examine

Posted on September 5, 2003 by Dana

Yesterday I was examined. My blood was examined; my bones were examined; even my bone marrow was examined. In a couple of weeks, the doctor will share the results of all these tests. One thing I can count on: He will be honest.

The Holy Spirit tells us to examine ourselves. Surely this is to be uncomplicated. Have I put my faith in Jesus? Does He rule in my heart? Do I live in a way that shows I belong to God? Do I love my fellow man?

It is critical that I am honest. If I see that I am God’s child, I can rejoice as I press on to run the race before me. If I honestly conclude I am not in the faith there is a simple, but urgent solution: Run to Jesus. He is the Author and Perfector of faith. He alone can take me to the Father. He will give me a new heart and a new spirit which will result in a life of obedience and love.

The letter of I John speaks of these important matters. This a section of the third chapter from the Message: “People conceived and brought into life by God don’t make a practice of sin. How could they? God’s seed is deep within them, making them who they are. It’s not in the nature of the God-begotten to practice and parade sin. Here’s how you tell the difference between God’s children and the Devil’s children: The one who won’t practice righteous ways isn’t from God, nor is the one who won’t love his brother or sister. A simple test. The way we know we have been transferred from death to life is that we love our brothers and sisters. Anyone who doesn’t love is as good as dead. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know very well that eternal life and murder don’t go together. This is how we’ve come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see your brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear. My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the only way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves. And friends, once that’s taken care of and we’re no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we’re bold and free before God! We’re able to stretch our hands out and receive what we asked for because we’re doing what he said, doing what pleases him. Again this is God’s command: to believe in his personally named Son, Jesus Christ. He told us to love each other, in line with the original command. As we keep his commands, we live deeply and surely in him, and he lives in us. And this is how we experience his deep and abiding presence in us: by the Spirit He gave us.”

“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you – unless, of course, you fail the test?” II Corinthians 13:5

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not always what it seems

Posted on September 3, 2003 by Dana

The mysteries I have discovered in this life often deal with the contrast between the way I see things and the way God sees them.  I am more careful saying “God did that” because I have seen pretty clearly that some of my “successes” were only “successes” in the eyes of the world… because I was in charge.  In other words, I have had several “successes in the flesh”.  I don’t think God gets much glory for such things.  On the other hand, I have had what seem to be great defeats… which may have ended up as victories in God’s eyes.  The one who obeys His Lord, loses all for the gospel, and dies at the hands of evil men will be counted great in the Kingdom because, by faith, he resisted the flesh and lived by the Spirit.  Such a one will be counted a fool by the world, but our God does not think like this world… neither should we.

This is especially important as we view our students from day to day.  This past weekend, many believers from around the city gathered to pray for one of our graduates who is being “sent out” to Kansas City to be a part of a prayer ministry that is quite unique.  Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, prayer and worship take place at the International House of Prayer (I.H.O.P for short).  Billy Humphrey and his wife Maribeth intend to live in Kansas City a year, and then come back to Atlanta and start a similar ministry.  For thirteen years, Billy has been youth pastor at Victory World Church in Norcross.  His leaders have encouraged him to follow this vision God has given, believing this is for the Body of Christ in Atlanta, not just their congregation.  I write this to tell you that as presiding assistant principal when Billy was in school, I would have never predicted that God would use such a one.  Billy was a bit of a rebel.  He would confess he did not follow God while at GAC.  But at UGA, he was radically saved and is now on fire for the Lord.

This past summer, I got a letter from Pam Watson.  Most of you know that her daughter Krista was killed in a car accident last May on the way to her graduation ceremony in Murphy, NC.  Krista was a unique person who presented challenges at times.  Her mom wrote, “Krista was a little different and sometimes hard to deal with.  The combination of being strong willed and outspoken yet very sensitive presented her with some challenges.”  Yet, God was at work in a young lady.  Pam continued, “Although she was in Murphy a short time, she was well known and loved.  She had found her home there and an environment in which she could flourish and grow.  She loved her new church home as well.  As the final weeks of her time here flew by, she became noticeably happier, softer, and I think, at peace with herself.

“God has worked through her death.  A reporter from the Asheville newspaper came to Murphy to write about her death.  He interviewed a number of her friends who talked about her smile, her fun loving nature, and her faith.  He was a Christian as well and has incorporated her faith into the three articles that have subsequently been published in the newspaper.  She was their lead story on June 24th, one month after her death.  Through this writer she was able to witness to others even after her death and to touch a great number of people.”

To close my encouragement that we constantly ask for wisdom to see as God does — in the Spirit as opposed to the flesh — I want to share a few of the journal entries Krista wrote during her senior year.  I believe these were written in her English class at Gainesville High School before they moved to Murphy.

Aug 12, 2002 — ONE WISH
My wish is to find the perfect man that God has arranged for me to find.  I know he won’t be perfect, but I just want to find a man that will stay by my side forever.  I want a man that will better himself every day for his family and be an awesome father for our kids.  My husband will be God’s disciple and my faith will grow through him.

Aug 13 — CHANGE
If I could change one thing in this world right now, it would be for every boy to be 6’5″ or taller.  That way I would have a choice of any boy without having to worry about the whole height issue, since I am 6’4″.  Actually, I would want them to be around 6’7″ so that I could wear heels and still be shorter than the guys.

Aug 19 — ONE LESSON
If I could teach my children one lesson for a happy life, I would teach them to love God with all their hearts.  God was the one who put us here and gave us free will; therefore we should thank and love him every day.  I would take my children to church twice a week and help them develop their own faith in God.  I would kneel beside their beds at night and teach them how to pray.

Aug 27 — DINNER PARTY
If I could have a dinner party and invite any four people from history, I would invite Jesus and three other people who aren’t Christians.  That way, I could learn and watch Jesus as he showed them the light so I could learn how to disciple others.  The reason we were put on this earth is so we can convert others, but I haven’t converted anyone.  I guess I don’t try that hard, but if I learned from the master, perhaps I would be enlightened.

Oct 30 — MOST PROUD
The moments I feel most proud of myself are when I help someone out who needs help.  One example would be when I go to mentorship and help kids read.  Another instance is when I would go to a soup kitchen the first Sunday of every month with the old church from GAC.  We would make and serve breakfast to the homeless in downtown Atlanta.  I remember seeing the same people there month after month.  It felt good to serve them.  It was kinda like when Jesus would serve his disciples — but not really.

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view.  Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. II Corinthians 5:16

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instigate

Posted on August 28, 2003 by Dana

The Instigator spoke the Word, darkness understood and light appeared. With sin, another darkness came into the world… an evil darkness that leads to death.

So God spoke again. The Word entered the darkness, but this time, the darkness did not understand. He was despised and rejected by man. Though full of life, He was put to death and sealed in a tomb. But the Instigator of light will not be defeated by darkness or death. The risen Word now invites us to receive life and walk in the light as He is in the light. “Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”

Those that walk with Him continually instigate light in a dark world. “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” John 1:1-5

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unshakable

Posted on August 21, 2003 by Dana

A business suffers when a virus causes its computer system to crash, a major city comes to a standstill because of a glitch somewhere in the energy grid, a premier quarterback in the NFL is sidelined with a broken leg… We live in a shakable world.

The immediate question when the lights go out is: “When will this be over?” The deeper question is: “If my secure job suddenly ends, if my good health turns bad, if my best friend betrays me… if the whole world falls apart around me, will I stand?”

Our hope for standing is not in a better power grid or a new drug or a stronger economy. Our hope is in an unshakable King who is giving us an unshakable Kingdom. When man’s criticism and the devil’s attacks came against Him, Jesus remembered who He was and stood in the Word of His Father. “I am in the Father and the Father is in me. The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.”

If I am going to stand in a shaky world, I too, must remember who I am… realizing it is far more important to believe what the Holy Spirit says than to believe what I sometimes feel. “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”

George Keith wrote true words in a timeless hymn: How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, Is laid for your faith in His excellent word! What more can He say than to you He has said, You who unto Jesus for refuge have fled? “Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed; I, I am thy God and will still give thee aid; I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, Upheld by My gracious omnipotent hand.” “The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose, I will not, I will not desert to His foes; That soul tho’ all hell should endeavor to shake, I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.”

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:28-29

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priceless

Posted on August 14, 2003 by Dana

This week I celebrate two years of good health. The other night Susan and I reminisced about the journey. In the midst of the storm it is so easy to think, “It’s not worth it!” But once we get to the other side, our feelings change. These two years have been priceless to me… and yet I know there is something even greater. How priceless is God’s unending love for us!

Was it worth it for the Father to offer up His precious Son? Was it worth it for Jesus to suffer as He did? In exchange for a year of difficulty, I have received two years with my family and friends… to work and to play… to laugh and to cry. In exchange for Himself, Jesus gained the wounded, the hopeless, and the lost. In exchange for His Son, the Father gained sons and daughters He is bringing to glory.

In the difficult parts of the journey, we may think, “It’s too hard to follow Jesus! Is this life of faith worth it?” Oh if we could hear the heart of the One who endured more than we can fathom: “Don’t give up! I understand the temptation to quit… it came against Me too… but your soul is priceless! Don’t compromise. Don’t shrink back. Don’t wither in the heat. I tell you, no one who follows Me will be sorry in the end. Your eye has not seen and your mind cannot even imagine the things My Father has prepared for you!”

May God grant us our Savior’s resolve as we run the race marked out for us.

“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” Luke 9:25

“Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed – that exhilarating finish in and with God – he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourself flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” Hebrews 12:2-3 (The Message)

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