More Than A Discipline

Go to Google and type in "define: devotion." What is the very first definition that appears? Is it "listening to everything that a person tells you?" Is it "doing and saying all the right things?" or is it even "reading your Bible and praying every morning before you go to work?" No, no, and no. It's actually quite contrary. If you haven't found out on your own already, the definition that comes up is "feelings of ardent love." Why do I do the things that I do? Why do I read my Bible? Why do I pray in the mornings? Why do I sing songs during our worship time on Sunday mornings? I have recently come to realize that my life has been consumed by the do's and dont's of Christianity. I was praying every morning (well almost every morning) because I was told to. I would read my Bible because I was told to. I didn't even have the real desire to do those things. Matthew Elliott put my life into words perfectly.

Many peoples' spiritual lives are actually killing them. They are living by duty, by rote, by fulfilling their responsibilities to church and family. Their goal is to get all their ducks in a row, to believe all the right things and know why they believe it, and to act according to God's commands. They think perhaps if they can get it all right, they will finally be fulfilled. But eventually they find that it doesn't matter how well they can "do all the right things." They still find themselves dry, cold, and empty. They do not live by love as God created them to.Many are like Jim and Cindy, who could no longer stomach the passionless duty of their spiritual lives. So they reject their faith and pursue the pleasures of this world. Perhaps this is a more honest response to our emptiness. (Feel, pg. 46)

This doesn't mean that I am walking away from God right now. What it does mean is that there was some serious evaluation of my spiritual life that needed to take place. I had lost touch with the heart of God. I had lost all sense of purpose, passion, and desire. I was getting worn out. Fast. It also made me wonder if I was the only one, or if there are many other people within the body of Christ, or maybe even at BCC, who feel the exact same way. So what happens next? It's time to reconnect. And the only way to do that is through prayer and the power of God.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

-Ezekiel 36:26-

Once this takes place, we have an entirely new perspective of life. Life the way God created it to be. All of a sudden, being who God created us to be becomes more than a discipline. It becomes an exciting life-changing adventure that is full of passion and joy.

Haiti Trip - March, 2008

Faithful or Just Forgetful?

Well, I have to be honest. This past Sunday I debated whether I should go ahead and pay my tithe and faith promise money, knowing that after doing so, I wouldn't have enough left in my bank account to pay my monthly loan payment. But, knowing that God is faithful, I turned the check in, praying that there would be some sort of miracle. Well, yesterday, while I was at work, my manager was counting the safe. She then said, "Adam, you know you still have a check in here, right?" Apparently, I never went to pick up my check that I was supposed to get three weeks ago! That's not something I would normally do, especially since I'm a poor Master's student. So is it my fault that I forgot to pick up my check? Or is it because God takes care of those who love Him? I like to think it's the latter. It makes me feel better.

Entirely

Well, it's been a little while since I've made my last post. Actually, it has been about three months. But I've been thinking about this lately. What makes great leaders great leaders? Is it the vast amount of knowledge collected over the years stored in their massive brains? Is it because of the way they present themselves or how much money they make? Or is it simply because they were willing to make the self-sacrifice on a daily basis, constantly giving up the simple pleasures life has to offer in order to accomplish something meaningful? The more that I look at other leaders and pastors, people of integrity, the more I see that these people didn't get to where they are today by doing what they wanted all the time. They had the discipline to know what needed to be done and, guess what, they actually did it. Many of us, myself included, continue to pray that God would use us to do all these amazing things for the Kingdom, but we're willing to settle for "less than our best," just so we can say we tried. But Jesus didn't ask for only half of everything that we are and have. He wants the whole thing. He wants our very best. How can I expect God's best for me if I'm not willing to do the same for Him? Just another one of my many thoughts.

New Post Coming Soon

Just letting you know that I haven't forgotten about this. Just haven't had much time at the computer lately.