"Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
-1 Peter 1:13-16
What does it mean to be holy? If you look up the word in Webster's dictionary you find this definition: exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness, divine as in God. If you ask someone walking down the street you may get a response like this, "holy art thou...perfect?", or ask the Christian and you get the response "set-apart", "like Christ", "different". But the question in my mind is do we really understand what holiness means? There are many Christians who are passionate about living for the Lord, about following His commands, and about going to church services, but I don't think most Christians are passionate about holiness. So where does the Christian start in discovering what holiness truly is, in the eyes of our Maker, and how to strive for that...well lets start with God Himself. God is our standard of holiness. God's holiness shows His absolute perfection. Look at verses like 1 Samuel 2:2, "There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God." He is unlike any other being, He is completely absent from any form or even a hint of sin and therefore nobody can compare or even come close to his holy nature. Does that mean we get discouraged and stop in our pursuit of holiness? Absolutely not!
Look in Leviticus where God told Israel to be holy. He was in essence telling them that they were to be different then all the other nations at the time, they had to stand out. Israel was God's chosen people and He had set them apart for a specific purpose. God had set standards for them to live by so that the people might see that they were different and that they belonged to Him. In the verse in 1 Peter, Peter is calling the believer, the one in Christ, to be holy and set apart from the world. John reminds us as well that we cannot "conform to the world". God obviously is not calling us to perfection as holiness would define, but He is calling us to a different life, a different standard; one that doesn't match up to or measure up to the world by any means, but to Him alone.
How can you become more holy. Holiness, the pursuit of it begins the moment your life is surrendered to the Lord and He saves you! In that right relationship with Him through the work of Christ on the cross He begins a life long process of sanctification and your lifelong journey of holiness begins. Realize that just being part of God's family already sets you apart from the world. Then strive to set your life apart for Christ, be different, don't shy away from spreading the truth to all you know (remembering you can do all things through HIM- Philippians 4:13), and live to glorify Him in everything you do. As you continue to develop a deeper relationship with Him through time in His word, in worship, in church service, in discipleship etc. it will spur you on to be holy as He is holy!
A great resource is Nancy Leigh DeMoss' book Holiness
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Friday, June 08, 2007
Bitter Sweet
Goodbyes are rarely easy and often times change, although it can be good and necessary, can be extremely difficult as well. As most of you now know, I will be leaving this Fall to finish up my remaining two years of college at The Master's College. Although I am very excited to see what God has in store it is bitter sweet for me. I am saddened by the fact that although I will be back occasionally, it won't be the same in many ways. I will dearly miss Compass Bible Church and more importantly the amazing high school students and leaders who I have been privileged to serve with and lead and blessed immensely by. I am sad to leave my family who really are the joy of my life and my biggest encouragement in so many ways. And friends who could never be replaced. I will seize this summer for His glory and redeem as much time for Him as I invest in the lives of others this summer. I thought I would share with you all why I wanted to go to maybe clarify the work God is doing in my life at this point.
God has given each individual different gifts and/or talents that were designed to be used as tools for His glory. Whether your talent is in service or leadership, each gift is uniquely vital to the Body of Christ as a whole and as Romans 12 reminds us, the Body cannot function without each member. God has given many of His children the privilege to attain a higher education in order to fine-tune the gifts He has bestowed upon each one. Through this ‘refining’ process God continues to mold His children more and more into the image of His Son, and instills a vast plethora of wisdom for them to carry with them wherever He may lead. As we are sensitive to the Spirit’s leading in our lives, we are led exactly where He wants us to be (Proverbs 3:5-7). It is at this turning point in my life that the Lord has laid before me a blessed opportunity to gain not only knowledge for the future, but biblical wisdom that will not only equip me as a saint, but deepen my love for our Maker.
The Master’s College is rare in that it offers a sound biblical education, one that does not shy away from the true Word of God and that shapes young adults to go into the world and preach the good news (Matthew 28). My desire is not only to obtain more knowledge, but to also develop a deeper understanding and love for the Word and for the Lord. God has blessed me with a few gifts that I pray will be used for Him. One of those is encouragement/discipleship. I know that the Lord has continually placed younger, less spiritually mature girls in my path in order that He might use me to sharpen them or guide/train them. At Master’s I pray that the classes I take (hopefully some in biblical counseling) will equip me more sufficiently in disciplining and sharpening others in the faith. In fact I am in prayer right now as to whether or not to major in biblical counseling or to stick with my original liberal studies plan.
I truly believe God wants me to be a teacher. Whether that means to teach in an elementary school in a school in Orange County, at a women’s bible study in Colorado, or at a boarding school in Africa, I don’t know. I hope that the education that I receive at The Master’s College will equip me for wherever God leads. Jeremiah 29:11 provides assurance in that I can trust in God’s faithful promises and plan for not only my life, but for the lives of each and every faithful follower of Christ on this planet. God promises us in Hebrews 13 that He will equip us for every good work, what a truly refreshing and peace-bringing promise that is.
Why do I want to go to the Master’s college you might ask and my honest answer is to gain a better understanding of our Lord Jesus Christ and to obtain more wisdom in the areas that God has gifted me in. I hope that I will also build strong relationships with other like-minded followers of our Lord and that together we might be strengthened and sharpened. I pray that God brings people into my life, even at Master’s that I might share His grace with and that He gives countless opportunities for me to bring glory and honor to His name.
The question begs where I see myself in two years from now when I graduate, or even farther down the road and I can’t give you a definite answer. My desire to teach, to be a Godly wife and mother and woman of the Lord come secondary to my purpose of glorifying the Lord and spreading His name throughout all the earth. I could tell you that I see myself graduating in two years and continuing as a graduate student, but whether that is necessarily where God will have or want me in two years that I don’t know. A wise woman once told me be willing to do what God asks, wherever He asks, and whenever He asks. I can promise you this that I will keep on running the race that I have been called to, I will continue to ask for strength to pick up my cross and follow Him daily, and I will continue to strive to know and love our Savior with my whole heart.
I know that God has given me an opportunity here and it is a privilege and a blessing in and of itself. With this higher education I pray I will reach more for His name. Not everyone is afforded the option of going to college, or even more importantly a sound God-centered College in which they will be strengthened, encouraged, challenged and equipped on a daily basis. I can only thank the Lord for His loving kindness as Jeremiah writes. So why do I want to go away and what are my future plans, I think the Westminster Catechism puts it short and sweet, “To glorify God by enjoying Him forever!”
God has given each individual different gifts and/or talents that were designed to be used as tools for His glory. Whether your talent is in service or leadership, each gift is uniquely vital to the Body of Christ as a whole and as Romans 12 reminds us, the Body cannot function without each member. God has given many of His children the privilege to attain a higher education in order to fine-tune the gifts He has bestowed upon each one. Through this ‘refining’ process God continues to mold His children more and more into the image of His Son, and instills a vast plethora of wisdom for them to carry with them wherever He may lead. As we are sensitive to the Spirit’s leading in our lives, we are led exactly where He wants us to be (Proverbs 3:5-7). It is at this turning point in my life that the Lord has laid before me a blessed opportunity to gain not only knowledge for the future, but biblical wisdom that will not only equip me as a saint, but deepen my love for our Maker.
The Master’s College is rare in that it offers a sound biblical education, one that does not shy away from the true Word of God and that shapes young adults to go into the world and preach the good news (Matthew 28). My desire is not only to obtain more knowledge, but to also develop a deeper understanding and love for the Word and for the Lord. God has blessed me with a few gifts that I pray will be used for Him. One of those is encouragement/discipleship. I know that the Lord has continually placed younger, less spiritually mature girls in my path in order that He might use me to sharpen them or guide/train them. At Master’s I pray that the classes I take (hopefully some in biblical counseling) will equip me more sufficiently in disciplining and sharpening others in the faith. In fact I am in prayer right now as to whether or not to major in biblical counseling or to stick with my original liberal studies plan.
I truly believe God wants me to be a teacher. Whether that means to teach in an elementary school in a school in Orange County, at a women’s bible study in Colorado, or at a boarding school in Africa, I don’t know. I hope that the education that I receive at The Master’s College will equip me for wherever God leads. Jeremiah 29:11 provides assurance in that I can trust in God’s faithful promises and plan for not only my life, but for the lives of each and every faithful follower of Christ on this planet. God promises us in Hebrews 13 that He will equip us for every good work, what a truly refreshing and peace-bringing promise that is.
Why do I want to go to the Master’s college you might ask and my honest answer is to gain a better understanding of our Lord Jesus Christ and to obtain more wisdom in the areas that God has gifted me in. I hope that I will also build strong relationships with other like-minded followers of our Lord and that together we might be strengthened and sharpened. I pray that God brings people into my life, even at Master’s that I might share His grace with and that He gives countless opportunities for me to bring glory and honor to His name.
The question begs where I see myself in two years from now when I graduate, or even farther down the road and I can’t give you a definite answer. My desire to teach, to be a Godly wife and mother and woman of the Lord come secondary to my purpose of glorifying the Lord and spreading His name throughout all the earth. I could tell you that I see myself graduating in two years and continuing as a graduate student, but whether that is necessarily where God will have or want me in two years that I don’t know. A wise woman once told me be willing to do what God asks, wherever He asks, and whenever He asks. I can promise you this that I will keep on running the race that I have been called to, I will continue to ask for strength to pick up my cross and follow Him daily, and I will continue to strive to know and love our Savior with my whole heart.
I know that God has given me an opportunity here and it is a privilege and a blessing in and of itself. With this higher education I pray I will reach more for His name. Not everyone is afforded the option of going to college, or even more importantly a sound God-centered College in which they will be strengthened, encouraged, challenged and equipped on a daily basis. I can only thank the Lord for His loving kindness as Jeremiah writes. So why do I want to go away and what are my future plans, I think the Westminster Catechism puts it short and sweet, “To glorify God by enjoying Him forever!”
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Seize The Summer!!!
As a part of our H.S. ministry at Compass Bile Church, we have decided to "SEIZE THE SUMMER". What does this mean you might ask. As we all know summer becomes a time when the busyness of everyday life comes to a halt and the days seem longer and the time more available. Although we tend to jam pack our summers with longer work days, more time at the beach, and every other possible activity just to make sure we take advantage of the change in schedule, we fail to realize that this time can be redeemed. In other words this extra time, and yes you do have it believe it or not, can be used for God's glory. I think what most people think of when they think summer is, 'sleep...sun...fun'. And although God has given us a break from the hectic schedules we all have, remember HE has given you that break and therefore HE deserves some of that time. So what better way to redeem that time then to set a goal for yourself to accomplish. Whether it be to read a great Christian book, read through the Bible, start a Christian blog, or memorize scripture, the possibilities for you to "seize" your summer are endless. Don't let this summer just be another where you accomplish nothing, redeem your summer for God's glory!!!
"Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together." -Psalm 34:3
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Compass Spring Tea
Yesterday morning/afternoon was the Women's Spring Tea at Compass. It was so neat to see over 400 women (half of whom don't even attend)attend. I know the Lord definitely used the event for HIS glory! Each table was so beautifully and creatively decorated. The message was wonderful too...being transformed by Christ! Here are a few pics:
Friday, June 01, 2007
Faith Like A Child
"And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." --Matthew 8:13
I have had the absolute privilege of watching three children respond to the Lord's calling over the past few months, both of whom live in homes with luke-warm parents. What I have witnessed, the transformation that is, has been indescribable. I have never really understood the verse I posted above until I was able to witness these young children, all of whom are under the age of eight, surrender their hearts and lives to Christ.
These small children were so thrilled that this God, this mighty King loved them enough to send His Son to die for them and all the "bad things" they had done and in turn make them "perfect" in God's eyes. The precious words spouted forth from their mouth, "I believe" were priceless. It was that response and the difference in their attitude as their face lit up with joy that I saw a piece of God's glory.
As I pondered what children had that adults did not possess, or why Christ would make a comment like this, I realized that much of this child-like faith involves humility. We see the next verse says, ""Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven". Christ is referring to a topic, or an attribute that seems to be lost in most adults today, that of humility.
Ravi Zacharias puts it well:
Brennan Manning spells it out this way, "For the disciple of Jesus 'becoming like a little child' means the willingness to accept oneself as being of little account and to be regarded as unimportant," and may I add—that God is of great account and of utmost importance.
When I look across the landscape of the New Testament I see a church that believed in a Christ who was bodily raised from the dead. They believed it because they had adequate evidence and testimony for it. And when Paul says, "The just shall live by faith," it is because God's character and "faithfulness" is such that we can bank on his promises. When we cry out to Him in humility, He will hear us. Mature Christians believe in Christ because he is true and is an explanation on which all of life and reality can be based.
Let us do away with this cultural misconception that "childlike faith" equals "intellectual simplicity"; and let us walk boldly forward as humble children of God into the wisdom and greatness the Kingdom of God affords.
I have had the absolute privilege of watching three children respond to the Lord's calling over the past few months, both of whom live in homes with luke-warm parents. What I have witnessed, the transformation that is, has been indescribable. I have never really understood the verse I posted above until I was able to witness these young children, all of whom are under the age of eight, surrender their hearts and lives to Christ.
These small children were so thrilled that this God, this mighty King loved them enough to send His Son to die for them and all the "bad things" they had done and in turn make them "perfect" in God's eyes. The precious words spouted forth from their mouth, "I believe" were priceless. It was that response and the difference in their attitude as their face lit up with joy that I saw a piece of God's glory.
As I pondered what children had that adults did not possess, or why Christ would make a comment like this, I realized that much of this child-like faith involves humility. We see the next verse says, ""Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven". Christ is referring to a topic, or an attribute that seems to be lost in most adults today, that of humility.
Ravi Zacharias puts it well:
Brennan Manning spells it out this way, "For the disciple of Jesus 'becoming like a little child' means the willingness to accept oneself as being of little account and to be regarded as unimportant," and may I add—that God is of great account and of utmost importance.
When I look across the landscape of the New Testament I see a church that believed in a Christ who was bodily raised from the dead. They believed it because they had adequate evidence and testimony for it. And when Paul says, "The just shall live by faith," it is because God's character and "faithfulness" is such that we can bank on his promises. When we cry out to Him in humility, He will hear us. Mature Christians believe in Christ because he is true and is an explanation on which all of life and reality can be based.
Let us do away with this cultural misconception that "childlike faith" equals "intellectual simplicity"; and let us walk boldly forward as humble children of God into the wisdom and greatness the Kingdom of God affords.
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