A Lost Generation

I’ve been trying to wrap my head around this idea lately. I look at my brothers, my sisters, and myself and I see that many of us are lost. Not lost in a sense of not knowing who God is, but in knowing who we are for Christ.

After graduating from Cal Poly Pomona, I found myself on a year long adventure of serving the Lord everywhere, from the (literally) city dumps of Honduras to gypsy children in Romania, I loved it all. I was able to see God’s heart for people from all over, and how He loves each person, but I digress 

In this environment, I met other young Christians, each trying to figure out what God has for them, upon coming home from the mission field, I cam back to my home group of friends, which I realized are also in this “lost” zone. 

The questions and statements I often hear are:

• What are God’s plans for me?
• Am I walking in His will?
• I don’t know what gifts He has given me.
• I want to honor Him.
• God, show me what to do!

All, which I think, are completely healthy. We are in those states of seeking, that state where we are waiting on the Lord.

BUT WAITING CAN BE HARD, REALLY HARD.

It doesn’t matter. 

Wait on the Lord.

David waited about 15 years before he became the King of Judah, and of course eventually all of Israel. That’s a long time, do you think you can wait that long until you see the Lord give you what He has promised for your life? It seems almost impossible, but trust in the Lord, and seek Him as your strength.

If you feel that you are in this state, I encourage you to continue to seek the Lord. Continue deep in prayer, continue to spend time in His word, continue to love Him with all your heart! But please do not forget that love is also an action, if you have it in your hands to love someone, whether that be your sibling, your parent,  or a random stranger, DO IT.

 He has called all of us to love. So spread the love, as cheesy as it sounds. He loves you infinitely and calls us to esteem others more highly than our selves.

1)   Love God with all your heart.

2)    Love others with Christ’s love..

3)   Love yourself!

Trust in the Lord. 

Isaiah 55:8-9

 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

I know this was a bit of a rant, but if you feel this way know there are other brothers and sisters going through the same thing. Lift each other up, seek the Lord, wait upon Him, and LOVE!

Be the Love

This blog is meant to be reflected on, examine your heart. It was originally meant for the Destino Movement at Cal Poly Pomona.

Love is something we all desire, as is friendship. But what is love, really?

1 John 4 says the following (with added emphasis):

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

These verses state that GOD IS LOVE! By loving we are able to share the goodness of what He has given us with others around us. His love is the most precious and most costly give we could ever be undeserving of.

Think for a moment: In what ways do you all think we can love on each others as brothers and sisters in Christ?

Another question for you: In what ways can we love those who are not believers?

If we look to the famous and often quoted 1 Corinthians 3 we find more detail on what love can look like for us.

1 Corinthians 13

13 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

I challenge you to look at 1 Cor 13, are you living along these guidelines? Do you see the Lord working in your life in these areas? Do you know that you need growth in some of these areas? I know I do! My desire is to see you all grow, to see you all be a movement of love, a movement of growth, WORLD CHANGERS. People that will LOVE radically! People that unbelievers can look at and behold the heart of God. You NEVER know the impact that your kindness and love can make on a person.

I challenge YOU, as my brothers and sisters to BE LOVE. To be love in your movements, to be love in your families, to be love to strangers, and hardest of all to be love to your enemies.

The bible says that even the wicked can love their friends. (See Matthew 5:43-48)

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

If you are not feeling love from your fellow brothers and sisters, from your community, from your family, BE THE CHANGE. BE THAT LOVE. You can change your movement and those that are around you by implementing the change. I believe that each and every one of you are leaders in your own way. God has created each one of us as His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10) and each of us are appointed to do good works for His kingdom, let Him use you. Have a willing heart.

No matter what gift He has given you, He has called each and everyone of us to love. He has loved you so much MORE than you can ever know, it cost Him everything, KNOW that He loves you and empowers you by the Holy Spirit working through you.

In Obedience there is Learning

I’ve recently started working with 2nd and 3rd graders as an afterschool enrichment program intern. I have a class of 20 eight year old children,16 of which are energetic boys. It is extremely difficult to take control of the classroom, my kids are easily distracted and often speak over me.

As I was speaking with one of the women in my bible study, I shared with her that my desire is for these children to learn and have fun.

Then I joked and said, “Well, really I’d prefer for them to be obedient!” We both laughed and then out of my mouth came, “But really, in obedience there is learning.”

Woah! My own words hit me like a brick.

The Lord calls us to be obedient, too. How many times am I, are all of us as His children, disobedient? I can picture Him, in heaven, in all His glory, placing His hands on his head and sighing, as we repeatedly choose to disobey. If only we would obey, if only we would listen… IF ONLY I WOULD LISTEN.

How many times do we let the winds of this world come in between us and the still small voice of God? How many times do we let our worries get in between our relationship with God? Are we not listening to what the Lord has set before us?

As Christians, we learn patience, wisdom, honor,  and LOVE, when we obey.

1 Samuel 15:33 says this about obedience,“Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” 

His heart for us is to listen to Him. Brothers, sisters, what He has to say us is important, for out of Him comes all wisdom and understanding. (Proverbs 2:6) He alone holds the power of the universe, He knows your heart, He knows your situation, He knows your future.

The Lord required me to be in this class, to have these children under my wings, so that I may truly learn His heart behind wanting me to be obedient.

He calls us to be obedient, not because He is demanding, but because He LOVES us. He wants to the best for us, He wants us to enjoy life, to enjoy Him, to learn and grow.

What Is Good?

I have been sitting in my room, quietly, waiting. Waiting to hear, waiting to know something different. And in this, I’ve known and felt in my heart there is so much more I don’t know. But how do I attain more knowledge and wisdom? Yes, I read the bible. Yes, I pray. Yes, I journal. Check, check, check, but do I listen? I don’t think I do, or best, not very well at all.

But in these passed few days I’ve been contemplating the goodness of God.

When I was in Mozambique inDecember of 2011 the song I would sing to the Lord everyday as I awoke was “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” (Ps. 118:1) These words would be on my mind, heart, and lips as I went through the day working under the scorching sun. I meant it then, and when it comes to my lips, I still mean it.

But what is good, really?

Definition: good /go͝od/  Noun: That which is morally right; righteousness.

The bible says that God is good. 

Jesus calls God good, and in that also shows His divinity. (Mark 10:18; For those of you who are unaware, in context, this is one of the many places where Jesus affirms His divinity by the questioning of this rich young man that came to Him.)

The bible also says God will withold no good thing from you. (Ps. 84:11)

If God is good, that means He won’t withhold Himself from you! “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13) Brothers and sisters, I urge you to ask for MORE OF HIM. Seek Him in your daily life. Walk in His grace, wisdom, mercy, goodness and righteousness.

Romans 8:28 says “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

That good=righteousness…

But what is the ultimate righteousness? God.

So, in having our loving Heavenly Father, and knowing He is ultimately good and righteous, He is the best we can have! He is what we must draw near to.  ^“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4:8)

Let us not live lukewarm lives, but lives on FIRE. Lives burning with passion that want more of Him. Just for HIM. Not for what He can give us, but for who He is. Join with me, meditate on Him.