further freedom. Other times, I would edit or sugar coat God's words, and that leads nowhere.
Have you ever heard the statement, "Sweet and nice never changed the world"? Last summer God showed me that my leadership was too sweet. I was choosing to edit or sugar-coat His words too often resulting in soft and poor leadership. People I was leading were not growing and people around me were not seeing Jesus. I was choosing to protect myself because I was afraid of the confrontation that would ensue if I said certain words. Quite frankly, I don't like to be yelled at. But when it comes down to it, who am I to edit God's words??? If God provided me with specific directions, it is my only job to follow. God is my great protector and I am not responsible with how the other person reacts. The Bible is filled with stories of people who did what God directed and the outcomes were not as pleasant as one would expect. However, the outcome was always honoring to God and revealed His holyness in new ways.
After asking God for His forgiveness of me choosing to edit His words and not follow through on His commands, I have resolved to speak and do just as He says. My leadership will not be so sweet and nice any more. I will change this world and I will do it under His direction.
I've been known to have little arguments with God. While talking with someone I have clearly heard God tell me to ask a certain question or make a specific statement. The arguement would then go like this...
Alesha -- "But if I say that, it will not go well at all."
God -- "I know."
Alesha -- "But do you know how this person will react?"
God -- "Yes, I do. But I want you to say it anyway."
Alesha -- "Well.... ok...."
Sometimes I will proceed as God directed. In the end, the reaction was always so much better than I anticipated and I was able to either lead that person into a relationship with Jesus or onto a path of further freedom. Other times, I would edit or sugar coat God's words, and that leads nowhere.
Have you ever heard the statement, "Sweet and nice never changed the world"? Last summer God showed me that my leadership was too sweet. I was choosing to edit or sugar-coat His words too often resulting in soft and poor leadership. People I was leading were not growing and people around me were not seeing Jesus. I was choosing to protect myself because I was afraid of the confrontation that would ensue if I said certain words. Quite frankly, I don't like to be yelled at. But when it comes down to it, who am I to edit God's words??? If God provided me with specific directions, it is my only job to follow. God is my great protector and I am not responsible with how the other person reacts. The Bible is filled with stories of people who did what God directed and the outcomes were not as pleasant as one would expect. However, the outcome was always honoring to God and revealed His holyness in new ways.
After asking God for His forgiveness of me choosing to edit His words and not follow through on His commands, I have resolved to speak and do just as He says. My leadership will not be so sweet and nice any more. I will change this world and I will do it under His direction.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Life Goal... Check!
Two weeks ago I was able to check off one of the life goals I set for myself earlier this year. That life goal was to establish a financial blog. Kevin and I launched our blog titled "Keys: Unlocking Financial Freedom." Why has it been on my heart to do this? I truly believe that the vast majority of peope live in financial bondage, either living from paycheck to paycheck or hoarding all of their money. Jesus knew that money would be largely used by the enemy to trap us and put us in bondage; thus the reason it is the number one topic, next to salvation, that He taught about throughout His ministry. Unlocking financial freedom in a person's heart can open the door for further freedom and can possibly lead that person to more fully experiencing Jesus.
God placed us on this earth as stewards. We are responsible for everything that He has given us. There is not one thing that we own that is truly our's. When we begin to fully understand that we are entrusted stewards of God's vast resources, that's when we will see the face of this earth change and more people experience the transforming power of Jesus. We will all begin living as they did in the early days of the church. One of my favorite verses is Acts 4:32 "All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had."
We hope you subscribe to our blog. It can be found at http://www.unlockingfinancialfreedom.blogspot.com/. God has called us to lead people into financial freedom. We won't back down until more people get there.
God placed us on this earth as stewards. We are responsible for everything that He has given us. There is not one thing that we own that is truly our's. When we begin to fully understand that we are entrusted stewards of God's vast resources, that's when we will see the face of this earth change and more people experience the transforming power of Jesus. We will all begin living as they did in the early days of the church. One of my favorite verses is Acts 4:32 "All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had."
We hope you subscribe to our blog. It can be found at http://www.unlockingfinancialfreedom.blogspot.com/. God has called us to lead people into financial freedom. We won't back down until more people get there.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Being Comfortable...
Kelly has an adorable brown bear named Teddy that we bought for her when I was still pregnant. It is the cutest little bear and it has been well loved during the past 6 years. Kelly sleeps with this bear almost every night and he goes a lot of places with us. He even went to school with us this morning and almost went into the school as Kelly tried to sneak him into her backpack. In the end, he came back home with me. I thought about this for a little bit as he rode home in the front seat beside me. Kelly loves to take this bear everywhere she goes because he brings comfort to her. When things are uncomfortable, she holds on to Teddy with a firm grip. It's an extra assurance that everything is ok.
Even as adults we hold onto things that provide us comfort. It could be an old sweatshirt (I have a sorority sweatshirt that I can't give up because it is so comfortable), a certain chair, or even a worn-out pair of shoes. We even hold on to dreams, goals, and traditions because knowing that such things exist will bring us extra comfort. Sometimes we refuse to let go even when we know we really need to.
But when it really comes down to it, God didn't create us to live in comfort. If you are feeling that you are comfortable with God, with how you worship, with your growth in Him, I highly encourage you to reconsider your pace of walk with God. It could be that He is a little farther down the road than you waiting to take you into something new while you hold on to your comfortable surroundings. God wants to continue molding us and shaping us into the person He ultimately designed us to be. And, yes, it will hurt and be uncomfortable. He will chip away at us like a master sculptor. But the beauty of the pain is knowing that through time we will continue to look more and more like Him... getting closer to living in the complete joy of being His.
The next time you find yourself thinking about how comfortable life really is right now, look around at where God is working. And then get yourself there! God didn't create the fullness of life to leave us behind. He created the fullness of our lives to make us His.
Even as adults we hold onto things that provide us comfort. It could be an old sweatshirt (I have a sorority sweatshirt that I can't give up because it is so comfortable), a certain chair, or even a worn-out pair of shoes. We even hold on to dreams, goals, and traditions because knowing that such things exist will bring us extra comfort. Sometimes we refuse to let go even when we know we really need to.
But when it really comes down to it, God didn't create us to live in comfort. If you are feeling that you are comfortable with God, with how you worship, with your growth in Him, I highly encourage you to reconsider your pace of walk with God. It could be that He is a little farther down the road than you waiting to take you into something new while you hold on to your comfortable surroundings. God wants to continue molding us and shaping us into the person He ultimately designed us to be. And, yes, it will hurt and be uncomfortable. He will chip away at us like a master sculptor. But the beauty of the pain is knowing that through time we will continue to look more and more like Him... getting closer to living in the complete joy of being His.
The next time you find yourself thinking about how comfortable life really is right now, look around at where God is working. And then get yourself there! God didn't create the fullness of life to leave us behind. He created the fullness of our lives to make us His.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Becoming Intimate with Jesus
This week I am working on my staff evaluation for work. One of the final questions is "How do you plan to develop a more intimate relationship with Jesus this year?" It is a tough question to answer. I don't want to be flippant and say "Pray more. Read my Bible more." I am looking for a plan that will allow me to grow closer to Jesus because I know He wants to be closer to me.
I have been thinking through how I have become closer, more intimate, with Kevin. I believe that our closeness has grown over time as we spend more time together, as we open up and be authentic with each other, and as we learn more about each other. I also have plans that include reading books on marriage and relationships and even finding talks about growing a solid marriage. And I think I can use this approach to growing closer to Jesus.
I'm not certain about my plan right now, but I do believe that it will include talking with Jesus more, being in a constant conversation with Him throughout the day everyday, and learning more about who He is as a person and how much He loves me. This will definitely include praying more and reading my Bible more and I think it may even include reading additional books about His life and listening to talks from our church and other great church's around the world. I will also have to surrender my heart and life in completely new ways because as I grow closer to Jesus, I believe He will transform my heart and set my feet on a path that He leads. I'm excited about this growing relationship and loving Him more than ever. And, maybe in the end, I will look a little more like Him.
I have been thinking through how I have become closer, more intimate, with Kevin. I believe that our closeness has grown over time as we spend more time together, as we open up and be authentic with each other, and as we learn more about each other. I also have plans that include reading books on marriage and relationships and even finding talks about growing a solid marriage. And I think I can use this approach to growing closer to Jesus.
I'm not certain about my plan right now, but I do believe that it will include talking with Jesus more, being in a constant conversation with Him throughout the day everyday, and learning more about who He is as a person and how much He loves me. This will definitely include praying more and reading my Bible more and I think it may even include reading additional books about His life and listening to talks from our church and other great church's around the world. I will also have to surrender my heart and life in completely new ways because as I grow closer to Jesus, I believe He will transform my heart and set my feet on a path that He leads. I'm excited about this growing relationship and loving Him more than ever. And, maybe in the end, I will look a little more like Him.
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