Spiritual Dejection

February 7 - My Utmost for His Highest Oswald Chambers

"We were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened." Luke 24:21

Every fact that the disciples stated was right, but the conclusions they drew from those facts were wrong. Anything that has even a hint of dejection spiritually is always wrong. If I am depressed or burdened, I am to blame, not God or anyone else. Dejection stems from one of two sources - I have either satisfied a lust or I have not had it satisfied. In either case, dejection is the result. Lust means "I must have it at once" Spiritual lust causes me to demand an answer from God, instead of seeking God himself who gives the answer. What have I been hoping or trusting God wold do? Is today "the third day" and He has still not done what I expected? Am I therefore justified in being dejected and in blaming God? Whenever we insist that God should give us and answer to prayer we are off track. the purpose of prayer is that we get ahold of God, not of the answer. It is impossible to be well physically and to be dejected, because dejection is a sign of sickness. This is also true spiritually. Dejection spiritually is wrong, and we are always to blame for it.

Sometimes I am blown away as to how God gets my attention!

give me a revaltion

"give me a revelation, show me what to do, cause i've been trying to find my way i haven't got a clue"

i'm not really a big fan of third day, but the words of this song have been stuck in my head all day!

i need a revelation!! when i came home from africa i had a plan for my life, well now God has taken away my passion and i'm pretty sure, scratch that, i am positive he is asking me to have faith.

can Jesus speak to me through a sermon in a movie?? I think he just did!!! Wow

Praise God!!!!

would Jesus speed?

i have been thinking about what Jesus would actually do in a lot of situations today. for instance i was late just about everywhere i went today. no joke, i was 5 minutes late to my first class, then late to my meeting in common hour, and just about everything else!! so in my extreme effort to not be late i found myself speeding, a lot, and i wondered...

would Jesus speed?

i mean assuming that he had a car, and was taking pre calculus, and had meetings, and classes at church, and had to check on his little sister, and other things. part of me thinks that it would depend on what he was doing. like if he was going up the mountain to pray and was running late, that kind of thing. but then i think that would Jesus be running late somewhere? i think sometimes our vision of Jesus might be a little off, and so the question of if he ran late for things or not might be valid. but then i go back to the legality of speeding and when you speed it is breaking the law, and wouldn't that be considered a sin? and Jesus didn't sin so therefore he didn't speed right?

all in all the day ended with no answers to my questions and i am more confused now than i was when i woke up about what would Jesus do. please pray for me tomorrow!!

Be like Jesus huh??

ok so i have realized being like Jesus is a lot harder than i ever could have imagined!!! in situations i found yesterday where i could have acted like Jesus i kept thinking "shoot if i do this i will be late" or "that seems kinda sketch" or other things like that. so needless to say i failed at acting like Jesus because i once again let myself get in the way and over thought everything!

BOOKS =)

so tonight i bought three new books! my utmost for his highest by oswald chambers, forgotten God by francis chan, and the year living like Jesus by ed dobson. so far i have read the first month of january and want to live like Jesus hahah. now there is no way i know enough about the law to do that, and i don't even know how that would go for a woman, but it is seriously inspiring. i do want to look into hitting up a synagog and learning more about jewish culture and understand that aspect of Jesus more.

so my challenge for tomorrow.....

what would Jesus REALLY do???

Notes from Kenya

so i was looking for a picture and came across a note one of my teammates wrote for me. i read it again and it again delighted my heart! it's little times like this today that i am so grateful that i keep EVERYTHING!!

here is the note...

Father i lift up steph to you. i pray that out of your glorious riches, you would root her and establish her in love. i pray that she would have the power to grasp how wide and long and high and deep the love of Christ, the love that passes knowledge, is for her! (eph 3:14-21) i pray she would resist the enemy and his attacks against her. (1 pet 5:6-11) i pray she would find her comfort in you and not in the world. (psalm 119:76-80) i ask that you would guide her in righteousness, that she would seek first your kingdom! (psalm 23, matt 6:33) i pray that she would be willing to lay her life, with all the fears, joys and worries, down at your feet in a living sacrifice. (rom 12:1-15) i pray she would take her place in this chosen generation. (1 pet 2:9) i pray she would find her place of love in you and that the love of the team would pour over her again and again! bless my sister! amen.

strength and courage

being in the states doesn't mean i leave strength and courage in kenya!

"In the same way I was with Moses, I'll be with you. I won't give up on you; I won't leave you. Strength! Courage!...Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take." - Joshua 1:5,9

it's pretty easy to feel the power of the Holy Spirit when you have nothing else to give you strength. in kenya that was pretty much how it went! i remember one of us writing a message on this for the hospital one wednesday (i think it was diesel). God tells joshua "strength and courage" three times in the first nine verses! you would think that we could get the hint.