Challenge

I have been very challenged lately with a couple different sermons/lessons that I think correlate. A few weeks ago Pastor Luke taught a sermon all about the mirage of self love. It seemed as though everything he said hit me square between the eyes. I realized so many different areas in my life that I exhibited this disgusting self love. I realized my selfishness, self preservation, and self promotion. These  realizations manifested themselves over the next few days and weeks and I'm still mulling over them.

Then a couple days ago Bryan had Jason give the student ministries lesson concerning how the Gospel changes the way we think. When I was in eighth grade my youth pastor taught us all about our thoughts and it was the first time I was convicted about the things I was thinking about. It's obvious that sometimes our thoughts can be just downright evil; but, Jason made a fascinating remark regarding how our thoughts shape our worldview. This is where Luke's sermon ties right in for me. If I am constantly thinking about myself and my own agenda, then obviously I am cultivating a humanistic worldview. Taking my thoughts captive isn't always about inherently evil thoughts, but it is about what I am spending my time thinking about that is regarding myself and my selfishness, rather than focusing my mind and thoughts on things above (Col. 3:2).

I have been challenged in numerous ways to take my thoughts to a whole new level. It shouldn't be about me and my selfishness. My whole life, including my thoughts and my worldview, should be about Christ. I challenge you to consider how your thoughts may need tuned up, as well. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Homeowners!!!

Image
Four years ago PB and I were having dinner with a friend from college and her gracious parents in their lovely home. We were fulfilling Bryan’s college internship requirements at a wonderful church in Iowa, but we were often lonely, so one of my sweet college floor-mates offered herself and her family as company one evening. We were so thankful for this gesture, and even more thankful to learn from her parents who had been involved in pastoral ministry for many years. I remember exchanging stories and listening intently as we were told the utter importance of remembering God’s faithfulness in our lives in bringing us to Iowa and providing us both with paid internships, free housing, and a great experience. They warned that ministry, and life, would not always be so wonderful and full of hope and joy. They urged us to build a sort of Ebenezer, if you will, to remember God’s faithfulness to us during that stage of life, and be able to look back on it when we are exhausted in ministry, f...
Read more

God's Provision (and our official announcement!)

God is faithful. He always is, even when we don't open our eyes enough to see it. God has once again proven His faithfulness to us when we least deserve it, but definitely needed it! Bryan and I have seen God work in so many ways in the past few weeks and months and we are amazed; not that God is still working, after all, we've seen Him move throughout our whole lives, but amazed that He still chooses to bless us beyond belief. We are undeserving, selfish, sinful, weak, and poor. Yet, the Savior of the world decided to open a new door of opportunity for us.  Bryan has been seeking an internship in order to complete his academic requirements at Moody and while some doors had been closing, on Friday, February 3rd, both Bryan and I had interviews with a youth pastor and his wife from a church in Iowa. There were other qualified candidates interviewing for the same position, so we prayed. It seemed too good to be true, so we prayed harder. God knew what He was doing the whole time...
Read more

Provision

Image
As I look back at 2012 the one word that comes to mind to describe the year is "provision". God has been clearly showing me how He provided for all my needs in the past year, and I hope this look back at my year encourages you to count your blessings, as well. Beyond graduating from college last winter (which was a blessing in itself), Bryan and I had both been praying for me to find a good job to help save up money before the wedding. Once I got home and started applying, I ended up working 3 regular jobs, as well as occasional nannying. That was a huge answer to prayer!  Last spring planning our wedding was on the forefront of my mind. My parents offered me a budget and after many different considerations and decisions made, we ended up coming in under budget; which was a great blessing! On top of that, everything went very well with the wedding, despite the uncharacteristically hot May day.  Bryan and I had also been praying for months for a paid internship fo...
Read more